Many Miracles

Beautiful sunset!

Torrejon District with Felix

I love miracles! I believe that as we see miracles in our lives that is when we know that we are doing the will of God. We have seen so many miracles this week and I am grateful for them. 

Miracle of Felix

This week Felix our investigator from NYC sprained his wrist! It was a miracle! It was a miracle for us because for the first time in almost three weeks we were able to spend P-Day with him and then teach him again later on Friday. It was amazing. His wrist has healed and he is back to his busy life of school and work but has committed to prepare for baptism by meeting with us every week and asking for Sunday mornings off at work.

Miracle with Leo

I don't know how much I have said about Leo but Leo is awesome! Leo has real desires to learn and progress which is a real blessing. He comes to everything, baptisms, Ward activities, general conference, stake conference etc. his only problem is that when he ends up finding a job that if he is required to work on Sunday he will do it and stop coming. He is an amazing guy with a testimony of the principles of the gospel he just can only see how much he needs a job. We have been praying that he finds a job Monday through Saturday and can continue progressing in the gospel. One of my favorite parts of the mission is being devoted to others all my time, always trying to better myself so that I can help others along their journey.

Miracles in Coslada

This transfer they opened a brand new area inside of our area if that makes sense. They essentially put another set of Elders here in Torrejón and assigned them to work in a city that is just next to Torrejón which is also in our area. Anyways so to help them get started over there this week we spent an afternoon contacting. Contacting is one of my favorite things to do because we see so many miracles when we do it with an attitude of prayer, faith, and hope. We went on mini splits for the afternoon and I was with Elder Phillips. We had three distinct miracles from Coslada that I would like to share.

#1 The Little Boy on His Bike

We were walking along and saw a little boy ridding on a tiny little bike. He stopped and said hi and asked who we were and what we were doing. We crouched down and started talking with him, his dad walked up and Elder Phillips went to talk with him as I was in the middle of this conversation with this little boy. Turns out the guy was from England and spoke English to Elder Phillip's delight, (Elder Phillips has been in the mission for about two weeks now). Then the mom walked up and I began talking with her and we were able to receive an invitation to call them and speak more with them, all because a little boy wanted to talk with some funny looking Americans.

#2 Little Kids in the Plaza

We went and approached a woman sitting on a bench in a Plaza and tried speaking with her. Turns out that she hasn't been in Spain very long after moving here from Romania, but her little kids and their friends spoke Spanish. We had about ten little kids 6-8 years old running around all trying to ask us questions and talk with us so we went and sat and on the next bench right next to their mothers and started answering their questions about who we were and what we were doing their in Spain. As we answered their questions about what are missionaries one little girl asked us "did you come from heaven?" It was a neat experience and when we left they all had their little pass a long cards with pictures of Jesus and one of the women who had been listening to us talk to their kids accepted a Book of Mormon and the invitation to keep learning more.

# 3 The Women with the Dogs

As we continued throughout our afternoon talking with absolutely everyone that we could we ended up in a small little park surrounded by trees. We saw a woman sitting on a bench with two little dogs. Elder Phillips made the approach and we started a conversation with her. As we talked we learned about some of the trials that she was going through in her life. She told us about how hard the passing of her parents, the year before, was for her. As she opened up she gave us the opportunity to testify of the Plan of Salvation, that we know that we can live with our families again after death. There is more to life than simply this time we have on earth. I felt the spirit so strongly sitting on a park bench talking with a woman who I had met maybe ten minutes earlier. It was a beautiful miracle we had the privilege to be a part of.

We saw a rainbow on the way to send our emails.

I am so grateful for the miracles that I see every day in my life and in the lives of those around me. As we seek to find the miracles that happen every day I know that we can be happier and we can better align ourselves with God's will. I love being a missionary. I can't believe how fast time seems to be flying right now, it makes me nervous that if I blink I might miss it. I love my Savior and what He did for me and for all of you. I love you with all my heart!

Elder Gustafson

Homemade GF corndogs with Elder Hendrix

Paola, a recent convert and baker, has been making me GF cookies so I am happy here :)

Faith to keep moving forward

Torrejon Elders

Hello to all of my wonderful friends and family back in the United States! This has been an absolutely wonderful week here in Torrejón. I am here with Elder Hendrix from Arizona. He is a boss! He is super excited to be here and to work hard. We also received two other elders into Torrejón and they live just down the street from us which is a blast. We go eat lunch with them and we played basketball with them and with our investigator Felix. Life here is awesome!

