Week 83: 19 Months

     It has been a great week here in Revere!  Elder Pulu and I have been able to start riding the buses everywhere and we are working hard.  We were able to pick up some really awesome new investigators this week.  We also have made some really great plans for the zone and are excited to see what things will come!

     Tuesday I was able to go on a great exchange with Elder Benson (from Washington) who is currently serving in Methuen.  We were able to use their car in our area for the day which made things a lot more productive.  One of the cities that we cover is Lynn, MA.  The city is really big and a great place to work but because of how far away it is, we haven't been able to work there yet.  So I was very excited to have a car for the day so we could go to Lynn and work around the area.  We had great success there and Elder Pulu and I hope to start working there more often.  I was really impressed with Elder Benson's commitment to the Lord and how greatly he wants to serve Him.  It was a great exchange.

     Thursday night we started teaching a woman who's husband was recently baptized two years ago in California.  Her name is Qian.  She is from China and has been attending our ward for several weeks now.  She got a job out in Boston with Amazon and so their family moved out here.  She has taken missionary lessons in the past with the Elders in California, but agreed to meet with us.  We had a great lesson with her and the family about Alma 32 and having the "word" or Jesus Christ planted in our hearts.  She has lots of questions about our church and our beliefs but she is willing to learn and we are excited to teach her.  Her husband, Brother Clapp, is very excited as well.

     Saturday was an amazing day as I got to go to Boston on an exchange with Elder Harris, who I served with in Ludlow.  We had such a great exchange, it was great to see how much each of us has become more converted to the Lord over the past 5 months.  We were both able to notice a growth in our spiritual stature and focus on the work.  Basically, any skill that I have been able to learn on my mission came from watching Elder Harris.  I loved being with him for the day, as expected I learned a lot.

     Sunday after church we had an appointment with a woman named Akeha who ordered a Bible.  We were able to have a super awesome member come with us to the appointment.  While we sat down with Akeha, she told us her 22 year old son had just been shot and killed in Boston a couple weeks ago.  She was very broken about what had happened and felt like a Bible would bring her the comfort she was looking for.  As we spoke with her, we testified about the peace that would come into her life if she turned to Jesus Christ.  We testified that she would be able to see her son again and then we shared the Restoration.  As we recited the first vision to her, she began to cry and the Spirit filled the room.  Our member was a great help in the lesson and we all left the lesson very spiritually filled.  We are super excited to be teaching Akeha and we can't wait to share the Plan of Salvation with her this week.

     So some other big news-  we set a similar goal here in the North Shore Zone like the one we set in New Haven a couple transfers ago.  Each companionship was able to council with the Lord about how many investigators He believes they can pick up this week.  The total came out to 56!  This is a very stretching goal and we are very anxious and excited to see what will come of it!  I'm loving my new area and can't wait to see some miracles this week.  Thank you everyone for your support and your love.

Love,
Elder Gutierrez

Elder Pulu and Elder Gutierrez in Revere, MA

On exchanges with Elder Benson (Washington State) in Lynn, MA

Elder Benson and Elder Gutierrez on exchanges in Lynn, MA

SCARY!!

Elder Harris and Elder Gutierrez - former companions on exchanges in Boston sporting matching outfits 

Reunited and it feels so good!

Week 82: Revere, MA

     Hello everyone!  So much has happened this week.  My last 2 days in Bridgeport were so memorable.  Elder Warner and I saw incredible things happen with our investigators.  As I reflected on leaving, I realized how many people we had taught and how many people I had grown so close to.  I am so grateful for all the experiences I had in Bridgeport and all the people I was able to meet.  Leaving Bridgeport was sad, but arriving in my new area Revere, MA has brought a lot of motivation with all the work to do here.  My new companion, Elder Pulu, is a friendly giant from Oakland, CA.  We have a great area with great members and I am excited to serve here.
 
     Here's a little more about Elder Pulu.  He is from Oakland, CA.  He is 27 years old and was an ESL teacher before his mission.  He is Tongan and has been on his mission for 10 months.  He is a great missionary.

