Monday, December 29, 2014

HEAD BUTTING 2015 IN THE MOUTH

Well, Goodbye 2014.  It was a good year, but 2015 looks like it needs a good Missionary Headbutt from Elder Tracy.  So time to finish off this year with a good blog entry!



This Week: CHRISTMAS, 2014 RECAP

This week was Christmas! I got to talk to Mom, had Christmas Mission Conference and had a good time!  This week, as lessons go, wasn't very good.  But, I felt the Spirit of Christmas and the Joy of being a missionary in the Mission Field.  Funny story.  We were contacting at like 2:00 pm and it is like 100 degrees outside and we bump into a woman who doesn't want to talk to us.  She tells us that she can't see us because she was in the sun.  So I made a human wall of shade and she couldn't avoid us.  Funny day!


2014 RECAP

July:  I entered the Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah.

September:  I left the Mission Training Center and came into Bolivia.  Met Elder Gutierrez, my trainer.  And I had my first Convert Baptism, Sister Hortencia Choque.

October: I started living like a Bolivian (poor) and had my first Mission Conference.

November:  My first rescue ( Familia Alpire)

December:  Talked to Mom and Everyone, completed five months of service in the Mission Field.

2015 is coming fast


Scripture for the Week
1 Timothy 4:12

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou and example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.


This is my Motto.  My Dad showed it to us when it was the youth theme like years ago.  It is so good, and just because we are young doesn't mean we can't be disciples of Christ.  We can be disciples!

HAPPY 2015 EVERYONE!

ELDER TRACY




Elder Butts and Elder Tracy at the Christmas Mission Conference December 2014

Elder Butts and Elder Tracy at the Provo Mission Training Center in July 2014

Monday, December 22, 2014

BECAUSE IT IS CHRISTMAS IN . . . BOLIVIA?

¡Feliz Navidad!     

    
Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope every one's holiday season is good!  This has been my first Christmas where it is hotter than 90 degrees everyday.  Bolivia is in summer right now.  So this is my first Christmas with the Heat Miser if you remember who he is.  He is from those old clay Christmas specials -- The Year Without A Santa Claus.



It has been so hot in Bolivia.  I have a thermometer on my Alarm Clock.  It was over 40 Celsius .  That is pretty hot -- equal to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

This Week in Bolivia:


We sang Christmas carols to menos activos (Less Active Members) and the Sick.  I did more service with the Familia Maco Mendez.   I broke glass bottles into a hole I dug up. Then we walked and talked and got into the Christmas Spirit.
Saturday, we went and did that Service with the Familia Maco Mendez. I used a martillo (hammer) and smashed glass bottles into a hole Elder Sabourin and I dug. And then I played with all seven puppies that they had.  He recibido mi galardon.  They committed to go to Church by themselves. So Elder Benson and I trusted them. Well yesterday they didn't go, so they stopped progressing.  But we are going to work that much harder to get them converted.

Yesterday we went caroling with the Members in our Barrio. It reminded me of our Tracy Family Tradition. Our family goes caroling every year.  I can´t remember not going caroling.  So it felt good to be singing En La Judea, En Tierra de Dios (Far Far Away on Judea's Plain).  We visited Fabio Suarez, and he just started crying.  My heart was full, and in that moment, I understood the Love and Hope that the Christmas Season brings.  Verdaderamente Jesucristo es la Dádiva.  (Truly Jesus Christ is the Gift)!!

Scriptures for the Week

Because its Christmas there are TWO!
Isaiah 9:6 and Luke 2:8-14
Isaiah says: 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:  and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Might God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.


This was 700 years before Christ was Born.  Isaiah knew that Christ was coming.

Luke says: 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:  and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.



These are the most comforting words mankind has ever received.


Let the words change you!


MERRY CHRISTMAS

Elder Tracy



Monday, December 15, 2014

GOLDEN INVESTIGATORS, LA CLINICA AND TRANSSEXUAL

This week was fun and really gross.

Fun:   
We´re going to baptize five people in January. We met a family during street contacting and they came to Church with us yesterday!  Their name is the Familia Maco Mendez se llama.  We moved tree trunks at their house on Saturday.


Bad
I went to the Hospital with a stomach infection or possibly food poisoning.   A Family of Menos Activos (Less Active Members) gave us some Majadita, that really good rice food, and I ate a whole bowl of it.  Well, I didn't know it, and I don't think they meant to do this, but it was out in the open for like a day, and they just re-heated it. 

So, at 5:00 in the morning, I go to the bathroom and just empty my stomach.  Throwing up and terrible diarrhea.  It was awful.  I went to the Hospital and received IV in my arm with medicine and fluids. They said the Majadita is killer when its bad.  I only missed one day of work and I am feeling much better now.



