MAY 22, 2017 -- WEEK 30

This week has been pretty cool.

So we got the transfers. I'm staying in my area, ATALAYA 3, with my companion Elder Berrú. They are taking the other set of missionaries out of the ward, so our area just doubled.

We are doing well, I am very happy to be here in Colombia. I feel like my ability to be a missionary is always getting better and more and more of my own free will, because I realize that I've almost spent half of my mission. I need to work harder!!

This Transfer is going to be very cool, because I need to work in two areas, with the same comp, and I'll be basically running everything. I am super happy and I'm feeling motivated. The thing is that I know the Lord blesses his children.

This week we had the opportunity to watch Gustavo Adolfo Pren Mantillon get baptized. He brought his girlfriend, his family, and his extended family and invited friends to his baptism. He has been active getting the Book of Mormon shared. He was converted by it, and more specifically the spirit of God that testified to him of the truthfulness of the book. I'm so grateful to be able to see his  conversion, and how strong it is.

One of the sisters in my district, Hermana Juarez, is going to my old area, CEDROS!! I wrote her a bunch of notes, and asked her to give them to members in my old area. I expect to be able to see them write me back! But yeah, what a really cool experience.

This week, I testify of the power of singing!!! This last General Conference there was a talk by Jeffrey R. Holland that talked about the power of singing. It is a prayer of the righteous unto God!!!

D & C 25:12   

For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

I am so grateful for it. Every meeting we have is started with a hymn, and a prayer. I know that singing pleases God, and can communicate His gospel more strongly than almost any other medium. It is powerful. We should always be singing unto God for His many blessing. Singing helps me to feel happy, and I know that it will please God, and relieve our burdens.

Thanks for the love! 

It was a great transfer, and I expect to get through this next one with even more baptisms.

Élder TRAXI 

(everybody says my name -- Tra-xi.)

 Edgy

MAY 15, 2017 -- WEEK 29

This week was Stake Conference, and so we went to the chapel at Quinta Bosch Stake Center. 

We had the bus bring people again, and we had a lot of investigators show up. We had the opportunity for the investigators to listen to a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, the Stake President, and the Mission President. That was super powerful for them, and I know they came out of it with a stronger testimony.

This week we've been really focusing on an investigator called Gustavo. He is 24, he lived a crazy live before.  When he met us, he dropped alcohol, dropped the girls, and he has been coming to church. He shares the Book of Mormon with other people, and he is just becoming converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This week we have been getting along really well in my area, ATALAYA 3, and we have been doing some work!  I expect to be able to reap the white field, and see the results of my labor.

I testify of the Book of Mormon.  It is the most important thing that anybody on this earth can ever find. I know that if we read it, we will receive spiritual power, and God will come into our lives, and help us know what path He wants us to take. Why would He create a world where we couldn't be sure what path to take to return to Him? He hasn't. God has His prophet, we are continually receiving revelation. It is such a blessing and comfort to know it.

Write me everybody! It has been a great week, so ask me about it! 

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO EVERYBODY! ESPECIALLY DANA TRACY. She is a wonderful woman.

Élder Tracy

MAY 8, 2017 -- WEEK 28

Hello my dudes.

This week was pretty cool. I have been trying my best to find new ways of finding investigators, because of an amazing experience I had.

We were contacting one day and we couldn't find a direction.  So I asked a lady for directions to the address and we got to talking.  A lady in a motorcycle out of nowhere passed us and said "HEY WAIT FOR ME."  So we waited, and after like ten minutes she got back, and she said "COME OVER TO MY HOUSE!"  So we went over and she said the Elders came one year ago, and so then we said well that's cool. She then left and called all of the neighborhood children together so that we could teach them a lesson. We taught them in a really simple way that God loves them and Jesus died for them.  Basically the restoration points 1-4. That was cool. So now I have a weekly primary class out in the boonies of Cucuta! 

We had one investigator attend church, Mr. Levinson. He walked 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to church. Holy heck. He showed up alone because he didn't have money to pay to bring HIS FAMILY WITH HIM, BUT IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE! He bore his testimony that he thought that life was to be enjoyed by drinking and making bad decisions, because he works in the mines, where they don`t know if they will leave from one day to the next.  But when he came to church he knew it was true, and he felt joy enter his heart to know that he can change. Wooooow. God prepares his children.

This week I testify of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that it changes lives, and that when we apply it we can truly feel this joy that my investigator felt. I know that God loves his children, and he is just. Like in the story of Jonah, he calls all men. Not just those of the promised land, but Ninevah (us) He always will try to be there to help us and to extend his hand to save us. We need to act. Ninevah didn't have anybody in the city eat or drink to try and turn away God's wrath. This doctrine is simple. Have faith, repent, be baptized with fruits that are truly meet for this act of repentance.  To start a new life, and to follow that path until you hit the end. There is no other way. 

2 John 1:9-11

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

This doctrine is true. I preach it to all men that will hear my voice. I love this gospel. Nobody can change the truth, nor should they want to. We change to the masters call, but His call is eternal, from everlasting to everlasting. HE WANTS US ALL TO COME BACK TO HIM! 

John 3:16-17

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

I know it!

Èlder Tracy

May 1, 2017 -- WEEK 27

This week was super cool. 

We had a bus route that brought investigators to church and it was so awesome! SOOOO AWESOME!

This week I started studying the Book of Mormon from the beginning again. I'm going strong in 1st Nephi 10. I really love the Book of Mormon.

I am trying to write fast cuz I don't have much time!

This week I have been having a lot of success. I think the hotter it is the more people come to church. I am trying to fix up my house, and I've been enjoying a lot of ice cream. 

I know the Book of Mormon is true. It has power. 

I know it is True. 

I know it. 

I know it.

Êlder Tracy

APRIL 24, 2017 -- WEEK 26

This is Élder Traxi coming at ya live 
from Cúcuta, ATALAYA 3.

This week has been pretty dope. We had a ton of success, and I've been really praying for something like this to happen. I am getting a lot of really cool experiences here that are just kinda hard to describe. It's a really cool area and I'm glad to be a missionary.

So this week we have been focusing on how we can start doing more Family Home Evenings to get places where we can gather investigators.  For me I am trying to know all of the members of the ward, which is kinda hard because the area is split into two parts, but it will get going pretty soon.

So we had exchanges with the zone leaders, and it went super well. I felt happy to be doing the work even though it wasn't in my area. 

I don't have much time left but I'm still trying to slam this thing out before I go.

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses the family!  I know that as we base ourselves in his gospel that we can become clean and have a more united, and stronger family. I know that we are imperfect, and that we fail everyday, but the Lord can make up the difference. We just gotta put our faith in Him. I am really grateful that we have that opportunity, because it helps us develop humility as well. When we are humble, the Lord will respond to our prayers and as it says in the scripture, lead us by the hand. But also we have to use our brains, like it says in D&C 111:11. 

I love you all. keep up the good fight wherever you are. Domino's pizza SUCKS!

élder Tracy

Chicken Heart Soup