JULY 23, 2018

This week was pretty packed. I picked up my new companion, he had a crazy trip. We then had to pick up the other new guys, they got here on Thursday at like 8 am.   We had the first District Meeting, and Colombian Independance Day! I also did an interchange with Elder McFadden.

So to begin, my companion is a member of the church since he was a kid. He's from Lima Perú.  He has about a year and 4 months in serving as a missionary. He's pretty cool. Looks somewhat Asian and he's a nerd. 

The District is also good here. One of my few goals, but it's big, is that we never have a zero! (never a week where there isn't a baptism, attendance, new investigators)  I'm also coming in with a strong hand from right off the bat so that everybody obeys! Have been some problems in the past here, but I'm going to change that.

An experience I had, that I really did not expect, was we went to visit one of our investigators that hasn't been progressing very much, Sandra. She always comes to church, has introduced us to friends, but needs to get married!  So we went, and set a baptismal date with her daughter, for the 4th of August.  She accepted, and I called the father, who lives on a little farm two hours away in car, two hours away on horse, and told him about it. He said that would be excellent, and the idea was that it would animate them also for baptism. 

Well, we came to church, they were there. And after church ended, Sandra pulled me aside, and told me that her significant other asked her hand in marriage, for the 2nd of August, so that they could all three get baptized on the 4th of August. They also offered to give us lunch this Friday.

We have one baptism planned for this Sunday. Francisco Paradas. He is a youth from Venezuala who came about a month ago with a family of members of the church. He has been reading and praying, and for his own self he wants to get baptized. He is 16, and I'll send pictures on Sunday!

I love being a missionary. Here in Yopal, Colombia,  there is a lot of people waiting for the gospel, and I think about something my oldest brother told me right before I came out on the mission.  He said that the time that we go is the time the Lord needs us, and explained that a lot of the best relationships he developed in the mission were right at the beginning, and also at the end. I can also testify that my time has been perfect. I was called when I needed to be, and I'll finish meeting a lot of great people. 

I know that the Lord directs all of his children. There is not a single person on this earth who will never receive a prompting of the Holy Ghost in their life that they won't be able to recognize.  But the problem is recognizing it.  The Book of Mormon teaches us how to do this. 

2nd Nephi 32 says:

3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

4 Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.

5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.

The words of Christ, the scriptures, tell us what to do. Then, the spirit, will show us!  The Bible and the Book of Mormon combined doesn't include my name once. But the Holy Ghost knows how to speak directly to Connor Ross Tracy.  I know that God guides us. If we choose to follow him, and be baptized, we receive the promise of the constant companionship of his Holy Ghost. 

Elder Tracy

JULY 16, 2018

This week I'm starting my very last transfer. I know who my last companion is, and my last assignment as a representative of Jesus Christ.

I'm going to be with Elder Pumacondor, from Perú, and I'm going to be District Leader to finish the mission.

In my District I'll be working with Elder Diaz, a new missionary, Elder Alejandro, and Elder McFadden.  I'm going to be in charge of them, and making sure that they get their work done correctly.

This week I also sent Elder Hildebrandt back to his home, after finishing his two year mission. He was a great companion, and he is the only person that is baptized in his whole family. So he will go back and start the work in his own family.

This week, we are not planning on having a baptism but we are planning on having two next Saturday. They are called Francisco, from Venezuela, and Diana, Colombiana. They both come from very different backgrounds, but both have come to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. Like it says in Romans 1:16:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

I bear my testimony this week that I know that the priesthood of God, his authority or given permission to man, is found upon the earth once more in our days. It is not given by study, neither is it given for money, just as we see in Acts. It is a privilege to be ordained to this priesthood.

I have the priesthood of God. All worthy men that are baptized by this same authority, restored through the ministering of angels to the Prophet Joseph Smith, can also use it to bless their families, to save them, and their ancestors. It's real, and I have seen miracles in this time. 

Just to let you all know, I will be asking my family to send out invitations to my home coming talk on September 9th, 2018. I will be giving a sermon in my Church, in Lee's Summit, Missouri, USA, on all of the experiences and time I've spent in Colombia. Anybody interested is more than invited.

Elder Tracy

JULY 2, 2018

Q´hubo Cuñao! ( A typical greeting in Yopal,Colombia, which means, what's up brother in law!)

This week, we had the baptism of Delia Edilma Nieves. It was a great experience, and she was also baptized with other two people who desired to take that same step.

This Saturday, we will have another baptism, of Jefer García Humo. He is 24 years old, is best friends with a guy who served a mission and is Mormon since he was a kid. Jefer always went to church, but he left on the mission and didn't come back, but we found Jefer knocking doors, and the rest is history. His sister and mother will follow shortly in getting baptized.

And for next next Saturday we are planning on the baptism of Luz Amparo, who is the lady who walked into one of our lessons asking to be baptized. So we are going good so far.

This week, Colombia played a few matches in the World Cup, and so we stayed in our house just listening to everybody scream their brains out for their team! It`s pretty awesome being here. Tomorrow, Colombia will play again, so please, PRAY FOR COLOMBIA!