Jonathan at the hospital after eating bad food.

Majadita



I also had the "pleasure" of talking to a Man Woman.  We got a reference from the other Elders to go visit a menos activa. When we arrived a Man Woman opened the door.  It is funny, because I have learned ONE thing --  All Drunk people, Gay people, and Drugged people know a little bit of English.  This "guy" was just sitting there giving us the eye, and we literally said to ourselves that we can´t be here.  We then ran out of the house.  When we turned to shake hands and leave, the gay guy said "Ciao Baby"!


So yeah, never going back there again!


But that was this week.


Jonathan with a crow on his finger at an investigators home.

Scripture of The Week
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-21

Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In everything give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Quench not the Spirit.  Despise not prophesyings.  Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good.


Que Dios les bendiga.

God Bless You Everyone.


Elder Tracy

Monday, December 8, 2014

NEW COMPANION, SERVICE AND CCM



Elder Gutierrez, Jonathan's Trainer and  A Ward Mission Leader From His Area

This week was dramatic for me. I said goodbye to my Father  (missionary trainer -- companion), Elder Gutierrez and I said hello to my new companion Elder Benson from San Diego, California. He is a gringo!!!!  


Jonathan's new companion, Elder Bennion from San Diego, California.

Elder Benson has been serving for 16 months in the mission.  He only speaks Spanish to me.  I think he is trying to shake my English habit, lol.  We have been companions for almost a week and we have been working super hard.  We are always ready to knock doors if we have to lol. 



We did a service project at the Familia Alanocas house. 


Service Project


They think they know English, and know that there are three gringos serving in Quince, they are going crazy.  We used sand paper to rub yellow paint off some of their walls they needed to repaint.  I stood on a chair, which was on a table to reach the ceiling.  Then they served us fried chicken. Mhm mhm good!
Jonathan in Santa Cruz, Bolivia


So in my area, there is a "CCM" or a Centro de Capacitacion. The MTC (Mission Training Center) in Spanish is " El Centro de Capacitacion Misional" or CCM.  So I have included pictures of me and Elder Benson at the CCM, which isn't the MTC for our Church.  Just another building with the same name.  LOL

Scripture for the week:
Doctrine &Covenants 109:13

And that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord's house may feel thy power, and feel constrained to acknowledge that thou hast sanctified it, and that it is thy house, a place of thy holiness.



We have been teaching a lot about temples, and this is the scripture which is on my Temple Recommend case my Mom got me. So it makes me happy when I read it.


Que tenga una buena semana.

Elder Tracy



From Jon's Mom:

Another picture from Jonathan!





This is my new Bolivian wallet. Lol.
It is a little money pouch.

Mom:  How are you feeling Jon?

Jon:  I'm feeling great Mom.  I am getting used to Bolivia and all that stuff.  It is just really hot down here right now.

Jon was telling me (Mom) what he was sending home for Christmas for his siblings and Dad.  I told him that he was too sweet to think of us.  He said:  "Well, Tengo que quedarme dulce.  (I have to stay sweet).  I thought that was pretty cute.


Monday, December 1, 2014

WEEK 13: CAMBIOS, PACKAGES AND OTHERS



This is the last week of my training.  It is getting super real. Three months is nothing in the Mission Field.  I still have a lot of time, but I know it will go fast.

This week: I picked up a duck, which immediately pooped in my hands.  Found cool graffiti, and I ate more majadita.

Bolivia Duckling

This duckling pooped all over my hands.  I was chasing it because I wanted to touch it like any other person.  So I held a duckling.  Good day.

Street Art In Santa Cruz, Bolivia

I was walking in my area and I saw some really cool street art.  So I took some time to appreciate it like any other American does. Took some selfies with it.  lol.

We went to the Familia Alpire´s house to have dinner.  I have never eaten more in my life.  I thought I was going to die. I was so full.


Majadita -- The Best Food In The World


Walked, walked, talked, talked . 


The Church has started a new initiative called, "He is the Gift". With Christmas coming up, the missionaries are trying to help put emphasis on Christ this Navidad.  Remember. ¡Ã‰l es la Dadivá! (He is the gift)


Scripture for the week: 


Matthew 5:3-11


Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek:  for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart:  for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers:  for they shall be called the children of God.  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.





These are the Beatitudes. These are the things every man needs to do to be exalted. Remember the words of President Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be grateful, be smart, be clean, be true, be humble, be prayerful."



Que Tenga Una Buena Semana


Elder Tracy

Monday, November 24, 2014

WEEK 12 -- PACKAGES, 50 YEARS OF THE CHURCH IN BOLIVIA!

