Trial of your Faith - Week 45

July 17, 2017


Hey everyone! this week has been awesome! Its cool how you can get so much momentum in a ward built up from simply working hard and doing the things you are called to do! I feel lots of love and  support from this area and im excited to do what i can to help it grow and progress! Although every day is a battle! We had a unique opportunity to skype one of our investigators who is working in Montana for the next 3 weeks so that was a neat thing to do.. also kinda strange at times, but the spirit is present and that is whats most important! This will be my last week with Elder Hamel as he will be leaving next Tuesday. So as far as what will happen to me the last two weeks of my transfer here in this area I have no idea! But we are going to make it a good week. I have really enjoyed working with Elder Hamel. This week we also ran into some familiar faces who were driving through the main neighborhood road that we were walking on so that was fun! 

My thoughts from this week come from my reading of the Book of Mormon . I was reading in the Book of Ether and something just stuck out to me more than it has before.

In Ether 12:5-6 It reads: 

5 And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they saw them not.

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; 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.

What stood out to me was the fact that these people didn't believe it because they couldn't see it and then we read about how Moroni makes a very insightful and important statement concerning this lack of faith. What really caught my attention was this paragraph and quote that I read afterwards.

Some people mistakenly interpret “trial of your faith” to always refer to hardship. Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave this insight into what “trial of your faith” means: “You can learn to use faith more effectively by applying this principle taught by Moroni: ‘… ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith’ [Ether 12:6;]. Thus, every time you try your faith, that is, act in worthiness on an impression, you will receive the confirming evidence of the Spirit. Those feelings will fortify your faith. As you repeat that pattern, your faith will become stronger” (“The Sustaining Power of Faith in Times of Uncertainty and Testing,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 76). 

This quote really reminded me and taught me that a trial of faith truly isn't something that we have to be struggling with, but it is any point in time where we are asking our Father in Heaven for his help or aid to come into our lives. 

May we all remember to exercise our faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven so that we may be able to receive the blessings that he truly has in store for us! I testify that when we exercise that faith the miracles will follow just like Moroni further explains in the rest of chapter 12. I love my relationship with Jesus Christ. And I love being a servant for him. Have a great week everyone!

Keep smiling,

Love Elder Gerrard

Elder Hamel - um it's super hot today?

Selfie - Please!

Where we call Home

Jesus Loves you.. So follow Him - Week 44

July 10th, 1017


Hey everybody!

I hope everyone had a splendid Fourth of July holiday and celebrated what is great about this great country and its foundation/values on which it stands. We got to stay out till 9 to visit with people in the neighborhood which was fun to hand out some Fourth of July stickers to the kids!  Up here they have what they call the Culdesack of FIREEE! Its basically just abunch of neighbors that come togeather and celebrate! I thought it was pretty cool to see a sense of community.

This week has been crazy as they all are! But im really enjoying the challenges of this area! with each new challenge comes a lesson along with it so I simply remind myself about this and it makes things alot easier to move forward! Elder Hamel and I have had some good times thus far, but it will be crazy when he leaves in the short weeks to come! We just bought milk that will expire after he goes home!.. lets just say he was pretty excited that he could do that haha. I have made alot of connections with people in my area right now that know my Uncle that lives about 5 min away from where I live so that has been fun making all of these connections. We don't have many investigators right now so we are just striving and praying that we will be able to be lead to them so in the coming weeks this is our goal to build our teaching pool!

My thoughts this week come from a few different conversations that I have had with some people that we have talked to throughout the week. A big misconception it seems for many people is they get the notion that we "earn" our way to heaven. This false idea in the mind of  these great and devote followers of Christ believe this to be a total slap to the face to our Savior and His sacrifice in instituting the atonement for us. To this I agree. It is offensive to believe we earn our way to heaven. The fact of the matter is we don't earn it! I think its no surprise that we spend a lot of time teaching repentance and baptizing those who are converted. Many of the ordinances we make in life such as baptism aren't our works, but they are things the Savior has asked us to do. Because we love him..we follow him and we do it. This then enables us to have the full access and power of his atonement. I love how Elder Bednar explains how faith, repentance, and baptism all rely on each other.