     Because of some unforeseen circumstances, Elder Pulu and I will not have a car in our area this transfer.  For the past 5 days we have been hitting the streets!  We hope to get bus passes ASAP so we can travel farther.  Our area is rather large so we definitely have our work cut out for us!  Even with this new challenge, the Lord has already blessed us with several investigators who live really close to our apartment building.

     Our most progressing investigator right now is a man named Leonid.  He is a middle aged man from the Ukraine!  He speaks fairly good English and is a really good guy.  His biggest struggles right now are the language barrier and word of wisdom issues.  But, he attended sacrament meeting this week and we hope to see some big miracles in his life!

     This week we were able to have dinner with our member, Brother Clapp.  He has been a member for about 2 years and his wife is a non-member.  Recently she has been attending church with Brother Clapp.  She was taught by missionaries in the past, but lost interest because she felt as though she was being pressured into being baptized.  She was born in China and has no religious background so things were moving too fast for her.  We were able to set up an appointment with her for this week and we are excited to work with her.  We will see what happens!

     Our zone here, The North Shore Zone, has so much potential and Elder Pulu and I hope to see great things happening all over very soon!  To get things started, we are going on exchanges with all our zone members.  I really am excited about my new area and getting the work going here.  Thank you everyone for your support and love!

Love,
Elder Gutierrez

Saying Goodbye to Elder Warner - January 17, 2018

Elder Warner and I

Saying Goodbye to Nyeisha Tobin

Saying Goodbye to the Daniels

Saying Goodbye to the Ochoa Family

Goodbye Ochoa Children

Surprise Birthday Party from the Trumbull Sisters and Sister Goose

Last lesson with the Abilomes

Birthday Cake with the Abilome's

Saying Goodbye to Marjorie and the Boys

The Bridgeport Crew

Reunited with Elder Clements

Tony Collazo's Sealing in the Boston Temple, our recent investigator from Worcester - January 20, 2018
Elder Clements, Tony Collazo, Elder Asay, and Elder Gutierrez

Reunited with Elder Asay, Elder Gutierrez, and Elder Clements

Week 81: Goodbye Bridgeport

     Hello everyone!  I've got big news from this week.  But first, I want to bear my testimony and declare my witness that I know that President Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God.  It was confirmed to me as he spoke this morning and as he even in a news conference ministered one by one to the media.  His counsel is the Lord's counsel and his words are the Lord's words.  "The best is yet to come".

     The other big and exciting news is that tomorrow I will be transferred from Bridgeport, CT to Revere, MA.  When I found out Friday that I would be leaving, I was initially sad because of all the great things happening here in Bridgeport.  But, I will go where the Lord wants me to go.  I have truly come to know that President Miller is lead and guided by God in this mission and that he knows the best for me.  I am excited to serve so close to Boston and to work with my new companion, Elder Pulu.  I'll tell you all about him a little more next week when I actually meet him.

     Elder Warner and I have been so blessed.  We have loved serving with each other and witnessing the miracles God has blessed us with.  We are currently working with so many amazing people.  As I have said my "goodbye's" it has been eye opening to see how many people we have worked with over the last 3 months together.  There really is no work on earth more rewarding than missionary work.

     This week we had a super powerful lesson with Marjorie about temples.  Haitian people have some cultural concerns about working with dead people and so we were expecting the worst going into the lesson.  As we testified of the temple and explained to her why we have them, she said (in her broken English) "When you talk about temples, I feel the Spirit".  It was amazing to see the Spirit resolve any concerns she might of had right in front of us.  She is now preparing names for the temple so she can go after she is baptized.

     Also this week we were able to set a baptismal date with the whole Abilome family!  Caroline, Alexcia, and Brianna are all preparing to be baptized on February 3rd.  As we taught them the Plan of Salvation, Caroline was so amazed and happy about this new information that she had concerning her purpose in life.  Funny side note:  Because they cannot remember our names, they came up with nicknames for us.  Elder Warner is "Austin" and I am "Sean".

