Week 5 in Campina

Week #92
10/12/15
Well, this week began with the same challenges with appointments falling through. It can get really discouraging, but I think that maybe things are better this way because the people who don't really want to listen wont, and well spend our time looking for people with really interest. The other thing that has helped me a lot has been my scripture for the week, from DC, that I shared in my last email. Just trusting that this is Gods work, and relying on him has helped me to be calmer and work better.

This week we had some coo experiences finding. That has gone good for us. Not from anything we did, but just seeing the Lord provide for us.
On Tuesday we knocked on a whole street with no success. We got to the bottom of a hill, and sat down and said a prayer, asking God to help us find someone to teach. Just after we finished our prayer, an man came out of his house, set up some chairs near us, and stared talking to us. We ended up teaching him and his family right there. A young man also joined us, who was raised in the church, but was never baptized. His mom is a member, and we should meet all the family this Friday. That was really neat.

This week we taught Jose Rojas more, and he has really begun progressing. He is an older man in a wheelchair, who is a friend of a recent convert family here. He has been really sick, and we met him at church 3 weeks ago. He had listened to the Elders years ago, and is really receptive. We are passing by twice a week to read with him, and twice a week to teach the lessons. He attended church this Sunday, which rocked, and has a date for the 24th! We really hope that he´ll make it!

This week we have plans to get the members more involved in the teaching process. We hope to have members in the lessons to our investigators that accept baptismal dates. Its a big challenge here.
The members are really busy, everybody is ALWAYS working. Things are going better with my companion, and its strange to think that next week Ill enter my last transfer in the mission.

This week Ill ponderize Alma 13:28. I really like the instructions Alma gives to help us put off the natural man, and become saints.
Every week, I am writing my scripture on the mirror in my bathroom.
Its quite effective.

This week has taught me a lot, and I know that God loves us, and guides us. I know that our challenges are to help us grow, and we need to face them with the right attitude. I know that the Book of Mormon is God´s word for us in these latter days.

Thanks for reading!

sorry, I forgot my camera.

Week 4 in Campina

Week #91
10/5/15
This week was difficult, the same problems as the last week. I´m not really sure what to write about this week. Its very strange to think how fast time has gone by. Its really sad if you've never heard a missionary tell you about ending the mission before. Thinking of leaving this life and work behind is hard, because it is so gratifying being completely about the Lord´s work all the time. I think that if I was offered to extend my mission, I might.

General conference was really great! I enjoyed listening to the talks, and they humbled me a lot. President Monson scared me in his talk, his physical condition was alarming. Lets not forget to pray for him. I very much enjoyed hearing inspired messages that comforted, instructed, and corrected me. I decided to ponderize DC 101:16, ¨Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.¨ It helps me not to worry, and just trust the God is taking care of everything.
That if I do my part, I will pull through the difficulties.

I had been thinking a lot this week how unfair it had been that we were working hard, and nobody would really listen to us and keep their commitments. I was frustrate thinking that if God had me here, that I had prepared myself and become so trained as a missionary, why wouldn't he give me all the prepared people so I can just baptize them all?
Obviously such is not the case. I felt humbled in the talks as the authorities talked about adversity and trials. I was reminded that as a missionary, things are not about me, that I need to be meek and accept God´s will. I learned in companionship study from Alma, that if everyone rejects us, that we still have a reason to rejoice, because we are faithful to God.

None of our investigators come to conference, but that's okay, someone should come to church this week.

I know that God answers prayers, and that the Spirit can inspire us in our lives. I know God is aware of me and you, and that He loves us. i know that when we decide not to doubt nor complain, the Spirit can comfort us in our afflictions.

Thanks for reading!
Elder Beck

pictures: the zone, and a tamal (tamales)

Week 2 in Campina

Week #90
9/21/15

Well, as I write, it seems like everything is hilited, I hope the computer doesnt erase my whole email.

This week was tough, but it ended well so I dont remember much of the bad stuff. Basically what happened was that a bunch (basically all) of our appointments fell through in the week, so it was hard riding around all week without being able to really help people. The nice thing is that sunday went better. 

We were tracting on Thursday, and for about 10 houses nobody opened up. The first guy who opened up told us he was an inactive member, and he let us in. I told him he was just a member, that we dont use the term ´inactive´. He is 22 years old, served in the army here, and is married. He´s not just living with his girlfriend and calls her his wife, hes actually really married. Its a miracle. I dont think Ive ever met people so young who are actually married before. We finished up getting to know him, and his wife got home. She wasnt very interested, but at least she listened to us! So I hope we will be able to keep visiting them, and help them to come to church!

On Sturday the branch had a family history activity, and I want to do my family history again. Really bad. WE had a few converts at the activity, so hopefully we can get a few ready to go to the temple with the branch in october. We also hope to go if President gives us permission. Itd be the first time for me since January. 

