The Gospel is for families...

Mom!!!!!

I love you soooooooooo much!!!!

This week has been WONDERFUL!!!!!

First of all, I testify that the Gospel is meant for families:)  If you guys remember, the D... Family, they are going to get sealed this week on Saturday:)  I will tell you all about it next week in the letter I write...;)

But this week, we have been working really hard.  There are many people that are working really hard towards baptism.  We have been working hard.  Our purpose, as missionaries, is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  At times, we forget the last part.  We love inviting.  We love baptizing.  But the thing I have loved most, is seeing them endure to the end.  That is when you know that the Gospel has really changed their lives.  I have been able to see and hear as my brothers and sisters,  converts of the Lord, have been able to go to the temple.  Maybe I haven't been able to share it, but it is something I have loved.  Seeing someone in the celestial room is so enjoyable, with such a sweet spirit,  It is so special, and memorable, and much more JOYOUS than just seeing them in baptism.  Enduring to the end is what has changed their lives.  Enduring is when you finally recieve all the blessings.  Enduring is when you get to know how much your Father REALLY loves you:)  That is what I have loved. As I was thinking what to write, I just wanted to share part of those feelings.  I know I can tell you later, but when I heard the D... family was going to get sealed, it made me SO happy inside.  I love them.   I don't know a better way to explain how I felt than pure JOY.  I love the people here.  And although I might not always be able to tell you everything, although I might not be able to explain it all in words - families, people and experiences have changed my life.  As we use the Atonement, it changes us and it changes those around us.  That is why we as missionaries use it EVERY day.  As we use it, we get to know Him, we get to know the Savior, Jesus Christ. 

I know, maybe this letter isn't everything I would like to write, but I love you:)  I will ALWAYS remember and I am sure that we will be together forever if we have to endure:)  We have to give it all.  I love it.:)

I hope you have a great week:) Enjoy everything!

Love you tons!!!

Elder Goodman!!!!

It's about family...

Okie doke a'ma,

It has been amazing... Seriously. 

Ok. so, some hard and fast updates.

First, this week has been awesome.

(questions from me....)

1.  How are you? I am amazing! Seriously.   

2. How is Elder Goodman doing? I am doing SUPER WONDERFUL.  We are working really hard.... like.....'all your heart might mind and strenth'....and let me tell you.....it is the best:)  

3.  How is your new Mission President?  He is awesome.  They are pure love.

4.  Lots of differences/changes?  Not yet, maybe in the future.

OK. This week, seriously, has been awesome.

Just do let you know, the first lesson we teach, is based on 2 things. 

1. That God loves us.

2. That the Gospel, He has given us, blesses FAMILIES.

One of the best things, one of the things we focus on as missionaries, you know are families:)

We have seen that this week!

We have a FAMILY, M... and J...  When we found M..., I think I told you about that,  she was by herself.  After listening to the first lesson, she decided to not go through a "seperation or divorce" process and decided to go back to her husband.  He then decided to listen, because of a friend that told him what we did, and decided to ask his wife (M...) if she wanted to listen too. Of course, they found out that each was listening to our message, and they asked us to teach them together.  It has been so great.  They have been listening and they went to church this week.  What has been so great is that they were really a family, that many would label "dysfunctional."  But in these last days, peolpe have asked them what they have changed because they are different.  They normally respond, "We decided to listen to God."

Then there is M... and her husband L....  They decided to also listen.  Although M... had listened for awhile, she had never decided to go to church until her husband listened, and decided to go.  When they went, it was great to see. (L... is a hard core construction worker....and he lookes like a boss)  When they went there to visit, to see them feel the spirit, to listen, and live happily, it was one of the best things ever.  They, by the small things, are also transforming.

It is a principle I love, but that I wanted to share.  The GOSPEL IS MEANT FOR FAMILIES. :) hahahahahaha! 

Thank you for all YOU have done so that my family can be Gospel Centered, and that my life, has been so blessed.   To be a home centered on Christ and not on something else.  I love you so much.  And no, I am not getting trunky... EVER.  If you don't believe me pray about it;)

But I am thankful, and I will always be happy to see those changes as we all use the atonement. I love you each so much.

Love,

Elder Goodman.

Sorry kids.... I didn't write any body today, only you guys, and I still didn't have much time for some technical difficutlies BUT....

