So I forgot my camera so I don't have any cool pictures to send, but let's just say that this was a super cool week here! So First off, My comp is just seriously so good, he is a lot better missionary than me, and he only has a couple weeks here in the mission!!! 

So we have been having a couple struggles this week, because it is really cold. No one here has heaters, or anything to heat them up when it's cold, so they just get in their bed right when they get home from work.  They don't like the thought of getting out and talking to us... but we did find this was cool guy.  His name is Sergio, he is from Bolivia, but he lived in Switzerland for 13 years, and with all the money he made there, he came back to Bolivia, and started his own business. It was different teaching him, because all the people we teach are almost all catholics, or evangelist, and they have a really closed mind, and they are not open to new ideas. But when he lived in Switzerland he was introduced to all kinds of new religions, so when we explained about the restoration, and how the truths were lost, he said "Oh that all makes sense."  Then even before we invited him, he said "So if I wanted to know the truth, I would have to do the same as Joseph Smith and ask God." It felt like right before we were about to explain anything it already occurred in his mind that's what needed to happen. He was just surprised how everything all made sense! It was such a cool experience!!! He is really good! 

 Also the Zuniga family they are just so great!!! The dad is just way smart, and he just loves to read and to learn! This week he was studying about Jacob 5 and all of the olive trees, and he just understood like everything. He just is so smart and he is progressing so fast! He got the priesthood this week, and they are going to give him a calling next week! They are just the best people!!! 

I finished the book of mormon also this week, for the 4th time in the mission, and the 2nd all in Spanish! I really do love that book, and I can feel my testimony being renewed every-time I read it! It's the best! 

  

I am glad to hear that everyone is doing good! I really love to hear that everything is going good! I miss you guys and love you guys!!!! Have a great week! 

Hey mom!

SO this was a really great week this week!!! Things are just great with my companion and I, we just get along great, and I feel like we have been friends for our whole life! I really do love him, and I am so grateful that he is my comp. 

So this week we were able to visit a couple of really cool people! The Zuniga invited us over, and also invited another family to listen to us, and at first the family was kind of shocked at that their friends got baptized, and they didn't want to hear very much, then when we started talking with them, they became super friendly, and at the end they said they want to go to the church to see how it is. and they want to know more. The only problem is that they don't live in our area, so we gave the reference to the other Elders, and hopefully they can go and teach that family! 

My comp and I also are working with this guy who is like 24.  When we first met him like 1 and a half months ago, he said he had a hard time believing in God, and he said he doesn't like the mormons.  Now he is progressing really well.  He went to church and everything and he is really excited for his baptism!!! 

Well everything is good here.

Hey Mom!!!! Thanks for all the advice!!! Lets just say that I had one of the best weeks in the mission!!!!! 

So Transfers did come, and to my surprise, my comp left, and I was put to train for my last transfer... It was kind of a weird training meeting, because there were only three new missionaries who got here this transfer.  So it felt like no one was there! But my new companion is Elder Lagos, he is from Santiago Chile.  He is just the best!!! He is a way good missionary, and he knows a lot more than me! I get along with him really well!!! We are working really hard together, and we are contacting so much!!!! 

Then as you can see in the pics, the Zuniga family got baptized!!! It was the best, they were so happy, and President Willard was there for the Baptism also! After they were baptized, The Bro Zuniga shared his testimony, and it was so powerful! They are so converted, and he is going to be an amazing leader in the church! He made a joke and said that he thought after his baptism he was going to fall over like he was dead, and have a vision like the Lamoni, that Ammon taught!!! Haha he is reading so much, and he is really smart also!!! It was a really great experience with them! 

So while I was in Santa Cruz this week for the trainers meeting, I was able to go back to Guapilo, and see the Millares family! They were so happy, and I will send you pictures later that I took with them! It was great! I miss them! 

So something cool that happened this week, was that while we were walking, we saw a guy who was like a block and a half away.  My comp and I looked at each other, and we knew we needed to talk with him.  So we walked really fast, and talked to him right as he was walking into his door.  At first he did not seem very excited to see us, and he told us that he already knew who we were, because he was baptized when he was 13.   But he had some problems with some members.   So my comp right there took out the scriptures, and shared how our goal and example should be Christ and not the people.  Then he let us in, and we talked.  He asked us to come back  on Wednesday, when his kids and his wife would be there! It was really cool! My comp is the best! 

Thanks for everything mom, I love you a lot, thanks for all your advice, I promise this will be the best transfer!!!! love you mom! 

