"Peach" me to Walk in the Light - Week 51

August 28, 2017

Hey Everyone! 

This week has been one full of tender mercies and miracles! We had some really awesome experiences throughout the week. One of the craziest came from last night actually! We were contacting a family that we wanted to meet and introduce ourselves to and before we got to there house I saw a man in his garage working on something so i decided to go up and talk to him! He grew up in Caldwell Idaho all his life and talked to "many many Mormons." I proceeded to ask him what was his understanding of the Book of Mormon? The interesting part is he talked for a long time about how he doesn't understand what Joseph Smith was thinking.. because his interpretation of what the bible doesn't sound anything like the Bible. I chuckled to myself because soo many people believe the Book of Mormon is some kind of modern day interpretation of the Bible. Those that have read it know that it dosen't sound anything like the Bible because it is a entirely different testimony that Jesus is the Christ through another group of people that lived on this earth. Once we explained this to the man he was quite interested and accepted a Book of Mormon and was going to read it. The crazy part about it was we decided not to keep going down to the family we originally wanted to see and procceded to walk out of the neighborhood we were in.. Once we got out of the neighborhood, a car slams on its breaks in the middle of the road and kicks it in reverse to then talk to us and tell us that they want to meet with us. I love this!  In order for that very thing to happen everything we did before that had to happen. The decision to walk from the car to the families house, to talk to the man (30min conversation at at that), and then to decided not to contact that family! It was really just awesome! I LOVE THE LORDS TIMING!

This P-day we went and picked peaches at the Church Orchards in Marsing Idaho, and it was pretty fun! I have never seen peaches as big as these ones! They were massive! We picked roughly 15,000 Lbs. you could say the amount of peach puns was also in the 15,000's haha 

I don't have time to talk about my thoughts from this week so ill have to include that next week! 

Keep Smiling,

Love Elder Gerrard

Boise Idaho Temple

East Caldwell Missionary's - Total Eclipe's of our Hearts

Elder Pettijohn and Elder Gerrard - Savoring the Moment
The Great American Eclipse 08/21/17

Just a Peach of a P-day
Many hands equal 15K pounds of Peaches

Someone tell Elder Gerrard .. Don't Eat the Green ones! Silly City Boy!
Elder Pettijohn and Elder Gerrard

The Temple - Week 50

August 21, 2017

Hey Everyone! 

So wow. The last couple of days have been really crazy and intense! 

On Thursday I was able to go to the temple! Which was really cool to be able to just sit in the temple and feel the spirit. It was also really cool to be able to feel that happiness swell up inside! It was also just really special for me to be able to look at all the other Elders that came out with me and see how much they have grown and changed in just a years time! Its a great testimony that when you allow yourself to be maleable that the Lord will shape us into something that is really great! 

I was also able to go back to my area in Nampa and watch one of the investigators that i found get baptized this Saturday! He is really cool. I remember when we found him sitting outside as we were going to contact some people in an apartment complex. He was smoking a cigarette and watching some videos on his phone, and to be honest in my head I thought to myself for a seccond that he Was just a college aged student that probably really didn't want to be bothered by missionaries to talk about God with him. When this thought popped into my head I quickly pushed off to the side and talked to him anyways and well.. now he is the newest member of the church! Its a testament that you really dont know what will happen until you talk to them!

As far as my current proselyting area! things are going really awesome as we have stuck to talking to everyone we see.. we have been able to come in contact with quite a few individuals that all are open to meeting and the timing couldn't have been better. 

My thought for the week comes from an experience that we had with a new investigator that we found this last week that ran out of his house to talk to us. His name is Billy. In our first lesson he told us his story about how he used to believe in God but now claims to be an athiest... But.. He told us that if we passed the Zippo challenge that he would get baptized this very night... and he meant it. What is the zippo challenge? Well.. he took his lighter and said if God will light this lighter than I will believe God exists and I will get baptized. He then proceeded to pray that God would light this lighter and he would join the church fully pledging to do so. After the prayer.. nothing happened the lighter remained unlit.. until the member that was with us took the lighter and lighted it and set it back on the table and said,"God answer's prayers through other people." 

But ultimately that was the end of the challenge... I was thinking about this experience, because in Billy's words.. "why wouldn't God do this one tiny little thing so that one of his children could be saved?" What comes to my mind is what we read in 

Matthew 27:35-42

35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

36 And sitting down they watched him there;

37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

39 ¶ And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

We all know that God IS capable of lighting the Zippo lighter and Jesus Christ WAS capable of taking himself down from the cross. And in both of these instances some of Gods precious children were saying.. they would believe. But the fact of the matter is God's will must be done. And that is what is important for us to keep in consideration. That God does have a plan for all of us to come to know him and that is his will. I wish I had more time to talk about this but i hope everyone has a awesome week.

Keep Smiling,

Love Elder Gerrard

Alex Baptism

Elder Gerrard and President Sorenson- year mark Temple Trip

Elder Gerrard and Elder Collette (MTC companion)

When Thou Art Converted Strengthen Thy Brethren - Week 49

August 17, 2017

Hey Everyone! 