Faye... I love you.  Thank you so much for all you share and your trust. I am always praying for you.  Whether you are ok or not:)  And Know that I will ALWAYS love you, always.  Have a great week.

Ash... Work hard broskies.  Do awesome.  Read Preach My Gospel chap. 6:)

Dai... I love you.  You are going to have to reteach me how to swim buddy:)

Liz.... I LOVE YOU. BIIIIIIGGGGGGGG HUGS!!!!!

Dad... Thanks for all you do. 

Hope you guys have a great week. Much more said and explained later;)

Love,

Elder Goodman :)

That fish was cool...we got to touch got to touch monkey, birds and things!  This bird wanted to eat my hand..... :D

 This fish tried to bite me, but there was glass :)  I have decided when I have some money, I want an aquarium/hall like this....

 Last picture as a threesome/trio :)

 "Virtud" is "Virtue"--- I LOVE IT!!

Not our will, not our time...

Oh my goodness!!!!!!! Thank you soooooo much for all you do! I love you all SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!! This week has been so awesome!!!!!

So this week, the Lord has been teaching me, and it has really been such a miracle:)  I love seeing how the Lord hastens His OWN work.  I know maybe I have said that like 5 billion times, but it is something that He changes, and He works in ways I might never understand, but we just have to have the faith:)

This week we have been talking with an investigator, M.... She has been going to church for about a month and a half.  She was going to get baptized a while ago, but she backed out because of some doubts and problems she was having.  She wasn't sure about a lot of things, and her family was a little mad because she was going to be "Mormon".  Well, we have been working with her these last weeks.  She has been changing, little by little.

BUT, the miracles come after the trial of our faith:)  As she was between the days we were visiting her, she asked the Lord what she should do and He answered.  Not just one time, but MANY times, in ways WE never would have been able to.  When we visited M..., we were ready to ask, to help, and to strengthen once again.  But after we finished the prayer she said "Elder, I want to get baptized."  We just stood there in shock.  We didn't know why, we didn't know how, but she decided.  Then  she added, "The sooner the better."  She decided to get baptized this last week on Saturday:)  On Sunday she bore her testimony and she said, "I'm not just Mormon, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, and if someone has a problem with that, they can go right ahead and have a problem with that."  It was one of the sweetest testimonies I have ever heard and it touched my heart.  So many people don't understand, it isn't about the missionaries.  It isn't about a church.  It is about our loving Heavenly Father who has a plan and who wants us to live with him again. We take upon us the name of Christ and that changes everything.

I know this is short. But I want you to know how much I love you. I KNOW THIS IS THE LORD'S WORK, AND HE HASTENS IT IN HIS TIME. 

I love you all so much:)

Love,

Elder Goodman!

 It has been a little rainy :)

 We taught the primary kids about missionary work!  Best class ever!

Simple things that cause significant change :)

Mom! Thanks so much for everything you do!

This week has been a little different. We are in a trio.... or a threesome. (that is why the pic has 3 people.)

We now have a bigger area, but we are working hard and we have seen quite a few miracles this week.

First, was J.... He is 10 years old and his parents have been inactive for quite awhile.  Well, Jose decided to change that.  We passed by (in the street) and he told us, "Hey, can you visit our family?"  Well of course:)  We started visiting.  J... wants to get baptized and he is super excited, so he said he will start being an example.  He prays, and is going to church with his family again.  But the part I loved the most, is what we saw this past Saturday.  He told us he had been reading.  And although he didn't understand everything, he felt good.  WE felt good.  It was a powerful testimony for me, to know that the Book of Mormon, in and of itself, is powerful.  Anyone can read or listen to it.  When they do it, they feel good.  What a BLESSING! Seriously! It was wonderful!!!!

Another experience...C...and E....(a couple) E... is inactive, and C... is investigating.  They have been together for 5 years.  Well, we were able to visit them for the first time this week. They told us they wanted changes.  If you want a change in results, you have to change the formula:) --and that is what we told them.  They have started reading, they went to church, and they loved it.  But something great was this... we went to visit E... the other day, and when we asked her before the opening prayer, if she would like us to pray for anything special.  She said, "Pray that my husband can get baptized soon"  That is when we truly realized that they weren't in it just because it was interesting or fun, or that they wanted a different social group.  They were in it for their family and they are giving 100%.  That is what the Lord asks. And those are the ones He searches for. :)

I feel like that is what the Lord has once again taught me this week.  We teach three

"Celestial Habits" 

1. Pray. 

2. Read the Book of Mormon. 

3. Go to church. 

(primary answers.) But as we do them, we get better at them, and change the WAY we do them...THEN it is amazing.  These two families are proof of it.  As we do celestial things, we become Celestial people.  I love you so so much:)  Please say "hi" to the Acors for me!  Give Cason A HUGE HUG! And let him know how happy I am for him:)

Thanks for everything!!!