This last conference was absolutely awesome! To me I received many answers and a rejuvenation of the soul. I am grateful for the many inspired messages which were shared by our leaders in the church and look forward to going back and reviewing them again. I especially enjoyed the emphasis on faith that I heard in this conference. For me personally one of the strongest messages was faith. Make sure that you have the faith that you need and proceed according to your faith. Faith is more than just an idea or a concept. Faith is actually taking that step into the darkness and having the confidence that as you live worthy of His guidance he will give it to you. The Lord will not always tell us exactly what we must do in every situation but must learn for ourselves through study and we must pray that He will guide our paths as we take these steps of faith. Sometimes we start out crawling with the faith that we have but as time goes along we will be able to get up and walk as we gain trust in God and as we follow more closely the inspiration that we receive. This was one of the best lessons that I learned during the conference. I am grateful for the Spirit that was there and testified to me of the truthfulness of the messages.  

With Elder Hendrix

This last week we had a great week. There have been a couple of moments with the Spanish language that is sometimes complex that have led to some funny moments but it is really through our mistakes that we learn the most. We have this great opportunity to teach, help and love our companions which is amazing. I love being here with Elder Hendrix he is helping me to have a great time while working hard in our service to the Lord.

I know that the Lord loves us and that He watches over us. I know that our savior died for each one of us and wants us to be happy. I encourage all of you to re-watch and re-study the words of His Prophets and Apostles.

Elder Gustafson

Helping set up for General Conference

Changes in Torrejon

This week we are going to have some changes here in Torrejón. We are getting another set of Elders and Elder Peña is leaving. We also have 43 new missionaries coming into the field tomorrow which means that I will have the opportunity to train. I am super excited for what is coming. I know it will be challenging but also a great time. We are going into Madrid to find out who our next companions will be. Also I'm super excited as I will have the opportunity of serving as the District leader here in Torrejón. I think what I'm learning is that there are always more surprises and changes in the mission.

I love you all,
Elder Gustafson

A small package from home with treats and deodorant from the US. Yay!

P-day activity with some members in Torrejon.

Be Still and Know that I am God

September 21, 2015

What a week this has been. It has been a week different from all the rest here in Torrejón. We have had the great opportunity to work a lot with the members this week. It has really been a great week. On Friday we taught Osasu, one of the recent converts, here in Torrejón. Together we watched a video about Zion's Camp, a group of men led by the Prophet to go and help saints in Missouri. They expected to fight and so embarked on a 900 mile journey. Along their path they suffered many trials including sicknesses, weariness from hiking 20-30 miles over rough terrain, bad food etc. Before they arrived at the assistance of the saints they received word that the Governor would not send his support to help the saints reclaim their land. Joseph Smith then received revelation that they would not fight but that the Lord would fight their battles for them. They then returned to Kirtland suffering more sickness on the way back. The thing that I love about this story is that the Lord required these men to do hard things, and it was only after they had exerted themselves willing to put their lives on the line that the Lord stepped in to fight their battles. (D&C105)

At the end of the video was a scripture from D&C 101:16 that struck me it says, "Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God." Sometimes all we need is to be still and know that God is in control. When we seek His vision for our lives we will have success. Osasu, the recent convert, told us after we shared this video with him that his full name, Osasumven, means God Leads Me in his native dialect. That is what I want for my life, I want to be Osasumven.

Other great news from this week: on Wednesday we were teaching Felix and had a great lesson about being people who act. After finishing we left but about twenty minutes later we got a phone call from Felix telling us that he had lost his keys, it was now about 10:30at night, and he had no place to stay the night except at his girlfriend's house something we didn't really want. As we prayed that he would be able to find his keys we got a call telling us that he had found them on a bridge that he had crossed on his way home. I know that it was a miracle that he was able to find his keys.

On Saturday we had a ward barbecue and had a great time. We got to interact with the members and help four of our investigators feel more comfortable being at the church and establish friendships. During the barbecue we gathered together the young men and women and two investigators from the ward and went inside and

watched a video and then had each of them share their testimonies of how the gospel has changed each one of their lives. I am grateful for the youth of the church here in Spain. They live in a different culture than I did and I am grateful that they stay strong in what they believe.

I love this work, and I love my Savior.

Love,
Elder Gustafson

What is Love?

