August 26, 2014: Do you know how hard it is to come up with a new subject line every week???

Or a first sentence for that matter.

What a week!

I am sick, so that is no fun. But Huddersfield is great!

I had to give a talk on sunday and I was told it was supposed to be 20-25 minutes and I ended up with only like 10 minutes (I was the last speaker), so that was alright. I had to speak on "Why share the gospel".

The Moses family is doing better than ever. We had a FHE with them again last night and it went so well. We spoke about baptism and committed them all and they are willing to take the lessons and prepare to be baptised! They are just such a fun normal family. Solid kingdom builders. So we will come back in about a year and go through the temple with them!

I am really happy.

Love you all!

Elder Gurney



Saying goodbye to the leeds 1 elders flat!



We found a Cadillac!

 

August 18, 2014: The Calm Before the Storm

Hey Everyone!

Ah what a week! I haven't been this busy my entire mission. I love Huddersfield. Traveling is terrible compared to my last areas though. We live a 15 minute bus ride from town and we have to travel to town and then usually about another 15 minutes on a bus to pretty much anywhere we need to go. We spend a lot of time waiting for busses.

The Moses family is doing fantastic. Hugh (the dad) can't come to church for the next few Sundays because of work, but the ENTIRE family came to sacrament meeting yesterday without him. Including the two teenage sons. Ah it was incredible. Few moments on a mission are as good as sitting in church with a family of non members.

I really love my mission. I love the whole idea of progress. So much of a mission is focused around progressing our investigators, and ourselves to be better missionaries. I have noticed recently that the scriptures and the teachings of the prophets are all about progressing as well. It is an eternal principle that we are to envelop ourselves in, in mortality.

I have been studying for a talk I have to give next week on "why share the gospel". I was reading in 1 Nephi chapter 2:

16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.
17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.

I love how Nephi after he came to know of the truthfulness of the gospel, immediately wanted to share it with his brothers. Even those who wouldn't listen, he prayed for. What a lesson to learn. I also love the fact that he mentions he is young. Now this I feel can refer to him as young in age, in testimony, in membership. I have found some of those who are best at sharing the gospel are recent converts or those who recently find a testimony in a specific area (ie word of wisdom, tithing, etc.)

Anyway I have written a novel, but I love the scriptures so much. I cherish the hour I get each morning to study them, and I am scared of the day I might be too busy to do that everyday.

I love you guys!

Elder Gurney

August 11, 2014

Hey everyone!

Well we enjoyed the tail end of your hurricane yesterday.....not. That was some of the worst rain I have seen on my mission. Good thing we had a tea appointment during the worst of it:)

I love Huddersfield. It took me a little while to adjust to it and the ward, but it is fantastic. This ward is so diverse in every way, I love it. There are everything from generation old member millionaires to the most humble of converts. The two common factors are that they share the church, and they share the same joy and light that only the gospel can bring. I love it here.

So the Moses family came to sacrament meeting yesterday! Well all except the 17 and 1 yr old sons. They loved it. The ward fellowshipped them incredibly. The father Hugh is ready for baptism but he is teaching a course at the college for the next 3 weeks, on a Sunday. So we will help him prepare to be baptised right after that, and hopefully his family will be ready to join him by then as well. Elder Carrano and Elder Fangata'a are going to do a FHE there tomorrow night because I am going to Halifax for the next couple days. It is going to go great.

Well I love the mission more and more everyday.

I love you guys!

Elder Gurney

August 4, 2014: Hello from Huddersfield!

 I had to say goodbye to Leeds last week, which was really hard, but I am loving Huddersfield! It is a weird town. I was told it is the largest town in the UK. They won't class it as a city because it doesn't have a cathedral. The people are friendly though.

We have a massive teaching pool here. The biggest I have had on my entire mission. I am serving with Elder Carrano from Italy! He is so good. He just makes super good Italian food all the time. The ward is massive as well. Maybe 120-150 members. Biggest I have had. It is just us two to the ward as well so we get fed really good. Our flat is a dump though. Can't have it all I guess!

We are teaching a family of 7. The Moses family. Hugh, the dad, had a background of Jewish beliefs. The kids range from 17-3 and they are all so good. Well the17 year old is a punk, but apparently he likes to ski so we will have something to talk about. Deckland, who is 15 is going to come play basketball today with all the Elders in the zone.

Well I am really happy. I love all of you, have a good week.

my new address:
520 Leeds Road
Huddersfield HD2 1YW
England

Elder Gurney

ps still waiting for a lot of you to email me about that challenge.

July 29, 2014

It has been such an incredible week! I am really sad to say, but I am leaving Leeds! I am going to Huddersfield. Another big city. But I am excited! I don't know my address or anything but I will let you know next week.
This last week has been incredible.We have seen so many huge miracles. We met and started teaching this young family from Ghana, and they are incredible. They are so prepared and so willing to do all we ask. I can't wait to see where it goes, I am sad I won't be able to be a part of it anymore.

Peter is now working towards getting back to the temple. It was so hard to say goodbye to him. He wants to serve as a missionary at the temple in Provo, so that would be cool.

Okay I have a challenge for EVERYONE:

Read 1 Nephi 19:9
Write me back and tell me why you think this is the case in the world today.
nicholas.gurney@myldsmail.net

You don't have to be a member or active or even a Christian to do this. I just want to know what your opinion is. Thank you!

I love you guys!

Elder Gurney

July 21, 2014: Welcome to Sunny West Yorkshire

Hey what a good week! It is so warm! I am not a huge fan of this humidity thing.

We saw miracles this week. Do you remember Peter? The Semi active member we work with. Well he took the sacrament for the first time in 5 years yesterday. He is finally moving forward. I am so happy.

We also knocked into a lady yesterday who was just so friendly. She is so prepared for the gospel. We were able to bear testimony to her about the Book of Mormon and it was incredible. Her name is Kath.

Sorry to make it so short, but I love you guys! Thank you for everything.

Elder Gurney