On Sunday all the visits we had planned fell through. All of them. We ended up tracting a bit, looking for a member with an unknown adress. We talked to a man outside his house, and he told us he needed a message from Jesus. We got to share with him and his daughter, and they told us that they wanted to change their family, that they want to fight less. It was special to find people with real desires to change and get better. 

Well, this letter is short, its been a fairly normal week. Challenges with a few good experiences as well. 

I know that reading the Book of Mormon blesses our lives, and I know that it can help us with any problems. I know that fasting gives us power to change, and that God loves us, and wants to make covenants with Him.

Thanks for reading,

Elder Beck

Pictures: our complex, the district, comps.

Week 1 in Campina

Week #89
9/14/15
Wow, Im not in Porvenir anymore. 

Well, now Im in Ibague, 3 hours from Bogotá, but west, instead of southeast. The bus rides were fine, not too long. Monday night and Tuesday morning before I left I felt really content and happy. I felt that I had really done a good job in Porvenir, and I left the next Elder there some good work to do. 

My new area is a little smaller than the last. We are 3 companionships here in the branch. We have bikes, but dont use them every day. Its hot and dry here. Really dry. We have started to work here, and we were able to find a few new investigators, and this week our work should be more focused and organized. Right now we are working a lot with the families in which not all are members of the church. There are a lot here. The branch is pretty great, there are strong leaders. And church starts at 9! Its so nice! We live in an apartment complex, on the 7th floor. There are 2 bathrooms, and there's hot water in the showers. Its amazing. My companion is Elder Meneses, from Ecuador. He has 4 months in the mission, and is really humble and patient. He is easy to work with, and get along with, so I feel really blessed.

The branch president asked me to give a talk on Sunday about the temple, because the branch will be going in October. I cited President Monson´s last talk from general conference about going to the temple, and talked about the importance of regular temple attendance. I felt good giving my talk, and it was neat. The bummer was that nobody we had invited came to church. We will just have to invite a lot more people this week. Its pretty easy to find here, like Villavicencio. 

Sorry, this email is all scatterbrained. A lot has happened, and I feel pressured for time. So, we had a cool experience yesterday. We found a guy tracting on Thursday, and we got to visit him Sunday. He seemed to be pretty closed, and not very friendly. As we began talking, he opened up a little more, and seemed more interested. I decided to ask him a question to see what he was looking for, or what he needed from God. I decided I wanted to ask him something different from what I normally ask people. After a moment, the worst came into my head, and he responded that he wanted more strength an faith. That was cool to see that the spirit could guide me. We taught the restoration, and ending, the though came to my head to ask him how he felt. I questioned it, and decided to ask. He said he felt good. I asked if it was a normal good, or something different. He responded that it was special. Then we explained about the Holy Ghost´s job of testifying of truth. It was a really special experience to see how the spirit could guide us, and know that that man felt what we taught. 

So yeah, this week has gone pretty good, and we expect this next one to go even better. I know that I just need to work hard, and not lose time, and we will see a lot of success.

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that it proves Jospeh Smith to be a prophet of God, and that god has restored all things in these days. I know  he ehars us, and will strengthen us when we look to him. I know that all He does shows us His love. I know that He loves me, and loves you as well. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

sorry, this computer wont read my sd card.

Week 26 in Porvenir

Week #88
9/7/15

Well, we got the call last night, and my pleasant stay in the eastern plains of Colombia has ended. Tomorrow I will be transferred to Ibague, still outside of Bogotá, so Im really excited about that. I really saw the Lords hand in these transfers, I know that they were inspired. Ill be going to the Campiña branch, where one of my former companions started his mission. Im really excited to go to a new area, and meet new challenges. I have learned so much here, like how to really help people progress, and how to work hard and efficiently. Im grateful the Lord has sent me here, and has taught me so much. 

This week was tough. Every day we had good plans. New people to visit, members to come out with us, meaningful lessons, baptismal dates to place. I think almost every day, our plans fell through, maybe we had daily 2 of the lessons we planned. It was really discouraging. What we did was just try not to lose time, and tract when we hadnt anything else to do. We tracted for about 3 hours on Thursday, and nothing worked out, and then another 2 or 3 on Saturday with the same results. We were far away from our goal for new investigators for the week, and we only had Sunday left. Sunday was a great day, we called a contact we made like 5 weeks ago, and got to teach his family for the first time, and found more people tracting, and met our goal. Its was a really cool experience. I learned that when we try to do the Lords will, and give all that we have got to do so, he gets us there. I know that he blessed us when we worked hard, and dedicated ourselves to fulfilling our goals. 