" Elder David A. Bednar: I think too often we, as members of the Church, have a cookbook, checklist mentality about living the gospel. So faith is this little separate thing, and then repentance is a separate thing, and then there’s the ordinance of baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. All things are gathered together in one in Christ. So faith is in the Savior—in Him as the Son of God, in His nature, and in His attributes. Repentance is a dependence upon Him. Faith in Him and depending upon Him is repentance. Following Him is baptism. Pressing forward with Him is enduring to the end, with the companionship of the Holy Ghost. It’s all gathered together in Him. So as we are proclaiming our continuing dependence upon Christ, that is repentance, which leads to the mighty change of heart." 

Repentance is the works we ought to be doing in this life so we can be with our Heavenly Father forever! I hope we as members can stray away from the phrases "Have to" and "We must" when talking about how to live again with Heavenly Father. Although there are things that we should do.. let us remember what they unlock and enable us to do.. which is use the full reach and grasp of our Saviors Atonement. This is what we MUST do.. repent and depend on the Savior.

Jesus Loves you! but Im his favorite!

Elder Hamel and his milk that expires after he goes home!

THE CULDESACK of FIREEEE

Love can be our only motive - Week 43

Hey everyone!

Happy early fourth of July!

Its quite exciting to serve as a missionary during all of these holidays as it really is quite different from the usual routine of how things work! We have permission this year to stay out till 9 for the 4th of July so that will be interesting to see how that all works out! I didn't get a picture with Elder Hamel yet so ill get one next week, but he is from Gilbert, Arizona and he actually only has about 3 more weeks left on his mission! so its fun to get to know him. The area we are in is actually the Copper Cloud, Saw Tooth Creek, Bridge Tower, and Linder Wards) 

My thoughts of the week come from this talk I listened to this week. 

"I keep asking myself, “What if our only motive were love? What if everything we did, we did out of love?” There are all kinds of motives out there. And many of them are not pretty. We might be motivated by revenge or envy or greed. Selfish motives are abundant. As students, we might be motivated only by grades or by our desire to get into graduate school or to begin a career. These are not necessarily evil motives, but they’re not enough. We might get straight As. We might get into the best graduate school. Or we might land the best job offer imaginable. But, again, as Moroni taught: “If [we] have not charity, [we] are nothing.”

We can even do good things with less than laudable motives. Quoting his father, Mormon, Moroni wrote that if we give “a gift, [and] doeth it grudgingly; . . . it is counted . . . the same as if [we] had retained the gift; wherefore [we are] counted evil before God” (Moroni 7:8; see also verse 9). Motives matter. They matter a lot. In the end, why we do things is probably more important than what we do. Evil acts are always motivated by evil motives. But acts that might appear to be good on the surface may not be fueled by pure motives. And one of the purest motives of all is love.

So is it possible to do everything we do out of love? Is it possible to study because we love the Lord and His children? Is it possible to be motivated by love when we take a test, read a chapter in a textbook, complete an assignment, or answer a question in class? Is it possible to love someone who has wronged us? Can love be our only motive?-- " 

I really enjoyed this idea. And how it applies to my mission and all aspects of our lives. Praying for the gift of Charity is something I have been trying to do alot on my mission, because with it I have realized i have enjoyed missionary work sooo much more with that lens of charity. The Savior truly did teach a higher law that its not just about what we do but its about what we think and our inner desires. I would invite all of us to consider what can we do better this week to have more love in our motives.

Keep smiling!

Love, Elder Gerrard

Transfer - Week 42

June 26, 2017

Hey Everybody!

This week has been pretty crazy! I found out that im getting transferred!! ill be going to Meridian again! Ill be in the Settlers Park Stake. Covering four wards! (Bridge tower, Saw Tooth, Linder, and  Settlers Park Wards.)  My new companion will be Elder Hamel (from Gilbert AZ) and he will be finishing his mission actually this transfer so next transfer it will be just me! It will be sad leaving my area as i have made alot of awesome friends there but I know i will be back to visit them for their Baptisms:) Ill get my new address as soon as I can, but I really appreciate all the love and support I received throughout this week for my birthday! It was a great pleasure to be able to serve others and testify of the Savior to others on a day where the attention is usually on you. But for now there is something more important to be talking about then me so im glad it was spent the way it did! 

