We Learn Wisdom When We Serve

Hello everyone!!

First off let me say thank you to everyone! Last week I got all the mail since i was transferred and THERE WAS HEAPS! so thankyou so much!! It was awesome to see all of the letters when I got home.

What a week this has been. It has been rainy and it has been cold az.. I would have to call this week " week of so many flipping service opportunities". Legit we we had service 2 times a day, basically this entire week!  It has been crazy!!! All the way from moving people all the way over to cutting down trees. But as a missionary we are "called to serve" so it was the least we can do for these amazing members of this ward.

The other day, we had the opportunity to cut down a huge az tree for our nan(our mission grandma) This tree was huge! so we had to call in the other Elders to help us with this crazy task. It was so much fun!!  Service is one of the best ways we can connect with people. I remember this one day my dad got me up at 6 in the morning over one of  my breaks to go scrape off snow from someones roof. At first I was dreading it but then after It was such an awesome time. I remember being on the roof with my dad and just feeling like the world was ours! It felt the same way when i was cutting down these trees with my brothers! it was such a good time. There is a reason why King Benjamin ( in the Book of Mormon) says we learn wisdom when we serve.

I know that service is the best way we can help others! We truly serve God when we serve others! i love you all!

-Elder Gish

God ALWAYS does things for the best.

Hey there everyone!

Sorry i didnt email last week. I have had 0 time recently! But what a week(s) they have been!

So to start, we were walking down the street and randomly this guy stops and says, "hey can you guys come over I’m less active" Heck yes we can!! It happens heaps here! So of course we go over and see them! Most of the time they aren't there but that’s okay!! WE PUSH FORWARD.

I recently had the biggest privilege to speak and share a message in front of 30 less active members  It was a sports night we were holding. HOLY COW WAS I nervous. I know you’re thinking Elder Gish? nervous? it cant be!! I know i know, hold your breathe though cause its about to get crazy! ( i realize that didnt make any sense but roll with me)

So i had no idea what to talk about. Then my wonderful companion Elder Lolo hands me a USB with 1 video and says share it. A video I have never seen. but i trusted in him. Oh my gosh, this video was so powerful!!!! Here’s the link if you wanna watch it

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/as-many-as-i-love-i-rebuke-and-chasten?lang=eng&query=the+gardener&media=video#watch=video.

As soon as i got up.. the words just came " there isn’t much more to be said. we all started crying. EVERYONE. Man the spirit was so strong in that room. How can we deny all that God has done for us? The love he has, and shares. It is more then we can ever know. He ALWAYS does things for the best. no matter what! WE always come out better, even if at the time we don’t feel like it!

Sorry i don’t have a lot to say:p

CAN EVERYONE DO ME A HUGE FAVOR!? thank you:)

An elder in my district. who is the man, seriously one of the coolest missionaries i know. ( not a joke ) doesn’t get a lot of emails. Could you email him if you have time? if your reading this i know you have time too:) Thank you!cezanne.leaaetoa@myldsmail.net

thank you!

ofa atu

-Elder Gish

It Will Be Given in The Very Moment

Kia Ora my Brothers and Sisters!

Man what a week this has been. For starters.... DUN DUN DUN!!! I got transferred! ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING! I am out of Hamilton, and I am now in a place called Gisborne (mom my hat) hahaha. It is awesome here! It was an 8 hour drive to get here... That was fun.. kinda not really.. but its over! I love it here! Its exactly how we picture New Zealand, just forest everywhere! And to make this place even better, we are next to the beach which is a huge blessing seeing how i have not seen the beach since i have been here in New Zealand.

My new Companion is the man! His name is Elder Lolo, he is from Samoa and he ends his mission this transfer. So I have been sent here to make sure he doesn’t get trunky, or lazy. Bringing the hammer down. WELCOME TO EARTH! It was a two day drive down here, so I only just got here on Friday. But man I love it. The people here are so nice. Its a lot of fun starting all over again in a new area! People have no idea who you are! I am one of the only white Elders here that is not from Utah. So when i tell them where i am from, their minds are just blown.

This Sunday was awesome!! I had the privilege to give a talk. The person that was supposed to talk didn’t show up, so right before church started, they said, could you give a 15 minute talk today? Oh yeah sure... I'd love to..  Man I was so scared... So i was scrambling to find something to speak on, but nothing was coming. Then I had the scripture pop into my head, that it be given the very moment, so i stopped. No Joke the minute i got up to the pulpit to speak, i was washed with words.  I spoke for the whole 15 minutes, without a pause. The spirit was so strong. I didn’t think I did that well, but everyone said that they really enjoyed it, and that they love my accent! "What are you talking about?! You all have the accent" but i forget i am the foreigner.

Oh so we met with an investigator, he has been having a hard feeling the spirit, so as soon as we finished talking to him he says " I need to have you over more often, i feel really good when you are here" THATS THE SPIRIT MY MAN! So we invited him to read and to pray to know if the gospel is true, we will see how it goes!!

OH MY GOSH so this Sunday we had dinner with this man named brother Lloyd. This guy is the most knowledgeable person in the scriptures of everyone that I have met. He told us stuff that just blew our minds. But what made the dinner even better.. was there was not a speck of green on the dinner table…all meat. Brother Lloyd would say. "Cows eat veggies. I eat cow, so therefore I eat veggies' MY MAN!! i think i will fit in just fine!

I sure love you all! hope all is well!

I have such a firm testimony of this gospel! I love it so much!!

-Elder Gish

 

PDay (Preparation Day)

From Sister Arohanui, Ngawai of Hamilton NZ

Elder Gish’s mother here:

I have had the blessing of connecting with a family in Hamilton, NZ -- where Chase is serving -- who has lovingly cared for him as he serves there. With her permission, the following photos and words from her Facebook account are posted below. (Thank you heaps and heaps, Sister Rangi. We love your family!)

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Thanks for the memories Elder Gish and Elder Moala. They will be cherished in our family forever.  #PUKANA

“Our family have loved coming to know your wonderful son. He is a true servant of our Saviour Jesus Christ and yes please go ahead and copy what we have on him (I'm only sorry we don’t have more photo's!!) He is a great example for our only son as he too will serve a mission in 3 more years. You must ask Elder Gish when he returns home to teach your family the "no teeth-fruit & vegie" game & also a Maori game called Pukana. He actually bought a whole new meaning to both games!!! He was very funny to watch - he had all my children in hysterics. May our Father in Heaven continue to bless him and your family for the great sacrifice you are all making. “

“I Don't Think I Could Have Gotten Anything Done if You Weren't Here.”

 

Sorry I don't have heaps of time to write! It was an awesome week though. It was hard though. I was praying for an experience to help me get through the week. I got the best answer to my prayer! I have always felt the best relief when serving people, and that's exactly what I got! For some reason heaps of service opportunities arose! Of course we jumped in! Something really touching happened, as we helped a member move, they pulled us aside, and said " thank you so much for helping, I don't think I could have gotten anything done if you weren't here."  I felt those same words come out as I was praying that night. The rest of the week was a spiritual high!

Transfers are this Thursday, and I told our investigator Dana about it. She looked super sad about it. She was the best! I love this work and love these people!

Love you all

- Elder Gish