Pictures From Elder Gray!

Elder Gray!

My Comp standing in the back with me

Lives right by Lackland AFB

Attended a session in the San Antonio Temple in July.

Attended a ball game on P day for *Mormon Night* 10 of the Elders/Sisters sang the National Anthem. Chris didn't, but his comp did...Elder Smith from a transfer ago...the one from England...they gave him a hard time being a Brit and singing the Natl Anthem. LOL

Don't mess with Texas!

Winners of the TSAM shoe! Chris is in the middle row, left side next to the shoe.

Prayer

Hey!
Sounds like things are going well back at home. How is school going
for everyone? I can't believe its almost fall again.


But anyways things are going really well here. On Tuesday we did
exchanges with the zone leaders. I got to go with Elder Hunt.
I really liked it. Its always fun to get to learn from someone
else for a day. Elder Hunt has been a really successful missionary
so I learned a lot of good things from him. Mario and his wife
have been pretty good but things that they can't control have
really gotten in their way. She had her baby this morning and
they are moving next week so we were a little sad. But luckily
they are moving in to our zone leaders' area. They will take good
care of them.

We have had some disappointments with investigators but that's
OK because Roger is going to be baptized this coming weekend :)
We are really excited for him.

So I just realized that I forgot to tell you all about the zone
conference we had a couple weeks ago. I got to get up in front
of everyone and talk about prayer and how it helps investigators.
I read part of the Bible Dictionary entry on prayer. It was
the part that talks about our relationship with Heavenly Father.
I think it went over pretty well. Then at the end of the conference,
President and Sister Cutler gave us all an early Christmas present.
We each received a Book of Mormon with instructions to read it
and mark certain things. Every time we see Jesus' name or any one
of his names (Lord, Lamb of God, etc...) we mark it in yellow.
His attributes-green. His words-red. Principles applying to us as
missionaries-blue. It has been really fun. I am seeing a lot of
stuff that I haven't seen before.

On Saturday and Sunday our Spanish ward had some really amazing
baptisms. The Cardenas family was baptized. Elders Solano and
Dennis had been teaching them for a while. They had been going
to church for two years (the mom was the only member in the
family before this weekend). On Saturday the dad was baptized
and then confirmed right away. His old bishop from California flew
in and performed the ordinance. He received the Aaronic priesthood
and baptized his four kids on Sunday. The spirit was so strong at
both the baptisms. Most of the ward attended the baptisms. The
Spanish ward has great unity and supports each other really well.

This morning we pushed the car down the street for our workout.
I am not in good shape so I threw up after wards.

Thanks for the updates and thanks for that thought on prayer
in your last letter Dad. And thanks Mom for sending that AirAlert
stuff so quickly. I'm gonna start that program pretty soon. And
about Elder Rowley, the name sounds familiar but I don't know
who that is. That is awesome about Ashley getting her PR.
(In X Country) That is an incredible time. I'm excited for Erik
too. He looks pretty buff in those pictures. Chick magnet ;)
Justin too! All of you look older in those pictures that you sent
the other week. Well except for Brooke and Tim. They look
the same. Thanks for everything and stay close to the Lord.
Love y'all tons.

Love,
Elder Gray

PS I am sending pics in the mail tomorrow. Thanks for offering
to send me the CD BOM in Spanish but I already bought it at
the distribution center. Do you think you could send the CDs
of it in English?

Read Alma 32...it's one of my favorites

Hey,
This week was another great week. We have Roger set with a baptismal
date for the last Sunday of the month. He is still taking everything in
real well. His baptismal interview is set for this coming week. Mario
and family are still going strong. Just in these last couple weeks they
have changed so much. I am really excited for them. They are planning
on getting married and getting baptized this month before she has her
baby.

Sorry this letter is so short but I wrote one and it didn't go through.
I dunno, maybe it did, but it isn't in my outbox. If it did go through
somehow just ignore this one. But anyways I don't have enough time to
write another one. Thanks for the letters and pictures and everything.
Good luck in all your sports. It sounds like you are doing awesome
already. I will be sending a memory card with pics soon. Also do you
think you could look and see if we still have that Air Alert program
lying around somewhere. I would like to start doing that for my morning
workouts. So just let me know, please :) Also let me know if there's
anything I should include or exclude in my letters. Thanks for being my
family and I hope you all continue to be blessed. Oh and tell Grandma
and grandpa thanks for that letter in Spanish. It was awesome! I love
you all.

Love,
Elder Gray

P.S. Read Alma 32. Its one of my favorites

Time is flying

Hello Family,
Its so crazy how fast time has been flying by out here. It seems like just yesterday we were driving to the MTC. This last week has especially gone by quick.

