Trio!

HI everyone! We had an unexpected surprise this week! Sister Na'a who has been serving out in Lake Hamilton (near Lake Wales!!!) was our third companion for a few days this week! She needed to be off her leg for a bit, so she was able to come with us. It has been great! We had another unexpected surprise, we went to the church on Saturday and we had no Internet...as you can imagine it's a little difficult to be an online Missionary with no Internet. Haha, but we made things work and we got to spend more time getting to know our members here. 

I just want to tell you a little about the things I've learned this week and they include things I've learned from 2 incredible people. One of them is Sister Na'a! She is also 27 years old, she is from Tonga and she's a triplet (3 girls)! She has 8 siblings, 4 brothers and 4 sisters; the triplets are the youngest. She has 15 nieces and nephews and all of her siblings are married. She served the first 5 months of her mission In Tonga, waiting to get a visa. As we've had a chance to talk I've also learned that both of her parents have died. Her mother died of cancer a year or two ago and it was part of the reason she decided to serve a mission. She bore her testimony to me of how much the plan of salvation means to her and the hope that it brings. She said that on her mission her testimony and knowledge of that plan has grown. She knows that she will be with them again. We had a lesson with Penny this weekend and she was able to share that testimony with her. Penny's husband died, as well as a daughter and grandson and she said sometimes she's wondered why she is still here, but she said she knows that God has a plan for her. As sister Na'a was able to share her experiences with Penny the spirit was so strong! God has a plan for us! It is more wonderful than we can imagine! 

This is Sister Na'a's tongan name tag. :) 

Sister Na'a saw her first alligator! This is in the pond that's right next to our apartment! He was swimming around like crazy! So cool. :) 

We got to watch the fireside with Elder Clark last night!! I love the Clark's so much! It was so inspiring and filled with truth!

We put together a mother's day thing for Sister Cooper. 

The other person who inspired me this week is Sister Williams, she's the relief society president for our ward here. She is amazing. She is legally blind, and can only see a few feet in front of her. She had a heart attack this past Wednesday as well as surgery right after. You would think that she would stay home and recover for a few weeks, but no! She was there at ward council and stayed for all three hours of church! She even shared her testimony in sacrament meeting. She is so firmly rooted in the gospel and she knows what is important to her. She doesn't let her limitations stop her. 

I'm sorry I don't have time to write back individually this week! We have zone activity day today and we don't have time. But know that I love you all! Happy Mothers day! 

"...Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:9-10

Love ya, 

Sister Gessel

"But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually..."

Hermana Whitlock had never eaten Indian food! So we went and got chicken tikki masala, garlic naan and mango lassis! So good!!! The mango lassi was just like drinking a mango! We met this beautiful woman named Satia also! She was our server and her 2 kids and husband were there too. Argh, I want to go to India so badly! Someday!

So many miracles this week! God is good!

I'm sorry for not having a lot of time this week, but just know you are loved! By me and by our Heavenly Father! He knows you, turn to Him! His plan is 10x better than ours. We just have to take a step in the dark and our path will be illuminated. His light will always dispel the darkness of doubt or discouragement. :)

Love you,

Sister Gessel

2 Nephi 28
Hi everyone!

This week has been great! Hermana Whitlock and I have been working on
memorizing and knowing scriptures better and the one in the subject is
our scripture for the week! It's from Moroni 7:13. Last week was Romas
1:16. :) I'm really good at memorizing and then promptly
forgetting...so we're going to work on retaining too. :)

Teaching Penny and helping her progress has been the most amazing part
of the week. :) She came to church yesterday! It was such a great
Sunday to come! I love missionary work! I wish I could describe to you
what it's like in words!

We've been getting to know the members and this is one their cards! So funny!

Life in Temple Terrace :)

Brandon zone!

Love this!

We did service at a place where they have stuff for kids who have to go into foster care.

The sisters! Sisters House, Neibaur, Whitlock, Graham, me and Suman. They are amazing. :)

Love you all! Keep the faith! The spirit is real!