Monday May 30, 2016

 Hey Mom!!!! 

So this was sure an eventful week.  So first off, Monday Night, I just woke up at 2 in the morning and I felt really sick, so I got up, and went to the bathroom, and just threw up a ton! then I woke up the Elders, and they gave me a blessing, and right after I threw up again.. Then I finally fell asleep, and after that when I woke up again, I barfed again.. I felt really sick that day, but then all the sudden at night time I just felt better, and Wednesday I was perfectly fine! I was really nervous that I was going to be sick for the week, but everything was fine! 

  

So everything has just been going great with the Zuniga family! They should finally be baptized this week! They are seriously just the best, the husband loves the scriptures, whenever we go there, he always talks to us about the scriptures, and it sounds like he has read them like 5 times! Right now he is halfway through Alma, he finished the pearl of great price, and is starting D&C! he is super smart also!!! 

We also had the miracle of being able to find a lot of cool families this week! I just love when out of no where families come out, and we find them! Not all of them progress, but I strongly believe that lots of times we are just planting a seed in their hearts, and in the future they will see missionaries and talk with them again and get baptized! Cause almost all the people who I have baptized have seen or talked to missionaries at one point, but it just wasn't there time! 

Also this week I have been reading a lot in the end of 3rd Nephi, and Mormon! It is really interesting how they foresee everything that was going to happen with the Lamanites and the house of Israel! And it's also really interesting to read all the promises about the Gentiles! I just love learning new things about that, and I can't believe i was never interested in all this before the mission. 

Thanks for everything mom and dad!!!  Just to let you know, this week I start my last transfer, it will be the best transfer of my whole mission!!!! love you all!  

Monday May 24, 2016

Well this has been an eventful week!!! 

First off for the bad news, I lost my card... I am not sure if it got stolen, or if I just lost it, but I don't have it, so you probably need to cancel it.. Sorry... I also lost my drivers license with it... and everything else in my wallet... but whatever...

So this week has been really fun, my comp and I have been working with lots of new families, and new people that we are working with... new people are just coming out of nowhere, and we have been seeing so many miracles! This one sister brought a guy to church, and he is way cool, he is from Argentina.  When we went and visited him, he accepted the invitation to be baptized.  When he lived in Argentina he also knew the missionaries and he went to church there as well! He is way cool, and he should hopefully get baptized soon!!! 

I had some cool pictures to send but this computer is having problems... But the Zuniga family is doing great, they are just so great, and they are so ready to get baptized!!! They even gave us pizza the last time we were there!!! Haha but they really are just the best! The mission is just going great, and I am so glad to hear that everyone is doing so good back home!!! I love you all!!!! 

Monday May 16, 2016

Well, we had an amazing week here!!!! We were able to meet so many cool people!!!! First, we had an amazing conference with Elder Montoya, who is just an amazing guy, and his humbleness and patience amazed me! The we had a cool stake conference, where they divided the stake here, Elder Uceda was here, and also Elder Hale (from the seventy). Wow, I learned so much from these conferences!! Elder Uceda talked about the Sabbath day, and the importance of it.  He explained when the bible was written in greek the words mean different things than what we understand. It was just a great conference!!! 

Oh we also found a scorpion in our house.. That was kind of scary, but also really cool! 

This week the Zuniga family had their interviews, and are getting everything ready for baptism.  They are going to wait till the end of the month to get baptized, because the brother of the mom who is a bishop is going to come to Tarija at the end of the month! But they are really good! Then also something else cool that happened this week is that my comp and I were contacting, and we decided to go for a street we hadn't been on, and we knocked a door, and the lady didn't seem very interested.  So we asked her if any of her neighbors would be interested. In order to get rid of us, she told us the name of her neighbors.  It was a super nice and big house.  Normally rich people don't talk with us.  But we knocked, and a lady came out so we started talking to her, and she let us come in.  We met her husband, and we started talking with them.  They told us how a week and a half ago, they were going to Villamontes, and had a horrible accident.  Their car rolled 3 times, and nothing happened to them.. Then the dad said he knew he needed to get closer to God in his life.  They said they were normally never home on Sundays, but because of the accident, they decided to stay home that Sunday, and that's when we knocked!! We had a super good lesson and talked about the plan of salvation.  They are just really nice people!!! It was great!!! 

Well I just love being here, things are going great, and I love this work!!!! Thanks for everything mom!!! Love you!!! 

Monday May 9, 2016

It was great to talk to you guys! I am sorry I couldn't even think of an experience to share, there has just been so many things that have happened it was just hard to think!!! haha 

But it was so good to see everyone!!! 

