First Observe Then Serve

Hello Family!!

Congratulations on this week's success. It sounds like y'all have been over-and-yonder fixin to be really busy. Playoff time was always a special time to get together and watch Ry, Jr and Kelee play. Kelee boy I'm stoked to hear you're getting to run some receiver routes to get you out in the open. This reminds me of the times we spent fixin and working on your routes and pass catching. Ry and Jr continue to work hard and move forward MAKE IT HAPPEN this week, I am praying for your joy and success.

I'm super excited for this week. This Saturday is our P-day. We are allowed to email only today (our normal P-day), but will head-out proselyting right after. Saturday will be an AMAZING day! We are having a Baptism in the morning for our investigator B. who is anxious to take the first step in making sacred baptismal covenants with our Heavenly Father. He is an amazing young man. I am looking forward to telling you more about him soon. Immediately following the Baptism, we will be heading down in the mission vans to the BYU GA-TECH football game. It will be cool to be back in the ATL having spent the first 3 weeks of my mission in and around the GA-TECH university campus. A lot of the members in our ward are going to the game. I believe BYU will have a really good turn out at the game from all the members and fans here in Georgia; not to mention the Georgia Atlanta Mission! I couldn't ask for a better P-Day!

We've been doing a lot of 'finding' lately. With President Harding's leadership and counsel, he has asked us to leave a blessing by virtue of the calling we have as missionaries to EVERYONE we come into contact with. As we are obedient in applying the direction of President Harding our teaching pool has grown and in turn, our Faith increased. I love President Harding! You can feel the LOVE he has for each and everyone of the missionaries. He always refers to us as "MIGHTY WARRIORS!!" I will have the oppurtunity to see President Harding Wednesday during a leadership training conference.

This week here has been really pleasant. We had 3 less active members come back to church! My companion and I had the opportunity to be witnesses at a baptism for a little boy in our ward. It was such a sweet moment as his older brother baptized him. As I was watching him in the font, I struggled to hold back emotions as I reflected back to the memory and feelings I had baptizing Kelee boy. What a blessing that was for me. Baptism is such a sacred ordinance that it is impossible not to feel our Heavenly Fathers LOVE and awareness that He is pleased.

I am very excited to here y'all are doing well. I pray for you each and everyday, more than once during the day. I love and miss you all. It's crazy to believe 4 months has already flown by; meaning 4 precious months less to do the will of our Heavenly Father as a full time missionary. Need to lengthen my stride!

Love Elder Gautavai

The Book Is Always Better

Hello Family!

Words cannot describe how proud I am of all of ya'll!!! Especially Ry....I love y'all and cannot describe how thankful I am I can feel our ENTIRE family growing closer together, what a blessing! Congrats Mekelee on a good win keep working hard, I'm still fixin on getting you a letter out soon.

I'm still here in Sharpsburg...the next transfer will be on the 14th of November. We have a lot of new investigators which is awesome and have a couple progressing really well. B. is working ever so hard for the 27th. We are excited to see the change the Atonement is bringing in him. He will truly be a exceptional member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

This week we took President Harding's challenge to find more creative ways to find as well as double our prayer time. Well, haha I have taken this to heart for example I counseled with the Lord for a good 2-hours one day this week and shoot the revelation I received was just incredible. We will have our fireside on the 11th of November. We have invited President Harding to teach with us, what an experience that will be!

Oh haha one more thing, on the 27th of October President Harding has asked that the whole mission attend the BYU vs Georgia Tech football game. It's $25 a ticket. I was wondering if we have extra money for that?  He feels that it will be great PR for the church and will give us an opportunity to teach as well.  Lemme Know on that!

This week I finished the Book of Mormon and I know now more then ever that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and the Book of Mormon like the Bible contains the fullness of the Gospel...So why do we need the Book of Mormon if the Bible contains the Fullness of the Gospel? Because the Book of Mormon testifies that Jesus is the Christ the Savior and Reedemer of the world. With a loving Heavenly Father who called a prophet, Joseph Smith to Restore The full and everlasting Gospel; and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Lord's Kingdom on the earth today. 

