From Elder A. Goff - "3rd week, 3rd transfer, 4th area."

Well family,

This week has been tough for my companion Elder House. Mostly the last couple of days. We started out the week on Tuesday with team ups with the assistants, Elder King and Elder Heywood. We worked all day, including Elder House. Then Wednesday we worked all day again, then that evening he was told by President to cool it. To go back to the house and stop trying to be superman. We noticed early in the week where he had his appendix out there was a funky looking bulge. I told him to call the doc and find out what he needed to do. He would then say he was fine and tell me that he didn't have the doc's number anyway. So this went on until Saturday when the bulge was started to really hurt him. So I got on Google and found the number for Dr. Miller. I called and the lady that answered asked if it was an emergency and I said yes. She paged Dr. Miller and he called our cell almost immediately. He drove up from Thermopolis and called us when he got to Worland. Then we met him down at the hospital. He checked it out and said that he probably had an infection. So he got some antibiotics and the doc told him to put a heat pad on it for the night and he would call Sunday after church and meet us at the hospital again in case it didn't go away. Well, it didn't go away. So Dr. Miller had to open the wound back up and drain it then packed it. Which means he put gauze in his wound so now it gets to heal from the inside out. Today the nurse came in and changed it. Elder House was not a fan and I can't blame him. It did not look like fun having gauze pulled out of his open hole in his tummy. Then she had to put another piece in it. And tomorrow I get to learn how to do it so I can do it for Elder House as he heals. There are some pictures we took of it, but I'm not sure all of you would enjoy seeing it. It looks pretty rad, I didn't get dizzy or anything. Maybe I'll do surgery like Jason. It didn't bother me. Who knows though. Maybe it will tomorrow when I learn how to pack it. The part I'm not excited about is hurting him. He said the packing part really hurt. I don't think it's only that though, I think he is hurting other ways too. I think he is sick of being in the hospital on his mission. He has had a couple of surgeries on his mission. Hopefully he heals quick. Keep him in your prayers.

The week other than that has been good. We still taught 16 lessons, without doing a whole lot. Taught a lot of people online. The facebook stuff is picking up. I just need to find a more effective way of getting people to follow my blog. Thanks for all your love and support. Less than thirty days until I call home? I think so.

Love, Elder Austin Gene Goff

Current Area: Worland, Wyoming
Current Companion: Elder House

From Elder S. Goff - "Thanksgiving"

Elders eating Thanksgiving dinner at the buffet  :)

This week went pretty well first off, Tiff I have been meaning to tell you that I met elder Hobbs from Ogden Utah and he is in my zone. He is a really good guy.

This week for thanksgivings I was down in Tampico for a training thing for all the leaders of the mission. I was there Thursday and Friday. We talked about the ways we can help the mission improve and about upcoming plans for this month. I’m really excited to see how the work goes this month I think it will be great. Also in the training on Thursday night president call took us all out to eat at a buffet and it was amazing a lot better than last year that’s for sure. When I was down there I went and stayed with some other elders and I was put with a guy who s name is elder Ochoa. He has the same amount of time as me but is a complete stud. We went out and were working together and we found some awesome people in his area that I think will progress. We were also able to put 2 baptism dates with a family we contacted. They are for Christmas day. Everything went really great.

We are working like crazy trying to find new people because we dropped a bunch that weren’t really doing anything. I want to have a little more success in this month so we are going to do all we can to make it happen.

Sorry don’t have too much time this week we are moving our house in just a bit and I have to go get some things ready I love you all have a great week

Love, Elder Goff

Current Area: Victoria City, Mexico
Current Companion: Elder Tec

From Elder S. Goff - "Transfers"

Well today was changes and nothing is happening to me and my son Elder Tec we will stay the same for another change. We are getting some work don’t so it’s ok with me that we will be together longer. I just hope I don’t bother him to bad.

So yesterday in church we had a great turn out. We had nine investigators in church. I was so happy that so many showed up.