 

Well so this week has been good, we have been working hard on finding new families to visit, and we have been starting to have lots of success with that! We really want to find the good prepared people in our area, and we know that there are a lot! 

  

Like I said yesterday it is a lot different being in a ward, but it is also a lot easier! I feel like we can focus more on the people, and not so much on trying to activate the members!

Well everything really is going great here, I love visiting all the people, and even though it's sometimes cold, it's a lot easier to work when you are not sweating a lot! So I guess I can't complain to much! Just sometimes the people don't even come outside when you knock on there doors, but the good things is that people invite you to drink Maté with them.  Which is like a weird herb drink that I love.  It's really good! I think its my new addiction! Haha 

Well this should be a great week with all the conferences that we should have, so I will tell you next week everything I learned!!! Thanks for being the best, I love you all!!!! 

Monday May 2, 2016

Hey Mom! 

Well this week was a lot different than any of my other weeks in the mission!  A storm came in from the south, and this whole week has been just a bitter cold! Like Utah cold... I have never in my whole mission worked in cold weather! But now I am getting more used to it! But we had a cool experience this week, We had one day where we were able to find three new families! Then a couple days later we found another family! My comp is shocked because they almost never found families before, and it was even harder in the cold, but the lord blessed us so much this week! 

There is this one family that should be baptized soon, there name is the Zuniga family!! They are just the best! They are really smart, and the dad just has a huge testimony!!! The other day he was wondering what the pearl of great price was, so he started reading it, and when we went there, he was so excited to share how he learned about the importance of the creation, and how much importance it has that the bible doesn't give! He is so great! He even study medicine in Chile! They should hopefully be baptized next week! 

Well mom, I think I will call you today to try the connection on Skype! Love you mom!!!!

Monday April 25, 2016

Hey Mom!!! 

So yes, It's very sad the news that I got transferred... I actually am really missing the little branch in Yacuiba!!! I am now in a ward called San Bernardo, in the city of Tarija! We were suppose to go Tuesday night to Santa Cruz, and then take a plane to Tarija, but there was a blockage and no buses could go to Santa Cruz, so the only option they had was send us on a crappy bus that goes 10 hours straight to Tarija, on a dangerous road... Lets just say that was an eventful experience, and I am glad it's over.... haha 

My new comp name is Elder Asto, and he is from Peru... he just barely started the mission and he is really new... I am also the district leader here, and for the first time in my mission, I am in a zone with Sister Missionaries. It's a lot different than working with Elders.

Also something cool that happened, is that my comp and his old companion had a baptism prepared for this Saturday, and I got here just a couple days before the baptism... haha but whats cool is that the day before we went and visited them, and after the lesson the dad asked if I could baptize him, and then one of the other kids too! So I was able to baptize two of them! 

It's a lot different in this new area, but I am determined to work really hard here, and to do all I can, because it will most likely be my last area!  I am convinced this area is going to be great! 

 Thanks for everything family! I love you all a lot! 

Monday April 18, 2016

Hey mom!!!! 

   THATS SWEET THAT JEFF IS GOING TO WASHINGTON!!!!! To be honest, I love being in a foreign mission, but it also would have been so much fun to serve in the states and help the people there!!!  The apostles visit the states missions more than our mission!!! Haha I'm so happy for him, and even more happy that I will get to spend time with him before he leaves!!! 

Tell Bryson that I am trying to do the same thing, but it is a lot harder in the mission. Especially with all the soda I drink.. haha But I feel like sometimes my body is just getting wrecked here, from some much heat and walking and so much soda.  I have made the goal to eat a lot healthier, and to do more exercises!!  So we will see how this goes! 

So The Guzman family had an interview with President this week, and he tried to talk to them about their problems, and they are convinced that they will do everything in June.. but after president said we need to stay working with them, and make sure they can have a closer date! 

We also went to Villamontes this week and had an amazing conference with the president!! I Learned so much, and that same day my comp and I applied it, and we found a new awesome family to teach!!! They are great! Also we are teaching another family called the Davila family! They are also amazing, and the good thing is that they are married, so hopefully they can get baptized soon!!! 

Transfer are this week, and I have a feeling I might leave here! I sure hope not, because I feel like there is so much work here that I need to do, and so many people that I need to help!!! But I guess we will see what goes on!!! 

I love you and my comp wanted to say thanks for the package, we loved it!!! Thanks for everything mom, you are the best!!!  Heres a picture with The Betancourt family! 

