April 8, 2013

So this week was SUPER INSANELY packed.  On Monday we had a meeting with the Pres and the Assistants for all the ZLs in the mission which kind of took up the whole day.  Tuesday was PDAY so we just worked at night.  On Wednesday we had to leave our area at seven to go to the mission office because I had to sleep there because on Thursday I got my visa renewed so I don’t get deported and we didn’t get home until nine that night then on Friday we FINALLY had a full day of work.  Saturday was General Conference and English class and Sunday was General Conference too...so pretty sure this was the busiest week of my entire mission but it keeps things interesting right?  So a few highlights, next week we should had two baptisms of _____ and her sister and wow in the last 2 weeks they have truly become different people, especially _____.  She is like addicted to the church, goes to seminary already, comes to church in church clothes and took some MAJOR notes of general conference the past two days. I was talking to her about her answer that she received and she told me about this dream she had where she was on an island and on one side there was all the stuff of the world that she likes but knows is gonna have to give up and on the other side all the stuff that the church offers and people she knows that "truly care for her" and she was going towards the worldly stuff but too make a long personal story short, she came running to the good side and felt awesome and I just want to say that God truly takes time and is interested in EVERY SINGLE ONE of His children. He knows and loves each and every one of us. He takes to time to answer every single persons sincere prayers and that is something that I still can’t understand how he does but I am grateful does.  Well onto general conference! I had to watch in Portuguese, the translators speak without any emotion whatsoever, they laugh at the jokes in English but don’t translate them and there is a lot or small stuff that doesn’t get translated right so I didn’t get about a third of what I wanted to out of General Conference but I’m watching three talks right now and I LOVED Elder Holland’s talk,  he is SUCH a boss. "Belief is a precious word and an even more precious act" and well Elder Nielson’s talk didn’t translate too well but I’m just about to watch it and well I really like Craig Lardon’s talk on forgiveness and repentance was exactly what I needed to hear.  And well president Monson’s was way good too and so was Cook's and Ellis' and Ballard and Utchdorf’s multiple talks, it was crazy how Elder Oaks talked about Chris Williams and Elder Scott's talk was translated by him but he was super hard to understand and well I could go ON AND ON about conference but I loved it all and I love this church and I love all of you too! Thanks for all the prayers, support and all that everyone does for me, it means the world to me. Examine the scriptures, plan your life, teach the truth and serve the Lord and then write me some letters too ;)

beijos e um abração...

Elder Gubler

April 2, 2013

HELLO ONE AND ALL, 

So I love you all!  This week’s email may be super short because I’m already out of time! Even with the extra time, more people to respond to keeps things complicated! But a few highlights of the week, we had interviews with the Pres, a mini-counsel with the Assistants and the full ZL counsel (or Jedi counsel as it is better known) so this week was kind of insanely busy!  But its keeping me guessing but I like all these meetings we have are amazing! We had the ZL counsel yesterday so today is p day for us and well it was SUPER spiritual!  I loved it and we planned a SICK training for the zone that we are gonna give tomorrow, CONSECRATION BABY.  But we had two baptisms on Saturday of _____ and _____ a Mom and Daughter that we taught for only two weeks and they are 100% elects! We met them my first week in this area and well it was an amazing baptism! I baptized the girl and my comp the Mom! I’m trying to send some pictures but it’s not working, ugh I miss computers in the states!  But oh speaking of the states, I ate at subway this week and got my signature Italian with BBQ and chipotle sauce and it was AMAZING!  Of course it was more expensive, 8 reais for a six inch but it was exactly the same things as the states and I loved it!  But well sorry this is gonna be super short but I LOVE YOU ALL!  I’ll make sure next week is better.... but keep the letters and emails coming! We have been focusing on consecration and you all should get studying up about that because I don’t think I’ve ever learned so much. I love you all and I know that through the grace of Christ we can overcome everything and truly become perfect as He is. I’m so grateful for that immense sacrifice that He made so long ago. This is His church and I love being one of His servants.

ELDER GUBLER

March 25, 2013

First things first, I have never been so exhausted in my entire mission. The first reason, because our area is 100% favela which means its 100% hills and not like baby hills but like the kind of a hill that you almost need to crawl up so needless to say going up and down those beasts all day is REALLY taking a toll on my knees.  We had interviews with the Pres this week and well I’ll bring that up and I’m pretty sure next transfer I’ll get transferred because if I stay here for longer than one transfer pretty sure my knees would die. But oh yeah just to clarify where I am I’m in Santo André which is a city right next to Sao Bernardo so I’m super close to my old area and my comp is Elder _____ who is actually from the same city of Elder ______ if you remember him and there is another person in our zone who is from the same ward as my comp so needless to say I’ll for sure by visiting them after the mission especially because its beyond gorgeous there! But about the zone, we have eight companionships to take care of, a little bit more stressful that just two other areas to take care of being DL but well I am loving it so far! I have never learned so much in a week and my comp is a freaking BOSS, I really like him! He has a hilarious accent and it makes me miss Elder _____ but well about the zone, one thing that I’m for sure not used to, we have six Sisters in our zone.  I really like everyone here, there are only two other Americans out of the 18 people in our zone and one of them is a brand new sister that just got here but well besides being a little more stressful, I am really liking being ZL! We’ve already did two divisions this week and I had to give an English class for three hours in another area but well I’ll do anything for this zone because that why I’m here, to just do what I can to help. About the area and the ward, I REALLY love the investigators and members here! We found some ELECTS of the Lord this week and should have three baptisms this next week that are all super pumped and we are teaching a couple that they reactivated the wife and the husband is a member but pretty sure he is gonna be a Stake Pres one day because he is amazing! It already seems like he’s been a member for years and we have a member that helps up pick up investigators to come to church because he has a van so we go around and wake everyone up and they meet at the bottom of one of the monstrous hills so we can all go to church! But well I know that this is the church of Christ, this church is perfect and if we take advantage of all that this Church gives us, we can too one day be perfect. I know that God knows and loves us and this is His work and there is no other thing on the face of this earth that is so important. I love you all and keep the letters coming and if possible tell people that they can now write me emails.  I can’t wait to get the package and to see everyone again when Mothers Day comes around!
With all my love...
Your son and brother,
ELDER GUBLER