There is this family name fam. Villanueva that I really love so much. The lady of the house is called lupita. She is such a great lady. She came to church yesterday for the first time and liked it she said. We went by her house in the night to see how the family was doing and she was really surprised and happy we stopped by. She had a couple questions from church that she asked us. She had no idea what D and C was. I guess they had a lesson in RS that they used a lot of scriptures from DnC and she didn’t know what it was. we explained it to her and everything and she pulled out a paper from her class where it had a list of scriptures that they used well she doesn’t have DnC or anything so she didn’t get to participate in the class but I left her my BOM with DnC so she will be able to study this week. I'm going to Tampico this week for training and I think I'm going to buy there family a set of scriptures for Christmas. I think they would like that. I think the world of this family and I really want to help them find the truth but its really hard for the sister to just change she says but we are doing all we can to help her but we can only do so much. Her and her family will be great members of the church of Christ so I just want to help them.

Hna lupita taught me something the other day too that I didn’t know. I guess the aloe-vera plant isn’t good just for burns on the skin but its also great for heart burn. she said if you get the juice out and get it, it helps a lot and as well if you put it is shampoo it helps your hair be stronger and thicker. She even said it helps bring back lost hair and well pops I think this plant was made for you :) love you

I have a question for anyone that can help me. I want to know what the 7 dispensations were. I know we are in the last on but I don’t know what they all are and I have been studying it and have found a couple but not all 7 so if someone can help me that’d be great.

Well everything else here is going really good just loving life and keeping on. I love you all and I hope everything is going great for yall as well.

Love, elder sawyer Goff

Ps. thought of something else I want for Christmas the rubics cube that I said before and some jerky from Uncle Erik

Current Area: Victoria City, Mexico
Current Companion: Elder Tec

From Elder A. Goff - "4th area, 2nd week, 3rd transfer"

Hey everyone,

So by now you may know that Elder House had his appendix out. He has had chronic stomach pains for a while now and just never wanted to go to the doctor. Sister Snyder says it's her fault he ended up in the hospital. The night before she prayed that the pain would either go away or get bad enough for him to go to the hospital. haha Tuesday we woke up and went to Thermopolis about half an hour away to go on team ups with Elders Horspool and Jamsa. We did our online stuff and ate lunch, then went to their place for something. Elder house laid on the bed and was in a lot of pain. So he said I think I need to go to the hospital. So we drove back to Worland and went to the hospital. When we got there we went to the emergency room, and they did a cat scan and said he had appendicitis. However, they thought he had colitis or crones too. They weren't sure which.

He went in for surgery, and I had to leave. We had a leadership meeting in Billings on Wednesday and President still wanted me to go. So myself and the 2 district leaders drove to Billings and left 2 elders with Elder House. As well as a bunch of members who came to visit...A LOT! Anyways I went o the meeting and got back Wednesday night and stayed with Elder House in the hospital. He has some crazy staples. I'll send pictures later. :) One of the doctors even gave him pictures of his insides. :S It's pretty rad looking.

So we didn't get a whole lot done this week. A whopping 3 lessons were taught. haha BUMMER. But we worked out some team ups with another set of elders and also with some members who have offered to help us out while Elder House is down and out. There are such great people here. Taking care of my Elder House haha.

Tiff and Pops! Thank you so much for getting all the stuff for school done for me. I talked to President about starting to apply and he told me I can do whatever I need to. So I can start filling that stuff out you sent to me. I'll get signed up later today. So do I just need to let you know when I am finished filling it all out? I have no idea what this process is like haha. At least I have you to help. :)

I hope you start feeling better Tiff. Being sick is no fun. You are one tough chick though. Dealing with all that all the time. Did they ever do a cat scan with you tiff? They used this dye stuff with Elder House and did a cat scan. That's how they figured out about his crones and appendix. I wish I was a doctor so I could make you all better. Going to your goof ball bro would be scarier than another doc I think. :) I love you though. You are in my prayers. :) LOVE YOU ALL!!! MUAH!!! 33 days until I can call home.

