Week 17 in La Candelaria

Week #40
9/29/14
So I have a ton to write this week. Ive been writing more in my journal each week, so I not have a lot more i remember. 

Last Monday after we went out to work, we were waiting outside Zully´s house for a member to show up, and two cops drove by on their motorcycle, they looked at us funny and drove on. A minute later they were pulling up to us and asked us what we did for work. We told them we were missionaries, and that we were waiting for someone, so they decided to pat us down. So that was fun. 

This week went well generally. It had its challenges, but we've also found new people to teach, less actives and new investigators. 

The high point for me was when I called Hugo Torres, and he told me his wife and daughters were getting baptized on Saturday! It was so great to hear, and I cant wait for them to send me the photos. 

On Thursday we had a baptismal interview in Colinas, which is far away, so we took a taxi. When I was getting out of the taxi, I realized our phone fell out of my pocket. I was bothered, but we went to the interview and everything went well. We then called the sister in the offices to report we had lost our phone. Just after, the guy who found our phone picked up, and we planned to meet him. We got permission to leave our zone, and took off to Molinos. We spent an hour and a half getting there, and we had planned to call our phone when we got to a general location. When we got to the bus stop, we tried calling our phone, but the sister had already cut the service. I felt totally defeated. All I wanted to do was just go home. We ended up going back to our area and had a lesson, which cheered me up. Working feels good. 

Friday we had a training with President Lozano. He talked to us about charity and love, teaching the restoration, and how we study, plan, and teach. I really enjoyed the training, and feel motivated to get better. 

On Saturday we had 7 lesson, which was the most I´ve had in 1 day! That ws really cool, and we got home beat that night. That day we visited Damaris and Pedro for the first time, who we contacted last Sunday in the street. They are married, and Damaris was telling us about how she wanted to learn about what happens to us after we die. We began explaining, but she didn't want to listen. She kept asking us for bible references, which I didn't have on hand. I did a good study this morning and have a lot of scriptures for her, but don't really know if we should try to convince her. I know we could, but I don't think that will really help her to be converted. So well see what happens. We also met Maria, a reference from a member, and she told us about how she has been going through a lot of hard situations, and I could see she really needs the gospel in her life. It was a great experience sharing with her. 

On Sunday after church, we had a meeting in the stake center with an area 70, and he talked to us about retention and our ward councils. He told us of the 1,300,000 members in the area, only 220,000 are active. We have a lot of work to do. I saw Elder Macias and Elder Bittner there, which rocked! We took a photo with Elder Macias and the 5 missionaries hes trained. (photo attached below). Elder Russel, his current companion told me he read my blog before he came out on the mission, which was super weird, but cool as well. 

In my studies of the plan of salvation this week, I think I have really come to realize the nothingness of man, that we are totally lost without Christ, and it gives me a new reason to teach. I know that God´s plan is perfect, and is we live the gospel, we can find happiness in our lives. 

I haven't been able to write half of what I wanted to. Time is short, but thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

3 Nephi 27:19, DC20:22, 2 Nephi 9:6-7, 3 Nephi 2:4-5, 3 Nephi 27:10, Mormon 9:13,21 , Ether 3:16

Week 16 in La Candelaria

Week #39
9/22/14

Wow, Im already writing again, I guess that means this week went by quick. Well, where to begin....

ill start from the best part- I heard from Elder Caballero today that Ana, Nandy and Dayana Torres are going to get or were baptized! Theyre the wife and 2 daughters of Hugo Torres, my first convert from Neiva! I was so happy to hear that, and i am so excited for them! So that probably made my whole week. I am going to call Hugo this week and see how he´s doing. 

This week went pretty well. We didnt talk to many people in the street, so we didnt have any new investigators this week, which was a bummer. We were able to have a lot of lessons, and I can see our area is improving. 

Something cool we´re doing right now is in our lessons, if we´re short on time, we´ll read a chapter of the book of mormon with our investigators or recent converts, and explain the commandments or other concepts that are in that chapter. I like doing it a lot, because the peole we teach get familiar with the book of mormon, and we teach principles from Preach My Gospel too. 

I really dont know what to write for this week, sorry. Its been pretty normal, and enjoyable. Things are going a lot better, and we have more people coming out with us to make visits. 

I want to share with you all why im out here, giving 2 years of my life up, without pay and without any physical benefits. 

Im here because I have found that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has changed my life. That through the process of repentance, I have been able to leave behind the bad in my life and be happier- a lot happier. I´m here because I love my saviour, and completely indebted to him, and this is what he has asked me to do. I am here because I want other people to feel the joy I have felt to follow Christ and His teachings. I know that through the Lord we can change, even when it seems impossible. I am here because the Book of Mormon has brought great blessings to my life, and because I have grown closer to God through it. I know that Christ lives. He literally lives, the same as our Father in heaven, and they are always ready and willing to help us. I love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, just like Moses or Abraham. I know that I am doing the Lord´s work, and its the greatest thing I can think of doing. I know I can be a whole lot better, and I anxiously wait to get to be who the Lord needs me to be. 

Thanks so much for reading.

