First Week In The Mission Field

Elder Gautavai's arrival in Georgia with President and Sister Snow

Hello Family!!!

This first week in Atlanta has been great eh!! I love it down here!!! We are working hard to share the most important message here on earth that Jesus Christ our Savior has restored His church into the world!!!

I am currently serving in a very impoverished part of downtown Atlanta on the westside of the city covering a section called Midtown to an area called East Point.  President Snow asked that I serve here with the Zone leaders and learn and observe from them; so I am currently in a trio companionship. My companion/trainers Elder Fruean from American Samoa loves kelee boys’ rugby pics as he plays rugby and Elder Morril is from Texas.  Both missionaries are outstanding witnesses of Jesus Christ!  We stay in Atlanta with two other missionaries. Elder Fuller from Orem (may sound familiar; he played for Sparta with Chesler) and Elder Christian.  Today for P-day we went to G-Tech University right next door to our apartment and went bowling. haha  We are planning to ride MARTA the subway later tonight and to have positive contact opportunities with the people here.

Family-I have been humbled walking into people’s homes and seeing absolute poverty at its lowest level. Homeless people sleeping under bridges and many other things and distractions Satan is doing to keep people from truth and salvation.  It makes me appreciate my blessings even more.  The Lord has truly blessed our family despite some of the struggles we THINK we had or have.  I thank our Heavenly Father everyday Ry and Kelee don’t have to grow up in these conditions, seeing the struggles these people go through on a daily basis is very humbling.

I am currently in the Atlanta ward (Georgia, Atlanta stake).  The missionaries get fed very well :) the BEST BBQ, fish and cornbread that I ever had!!

We work with alot of part-member, less active families.  The ward has 900 members however only about 200 attend church. Gil wasn’t kidding about people getting up in the middle of a talk. haha It happened once or twice in the meetings.

As far as our investigators go, we have 2 two we invited to be baptized and set a date for July 28^th.  We are excited about their baptisms! I want to tell you a little about each. Matthew who we met Wed. is a young man who is 18 yrs old. His dad is one of the biggest drug dealers in East Point.  About a week before we met Matthew his dad was arrested and his little brother was taken away and is now in a foster home.  Matthew is currently living in a friend’s office.  We shared with him 3 Nephi 28 and the miracles that Christ performed and testified to him that this can happen in our lives also through our great faith. We helped him understand the gift of the Atonement.  Matthew is very excited for his baptism.  Darrol our second investigator is blind and has learned to rely on the spirit to help guide him each and everyday.  He lives in an area where Young Jeezy grew up so its kinda scary going over there but the spirit can be felt even there, where you wouldn’t think so it's OK.  We set a goal for 4 more baptismal dates, we will have to work hard with exact obedience to reach it.

There is a lot more to tell you but so little time. I ll write more next week.  Thanks for the pics they are awesome. I will get a letter off with my memory card this week. 

I leave you with this; the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and through it we can answer any question if we seek with a sincere heart and ask our Heavenly Father.  How can it not be true? The Book of Mormon has been one of the most falsely critiqued, speculated on religious literature.  However no evil man could have wrote it, nor would any good man want to, only through Jesus Christ our Savior could this book be translated.  Lastly, I use to think my mission would CHANGE me.  I have found that this is not the case...the Lord is CHANGING ME...my mission is bringing me closer to Him so that He can.

Love Elder Gautavai