Love, Austin

Current Area: Worland, Wyoming
Current Companion: Elder House

From Elder S. Goff - "Hola Fam"

Elder Sawyer Garrett Goff - Victoria City, Mexico

Welp

The Goff and Tec show

Well this week was filled with adventures. With other elders coming to our area and me kicking Tec out in to the world alone to learn for himself. We were in a 3 sum for a day because another district leader was going to do divisions so he left his son with me to take care of him. Elder cook from Syracuse, Utah. He has about 3 months in the mish. Well he came with us to work and well my comp and I had another person from our ward coming to help us that same day so we ended up doing splits. I went with elder cook and Tec went with Marcos our ward mission leader. The night went good and I think it was really needed for my friend the cook. He is getting tired of being with his dad and well just wants a change. He seemed to be loving life when he was with us but he said usually he never talks in the street and he is just bored all the time but I think I helped him have fun. I told him there is no sense in doing it if you’re really not happy. I was like I think even Jesus said jokes to his apostles when they were preaching or played with the Pharisees when they were trying to trick him. I mean I bet he thought it was hilarious when he was walking on water and they thought he was a ghost. I told him ya gotta have fun, talk and joke around. Don’t make yourself look like an idiot in front of everyone in the street but have a good time. Show the people you enjoy being here and they will want to listen. I think I helped the cook see the bright side of the mission. :)

The next day after he took off with his comp again, my comp took off with one zone leader and the other one came with me. I was with a guy from my same group but he is from México, Elder Cardenas. We had a great time together. We ended up putting another baptism date and just enjoying life. We were booked when he came with me and we ended up even running to some appointment that we had. It was great. I really felt like that’s the way we should work. I've never had someone who has wanted to run because we were late but I loved doing it because people could see that they were important to us. I really enjoyed being with him for that day.

We also had zone conference this week. It went really great. We talked about faith and we read a talk from elder Bednar that was talking about the faith we put in our prayers that I loved. Like in James in the bible it says faith without works is dead well bednar explained it in his talk great. He said its like when people get up and say a prayer to bless the missionaries to find more people or that the people who aren’t here can be here next week. Well we can put that in our prayer all the time if we want. But what are we doing to help? When we say prayers like that, we need to do our part. Tell the missionaries about your friend so they can find them and go out and see why the people weren’t at church. I’m not positive what the talk is called but I will let yall know next week.

I'd like to send a shout out to JOLI for her 16th B DAY this week! Felicidades! I love ya sis. Also, Tiff tell your neighbors thanks for the drawings they sent me, I love them.

I love you all have a great week

Love Elder Goff

Current Area: Victoria City, Mexico
Current Companion: Elder Tec

From Elder A. Goff - "Week 1, 3rd transfer, 4th area"

Hey Everyone,

So this week was as normal as any onther on my mission. I hope you are all taking the time to read my blogs. I feel like when I come to e-mail that I'm all typed out, but I better e-mail or I might get in trouble. :)

We had a conference call this week. Well I guess 3 of them. One with the New Trainers, one with the new District Leaders and One with all of the Zone Leaders. It was interesting. President Gardner started out by asking Elder House and I to talk about the incredible week we had when we taught 38 lessons and set 5 baptismal dates. So we just talked about the meeting with Elder Packer. How we wrote down as a companionship things we could work on. We didn't only write them down, but we truely tried to do better in about 8 things. We had quite the list. So that entire week we tried to fix those "little things" and as we did it made the biggest difference. We listened to the spirit and did what it told us to do. It was an incredible week. I just thought it was funny President put us on the spot. Hopefully it will help some others to change the "little things" as well.

It finally snowed!!! about a forth of an inch last night. haha Apparently Worland doesn't get a lot of snow. Which is a bummer. I think that if it's going to be cold it may as well snow and cover up all of the BROWN!! So it hasn't snowed pretty much as all in the valley. There is snow on the mountains all around, but that's about it.