The Millares Family(from Guapilo). Brother Juan Baptized his brother and his wife this week! I visited them before and the wife went to church, but the Brother never wanted too, and now they got baptized! 

Monday April 11, 2016

Well this has sure been an eventful week!!! 

Well first the weather has gotten cold here! Even though it is only like 60 degrees everyone feels like they are freezing to death!!!! I also get cold in this weather! But there is a way nice sister in the ward, (the mother in law of the Betancourt family) That made us hand made sweaters that are way nice! I will have to send you pictures next week cause I didn't take any of the sweater! 

Then for the Guzman family... Well they were suppose to have there interview with President Willard, but for some problems he couldn't come down, and then their family started telling them they should just wait to get married. That they should wait until they are able to be baptized.  So they decided to put off the wedding another week, and then there family told them they are not prepared and they are rushing everything.  They just decided to listen to Satan and their family.  They want to prepare everything better, and have a big nice wedding... So they decided to wait for two months to do everything, and it has just been a real struggle and shock for us. I don't know why, but thats what has happened with them this week... 

Then in church, I think I hit an all time record of things my comp and I had to do this week... First, I directed the music in sacrament, and then passed the sacrament, and I also bore my testimony. After that, I taught the gospel principles class, and then I did some records in the computer cause there is no secretary, and I taught the Elders Quorum class... It was a crazy Sunday...  I have never had to teach so much in church. But it is fortifying my testimony, and helping me learn also!!! 

Mom, I am getting a lot better at soccer cause we play like every week, and things are just going good here! Even though there are trials I know the lord loves me, and this week while I was studying alma 42 I was able to really understand a lot of things better! Thanks for being the best, I love you all! 

Monday April 4, 2016

Hey Mom!!! 

Well this was just a crazy week here this week!!!! So first off, after writing you on Monday I went to the hair cutters, and the lady completely messed up on my hair, and it looked awful.  So we decided to just go to a different place, and they just cut it really short and made it all even... Now it is really short, and you know how much I hate really short hair... 

Then on Wednesday I had to go to the area of the other Elders. and in the bus my bag disappeared, and I couldn't find it, inside I had all my scriptures and my camera... but then on Sunday some guy was driving by and stopped us and said that he had found my bag, and gave it back to me with everything in it... super lucky that no one stole anything. 

Then for conference!!! Conference was the best!!! My favorite talks were by Gary E Stevenson, cause he talked about losing his car keys while skiing and I couldn't help but smile and think of dad! Then I loved the one by President Uctdorf on Sunday!! That one really helped me understand some things better! And I also loved the last talk by Elder Holland!!! It was just an amazing conference!!! It really inspired me to be better and to improve on a lot of things with the time I have left! 

Oh just so you know that Keyla Romina is the Betancourt family, the lady and daughter that I baptized!!! They are just the best!!! The Guzman family is also doing great, and if everything goes good they should be able to get baptized this Saturday!! They are just a great family, and they loved the conference also!!! 

Mom everything is going great here, I love the people, and I love the lord. I just feel so happy and at peace right now to be here in the mission, and I just am loving every moment I have!!! Thanks for being so great and nice to me! I love you All, you guys are the best!! 

Monday March 28

Sounds like everyone had a really good week this week!!! My comp and I sure did also!!! Well first off I went to Villlamontes to do exchanges with the elders there, and there was like this huge blockage that is still going on, and we had to walk like 2 miles to get into the city. They are really upset so they are not letting people in and out unless you walk a long way.  But for 2 days I was with elder Dansie, he is a cool missionary who is from Pleasant Grove, and we started the mission together, so it was fun to be with him for a couple of days. 

Then my comp and I have been working like crazy to get the branch going here. The branch president has asked us to help with the Home Teaching, so we have been doing a lot of divisions with members, and calling them like twice a week to remind them to go and visit. 

 Also the Guzman family had a couple of trials, the husband went to Santa cruz to sell his car, and he couldn't sell it, and I think they lost money while they were there.. He got back Friday, and expressed to us that he was going through a lot of trials, and didn't know what to do.. We shared some things, and then we invited him to come with his family to the activity that we were going to have on Saturday. Then on Saturday my comp and I did an activity about Lehi´s dream.  We had all the people follow a rope, and turns out that the Guzman family all let go of the rope and they were lost for a really long time... Afterwards we talked about what it represents, and they understood really well. Then at church the class was about a talk given about enduring and enjoying our trials, and it really helped the husband. Then at night when we went to visit them he told us about how much he liked the activity and the talk and said that they are done waiting, tomorrow they are going and doing everything to get married!!! My comp and I were so happy for them!! 

