Thanksgiving Blessing - They Did Not Doubt Their Mothers

From: Elder Camree Gautavai
Date: November 25, 2013 at 9:29:27 AM MST

To: Rochelle Gautavai

Mom,

In case you weren't aware, you are loved by me so much!

259 missionaries is a lot! What's so wonderful mom is that they all have different challenges and levels of desire..But they are here and I love them just for being here and love the Lord because he trusts us so much with each one. If it were easy why would they need us? So the traveling assistants role is to travel and train companionship's that president has selected. They don't have an area. What this means is that we take care of the administrative things, train, and are able to build a model-area in the YSA ward.

Sister Harding, AP's Elder Gautavai, Elder Freeman, President Harding photocred GAM

We do live in the same apartment. Elder Freeman is from Lehi, Utah and knows a lot of people that I know from out that way. He plays lacrosse and has diabetes. I have never served with a companion with so much faith and love. Truly the Lord sent him to me so that I could learn from him. I'm going to soak up everything from elder Freeman before he departs. The Lord is so aware of me/us. I have seen and felt Him sustain me in this assignment no doubt! My Patriarchal blessing is absolutely blowing me away as I have been reading it each night and finding answers and direction on how to deal with situations I face.

Mom, I need to tell you I find so much joy in Talking With Everyone!!! Whether it be in the grocery store, in the parking lot, at a restaurant, wherever..I love talking with people connecting with them. President Harding has helped us learn how to have normal conversations with everyone. One thing I love is just going for it, inviting people to church or to read the book of Mormon. We must find those that have been prepared or are being prepared who will receive us and in order to do that we have to talk with everyone!! I have set a goal this week to meet 10 new people each day.

Great to hear of your temple experiences! For Thanksgiving Bishop Kennedy invited us over for dinner. I love this mighty leader!! Each time I see him he is always doing something to hasten the work. Last night the Whitewater Ward Choir and Hartford United Methodist choir combined at the stake center signing praises and medley's of hymns and revival hymns! History in the making!!

To the woman who will always be my "number 1" whom I look to for so much! I love you dearly mother! God bless you this week and forever more!

Love, Elder Gautavai

"The Rapstoration" - Elder "O" Missionaries Opening Their Mouths, Word

Missionary Work, Temples Are Key in The Gathering of Israel

Weekly questions for the elder from home included in our email this morning. The elder's response follows in his return email:

Q1. Are you in need of anything at this time?
A1. Negative.
Q2. What are your plans for Thanksgiving day and dinner?
A2. We will be trying to find some new YSA adults to teach and later in the day eat at a member in our (YSA) ward, we will be over at Bishop Kennedy's of the Whitewater ward for dinner.
Q3. Thanks for the update on C.C and B.S. I was able to take both names with me to the Temple Saturday and place on the prayer rolls..who else can we join our faith and prayers with yours this week?
A3. You can include S. & A. D., two sisters we met at yogurt stop talking with everyone :)

Greetings from down South,

It is so wonderful and great to see the family at the temple. The house of the Lord is a special place where we can be taught by the Lord if we prepare in a way that allows us to be open to receive revelation, furthermore what we experience inside the temple may largely be correlated to how well we have lived and prepared outside the temple. Living at a higher level through scripture study, prayer, fasting, obedience, of consecration all play a fundamental role in helping us gain the full experience at the temple. I know that the temples that dot the earth today play a HUGE role in the gathering of Israel in fulfillment of the prophesy and the promises made to Abraham. With that said it all starts with sharing the gospel and BAPTIZING!!

I'm absolutely loving this time of great search and rescue I am so privileged to be apart of. I have learned so much from Elder Steele and know I will continue to learn even more from Elder Freeman. Elder Freeman is from Lehi, Utah and is familiar with many of the same people that I know from out that way. He has such tremendous faith and zeal in doing this work. With two transfers left he is looking to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! 

Wow! Talking with Everyone is by far the greatest! I truly find joy in talking with everyone, everywhere! We are to find those that will receive us, we do not know who they are so we must talk with everyone!

I continue to do well and love serving with those in whom I labour along side. Sorry this is short..I love all of you! Each one of you has played a key role in helping me to this point! VICTORY!!! KEEP CLIMBING!!!

Love, Elder Gautavai

Become As A Little Mekelee

Weekly questions for the elder from home in today's email. The elder's responses in his email back:

Q1. Do you need anything at this time?

A1. No.

Q2. How is C.C. progressing? How did you find him?

