{Letter #40} Centered on Christ

Hey everyone! This week has been really good! I don't have a ton of time today unfortunately. Some highlights from this week: temple, exchanges, new friends, and church!

First off, we were able to go to the temple earlier today! If you haven't been, or haven't been recently, you should go! It is a place of comfort and learning! Every time you go you will learn something!

We had exchanges yesterday. We were able to teach Tina, who was someone that I found while serving in my last area! It was really cool to see all the progress she has made since I last taught her. She has changed so much as she has learned about God and the plan that He has for her.

We have been able to find new friends to teach very regularly this past week. It has been keeping us quite busy, but is a blast to meet new people!

And lastly, at church this Sunday we had 2 of our friends come to church! It was a fantastic sacrament meeting! The Sunday School presidency gave the talks in sacrament meeting, and they were the most Christ centered talks that I have heard since being on my mission! It was a great experience for Reza and Rohit and they both want to keep coming back to continue to learn.

My spiritual thought from this week is from Christ's teachings in 3 Nephi 27:14-16. Christ taught:

"And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil— And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works. And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world."

Christ suffered all things so we can return to the Father! This was an expression of love for each and every one of us! Christ loves us and God loves each on of you enough that they have provided a way for us to return to them!

I hope all of you are doing great! Love you all! Let me know if there's anything I can do for y'all.

Love,
Elder Goold

{Letter #39} West Hills

 

Hey everyone! I hope things are going well for all of you! I'm short on time, but things are going really well here! It has gotten really hot the last few days, so that's been nice.

We have a couple friends that are still progressing really well! Ernest is absolutely loving all the talks and reading he's doing. Laura is still working towards quitting smoking, but she has a very strong desire to be baptized!

A scripture I wanted to share this time is something that I came across in personal study recently.

"For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end... For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man." (Doctrine & Covenants 76:5, 10)

Christ teaches that as we seek to serve Him and our Father in Heaven, we will be given a knowledge and an understanding of God's will for us! We will know how we can feel of God's love constantly!

I love you all! Let me know if there's anything I can do for any of you!


Love,
Elder Goold

 

A glimpse at our family phone call today.  Dad and Ellie both got on eventually, but not at the same time.  

{Letter #38} "ERNESTLY" Seeking for Truth

 Hello family and friends! 

This week has been very busy! Being in the Portland and Beaverton area gives us a lot to do around here. The main highlight from this week was teaching our friend Ernest!

We have taught him a few times throughout the week, the most recent lesson being yesterday. After our previous lesson he had prayed to know if Joseph Smith was a true prophet and if The Book of Mormon is true. He had received a yes both times he prayed!

He was super excited to tell us about it when we first arrived yesterday. He wanted to know what he has to do to act on this knowledge and understanding that he has gained. We taught him about what Christ taught when He was on earth, being faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

After talking about baptism Ernest brought up that he had been baptized before. We talked a little bit about priesthood authority, but he said that he didn't understand. So we turned to the scriptures! They always teach more effectively and more simply than we can. We turned to where Christ gave the authority to baptize in His name in 3 Nephi 11:19-28 in The Book of Mormon.

After reading this Ernest was so excited to be baptized, but by proper authority this time! He was so excited that he actually set the date and time himself! The Spirit was very strong in that lesson!

When diligently seek for answers in the scriptures and through prayer, God will reveal them to us through the power of the Holy Ghost!

The prophet Nephi taught:

"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."(1 Nephi 10:19)

God will reveal His mysteries to us if we put forth the effort to find them!

Other than this, things are going really well here! Portland is a very beautiful city, despite what many people may say. The city has all types of people and things going on that make it a new experience every time we go down there!

I love all of you! I hope all of you are doing well! Let me know if there's anything I can do for you!

Love,
Elder Goold

A glimpse of our family phone call today...

{Letter #37} Perfect Brightness of Hope

Hi everyone! I hope all of you are doing fantastically! This week wasn't too exciting, just a bunch of lessons and continuing to do the Lord's work in Portland!

I wanted to talk about 2 specific lessons that we had this past week with our friend Laura who is working towards a baptismal date in a couple weeks.  This picture is with a member who accompanied us to one of our lessons with Laura.

In the first lesson we had with her this week, we read a scripture that we've read a few times before. This scripture is the prophet Nephi {from the Book of Mormon} teaching about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He taught:

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

Laura absolutely loved this scripture after reading it this time! She specifically loved the line "a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God". She found a lot of joy know that as we have a hope in Christ (like taught by Mormon in Moroni 7:41) and love God, that we can receive eternal life! "Which gift is the greatest of God's gifts".

