Alonso family and Sister Mena

Nature scene

6/27/16 letter

Hola family,

Big changes this week with transfers! I'm still in Phoenix, but I now only cover one Spanish ward (Montaña del Sur) and I took over the elders', with whom we shared the ward, old area. So now it's just my companion and me in that ward. There used to be 6 missionaries in it, so we have lots of work to do.

Speaking of companions, President Toone called me on Tuesday and asked if I would train a new missionary. Her name is Hermana Mena from Independence, Missouri. Her parents are from El Salvador and she already speaks Spanish, which makes my job a lot easier. She's super awesome and we are already having so much fun together and working hard. Her mission call is to Mendoza, Argentina, but she's in our mission until her visa comes. So she'll either be here one transfer or two. (6-12 weeks) Hermana Edmondson got sent to Casa Grande and Hermana Lambert is training also for a sister from Venezuela.

Also, President Toone called me as the sister training leader for all the Spanish sisters in the mission, so this transfer, I'll be doing exchanges in pretty much all the zones in the mission. I'm excited.

My address is still in Phoenix.

Transfer day was on Wednesday. I went to Tempe to drop off Hermana Edmondson and pick up Hermana Mena and afterward, I got to go to the Mesa temple with President and Sister Toone and all the new missionaries and the trainers. That was really cool. It was President and Sister Toone's last time in the temple with missionaries before they finish their mission this Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, we got invited to a devotional in the mission home in Tempe with all the new missionaries and that was super cool.

Since Wednesday, we've mainly just been going around to get to know everyone in our new area. There's a lot of potential. The elders in charge of the Aguila ward took over our old area, so they acquired a lot of our people with baptismal dates, but I'll get to go to their baptisms.

President Toone challenges all the new missionaries to put someone on date for baptism on their first day. Hermana Mena was able to do that for our investigator Ediberta. It is set for September 3, which is pretty far away, but she said that if she's ready before then, she'll get baptized sooner.

Have a good week and a happy 4th of July. What are your plans for that?

Love,

Hermana Gubler

6/27/16 letter

Hola family,

Big changes this week with transfers! I'm still in Phoenix, but I now only cover one Spanish ward (Montaña del Sur) and I took over the elders', with whom we shared the ward, old area. So now it's just my companion and me in that ward. There used to be 6 missionaries in it, so we have lots of work to do.

Speaking of companions, President Toone called me on Tuesday and asked if I would train a new missionary. Her name is Hermana Mena from Independence, Missouri. Her parents are from El Salvador and she already speaks Spanish, which makes my job a lot easier. She's super awesome and we are already having so much fun together and working hard. Her mission call is to Mendoza, Argentina, but she's in our mission until her visa comes. So she'll either be here one transfer or two. (6-12 weeks) Hermana Edmondson got sent to Casa Grande and Hermana Lambert is training also for a sister from Venezuela.

Also, President Toone called me as the sister training leader for all the Spanish sisters in the mission, so this transfer, I'll be doing exchanges in pretty much all the zones in the mission. I'm excited.

My address is still 208 W Darrow st. Phoenix, Az 85041.

Transfer day was on Wednesday. I went to Tempe to drop off Hermana Edmondson and pick up Hermana Mena and afterward, I got to go to the Mesa temple with President and Sister Toone and all the new missionaries and the trainers. That was really cool. It was President and Sister Toone's last time in the temple with missionaries before they finish their mission this Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, we got invited to a devotional in the mission home in Tempe with all the new missionaries and that was super cool.

Since Wednesday, we've mainly just been going around to get to know everyone in our new area. There's a lot of potential. The elders in charge of the Aguila ward took over our old area, so they acquired a lot of our people with baptismal dates, but I'll get to go to their baptisms.

President Toone challenges all the new missionaries to put someone on date for baptism on their first day. Hermana Mena was able to do that for our investigator Ediberta. It is set for September 3, which is pretty far away, but she said that if she's ready before then, she'll get baptized sooner.

Have a good week and a happy 4th of July. What are your plans for that?

Love,

Hermana Gubler

Flooding Phoenix

Baking cookies in the car!

6/20/16 letter

Hola family,

This week was really cool. We had 21 member present lessons (our goal was 22) and got some awesome new investigators and referrals. It was also REALLY hot! During our 9:00-12:00 church on Sunday, we put cookie dough on a pan in our car and when we came out, we had some great cookies that were completely cooked. I also got a Phoenix Suns jersey for $5 at a garage sale. I also got an ASU football jersey, a Suns t-shirt, 2 ASU tshirts, and a pair of $100 Brooks running shoes all for less than $20 at that same garage sale and shared a message with the garage sale lady and invited her to church...she didn't come though but the seed was planted. It was kind of hard to get investigators to church on Father's Day, but our investigator, Joseph, who hasn't been to church since December came with his dad and they said they are going to start coming every week.

