Ultimate Worship, Follow Him

Hello Family,

Midtown Atlanta skyline view from Georgia Tech Football Stadium (BYU vs. GA Tech) Fall 2012

Once again it's great to hear of your weekly endeavors and successes back home. Our Heavenly Father continues to guide us here through this mortal sojourn through the Holy Ghost and as we all rely on that guidance we will be blessed beyond measure.

This was another busy week full of teaching and preaching the message of the restored gospel. This week at sacrament we were able to have 8 investigators at church!! What was really exciting to see is that each of them were brought by a member of the Ward Council and fellowshipped into the ward. In an effort to work closely with the ward and stake leaders we planned out a day of service where we will be heading to a local Methodist church to do service for them as well as inviting them to a ward game night coming up in April.

You probably noticed this too...isn't it cool around easter time how all Christian churches promote Jesus Christ! Everyone talks about Jesus Christ during Easter EVERYWHERE!

I am so excited for General Conference in 2 weeks, its like Christmas for us out here in the mission field! To listen to a living prophet and apostles receiving guidance will definitely be a wonderful experience!

Well I don't have a lot of time but I want you to know that I love you all!

Love Elder Gautavai

Standing Taller With The Spirit

The elder was informed of an exciting recent convert baptism in our ward/neighborhood. A great example of the love our Heavenly Father holds for His children and how the Lord is in the details of our lives as President Monson testified in general conference. Nikki -- schoolmate friend of the elder's brother Rylee -- is a remarkable young lady who comes from a wonderful family who love the Lord. She is a Sr. captain of the highly acclaimed 5 time consecutive State Champion Bountiful High school Mandonelles drill team recently crowned 2013 National Champion. Also entering the waters of baptism the younger brother of the elder's friend currently serving a mission and Sr. teammate of Rylee, Tevin - a great young man from a wonderful family too. A testimony of our God's perfect plan of happiness and individual plan for each of us and how we are all connected. Glory to God!!

Nikki (front right)

Tevyn #2, Rylee #3

Hello Family,

Wow!! What a powerful story of conversion you just shared with me about Nikki, that is fantastic! Receiving a remission of sins, being endowed with power (The Holy Ghost), and qualifying for eternal life--so great to hear of this yet another sign of the mighty hastening of the Lord's work.

This week here in the ATL went really well, I am still here in the Whitewater ward and continuing to serve as a solo Zone Leader. I love being able to serve not only those here in Georgia but the missionaries who serve in the Fayetteville zone. Working with everyone strengthens my faith and desire to do even more. I received a new companion Elder Ercanbrack from Arimo, Idaho. He just arrived from the MTC and is 18 years old making me feel old!!..haha This gives me an opportunity to train and be trained by the Lord. How lucky am I?!

With Easter coming up the GAM is setting our visions and our sights high as we desire EVERY SOUL to FIND a SOUL(FAMILIES) and bring them to the waters of baptism and be able to return and report to the prophet that we found all those that our Heavenly Father prepared at this time for Conference. It truly is an amazing time to be serving the Lord, an even greater time to be apart of the hastening of the Lord's work as we make His thoughts our thoughts and continue to bring the world the message of the restored gospel!

"After all we can do!" has taken on a whole new meaning for me. Through fervent prayer, study, revelation, and relentless work we have really been able to do more! Because of the wonderful and sacred gift of agency our brothers and sisters are free to choose whether to accept this glad message or not nevertheless, I strive to feel the peace of knowing that we are truly doing all we can do!

How blessed are we to have the knowledge of the restored gospel in our lives I pray our Heavenly Fathers greatest blessings upon each of you my loved ones back home. This is His work to bring us all back home. Hoorah for Israel!!!

Love Elder Gautavai

He's Got Our Back in Our Quest for the Goal!

Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends.

All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said: “I will not leave you comfortless: [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].” 