This week I just want to share my thoughts on teaching from the scriptures and their power. I have been thinking alot about the Holy Ghost and how it teaches us and helps us learn all things. And I have been thinking about the role the scriptures can play when it comes to helping others learn and make connections themselves. I have been making it a goal for myself to not read any scriptures to anyone, but to allow them to read it and tell me what it means. This way we can know where they are spiritually and their understanding. To often we just read a scripture and tell them what it means but we rob them the opportunity to try and make out the meaning of the scripture and for the Holy Ghost to testify of what it means and its truthfulness. I mean think about any spiritual insight or experience you have had. Didn't you make the connection in your head? I would invite all every where who is teaching to think about ways in which we can invite the learner to learn not from you but by the spirit and from the very words which they say! I can testify that your lessons and experiences will increase and all will be edified! 

Love Elder Gerrard

Elder Gerrard, Randy and Elder Valchez

Elder Valchez, Alex and Elder Gerrard
Alex is getting baptized in July.

Elder Valchez, The Schnurr family and Elder Gerrard.  They named their baby Callie. (I have a sister named Callie).  Great Family!   

The Bartolomei family. We found them tracting and they just really have such a special place in my heart and they are so sweet and nice I am truly going to miss them!

The Stettler Family! they are just one of the most warm and welcoming families out there! I have really loved getting to know them and excited to see where their kids will go on their missions

Come unto Christ - Week 41

June 19, 2017

Hey Everyone,

This week was super awesome! We got to have Elder Arnold of the Seventy come and meet with us as a mission and it is always a privilege to hear from men with such powerful and great testimonies! Transfers will be next monday so you might not hear from me! My odds of getting moved are alot higher! I have been in Nampa for four and a half months! it has flown by! I have grown a love for this area for sure so we will see if i stay for another transfer and that will mean ill be here for 6 months! and just like that my first year of a mission is completed! I really appreciate all the birthday wishes and spirtual thoughts that i have received and I hope everyone knows how much I care and appreciate about all of you back home! I will say that we have been able to continue to find investigators this week which is really such a blessing I can testify that God directs this work!! He puts us in front of these people and I am just eternally grateful for what the Lord does for me!

My Spiritual thought comes from a span of a few chapters in Helaman (4-5)

We read that the Nephites began to be stiffnecked and that when the Lamanites came to take their lands they didn't have the lords help and strength with them! This caused the Nephites to be pushed back to the land bountiful. We read in Helaman chapter 4:15-16

15 And it came to pass that they did repent, and inasmuch as they did repent they did begin to prosper.

16 For when Moronihah saw that they did repent he did venture to lead them forth from place to place, and from city to city, even until they had regained the one-half of their property and the one-half of all their lands.

I find it interesting that once they began to repent and change to live the commandments they begin to take back the lands that the Lamanities had. What stuck out to me is the fact that they didn't actually take back all the land. Next to these verses i wrote "Sins of Omission" This is where I feel like we find ourselves. We are living the commandments and that will get us half of where we can be. I invite you to read the Chapter 5 and see how the Nephites are able to regain all of their lands. I can testify that the ultimate goal is to give our wills back to Heavenly Father and that where we will need to receive the strength to do so from Jesus Christ! Notice how many things we are told to "remember" Most importantly to remember the Savior Jesus Christ. HE is the way by which we can recieve ALL the blessings from our Heavenly Father! 

I love all of you! I love this work! I know my Savior.. I know him. He is our Savior

Through the Fire and Brimstone - Week 40

June 12, 2017


Hey Everyone,

This week.. has been one of the hardest weeks while being out here. Throughout the course of the week we have had to watch many of our investigators and others whom we talk with go through hard times or make poor choices. The Bartolomei family whom we had a baptismal date set for the 24th, decided to drop us last Monday due to family peer pressure. Another person we know went to jail. Another getting a divorce and has to get emergency surgery. Another had 6 heart attacks in 24hrs and she is in rough condition in the hospital. Many of these things and others have unfolded themselves throughout our week, which has created a great difficulty for me. Im grateful for my knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, but it doesn't take away from the fact that I have grown to love each and every individual soo much that seeing them suffer causes me to suffer. 

