Week 23 in Porvenir

Week #85
8/17/15

Wow. For today, I still have 19 months in the mission. And I don´t want to think about tommorrow. This week has been great. A lot of good things have happened, and we´ve seen the fruits of our work. Our companionship is great, and I have a lot of hope for our area. 

Well last week I talked about how we are beginning to tracts in the blocks near where the members live, and its worked great! Whenever we got tract for an hour, we find new investigators. Ive found that we need to make a daily effort to sow in our area, because in the 3 sectors in my area, were only there twice a week. If on Tuesday bwe didnt sow at all, itll be tough to find anybody new on Friday when we go back. On the other hand, Tuesdays work can bring fruit the same day, and for Friday. I just wish someone would have told me how effective this was 6 months ago. Oh well, Ill just take dvantage these next 3 weeks before transfers. I really dont want to leave this area. I love it so much here. I know that if I do get transferred I will love my new area as well. This week we have to work a lot with the members with the new friends we have found them, so we can help people to progress. Most everyone we find seems to have potencial, so that keeps us excited. 

We had an exchange with the Elders in la esperanza, and I was with Elder Mandujano (Peru). His area has been kind of tough, and a lot of appointments fell through, so we just tracted a bunch. His area is way harder than mine. The people were very cold and rejecting. A lot of old ladies told us funny things. One said Ím doing my rosary  (catholic prayer beads) right now, dont bother me´ or when we said ´itd be a pleasure for us to share our message with you.(response) ´for me it wouldnt´´ or ´im sick and you made me come downstairs, what do you need?´. I kinda felt bad after that one. The funniest was when a lady began to reject us, but wouldnt just say no. I asked her if she didnt want to better her life. Big mistake. She started shouting at us about how she didnt need anything else in life because God gives her health, and that thats all you need to ask for in your prayers, and that we shouldnt ask for money in our prayers. that one makes me laugh still. Although it wasnt very easy, we did have success, and Elder Mandujano was happy that day. 

Michell didnt come to church this Sunday, and bailed on the lesson we had. Were kind of worried about him, it feels like he isnt telling us about his doubts, or the things that are holding him back from making a decision and sticking to it. Hopefully we can help him to open us a little more, so he can overcome his obstacles. 

Nobody else has been progressing, but with so many new investigators, were hoping to do some good follow-up this week. The best part is that weve been able to find families. 

I know that the gospel has been restored through Joseph Smith, and that it is only through Christ that we can be saved from death and sin. Ive learned this week more about the sacrament, that it is the greatest way we can bring Christ into our lives. I know God loves each one of us, and wants to help us. I know prayer is real. 

Thanks so much for reading! Sorry there are no photots, my camera is still busted. 

Elder Beck

Week 22 in Porvenir

Week #84
8/10/15
Ive been here forever! But I love it, and I never want to leave. Villavicencio is the best. Ill begin today by apologizing there haven't been any pictures, my camera got busted, and a member is going to take it in on Thursday to see if he can get it fixed, so hopefully next week Ill have pictures again! 

Well this week was another good one. We didnt get to do so much tracting, but we still taught a lot of good lessons, and found new investigators. We didnt get to work Wednesday or Thursday in our area, so we lost a bit of time there. On Wednesday morning we did our weekly planning with the zone in the chapel, and after our lunches we met up to do an invasion(everyone from the zone goes and contacts/tracts) in Elder Wright´s area. We were able to talk to quite a few people. Afterwards we headed over to the terminal and caught a bus to Bogotá. We got to the house we´d stay at at 9pm and got a pizza from domino´s for dinner. 

Thursday we took off early for a meeting with President Baquerizo, and the training was really inspired. First, he gave us a new vision about how we can work better and achieve more. He challenged all of us to find 2 new investigators daily, which will require effort, but will also be possible. So we are going to focus more on tracting and finding. He also challenges us to baptize more(obviously). We talked about how to plan more efficiently as well, and finally the assistants talked to us about our teaching, and that we should always include baptism in our teaching. It was a really good, inspiring meeting that has helped me to work better. 

I have discovered a new vision for our work. At some point in the mission, all of us became convinced we had to find thru the members, and no other way. Im finding that to be false. It is the best way to find investigators, but you cant force it. What we have decided to do is to tract in the blocks near members that are active in church so when we find somebody who is interested, we have a member who lives a block away to help them get to church and feel better about everything. Im hoping we will be able to find good investigators, and that the members will help us get them progressing. I fell pretty excited to work like that for these next 4 weeks and see how it works.

On Sunday Michell came to church, and he is progressing well towards the 29th of December. Carol, our convert is now the YSA representative in the branch, and is helping us out with Michell. Oscar Franco gave his first talk on Sunday, and everybody loved it, it was so good! I was so happy to see him up at the pulpit and blessing the sacrament. 

Well, I have seem this week that people have their agency. God loves us so much he lets us make decisions, even the wrong ones. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that if we carry out his will, the Spirit can always be with us. I know that if we walk in the light, the blood of Christ can cleanse us of all sin.