Sister Gessel

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, unto every one that believeth..."

Hi everyone! :)

Life here in the Temple Terrace part of Tampa is great! I have the
most amazing companion, she is the best. :) Our apartment has been
having some issues so we've spent the last week with the sisters
serving in the YSA (young single adult) Ward. They have been so kind
and it has been so fun to get to know them better! They each are such
great examples!

This week we've spent time serving online (we're basically the other
side of Mormon.org) as well as getting to know other ward members and
teaching lessons in our area. Online we call people who have ordered
the Bible or Book of Mormon, we chat with people who have questions
(moments and nonmembers), sometimes we teach lessons online, etc. This
week we got to speak with missionaries in Ghana and tell them about a
referral headed their way. Hermana Whitlock got to speak with some
members in Peru who were referring a friend in Chile. Chilean
addresses are sure hard to find, but it's been an adventure!

We also were trying to visit a new member this week, but it turns out
the address we had for her hadn't been changed to her new address, so
instead we met her husband's grandma! She is awesome! She's had so
many experiences with the church in the past and was so excited to
read the Book of Mormon. We are going to see her tomorrow, we will
keep you updated. :)

We also had a zone Training Meeting on Wednesday. It was all about
baptism and it was such a good meeting! Moroni 6 is such a great
chapter. We did a short training on the importance of keeping records
and remembering those who have made that sacred covenant with God.
Once they're baptized we can't forget them! We are all brothers and
sisters and we've got to help each other remember how to get back to
our Heavenly Father. :)

Here are a few pictures of the week. :)

Heading back from zone Training Meeting :) My companion is awesome!

This is real life!

Me and my new companion Hermana Whitlock! She is amazing!

Sister Watkins, me and Sister Alder at Panera before we left for transfers. Love them all!

Saying good bye to Tiffiny was so hard, but I know she is in such good hands! He has taken care of her from day 1. Way better than I ever could. :) We will always be sisters!

Our little "office" haha. I seriously love it!

As we have been reflecting on the life of the Savior this past week I have such gratitude in my heart! He didn't have to do what He did. But He did it ALL because He loved us, He wanted us to progress, to have a chance. Even though He went through so many trials and burdens He was and is the Prince of Peace. He saw the end from the beginning, He knew what He was called to do and He did it without wavering. I'm so grateful. Through Him I have found peace. I know He knows me. Better than I know myself. He knows what I need. I love my Savior and I want to do my best to serve Him everyday. I know His Atonement is real.

Thank you for being who you are. Never give up! You are never alone!

Love you all!

Sister GesselHi everyone!

Holy cow, this week has been amazing! I LOVE being an online
missionary! It was hard to leave Sarasota and the amazing people I've
met there, but I love change! I've been so grateful to be put in a
place where I can learn and grow!

This is one of our favorite member couples from Sarasota! They're
awesome member missionaries!

Changes all around :)

Hi everyone! 

Hope your week has been good! There are some exciting changes coming! I found out I will get to go be with Sister Whitlock at the mission office and do some online missionary work! I'm really excited! It'll be a good change. Sister Alder will be going to a new area too. :) 

One thing that I'm so grateful for is that the spirit always is working with us to prepare us for change. I'm so grateful for the people I've met here in Sarasota, it's been an incredible area to be in. Sister Felt will be coming up and I'm excited for that! We will be leaving the Harpers and others in good hands. :) At times in my mission I've gotten caught up thinking that we as the missionaries are the ones holding everything together. I've had so many reminders that we've just got to rely on Him. The Lord will accept of out efforts if we do our best. President reminded me of this scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 101:16 "Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God." 

The gospel is true, Heavenly Father is in charge, it's not over till it's over. 

Love you, 

Sister Gessel

Some of the awesome YSA Relief Society sisters! :) I will miss them! 

Don't forget to check out Mormon.org :) 

O How Great the Plan of Our God!

Sister Vaka'uta, one of the YSA branch counselors wives gave us these necklaces from Tonga! So nice of her. :)!