Through all this we have been tremendously blessed to come in contact with some other new individuals that are ready and super prepared. One of which is Topher. He is about as cowboy country as you can get! he is from Kentucky grew up Baptist converted to be a catholic and wow. I have never met anyone with such a passionate and deep relationship with Christ. He told a experience where he was told by Jesus that he needs to be in the ministry.. When he heard this he asked,"should i be a preacher.." He was told, "you wont be preaching from a pulpit." He then asked if he should be a teacher.. He was told "Jesus is the teacher." And he was confused on what else he could be to help the ministry. In our meeting with him yesterday. He began to laugh hysterically looking up to the heavens saying," thank you Jesus!!" Because when we told him that we only teach about the Savior 24/7 He knew that was it! There was a fire and a light in this man and im excited to begin teaching him our message of the restoration. As he knows there is something still missing in what he is looking for.

This man definitely brightened our day and was an answer to my prayers for investigators that are ready to be taught if the Bartolomei's arnt supposed to be the ones we should be focusing on.

Although these weeks are hard to go through it most definitely brings me closer to my savior because its only in Him that I can receive the peace and comfort watching others go through so many hard and difficult times.

My thoughts from this week comes from my growing love for the Doctrine of Christ. I was reading a training given to missionaries this in January and something that Elder Bednar really struck me. All things are gathered in one in Christ.

 Elder David A. Bednar: I think too often we, as members of the Church, have a cookbook, checklist mentality about living the gospel. So faith is this little separate thing, and then repentance is a separate thing, and then there’s the ordinance of baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. All things are gathered together in one in Christ. So faith is in the Savior—in Him as the Son of God, in His nature, and in His attributes. Repentance is a dependence upon Him. Faith in Him and depending upon Him is repentance. Following Him is baptism. Pressing forward with Him is enduring to the end, with the companionship of the Holy Ghost. It’s all gathered together in Him. So as we are proclaiming our continuing dependence upon Christ, that is repentance, which leads to the mighty change of heart.

May we all evaluate our life and ask ourselves how we can better rely on the Savior to live the Doctrine of Jesus Christ in our lives!

The Studio - Week 39

June 5, 2017

Hey everyone!

This week has been pretty crazy! It started off with us moving out of our old place and into our new place! Its a brand new place that was built for the missionaries to stay in for at least a few years! It was kinda fun being able to determine how to lay out all the furniture inside. Our new address is 920 N Pit Ln. Nampa Idaho 83687! I should be in this area for the next 3 weeks until transfer calls.  

This week was a crazy week for me I went on exchanges with a few other elders in the district this week and its really a great joy to work with other missionaries and come up with ways to make their area better! The weather has broken 100 degrees up here and i was on a bike that day. It was Awesome! I miss riding a bike its honestly so fun to wave to everyone and just take it all in... (disregarding the fact that well.. you almost get hit a few times and people never wave back its fun!)

The work in our area has been very awesome! We have been able to set one of our YSA investigators Alex with a baptismal date for July 29th! He is super awesome! we found him outside while we were going to an appointment and he was smoking a cigarette outside and so started talking to him! He is super prepared and hopefully as we begin teaching him the commandments he will continue to progress as fast as he is now! 

Our investigators the Batrolomei family they are still set for baptism on June 24 but we might need to move the date since they are going on vacation. But we are talking with them today about it and as long as they continue reading and praying they will be right on track:) 

This week was a cool experience as we started teaching some kids outside in one of the trailer parks in our area and it got to the point that other kids around the neighborhood came up as well and so we started teaching about 8 kids about the Gospel! We got around to talking to the parents to make sure its okay and they said they are okay with that! So its cool how these kids are doing missionary work without even knowing it! While we were walking out of the trailer park another indvidual stopped us and he felt like he needed to talk to us. As far as first impressions goes he had tattoos everywhere, cut marks on his arm, smoking a cigarette in his hand, and alcohol in the other! We set up a time to meet with him this last Sunday and the lesson went awesome! He actually has opinions about how things should be that are almost exactly what we teach so its pretty crazy to see how God prepares people! The reason Dominic talked to us is because he has seen us walking around in the Trailer park before and he felt like God was telling him to talk to us!

How great is my joy to be serving the Lord I truly love serving the people and to get the chance and opportunity to testify! I would invite each of us to find a way to testify this week! As it truly does bring light and joy into our lives! 

Moving into the Studio Apartment.  Pretty Sweet!

Feeling a bit settled in... Elder Valchez

Best seat in the house!