A2. He is doing pretty good he brought his g-friend to the lesson and we set them both on date for the 7th. We lost contact with them for a little bit so they would be a good one to pray for.

Q3. Who can we unitedly lend our faith and prayers for this week?

A3. B.S., He is having a rough time being a recent convert especially being the only one in his family. With him being a YSA, I'm trying to get him to the ward and help him go through the temple.

Greetings from the South!

This week has been a very busy week. We attended the temple with the ATL zones in our mission on Tuesday. While at the temple I had the impression to talk to the missionaries in my training about having the vision of the Savior and then putting the work in to make it happen. What was cool is the very clear prompting I received while there to tell them about Mekelee. So when it came time to train I first shared the story of Mekelee wanting to be the best football player, not just in his age, but the best period. Mekelee's vision for who he wanted to become drove him to work constantly, training with Ry and the high school team, in the backyard, watching film and so on. Anyway, it was so powerful! We all need a little "Mekelee fire" in us. President Harding second witnessed that and shared how Mekelee is like a giant spiritually, sharing how he helped him with his talk a couple of stake conferences ago as a member of the stake presidency.

I will be receiving a new companion as my dear companion Elder Steele will finish his last two transfers as a Traveling Assistant. My new companion is Elder Freeman. He will serve his last two transfers as an Assistant as he goes home with Elder Steele as well.

The work is hastening! The missionaries will provide the wave. WE, just have to CATCH THE WAVE!

Keep climbing!!!

Love, Elder Gautavai

Invitation: The Work of Salvation Connects All Things Heaven and Earth

Weekly questions from home included in today's email. The elder's response follows in his return email:

Q1. How was your temple service and leadership council/trainings?

A1. Amazing! Temple service is a MUST!!

Q2. Are you in need of anything at this time?

A2. Negative.

Q3. Who can we join in faith and prayer for this week?

A3. C.C. our wonderful investigator who we are teaching tonight at the church.

Happy Veterans Day from the South!

AP's Elder Steele and Elder Gautavai Atlanta Georgia Temple

Another week has flown by here in the GAM. With zone training meetings all this last week, it gave us the opportunity to continue to attend the temple as part of the schedule. I love the temple, the perspective for life it gives is simply remarkable. I have been fortunate to attend the temple often while here on the mission. By attending the temple, I have grown to love our Heavenly Father deeply and have so much more gratitude for HIM. I am at awe with his love for us and all his children.

Before heading into an endowment session, President Posey (temple president) briefly shared with us these thoughts. Not only is it important for the one soul who is baptized here on this earth, but for their ancestors who have passed on. He said as 1 soul(convert) progresses and enters the temple, it is equivalent to 1000 souls(converts) who will eventually enter the temple because of the 1 soul. Then came his invitation to us....although 1 soul is great in the eyes of God, there are many who are ready and waiting to "come unto HIM." How great would be your joy if many more were brought unto HIM. Hence the HASTENING! Making BAPTISM so important!  

As I pondered and meditated upon President Posey's invitation this week, my desire to do all I can has increased tremendously.

Our focus with all our valiant missionaries is returning back to our purpose--to INVITE & BAPTIZE--working with our faithful members, active & less active to find those to BAPTIZE. Also, to have the FAITH to get out there and MAKE IT HAPPEN by tracting and talking with everyone etc. With our recent visits from prophets, seers and revelators, we were reminded that as full time missionaries we are vital in the work of salvation. That it is important we do our part. IT IS SO SIMPLE!!

Thank you for sending me the article on the USST that I requested. Serving with President Harding and Elder Steele has helped me realize I must always be worthy of the promptings of the spirit, but more importantly have the courage to follow it. Thus, receiving the prompting to ask for the article. As of yet, I have not shared it with any of the zones. I am waiting for the direction of the spirit to guide me to use it at the appropriate time. That is certainly an adjustment that I have made, listening to the spirit and figuring out what exactly is needed in the training meetings. 

We are busy as ever with one more zone training meeting this week and then transfer prep! Can you believe its already transfer time!?

Well I gotta run. If there is anything I can do for y'all please let me know. Praying for your success each and every day. GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN! KEEP CLIMB'N!

Love, Elder Gautavai

Becoming All That Our Heavenly Father Wants Us To Be

Checking in from the elder's cousin in the Wisconsin Milwaukee mission on the BYU Football Fireside he attended Friday night.

Good Morning!

Hello hello! Thanks for your email!