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

Week 21 in Porvenir

Week #83
8/3/15
So, today I hit 5 months in this area. It feels like Ive been here for 2. Time has gone by way too fast. Something interesting that happened this week- last night before bed, I felt the skin between my toes was a little dry, but I didn't pay much attention to it. This morning I checked it out, and it seems I have athlete´s foot! The good thing is Ive found it quick, and its not advanced at all. So we´ll see how the spray I got works. Hopefully I´ll be able to get rid of it quick. So that fun. I must have gotten it from the hike last week when I spent pretty much the whole day with wet feet, or one of these days when my shoes have gotten soaked in the rained. Its continued raining pretty much every day this week, but it hasn't been too heavy. 

This week we kept tracting, going door to door. We decided that we were just going t stay in the general area we had planned to be in that day, and if we didn't have anything to do, we would go look for new people to teach. That went really well for us! We found lots of new investigators this week, and taught lots of lessons. My companion has gotten really good at teaching, and we have reached a good unity. The people we've been finding haven't been the greatest, but if they read, pray and come to church they'll have a great progress in the gospel. So were going to be doing a lot of follow up. The Grey family hasn't been so strong these weeks, and our lessons have fallen through. We are going to work hard to keep up with them, and get them excited about coming to church every week. Thats definitely something Ive seen this week, that if anyone goes to church weekly, they keep progressing in the gospel, and can keep improving, but if one stops going to church, they fall off the path. 

Ive had a really cool experience with the Book of Mormon lately, that each chapter I read has a message for how I can improve my life and my missionary work. Im in the late chapters of Alma right now, and I have liked how each of the captains of the Nephites have captured different cities by creative strategies. I want to apply that to my work more, thinking outside of the box´. 

I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, just like the Bible is. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and the Christ is always wanting to help us change and improve.

Thanks for reading!

Week 20 in Porvenir

Week #82
7/27/15

Transfer calls were last night. I could hardly keep myself together. Its always such a stressful night, im not sure why. So the call came in, and Im staying! The whole zone only had one transfer, and Elder from our district will be going to Bogotá. Im way excited that I get to stay in this area for another 6 weeks and stay with Elder Chaves. I am ready to work super hard this transfer, and find tons of people. I think Ill also be wearing the same tie for 6 weeks, we´ll se if anybody notices.

So this week was normal. What we have seen in our area is that its hard to get people progressing. We had found a couple people who seemed to have potencial, but theyre not keeping their commitments, so we need to find new people. We knocked doors a little, and will be doing that much more this week. We have found that we lose a lot of time riding around, looking for people to visit that arent home. Weve decided were just going to stay in the sector we´re already in, and contact or knock on doors to find more. Hopefully we will be able to find people who are ready to receive the restored gospel. 

Knocking doors this week has been cool, because twice someone let us in right then and there to share a message. We are hoping that we can have more appointments with them in the future, and help them to come to church. 

Not much else has happened this week. Today we went on a huge hike up a mountain, and it was raining the whole time. We saw waterfalls and crossed steel wire bridges. 

I know that God loves us so much he respects our decisions, good or bad. He is also just with us, rewarding us with the same good or bad we choose. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The spirit teaches me personally through it how I can improve and change. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

in the jungle, typical ´llanero´ outfit

Week 19 in Povenir

Week #81
7/20/15

Its crazy to think Ive almost been in this area for 20 weeks. Ive had the feeling this week that I will be leaving this area at transfers, which are next weekend. I would miss it here a lot, I love working in tierra caliente, but I would like the challenge of Bogotá again. The best part is that the Lord decides that, not me.  

 

This week was a good one. In our weekly planning we realized we have quite a few investigators with potential, but we are also seeing how they use their agency. So finding is becoming important again. Its been hard to visit investigators, and most of our plans have been on the weaker side this week. I have found that as I just do everything I can think to do, and not worry, things work out. Just doing my part and letting the Lord take care of the rest. 

The Rodriguez Lopez family got married on Tuesday, which was amazing. We got to the notary a little bit early, and about 20 people went to the wedding. it was very simple, and someone who worked there just read them the script, and they signed. Although it was very plain, it was a really special moment, and everything was really happy. 

They were baptized on Friday. The service started super late, but it was worth waiting for their family and friends. The branch president baptized William, Elder Chanves baptized Herminia, and I baptized Joseph. The service went well, and we ended getting home just at the limit. They were confirmed Sunday, and William received the aaronic priesthood! That surprised me!