Love

Elder Goodman!

We must be willing to give...

Thank you sooooooo much Mom!!!  For everything!!!!!

I really am so grateful for all you and dad have done, all your sacrifice and help.

This week has been wonderful:)

If I haven't told you, we have a plan as an area of Mexico.  It is in Spanish but I will be trying to share a part with you!!!!!

So, this plan is from the Area Presidency and we have been sharing it with everyone so that they can know what the Lord wants from us, as members here in Mexico!!!!

AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT HAS BEEN AMAZING!!!

The plan has a sentence that I love.  It says we will need to increase our faith, our sacrifice, and our faithfulness   We as missionaries have had to do it, as well as the members.  With more faith, really, it means more miracles:)

And that is what we have seen... I know....I am like repeating the same thing...sorry.  I will move forward.  

Anyway, there are three points of emphasis in this plan.

1. Pay a generous fast offering and a full tithe.

2. Help one person every day recieve the ordinaces that will bring them back to their Heavenly Father

3. Look for the names of our ancestors and help them receive the ordinances in the temple.

And then there is a promise that is wonderful.

It includes opening the windows of heaven, having profound family relationships, and being able to be protected from the lashings of the world.... just to name a few.

Well seriously, that is what we have seen.  If you want to increase your faith, you have to increase your action.  We as missionaries have to ask more people, talked more, prepared better, we have been MORE obedient.  We have studied harder and paid more attention to the Holy Ghost.  Members find ways to sacrifice as well, and as they sacrifice, they see miracles.  There is a less active member, named A....  She has a daughter that is 19 and not baptized.  When she heard about this plan, the plan of our mission, she decided to get to it!  She is going to church, and preparing to go to the temple.  As she begun and has started to sacrifice, and her daughter has started listening to the Gospel.  Now the daughter is deciding to change, and wants to get baptized!

There is another family, and their child struggles with the ways of the world.  They didn't know how to help him, but as they have put the Lord first, the Lord has touched their son's heart, and he has started to change.  He wants to return to church, and he has continued to change.

There is another family, that is trying to share the Gospel every day!  They have a couple that they know.  They talked with them, and now that couple is listening.  They also want to join the Church, so they can be closer to the Lord.

The point is, this plan is wonderful.  If they are less active members, or only part of the family is member, or the family is active, the Lord has asked for more sacrifice.  And we are giving it all we've got:)

I think the best thing about it is the testimony the experience gives each person willing to give more, willing to sacrifice.  God STILL loves us.  He STILL talks to us.  He is STILL aware of everything that is going on.  And HE will hasten HIS work in HIS time.  We just have to have faith, and sacrifice a little more:)

I just wanted to share that with you.  It has been great to see, and teach, and feel. 

I love you, and I am thankful, mom and dad, for the sacrifices you made so that our family could have the relationships we have today.

I LOVE YOU!!

Love,

Elder Goodman!!!

A desire to share...

MOM!! LOOKY THERE!  I AM WRITING.  I KNOW.... I am so sorry I haven't been able to write:/  But I hope you can forgive me :)

So....I will be answering questions first.

1. How are you? 

SUPER FANTASTICALLY DOODLY DUPER.  You know basically about the exciting stuff, but other than that, we have been working hard!  There have been lots of miracles and wonderful experiences, and LOTS OF CHANGES:)

2. How was your week? 

Great, my companion and I are working hard to strengthen our faith....like crazy children.  It has been awesome.  I will try and explain it....this week, we have been able to talk a lot about TESTIMONY.  There is something special about being able to bear Testimony every day of what we do.  I hope you know...after a year and some months (we won't say how many) I guessed I would have had everything figured out, or maybe thought I be "in a little rut"-- but not even close.  This work is wonderful and there are ALWAYS things you can do better. Always a better testimony.  Always a better way of teaching.  Always a better representative of Jesus Christ.  Always. Always. Always. hahahahaha!  And that is what I love:)  We have been working on that.  On how to become better.  It has been wonderful.