The coolest experience I had this week, was probably sitting here reading the brief reports in y'alls email of the events of Friday night and how much I have seen a change not only in y'all but in me as well. Even though the result didn't come out the way we hoped -- it's OKAY -- I can say with a smile on my face, it's okay, all is well. Keep moving forward, KEEP YOUR HEAD-UP and BE STRONG!

Till Next Week,

Love Elder Gautavai

God Is Close To Us and Aware Of Us, And Never Hides From His Faithful Children

Hello Family!

I'm glad to hear y'all are doing well despite the results of the games. Y'all still will find the tender mercies that come to us when we take a step back and realize the blessings that we are blessed with each and everyday. Good Stuff :) Should be another exciting week for y'all and will be praying for y'alls success this coming week. Keep your head up and be strong, and MAKE IT HAPPEN!

It's been a very exciting week for my companion and I here in the Sharpsburg area the highlight being with our investigator B. His enthusiasm for wanting to come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ is amazing. We've had 5 lessons with him this week as he's wanted to meet as much as possible. He is preparing for baptism on October 27. As we've been meeting with B. this week, I can see how the Atonement has changed his life in just a week's time, how much humility he has in willing to submit to our Heavenly Father's will. He attended all sessions of General Conference including Priesthood session with us and enjoyed hearing from President Monson and those that serve with him in helping build the kingdom.

Conference was soo awesome!!! Saturday we went with B. over to a members home to watch it and it was really good. Sunday we went to the church and I must admit being at the church to watch conference seem to suit me better as I was really able to focus on not only what was said but more importantly how I FELT. There is no doubt in my mind that President Monson and the many others who help build the kingdom are called of God. You can feel it in the LOVE that they have for everyone.

The one gospel message I enjoyed the best would have to be President Eyring's address referring to the PAVILIONS (Doctrine and Covenants 121:1) that we put up blocking our view of God's will. The "pavilions" being our unwillingness to become as a child and humble ourselves. As President Eyring put it "we know that thy will be done"...however we often fail to accept IN THY TIME. When we humble ourselves and are patient we can see the role as well as the relationship we have with God. "Thy will be done' and 'in thine own time.' His time should be enough for us, since we know that He wants only what is best...God is close to us and aware of us, and never hides from His faithful children." - President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor First Presidency 182nd General Conference.

As if that wasn't enough, last Thursday had a tender moment for me one that I will be eternally grateful for. Our zone was able to meet with President Harding and his family. I remember the feeling of peace and love come into the room as soon as they walked in. As we all got up to greet him and his family, Stockton quickly located where I was at and ran over and gave me a HUGE HUG! Stockton will be an excellent missionary with us here as well as all the Harding family. President Harding spoke of the LOVE that he already had for each and everyone of us even before he arrived, you could feel that LOVE as well as the Saviors LOVE for us. He challenged us to read the Book of Mormon in 2 transfers which is AWESOME cause I will be finishing the Book of Mormon tonight as a personal goal and starting it over again.

As the announcement was made about the mission age being lowered, my thoughts quickly turned to Rylee and what a great opportunity it will be for him to have the option to serve the Lord in just a few short months. I know that when that time comes Rylee will be ready to serve WITH the lord..What an awesome invitation to drop your nets and become fishers of men. I love you all and am thankful for your examples of FAITH towards me. I know that this is the Lord's work. That the through the Atonement of Jesus Christ lives change and that as a representative of Jesus Christ comes the ability to bless EVERYONE.

Talk to y'all next week,

Love Elder Gautavai

Becoming Converted To The Gospel Is A Daily Process

(excerpt from the elder's cousin who is serving in the Wisconsin, Milwaukee mission. A testimony to the power of change through the Atonement as well as living the gospel of Jesus Christ and service).