On Saturday, Hermana Edmondson went to Mesa for exchanges with Hermana Sedgwick, so I was with Hermana Sedgwick's companion, Hermana Luthy, for the day. It was super fun and we found a really cool new lady to teach. We went to knock on the door of a potential investigator that we haven't been able to contact and I saw her staring at us from her front porch across the street. We went over and talked to her and she started crying and told us that God had put us in her path. She has had a ROUGH life and she had promised God a few minutes before we got there that she would stop drinking if he put someone in her path. We taught her and then came back on Sunday and she has stayed completely sober. We're going back tonight because she wants to cook us food.

We also got a call from a member in Chandler that is staying with her friend, Norma, in Phoenix for a few weeks while she recovers from surgery. Norma's mom passed away a few months ago and the member talked to her about the plan of salvation and invited her to meet with missionaries. We were able to teach Norma twice this week and she's super cool.

Maria, who got baptized last week, got her temple recommend this week and we are trying to make a trip to the Phoenix temple tomorrow with her. Transfers are on Wednesday and we will find out today or tomorrow if we're leaving or staying. I'm kind of hoping for a new companion...lets just say it's been a LONG 6 weeks.

Dad, Happy Father's Day! You should call church headquarters and tell them that missionaries should get to call home for Father's Day as well.

Love,

Hermana Gubler

Acevedo family

Maria's baptism

6/13/16 letter

Hola,

This week was great! Maria got baptized on Saturday and it was the best baptism I've ever been to. Everything ran smoothly, the spirit was strong, our investigators came to watch, and Maria was soooooooo happy. She has such a strong testimony and she is more than half way through 2 Nephi in her Book of Mormon reading. She was confirmed at church on Sunday and was crying because she felt the spirit so strong.

Hermana Andelin, who finished her mission about a month ago came back from Utah to surprise Maria for her baptism, so it was super fun to see her too. Also, Noemi, who I taught in Maricopa got baptized on Saturday. I had permission to skype into the baptism, but it was at the same time as Maria's so I couldn't.

Last night was the monthly Mission President's Devotional in Tempe where recent converts share their testimonies and it was President Toone's last one. It was super cool and there were so many people there. Maria was able to come and she loved it.

On Thursday, I got to go on exchanges with my trainer, Hermana Sedgwick, who's the sister training leader for the mission now. It was so fun to be companions with her for the day and it brought back a lot of fun memories and helped me realize how much I've learned since I was a greenie. Back in November when I got transferred from Casa Grande, her and I made a plan that we were only going to be apart for

6 weeks, then we would be companions for the rest of her mission (she ends in August). As you can see, our plan didn't quite work out, but going on exchanges was still fun. We still have hope that we will be together for her last transfer which starts next week.

On Monday night, we did a ward FHE with the Montaña del Sur ward and on Friday there was a ward talent show. Our investigators were able to come to both of those activities and they were super fun and they made friends.

We also found a family to teach this week. The mom, Luz Maria, came to the church and talked to the bishop because she didn't have any food for her 5 kids because she's injured and her husband's in jail. We were able to get together with the relief society and bring her bags of food and teach her and her kids. We've been able to teach them a few times this week and 3 of the girls came to the talent show.

Have a good week!

Love,

Hermana Gubler

Mark's baptism

Kris' and Amare's baptisms, with grandparents

6/6/16 letter

Hola,

This week was great! Kris and Amare got baptized on Saturday and lots of people came. There was a cute primary choir that sang between the talks. Kris and Amares grandpa is super active (high priest group

leader) in the church, but their moms aren't at all, so they've been going to church with their grandpa. He was the one that baptized them and he was so happy.

Also on Thursday I got to skype into Marks baptism, a YSA I taught in Yuma. That was really cool; he's overcome a lot to be baptized. I also found out that Noemi, someone that was going to get baptized while I was in Maricopa, but then ran into some problems, is getting baptized this Saturday. Maria is getting baptized here this Saturday as well and she is super prepared.

Another exciting thing that happened this week is that our bishop backed into our car in the church parking lot....but luckily he owns a mechanic shop. He's fixing it all for free and we don't have to report anything to anyone. We should only be without a car today and tomorrow in the 115 degree heat.

On Wednesday we had interviews with President Toone. He has less than a month until he finishes his 3 years as mission president and I'm sad to see him go. He's awesome!

Sorry this letters late and kind of short. We have just have gone around with the other sisters since we don't have a car and they didn't email until later. Have a good week.

Love,

Hermana Gubler