Picture and Note from Brother Bean

 Here is a text I just received from a member  that made my day: 

“Sister Goold, I am brother Bean.  we just had the privilege of have your son in our home to deliver a gospel message.  He is truly fine young man.  We are grateful that jr is here.  Thank you for your sacrifice him for 2 years while he is serving on the Oregon Portland Mission”

{Letter #93} Another One Down

Hi everyone! I hope you all have had a great week! What was something good that happened?

It's been a good and busy week here! We had several exchanges, zone council, 5 friends at church, and some awesome lessons!

Exchanges with Elder Sanford 

Exchanges are awesome! We got to talk about effective leadership and communication. Everyone has a role in leading others in some fashion. Our role as missionaries is to lead others to Christ! We can do that through love, example, and directing others! I'd love to hear any thoughts you all have on what makes an effective leader in your life!

 District council 

In zone council we talked about Charity and listening to others, specifically with the mindset of effective communication in contentious situations. That was awesome! I highly recommend you study those things sometime!

One of the cool lessons we had this week was with our friend James! He has been putting forth so much effort to learn and grow! He has been coming to church for almost 3 months straight now and really wants to be baptized! He has some things that are currently holding him up though, prayers for James would be appreciated!

My spiritual thought this week is going to come from some things that I studied. The Lord speaking to Nephi said:

"I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts".

Just a few chapters later Jacob taught:

"Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause".

I love these two verses! Jesus Christ is always standing with open arms ready to receive us! More often than not, we need to change our focus so we can recognize that. President Nelson has talked a lot about things we can do to "let God prevail" in our lives! I invite you all to go study one of his recent talks! You will feel the Spirit and learn something new!

I love you all! I am praying for you! I hope you have a great week!

Love,
Elder Goold

My pics: 

Our friend, Israel, and his family 

Our friend, Tree, that just moved away 😔

Personal study 

Our family phone call—with mom and dad in the Galapagos 

{Letter #92} Seek and Ye Shall Find

Hi everyone! I hope y'all have had a great week! What was something fun that happened?  When was a time you felt God's presence in your life this week?   

It's been a pretty good week here! Pretty uneventful, just lots of normal missionary work activities. Mission Leadership Council (MLC) again, exchanges, and some good lessons!

At MLC we got to talk a lot about how we can help other missionaries develop their skills and conversion to Christ! It was really good!

I went on exchanges with Elder Beyer. It was my first time serving with him--he is an awesome Elder. We got to talk a lot about how we can help others and also how we can effectively do the Lord's work! It was awesome!

We found a few people to teach, all of whom were super excited about the Book of Mormon! Mike has already read a good amount since we first talked to him on Wednesday!  We also had 6 friends come to church this week.  

I want to just go to my spiritual thought this week. I recently read these verses from Nephi in The Book of Mormon-Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Nephi taught:

"For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round."

I love this! God still speaks today! He is aware of everyone and is willing to answer prayers!

Turn to Him! He will bless you forever!

I love you all! I hope you all are doing great! I am praying for you!

Love,
Elder Goold


Some photos from this week:  

An arrowhead I found at a service project...

I love spring...

A glimpse at our family phone call this week (me in Canby, Mom at home, Emma in Provo, Dad in Saint George, Ellie in Rexburg, Cami (and Garrett, Lucie, and Oliver) in the car in Alabama).  

{Letter #91} Shine Brighter

 Hi everyone! I hope you have had a great week! It's been pretty good here! Definitely been keeping busy. Here's a few things that happened: northern lights, interviews, exchanges, missionary breakfast and lots of fun!

First off, we saw the northern lights here in Oregon! It was awesome! Very very pretty! It's been on my bucket list for a long time, and I definitely want to see them again. Super cool!

We had interviews on Wednesday. That went really well. Sister Botchway was late so she asked Elder Cherry and I to take over for about 15 minutes until she got there. She didn't arrive for about 50 minutes after the start. So it was a lot of winging it! It all turned out alright though! The Spirit definitely guided that!

We had some fun exchanges with a couple Elders close by. It was really good! Unity and communication are important in every relationship! So always communicate well!

This Saturday the Oregon City stake had a breakfast for all the missionaries and the people that we work with. It was awesome! We also got to give a training there on using technology to record how the work is progressing. It went reasonably well! We had some more notice for that one, so that's always a plus!

Pday today we all played kickball as a zone at someone's house. It was awesome! They had a kid just finish his mission to the Philippines yesterday. It was very interesting to talk to him and hear some of his experiences!

My spiritual thought for this week comes from something President Botchway told me in my interview. He counseled me to let my light shine even brighter and hold it even tighter. He also referenced what Christ taught in 3 Nephi 18:24. Jesus said:

"Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed."

We must all learn to hold tighter to Christ and let His light shine brighter through us! What are some thoughts you have about how to do that?

I love you all! Have a great week! I'm praying for you!

Love,
Elder Goold 

By  request of Elder Partridge...

{Letter #90} Testify of What You Know and Feel

Hi everyone! I hope you've had a great week! What was one thing that you learned? Something exciting that happened?

This has been a good week here in the OPM! Here are a couple highlights: Kasey got baptized!!, testimony meeting ×2, and zone conference!

First of all! Kasey got baptized! This was awesome! She has had so many amazing experiences with the Spirit and confirming witness to her. She has hard a hard life, but she was very ready to dive in and make a covenant with God! She will forever be an example to me of what it means to have faith in Christ!

In zone conference we thankfully did not have to give any training this time (as much fun as they are...😬). We got to hear a lot about temple covenants and how they bless our life now and forever!

"The happiest moments on your mission (or in your life) probably came because you were being obedient"

I loved that! It's also very thought provoking. I invite you all to ponder on that and how that relates to your life!

Lastly this Sunday we had 2 testimony meetings! In each one of them we had a friend we are teaching get up and give their testimony that they know that this is Christ's true church! It is super awesome that so many people are being prepared and are open to receiving the gospel!

My spiritual thought from this week is going to come from 1 Nephi 8, which is a vision about the Tree of Life, which represents the love of God! Lehi said:

"And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.  And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit."

As you seek out the love of God it will fill your whole life with joy! God has power to do that beyond anything else!

I invite you to read that chapter to learn more about how you can have the love of God in your life! I'd love to hear any thought you have also!

I hope you all are doing great! I am praying for you! Have a fantastic week!

Love,
Elder Goold

Some pics from this week:  

Elder Cherry being goofy...

Some beautiful sunsets...

A dog named Bougie...

A glimpse at our very short phone call today:   (me in Canby, Mom at home, Spence driving to the gym, Emma in Provo, Cam and Lucie in Alabama, Dad on a walk in Saint George, Ellie at BYU-Idaho)