Missionary Moments in Giradot

Dear Family,

 

This was a good week. We found a lot of new investigators, and started teaching an English class for the branch here. We have had a lot of success contacting just inviting people to come learn English.  also this week was the district conference so we got to hear president give a talk which I learned a lot from.,

Experiences:
We went to one family to read the Book of Mormon, and well in the middle of the chapter, the little girl ran inside and then came back out with a pigeon in her hand. Apparently she had caught it earlier that day and now it was her pet. Haha!

I had an exchange and got to spend Wednesday in Melgar, a tiny pueblo about forty minutes from here. It was a fun day.  I was with and elder from California. We had to go on a hike to get to some investigators, they live clear at the top of a mountain, and it was really really hot. I was sweating like wrestling practice, just in my church clothes.  Mission life.

We have a baptism planned this week. Our investigator Johann finally committed.  He comes with us frequently on appointments. Great guy!   We found a new family, Miriam and her three kids,and they came to church!

We had transfers last night. Elder Gardner left, and my new comp will be getting here tomorrow.  He is a Brazilian. I'm really excited to serve with him.  I've talked to him before and he has stayed at our house a few times for conferences and such, so i'll send some pics next week. 

Our investigator Johann did get baptized, that was really cool! 

Next Week:

This week was a little crazy, Monday night we got a call telling us we had to be in Bogota for a conference Thursday and Friday, and those were the two days we had planned big activities here in the zone with all the missionaries.   So we had to just wish them luck, everything turned out good though in the end. 

The conference was with Elder Godoy, the area president here. I loved it, he was really down to earth. He talked about what motivates people to do what they do, what motivates us to go work and what motivates investigators to change their life. It really changed my perspective on the mission. 

Anyways, that's about a summary of the week. Just lots of running and organizing.  And well I was dying about Dad's family night lesson, tell him to be careful what phrases he uses!!

As far as after mission plans I'm still not sure when I am coming home, but Elder Gardner is going to try and hook up me and Elder Amick with a job harvesting potatoes up in Idaho. They make bank so that's the plan when I get back. Ill work out the details with the new mission president about the leave date, but keep your eyes open for other options, and tell Dad to have his prospective wife write me.  :)

So this week has been really good. My new comp is full of energy, and we get along great. Hes teaching me how to walk slack line for exercise in the morning.  I finally made it down the whole line today!

I wanted to share the story of Hector this week. He was our only investigator who showed up at church. we contacted him on Monday, and he just started blasting us with questions. He wouldn't accept a Book of Mormon because he thought we there was a charge for it.  We gave him a pamphlet, and he read it, then accepted the Book of Mormon and has already read quite a bit. I was surprised when he showed up to church, he notices every detail.   He asked me if the color of the ties of the deacons who pass the sacrament has any meaning.  He is an awesome investigator.

Thoughts:
Well missionary life is same old. I am honestly starting to feel a small sense of sadness that its going to end, but the good news is we are busy so I don't think about the time too much. We have lots going on this upcoming week.  It's hard for me to write about it all but I'll share when I get home.
I've been thinking about extending because if I can't make the fall semester, might as well keep serving.  But I cant make any decisions until the new president gets here in July.

I read two talks this week about the character and grace of Jesus Christ. Its interesting the relationship that they have with our daily life, how we resist temptations, how diligent we are. I realize now all of the commandments, including the mission rules, aren't so much requirements to qualify for heaven, rather practice to become more heavenly. I have been really focusing my studies on the life of Christ lately, there is much I don't understand, but Ive come to realize in a great amount just how much He loves us, and the investigators.  That knowledge gives a new energy to the work.  A lot of times missionaries here just think that the mission is convincing people that our church is true. But if they never come to know the Savior, even being in His church, then they miss the point.

Johan got the priesthood, and accompanied us on visits almost all week. We had a couple fun service projects. One lady wanted us to take out a tree from the roots, and all she gave us was a machete and a shovel, and the tree was surrounded with cement!!    It was quite the experience. We have to go this week to finish.   Having lots of fun here not too much to complain about. Wish Sergio and Grandpa a feliz cumpleaños de mi parte por favor!

Love you all lots!!

Elder Donaldson

Bus Ride to Bogota