WEEK 41 -- August 7, 2017

This week we had a baptism fall through, and the dude avoided us for the last 4 days of the week, so that was kinda weird. But it was alright because we have been working pretty hard down here in Atalaya.

This week I have been thinking that it might be my last, so I am trying my best to leave the members with a great impression, and to get them all to add me on facebook also haha. I am reallyloving here, and I can feel the lord guiding us. Truly it´s a great work. 

A cool experience we had, is that we were waiting to have a visit with the dude that avoided us, and one of our investigators that has been passing through some pretty rough times, just opened up to us and wrote us a huge text message about everything that they are going through. It was super awesome, and the family now is getting prepared to get baptized for the 2nd of september. The members are grouping up to build stuff in their house, and to get stuff cookin´for them.

With another family we had problems with money to get them married, so we did an hayacada, or just made a heap of tamales, but a little different. We used the relief society to do it, and they also kept the money so the people don´t spend it on other stuff that doesn´t matter. So we are getting ready about 7 people for baptism, and we are expecting a lot of them really soon. 

This week I bear my testimony on Humility. I had been reading in alma 5 this week, in verse 27, and it really smacked me hard. 27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?

28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.

29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.

30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?

31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!

32 Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent, for the Lord God hath spoken it!

33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.

The lord has this invitation out for all of us, that we must repent, and humble ourselves before him. There is a lot to say about the topic, but it is something deeply personal, and I feel that all that is to be said, is spoken to every person who will read this or read the scripture through the power of the holy ghost. I invite you all to pray and fast, that we can sweep this weakness of pride out of our lives. 

Élder tracy

WEEK 38 -- July 17, 2017

This week has been a week of service!

We got to do a service in a house of a dude who got a back surgery, and his wife only has 1 leg, and so we shoveled a mountain of dirt out of the dudes backyard, and also helped him wheelbarrel it out into the street to dump it (lol).

And something I´ve been learning from my new comp, is that We, as missionaries, have the call to serve others. Like Jesus taught his apostles, He who wants to be greatest among ye will be the least, and in Dyc 42:29:

I know that the lord has called us to serve, and I know that he loves each of his children. We are his hands in the earth right now. We need to be the light of the world. Our light will shine forth unto all nations that we obey his commandments, and we serve our brethren.

Élder Tracy

WEEK 40 -- July 31, 2017

This week we had a baptism! Ludy Omaira Parada Contreras.

We found her two months ago from a reference of a member. Her husband had died three days before, and so we started to visit her. Her husband was less active, and she has a less active daughter and two sons who are seven and two years old. We started visiting, reactivating the daughter, and getting her to church. The members really helped her out, and we always brought different people to the lessons. 

We had a pretty cool week. For p-day we went to a place called the Alejandría, where everything is super cheap (smuggled from Venezuela) and so we went and bought stuff. Then we went and had a roasted chicken (like KFC) and finished the day out sleeping until it was time to write.

This week also we found sixteen new investigators in two days. One family, Cyro y Isabel Salome y Manuel, who are a family who live together five years, Isabel's first husband was killed in a crossfire, her second husband cheated on her, and we found her here with her third husband. We taught them lesson one, and she dragged her son from an internet playing a game to come be in the lesson. Super powerful. I love that family! We found a few others, but they weren't quite as remarkable. 

My testimony this week is based on the normal member of the Church. I am a missionary, but I am nothing without others. When we are visiting people all day every day, we are always trying to search for people who live where we proselyte to be with us, because they bring the power. We can pass off lessons and help these people learn and change, but without these anchors of friendship and love, they are basically just becoming converted to two kids from different countries. 

I know that the members are the key to this work. As the prophets have said, Every member a missionary!!!!!! I know the Lord has blessings waiting for those who invite their friends to learn more about him. I love this work. I love the Colombian people.

Élder Tracy

JUNE 19, 2017 -- WEEK 34

Hello my friends!

So getting right to it, this week has been probably one of the roughest for me, at least toward the end. We got vaccinated for Influenza on Thursday, and it made my arm soooo sore. Then this past Sunday, I got super sick and I have been having lots of health problems, but it will go quick.

