¡Gringos!

Good week of changes this week!

Well Elder Martínez is officially gone. It was strange to seem him go. It is weird since he has been such a big part of my mission so far. We spent his last few days saying goodbye and packing his things. On Wednesday was the day of changes. So we went to drop Elder Martínez of at the bus station at 3 in the morning. After that I stayed with another Elder, Elder Salazar,until Elder Gardner showed up around noon.

It is a little strange being with a gringo. I never know whether to speak English or Spanish. So I end up mixing spanish words into english sentences. I may forget how to speak both languages by the time I get a new companion haha.

This week was another successful week. I talked a little about Paula last week and explained how she didnt have permission to go to church. Well a miracle happened. I am not exactly sure how it happened but it turns out that her mom has given her permission to go to church! I have no idea why she allowed it other than that it was a miracle. So now Paula has a baptismal date for September 9th and she was so happy to be in church.

Paula´s fiance Orinton doesnt stop surprizing me either. Like I said he has been inactive for about 10 years and has only been to church 2 times since his reactivation. Since then he has given us 3 references, asked for consecrated oil, paid tithing, and gone out to visit with the Elders Quorom. Oriniton was ready! All he needed is just a little push and he dove right in. It makes me so happy.

A little about my new companion Elder Gardner. He is from Gilbert Arizona, is 20 years old, worked as an electrition, and has 5 siblings. That is mostly the basics. He is a great missionary. He has a great knowledge of the scriptures and has gotten to know all of our investigators really quickly. I am excited to continue working with him!

Something that I was thinking a lot about this week was God´s love for us. I was reading in a book this week it talked about God´s infinite love for us. The author even explains how God is "obligated" to love us. I know how that sounds haha. It doesnt mean that He is obligated to love us in the same way we are "obligated" to do the dishes. But it means that there is nothing that we can do where God will stop loving us. I think about the love of earthly parents. It is just the very nature of a parent to love us. Not because they "have to" but because they naturally love us. If that makes sense. It just has made me think about the infinite love that God has for us. God loves us so much. Love that we cant comprend.

Thanks again for the love and prayers. I hope you have a great week!!

Love,

Elder Gessell

Elder Gessell and Elder Gardner

La Ceiba, Lempira