Ditching the Bikes

This week was kinda hard work wise, we have ran out of people to teach this last week. So we started to ditch the bikes so we could talk to people on the streets easier, which worked!!! We found like 5 new people to teach this week and one family that looks promising, they are married which is a miracle down here!! Haha!  Sundays are my favorite day, the spirit is always the best and we always have the best lessons! We can only teach that family I told you about last week on Sundays too. The dad is praying for an answer and is reading too! So that's good! We are taking it slow with him. I'm really excited for Halloween. Even though I don't get to do anything, I think I might buy some decorations for our house and even make some stupid costume! Haha! That's it for this week. Love you all!

Elder Chavez

Greatest Example

I had the best lesson yesterday! We taught a family who are all members except the dad. He likes me a ton! He always talks to me which is way nice. Sometimes people don't talk to me cause I'm the gringo. But we started talking about families and I shared Dad's story and how he changed for us.  The mom was in tears and he said he will read and try to gain a testimony. It was awesome. Tell dad he is the greatest example to me  in my entire life and that he is helping me everyday out here!

Love-
Elder Chavez

Trainer Elder Misari and Elder Chavez

Pday Snack

Nasty Bug bites!

B-day Card for Little Sister Izzy!

Shortest Hair cut EVER!
He asked for a # 3 to be used, not sure what happened?!
Still the cutest Missionary out there :)

Trainer Elder Misari and Elder Chavez

First Baptism September 13, 2014

Hi!
First off ... My baptism  was freaking nuts!!! The lady I baptized is Nubia and she is really big! Haha, but anyways they didn't have any baptism clothes that could fit her, so it was really awkward. So like 5 minutes before the baptism we had to run, and I mean run to the store to buy her clothes ... but they didn't have any ... So we got the next best thing a bed sheet! Haha!  We got a bed sheet and cut a hole in the middle and that's what she was baptized in! Haha! I had to do it twice because she didn't plug her nose the first time and her feet came out. But I dunked her pretty hard the next time!!  Things are going getting better.  I stay busy everyday all day. I am so exhausted by the time I get home I just go to bed and get up and repeat the same thing the next day.  My legs get so tired by the end of the day everyday.  It rained here this week on my birthday,  that was cool but then the sun came out and it got super muggy and humid.  I am dripping sweat all day everyday. Weeks are flying by, 2 months today!! I am trying my best out here.  I've started to set goals to focus on.  All I really want is to get lost out here. Make sure to tell Izzy Happy Birthday! Tell her I love her and that she's going to kill it in lacrosse! I am going to try and send pictures but the Internet where I am at is really slow. Love you 

Elder Chavez

HaPpY 19Th BiRtHdAy!

Dear Elder Chavez,
I seriously can not believe that 19 years have come and gone as fast as they have.  Today is a bittersweet day for me.  My heart is so full of Love for you.  You made me a Mom, you gave me a life that I never thought possible.  You gave me Hope at a time I had none.  You're not here at home today with us to celebrate. You're thousands of miles away ... for that I am sad.  But your purpose of being there makes my heart happy!   You have grown into such a fine young man.  I often think about the people your dad and I were when we had you ... young, dumb and had no clue what this life was all about.  And then I think about you Mason,  The sweet strong spirit  you are.  And the courage you had to step forward at a time when Heavenly Father asked "Who would go down and help these two lost people?"  I picture you quietly raising your hand and stepping forward saying " I will go!" You knew what we needed, your sweet spirit showed us the true reason for this earthly life.  I always knew you were special!  You were always a little man from the beginning.  I often joke ... I don't know who raised who! Haha! But seriously Mason,  You have taught so much to me and your Dad in the 19 years you have been here!!! You make us laugh, you tease everyone all the time. You know how to frustrate me almost as much as your Dad! Haha! And lately you have made us cry, cause we miss you so much!!! But through the tears you make us smile.  We await Monday's as though it is Christmas every week!   Seeing the growth and the changes in you each week, make us so happy and proud to be your Mom and Dad!  You still continue to teach and amaze me each and every day with your strength and determination to do what's right!  I am so proud of who you have become.  I know you worry about choices you have made and if you could have done better.  But listen to me when I say,  Never regret the choices you have and will make, they are what build character, they teach us what we really want and need in this life.  We are so proud of you for making this choice to serve The Lord!  There is no better gift that I could give you at this time in your life than this experience!  I hope you cherish this gift! Love the people of Colombia with all your heart and Strength and give them the Love and Hope that you gave to our family!  We love you more than you will ever know Mason! We hope you enjoy this day and know that we love you and are thinking about you always!

Love-

Mom

First Baptism this Saturday!

Well I hope you guys liked the letter that I sent?! It wasn't very long and I hope the package you sent me was small because last week I forgot to tell you, if it's over 4 pounds when it comes, we have to pay taxes on it!! And that would come out of my food money! So if it is you might need to put more money on my card, Haha!  But I have cool news ... there a kid from school who had to go home for surgery and he said he will bring stuff down here for me. I'm going to give him your number so you can give him stuff. I would like a jar of Renfros and candy, and my Olympic Montroux and Liverpool jersey and some more letters! But things have been going pretty good. We have 10 investigators with a baptism date, but only 3 showed up to church. It can be so frustrating! But some cool and crazy weird stuff... So first off , no one wears clothes down here and it's freaking disgusting Haha! But we will be in the middle of a lesson and a lady will just pull out her boob to feed her kid it's soooo awkward. Hahaha! Everyone thinks it's so cool I speak English, they have me translate like every word. Haha and on Sunday's the chapel is awesome because it's way cold in there! And guess what way cold is?? 81 degrees Haha! I never thought that would be considered cold. Haha! oh and I'm having my first baptism this Saturday and I'm way scared!!  I really like my companion,  He is really good at playing soccer and he really likes to work hard and that is all I really want to do.  The language is coming along ok.  It can get hard at times when 5 people are talking at once.  Well that's it for this week!

Elder Chavez

The Field ... Girardot Colombia

Man it is crazy out here. Way different form the MTC. Haha! But my trainers name is Elder Mizari, He's way cool, teaching me how to be exactly obedient which I want to do so bad. Our area is Girardot. We took a four hour bus ride to get here. And holy crap it's hot here!!! 90 to 100 degrees all day! And I have to say I was pretty scared when we got out here. But I'm trying my hardest to get lost in this work. We ride bikes everywhere we go so that's fun, but my area is all hills so all day long we bike up and down hills. But I really enjoy it. We have like 8 people we teach, some are so ready for this gospel but so many people down here aren't married. So we have to wait, but they don't have the money to it's really sad. We eat some pretty interesting food down here, we call the soup chicken blender cause it looks like they put an entire chicken in a blender and pour it out. The best thing I've eaten so far is this fish. It was fried, but you seriously eat the whole thing. skin eyes and brain! It was really good Haha! We also get juice at every house we go to. Probably because I am sweating so freaking much. Honestly I sweat 24/7 even when I sleep! P day was fun today, we played soccer the whole time. And all the Latinos were like "a gringo who can play!" It was pretty funny! That's all for this week ... love everyone!!

Elder Chavez