OCTOBER 23, 2017

Well I am not gonna lie. I have been being pretty lazy about writing for these last few weeks, but I am going to repent and get better. 

So for the last few weeks, I'm just gonna be real and say I don't remember much of what we did, but I will start with the biggest stuff that happened.

So I had a two day interchange (switching companions). Really we just started P-Day at night so it wasn't actually two days but kinda. On P-Day, we went to be with Elders Blair and Jaque, and I went with Elder Jaque. Their Bishop, Wolfang, drew a portrait of me and gave me the drawing. Pretty cool. Then Jaque showed me an interesting balance trick with a toothpick, a spoon and fork, and a cup. Look that one up. Then the next day I was with Elder Blair. We had some really intense lessons, and we went contacting.  Just to give you an idea, we got invited to ice cream, I gave away my umbrella, and contacted people using a penny. Then we got this dude to walk like twenty minutes to the chapel and I did an inspired question once we got there. Elder Blair bowed his head and started praying, and so I thought for about a minute, and I had nothing in my head. So I just opened my mouth without any words in my mind, and the question came out  "What does your name mean to you?"  We tied it to family history, and then to taking upon him the name of Christ, and he accepted the invitation to be baptized. Pretty Cool Moment. 

Then the Zone Leaders from Barranca showed up that night, and we were there sleeping Me, Elders Blair, Skinner, Quiñonez, Navas, Christenson, Torres, Jaque, Heredia, Ferre, and Dias. Super Crazy night. Probably the biggest sleepover ever. We stayed up until like eleven talking about experiences we've had with evil spirits. P.S. they do exist, and crazy stuff happens here.

Had interviews with our Mission President, and Also The Multi zone. We talked about the vision to baptize, and how we need to do a lot better with that. Honestly, it put a lot of fire in my bones to be able to start baptizing and to keep on working, especially as District Leader, to do better and get work done.

Had Interchanges with Elder Skinner, who is also from Missouri. We came to my area, and just got stuck on trying to find a reference of a girl called Wendy. We got sent all over the place, but at the end never found her.

I don´t have much more time, but it was honestly a pretty cool Week. I got a ton of cool pictures also, so that´s good. The Internet here in Bucaramanga is quick so it sends way more pictures.

This week I would like to testify of the power of a good idea. I have been listening to some talks by sterling W. Sill, and he has some pretty great talks on the subject. I am feeling pretty excited to just think about how i can do better, and I was reading in Mosiah sixteen, and I found a good answer. Mosiah 16:13,15

As We help people come unto Christ, that is how we can bless them. I gave a talk in my ward this week about the same thing, and why the book of Mormon is so important. It is cool that the bishop is starting to trust us and I hope that we can keep on working here in La Cumbre.

I love you all. Not gonna lie I´m pretty bored when nobody writes me but my mom. Please Write me. It´d put EVEN more fire in my bones to keep on working.

Elder Tracy

JUNE 26, 2017 -- WEEK 35

Good afternoon.

So I didn't have much time to write last week, so I'm going to explain something really cool that happened last week before hopping into this weeks message.

So there is a member of the Quorum of the Seventy that lives in Bucaramanga (6 hours away) named Élder Ardila. He is in charge of Institutes of Religion for the church in all of a certain area, and that includes where I live, Cucuta. So he comes every month to check on how everything I s going, And told the guy in the Stake who is in charge of Institutes  (lives in my Ward), that he would be free on Wednesday afternoon and was looking for something to do.

I am the junior companion, my companion is the District Leader. I had the idea of inviting him to our District Meeting, and my companion was just like "well if you wanna do it."  So I texted my mission president, Can we invite him to teach us something? President calls me within five minutes, and tells me I can invite him, but the invitation has to be: "Elder Ardila! We heard you might be open this Wednesday, and we would love to be able to hear the witness of a special witness of Jesus Christ . As a zone of missionaries, we will be having a meeting this Wednesday. If you think you would be able to come to be with us, we are able to work around your schedule for a time period of (more or less) 30-45 minutes".   SO,  I did the invitation. I called Èlder Ardila, and he said YES! and also that he was going to go out with us on visits. 

So he got there, and he taught us a passage from Romans 2:16 - 23. And then we talked about our missionary purpose. Really cool. Then at three he came with us on visits. Our appointment fell through, so we decided to visit the Family Ardila, with Élder Ardila! We showed up, invited a few less active daughters who live with them, and he just smacked them with a really powerful lesson about repentance. The next Sunday, we had them all back in church, and this Sunday they showed up again. Really cool experience.

So this week, we started having a few problems as a companionship,   People weren't progressing how we wanted, the area is super huge and we were kinda getting behind the gun, and so we had a fight. We started talking a lot, and we came out of it with a few goals. One of my goals is that I'm going to make eggs every single morning for the two of us! That was pretty exciting also because I have  been kinda hungry the last few weeks, but we made sure to get the eggs to be ready to cook and eat eggs. lol

Anyway, this week I've just been enjoying trying to memorize the new scripture mastery passages. One that I really liked was just thinking about Genesis, the first verse of the Bible ! So far I am going for Exodus 20, the ten commandments (memorizing them).