March 18, 2013

About my week real fast, I left my planner at home where I write the highlights that I want to tell you guys but well the biggest highlight of the week was the baptism of _____ we had yesterday!  I sent a little pic with the email and well his wife is gonna get baptized in 2 weeks but him so that should be super cool and I'm really bummed I'm not gonna be able to be here to see it but seeing as im gonna be transfered to the ABC I'll still be nice and close so maybe the pres will let me come and see the baptism.  I'm really bummed I'm leaving too! I've been saying bye to everyone all day today and yesterday too because I figured I was gonna leave and well I'm really gonna miss this area! We were really getting the work moving ( 3 baptisms 3 weeks in a row is not bad if I do say so myself) and now im out!  Depending on who comes here in my place they really can end up baptizing every week in this month because there is _____ who is for sure gonna get baptized and then we have two people that could get baptized this week but well I just love the mission. I'm kinda freaking out to be ZL (Zone Leader) and I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to handle it but I know that there is a reason that Heavenly Father wants to give it a shot so vamos lá! But well sorry this week really is gonna be a little small..... but I love you all more than anything! Keep the prayers and scripture study and letter all coming ;) fiquem com Deus.

COM MUITO LOVE....
ELDER GUBLER

March 4, 2013

March 4, 2013

First off, before I forget to tell you all, I assume you haven’t read the church news recently but if you have, then you’d know that they are making 59 new missions, 7 of which are in Brazil and well 2 of the new missions are Missão Santos and Missão São Paulo Oeste (west) and well GET THIS, they are gonna split up our mission to make two separate missions! The smallest mission in the world is gonna go cut in half! It’s getting CLOSE folks so President and Sister Tanner are gonna say in Sao Paulo or in the west mission which is gonna have the ABC (3 big cities off of São Paulo, Santo André, São Bernardo and São Cateano) and the south-western part of Sao Paulo and they are gonna make Baixada Santista (beach area of Sao Paulo) a different freaking mission! I’m still not sure how they will have 200+ missionaries in Baixada, they’re gonna have to make Bertioga like 3 areas and gonna have to open up tons of new areas! But then a new Mission President is gonna come and open up this other mission and they are gonna split up our mission and put half there or at least I’m assuming that’s how its gonna be.  And all this madness is gonna go down on July 1st so I’ll potentially have my last 4 months on my mish opening up a new mission, SICK right? I hope I go back to Bertioga so that is probably the biggest news for the week but coming in at a close second, would have to be our MIRACLE BAPTISM that we had yesterday WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  We are finally getting some success in the area right now because we are gonna have another baptism on Saturday too.  But let’s not get too ahead of myself, about Sunday! It was unreal. I was the one that baptized ____ who just to give a reminder, hated the church when her kid got baptized but after the spirit did some MAJOR work through a couple missionaries, JÁ ERA! ;) so we had the baptism right after church so there was still a tons of people there and we had 5 investigators that all stayed too to watch and good thing because it was super spiritual even though the baptismal font leaked out some water so it was SUPER low and its took 3 times for me to get her all the way under.  I don’t know why this stuff only happens to me but well it just makes it that much memorable!  Then this Saturday, ____ is gonna be baptized too and he is 100% elect!  He went to seminary this whole week and is beyond excited for this baptism so am I and the other 2 companionships baptized on Saturday so the whole district got baptisms this week!  HECK YEAH BABY, GH DE MAIS ;) . I love the mission, I love you all, I love this church and I know that this is truly God's church, HIS. Oh yeah that reminds me, I preached in another "church" this week.  It wasn’t like a legit church but we went there with a couple that we are teaching and it was like this guys garage with like 11 people and that was the church but I preached for a while and almost taught the first lesson (i.e. Joseph Smith and the first vision) but the spirit wouldn’t let me dangit but either way it was actually a really cool meeting, I enjoyed it. That’s my last story so I’m out. Remember to read your scriptures, say your prayers, and write me :) oh and ps this church is perfect.

beijinhos e um abrção,

ELDER GUBLERZÃO