Week 24 Orlando - Conway East

I would have to say that it was a great week! Definitely an interesting one. Monday night we went over to a members home who somehow contacted my parents so that they could make my favorite food/dessert. It was the greatest thing ever because we had mashed
potatoes and gravy and lemon cake. There are a lot of great people in this ward.

I also got news that I am being transferred. It's kind of a weird situation though because I'm not getting transferred for about 10 days into the next transfer. We are picking up another elder tomorrow so we will have a trio until I leave in 10 days. There's a rumor that one of
the stakes is getting new boundaries at the first of the year for the wards in it so I think that I am going to be opening up an area there is my guess. I am going to miss this ward! I've met so many great people here. I'm excited to move also. The funny thing is that I didn't know that I was staying another 10 days until yesterday, and I was already packed up so now I have to unpack then repack again uhh.

Christmas Eve was awesome because our district went caroling. (It would be even better if we knew how to sing lol) we went to one house just as a lady was walking in. She told us to come in and sing to her whole family because it was their family party. After we sang to them we bore our testimonies to them and they said it was exactly what they needed because the song we sang was their grandmas favorite who had just passed away that summer. It's amazing what happens when the spirit is on your side. They kept calling us Jehovah witnesses though haha.

The highlight of the week of course was talking to my family on Christmas! I'm pretty sure that I have the best family ever. You don't realize how smart your parents really are until you leave them. Then you realize how much they really knew what they were talking about.
It's hard to believe how much can change in 6 months. Speaking of that, I get to burn a tie with his week for hitting my 6 month mark.

Our investigators are doing great! We met with Jennifer and Julian yesterday and Julian is so excited to get baptized! I love him. He said that he is getting baptized no matter what! It is so cool. I love that kid. All of our other investigators are doing really good.

Well I love you all!

Elder Goff



My homies (the Conway West Elders and us.) Elder Rowley, Garcia, me, Elder Gale

Everbody knows me by this famous icecream shop in downtown Orlando

Week 23 Orlando - Conway East

I can't believe that it's already Christmas! MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody! So our mission President asked us a good question this week. He said, "What gift are you going to give to Christ this Christmas?" Christ has given us everything so the least we can do is give a portion of the things we have back. One thing that I have learned this Christmas is that it doesn't take presents or toys to make you happy. All it takes is a little bit of Christ in your eyes.

This week was a great week! We saw a lot of miracles. We set a baptism date with a couple of our investigators, Jennifer and Julian! It was such a spiritual lesson. Julian is the coolest kid ever. After our first lesson with him, he was so excited about feeling the spirit that he said a prayer with one of his friends so that he could feel the same feeling. It was the best experience ever. It was the same investigators that we tracked into 2 weeks ago. Also this week we got a referral for a bible. When we went to his house he let us right in and we sat down for a while. When we brought up the Book of Mormon he said that it is exactly what he has been looking for. He ordered a bible but what he really wanted was a Book of Mormon. We are planning to meet with him again tomorrow and I'm super pumped about it.

Recently for some random reason we have been running into a lot of Russian people. Yesterday we were contacting people on our bikes when we ran into a lady pushing her kid in a stroller. When we tried to talk to her she said, "I don't speak English, I speak Russian." Then out of nowhere Elder Gale started speaking Russian! We shared a video with her in Russian and gave her Mormon.org and the address to our church. It was so cool haha. Other than that it was a slow week. We have been a little bit sick but it's all good. Well I love you all and hope you have a merry Christmas!

Elder Goff

Week 22 Orlando - Conway East

This week we great! We saw a lot of miracles. It seems like everyone is happier this time of year because of Christmas. Everyone's also super busy haha. So on Friday, Elder Gale and I were biking around in a neighborhood and accidentally took the wrong turn. We were about to turn around when we saw an open garage which usually means that they are home. We knocked on the door and a lady named Jennifer and her son Julian answered he door. They let us in right away and we taught them the Restoration. After the lesson we asked them to kneel with us and pray to ask if it was true. Julian said it and after we asked how they felt. He said, "I feel...funny. Kinda like I want to jump around and laugh and smile!" The spirit was so powerful! We were all in tears by the time we left! We are meeting with them tonight again so I am super excited to see how it will go.

 This week was also the ward Christmas party. It was super awesome! The Risley's came and the whole ward took them in. It was awesome to see them become part of the ward. We really hope to be able to set a baptism date with them this week. I would have to say the Risley's are one of my favorites. We've gotten pretty tight within the last few weeks.

So I hope you all are having a great time! People get into Christmas hard core here. One house even covered their whole lawn with fake snow. It was pretty sweet!

In Sacrament meeting yesterday our 1st counselor in the stake presidency, President Tait (who is actually from oderville originally) spoke on how we \an best celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. He said that we must take time to ponder and study the true meaning of Christmas, ponder the saviors influence in our lives today, look steadfastly on the savior's coming, and finally think back to the Christmas that we felt the spirit the most. our family tradition is to read of Christ's birth each year on Christmas eve. Everytime we would do that I felt the spirit super strong. I love the story of Christ's birth!

Well I love you all and hope the best and a Merry Christmas!

Elder Goff


 

Week 21 Orlando - Conway East

This week was great! We had a lot of success. It was bike week again but I would have to say that I still liked it because the hottest it got was 75. So we had a cool experience this week with a guy named Jose. Elder Hilton had passed by this guy a lot but weren't ever able to teach him because he couldn't speak English. Elder Gale and I contacted this guy and he was so prepared! We taught him the Restoration and he said that he believed all of it. After giving him a Book of Mormon we testified of how we know it is true... Mostly elder Gale. The spirit was so strong! I would have to say that one of my favorite part about my mission is lessons like that where the spirit is so strong that you can't deny anything! I love it.

The people we are teaching are Jason, the Rivieras, and the Risley's Jason is the coolest kid ever! Also this week We started teaching a guy who is a lot like me. His name is Ben. He goes up to Georgia and hunts whitetail deer all the time so I told him that I would take him spike elk hunting or deer hunting in Utah if he takes me hunting in Georgia. I would say that it's a fair trade. Also this week we went to the poiriers who are an amazing member family in our ward and decorated a tree with them! I love Christmas. Haha oh also Have you guys ever heard of watermelon juice!? I've always wondered why they never make it but it turns out that they do! And it is AMAZING! We were eating at a members house and he put some watermelon juice on the table. I seriously thought I was in a dream and had to pinch myself!

Yesterday during the Christmas devotional president Uchtdorf said something that really stuck out to me. He said,"Find a moment in the choir of our souls to acknowledge heartfelt gratitude to the Generous One." I look back on my life and realize how often I have had an amazing experience or blessing only to leave happy without considering to give thanks to God. The church came out with a video called, "what if we had no savior?" It sure is a good thing that we have a savior. We are able to be with our families forever because of him. It's crazy to think that because of a single birth, our eternal well being has been changed. "For God so loved the world that he gave His Only Begotten Son." What more do we need to be grateful for?

I love you all,
Elder Goff


A member gave us a Christmas tree!



Star Wars tie's :)

Exchanges - Elder Fairbanks (left) and Elder Bagshaw (right)