It was such a testimony building experience for me to see the change that has occurred from when we first found her! She has truly learned to find joy in Christ, through a hope in Him and a love for God!

The next lesson was just yesterday. We were talking more about the promise that when will be making when she is baptized, and she started tearing up! She wanted so much to make these promises to God an to have the Spirit as a constant companion! She loved the teachings of Alma the Older in Mosiah 18:8-10. She is so in tune with the promptings of the Spirit, it is incredible the testimony that she has already developed.

I know that Christ lives! Because of His sacrifice for us, if we choose to have faith in Him and repent, He will heal us! He knows what we face! He has given his church to allow us to come unto Him!

I love all of you! I hope you all are doing well! Let me know if there's anything I can do for you!

Love,
Elder Goold

This picture is from the Nike World Headquarters.  A ward member works there and was able to get us in. 

{Letter #34} Is That a Bike with 4 Wheels?

Hello Everyone! I hope y'all are doing well! This has been a very exciting week! And no, unfortunately I am not on a four wheeled bike--as cool as that would be. But I am in a car again! Which means I'm not constantly getting rained on anymore! 

A quick summary of what else has happened this week: whitewash (in & out), Easter, Portland, Niels, and Laura!

First off, last Wednesday we had transfers! Both Elder Goff and I got transferred out of Beaverton (that's what a whitewash is). I got transferred to the neighboring area called West Hills! Both me and my companion, Elder Gillett, are brand new here too! It covers Beaverton and most of downtown Portland. So it has been a big adjustment serving in downtown. It's been really good for the most part though! Definitely lots of interesting people in the city!

Here are some random pictures from the city:

This week was Easter! It was absolutely incredible! It was amazing to study the life and ministry of Jesus Christ leading up to this past Sunday. I would just like to testify that I know that Christ lives! I know that He suffered and died for every person! I know that this is His gospel restored on the earth today! I know that as we allow the light of the gospel into our lives we can find peace, joy, and strength through all trials!

We were able to see quite a few miracles as we studied about Christ and increased our faith in Him! These stories are going to be a little long, but they are incredible.

First off, Niels. This was incredible! Last Thursday Niels just walked into the mission office and told the missionaries there that he was baptized a long time ago and wanted to start coming back to church to find some extra stability in his life. The missionaries there were able to get his phone number and help him get in contact with us. We reached out to him and invited him to come to church this Easter Sunday. At the end of the church service, the bishop of our ward decided to spontaneously announce that if you were new to the area to talk to the ward clerk about getting your records transferred to the area. Niels went to go talk to the ward clerk, and he found out that he was actually never baptized when he was younger. After discovering this Niels came to us and asked how soon he can be baptized! It is incredible that Niels already has such a strong testimony and knowledge of the strength that can come through making promises in baptism! He also felt very strongly that He needed to do the temple work for his family, so they can receive the blessings that come from baptism also. Seriously such an amazing thing.  An amazing example of how the gospel can bring light into your life!

Second, Laura. Some of you might remember Laura from previous emails. A few weeks before transfers, Laura just kinda disappeared. She didn't have a phone, so we had no way of calling her, and she just vanished from her apartment and left it completely abandoned. It was a little sad with how much she was progressing that we weren't able to get a hold of her. But this Easter Sunday, after transfers, the new elder's got a call from her! Laura had been flipping through a Book of Mormon we gave her, when the card we wrote our phone number on fell out. She asked for Elder Goff and I specifically and said that she came to truly know Christ because of the Spirit she felt when we taught her. She was sad to inform those elders that she had been in a hospital for a few weeks. But it turns out that that hospital is in my new area! As soon as Elder Gillett and I heard about it we were able to go visit her in the hospital! She was very grateful, and we are going to continue teaching her!

It is incredible how the Lord will truly direct our paths when we put our trust in Him!

Which leads me to my spiritual thought for the week!

In the Book of Mormon-Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the prophet Moroni teaches about faith. Moroni teaches:

"I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith...And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God." (Ether 12:6,18)

I love these verses and I add my witness to Moroni's! I know that as we learn of Christ, trust in Him, and put our faith in Him, we will see miracles! God is a God of miracles! We just need to have the faith to see when He is working in our life!

I love you all! I hope all of you are doing great! Let me know if there's anything I can do for you!

Love,
Elder Goold