June 23, 2014

Well it is warming up! We also have a new rule, suit jackets, all day everyday. It is brutal. But it still is only like 75 degrees. So glad I am in England.

The world cup is crazy. We had to be in at like 7 last Thursday when England played and we might have to be in at 4 this Tuesday. We were walking past a pub a couple days ago during the world cup and it was straight up like the great and spacious building. Ridiculous.

Last week we were doing a garden for a members neighbor and her neighbor came over and started talking to us. His name is Maher and he is from Iraq. He is so good! We taught him after we did service and he came to church with his two boys on Sunday and loved it. Such a good family. I love being a missionary.

Well I am pretty sick and am really tired so sorry to make it so short.

I love you guys!

Elder Gurney

PS President told us the first one to get a picture in a Rolls Royce Phantom got taken out to dinner by him and Sister Pilkington. We were about a day late:(

LEEDS A ZONE!

June 16, 2014

Okay I just want to talk about Peter.

Peter is one of the most wonderful people I have every met. He is semi-active member I have been visiting since I came to Leeds. He is 69 and He joined the church 20 years ago this summer. He progressed well and gained the Melchizedek Priesthood and went to the temple and held callings and did his duty better than most men. All while being a bus driver. About 12 years ago he started slipping up. Stopped reading. Stopped praying. Stopped going to church. Slowly he just fell. He was miserable. He would drive the busses, and just cry. He would go home and turn on the TV and just sit. Or sleep till his next shift. He recognized that the adversary had got him. He was miserable. SO he started reading a chapter out of 2 Nephi. He still felt terrible. So he read it again. Terrible. 3 times he read it and nothing. So he went to sleep. He woke up and read it again. Nothing. So he turned a few pages and read a different chapter. He felt The Spirit for probably the first time in a long time. That was 12 years ago. Peter's testimony is incredible. He can hardly read the words of the Saviour without tearing up. Now Peter might still struggle with a few things. Not with commandments or anything we might view as wrong, but he struggles. But this man loves his Saviour. He loves his God. He is one of the many reasons I am on my mission. He has made an impact on me that I will never forget.

I love this church so much. I am starting, just starting to figure it out. What all of this means. As Boyd K Packer spoke of in his last talk, I am starting to learn things that cannot be taught.

Love,
Elder Gurney


Moroni 7:45-47:

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

June 9, 2014

Hey there everyone!

What a week! Full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, so it is okay.

We recently met a family from Pakistan. Khalid and his son Yasir. They are so incredibly prepared for the gospel. The only problem is we have to find out if they are in danger or not, and if they are we can't teach them....and there is a really high chance they are in danger. I am praying everything will work out.

I had the opportunity to interview a man named Ranjit (Ron-Jay) yesterday for baptism. This man is incredible. He has been coming to church for a 2-3 months and he is such a good man. He has had a really hard life and he just hit rock bottom when his wife left him for another man, and took nearly everything he had. Me and Elder Olsen were talking about how when God's children really need him, he will send us to them to share with them the gospel. We experienced this as well when we met a man who was drunk and had just been beaten up really bad.

I know that this church is true. I know that the restored gospel changed peoples lives into exactly what they need, even if they don't know it yet. I love this church, and I feel it such a privilege to be out here every single day representing my Saviour.

I love you guys!

Elder Gurney

 

This country is beautiful.

 

 

June 2, 2014

It has been such a good week! I am excited it is my birthday tomorrow, and all I want for my birthday is to not write this email. hahaha I love you guys but this group email is always so hard to come up with. I love all of you and i am really happy. It has been a good week.

Elder Gurney

hey look, its the district! 

Elder Olauson, me, Elder Jensen, Sister Zurcher, Sister Kuhn, Sister Jodicke, and Sister Arreve