This week nobody came to church because it rained all morning sunday. When it rains here people dont do anything, or at least it seems to be an acceptable excuse not to come to church for the people here. I dont understand it very much. That was a bummer, but I know there are good people here, who Elder Chaves and his new companion will be able to help out. 

This week we also had some really good lessons with the recent converts in our area. The lessons werent with our converts, but converts from other missionaries, who have been struggling recently. One family has really been a challenge for us, and I often had wondered why they dont come to church. It just seemed like they didnt care about anything anymore. In the lesson I decided to be really direct with the brother, and ask what was wrong, and what was going on. He told us he felt bad going to church and not being able to pay his tithing. Hes a taxi driver, and has to pay a high quote each day. We helped him plan to set apart his tithing daily, and to see that the Lord would bless him if he did so, that his economical situation would actually improve. I felt really good after that lesson, because for about 3 months weve not known how to help them. 

Thats about it for each week. I knwo that God loves us, and will always help us to change and improve. I know that the atonement of Christ is truly infinite. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, and that God can speak to us through it. 

Thanks for reading!

pictures:

when lunch fall through, we order chinese, and a giant moth

Week 25 in Porvenir

Week #87
8/31/15
Well this week was a challenge, but not so tough as last. It has been a challenge this week to be diligent, and we haven't worked enough to meet the standards of excellence, but were going to work way better this week. 

Theres not much news for this week. We started teaching Ayshalom, the YM president´s son. He is 10. And a family we found tracting came to church! I was all bummed in sacrament meeting because none of our investigators came.the teacher didnt come for gospel principles,so I had to give the class, and as we sung the first hymn, the Franco family arrived! That was definitely the high point of our week. I have seen my faith tried a lot, and a lot of resistance. We spent a good part of this week dropping a lot of the people weve found, but Im happy so now well have time to look for more!

Today began pretty fun, when my comp burnt me with the iron. It wasnt intentional, but it surprised me a lot. So close to our ironing board theres a chair I sit on to change. I had just finished ironing my shirt, and hung it up to cool off, and got ready to change. My companion turned on the iron to iron his shirt. I sat down on the chair, and felt as if something had stabbed my hip. I yelled, Ow! and my comp started shouting Elder, what are you doing? He had left the iron on my chair, charging up. I was pretty mad about it for 20 seconds, and then we ended up laughing.  

So, yeah. This week was pretty normal. I know that God lives, and that only through Jesus Christ we have hope. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and it has blessed my life so much! I know that our difficulties are necessary to help us grow and improve, and all of it is part of Gods plan for us. 

Thanks for reading!

Elder Beck

Week 24 in Porvenir

Week #86
8/24/15
Well, this week a lot of things happened. We didnt work quite as hard as last week, but weve decided to give our all this week. Sorry if a few words come attatched, my spacebar is kind of disfunctional. 

The best thing that happened this week was that we moved! Finally. We have been waiting for 3 weeks for the secretary to sign the contract, but now we´re out of our old house. No more mice, cockroaches, nor spiders. Im quite happy. Our new house has 2 bathrooms, so I get my own shower! Its the best! The house is a lot bigger, the kitchen space is a bit smaller, our room is huge, more ventialtion, and its got 2 floors. So we´re pretty happy. We got the call on Thursday that we got the house, and moved Friday morning. The move went well, and we have got everything pretty much all packed up. It gave me a good look at how much I can fit into my suitcases, I havent packed them in 5 months. 

We did a bit of finding this week, but not much. Tracting hasnt worked SO well, but it is still giving us results. Were looking closer to members, and were beginning to create bonds between the members and our new investigators. Last night we had a great visit with Hernan, a new investigator we found by our branch president. Pres. Rosas came out with us, and he was really receptive. That was the 3rd visit, and we focused alot on the commitment to read from the Book of Mormon daily. He seems to have a lot of potential. The only challenge will be his attendance, because he is a soccer referee, and works a lot on Sundays. Itll all go step by step.

Things in our companionship have been really good. Elder Chaves is the man. Im sad Ill probably be taking off in 2 weeks with the transfers. But 6 months is enough in one area. Nobody came to church this week, and that was a big bummer.

This week in my personal study Ive been reading from Romans, and have found a lot of scriptures I like. 5:8, 10:14, 11:23-24, 11:29, and more I dont remember in the moment. Ive also been memorizing more scriptures to use during the teaching. Its funny, people seem to really like it here when you quote or read a scripture they dont understand. 

I know that God has restored his priesthood power here on earth, and I know that the gospel in its fulness has been restored. I know God tries our faith to help us grow. Its like sharpening a pencil, as a speaker said this sunday. We would be the pencil. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God,just as the Bible. 

Thanks for reading! 

Elder Beck