Elder Beck

3 Nephi 27:19, 3 Nephi 8:1, 1Nephi 10:6, Alma 37:44-46, 

Pictures from the temple with Elizabeth, The Martinez Family

 pictures of Bogotá and the aforementioned torres family.

Week 15 in La Candelaria

Week #38
9/15/14

Hey everyone! This week went a lot better. In our district meeting, my companion, Elder Martinez gave great training about faith, and how one of the biggest parts of our faith is diligence. So the commitment he extended was that we could talk to EVERY family we see in the street, to find new investigators and to help more familys know how to find eternal life together. So we talked to a lot more families this week. Not EVERY family we saw, because we saw a lot of families, especially sunday, but we talked to a lot more, and I felt a lot better with our work. 

I don´t know if I´ve said in earlier emails, but one of my zone leaders now is Elder Bannister, from Riverside! On Thursday we went on an exchange in my area, and we had an awesome experience. We were walking in the street, and I decided to talk to a couple. After talking to them for about 7 minutes, they invited us to their house, and we shared with them the restoration. Elcy, the wife was really interested, but her husband didnt pay much attention, which was sad. We have another appointment tomorrow, so we´ll see how that goes!

On Friday we were walking to an appointment and we talked to another family in the street, and they were super cool. It was the parents and 2 kids, and it seemes like they were actually married! The only problem was that we couldnt place an appiontment to visit them, but were going to be calling them this week. 

Yesterday our plans fell through around 7, so we went to our last appointment early, and had an awesome family home evening with some less actives and Duvernery. It was really fun to laugh a lot and relax, and then have a spiritual lesson after. 

I dont have too much more to say for this week. Were keeping up, working hard and having fun. I love being with Elder Martínez, and am really enjoying my time.

I know that Jesus Christ is our saviour, and that we can become completely clean through him. I love the Book of Mormon, and again suggest reading it daily. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

Pics: our district and zone members, our bishop, and his super cute daughter.

Week 14 in La Candelaria

Week #37
9-8-14
So this week went well, there wasnt much that happened. We had our zone meeting this Wednesday, and what hit me was that we have to plant our own feild in our areas. That we need to plant seeds for future Elders. I realized that here I have been reaping more than sowing, but thats going to change. 

This week I spent really tired. Every night I think I went to bed early, im not sure what happened. Ive also had stomach aches the past 2 mornings, but now im feeling better. 

We still havent found anyone new to teach. I realized that we need to go to work to find people, nothing is going to happen if we dont do it ourselves. We cant wait for references, so we have plans to work harder this week and talk with EVERY family that we see in the street. 

On Friday we went to eat and there were chicken feet in my soup. So that was cool. Before I started eating, it smelt good and I got excited. Then I stirred it around and saw the feet. 

On Saturday we went to the temple with Elisabet and her 2 granddaughters. The little girls were acutally pretty quiet, and it was a good activity. Just the bus ride was rough. Standing up in the bus for 1.5 hours both ways is not fun. Especially when youre fasting.

This Sunday Elisabet went up to the pulpit to bear her testimony with her son! It was so cool, and she said she knew she was goingot get baptized. She made it sound like she wanted some more time, but I was so glad to hear that she has the goal. I also bore my testimony in the meeting, but hers was way more special!

On Sunday in the afternoon we visited Yamile. We found her about 6 weeks ago, and she hasnt really progressed, but last week she told us she had some sort of revelation that told her to investigate our church. She just got out of surgery, and cant really move around right now, but has the determination to come to church, which gives us a lot of hope. 

Not much else happened this week. I know this week is going to go great, and that I am going to give the Lord everything I have.

Thanks so much for reading.

Elder Beck 

Alma 34:29, DC 53:2

Week 13 in La Candelaria

Week #36
9/1/14

This week was another tough one, but I have a lot of hope for improvement!

Elder Martinez and I set the goal to read the whole Book of Mormon this transfer, and Im really excited! Its so cool he wants to do it too!

Last Tuesday was a really hard day. At 5pm we were supposed to have a first lesson with a new family, and we went to the house they told us and nobody was home. We called the dad and he told us he would get there in about 30 minutes. When we called a little later his phone was off. It was really discouraging, and we werent able to make many visits. 

This week we had our first lesson with the guy from Mexico we talked to last sunday, and the lesson went really well. It seems his girlfriend is more interested than he is, but I have a lot of hope for them. 

On Saturday our whole zone went to the area of the sisters to contact fopr an hour. It was a really cool activity and the sisters now have their hands full with a bunch of references. I cant wait for everyone to come to my area. 

On Friday I went on an exchange with Elder Rojas from our district, and it was a great day. I think I learned a lot from him, that he has no fear and makes no excuses to talk to people in the street, and that really inspired me. 

In our area we have been having the problem of finding new people to teach, and not having much to do. This sunday we FINALLY got the less actives list, so we are going to be able to help people come back to church and get to know their friends. Yesterday we also fasted to know what we need to do to find new people to teach. So as a companionship we will be waiting to receive revelation. 

Sorry I dont have more time to write, our time is short today. I am so happy to have received the blessings of the atonement of Jesus Christ in my life, and I hope all of you can experience it as well!

Thanks so much for reading!

Mosiah 26:30, 2Nephi 26:31, Mosiah 23:11