We had a cool experience yesterday. I had called on Saturday a less active member someone had referred to us, and we went yesterday to meet her. She was really nice and open to our visit. She showed a real interest i coming back to church, and we talked a lot about the blessings of the temple to motivate her. At the end of the message she gave us 3 referrals for other areas. I decided to ask her what we call ´the golden question´, ´Who do you know who would be interested in our message, and would benefit from it?´. She told us about one of her neighbors, and took us there to meet her. It was way cool to see how much faith she had, and that she wasn't afraid to share the gospel. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that he hears prayer. He will support us i all good things we do, and wants to help us change. I know that we apply Christ´s perfect sacrifice when we live the gospel, and it allows us to change. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

Week 18 in Porvenir

Week #80
7/13/15

This week began great. We got to Bogotá around 815, and went to sleep at one of the apartments near the chapel in Quiroga. We got a pizza and soda, and slept on some extra matresses they had there, but I didnt sleep very well. Being in Bogotá was cool, feeling the cold again. We had a meeting with President Baquerizo, the new mission President. He told us about his family, and his life story. We shortly introduced ourselves, and that was about the whole meeting. That was with all the missionaries in Bogotá. Then just our zone had interviews with President, and it was pretty basic. He impacted me with the love and humility he shoed us, and Im really happy. Tusday night we headed back to BogotáVillavicencio, and got home around 9pm. 

The week began well, on Wednesday we had a cool experience. About 2 weeks ago we were looking for a former investigator, but the adress was wrong, and when we knocked on the door a young man let us in, and we shared a short message with him. As we left, we asked him the golden question, ´who do you know that would be interested in our message, and benefit from it?´ He told us that his neighbor in front would, but we didnt go right away, because we had an appointment. We went back on Wednesday, and she let us in, and was really receptive. On Friday we had another lesson, and she´s married! That is not very common here. Se were excited to have found a married family to teach. 

The Rodriguez Lopez family is progressing well, and will be married on Tuesday, and baptized on Friday. We are pretty excited, and I hope they will decide that members, and not us will baptize them. We´ll see on Wednesday in their interviews. 

Yesterday we had another neat experience with a less active couple. The brother is an rm, and they havent ben to church in a long, long time. So last night we got to visit them again, and I hadnt any idea of what we should share with them. One of the lessons, or reading the Book of Mormon just didnt seem right. I decided to begin by explaining our purpose there, that we wanted them to come back to church. I talked about going back to church, and their potential to have an eternal family. I felt a little unsure, being so direct, but they responded positively, which was a huge relief. They commited to coming to church this Sunday, which gave me hope. 

I know the gospel is the only way to trulñy live free, and happy. I know that Thomas S. Monson is called of God, and the apostles have that same calling as those of old. i know the atonement is real, and that we can change our lives through Christ. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

Pic:

I found a 2lb tub of planter peanuts!

Week 17 in Porvenir

Week #79
7/6/15

Wow, its crazy to thing I have already been in this area for 4 months. Yesterday at lunch the distrcit counselor asked me how long id been here. I told him three months, march, april may, june, oh shoot thats four months! I cant believe it. 

So this week the Rodriguez Lopez family finally went to the notary. On Wednesday they got their childrens´ papers, and on Friday they set a date! Theyll get married on the 14th of this months, and baptized on the 17th! They have waited so long, and we are stoked to see that theyll finally be able to be married and baptized! We are going to work hard to get a lot of members there. William asked me if he could invite his family, which was funny. OF COURSE we want his family there. 

Yesterday in church, Oscar Franco got the priesthood, and was ordained to the office of priest, which was so cool to see! He has already had his second interview with the branch president, so we know that he´s in good hands. This week we got to start his family history with him. Although he didnt have a lot of information, we told him how he´ll be able to find more. I love family history!

Happy 4th of July to everyone by the way! I had thought beforehand to order a pizza at night, but we were fasting, so that didnt happen. We did, however go to Elder Wright´s baptism, which was great. The Palacios family got baptized after 5 years of investigating the church. They finally got married, and Nicholas, the dad was radiant. I could feel his joy, finally receiving the saving ordinance. 

The Grey family is doing well, and this week we also found some new investigators. One was a cool experience. We have done more contacting lately, but normally it isnt the most effective. People give us fake adresses and phone numbers, so finding hasnt been the easiest. We went to a lesson we had planned with a lady we talked to in the street. When we first got there her neighbor was looking at us a lot in the window. We said hi, and started a small conversation. We were interrupted when the lady we had contacted answered her door. She told us she was alone, so we set up the lesson for another day, when her whole family would be home. We were about to get on our bikes and leave, when we decided to invite the neighbor to hear our lesson as well. She said, ´sure, Ill listen to you.´ We met Meri(Mary) and Andres, her son. Andres participated a lot in the lesson, and was telling us how he wanted to change his life. It was specail to find someone who was really sincere, and who saw us as representatives of the Savior. 

That was pretty much all that happened this week. Today at 2 pm well get on a bus for Bogotá to have a meeting Tuesday with President Baquerizo, our new mission president, and interviews. 

I know as we live the gospel of Jesus Christ, we con improve our lives. I know that the Book of Mormon is like a roadsign, or a trailhead to mark the path we need to follow. I know it is the word of God, and he answers our prayers and questions. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

pictures: 

The selfie stick has come to Colombia, 

the district,

and the reception for the Palacios