September 14, 2015

A great week herein Torrejón. This week we have really been focusing on our relationship with the members. Due to a couple of incidents with missionaries of the past the members do not have a whole lot of confidence in the missionaries right now. We are working to show them that we are here to serve them and be obedient to the Lord. Really the members are the the key to success as a missionary. We can spend all day in the street talking with people and without anyone accepting our invitation to learn more, but when members invite their friends who already have seen the light of Christ through their friends than we find success.

This week is a lesson in love. Love really is the key to all that we do as missionaries. We show love as missionaries by taking the time to serve others by listening. An example, we went to a lesson with one of our investigators but her husband wasn't home and we could not enter. We asked how she was doing and we learned that really she was having a tough time. We went and sat on the steps and just listened as she talked through what was going on in her life. As we just listened she talked and we shared a scripture and our testimonies with her. In that moment the love that I felt for this person that I have talked with for probably 2 hours in total, is the miracle of sharing our time and in that way show our love for her. As we show our little bit of human love that we can the Lord fills us with His love for that person. Charity is the pure love of Christ.

Another experience this week that was miraculous. I was on exchanges with my District Leader this week and we taught a lesson to a recent convert who feels the difficulties of being the only member in her family and trying to leave on the mission. Once again I learned the importance of listening and teaching with the power of the Spirit. We went in with a lesson prepared but threw it out as we started to talk with her and she told us again how she was feeling. As we listened to the Spirit we were able to talk with her and share some experiences from our lives and experiences from the scriptures to help her. We shared with her the story of Job. Job was a man that was very righteous and even though he had many riches he still put God first in his life. Still he had a trial of extraordinary measure, he had everything taken from him, his family, his wealth, and his health. When he questions God, Job is advised in the following manner: "17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole." (Job 5) And after all of this in chapter 19 Job says: "25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me."

Sometimes we seem like Job where we feel like we are not receiving our just treatment but God will always reward those that are just and in the end Job received more than he had before his great trial. God loves us to make us who we can best become. In this lesson she began to feel the love of God for her and left happy ready to keep fighting the good fight.

Really love is something mysterious. It is something that I am just at the very beginning in my understanding but I know that it is what binds us together and what should motivate us in life. Our responsibility is to make sure that we have our love based in the right things and in the right priority. I know that God loves each one of us his children and that our Savior performed the atonement in the greatest act of love ever shown. I love my God and my Savior.

I love you all and hope you all have a great week filled with miracles.
Elder Gustafson

Yummmmmmm. Mystery meat lunch at the Kebap. This is one of my favorite
foods here!

The Week of a Missionary

September 7, 2015

Usually when I write letters I try to think of a theme for the week in something that I am studying or something that I feel that I have been taught through my experiences this week, but this week I don't even know what it is that I should write about, there is so much that has happened and so much that I have learned. Hopefully I figure it out by the time I finish writing.

First of all I want everyone to know how awesome my companion Elder Peña is. I am grateful for the ability that he has to love. He is teaching me so much about the importance of loving everyone and doing everything that we do out of love. If we do the right thing only because it is something to do we become robots. Driven by tasks and lists and check marks on what we have done that day. But if we do the right thing because we love the Lord and those around us we become disciples of Jesus Christ. With love we go above and beyond the check marks and lists for the day (they still get accomplished) but we also have sought to go the extra mile to do a little bit more. Or in other words we are engaged in what we are doing with our heart as well as our minds. For example last night we had our weekly phone call report to our District Leader and while I was talking on the phone my companion made me dinner. It wasn't in his to do list for the day nor is it written that we have to make our companion's dinner but he saw an opportunity and took it to show me his love. This is just one small example, it seems that he is constantly looking to do that one extra thing to better the world around him and to show that he cares.

Second, the Lord works miracles as we try our best. On Saturday we had an activity in the church and got stuck there pretty much all day long. I was kind of frustrated because several things had not gone to plan and certain key people had not shown up until very late, but the Lord works miracles still. At about 9:30 one of the youth told us that her nonmember friend was going to come to talk with us. We went out in the street and talked with him about the Resurrection and the next day he came to church, and we met with him again last night. It was a miracle because after what looked to be a less productive day still the Lord blessed us through our relationship with the members.

Third, we have an investigator from New York named Felix, who is really cool. But he is going through a hard time right now. One of his best friends died in a motorcycle accident a couple days ago and he is struggling to understand why someone so young has to die if there is a God. I know that even though this is a hardship for him in the end it will be a blessing because Felix is turning to God and the Scriptures to find the answers to his questions for which I am grateful. I know that in the scriptures we can find the answers to all or our questions no matter what they are.

