Sunday, July 14, 2013

July 9, 2013


As for the mission it was another busy hectic week with the 4th of July and zone conference! We had a ward talent show and picnic on the 3rd Elder Tall and I and the senior couple in the branch did 2 skits, ha ha they were pretty funny!  I'm trying to get the video from a member to show everyone.  On the 4th we visited a few members and got to help with a 10k run that a member puts on as well.   It was a lot of fun!   The elder in the zone who was in a car accident is rapidly improving.  He is now able to talk and feed himself.  His memory is slowing coming back.  He remembers his dad and is able to walk around.  He is still in missionary mode and responds better to elder and not his first name.  He talks about the Iowa Des Moines Mission but still isn't quite sure where he is.   He gets better everyday.  We are SO thankful to the Lord in protecting him and helping him to heal.  His companion walked out with a couple of bruises after get hit at 60.  Miraculous how much we are watched over.  I'm so grateful to be a missionary at this day and age where there is so much evil around.  So much that is trying to drag us down and make us miserable.  What a blessing it is to be teaching something that literally changes people lives and gives them the chance to be happier.  We found a man named James who is in his 60s and is home bound because of his back.   We were looking for a referral that we received and he and his wife Geneva invited us in and allowed us to share a message.  We did and invited them to read and pray.  We went back a few days later. Geneva had a migraine so wasn't able to sit in on the lesson but we talked with James and he had read chapters 1 and 2 of 1 Nephi.  We asked if he had prayed to know it was true and he said that he already believed it was true just like the bible.  We were pleased but talked about how it is essential to gain a spiritual conviction from the Holy Ghost.  We read chapter 3 and then Moroni 10 3-5 and he sat there in tears and said over and over "that is a powerful verse!"   The spirit was so strong!   We invited him to continue reading and praying and talked to him about baptism.  He said he really wanted to be baptized but wasn't sure how he would be able to since he was home bound and would lose his assistance if he left his house too often.   We invited him to pray and left after closing with prayer.  On our way out we looked in the window to watch him pick back up the Book of Mormon and start reading again.  We have another lesson with him tomorrow.  SO excited to see how the spirit works with people.  He had talked to missionaries 20+ years ago and just now he was ready to accept.  We never would have found him unless that member had given us the referral to go see someone completely different, (he lives in a town where there is literally 5 houses, so we never would've gone there).   Follow the promptings and you could change some ones life FOREVER!!!   This gospel is true and this work is amazing!
Love Elder Jach-Goates

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

July, 2, 2013


It was a pretty rough week!  The work went great we found 6 new investigators and got 12 referrals, so that was awesome, but it was a pretty stress filled week.  We got a new mission president on Saturday and that night an elder in this zone got in a car accident.  He was hit by a dodge truck going 60 mph, was life flighted to Des Moines and is in critical condition in the hospital.  He only has a few broken ribs and some big cuts on his head but he hit his head pretty hard and isn't functioning fully yet.   He responds and is excelling rapidly but there is some possible brain damage.  He gets better everyday and we were able to go and see him yesterday as he opened his eye (one is too swollen to open still) for the first time and was looking at us.  He still doesn't talk but can give you a thumbs up and nod his head.  He is doing good though.  Yesterday we had zone conference and got to meet President Jensen for the first time so that was fun!  He's definitely different than Pres Jergensen.  A lot more soft spoken and unsure about what he's doing but he still carries the spirit with him and I'm sure will be a great leader.  Not sure if everyone was able to watch the new mission presidents broadcast seminar but its online and was filled with some cool things that are happening. Check it out!   I was able to talk to President Jensen on the phone last week before he got here and he told us a lot of things that might be changing soon.  We will get I-pads in the near future to help us with teaching and keeping track of everything in the area.  That will be a great tool to be able to show people different videos of General Authorities and Mormon messages as well as talks from conferences and ensigns.  The work is changing and we need more and more help from the members.  This is a GREAT work and an amazing time to be a part of it.
Love Elder Jach-Goates