Beside that, we had our last multi zone conference with President Laney this last tuesday, and received his last testimony and words. It was a great moment, and the page flips on his life, and on my life, and on the Colombia Bogota north mission. My new Mission President is Presidente Valladares, From Honduras. I´ll meet him on the 10th of this month.

This week, We were going knocking doors, and we found a 30 year old man in a wheelchair. We asked him if we could share a quick message, and he accepted. We were going to just teach him a scripture from the Book of mormon and get out, but as we were going to finish, he asked if we could please explain more about our message. So we taught the Restoration, and he now has the goal to be baptized on the 11th of August. William.

Here in Yopal, I see a lot of the promises that I received in my patriarchal blessing being fulfilled, and I can`t complain about any aspect of it. I feel like i`m a Llanero. 

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families, and especially for those families that want to have that strength in their home. The gospel is clear. It begins with faith in our lord Jesus. We need to know what he did for us, and like James teaches, Act. James 2:15-18 Then, we repent, with our faith motivating us to put our lives in order, and we seek to never return to our old errors. As we do this, we prepare ourselves to be baptized by the proper authority of god, and in his ordained and established way. By immersion, for the remission of Sins. We are not baptized by our parents when we are born, nor are we to pay money for this sacred Ordinance, selling salvation, and making a mockery before God. We are to receive it just as jesus did. In Matthew 3:13-17. 

13 ¶ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be sonow: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightwayout of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Then. as we make this sacred covenent with God, we then follow receiving the gift of the holy ghost, by the laying on of hands by those who possess the authority of God. That is the blessing of being baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints. With the authority of the Priesthood, it is the only church that can give the gift of the holy ghost, allowing the followers of the Lord in our days to be able to follow God`s commandments, and be guided by a member of the trinity. 

The gospel is simple, but it takes power to understand it`s principles. I love it, and I wish to share it with everybody. My time isn`t up yet, and I am a representative of Jesus Christ.

Elder Tracy

JUNE 25, 2018

I´ve been pretty lazy about writing recently, but I promise that I will do better. I am getting pretty close to the point where I wont have to email anymore. It´s still pretty far away. Sixty-six days left.

I have had a lot of experiences in my time here in Yopal, but just to share one that´s been impactful, I was in a lesson this week, teaching about baptism to a family. As we taught, a lady came up to the window, outside, and began to listen. She then came into the doorstep and sat there listening. I looked at her, but didn´t think it was anything super out of the ordinary. So we kept on teaching, and when we got to the end, she interrupted us, asked if we could visit her, and that she´s interested in baptism. We visited her, she cried and told us about some very difficult situations that she´s living right now, and we have set a baptismal date for the 14th of July. She has already come to church twice, and told us in a return visit that she came back, and will continue to go, because she felt that by going to church, the burdens she carries were lightened. 

We have a baptism planned also for this Saturday. Edilma Nieves. She is a great lady, who has been investigating the church for around 7 years, who took the decision recently to be born again in the only church with the authority of god to act in his name. What a blessing for her and her posterity, and for me to be a witness of the process of repentance, and people having their hearts changed.

I will write more next week, but I just want to close with my testimony that I know that god lives, and he shares his love with us through many mediums in our lives. We aren´t always the most obedient children, but he gives us infinite chances to change, to repent, through the infinite sacrifice of his beloved son, whom I represent. I testify that I have the authority of Jesus Christ to preach his gospel,to baptize, and to give the gift of the holy ghost. You can ask all of the people who I have taught here in the last 22 months to see the evidences of the authority i have, through the power that has been manifested. I have been a sinner, and I still am. I try sincerely to change every day, and god loves the one sheep that returns, and rejoices over it, more than the 99 sheep that have no need of repentance. 

!

Elder Tracy

P.S.. PlEASE WRITE ME EVERYBODY! CUZ I´m bout to get home

JUNE 5, 2018

Mom!

It`s good that Amy is working. That'll help them out a lot with being responsible and also for you guys to tell them that they pay for the gas from now on. 

I traveled all day with Elder Diaz from Perú. We got here to Yopal, Colombia, at around 9:30 pm, so it was a pretty long trip, but awesome. 

It's humid and hot every day. Would've been perfect today to go to the pool.

I'm so excited. Yopal is the city where most there are baptisms, I'd guess in all of Colombia. Last year, 2017 to 2018, there were 86 baptisms in the BRANCH. (It is a branch). From what I'm seeing right now, we are planning for 5 baptisms within the next 6 weeks, and right now we are planning one for this Saturday. It's going to be awesome. Maximum next 6 weeks we expect 10, so we'll see during the transfer. It's awesome, we live in the 7th floor of an apartment building (and we have air conditioning) with 2 other Elders. Elder Smith, from Alaska, and Elder Alejandro from Perù. I have spent the day so far with lunch with the members, and then from there we did the groceries, and at 5 pm we are going to have a visit, at 6 pm, 7 pm and 8 pm also. 

I have the goal for the next 12 weeks, to get 12 baptisms. So we are going to see how it goes.

I am so glad for the transfer! Yopal is the best!!