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles – April 2009 General Conference

Missionary Work and The Atonement - President Henry B. Eyring and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 

Hello Family,

Hope all is well! Thank you for the message that you sent it really inspired me and is what I needed at this time. I am doing well just trying to press forward with unshaken faith and exact obedience. One thing that I am so grateful for is the beautiful experiences I had with the Atonement before I came out here on the mission. It has definitely prepared me to face the challenges with a clearer view and perspective on how to better serve and love. Hope y'all are doing great. Know that I am doing well also!! Hoorah for Israel!!!

Love Elder Gautavai

To Bring The World His Truth

Hello Family!

It has been a busy week filled with lots of work. Time has gone by so fast, I can't believe transfers are already upon us (next Wednesday)! We had the wonderful opportunity to attend Stake conference this week with the Fayetteville Stake. We were blessed to be able attend both the Saturday and Sunday sessions. It was by far the most powerful Stake conference I've ever been to. We were able to hear from Elder Robert W. Hymas an Area Seventy, President Stephen D. Posey of the Atlanta, Georgia Temple, and our beloved Fayetteville Stake President George Parker who I have a wonderful opportunity to work alongside and coordinate the missionary work and effort here among the members and GAM missionaries. 

The President's invited all the missionaries to attend and to sing in a missionary choir the children's song, We'll Bring the World His Truth, Army of Helaman. 

We were followed by Elder Hymas who counseled us all as members of the church to hasten the work through our missionary efforts. Further, to obtain the power from on high through making it a priority in our lives to get to the temple! (D&C 109:22-23, 35). It was so powerful, the spirit was so strong further testifying of this important work in the world to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. We invited and had 5 investigators in attendance during these sessions. Hoorah for Israel!!!

This week entails yet another busy period a head as the work continues to move forward! It is ever so clear, that the lord is hastening in His work. On Thursday I will have an opportunity to attend Zone Leader Council for the month and be taught by Elder M. Keith Giddens of the Quorum of the Seventy who President Harding reports to each week. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and observe these mighty, inspired leaders and to hear and feel of their testimonies of the Atonement and Doctrine of Christ.

My love and condolences go out to the St. John family as well as my testimony that Jesus Christ is the relief and way. He loosed the bands of spiritual and physical death that we may return and live as families eternally. He has taken upon Himself all the pains, sicknesses we experience that his bowels maybe filled with mercy that He may know how to succor us when we stand in need.

Love Elder Gautavai

He Will Carry You

The elder provided an update with the recent announcement of new missions created: The Church announced the opening of 58 new missions one of them being the reopening of the Macon mission here in Georgia which will probably effect our mission boundaries and some missionaries. The Lord is hastening His work! Hoorah for Israel!!!

Good Morning Family,

Yes a lot has gone on this week here in the GAM. With the faithful prayers and efforts of our missionaries we were able to see miracles happen to President and elder Pasiaka who have been at Emory hospital. Our mighty leader, President Harding continues to inspire us all doing missionary work even in the Hospital -- it's pretty funny. The Assistants said that President while resting in his hospital room had his white shirt, tie and hair fixed with his tag on sharing the gospel with so many there at Emory.

The work continues to move forward here in the Fayetteville Zone. We are finishing off a great month of missionary work and are finding so many new brothers and sisters who will receive the blessings of the Atonement in the upcoming month of March. One of those who we are extra excited about are the L. family who we have been working with here in Whitewater. They have made so much progress and are starting to have incredible spiritual experiences with our Heavenly Father as well as with the ward here in Whitewater. Bishop Kennedy has such a great love for all those whom he serves including the L. family. Its been super exciting to see the Whitewater ward get excited about missionary work!

This week I also had the opportunity to go on an exchange and help out a struggling companionship in our Zone find new people to teach. We were able that day through unwavering faith and love find 7 new investigators for them. From the exchanges the elders have caught the vision and found new investigators every day since -- it's so AWESOME!!

Congratulations to Ry on achieving and earning his Eagle. I'm excited to hear about where Ry is going to LEAD and INSPIRE! I'm thrilled as well of the news about little Miah's baptism. It is a neat experience to witness this sacred ordinance and know it's true meaning and impact on our lives. HOORAH!! Lil' Kelee's haircut looks great!