This week I have no time! I testify of being hunters, and fishers of the Lord! We have been trying to be hunters! Hunt new people, hunt old people to baptize, and hunt for people to bring to church. The scripture that I think of as I say this is 

Jeremiah 15:15

O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

I really like this scripture. I know that it will help us learn more about our personal attitude to the gospel.

Èlder Tracy

WEEK 33 -- June 12, 2017

This week we had another baptism. The Polanco Obieda Family.

This week we visited the Polanco family every single day to teach lessons. They have been investigators for three weeks. The special situation with them is they are refugees from Venezuela, and they needed to get out of town. It was pretty cool being able to see them change their lives so quickly.

So a cool experience from the week was we were walking home, and I found this little cat. I picked it up and brought it home because our neighbors tell us that if we can find stray cats we should bring them over. So we are always looking for them. But, the neighbours were out really late saturday selling arepas in front of where all the drunk people are so they could make better money. And so we brought this cat home, and so we had a pet for one day. First time in my life! But in Cucuta there are little cats that get thrown out everywhere. 

This week we did basically nothing for p-day. Broke into the chapel (Climbing the fence) to play soccer with the young people. Pretty cool. And also I rode a bike for the first time in nine months! I am trying to learn how to do wheelies, because literally everybody here does wheelies, even in motorcycles!

This week my testimony is over how to set goals! In the mission, something that we learn from the first day is we need to have goals every single day of what we are going to accomplish. Sometimes these goals are pretty high, sometimes low.  But we always need to make sure that they're achievable. I know that goals are a unique remedy for us to get more out of every single day, and also it is a way for us to become better people. I have been thinking about our goals in the mission, and we have been taught that if we can complete one goal (for example, ten that attend church in one week), we should be now looking forward to do more than that the week that follows, and in that we can always be getting better and improving. We are constantly trying to improve, and to learn. Me too! I know that the Lord loves those who are willing to learn, the teachable and the meek.

Èlder Tracy

WEEK 32 -- June 5, 2017

This week, I don't have much to write. I received a letter from my converts. I will copy and paste them here.

My King, I love you much.

It was a cherished pleasure to receive your note, how wonderful is the Heavenly Father who allows us, as we have seen in my thoughts, be communicated despite distances and responsibilities, I hope that even now your mission is still of great joy and enjoyment for your exaltation and to the salvation of souls hitherto have heard the message that you have for them ... I pray for you constantly.

Brother, I'm fine, a little sick right now, I have flu and has been hard for me to get rid of it, but there'll gradually. I still read the Book of Mormon, and every day I feel more attuned to my faith. I'm the Director of Music in the Ward it is my first call, I went to the young men who sang a nice song for their mothers on mothers day. I attend faithfully, and I accompanied the Elders often their visits, I feel my testimony is helpful, and I will be faithful to Him known to others ...

As for my progress and my stay in the country, it is complicated, I do not think I could stay in Colombia, I have no money to enroll in college and PEF take a long time; July 10 my residence permit expires in Colombia, I would be obliged to leave here, I'm very worried, I have no money to these things, and I worry. I hope firm in the Lord that has never ceased to provide, and which will not. (IF SOMEONE CAN PASS A LETTER OR SOMETHING for help, either here or in the US, say it now JAJAJAJAJA) I'm still strong in faith and hope to see the blessings promptly.

A confession: I have a girl, in the church, is Villa del Prado, we are good friends, very close, we're dating ... Pray for that ... It has made me very happy to have her around. 

Brother, I wish blessings on your mission field, I love you and remember you always, I wish we soon see each other again ...

IN BOGOTA, 5  JUNE 2017:

Your brother.

Samuel A. Acurero. M

Hello: 

I hope you are excellent, we are very well thank God, we are by going to the chapel but on Sunday 4 Junio did not go because my mom had a commitment to make clothes, but she first consulted with the missionary sisters that if he could and they told him that if he could that was a conpromiso I had to meet.

