Week 25 - Transfer Time

                                                                                                                                             February 20, 2017

Hey everybody!

So I found out I will  be serving in North Nampa! In the 16th, 23rd, and 33rd ward's.   I have been told it always smells like burnt peanut butter in North Nampa..?? hmm O guess I will find out!   My new companion is Elder Wood and he is from Cedar City,  Utah and has been out for 18 months!  I'm excited to serve with him and learn and grow in this new area!  

This week was pretty crazy once we found out that Elder Shoemaker was also getting transferred! He is going to Horseshoe Bend, Garden Valley and Elder Sweet and Elder Mata will be his companion! (Elder Mata was a part of our trio).  Since Elder Shoemaker is leaving that means our area is getting shotgunned, and two new missionaries are coming in to our area! 

It was sad to have to tell our investigators that we were leaving.. quite a few were in tears:(  Its sad to be leaving the area but I think that it will be fun to build more relations with members and investigators! This weekend was crazy making sure that everything is in order to be able to pass the area on to the next elders, but I'm excited to say we should be seeing some baptism in the next couple of months with some of our investigators so that will be wonderful to see!

I honestly can't remember much about what happened this week due to transfers making it all blur together, but I will say the power of prayer is real!  We went in to our primaries in our wards and asked them to pray for us to find people to teach and progression with our investigators and this past week was the most amazing week I have probably had in this area! It was crazy awesome! 

I learned a lot from Elder Shoemaker and am very thankful for the opportunity to be his trainer. I know he will go far in his mission as he keeps up the work that he has shown in the last two transfers!

Valentines day was cool to get a pleasant surprise with a candy bouquet from my mom! Something my first area really taught me is that family really is important and the way in which we raise our children is soo important! I truly know and testify that families are eternal and I find great comfort in that promise! 

I wish you all a Wonderful Week!  

Keep Smiling

Love Elder Gerrard

Elder Gerrard and Elder Shoemaker - Valentine's Treats 2/14/17
from Mom...Thanks to Sister Gissella Curi help of Nampa Idaho

Youth of the Cloverdale Ward 2/17

My first transfer to Nampa North....Elder Wood.. new companion.
2/20/17

Week 24 - How great is my calling!

Feb. 13th, 2017

This week has been one of the best weeks this transfer! Its will be pretty interesting as in mission conference we were asked to start singing in our lessons! WHAT? But it has totally brought the spirit into our lesson so that was pretty awesome to feel. As far as the snow it is all completely melted! Its crazy.. I forgot what the ground looked like to be honest! 

Two weeks ago Elder Shoemaker and I decided that we were going to go into our primary classes and ask them to pray for missionary experiences! And this week was blessed tremendously because of this! we have been able to meet with 4 more people that are interested in investigating the church now! Its amazing and comforting to see all these things paying off after these 6 months! Its sad that i will probably be transferred this week! so next time you hear from me it will be with a new companion and from a different part of the mission! I am willing and ready to go and be whatever the Lord needs me to be! 

My spiritual thought for the week has been revolving around what it means to be cleansed from sin. It never occurred to me that we can't actually receive a remission of our sins until after we are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost! It then dawned on me very clearly why it is soo important to bring others into the first ordinances of the gospel! 

It then brings to my mind the scriptures in Alma 26: 27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success. 

28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.

30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

I just love the determination that they had. It is because they understood what it means for these people! and what a privilege it is for myself to be allowed the opportunity to teach others about this special and sacred message!

I sure do love being a missionary :)

Keep Smiling!

Love Elder Gerrard

Week 23 - Lord is it I?

Feb. 6, 2017


Hey everybody! Wow it's crazy how fast time flies! its seriously amazing to me every time! But time flies when you're having fun right! Its been an extraordinary week full of mainly just simple gratitude to be a missionary... It truly is such an amazing opportunity to help and see others grow in the gospel! Being in my first area here for 5 1/2 months has put me in a unique position to see the growth that some of our investigators have made! Missionary work sure does take alot of patience, but how great is my Joy! It truly is a promise made to us from the Lord! Alma 26:27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

I have been able to experience that success and it truly does bring that pure joy. This gospel really is happiness:)

I'm really excited to see what happens in our area the next couple of weeks, since Elder Shoemaker and I have decided to go into our primaries in our wards and ask them to include missionary experiences in their prayers for the ward and the missionaries! And we are planning on handing them their own little name tags to have and everything! its gonna be awesome!

The spiritual thought I would like to share with you stems from the well known scripture phrase, "Lord, is it I?"

This phrase comes about when the Savior and the twelve are at passover and the Savior states to them that one of them will betray him.

Matthew 26:17-25 ¶Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.  And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?  And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

It hit me pretty strikingly... as I thought about the possible order of how all of this happened. When you apply this passage to ourselves we must ask ourselves; in what instances could we betray our Savior? As I think of this I reflect on commandments, and our baptismal covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. With that in mind I also reflect upon the reaction that the Savior received from his Apostles who might I add are special witness of the Savior. 

It talks about how EVERY ONE of them asked the Savior if it was them who would betray him! Just thinking about that.. Each of those men were around the Savior for so many of his miracles and teachings. I can only imagine the faith that they had or even the absolute knowledge and conviction they had that Jesus Christ was the Son of God! This all being said they were very quick to admit to the idea that they could be one who might betray him. (Now we don't know the order of which apostles asked first, second, third etc.) I like to imagine that Judas was one of the last to ask the Savior if it were him. So how does any of this apply to us today? 

As I pondered these things I dwelled on the instance of asking the question "Lord is It I" In our day I would like to relate that to asking a question in prayer. Adding to the fact that the Apostles asked the Savior this question, it sounds alot like the process that we might go through when utilizing the Atonement in our lives! It made all of this quite beautiful to think about.. 

Which Apostle are we? Are we the disciple of Christ that will be quick to repentance and seek his help and ask "Is it I?", or will we find ourselves much like Judas who could have been asked last, being slow to repent or even might I add realize that he was doing something in the wrong!

My hope and prayer is that we begin to recognize just like the Apostles of old how to repent daily and use the Savior to help us become the children of God that we are destined to be! I know this Atonement is real and I love you all!

Keep smiling!

Love Elder Gerrard