Ending this week we have 5 investigators with a baptismal date. One of the couples we have set with a date has a lot of things they need to change. However, they are willing to change each and every one of those things. They are really awesome and funny. Mario, the husband got real wide eyed when we told him about the Word of Wisdom but then he committed to fix his problems. He has quit smoking cold turkey before and he knows he can do it again. They have a baby due at the end of the month and he wants to quit for her. He did it when his last baby, Isis, was born. Isis is four now. We found an awesome family in the ward that is really getting along well with Mario's family. They have really helped Mario so far. Another one of our awesome investigators is name Roger. His friend, Brother Hack, has been slowly introducing him more and more to the church. He is super super solid. After one of our lessons he asked Heavenly Father to "open his eyes and point him to the right path." He has been taking everything in like a sponge.

The base is still really awesome. The members there are doing really good missionary work. There are a lot of returned missionaries. We have about 7 people that want to be baptized right now. Most of then will be baptized back in their hometowns but we have two or three that will be baptized here. In our gospel principles class we have had between 15 and 20 nonmembers attending each week. Of those, about half have indicated that they want to be baptized.

Elder Finlayson is a really awesome missionary. He is super motivated in everything. I just hope that soon I can be just as awesome. I learn more and more from him each day. He will not allow himself to be complacent in anything. That is the secret. He is a couple inches taller than me. One person said he kinda looks like Kramer from Seinfeld. He kinda does but at the same time not really. I'll have to get a pix to you sooner or later. At first we were tracting almost all day. Now since we have a bunch of potentials we just knock between 1-3 hours a day.

All your letters are perfect. Don't worry about changing anything in them. I really liked that story about the little boy and the valentines. Justin, my companions and I have baptized 9 people so far on my mission. I got to actually baptize 2 of them, I think. But each and everyone of these people were baptized because of the spirit converting them, not us. That's awesome that you got a facebook and an X box. We will have to play against each other when I get back. Just remember to stay active ;) I'm sure you will though. That is awesome that you get to be on a traveling soccer team. That is something that I never go to do. It is really hot here, but I am used to it now. It is about 100* on a cooler day and about 105* on the hotter days. We are going through a really bad drought down here so it has rained a little, but not much. Someone told me it was the worst drought in recent history in southern Texas.

Keep close to the Lord and remember, "Every member a missionary".

Love,
Elder Gray

Just keep doing all the little things consistently

Feliz Cumpleanos Padre y hermana Ashley (Happy Birthday to both of them)
Dad,
Hey I hope its alright that my card for you this year is going to be through email. I love you so much and I am very grateful for all that you have done for me. I couldn't ask for a better dad. Also, thanks for all your quotes and support. Words can't express how much I love you.
Ashley,
Thanks for being the best younger sister ever. I look up to you in many ways. You always try to be nice even when others around you aren't the nicest. Keep up the hard work and you can achieve anything. Remember, throughout history, people have said it was impossible to do many things. Breaking the four minute mile, flying an airplane, traveling to the moon, and the list goes on. Look how much we as humans have achieved above the so called "impossible." So what I am trying to say is this: Don't let people tell you what you can and can't do. Anything is possible. Set a goal and achieve it.

As for your question about keeping the spirit with you........The ways I have found is by listening to good uplifting music, praying often and asking for the for the spirit, daily scripture study, and just keeping my thoughts focesed on good things. When you study, "liken the scriptures unto yourself", apply the stories to your life and think of good principles from them. Basically, you don't need to do anything huge and amazing. Just keep doing all the little things consistently.

Wow, that took a little more time than I thought. So I guess this will be my weekly letter too. I don't think I thanked Justin for his last picture that he sent me. Thanks so much Justin! You are really thoughtful and kind for taking the time to make that for me. I really, really appreciate it.

This last week has been awesome. We have found so many more people to teach. Elder Finlayson is an awesome missionary. Very motivated. I am learning more from him every day. We have three people with a baptismal date for August so far. Our zone has a bunch lined up too. Ten or fifteen I think.

It sounds like you guys had fun up at Yankee Meadows. Thanks for the package too. It was really creative and fun. I really like those fruit chillers. Sometimes I just need some sugar and those do fantastic. Sorry to bother you so soon for another package but do you think could you send three more short sleeved white shirts to me from missionary mall? Same size. If you have any difficulties don't worry about getting them out right away.

I need to go now but I love you all and I wish you the very best. I love you all. Stay close to the Lord and Good Luck with the Eagle Project, sports, school, jobs, and everything else.

Love,
Elder Gray