A Crazy Story of Course

This was a good week but still pretty hard. Things here are quite different in Bogota. The people are a lot more closed off, so we have had a really hard time to find new people. It's way weird too because everyone works until night time, So we really don't have visits until like six and i really don't like that. haha In tierra client I always worked with the members but here it is hard because they hardly have time to let us in. But I have noticed that the people here are really faithful. When we leave them an assignment the actually do it. So that makes it easier to find investigators who actually progress. I have times when I really miss my old branch, but I know with the time I'll make some good friends here too. We actually had a baptism this week and it was crazy. Sorry I didn't give you an update ... we didn't really know what was going on with the lady but we got her and her daughter in the water. But with a crazy story of course, so we had our baptism service after another group of elders, but those other elders didn't know the water was emptying after they baptised the guy, so when we went to do our baptism there was no water, so we had to fill it up and the water storage pump in the church is all out of water so we had to wait like an hour to have it fill up again. It just barley had enough water to get to like my knee. so hardly any. But the worst part is that the water was freezing cold. So when I went to baptize the little girl she freaked out and  we had to do it twice. haha but the best part is yet to come. The water level was like too low to baptize the mom so my mission president told me to sit down in the water while my companion was baptising her to make the level go up! So we were all in there together in freezing cold water. But we got it done. hahah Have a good Week I love you all!

Love-
Elder Chavez

I can still be Joven!

Well this last week was a pretty good one, we were able to do a lot of things. Like I said in the past, my new mission president has established some goals for us that we should try to complete each week. And to be totally honest I think it's cool that we need to be finding new people every day and always inviting people to be baptized,  but at the same time I have felt uncomfortable doing it. I have always worked really well with the members and that's how I have always had success but with this new system working with the members doesn't cut it. So I have really gone out of my comfort zone in the last few weeks, but this last week I started to figure things out a lot better and we were able to have success. We had a baptism which was really cool, it was pretty spiritual, the sister was super happy! She came out of the water and grabbed my hand and looked at me and just said a huge Gracias!!! Haha but I could see it in her,  she felt the change it was an awesome experience. I'm excited for what's in store ... we got our transfers, and I'm staying here in Chicoral with my companion. Haha looks like I'll be in this pueblo (town)  for six months haha but that's sweet I feel like I need to do something more for them still. We have some people who look like they could get baptised in the upcoming weeks. So we'll have to see what happens there. Looks like things are going good at home I'm happy for all of you. Feels weird to be turning twenty but hey it's just a number doesn't mean I can't still be joven (young). Haha!

Picture of the area Mason is currently serving in Chicoral Colombia

Getting Wet Baptism September 5, 2015
Judith

Pictures finally :)

Things have been going pretty good for me here in Neiva. We have had these baptisms so that's been fun and we have other people progressing. We had 6 people come to church yesterday and six of them have the baptism date. Yeah! haha Three of them are the family of Santiago from the pictures. His two sisters and a cousin. They have been reading and came to the baptism and church and want to keep coming so that's sweet. The other three are the Flores family I have been teaching them for three months now and they are finally progressing they have come three weeks straight now and have a baptism date for the 2 of may. That's the last Saturday of this transfer so I really hope we can get them baptized  They have everything but aren't married which is the hardest part but we are going to teach about that today so hopefully it all goes well. I don't know if I will be  leaving Neiva but it will be sad if I do, I have made some pretty good friends here, my companion and I are cool. He's really quiet I am always taking charge of the lessons and stuff but that's OK I'm trying to help him. We get along all the time, it's just that we aren't like best friends. but that's fine we are working hard and having success so I don't have anything to complain about. 

Love-

Elder Chavez

When Elder Morinico Left

Giant Avocado ... Mason said they don't have much flavor
I asked him if he's made guacamole with them ... He said they don't
Have tortilla chips there!  He said the food is very different there
not much variety!
He is super excited to be getting a package full of Candy!

Baptism from April 11, 2015

Santiago and his Family

Santiago's Baptism
 April 11, 2015

Just Keep Fighting!

Things went pretty good this last week, we make a lot of progress in these last few weeks of the cambio (transfer) and it was awesome to see a fruit come out of it. We had the baptism of Mario and he asked me to do the service it was an honor. I'm really excited for my area but a little scared too. We found out the cambios (transfers) and I'm staying here for another six weeks which is really cool, but my companion is leaving. I feel like we got so much done together and that we could still do so much more but I guess it's time. Haha We became good friends. So I'm getting a new companion his name is Elder Ojoda or something like that. Nobody knows who he is so I guess we'll find out. Haha I know I just need to put more trust in the Lord and things will always work out so I'm going to focus even harder on that in this cambio (transfer) to have the success and the conversion I want out here. I'm really glad to have the chance to be out here and work. I have seen miracles and I hope that all of you have too. I love you all some much. Just keeping fighting Haha

A Few weeks ago when Mason went back to Girardot for a district meeting
They were able to go out for domino's Pizza! Mason said this is one of the things
He misses most, the food and sitting around with his Family!

These are a few of the Elders from Mason's District

This is Pedro he can only talk with his hands but He is way cool! We are working with him and his grandson and should hopefully baptize them this transfer. It was his grandson birthday the other day and they asked us to play the whole thing it was really fun. I can feel the difference when we actually work with the people and the ward and not just the investigators alone it makes the world of difference.

Pedro's grandson

Mario's Baptism 3/21/2015

Mario Baptism 3/21/2015

A case of Chikungunya and a Baptism!

First off ... Best News, We had a baptism!!! Lina was Baptized on Saturday
January 24, 2015
She had left her family to find a better life for her and her daughter.
Here are a few pictures from her baptism day.

Lina

Lina, her daughter and her friends

 

So we went to Ibague and met a 70, Elder Waddell, He was awesome! The Power that he spoke with was crazy! I swear he said somethings just for me. So there were 4 zones there so I got to see some of my CCM friends too.

And then ... I don't know if there has been anything on the news in the US. But there is a sickness going around here in Colombia called Chikungunya  but it is passed by mosquito's. And people get a really bad fever and your body hurts like crazy. So we have to take all these precautions to avoid getting it. Like I sleep in a mosquito net every night and use my bug repellent like crazy. But guess who was lucky enough to get it?!  This guy!! I woke up Thursday studied and was like wow I feel hot! I went to lunch and felt like I was burning to death! We went home after and I took my temperature  I had a fever of a 103. Haha so I got the bug! Friday I had some of the worst body aches ever!!! So my mission president only gave me permission to leave the house Saturday night for the baptism and Sunday for the Confirmation   I'm still really tired but everything is better now so don't worry! Haha!

Bed Ridden

Stuck at Home and I hate it! All I want to do is be out working!
The only time I was allowed out all weekend was to go to Lina's Baptism and on Sunday for her confirmation.
Well that's all for this week.  I am doing better so don't worry. Love you all!

Love ,
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