This week, my testimony is over the creation! In Genesis 1:1 

And then in Genesis 1:3 

I have been trying to learn more about this stuff, and to just start working harder to improve my teaching skills, starting from Square 1! An interesting part of the scriptures, is that we can learn about who created the worlds. In Ephesians 3:9, it states:

The Bible in Spanish uses the word Jehovah almost every single time the word God, or Lord is used. It helps the Latinos learn that this wants to say to them, Jesus Christ.  It's something really unknown here. Everybody here is caught up on worshiping the Virgin Mary, or vainly repeating prayers to idols, that sometimes it's good to refresh them to believe in a God who has a body of flesh and bones, as well as His son Luke 24:36-39. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and I know he loves me! He loves all of us and so we should work harder everyday to try and create some more great experiences! One quick one

I was listening to an investigator talk to another missionary. And she said well I did this mistake, because you did not tell me not too. And then the missionary said I specifically told you not to do it! And then she said well it just didn't feel that strong. There is a talk by Sterling W. Still, where he explains about a man, who gets fired from his job, because even though he counseled the company or the organization to NOT do that thing, he didn't bang the table with his fist when he said it! So, the emphasis of the warning can also be just as important as the warning. (Him talking about God giving the commandments from Sinai with fire and smoke and thunder.)

I love the gospel! See you all next week my Brothers and Sisters!

ELDER TRAKY (TRACY)

FEBRUARY 12, 2018

This week we had a pretty awesome story.

So we were walking around last Monday, and I saw a guy in an MU jacket walking up the street. I went to contact him, and as we went to say hi he walked into a store.  So to play it cool, we contacted a guy standing outside of the store as we waited. But when we finished, I saw that the MU guy had escaped, and was about three blocks up the road from us. We ran to catch him, and he ended up being from Ecuador, and his brothers wife is from Columbia. Crazy world. Then we helped a guy right outside the MU guys house push a wheelbarrow kind of thing up a huge hill, and then contacted them, and then a little girl and a mom came up the same hill with a big bucket of clothes, so we helped them also, and she ended up to be the miracle.

She's Milena, her brother was baptized 15 years ago, but she basically knows everything about the church, and has seen movies like Johnny Lingo, and other oldies. She told us she needs the direction or guidance of God in her life, and said that she would like us to visit her, and also her brother who lives two blocks from her house. So we are going to be having some good visits tomorrow with them!

We had the multi-zone conference and other things, but I'm pretty short on time. So I would just like to say that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth. There is no other church that offers it's members an eternal family, and even if any other would, they don't profess to have the restored authority of God on the earth to offer these blessing, through saving ordinances like baptism, and the baptism of fire. It is a long process to learn these truths, but anybody who wants to, here is how it works. 

Moroni 10:3-5.

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Ask God, like Santiago (James) says in Santiago 1:5 

James 1:5

 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

He has responded to me, so I invite everyone who reads this to do the same.

Elder Tracy

APRIL 9, 2018

This week, we had the baptisms of Juan Diego y Camila Barrero.

We have been doing a lot of work here in Nogal!  We had our first baptisms here! It was an awesome day!  Honestly the service was jam packed, and the Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. There were literally no seats left! And I was translating the meeting into English like always. "D.J. (Disc Jockey) Tracy.

We have one investigator in specific that I want to talk about. Her name is Laura. She is from Cartagena. She is 23 years old and a lawyer.  We have been teaching her since February 10th.  She is reading, praying, has come to church, she has even fasted!  Well, she has her baptism set for the 21st of April, within 14 days, and it is just going to be awesome. 

Then, we have a lot of other people who just fell from the Sky.   For example, Sailako, (Miguel Pachecho). Sailako is his Chilean Indian name that a spiritual guide gave him. He is married to a less active girl, Lorena, who got baptized in the States, came back to Colombia and didn't return to church. They live right by the church building as well!

Another example, we were in the chapel, and there is a dog who ALWAYS follows us every day, and it was outside the chapel in the rain, but it didn't go home. And I was walking past as we filled up the font for the baptism, and there was a young woman just standing by the dog, and had bought it little bones to eat! We contacted her really quick, and she was really receptive. We gave her a tour of the chapel, and she said for us to come by on Saturday or Sunday. Another Miracle.

I know that the Lord lives. And I think it's especially fitting to testify of the Resurrection, a little late, after this Easter Sunday that passed. Often, Christians are recognized by the Cross of Jesus, which is the symbol of the Christian Faith. But, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints, you will hardly find a member, or in a chapel, any symbols of his death. Because we remember Him how He truly is. He is a resurrected being. A perfect Son, who gave His life for many. 

Like it says in 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 that this is His church. 

Elder Tracy

APRIL 2, 2018 -- CONFERENCE!!

This week was pretty cool. We had a lot of things to do.

Started on Thursday with a Zone contact activity. We took banners to a park and we contacted people giving out Books of Mormon and Liahonas magazines. 

Then on Saturday, just the craziest LDS General Conference I've experienced. When I heard all the changes, it was just mind blowing. I know that the Church still receives revelation, and that is the difference between The Church of the Lord and every other Church.

There are a lot of critics of the Church. A lot of people want to make the members feel embarrassed for what it does, and for what it stands for. But as I watched the LDS General Conference I felt the Holy Spirit testify to me that Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God. And as I listened to him speak, I felt something different than every other speaker.  I am grateful for that knowledge. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that he restored the Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth in these latter days. How do I know that? It is the same as why 233,000 people were baptized (not counting children of members)  into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints this past year (2017). The Holy Spirit, and the Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ. It is not just enough to know that it is true, but we have to share it.  And I would hope that every person who reads my little 'blogs' would open their hearts to the influence of this Spirit of truth, and ask God, after reading parts of the Book of Mormon, if it is His word.

Elder Tracy

P.S.   Please write me everybody! 

         connor.tracy@myldsmail.net

P.P.S. SIX months left til I'm back in the States!