Fourth, I know that when we judge others it is because we can't see ourselves clearly. There are two lessons that I am learning this transfer. The first is that we need to look in the mirror first. Usually if we have a problem with someone it is because we are selves don't want to find fault with ourselves and so we push blame on others. We compare ourselves to them saying I do this and this better than them and so I am better but it is not true. There is a phrase that I don't remember exactly but it goes something like, never think that you are any better or any worse than your neighbor but always just as good. When we compare we fail. When we try to follow Christ and better ourselves without comparison we succeed. The second lesson is that we need to try walking in the other person's shoes. We must try to see as they see the world and then we can have understanding and compromise. But we first must make an effort to understand them. We really don't know the struggles of others until we take the time to get to know them.

Fifth, everything in its own and proper time. Victor our investigator from Pontevedra was baptized this last Saturday. I am super excited for this and it is something that I have prayed for that he would be ready and able to take this important step in his life.

Sixth, thank you to the person that sent me a package that I received this week. I am grateful for your thoughtfulness and kind words. You were an answer to my prayers. I know that God works in mysterious ways and an orange envelope with some goodies was a blessing to me.

Finally, I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. That through the Atonement we can be lifted during times of difficulty. I know this because I have felt it with all my heart. I also know that when we make mistakes, we can repent and change and be better all through the Atonement of Jesus Christ again. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and that I have been called and set apart as His representative to bring this knowledge and access of the Atonement to others. I love being a missionary and seeing His work move forward here in Spain.

Love,
Elder Gustafson

He Knows Best

August 31, 2015

This week I have learned many powerful lessons. It has been a week of prayer and disappointment and joy. I have learned more than anything this week that the My Father in Heaven knows exactly who I am and He knows what I need to learn and grow. There is a story by Hugh B Brown quoted in a talk “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten” by D. Todd Christofferson in the April 2011 conference "God uses another form of chastening or correction to guide us to a future we do not or cannot now envision but which He knows is the better way for us.”

President Hugh B. Brown, formerly a member of the Twelve and a counselor in the First Presidency, provided a personal experience. He told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago. As he went about cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush that had grown over six feet (1.8 m) high and was yielding no berries, so he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on the top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he heard it say:

“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. … And now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me. … How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”

President Brown replied, “Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.’” 

Years later, President Brown was a field officer in the Canadian Army serving in England. When a superior officer became a battle casualty, President Brown was in line to be promoted to general, and he was summoned to London. But even though he was fully qualified for the promotion, it was denied him because he was a Mormon. The commanding general said in essence, “You deserve the appointment, but I cannot give it to you.” What President Brown had spent 10 years hoping, praying, and preparing for slipped through his fingers in that moment because of blatant discrimination. Continuing his story, President Brown remembered:

“I got on the train and started back … with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul. … When I got to my tent, … I threw my cap on the cot. I clenched my fists, and I shook them at heaven. I said, ‘How could you do this to me, God? I have done everything I could do to measure up. There is nothing that I could have done--that I should have done--that I haven’t done. How could you do this to me?’ I was as bitter as gall. “And then I heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice. It was my own voice, and the voice said, ‘I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do.’ The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness. …

“… And now, almost 50 years later, I look up to [God] and say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.’”

This week I felt a little bit like the current bush. It has been an interesting experience transitioning on the flip of a dime. With that transition there is always growing experiences which are not easy. But the Lord will always be there besides us. I know that He loves me and that He loves each of you. Even though there will be times of difficulty there will always be miracles.

One of those miracles that we saw this week was with our Investigator Felix who moved here from the U.S. when he was little. We have been trying to get in contact with him and set a time but it just hasn't worked with his schedule. So on Friday we were going out to the outskirts of Torrejón to visit an investigator out there and we just started our walk when we heard someone yelling at us out their car window. We went over talked to him for a minute and told him where we were going. He told us he lived in that very same building and so we were able to get a ride with him and talk for a minute. Really it was a blessing from the Lord for which I am grateful.

Really what I have learned this week is that the Lord knows best. As we humble ourselves to His will He will lead and guide us in all that we need. I am grateful that as we make mistakes that we have the Atonement to overcome our mistakes and improve our weaknesses. I know that because he rose we can be free of our sins.

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/he-is-risen?lang=eng

I love you all
Elder Gustafson