August 28, 2013

Dear Family,

Well I'm really looking forward to hearing where Joshua is going. It sounds like everything is going great back home. Thanks for sending the addresses.

Things here have been going pretty well. My new glasses are a bit of an adjustment but I'm glad I can now see better than I could before. This last week we had a great time. We found a new investigator that we are excited to work with. We also had one funny experience that really just made my day. While we were housing we met this old lady who was very happy. She also spoke a little bit of english that she learned from doing karaoke I think. It was funny because she started singing "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray." I felt like I just had to sing along. It was just one of those experiences that really made me smile.

Other than that things have been going extremely well. The work has been great and there is nothing better than when you can share your testimony of this gospel. I know that it is the power of the Holy Ghost that will touch the hearts of the people we meet. I hope that we'll do our best at keeping the Spirit with us always. I love you all so much and am grateful for your prayers.

Love, Elder Joseph Gandy

April 23, 2013

Dear Family,

I forgot to let you know that this week would be transfers so that is why this e-mail is a day late. Nothing is changing though. Elder Low and I will still be working together. I'll actually be going and getting glasses tomorrow so I'll take a picture and send it to you next week.

Well lets see if I can answer some of your questions. The daily schedule of a missionary changes depending on the area. But we always start the day with a few hours of study in the morning. Then if you have any appointments you go and teach them if not you might go visit people that you haven't been able to contact in a while or you find.

As far as food goes we get a lot of food from members on Sunday but we don't eat with them to often. Usually we make our own food which consists of some kind of noodles or something on top of or with rice. To clean up one exploded egg took about 5 minutes.

This last week has been great I had one experience that I would like to share. While we were finding we met this man on the street and started talking about religion. He was Buddhist but said that all religions seem pretty similiar. So he told us about some of his beliefs and then we noticed that one of the big differences that we believe in is revelation. So we testified to him that we really can receive a witness which comes from heaven. I went to share something from the Book of Mormon with him and then I had this thought to read a different part. So I did and after following that impression was when the spirit really came into our conversation. When we first contacted that man he wasn't really interested in talking about religion and it looked like he was going to run away when he first saw us. By the end of our conversation I felt like he wanted to know if we can receive revelation. That experience has strengthened my testimony that Heavenly Father knows each one of His children and their specific needs. I hope that I'll be able to keep trusting in the Lord as I help in this great work.

I love you all so very much and am extremely grateful for your prayers.

Love Elder Joseph Gandy

April 14, 2013

Dear Family,

This week has been a super fun week. Especially with the chance to see general conference. It was very uplifting.

We did have some interesting funny experiences though that I would like to share. On Wednesday we went out with four other missionaries and passed out over 2000 flyers for our English class so hopefully it will continue to grow. While we were doing that this dog started chasing my zone leader that I was with at the time. It was kind of scary at the moment.

Another thing that happened which I thought was unbelievable was that I blew up an egg. I had been told that it is impossible to take an egg in your hand and then brake by just trying to make a fist. I had tried before and couldn't do it but last week I did. It was actually super unfortunate because egg got everywhere. So it wasn't terribly fun to clean up. Those were just a couple of random funny things that happened.

As for the work though we keep pressing forward doing our best to find those who are prepared. I know that the Lord will be able to guide us. This week we spent the last part of the week in another area to watch conference. It was a lot of fun I had the chance to work with Elder McConnell who was in the MTC with me. I enjoy the mission so much.

I'm going to make my guesses for where Joshua will be spending the next two years. Foreign: Fukuoka Japan. Stateside: Boston. Those are my two guesses. I can't wait to hear where he is going. I know that Heavenly Father has a purpose and a plan for whereever he sends us. I love you all so very much.

Love, Elder Joseph Gandy

April 7, 2013

Dear Family,

Well it has been another great week full of work. This week we spent a little bit of time making cookies to give to investigators and ward members. It has been a lot of fun just doing small nice things for people. We have also been riding all over town talking to everyone we see. This week I felt like the Lord has blessed us in a few ways for all of the work we have been doing. One of the blessings is that a couple of less actives came to church yesterday who we haven't been able to contact in a while. The other one was at our english class we had 8 new students show up which was super exciting. We also had to find some more chairs so everyone could sit down.

This week we also got a DVD from the APs which had a talk that Elder Holland gave at the MTC. It was similiar to his talk in last conference but more directed to missionaries and the work that they do. In the talk he says a mission should change your life. In order to be an effective missionary you need to have the gospel already planted in your heart. It was just an amazing talk and helped me want to continue to do my best. I'm grateful for all of your support and prayers. I love you all very much.

Love Elder Joseph Gandy

April 1, 2013

Dear Family,

It sounds like you are having a great time up in Sapporo. If you ever run into Elder Hutchinson tell him I say hi. This last week has been pretty good. We have been talking to everyone we see and trying to share the gospel with them. It has been a lot of fun. We did have some cool experiences as well. A couple days ago we got a call from a member who we actually home teach asking for a blessing. When we got there she didn't look well at all and was super sick. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to come to church. So we gave her a blessing and kept praying for her to get better. Yesterday at church she came and was feeling so much better. It was a great seeing her there and being able to partake of the sacrament. That experience really helped me know more about the power of prayer.

I'm extremely grateful for all of your prayers they really do strengthen and support me. Yesterday I also was assigned to give a talk in church on agency. I felt like as I started I was super nervous but then the words just seemed to flow. So I think it went pretty well even though I couldn't feel my legs after I finished. Well I hope you enjoy your time in Sapporo and that everything continues to go well at home. I love you all very much.

Love, Elder Joseph Gandy

P.S. There are a couple of other things. I couldn't find a good place to get glasses. I was also wondering if maybe you could find out some of my friends mission addresses. Right now I only know Bradens.
P.P.S. Apparently there was a tornado warning here the other day as well. Which is weird but nothing happened as far as I know just a warning.

Note from Gayleen: If any of Joseph's friends or their parents are reading this and want to get in touch with me to give me the addresses he has requested, I will send them to him.