Week 11 in Porvenir

Week #73
5/25/15

Well, we have had  another great week here. We have a bunch of great investigators, were expecting baptisms, and things are really progressing. Something our leaders have made a lot of emphasis on these past few weeks is follow-up. They are encouraging us a lot to have daily contacts with our investigators who are progressing, and always be verifying the commitments we leave. It has gone well for us in our area, and we've seen that the people we are teaching are reading the Book of Mormon more frequently. I'm grateful that God gives us leaders to teach us what we can improve on.

So, this Sunday morning I was sitting in church, and only 1 investigator had gotten there, and she was a new investigator from this last week. Nobody who has progressed had arrived. It was a little stressful considering we had so many people who told us they'd be coming to church. I got a little bummed, but at the end of the meeting, I saw Carol had gotten to the chapel! So she´ll get baptized this Saturday! She has progressed a lot, despite her difficult family situation, and we have seen how much reading from the Book of Mormon helps in investigators´ progress. She had an interview with our branch president after the meetings, and he is now super supportive of her baptism, which was really cool! We are going to have a combined baptismal service with the other areas in our district, so that should be a lot of fun! 

Liliana has dropped off the face of the earth. We have called her every day, and she hasn't come to church these last 2 weeks. We finally caught her at home Sunday afternoon, but her granddaughter told us she is very sick, and they are going to take her to the hospital. So that is kind of sad to see, we will have to keep contact with her, hopefully she will answer her phone!

We are teaching a family that the missionaries found about 6 months ago, but for some reason didn't keep visiting. They're a family of 5, and are rather humble. They are the Corredor family. They have really progressed. We have felt the spirit a lot as we have taught them, but it has been really remarkable to see how much they learn when they read the Book of Mormon together. They pray read, and discuss they chapters we leave for them. They asked us last time to read more about baptism, and now really comprehend the subject. The only bummer is that they don't want to accept a date right now. They've told us they want to see some changes in their lives before placing a date, but definitely have the vision of being baptized. They, like many couples aren't married. So we will have to work with them on that as well. Its funny how much you can grow to love someone although you've only visited them a few times in their home for an hour. Well, I thought I would tell you a little about them since we are hoping for more progress with them in these weeks.

I know that the Atonement of Christ is perfect. I know that he can strengthen us, and loves us perfectly (Hebrews 2:18). I know that we can change, and that if we repent, the Spirit can enter into our lives with more force and influence. 

Thanks for reading!

Pictures:

we went to the zoo today. and a picture with my companion (im not sure why he is pointing at my camera)

´what do you say?´

those are foxes if you cant tell.

Week 10 in Porvenir

Week #72
5/18/15

This week was another great week! We got some great work done, and I feel I learned a lot. Today we played soccer, like normal and had subway. The zone as a unit moves pretty slow, so we spent most of our day there. 

So, Im not sure if I have shared much of what has happened with the Rodriguez Lopez family, but they are really close to getting baptized now! The husband, William is just about to get his legal document so they can get married. his last one was rejected because the notary made a mistake on it, so he had to get it fixed, and had to get a copy of both his parents´ id, but he got it done really quick, so he will go tomorrow to get that fixed, and they can set a date for their marriage this week! We hope they will make it to the 30th of this month. We had a really great lesson with them this week. We are done with the missionary lessons, so we got them started on their family history. They were filling out the little they knew on their family tree, when they both started to call their parents and grandparents for information! They found many more names, and we felt the spirit of Elijah very distinctly! It was a really cool lesson.

Juan Carlos Mur came to church this week! He´s the guy that contacted us while he was drinking about 3 weeks ago. I gave the gospel principles class, and after the class he asked for a gospel principles manual to read. We don't have any extras, but I lent him our copy so he can read it before our next appointment. In the Elders quorum class he participated a lot in the class, and shared that hje considers the Book of Mormon to be true! So we are hoping that we can set a baptismal date with him this week. 

Things with Carol and Liliana have gone well. Neither of them came to church, but can both make it to the 30th if they come this Sunday. Carol didn't come because she got chicunguña, the fashionable illness here right now. Its a virus that a lot of people are getting. It began a few months ago, and everyone thought the mosquitos were spreading it, but recent studies have found that its in the air. They say the only thing one can do is eat a good diet to keep your defenses up. So were going to be keeping the word of wisdom! 

This week I learned that having a positive attitude is necessary in our work. I have been rather positive, but I am trying to leave behind being hesitant. We have found that if we invite people to do things with a smile and a little energy, they believe in themselves and will say yes. This week I also went on an exchange with Elder Arévalo (Ecuador), our district leader. It was really cool being with an Elder who is different. He talk really fast, teaches short lessons, and is SUPER friendly with everyone. I liked how he called everyone brother or sister. As I meditated on it, I like the message it shows of us all being children of God. So it was cool being with an Elder who does things a little different. 