Elder House and I and the 2 district leaders in our zone are going to Billings Tomorrow night for a meeting on Wednesday. It should be good. I'm excited. Elder Child is a Zone leader too, so I'll finally get to see him again. I haven't seen him in over a year. I haven't seen him since he left Helena. He seems to be doing really well from what everyone has told me. I like these meetings, not only are they helpful for us and our Zone, but they are also really neat because we get to see everyone. Well I guess we will only see half of the mission's Leadership.

I'm sending Joli a package today. I don't know if it will get there by Wednesday, but I'm going to try to get it there by then. I think she will like what I got her. If she doesn't she can send it back and I'll use it. ;) I might look kind of funny though. :D

So today Elder House and I are going to go talk to Chuck Russell, and find out more about this firefighting gig. I think it will be a good thing. He hires 52 seasonal workers. So it would only be for the summer. We would go wherever the fires are, Alaska, Cali, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, pretty much anywhere. We'll see what happens. I'm more than likely going to apply and give it a try. I want to try something new. Something that will keep me busy. Something that will work my bottom off. I think this might be just the job. Tiff is going to help me apply to; Dixie, BYUI and Snow. Those are the only 3 I really feel good about. Then I'll decide from there. :) I love you all and hope all is well, Thanks for your prayers and love.

Love, Elder Austin Gene Goff

Current Area: Worland, Wyoming
Current Companion: Elder House

From Elder S. Goff - "Hello World"

"Me, Macros Arriaga , and Elder Tec"

Hola caballeros

Well this week was a pretty great week from people making babies in cars to meeting a guy from Tennessee as well as someone people being converted unto the lord. There were a lot of things that went down this week and all in all it was a lot of fun. So we had the baptism of Marcos Arriaga this week the man who contacted us our first p day here and asked if we talk about god. He was an investigator of gold. Things went well for his baptisms not a lot of people showed up but eno9ugh to get the job done. His baptism was on Saturday and on Sunday we had planned to pick up like 7 investigators to go to church with us. we started going around at 7 30 in the morning to round them all up but not one of them was home or wanted to go when we went by. I was pretty upset but we did have Marcos with us cause he was going to be confirmed a member. Well we walked in the church and another one of our investigators was in there already sitting down and waiting. He said he got up and decided to walk alone. We went by his house to get him and his sister said he couldn’t go with us but he was already there so that was pretty awesome. I thought well at least we have one. As we were sitting there and started the sacrament meeting we ended up have 5 more inv. show up so he had 6 in churches it was pretty awesome and I was really happy for that. The services went really well. We even ended up getting a new ward mission leader. His name is Marcos Ordas he is 20 years old and is getting his mission papers ready to send in. he is really excited and want to go out with us a lot so he can learn and be a little more prepared. I'm super excited for that. I think ill be great.

So this week I can’t remember what day it was but we went to our food and no one was there to give us any so I was like I guess well go home and eat. I asked my comp if he wanted to buy anything from the store first he said yeah and we stopped real fast to buy stuff he bought some eggs and I bout some tortillas and cheese. We were walking back to our house when a guy said hey ELDERS! Usually it’s drunk in the street that says that or someone who has talked a lot with us before we went and talk to the guy he was on his way to Tampico. He was living in Tennessee is a member and the immigration found him and sent him back this way. His family lives in Tampico and he was just trying to make it there. we talked to him for awhile and well I felt like he needed the food we had more then what we did so I was like here I bought this stuff for you we handed him the food and he just looked at us and said what are you guys going to eat I said oh well be fine you get some food in you and get back to your family then we took off to work some more. I felt so good for doing it and so did my comp he told me. The dude was a really good guy and just needed some help.