     Over the past couple of weeks, the Ochoa family who we have been teaching has become one of my favorite families on my mission.  A couple times a week we go there and have family home evening and teach them one of the lessons.  Eugenia, the mother is so determined and faithful to raise her family in the church.  She repeatedly says that she wishes she had never left the church and now is going to do all she can to remain strong and faithful.  She is such a great mother and I love all her kids.  If their father gives them permission, they will be baptized very soon, if not we will hope for a miracle!

     Over the past 4 1/2 months, I've grown very close to the members of the ward here and I am very grateful for their love and support, especially the Mitchell family.  I am going to miss them.  I've been blessed to serve in the Bridgeport Ward and am very excited to hear about the work that will continue to go on here.

     Thank you all for the love and support!  I'll let you know how Boston is next week.  Thank you to everyone that has sent birthday wishes as well.  I love you all!!

Love,
Elder Gutierrez

Birthday Party with the Mitchell's  - Banana Cream Pie

"The Last Supper" with the Mitchell's

Saying Goodbye to the Mitchell's

Caiden Abilome with Elder Gutierrez

Visiting Deb Smith

Birthday Dinner at the Brazilian Steakhouse with the Elders!

Saying Goodbye to the Ochoa Family

Spent P-day mastering the head stands

Bowling on P-day with the District

Birthday Tres Leches with Brother Gallardo

Saying Goodbye to Patrick

Family Home Evening with the Ochoa's

Family Home Evening with the Ochoa's and on exchanges with Elder Warner

Exchanges with Elder Warner - my fearless District Leader

Saying Goodbye to the District

Week 80: Snow Week!

     Hey Everyone!  It sure has been an interesting week as we got hit hard by a HUGE snow storm.  The temperatures have been very low all week, the current 30 degree temperature feels real warm!  Even with the storms, we were able to still have a great week.
 
     Our investigator, Marjorie, is one of the most amazing people I have ever taught.  Every time we teach her she is happier and happier.  She is willing to do everything to follow God in her life.  After we taught her the law of chastity, she ended things with her boyfriend and put a mattress on the floor in her living room so she could keep the commandment.  She was scheduled to be baptized this Saturday.  However, because she still lives in the same house as her old boyfriend, she cannot be baptized until one of them moves out.  The problem is neither of them can afford to move out as of right now.  We fasted with Marjorie this Sunday and we are hoping to see some huge miracles happen.  As soon as she lives alone, she will be baptized.
 
      A couple of weeks ago, Elder Warner was praying very hard that we would be able to find prepared people to teach.  As he was praying, he heard a voice clearly say "Maple Street".  A couple of days after this, we received a phone call from a man named, Angelo, who had just gotten out of prison and he wanted us to visit him.  His wife is a member of the church and he had taken the lessons before, but now he is determined to change his life and he wants to be baptized.  We asked him where he lives and he said, "Maple Street!"  We are going to start teaching Angelo this week and we are super excited to see him change his life around.
   
     We had a pretty long pause on our weeks work as the snow storm hit Thursday.  The wind was blowing SUPER hard and you could barely see ten feet in front of you.  We were red-dotted which means that you are not allowed to use your cars.  So Elder Warner and I decided to walk to one of our appointments.  It was a great decision.  We were able to have such a great and fun lesson with the Ochoa family.  They are the best.  We talked to them about baptism and they would all love to be baptized, but their father will not give permission.  As we were talking to Sister Ochoa, she told us about her relationship with her husband and how things were not going well.  She decided to get divorced and is currently in the process.  She is the most amazing women and she has so much faith.  We are super blessed to know them and we are hoping that their father's heart will be softened soon so that Donald and Eileen can be baptized.
   
     Well that's all for this week!  Thank you everyone for the love and support.  With the passing of President Thomas S. Monson this week, I wish to bear my testimony to you all that he is a Prophet of God.  His words are God's words.  His example of service and charity have been great blessings to me and I am so grateful to have grown up during his time as the prophet.  I can't wait to see him again one day.  "The principles of living greatly include to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and trial with humility."  - Thomas S. Monson

Love,
Elder Gutierrez

Red Dotted During the HUGE Snow Storm

Our new friend

Snow is Coming!