The Branch also loved the activity!! It was really good, and it really helps the people realize what the dream is all about!  The members here are great and the Branch president is great.

Gotta love the miracles that God gives us!! There were a lot of other miracles this week, but I will write about them another time. Thanks for all of your prayers and thanks for your love mom!!! I hope you have a great week! Cause I sure am having a great time here! 

Monday March 21, 2016

Hello Madre!!!!

So another crazy week here!!! Well the city of Villamontes are really mad about taxes and they decided to have a blockade.  They have shut down all transport and so no one can leave Villamontes or Yacuiba, and no one can come in either!  We were suppose to have a conference with president but he couldn't get in.  We also had a district conference, and like no one was there.... 

Also the weather has been crazy! It got super hot, and then a huge cold wind came in and it has been really cold here these last two days... My comp has been freezing because he is not used to cold weather at all! But I like it a lot, because I sleep really well when it is really cold.  But it is not very fun to shower in the mornings.... haha 

The new family that we are visiting is called the Davila family!!!  They are doing really well! They have already started reading the book of mormon, and they are just great! Also we have been able to find a couple of new families that are also really great! So we will see how we go with them! Also the assistants from the mission came to do exchanges with us this week, and that was also a really good day! 

Well everything is going great here, thanks for your love mom!!! I Hope you have a good week!" 

Monday March14, 2016

Hello Mom!!! 

Well lets just say that this was a good and crazy week! So there were no transfers for me or for my companion; which I am way happy about!!! But there were a couple problems with the transfers in Bermejo.  They needed our help to get the Elders and Sisters suit cases to Santa Cruz.  So my comp and I had to wake up at 2 in the morning and go pick up there bags and take them to our house, and then send them at 5 in the morning to Santa Cruz.. It was really weird being out side of the house so late, and it has been a little cold here these last couple of days, and my comp was like bear, he was really hard to wake up at 2 in the morning!! 

But my comp and I were contacting this week, and it felt like no one wanted to receive us.  We were kind of struggling for a little bit, when we just both felt tired, and we wanted to go to a different part of our area.  We decided that we were going to try one more street, and then all of the sudden we knocked on this door, and a guy came out, and told us we could come in.  When we went in his house, we found his wife a little sick with dengue, and she saw us and asked for a blessing, we asked if she was a member and she said no, but she and her whole family had talked with missionaries before, and they were about to get baptized but there was a problem and they had to move to Argentina, and now they had moved back again!  So we  taught them a little and gave a blessing, then we went back to on Sunday to explain lesson one and she was all better, and they said they want to get baptized, and they are just great! It was a tender mercy of the lord! 

Also the Guzman family, the father went to Santa Cruz to do some medical stuff, and turns out he is going to sell his car also while he is there, so when he gets back they can have money and get married!!! That was also a great miracle this week!!!! 

Everything is really going great here, I love it a lot, and I am so happy to be able to be here!!! Thanks for everything mom, I love you a ton!!!!! 

Monday March 7,2016

Hey Mom! Wow Jeff really does look like a chipmunk!!! haha but its good to hear that he is doing better, how is he going with the mission papers? 

Well this was a great week  this week! I had to do a bunch of papers to make sure I can stay here in Bolivia, and they gave me a visa passport that doesn't expire until 2017, so I am basically Bolivian for 2 years more!!! Haha but after that we went back to the offices and at the same time they were having leadership council there.  When President Willard saw us he told my comp and I to enter, and we were able to participate in that, which was cool! 

The Guzman family is doing ok. They are still waiting on marriage, and I am really not sure when they are going to get married. The other families we are teaching are doing good also, we just need to help them a little more! 

With the dengue that everyone is getting it is affecting the branch... This week I had to bless the sacrament, while my comp and one other recent convert passed it, then I taught the gospel doctrine class, and after that the branch president asked if I could teach the elders quorum class, cause he said there was no one else to do it... 

Sometimes I get a little stressed but to be honest I am so grateful for these opportunities that the lord is giving me to learn and to grow! I know I learned a lot on Sunday, and I know I am learning everyday!I think I have given more than 30 blessings in this last week, everyone has been getting sick here... But I will do it. I have a strong testimony in the priesthood blessing of the sick now, cause we saw a lot of miracles this week!  I also have learned to love to always be busy, cause when I am not busy I am bored, and I hate being bored, I need to always be doing something!

Thanks for everything! Love you!