Rest all good we are by going to visit the sisters they are three and also the elders Aguilar walk a little jealous because my mom talk more with the sisters but only for disturbing.

Well I'll tell you more after my mom sends you greetings and success and for me too and that our Lord Jesus Christ bless you with strength, faith and wisdom, we love you and miss you so much: Bediciones.

Yuzara and Isabel

A lot happened in the week. One of the more interesting things would be today, right before I came, I helped a sick cat. So my neighbors have three baby cats (all saved in the street). I was leaving our house and they were playing outside, and I saw this one and its leg was just ginormous. I told the neighbor to look at one leg, and then at the other. The cat's leg was infected and an open wound on the paw and leg above. I got a tissue, some ointment, and had the neighbor hold the cat's mouth and legs. Took the little cat and squeezed out an insane amount of pus from inside it's leg. Cleaned it with a little bit of alcohol, and then rubbed some ointment on it. That still left pus we couldn't get out, but better than before. Nuts! 

We put five baptismal dates in one lesson, and it was three different families in one house. We touched a door, found a girl with brain tumor whose dad died four years ago, and a baby of two months. Struggling, and we began to teach them, and gave a blessing of health to the girl. I think that the Lord has shown more than enough of His power in my life this week alone.  Another family where they don't know how they're going to eat tomorrow, refugees from Venezuela who got rolled a hard lot.

Mormon Helping Hands

This week I testify of the scripture, D&C 18:15-16

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

How happy I feel to hear the echoes of my testimony that I had born to Samuel and Yuzara. They are going strong, and just being able to receive letters from them Those changed for me every day. I pray every day for the people I have meet, for those I know, and for those I have yet to meet. The Lord truly is magnificent. His ways are incomprehendable as we are in this mortal tabernacle. 

Isaiah 55: 8-9

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We just have to trust in His will until we meet again. What are we waiting for?

Èlder Tracy

MAY 29, 2017 -- WEEK 31

This week we had a really cool experience! And I guess every week I have one or two, but I mean it!

We were contacting. Things happened and my companion got a little upset with me. I said hey man lets just keep going. The next door we knock, a man comes out. We talk, and the rest of his family comes and stares at us. They said hey we were just about to say a prayer for our sick daughter, will you guys come in? We came in, gave a blessing of health, and then put a visit to return. The Lord works in our lives!

We also went to teach some Jehovah's Witnesses. We got there, and they refused to do a prayer with us, then we talked about The Restoration, but they kept making questions, meant to make me trip or stumble over my words. I fell into one of them, and I think it's my first time in my mission making that mistake. One of them asked me, do you think if the Lord came right now, that you would be saved. I looked at her and I said if He comes right now I know I would be saved. Then she told me that when we talked the last time you got so pissed and you wouldn't let me speak (we brought a member and other people we there that we didn't talk to, even though it didn't happen like that everybody on team Jehovah's thought it did). Then the member who was with us, who had studied with the J.W.'s for like seven months stepped in and saved us. He managed everything really well. He just kept telling them that they were sharing really awesome things, but they asked us questions, and wouldn't let us answer them. Just a really interesting lesson. I learned a lot.

And so from the experience, My testimony this week is on humility. One of the things that changed the atmosphere in the lesson from just them bashing us and us trying to give a little lesson, and to them at least giving us time to speak and not interrupting us, was Micah 6:8. 

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

I shared it, and from that moment they just got pacified (as well as us). God requires of us many things, but at the end of the day, it's that we have got to apply what we learn. I made a mistake in saying I believe I would be saved. I've thought long and hard after that about my answer. Do I really believe I'll be saved? I think the answer is, I need to change. We all need to change. This humility is a guiding compass for us. It will always point to becoming a better person.  In listening before brashly saying something. It will always make us stick out as somebody who understands.

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

I will become better. Even though I am here, I have done things in the past that I can't change. But I can lean upon Jesus, who is meek of heart. That is the invitation this week. When you think you know better, wait thirty seconds longer and then give your part.

Èlder Tracy