Good Morning,

It's hard for me to fully describe the joy in my heart at this point in time, and this email will not even begin to elapse my feelings of joy. I know that this feeling of joy is the Love of God.

I am so proud of Rylee and what he is becoming. I know of no one else who has been so diligent and so humble in the cause of preparation and success. It doesn't really matter to me where Rylee will play his collegiate football, but I know that he holds the Priesthood authority of God, and will be able to exercise God's power through his willingness to serve and his worthiness as well. I am so proud of Rylee, and am grateful for the things that he has taught me, and those around him.

General Conference was a great one, but the thing that continued to sadden my heart was the fact that not everyone on this Earth was enjoying exactly what I had the chance to enjoy. Not everyone on this Earth had the chance to listen to the voices of modern day Prophets and Apostles, and not everyone was able to feast on the words of Christ as I was this weekend.

The thought first came into my mind Saturday morning as I glanced out the window of our apartment room. As I stared at the Lutheran church across the street from our apartment the thought came to my mind of, "I wonder if the members of that church feel this Saturday is more sacred than the usual." As I would continue to pass by I wondered to myself "A prophet is speaking today, are these people dying to hear from him as I am? Do they know that a prophet of God will grace us w/the words of Christ? Do they even know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored?" It was a hard thing for me to deal with, but I know that our Father in Heaven wanted me to hear those thoughts. All I want to do share this Gospel, cry repentance to the world, and serve our Father in Heaven. Not a day goes by that I do not pray to ask our Father in Heaven to please, let me serve, what can I do to serve? I know that not everyone is going to be open to the message which we share, but I know that our Father in Heaven has placed us in his vineyard to gather even the most isolated wheat in the midst of the tares.

I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to be a member of Jesus Christ's Church. There are so many people here who live lives w/absolutely no knowledge of the Restored Gospel, knowledge that I did not fully comprehend until now. There are people out there who truly believe that they are free.  There are people out there who truly believe that there is no God, and there's no point in trying. The scriptures say, "many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God."

We are comforted to know that, "Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid." I echo the words of Mormon recorded in 3 Nephi when he declared "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." I have chose to serve our Master.  The author and finisher of our Salvation. I thank you for your words of encouragement as I know the time soon comes when I will no longer be able to bear the name of Jesus Christ across my heart. I thank our Father in Heaven every day for the opportunity that I have been given to wear the badge of being a full-time servant of the Lord.

There are many people out there who have yet to come to a knowledge of the truth. Each of us have been given a "lamp of testimony" as a gift from God, and we have been asked to share this gift, and lighten the path for those who may be lost. Everyone can know that there is a prophet on the Earth today, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fullness. God needs more than just converted full-time missionaries to share the Gospel, he needs fully-converted members to share the Gospel as well. I know that this is true.

I love each and every one of you.

Elder Gautavai

Come Listen To Living Prophets

Latter-day Saints follow the Lord Jesus Christ and teach of Him and His triumph over death, and that today, under the direction of modern apostles and prophets, they follow the Savior's charge to "Go...and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:29).

Missionaries serve in more than 150 nations, and many serve in countries and languages foreign to them.

"Missionaries strive to follow Jesus Christ in both word and deed. They preach of Jesus Christ and of His Atonement. They teach of the literal restoration of Christ's ancient Church through the Lord's first latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith.

"You may have previously encountered missionaries. The hope is that you will not fear them but learn from them. They can be a heaven-sent resource to you."

To illustrate this point, Elder Nelson told of Jerry, a Protestant man in Arizona, whose friend Pricilla was struggling with the death of a child and a bitter divorce. Jerry didn't know what to do to help her. One day, as he prayed for guidance, he heard voice in his mind saying, "Stop the boys on the bikes." As he reflected on the impression, he gazed up the street and saw two young men in white shirts and ties riding bicycles. He shouted out, "Hey, you, please stop!"