3. How are you feeling?  

SUPER AWESOME. 

Ok.... So this week, just real fast.  We went on divisions, and we were trying to find new people to teach.  I'm pretty sure the members are too used to all the Elders always asking, "Is there someone you know that would be willing to hear our message?" And so we have had to change it up.  We went looking, praying, and with faith to find some people that were ready to hear the Gospel.  We started out walking to a visit, when we had the impression to stop by one of our recent converts house, his name is J....  With him, we talked a little bit and as we explained that we felt we needed to visit him, and that he knew of someone that needed this message, he started thinking, "Visit my friend F...."  He needs help.

So we went.  When we got there, we told F.... what was going on.  We went into his home, shared a little of our message, and asked him if there was someone else he knew we could help.   OF COURSE THERE WAS:)  And we just kept doing that same thing.  These people all knew someone else who needed the Gospel.  And it wasn't to baptize, it was to help them know exactly what their Father wanted for them.  That vision of white in the baptism, white in the temple, and white in the Celestial Kingdom.  It was a special experience, and it all started with ONE person.  He decided to share, and that lead to about 25 people.  That is a difference.  He made a difference in the lives of 25 people that day, just for taking a few minutes to think of someone who needed the Gospel.  Who needed more love!

I am so happy to see that. To be an instrument for the Lord, (definitely not perfect, but an instrument none the less), of the person most powerful, and most loving in the whole universe! And I will NEVER get tired, of wanting others to hear it:)

I hope you guys have a great week, sorry I can't write very quick, but I love you all tons.

Love

Elder Goodman!

To build a ship...

ok....I can't send the voice message I made....I will be sending it next week....

BUT, this week, I will write something....readable. hahahahahaha!

We have been invited to STRETCH as a mission and as a companionship.  To move out of our comfort zone, and work in a different way.  It reminds me of Nephi.  When the Lord said, "And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters" Even though we might say we know how to make a ship, it isn't the type of ship the Lord wants!  He wants us to do "after the manner He shows us" and it has been amazing.  This week we were with an investigator, M.... She has been listening to us for a while and she loves the Church.  But more importantly, she loves the way the teachings have changed her life.  This week, we saw her on Tuesday and she explained to us how she wanted others to see the blessings she had seen.   We shared that EVERYONE should hear the message, and she decided she wanted to bring someone else.  On Saturday, we saw her again and she brought her husband and her daughter.  Her husband had never wanted to hear our message before.  But now, he decided to give it a try and to listen.  As he listened, he understood why it was so important.  He said, "This is what I lack in my life."  He decided he wanted to change with all his family.  They decided to make that decision because the Lord worked within them.  Later in the week, we were talking with a contact.  It was a little different because we had felt the need to contact him.  We went up and told him why we were there.  As we explained that we were sent by the Lord, a child came up and said, "Hey....can you come to MY house? My dad needs you guys."  The contact just stood in shock, wondering how that had just happened, and then said, "Uh...I think the Lord sent you, please come by other day." As we went with the child, we met a wonderful family that also want to hear this message, and feel the joy they have seen their neighbors (members) feel!

Lastly, we have been searching in some lists of the ward.  The lists here contain 800 addresses.  We have to find them, who lives there, and who doesn't.  On Saturday, we weren't sure where we needed to be, we didn't have an exact plan.  So we asked the Lord, we looked in the Lists, and there was a person we didn't know, that lived close.   We went to visit him.  His name is A...  As we knocked, he opened the door and said, "Please come in, share me a message"  As we shared he said, "Missionaries came by about 6 months ago. I haven't gone to church in over a year.  I am having a hard time, and I asked the Lord for help, then you guys came."  The next day, he went to church.  Seriously, it has been amazing. These aren't things my companion or I do, but it is the work of the Lord.  He is wonderful, and He loves ALL His children.  He is ALWAYS aware of every single one.  I know that.  I love it, and it is amazing here!  The Lord will teach us but in HIS way.  It will then, not be a ship of men, but a ship of God, after the manner of God.  I love it! 

Hope you have a great week. and that this makes sense:)

I love you!!!!!

SERIOUSLY! I LOVE YOU!