I know that God lives and that he loves us! Sometimes things are really hard before they get better, but all things work according to His plan. Life isn't without trials, it takes choosing to see the light and choosing to have hope. My sister sent a letter a few weeks ago and it said "Imagination is a powerful tool - take time to meditate and imagine every good outcome." I've tried to put that into practice this week and during study I think about and write down the possible positive outcomes for the day and it has made a difference! I feel happier and I have hope that things will work out. I often try to do things my own way and it never works as well as when I'm humble and seek to do things His way. It's the only way we're going to be successful!

I love you all! Look for the tender mercies. Know God loves you! He knows you!

Love,

Sister Gessel

Recent Favorite Talks:
O How Great the Plan of Our God - Oct. 2016 - President Uchtdorf
Joy and Spiritual Survival - Oct. 2016 - President Nelson
If Ye Would Serve Them, Love Them - March 1986 Ensign
Your Own MTC - March 1989 Ensign


This week has been incredible. :) So many tender mercies! First things
first, Yvonne, Robert and Robby came to church!!!!!!!!!!!! They were
only able to stay for sacrament meeting, but they said they really
enjoyed it! We were able to go by last night and follow up. :) They
asked about the temple and we were able to testify that they can be
with their family forever! We also were able to start reading the Book
of Mormon with them. Quick background story of how we found them. When
sister Kirton was here we were tracting sometime in January or
December and we met Yvonne! She was at work taking care of a lady who
owned the house. She seemed interested and said we could come by again
and she'd listen if she had time, but we were never able to set up
anything solid. So we decided to let it go for a while. Then sister
Alder and I were tracting at the beginning of February and we met a
lady named Carla who said she was busy but we could come by later. So
we decided when we were in the area again a few days later that we
would try the house. No one answered and as we were leaving the porch
a car pulled into the driveway and guess who got out! Yvonne! She
laughed and said, how did you find my house?? We told her about
meeting Carla who we found out was a relative that had returned home.
We met her husband Robert and their 10 year old son Robby! It turns
out Robert went to church in New York with members of the church who
lived across the street when he was a kid! It took a few weeks to have
a time to meet and have a lesson and then it took almost a month after
that to have a second lesson. We weren't able to get in contact with
them easily and we were worried, but we just kept trying and this last
week we had a great lesson and invited them to read and pray about the
Book of Mormon. So long story short, don't give up when you feel like
someone may be ready! God is preparing hearts! Please keep them in
your prayers! They are a special family.

I'm so grateful we were able to listen to the General women's
conference on Saturday night! It's something I always look forward
too! Two tender mercies that stuck out to me - the first talk was able
my absolute favorite scriptures Proverbs 3:5-6 and they sang Guide Us
O Thou Great Jehovah - one of my favorite hymns! I loved the imagery
of not leaning to our own understanding and staying centered on Jesus
Christ. I am so grateful for her faithful women of the church - here
in Florida and around the world. Two of the women in the ward were
able to invite their friends to listen also!

We also had the opportunity this week to serve "Brother Maarten" as he
calls himself. :) He's a man from the Netherlands that we met a few
weeks ago. He has an 80 year old giant African sausage tree (that's
what he said it was called! Haha) in his front yard and it drops tons
of leaves! Tiffiny was able to come too and we raked up some leaves
and had a lesson. :)

Florida

We had a great exchange filled with miracles this past week! :) Love my sisters!

Our ward mission leader took us out for fish a few weeks ago!

I am so excited for General conference! In case you didn't know the women's conference is this next Saturday! Don't forget to think of some questions you'd like to ponder! The prophets are inspired by God and through the spirit and their words our questions can be answered! :)

Love you all,

Sister Gessel

D&C 100:4-8
"The Will Within" President Monson - April 1987 - Such a good talk!


Hi everyone! :)

We had a great zone training meeting this past week! It's always great
to get together and learn from each other and the spirit! :) This is a
picture of our zone! Our MTC district is finally together in the same
zone! Sister Hunt, Sister Jensen and I! :)