Families - Living The Gospel Blesses Your Posterity

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

Q1. How did your leadership meetings go this week?

A1. Wow amazing! Never received so much revelation in one week! Each week keeps getting better! Truly humbled.

Q2. How is J.L. progressing?

A2. Hurrah for Israel it looks like she will indeed be baptized with her other daughter N. this weekend. Bishop Kennedy and Bro. N. will perform the baptisms.

Q3. Do you need anything at this time?

A3. Yes, so about 9 months ago J. asked if I would sing I Am A Child of God at her baptism...only twist was she wants it in Samoan. I can do the first verse pretty well second and third I have no idea. I'm wondering if somehow someway you could send me the lyrics and break it down into pronunciation. Can you say gift of tongues? lol

Q4. Who can we add to our prayers this week?

A4. A. D. is a LA his finance is getting baptized in two weeks they're in the Sharpsburg Ward. Unbeknownst to me..I ran into him at the Elder Cook meeting and he remembers all too well my companion and I coming to visit with him, getting him to come back to church and asking him if there were anyone that he knew of that we could teach.

Greetings Family,

Elder Quentin L. Cook Quorum of the Twelve - 8 March 2014 (photocred: GAM)

This week has been unbelievable. I stand all amazed at the love the savior offers each and everyone of us who choose to be chosen!  We are being led and directed by prophets, seers, and revelators one of whom was in our midst for two days. The Lord's work continues to move forward for the living and the deceased. The temple has and will continue to be a lighthouse in my life enabling me to focus on what's most important. SO BLESSED SO BLESSED!

The missionary meeting with Elder Quentin L. Cook was amazing! Elder Cook bore witness of us being where we need to be right now. He shared the process of receiving a mission call what the brethren go over and how there are a few impressions that come to them as they place missionaries throughout the world. I know that I am where I need to be at this time in my life there are to many experiences that I cannot deny I am where the Lord wants and needs me to be at this time. 

Stake Conference was amazing as again Elder Cook spoke to us testifying of the hastening of the work. Halfway through the meeting he asked that President and Sister Harding come up and bare their testimonies they did such an awesome job! Elder Cook spoke of the strength that comes in a stake, the importance of families which I have never received so much revelation then in just those few moments. It was an overall solid meeting.

I share with you one last experience. I had the chance to speak with Elder Cook as he was being escorted out. When we shook hands I shared with him that Jerimiah Alip sends his love and that I was his grandson. Elder Cook then embraced me with a hug and thanked me for the warm feelings that came into his heart as a result of the spirit. He then shared memories of him serving with his good friend "Jeri" (Grandpa Alip) and then to send his love to to our family!
**The elder's maternal grandfather Jeremiah Ieleiwae Alip who also shares his middle name, former Stake president of the San Francisco West Stake served with Elder Cook and his brother Joseph Cook in the San Francisco Stake presidency before elder Cook's call to the Quorum of the Twelve. Elder Gautavai's Grandpa Alip was 2nd counselor, Elder Quentin L. Cook was the 1st counselor and elder Cook's brother Joseph Cook was the Stake President. The family remains friends.

Grateful for family members that live so righteously and through their faith and diligence allow their posterity to experience moments like this.

Well like work in the world...being out of the office for a week..means some catching up to do!

Love Elder Gautavai