Soon the missionaries met with Jerry, Pricilla and her children. They discussed the purpose of life and God's eternal plan for them. Their faith increased and their doubts diminished. They were baptized and became members of Christ's restored Church.

Elder Nelson related several concerns and questions people often have and followed up with the suggestion, "Ask the missionaries! They can help you!"

- Elder Russell M. Nelson 182nd General Conference 6 Oct 2012

Mission Conference With The Hardings

And Then, If Thou Endure It Well

Q. Do you need anything right away? Zach and Denise Harding are coming to Atlanta...

A. Nope..That's awesome we are all meeting in Atlanta with President Harding this week Thursday...it'll be exciting. Looking forward to seeing the Harding's for the first time here.

Q. Have you eaten southern foods yet?

A. Yes I have had alot of fried catfish, fried chicken and alot of Zaxbys (Restaurant like KFC)

Q. Have you met any samoans or poly's?

A. Yeah I've come across a few samoans not in our area though.

Q. What do you do for P-days?

A. P-days I generally clean, email, study (finishing the Book of Mormon today) sleep, and play some sports with the other elders.

Hello Family!!

It's good to hear y'all are doing well. The pictures of the boys look great! Ya'll definitely fit in with the college athletes. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Yes including you, Kelee boi. Continue to work hard, prepare and have faith...fear cannot exist where there is FAITH. Praying for ya'lls success this week.

This past week was a challenging week for Elder Cotton-Betteridge and I as we ran out of car miles for the month with 3 days remaining (due to unexpected trips to the doctor and mission office with Elder Martinez earlier in the month) Our Ward mission leader loaned us some bikes--I'm talkin like old school, 1-gear beach-cruiser bikes to use for the 3 days. Here in Sharpsburg there is not much room for bikes on the road. It has been real crazy at times as cars zoom by. The area is so spread out we only covered about 30 miles of our area...

A lot of the appointments we had fell through, no one was really interested in what we had to say, even got called a few names. ha-ha but there is always lessons to be learned in everything we do. In fact the scriptures teach us that it isn't until after the TRIAL OF OUR FAITH that we receive a WITNESS (Ether 12:6). With that in mind we WERE the HAPPIEST individuals in Sharpsburg, Georgia for those 3 days. I kid you not; so many people stopped and asked why we were so HAPPY despite being in the very hot and humid Georgia heat in church clothes no-less riding beach-cruisers. We thought that was the blessing our Heavenly Father had in store for us but boy were we wrong.

Sunday at church a man by the name of B. walked in to the meeting house on his own and wanted to know more about "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." After going around with us and introducing him to the ward members he indicated he wanted to get the discussions started right away, that there was a "good" feeling he had the whole time he was there. He said he has had "burdens" in his life that he wanted to CHANGE. We are teaching B. tonight due to his eagerness to learn. If he had his way we'd taught him right on the spot..ha-ha Call it coincidence if you want, but I feel this is a blessing resulting from our FAITH in our Heavenly Father, our trust in Him and His plan and His preparing of others like B. to hear the gospel--I know that there is always something to be learned with obstacles and challenges. Also by enduring our challenges well (D&C 121:7-8), with an upbeat attitude we can like with B. be blessed with miracles. SOOOO COOOL!!

I also had the opportunity yesterday to team up with P. and go home teaching, WOW!! P. is so in tune with the Spirit and so plain in his testimony. P. is flat-out AWESOME!! In talking with him he realizes he has changed the course of his family for generations to come. As the only member in his family at this time, P. is the start of an eternal link all because he decided to ACT on the impressions of the Light of Christ within him.

Such a great week!!! Im excited for ya'll and hope ya'll are doing well in all your endeavors. It's good to hear about Dann and his family again. They are such great neighbors and friends send them my hello's! Mom, Kelee and Rylee should receive emails or letters this week.

Love Elder Gautavai