Transfers, B.o.M FINISHED and Meet the Mormons!!‏

Alrighty well today was our transfer day! And to my surprise my companion got transferred! He had only been here like five weeks and I´ve only been here like two and a half so we thought that we would stay but I guess that´s not what the Lord wanted which is okay! He moved up to Zone Leader which is a perfect position for him! I stayed in my sector and have a new companion! His name is Elder Martinez but don´t let his name fool you because he is also gringo. So I´ve still never had a latino companion.... Bummer. But he is awesome! He´s been here for a year this week! He speaks really really good spanish which is good news because he will be able to help me a lot! I really don´t know our area so I´m a little worried about that but hey that´s what the mission is, a learning process. We will be alright!! I´m a little sad that Elder Ibarra´s and my companionship lasted so little but I enjoyed it!

I FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON IN SPÀNISH FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!! I think that is one of the greatest accomplishments that I´ve ever achieved in my life. Maybe it´s really not something all that great but I feel very proud of it. I love to think back when I could barely read a verse in three minutes and when I had to look up everyother word to understand the scripture and how I am now! I am excited to read the first part again because I think I will get a lot more out of it! We as a mission are going to go over our notes that we took and kind of re-read the parts that we liked and then in July we will have five months to read it again!! I have absolutely loved to be able to read the Book of Mormon everyday and to study and learn from it! I know that it has strengthened my testimony and my faith in Christ and that he lives and loves us. It has definitely been a process because I didn´t understand a lot of it and I wasn´t really familiar with it but now I know how powerful it truly is. They are pages of gold for me! During this month I´m going to study the parts of the Book of Mormon that I really liked and also the New Testament. I feel like I need to understand the Bible more so we will see how that goes!

This week we have our Meet the Mormons Movie Night!!!! I am so excited! We are doing it this Friday! We hung up a poster and even made invitations to give to members so that they invite a friend or a neighbor and we have gone around to a lot of less actives to personally invite them! I don´t know how many people will come in a ward so small but I am so excited for it! We´ve been able to get the hype going in the ward which is just what I wanted! I am going to make cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and cookie dough brownies. We are also going to have some hot chocolate, juices, and some small sandwiches to snack on. I´m hoping it goes well. I´m hoping more than anything that the members and leaders in our ward will see that we are working as missionaries and they will see that we take it seriously and want to help people progress. As for right now not all the members really trust us or want to help so we´ve got to work on gaining their trust. We need to find more ways to serve them so we can show them our love.

This week we had a miracle or two happen! We set a goal of contacts that we were going to make, and this goal was higher than any that we had set for awhile. We reached it and it payed off!! The very last contact we made on Sunday night to complete the goal was an awesome contact and we are going to eat dinner with them this Tuesday! Also this Sunday one of our investigators that was never in his house this week came to church on his own!! And he had been reading the pamphlets we gave him! He has stopped smoking, drinking and going out with his friends and wants to change! What?! Is that crazy?! I think so. We are going to be working with him as much as we can and I think if he truly wants to change that he can make it to baptism!

It´s been a little sketchy in our area lately, the gangsters haven´t been too pleased with each other and have been having some fights lately. A couple have been shot in the last few days but luckily for us we never have any problems! But we are careful and we stay away from some parts in our area when it is getting dark. But everyone tells us that we are okay because the gangsters know why we are here and think that we are children of God. They usually say hi to us and ask us how we are doing and things which is nice! But we definitely don´t try to push the limits and be in places we shouldn´t be when it´s dark! I never carry my camera or money with me so even if they were to try to rob us they would just get some books, pamphlets, and some jolly ranchers so it´s fine by me! Haha

I think that about sums up this week! Hopefully our activity goes well! Don´t forget to pray for the prophet and Elder Perry´s family! Hope you have a wonderful first week of summer!

Love,

Elder Gunnell

 The invitation we made for the Meet the Mormons

A nice sunrise! Full of haze though but still pretty.

​My Book of Mormon progress tracker thing!!