Elder Goss---W:95 June 29th (Jun 29, 2021)

Hi everyone! This week, we have been great! The weather has fluctuated quite a bit recently, but mostly, it has been super great. That's San Diego for you. 

As far as work goes, we've had a bit of lessons planned this week, and most of the member lessons happened! We had exchanges with the Assistants to the President (AP's), which I haven't ever done before. It gets harder and harder to find new people, because there appears to be a finite amount of areas where we can find people who speak Spanish, and we keep visiting those areas over and over. Of course, we can do English work at any time, but we try to focus on our assignment.  

I'm sorry, I don't have much to write about this week. For a spiritual thought, I wish to relay a message we gave to Hermano Atempa yesterday. Together, we talked about goals, and setting plans. All of us want a life we can look back on with fondness and peace. How can we do this, if we never amounted to anything? If we never climbed any mountains, or fought any battles? The only thing that every person cares about, whether they realize it or not, is how far they've come. How much one has learned, and improved. After all, that is our purpose. Nothing is more hopeless than feeling your wasted potential slip away. As if our past mistakes have permanently decided who we will become and what life we will lead. And although these feelings are misplaced, they are so tragic and heartbreaking. And the sad thing is, many people that feel trapped in the grave they've dug themselves (and after feeling all the pain and remorse for ignoring their future), continue to neglect making plans and setting goals to turn their life around.  

If you have felt this way, STOP. Your future is still your future! There are no certainties! If you wanted to, you could get up right now, walk out the door, and be whoever you wanted to be! You can literally do a thousand things; become someone great, learn from your lessons, and live an amazing life, but you have to start somewhere! At one point you have to decide when you want to start improving your life. Who cares if you've waited "too long"? The rational thing to do would be to start now, instead of delaying such happiness even longer. Why live in mediocrity when you hold the keys to your own chains? If you have dreams, make plans. If you feel dreamless, make plans. And if you are somewhere in-between, guess what??? You catch my drift. No matter where you are, you can improve your life and who you are by setting goals, and sticking with 'em. For YOUR OWN SAKE, save your future! I promise you, it turns into the present.  

And while setting financial goals or school goals are great (and can be helpful), you and I know that ultimately those things are hallow, if we ignore the more important goals. Be a better parent. Learn to be a patient child. Gaining an independent testimony. Becoming the best friend in the whole wide world. These are the goals that will leave you looking back on life with fondness and peace, AND enjoying the present. The sooner you start, the faster your future will come.  

I love you all! Take care!

Elder Goss---W:93 Fun P-day (Jun 15, 2021)

This week, like all weeks, has had its ups and downs. The past couple of days have been a bit toasty, between 75-90. For many places, that's nothing. But here, that's pretty warm.  

Today was a pretty exciting p-day! We got together with our district and played mini-golf. That was really fun! I didn't score very well, though. I think I got 53 or something for 18 holes. For those who are bad at math, that's basically 3 hits per hole. The heat was a bit oppressive with the humidity, but it worked out. We then ate buffalo wild wings at a park together and played Frisbee. It was great! Elder Bullock really likes a lot of company, so it was refreshing for the two of us.  

Elder Bullock and I continue to walk in parks and speak to people online to find people who want the Gospel, but that's going a little slow. Please continue to pray for people to be found! Having a teaching pool is really important for a new missionary, and we don't really have one. Hopefully, we will teach Jimmy and his family soon.  

I'd like to refer you to Jesus's line of questioning Peter while eating fish together for a spiritual thought. Three times, the resurrected Christ asked Peter, do you love fish more than me? If not, love my sheep. I sometimes reflect that Peter was confused with Christ's meaning. After all, fishing wasn't a bad thing. Couldn't he love fishing and love Christ? Couldn't he fish and feed Christ's sheep?  

I invite you to think about that for a little. Why did Christ ultimately invite Peter to essentially abandon the harmless thing he loved? If you need a little prod, consider the following:

* Where was Peter's heart? Did he have the guts to follow Christ and lead his church?

* Was fishing a distraction? Should Peter have had higher priorities?

* Exactly who were Christ sheep? Why are they more important than fish? 

I love you all! Take care. 

Elder Goss

Elder Goss---W:91 Training Transfer (Jun 1, 2021)

 Hola todos! como estan? bien, bien. Pues, you tambien! Well, this week has been a very interesting chance of pace, getting a greenie missionary and all! At first, it was a bit rough. If Elder Bullock didn't know what to do, he would just hover over you and watch what you were doing. He's pretty clueless. He's getting better at finding stuff to do, in between activities. He's never exercised seriously before, so the morning routine has been really good for him. He enjoys it, which is great. 

His spanish isn't as poor as I would have guessed, and is much better than mine was when I started. We've taken to learning spanish songs for some fun language study. Spanish hymns, the Coco movie songs, and even a couple from the Spanish version of Tarzan. It's been fun. 

I am now the oldest Missionary in our 4-man apartment. In fact, I have more time out than all 3 Elders combined. That's pretty wild to think about. I dare say that 75% of all missionaries out right now attended the MTC in their own homes. That is so crazy to me! I wonder if in the future, they'll keep home MTC an option for certain missionaries. It wouldn't surprise me. 

Elder Bullock and I have also been semi-toutoring another Elder while he's in his home MTC here. We'll take him to some lessons that we have, and it is probably a good thing, becuase he needs a lot of practice with Espanol. It is a bit wack teaching a lesson with 2 complete gringos who begin each sentence with "yo se que..." (just kidding, they're better than that). 