I wasn't able to watch the game this past weekend, but I was able to watch the fireside via broadcast here in Wisconsin Rapids. Not going to lie, it was a little weird with it being a football team presenting a spiritual fireside, but I felt like the message I was supposed to get out of it came to me. Bronson Kaufusi and Bronco Mendenhall were the two speakers, and they did an excellent job. Coach Mendenhall testified that although the outcome of football games is very important, there will come a time when those things are not important. He testified that the purpose of our journey here on earth is only to return to a divinely appointed heavenly home with our Father in heaven and Jesus Christ. He also testified that this means that we should do everything within our power to win football games, but we should seek the best of both prospects; that is returning to live with our Father in heaven with our families, and also becoming the best we can with our talents. It was a great fireside.

Love, Elder Richard Gautavai

Ohhh It Is Wonderful!!! Wonderful To Me (And For Us)!!!

"NO OTHER SUCCESS can compensate for FAILURE in the home except for the ATONEMENT of JESUS CHRIST." -Neal A. Maxwell (Bruce Hafen, A Broken Heart)

The Gift (Atonement) That Keeps On Giving #AllGlory2God

Shines The Gospel Light of Truth and Love

Questions for the elder included in email from home today. The elder's response in his email.

Q1. (Mom) Thanks for the birthday wish and thought it made my night/day. I love it…I love you!!
A1. No problem!
Q2. Are you in need of anything at this time?
A2. Negative.
Q3. Who can we pray for this week in our daily prayers to help?

A3. The MISSIONARIES! Faith to Find!! 

Oct 30, 2013 GAM Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders Mission Council at the Mission Home Photocred: GAM

Greetings from down South,

The family looks great and as everyone continues to press forward on the journey of this life may we continue to know & feel the greatness of God in our lives! This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullest restored to the earth today through a prophet. This is the ONLY WAY to happiness and fulfillment, there is NO OTHER WAY!  

Missionary Dept Managing Director, Elder David F. Evans (Quorum of the Seventy) and sister Evans GAM Tour 

We have wrapped up another week of climbing, battling the forces of darkness, planning and preparing to make a charge up the mountain here in November. Can you believe its already November!? Tuesday we gathered in large districts to change 2 behaviors: (1) Making plans to talk with a whole lot more people then we currently are either through phone call or on the street contacts, planning and setting up more opportunities to teach. (2) To be able ask 
"Who do you know?" with everyone we talk to as well as developing the faith (principle of action) necessary to find and talk with everyone. The promise from the brethren is we will have more people to teach and bring many into the waters of BAPTISM as we do! President Harding, Elder Steele and I split to cover more ground. I took to the north to Cartersville presiding and overseeing training in district meetings for the day up there. 

I'll GO, I'll DO, I'll SAY, I'll BE what you want me to BE

Wednesday we had the Zone and Sister Training Leaders in the Mission home for mission council. There we had the opportunity to again train and make sure our leaders are making these behavior changes in their own individual areas. It has been my experience, and I believe it is so true the missionaries will rise and live up to the expectations set forth by the mission president & leaders of the mission. Where there is no vision the people perish admonished the Prophet Joseph Smith.

President Ralph R. and sister Sylvia Mabey Photocred: GAM

Friday before having lunch with the Mabey's, Elder Evans of the Quorum of the Seventy called to talk with Elder Steele and I along with President Harding. It was super nice of him to call and ask how we were doing and to talk with us about the feelings that we had when he came. You can imagine he is very busy being the literal Captain Moroni (as the executive director) of the missionary force and to want to talk with us was absolutely a treat! President and sister Mabey were in the ATL and came by for lunch which was also a huge thrill!! I love President Mabey and sister Mabey. He was his usual powerful-self, informing us of the work of salvation in the Bountiful Heights Stake. GREAT WORK! KEEP CLIMBING!

This upcoming week it's back to the temple for more Zone Training meetings wherein we will receive and be taught by the Father and the Son. The Temple has brought a light into my life that cannot be replaced needless to say we are looking forward to being in the house of the Lord this week. The following week brings transfer planning..time is sure flying!

Attached below is a Book of Mormon reading calendar for the GAM starting today (Nov 4) through the New Year. As we journey through the Book of Mormon, President Harding has asked that we invite our families to participate in the reading as well. There will be a sense of power that will come into your lives as we read together from it each day. The Book of Mormon is the only hope for the world that today continues to spiral out of control. May I invite you to always have a copy with you on your person!

In this battle for the souls of men may we find comfort in knowing that our Heavenly Father is at the head of this army. I love you family may we continue to press forward with faith, see the eternal vision, and pray for the strength to win each day!

Love, Elder Gautavai