Yesterday we finished up teaching a lesson at 4, and got a message from our zone leaders that we had to be in a meeting in the chapel at 5. It was raining, and neither of us had our impermeable jackets. So we made our way to the chapel on our bikes, and we got SOAKED, but it was fun. Its hot enough here as well so that we don't really get cold. We got to the chapel in about 25 minutes. It was an experience for sure. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that His purpose is to create eternal families that can return to his presence. This is possible through the atonement of Christ, and the gospel. He will save us from our sins if we are willing to repent and keep his commandments. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

Pictures: One lunch (chicken, avocado, platano, and potato salad) the countryside, and a selfie that I definitely didn't take while I was on my bike.

Week 9 in Porvenir

Week #71
5/11/15

Wow, this week has gone by so quick, just like every other week. I know how cliché it is, but time goes so fast out here. This week we saw a lot of success, and Im really content. We were able to get members to come out with us to most of our lessons, and we taught a lot. 

Well we had 4 people in church. The Rodriguez Lopez family came, and today they are supposed to go again to get William´s birth certificate so they can get married. We are hoping a lot that it will be in this month because we have been working with them for so long! They are totally willing, its just a cahllenge to get married here. 

Then we had Liliana in church, the lady we were teaching about 2 months ago who was progressing. Well, last week we decided to go back and visit her after a month when an appointment fell through. She let us in, and told us that she felt pressured from her daughter to get baptized, so she got uncomfortable and didnt want to keep meeting with us, but she is doing really well now, and we have talked a LOT about baptism in the last 2 visits. She knows its something she needs, and we discovered that she has been hesitant because of her temper. People here a lot of times have a misconception that we need to be perfect after baptism, which is not at all the truth. So that is tough for her, but she decided she wanted to get baptized at the end of this month, and she is progressing well. She has a lot of faith. 

Carol came this week as well. She tells us that she has received and answer that the Book fo Mormon is true, and is really excited to be baptized. Not much is new with her...

On Sunday my companion gave the gospel principles class, and I gave the Elders quorom class. That was kind of funny. We own sunday school! My companion gave an AMAZING class. I just thought, whoah, where did that come from? My class went alright. I guess the elders quorom is a little harder to get excited than the investigators. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that we will grow closer to God by following its teachings. I know it is scripture, as the bible. I know that our father in heaven is looking out for each one of us, and deeply desires that we keep his commandments.

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

Pictures:

Where we played soccer, elder wright and I, my weights (bags of water).

Mothers Day Skype

5/10/15

Week 8 in Porvenir

Week #70
5/4/15
This week went really well. We have worked hard, and seen the results of our work, which is always gratifying. We are working to get the members more involved in helping us to teach and have constant contact with our investigators, which is going well because they are willing. So I'm really content with this week. We found a couple new investigators, and we are working to find more, and to get the members to introduce us to their friends. 

So, the toughest thing this week was the members in our lessons. We always try to have a member with us when we visit investigators, because that helps the investigators feel more comfortable at church, and see that someone from their neighborhood believes everything we teach, and that they live it. The hard part has been the members talking so much. They get to the lessons, and think its their lesson. We have had to stop them from talking because they have just gone off for over 20, 30 minutes sometimes. Its really uncomfortable, but were learning to politely interrupt them so we can finish the lesson sometimes. I'm unsure if they are aware of what they do, but above it all, we appreciate that they want to help us. 

Last Sunday everything fell through. I'm talking about last Sunday, or like 8 days ago. So we were just riding around, all afternoon, and nobody was home. We visited a returned missionary at 815, and at 845 as we headed home, a guy called us in the street. He was drinking, and asked us who we were. My companion set up an appointment with him out of good faith. On Wednesday, he actually showed up, and he expressed to us sincere desires to learn and change, and he told us he felt Jesus had things prepared for him. That was a really cool lesson, and I felt the spirit as we taught. The bummer is that he didn't come to church, he was out of town. But were going to meet with him again tomorrow. 

We are also teaching one of the young men´s friends from our ward. Her name is Carol, and she is 18. She came to church last week, and really likes the church. She has read from the book of Mormon, and really felt the spirit. She told us something cool in our lesson with her on Saturday. She told us that she used to go to another church, and her whole time there she felt like something was missing. She had prayed for a while to find what she was missing, and she told us she feels she has found it. She couldn't come to church this week because her mom wouldn't let her. 

In church we had fast and testimony meeting, and I felt the power of the spirit as I listened to the members share their testimonies. I felt the distinct impression to share my testimony, and although what I shared was simple, I feel good about getting up there. I am planning an activity for our ward in 2 weeks, for family history. Were going to put a special focus on the recent converts to get them started on their family history. WE are going to have the members bring their laptops and tablets, and work with Fmailysearch, and teach the doctrine. We are also going to start giving the lessons in Elders Quorum, so the elders can get good lessons and get excited about working.

Also, there were transfers this week, but I'm staying here with Elder Carrera, and Elder Wright is coming to our district!

I know that the church is Gods kingdom here on earth, and that Christ leads it. I know God has sent us leaders to guide and inspire us, such as Thomas S. Monson. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that the gospel can change our lives. I know we can achieve this through the atonement and grace of Christ. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

pictures-

Our zone

 Pancake night

 Today's Lunch