Anyhow, I hope you've all had a great week! keep up the good work! 

Elder Goss

Elder Goss---W:92 (Jun 8, 2021)

Hi everyone. Welcome back to another weekly report of San Diego!  

This week, we had a really fun English class! Three people showed up, along with some members. This week was the first class we've ever done, so that was relieving. The Sister missionaries and us plan to switch off every week teaching, so next week, Elder Bullock and I will be the teachers. We'll review the alphabet, and then learn some basic phrases.  

Additionally, we stopped by some of local latin markets, and handed out a surprising number of family history pamphlets and English lesson invitations. Hopefully, next week, we'll have even more friends! 

I don't have too much else to say today. If you want an excellent spiritual boost, give Mosiah 24 a read. It is amazing.  

Take care! I love you all.

Elder Goss--W:90 2nd last Transfer (May 25, 2021)

Well, transfers greet us once again! And there is some exciting news. I am staying here, and I am training a new Missionary! His name is Elder Bullock, and he's from Utah. Elder Searle has gone to an area that I once was in. The other two Elders who live with us haven't changed.  

So it will be my first time training! It is kinda interesting, because I've never dealt with someone who was so clueless. I anticipate that it will be fun, but also exhausting. I'll have to be sure he's doing all the new Missionary studies, and activities, and programs, and stuff. Hm. We'll see how it goes. 

My phone is super slow, so I might not type a lot right now. But this past week, we were able to visit with some members we really hadn't met before, so that was cool. We also had some frozen yogurt with one family, and that was really nice.  

We have been trying to find a lot on walks, and yesterday we had a guy call us over, only to cuss at us. It is so sad how angry some people are. I am reminded that regardless of how much you disagree with someone, you cannot justify hostility, ridicule, or conflict. If you leave feeling further apart, no amount of correctness will vindicate your behavior. If you truly stand for truth and light, you will leave any confrontation feeling peace and love. And if not, you still have some learning or adjusting to do in your own life.  

I love you all! Enjoy your days, and plan for the future! Don't waste a second. 

 Elder Goss

Elder Goss---W:89 San Diego let's go (May 18, 2021)

 

I really couldn't think of an interesting title. But San Diego rocks, so it played out nicely. 

Well, this week, we didn't have the sacrament! I bet at first that sounds surprising. Is Elder Goss disobedient? Did they run out of bread? Nope. Instead, we had our Stake Conference! It was great. The last speaker had an incredible message about following the prophet. 

However, just as the first half of the paragraph above was written out-of-context, which led to confusion or concern, so can other truths! Information can be easily equivocated when details are left out. Don't take any news or "special new thing" for its face value. Remember that, kids! Don't try this at home.  

For P-day today, we went to an Ice-skating rink! But we didn't ice-skate. Just kidding, of course we did. It was lots of fun, and there were a surprising number of Missionaries who were really fire on the ice. I fell down a couple times, but no bruises (surprisingly). And this actually leads me to my spiritual thought. 

While there were many proficient ice-skaters, there were also a couple newbies. They were very unfamiliar with the sensation of locomotion on a slippery surface. Sorry, I'm lapsing into fancy language. I remember when I struggled on my first times roller-skating. It's embarrassing. Especially, when all your peers surpass your level by a mile. It is in human nature to enjoy things we are good at, and equally so to dislike and loath activities where we aren't talented. I was very impressed with the few Missionaries who stuck at it, slowly sliding around the rink with a firm grip on the rail. They were laughing and smiling, even as their friends whizzed past.  

And I found myself wondering why. I know that for myself, on a bad day, I would have just sat on the sidelines and found something else to do. I really don't enjoy pretending to like something I'm not good at, or enduring the well-meant-but-slightly-condescending encouragement that newbies often get. I also just don't want to have to struggle, especially not openly.  

I want to encourage everyone who reads this to feel okay. It is okay to not be the best. It is okay to be the worst. As I skated past those missionaries, I wanted to tell them that every one of us, even the professional skaters, started at that level. The only difference is, they just happened to start later. There is no shame in taking the first baby steps towards mastery, even if you need training wheels. And even if they never end up gaining adequate experience to become a master, they had something that many others in that rink didn't have: the ability to enjoy oneself even in the most alien and embarassing of places. Their satisfaction didn't come from competence. Those missionaries decided (most likely a long time ago), that they would be happy regardless of where they were, what they were doing, or how good they were at it.  

Follow their footsteps! Even if you need training wheels! You got this.  

I miss you all!

Elder Goss

 

Elder Goss---W:86 (Apr 27, 2021)

Hi everyone! This week was nice. And short. We went on a lot of walks along the beach. There are a lot of people with very bold opinions! Ha ha. There were also some nice people too. Our friends (investigators) once again have been busy, so we're looking for ways we can teach them across the phone. 

This P-day we did a lot! Played whiffle ball, soccer, and hiking along the coast, and shopping. Pretty full. 

Our mission President asked us to read a talk given this last year called Waiting on the Lord by Elder Holland, and for my spiritual thought, I'd like all of you to read it as well. There are many applicable insights and truths within. Enjoy! And if you are REALLY feeling up to the challenge, try praying before and after. I promise you'll find something amazing!

Thanks so much! Take care. Bye!