Elder Tracy

AUGUST 20, 2018 -- LAST EMAIL

This week will be my final week as a full time missionary, a Representative of Jesus Christ, and of his Church. It is bittersweet.

I just want to share my testimony with whoever reads this, that I never asked to leave my country to serve a mission in a foreign country, without knowing the language I would speak. But I am proud of it. Nobody in this church asks, or makes themselves a leader. The Lord chooses his servants and He prepares the way. It is a beautiful lesson that the Book of Mormon begins to teach starting in its third chapter!  Nephi, the first prophet who writes, says:

1 Nephi 1:7

7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.  

I know that the Lord is now preparing the way home for me. I gave it my all for two years, and I've brought many souls unto the truth. Joseph Smith, the Prophet through whom the lord has restored his truth, and his church, said the following.

"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

I am grateful for this time to serve Him. But it's not over. Because I have my whole life ahead of me. And I am so excited to start. But I lace my testimony with all those of the prophets, and missionaries, and members of this church, that It is His church. We have the authority to declare it, I hold that authority, and you can say what you will, but for all those who have denied my words here in Colombia, and for those who, as you read, deny my words. We will find ourselves before the tribunal of Jesus in the last day, and  there, you will know with a perfect knowledge that my words have been words of warning, and of hope and of Truth.

The 9th of September, I will be giving a sermon in The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, of all of the experiences I had here, and the things I've learned. I invite all who read to attend, and I've sent out some special invitations through my mother. I hope you all can join me, and I will be asking around when I get back.

I'm sad to leave, because I love the Colombian people. They are so unique, but it's time to get back home, to my people, and minister among them.

Thanks for all of you who have been with me through the journey, reading my weekly messages. To my family, and friends: Please join me on the 9th of September at 11:30 am, 451 SW 150 Hwy, Lee's Summit, MO,  and we'll, as they say in Spanish, ponernos al día!

Elder Tracy

AUGUST 13, 2018 -- PENULTIMA SEMANA

This is the second to last time that I will write an email as Elder Tracy. Next week will be my last.

We had been working a ton with a family in my area from Bogotá. They were really good, and the husband is a member since 8 yrs, but the wife met him after. They came here to Yopal to escape their old lives, and we had the baptismal interview for her baptism, but the interviewer decided it was best to postpone the baptism, because he found out that her husband is not cultivating the best environment for her to take the step, and so it will happen in a future time.

Right now, we are looking at Family Murillo, Alejandro Chavita, and Nohora Perilla as my last 5 baptisms, but that's with faith. 

Fam. Murillo called us and asked us to come over, we went, and they told us they have been going to church for 5 years without being married or baptized, and so we put the goal right there for them to talk about marriage, and today we go by for a family home evening and we'll hit them where it hurts, and get her going this week to get her papers from el Tolima, and next week they should get married. That's the plan.

Alejandro Chavita, All of his siblings, and cousins are members, but he isn't. He came to church one day, we hit him up to go to his house, and then we called the day of and he told us to not call him again, and that he wasn't really interested. So then we found him again in the chapel 15 days later, and he told us that this time he wanted us to come over no matter what, and he gave us his sisters number also so we could stop by. So we went, he accepted a baptismal date for the 25th, and then they gave us hamburgers. Crazy change in him! He's 18.

Then Nohora is the mom of Diana Morales, the lady that was baptized the last week. We are working for her to get married also before I head out, she told her husband she wants to get baptized before I leave, so we are praying that they can settle things out, and she can take the step.

I'm just so happy to be here in the mission. I was thinking about the 2 years I've lived here in Colombia, and I was wondering what I could possibly say about my mission. I remembered one of the first letters I wrote home, talking about new beginnings, about Moses, and about Paul. I can personally classify myself with Paul now, who after being converted to the gospel, went away for years, and then came back and was recognized as a friend of The Church of Jesus Christ.

The message that I share, is called the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, When He came to earth, He restored His church, and censured the jews for teaching false doctrines, and for straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel! His Gospel is simple. It's having faith in Christ, following Him and changing our lives to be in accord with what He taught, and then being baptized by someone holding His authority, and receiving the holy ghost by the laying on of hands.

But this was lost, and in the world there was seen changes to these ordinances of the gospel (baptism and confirmation) and the doctrines became disorganized. It wasn't faith in Christ, but faith in the trinity, and that they were 3 in 1, and 1 in 3, and how God is a spirit, as the bible teaches in John 4:24 but that He has a body resurrected as the scriptures teach in Luke 24!

With all the confusion, there was a young man, named Joseph Smith born into the world, in the United States. When he was 14, he was searching for the truth, and found that there were many churches, with seemingly identical doctrines some, and radically different in others. In the midst of all of these churches professing to follow Christ, and to be the true church of Him, he found an answer to his doubts, in 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 decided to ask God, knowing that if he didn't, he would never come to a conclusion. When he asked, the following video is explanation of what occurred. I invite you all to see it, and to ponder on it. I testify that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I don't doubt it, because God has also responded to my prayers, and I know by the power of God that he was a prophet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EgpvCLUq8k

Elder Tracy