Have a Great Week!,

Love Elder Gautavai

On Wisconsin!! Elder Richard Gautavai

Good Morning,

Thanks for your email, and update on the family! It sounds like everyone is doing really well, and there are a lot of good things going on in Bountiful!

I'm very grateful for the opportunity that I have to be able to communicate with each one of you today. I hope that each of you can be able to pull something out of some of my thoughts and impressions over the past week.

I'm staying really busy here in Wisconsin w/Elder Wright. We have a lot of stuff going on with the vision of the mission, and the various different committments that have been extended to each Elder and Sister mission wide. It has been a very humbling experience to have the opportunity to be front row in everything that is going on here in the mission. It has been really neat for me to be able to work alongside President Jones, and see how righteous he really is. To many he may seem overbearing and very awkward, but to me, he is a very worthy and knowledgable leader for the mission.

The work here in the Parkway Ward is going pretty well. I've been pondering a lot about why the Lord sent me here, and what talents does this Parkway Ward need, and it has really hit me the past couple of days. I'm not 100% sure on what/how I need to move the work forward, but I had some good impressions about the need to develop the trust amongst the members by loving and serving them. It was the way that I did it in Sun Prairie, and it's the way that I feel impressed to do it here in Parkway is to serve the members. I am excited to see where the Lord will take me through these times!

We're working with a young man by the name of K. R., and he is a remarkable young man. He has been through a lot, and a lot of missionaries as well, but I feel like he is finally going to make solid progression in the coming weeks. We are focusing on finding a solid friend for Khallid from the ward, and then allowing the friend to support him in his journey. He is a very nice young man, with lots of ambitions, and little does he know, the Lord loves him and wants to help him.

I read a great section in Preach My Gospel this morning that talked about how the Gospel blesses families. It stated something to the affect that a home that is built upon the principles of the Gospel will be a place of refuge and safety. I pondered over this, and what it truly meant. One thing that really stuck out to me as I was pondering is this idea that the world is full of so many shifting morals, and what was accepted today was not accepted yesterday. In a world of so many shifting morals, a home that is built upon the fundamental principles of the Gospel becomes a Liahona to the family. When a home is built upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ it was always provide the refuge and safety, and will always assure each member of the family of God's eternal love for them. I know this is true.

This Blessed Assurance the Spirit Doth Bring

Hello Family,

It's so exciting to hear of the blessings that are coming to each of you as we truly put our trust in the lord and look to the Savior in everything we do and witnessing Him making good on His promise to direct our paths. What a comforting, reassuring feeling to know that we are lead by our Savior Jesus Christ who through a prophet has restored the authority to be able to access His power here on earth strengthening and enabling us to have everything good in this life.

This week has been another busy week with Zone Training meeting at the front end of the week as well as follow up with each companionship ensuring we are all clear of the vision, culture, and effectiveness of the mission. Over the last couple of months I have really grown to love PMG CHAPTER 8, "How to Use Time Wisely," and how to set goals and using key indicators to help us realize and bring to pass our purpose as mighty warriors here in the ATL mission. I have such a strong testimony of the key indicators and how they help us bring souls unto Christ. Without a vision the people perish. It is like this in life and in the gospel if we dont have goals (Destination, Route, etc.) we have no direction leading us to where we need to go. As Moroni, we continue each week to make preparations and to fortify spiritually in what we have and where we want to go.

Coming up on 8 months tomorrow (Feb. 20th). It's crazy to see the changes that I have experienced. As we were sitting in the lobby of a hospital a TV was playing in the background and my head started to hurt, I wasn't feeling well. The other missionary that was with me felt the same way and we both went to a little conference room where we could read and be away from the world. It's really crazy how we are literally set-apart to live at a higher level, and as we are exactly obedient putting full trust in the Lord He fills us with more of His power through the authority which we hold; then to be sensitive and alarmed through a simple thing such as a tv in the lobby has really given me a much greater appreciation for the power of the gift of the Holy Ghost.

I am doing well and am still not wasting away what precious time I have been given, doing the best work on the face of this planet. I continue to send my love to each and everyone of y'all and cant wait to hear from y'all next week.

Love Elder Gautavai