We have this other inv. whose name is Edgar Figaroa. well he is here studying to be a veterinary person (the pet doctors) we found him contacting and we have talked with him a few times and well I never thought he was to interested till the other day this week we went by for the 3rd time and we had planned on teaching him the plan of salvation and well he never invites us in and we were outside his house and explained it to him and I just want to do it in a place sitting down starting and ending with prayer so I asked if we could put a date to come back later and we could go to the church and talk and he said yeah so we put a date and were going to leave and he asked what we were going to do. I was like well right now we are going to walk to another part of town for another cita he was like oh ok well is it ok if I come. I was like well yeah why not if you want. He went in and put on his jacket and came back out. We had a little bit of time still before the next cita so I decided to stop by the church and show it to him. we was with us walking around to citas for like an hour and a half it was really awesome the whole time he was asking questions and we were able to get to know him better. I thought he wasn’t interested at all but he really is I guess. I was pretty awesome.

Well that’s all the time I have but I love you all. I didn’t get to tell yell about all the things that happened this week but I few of them. Are here I have the rest in my diario. I love you guys thanks for your support.

Love Elder Sawyer Garrett Goff

"In front of a Catholic church... it's like my life story in a drawing"

"A pole of gum... I told my comp I would give him 500 pesos if he ate one but he wouldn't do it and I asked if I did it if he would give me 500 and he told me no cause he knew I would do it :) "

"My super man suit I bought for 25 pesos (like 2 bucks) It was a bargain! I had to get it :) "

 "I almost fit in it pretty good... I'll go on a diet so I can wear it next Halloween"

Current Area: Victoria City, Mexico
Current Companion: Elder Tec

From Elder A. Goff - "Staying in Worland"

Hey Everyone.

I'm sure you already know from my facebook, but I am staying in Worland with Elder House for another 6 weeks. Which will be great. We work well together, and there as a lot going on I would hate to miss out on. The people that are really close are doing well. The hard part seems to be getting them to come to church. It's hard to go into a new place. Even when they know people who go. That's been the biggest struggle. I don't want to baptize someone who is just going to stop going after they are baptized. I want a solid baptism. Someone who really sees what they are learning. It's been hard not having someone like that yet. That person will come though. I know it.

This week was good. Spent most of the week of Team ups with the Lander and Riverton Elders. It was good to go down to Lander and see some of the people from there. I didn't get to see all the people I wanted to, but that's alright. I love team ups. I always seem to learn so much. That many Elders in that much time. You are bound to learn from them. Everyone has different spiritual gifts. It's pretty neat to see them use them all the time, and to see how they use them. I'm so impressed by missionaries. All of them. Each one has different talents and abilities. Each has personal problems, concerns and challenges. With all of those things weighing on them everyday they still go out, and try to help anyone they can. I love these Elders and Sisters. :D

Elder House and I got back on Friday and waited for transfer calls. We found out we were both staying. We lost Elder Catron, Elder Herber and Sister Nez. We got Elder Brunson. The Elder that Elder House trained. He is in Lander. While elder Butler and Sister Stallions are both training. So, their greenies won't be here until Wednesday.

Elder Ika is training as well. Elder Child is now a zone leader in Wyoming North. So I'll get to see him again. I haven't seen him in a long time. Elder Newman is a District Leader now. So my boys are growing up to be strong Elders in the mission. :) Papa Austy is so proud. haha

It sounds like everyone is doing alright. You should ask some questions or something. I feel like I don't give you all want you want to hear every week. Then I'll answer. :D I love you all.

Love, Elder Austin Gene Goff

Current Area: Worland, Wyoming
Current Companion: Elder House

From Elder S. Goff - "Week 3"

I hope this isn't a picture the mission president was planning to hang on his wall.. haha!  If so, I guess Elder Goff will always be noticed :)  Silly boy!  His friend from St. George stands out more than he does so I guess that's good!  It gave me a good laugh :)

Well first off Jason you’re a stud I'm glad to hear that you got accepted into med school!!! I will for sure visit you guys back there if that’s where you guys end up going. Congrats bro.