Buried in Snow

Freezing Temperatures

Shoveling Out Our Car

Week 79: Christmas, New Years, and Vernice's Baptism

     Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  The past two weeks have been amazing and so much has happened.  I'll do my best to update you on all that happened.

     First off, Vernice Hill was baptized!  I am so amazed at all the miracles that occurred so Vernice could be baptized.  She was able to be interviewed by President Miller just the day before the baptism.  We were able to plan the whole baptismal service in two days and the fellowship she received from the members was amazing.  Vernice is a pretty shy and reserved person, but we have seen her gain confidence and become so much happier as we have met with her.  On December 30th, at her baptism, she was so happy.  There was a new light within her which came from Jesus Christ.  She has a strong but simple testimony and I could not be happier for her and who she has become since Elder Sprehn and I first met her in October.

     Elder Warner and I also had an amazing Christmas together, one I will never forget.  On Christmas Eve, we were making one last visit to one of our investigators.  When we got to her home, she had a friend over named Tyrone who wanted to ask us some questions about what we believed.  Elder Warner and I began to teach him the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As we did Tyrone kept interrupting us and trying to argue with us over irrelevant Christian topics.  Elder Warner and I were both getting a little fed up as he wouldn't listen and was not being teachable.  We then both began to testify with boldness that Jesus Christ had been born, died, and lives today.  We testified that he had restored the fullness of His gospel through the prophet, Joseph Smith and that his kingdom is on the earth again.  We plainly told him that he could either continue in darkness or read/pray about the Book of Mormon and have peace in his life.  Because of our boldness, the Spirit filled the room where we were and he began to listen and his heart began to soften.  He agreed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  As we left that home, on Christmas Eve, it really hit me that there truly is nothing else on earth I could have been doing at that time.  I was spending Christmas Eve night testifying of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.  This will forever be one of my favorite Christmas memories.

     Christmas day was also very fun as the Bridgeport Spanish Elders and us had a huge breakfast feast!  It was a great blessing to be able to talk to my family and I am so grateful for all the sacrifices they have and are continuing to make for me to be on a mission.

     On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve Sundays, we had many of our investigators attend church and we are so excited for how great they are all doing.  Marjorie came to church for her 4th time this last week and everything is aligning to have her baptized on her scheduled day, January 13th.  As she started to live the law of chastity in the past two weeks, her boyfriend decided to leave her and he will be moving out of her apartment soon.  She will be struggling financially because of this, but she is doing all that she can to be baptized.  She is so inspiring and had been one of my favorite investigators to teach.  The Abilome family has come to church 2 weeks in a row now and they are doing great too.  In our last lesson with them, as we were talking about baptism, one of their friends walked in who was a minister of a Baptist church!  We were able to finish the lesson  the way that we planned and still invite them to be baptized.  That was a lesson I will never forget.

     Things could not be better!  Our zone is working extremely hard and we are seeing miracles.  Last week we had a zone goal to hand out 293 Books of Mormon, we were able to hand out 299!  (In 10 or below degree weather most of the week!)  I am very excited for all the things that will happen this year.  I have many goals for myself and I invite you all to pray and ponder about a goal that you can work on throughout the week that will draw you to the Savior and deepen your testimony in His restored gospel.  I love you all!

Love,
Elder Gutierrez

Vernice Hill's Baptism - December 30, 2017

Exchanges with Elder Andersen

Marjorie's Birthday Party

Birthday Gifts

They got us . . . .

Ward Christmas event at a nursing home, our buddy Ted.

Visit from Keith Moon!

Teaching the Ochoa's kids

Sister Ochoa's tamales on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve at the Mitchell's Home

Christmas Day Feast - Elder Warner, Elder Kluger, and Elder Warner

Merry Christmas!

Skyping the Family

Vernice Hill's Baptism - December 30, 2017

Teaching Marjorie