Sorry for not writing on Monday! Today August 17th is my exact year mark of entering the MTC and ill get the opportunity to go to the Boise Temple today. You could say im more than excited but over joyed to be able to just sit in the house of the Lord and feel the spirit, and to do some temple work for some ancestors that I have found while I have been on a mission! This past week has been crazy for Elder Pettijohn and Myself, since we were both coming into the area and its taking some time trying to get our bearings on where to apply our time and efforts! Elder Pettijohn has been a wonderful companion that has clearly shown me what the Lord would have me learn from him while we are together. We have definitely seen the Lords hand in our work as we heed to the first promptings of the spirit. It doesn't mean we are baptizing left and right but i know for a fact I planted, or nourished the seed that was there. Being in a leadership position in the mission really doesn't mean much to me or make me better than any other missionary in the field, but it has brought to my attention of some of the struggles that other missionaries have been going through. Its really hard to watch someone you care alot about go through some hardships and trials especially when they start thinking about going home early. This was particularly cool as we met with Elder Rasband this past week and one of the first things he said when he got up to talk to us was that we all had a interview with an Apostle today. As we shook his hand and looked into his eyes the spirit whispered to him of things about us. He then stated that many are struggling at this particular moment and he doesn't know why, but he then began to express a very deep and genuine love for us and how much the prophet Thomas S. Monson loves us and above all how much the Savior loves us. I felt that quite strongly and powerfully. 

The thought that I really liked from this past week is what Elder Rasband said concerning obedience. He said that the solution is simple actually.. First, we need to come to know the Savior.

Secondly, as we come to know the Savior we will come to love the Savior. 

Lastly, as we come to love the Savior we will want to better serve the Savior.

It is soo soo true. Greater love brings a willing contrite heart to change. I can testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true! The priesthood power is quite real and the blessings and ordinances that call upon this power and authority are real. I have been privileged to have some tender experiences giving blessings on my mission and its truly the Lords guiding hand in this work of bring all of His brothers and sisters to live with our Heavenly Father again. 

Keep Smiling,

Love Elder Gerrard

Look Mom We are Doing the Dishes!
Elder Pettijohn and Elder Gerrard

Go and Do - Week 47

August 7, 2017


Hey everyone! This week has been awesome! We have been busy as ever but it's good to be hustling for the Lord. haha. SO we got transfer calls and I have been called to be a Zone Leader over the Caldwell East Zone covering three wards. Caldwell 2 ,9, and YSA wards. My new companion Is Elder Pettijohn! He is from Anchorage, Alaska. He is basically a mountain man. So I'm really excited to learn from him! He has been out for a little over a year. We are both coming into this area so we will have alot of fun figuring out everything and what's going on as well. There are alot of really great lessons to learn to come so I'm super excited. 

I have really enjoyed serving in the area in Meridian. There are alot of really amazing families that I have been able to meet that have really shown me how the gospel blesses families. This is something that is definitely important to me as I have witnessed how the gospel blesses many individuals.. I also have been able to see how much more the gospel blesses families. Its been really cool to be here and to witness that. 

I had the privilege to see one of the investigators I began teaching in Nampa get baptized this last Saturday. Its really been awesome to just see people make these oh.. so precious.. steps!

I'm sorry I don't really have any thoughts right now haha I have been all over the place preparing my area to be shotgunned (thats when both missionaries leave).

Love you all I pray we can value the teachings in the Family A Proclamation to the world!

Keep smiling,

Love Elder Gerrard

Elder Gerrard and Elder Pettijohn from Anchorage Alaska
Serving  together in East Caldwell

The Hillbig Family 

Elder Gerrard and Elder Des Roseir
Short and Sweet Companions 

The Baptism / 

The Frasures Family / Ward Mission Leader/ Elder Gerrard

The Brugger Family; Elder Gerrard and Elder Des Rosier

Finding Joy In the Journey - Week 46

Hey Everyone! This week has been a pretty crazy week. Elder Hamel left on Monday night and I picked up my temporary companion Elder Des Rosier. He is from Monticello Utah which is pretty much a tiny town of 2,000 people near the four corners. He actually began his mission in the very area that we are serving in so he has had a good time seeing some of the people he  knows here. Elder Des Rosier Companion also finished his mission so that leaves us to cover an area in Kuna, Idaho which is about 15-20 min south of Meridian. Kuna is pretty much a rural area with larger farm fields with some newer subdivisions that are starting to pop up. I would give it 10 years before it becomes nothing like what it is now. Meridian Idaho is the fastest growing city in the country right now if what the people around here are saying is true. 

We have had some good experiences this week we contacted a 17 year old young women who was taking a jog and after talking for a while she expressed an interest to learn more! Hopefully her parents will give her permission since she is under the age of 18, but if things work out it will be awesome! This area is alot different than my other areas, but enjoy the new challenges and experiences that have come with it. I'm also soo excited for the Meridian Temple Open house thats coming up in October! I can testify that it is hastening the work in this area sooo much! I also had the opportunity to play the cello for the ward that im serving in and that has been a really neat experience to be able to share that with people. Im also really surprised that im not terrible, considering I don't play as much as I used to! But I love finding the joy in the journey! This week is transfers so next week you will all hear where I'm going to end up next!

The thought that I have from this week comes from testimony and Conversion. I really liked the statement that was made on Success. "Success isn't earned. Its rented. Its something that we have to rent out each day." I thought this really applied to Conversion. Its something that we will never be able to check off the list as completed, since every single day we have to make the choices to further our progression and conversion. As I am coming closer to my year mark of serving a mission I want to make sure that I continue to reach higher rather than allow my self to coast back down to the level I was at before my mission.

I like to look for rainbows... bonus double Rainbow in Kuna, Idaho

 Elder Gerrard and Elder Des Rosier