Well this week has gone well. We have been tearing this area up. We have been doing an activity with every family in our ward and this week we will see if it is working. we have like a little family night with the members and tell them how we have been blessed threw the mission along with our families and then we ask then how the church has blessed their lives they tell us a little bit and then we share scriptures of people that were blessed with being members as well I always share alma 36:24-26 witch talks about alma hijo tell about his blessing from his convecion. My comp shares one as well and then we invite them to feel the joy that there is in the work we are doing. We take out a peace of paper and tell them to write down anyone they can thing of who isn’t a member, and then we invite them to pray about the names and then will know who is ready to receive the message that we have. We put an appointment to return to their house and they are supposed to have someone from their list waiting there to hear the 1st lesson. I’m pretty excited to go back with some member this week and they have someone waiting to listen to the message. I think it’ll go great.

This week went by super fast like all the weeks have been going lately. I have been trying to do better about writing in my journal every night because I hardly ever wrote before. Well see if I can have my journal full by the time I get home. I’m trying to write something about everyday in it and its going well. I’m trying to write it all good and bad so I can remember exactly how it was. I love it here and I know I’m supposed to be here in Victoria and in this mission I keep finding more and more reason why I know that that is true. I love you all I hope yall had a great Halloween. Have a great week as well.
Con cariño
Elder Goff
And some photos from the training I had. I love the one where everyone is being serious but me and my buddy blazard from st gezee.

Current Area: Victoria City, Mexico

Current Companion: Elder Tec

From Elder A. Goff - "Best week EVER!"

Elder Horspool, Herber, Jamsa, House Butler and Goff.  The District.

Hey Everyone,

Elder house and I had quite the week this week. I'll just start by saying, 6 baptismal dates, 8 Member Present Lessons, 13 Other Lessons, 12 Less-Active lessons and 6 progressing investigators. Elder House and I sat down after our Zone Conference with Elder Alan Packer and talked about things we wanted to work on to have the spirit more. We talked about a lot of little things we knew we could work on. So that's what we did, and what a huge difference the little things make! We Prayed a lot, Listened a lot and answered every time. I think that's the reason all of this has happened. We put it in the Lord's hands and went to work.

We set dates with a part member family, The Rasberry's, They have two kids over the age of 8 that want to be baptized. Steffany Salcedo is another one, She has a step sister who served a mission, and has never been way interested in the gospel. Now she is. Jason Allen, a 17 year old who knows the church is true. Amber Kunz, Her husband is a member of the church, but is pretty less active. We went with bishop to visit them the first time. Amber had her work out buddy over, Darcy. So now Amber and Darcy both have dates. So that's the 6. Transfers are on Friday. I'm not worried at all. This has been one of the best transfers of my mission. For sure one of the best weeks. Elder House and I work so well together. I know If I leave he will make sure these people are taken care of. We shall see what happens once again.

We were also asked earlier in the week to speak at the Ten Sleep branch. Once again I felt like the spirit was so strong. I was asked to speak on how gaining a testimony of The Book of Mormon could help us do missionary work. I had some notes in my planner for my talk, and when I got up it's like it all flowed perfectly. I bore my testimony at the end and it was incredible. I have felt the spirit that strong only on a few occasions. It was like my whole body was on fire. Starting at my head going to my feet. I just hope everyone else felt what I did.

Elder House and I are ended down to Lander for team ups. It's the last week of the transfer, but we are doing it now because we need to do a couple of baptismal interviews so they can be baptized this weekend. I'm excited to go down south again. I might not get to do that again for a little while. At least I get to see one of my old areas. I'm going to get my eyebrows plucked today :S haha I am sure I'm going to cry. I'm a baby.

So family, I have been thinking about what to do when I get home. There is a member here, Brother Russell, He works for the BLM as a firefighter. He talked to Elder house and I and told us that during the summers he has college age people come work for him fighting fires all over. I would make anywhere from $8000-$10,000 in the summer. That would set me up for college. So I have been thinking about doing it a lot. I would only be home for like 2 weeks before I left again. What do you all think? We better get going. I love you all.

Love, Elder Austin Gene Goff

 

New Buffalo Riders Picture.

Sunset. Worland, WY.

Current Area: Worland, Wyoming

Current Companion: Elder House