Week 12  goes like this

Teaching, Celebration for 50 years of the Church in Bolivia
And Packages!


Thursday, November 20th, we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Church in Bolivia.  The Missionaries sang 4 songs: Llamados a Servir (Called to Serve), Soy un hijo de Dios (I Am A Child of God), Amad a otros (As I Have Loved You), and Te Damos Señor nuestras gracias ( We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet).


We sang, and then we left. The missionaries didn´t watch the Celebration. But I am serving as a missionary during this historic time. So how neat is that.


I got my first package from home. CANDY from Los Estados, and New tie, and a Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission Pin.  Living the Bolivian Dream.


Taught a lot of lessons. But that is normal.  Twenty lessons this week, and planning on more the next.


Scriptures for the week: 
Isaiah 12 and 2 Nephi 22

And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee:  though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

Behold, God is my salvation:  I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song:  he also is become my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things:  this is known in all the earth.

Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion:  for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.



These two chapters are the exact same.  Jacob is quoting Isaiah about what he says. I like the most in verse 2 where it says God is our salvation.  All is important, and if we acknowledge God in our lives, we will change for the good.


Question: What would you do if the Savior lived in your house? What would you do differently? What would you do the same? How would you feel?


Have a Good Week
Hasta Luego


Elder Tracy

Monday, November 17, 2014

WEEK TEN -- BOLIVA, BOLIVIA, BOLIVIA!

I messed up my counting. This is really Week 10.

This week was rewarding. We had Conferences with my Mission President, President Willard.  I watched a Bolivian midget punch a horse in the jaw, and we celebrated the rescue and baptism of the Familia Alpire.

So every transfer, The Zones (Groups of Missionaries that serve together) in Santa Cruz have a conference with President Willard. We went to the Cañoto and had meetings and ate some food.  Afterwards we went and worked.  That is when I saw a Bolivian midget punch a horse in the jaw.  The horse got a little too close to this midget woman, and she just destroyed this horse. Because the horse had chains on its feet, it couldn´t do anything or get away. 


Thursday, we went to a restaurant with the Familia Alpire to celebrate their rescue and upcoming baptisms. I will be sending pictures later.

Familia Alpire

Saturday, we baptized the two hijos (children) of this family.  I think I am starting to understand how Heavenly Father feels when we do what is right.  I felt so happy and good that day. Sunday, Grandpa Alpire, who is the Stake Patriarch in Beni, confirmed both of them. That day was a really good day.

Familia Alpire 

Scripture for the Week: 
Book Of Mormon
Omni 1:26

And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption.  Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth, ye will be saved.



My work as a  Missionary is centered around this scripture.  I read it a couple of days ago and I felt it was perfect to share. As we take the name of Christ on ourselves and we live the way he lived, we begin to cultivate those qualities that we would like to have.  This week, I´m going to try and work on my Charity for other people.  Because I need to love unconditionally like Christ did.


And I challenge you to pick a quality you need to work on and really try to obtain that attribute. Email Me!


Elder Tracy

11/17/2014 -- WEEK ELEVEN -- TRUNKY

WEEK ELEVEN

This week wasn´t the very best week. It was hard to find and to teach.  We had to drop some investigators because they weren´t keeping their commitments.


My sister, Hermana Emily Tracy, finished her mission in Santa Rosa, California last Tuesday.  I haven´t seen her for over 1 1/2 years, and I´m not going to see her until July of 2016.  So in total, I won´t see her for 3 years. That made this week harder.  But I know that I´m supposed to be here and I know everything is going to be okay.

This week in Bolivia: I saw my First Drag Queen, Ate Cow Heart, and My Companion and I got Sick!

Yesterday we were on our way to Lunch in the Micro (which is like the City bus, but grosser) and I looked out the window, and I thought I saw a Woman in revealing clothes.  It turns out that it was a Dude. I was pleasantly suprised. I learned that there are weird people everywhere!

Friday, I ate some Churrasco (Bolivian Roasted Meat, but they call it BBQ).  I also got to throw my own cow heart on the fire pit. It was funny, because I held a heart in my hand, lol.


Yesterday, Elder Gutierrez and I got chilled because we sleep with a fan running. Well, we are both really sick right now.  So, What can you do? 



And the Church is exactly the same down here in Bolivia. I love it!!  There are the people who can´t control their children, screaming kids and babies, people playing on their phones, and people leave right after Sacrament Meeting.


Scripture for this week: 
Alma 29:1-2

O, that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.



This is the mindset that all missionaries should have and how I feel right now.  I just want to help everybody.  But it is hard for me when people don't want help.  But if you prepare now, we can all be ´´Trumps´´ of God.

¡Que tenga una buena semana!

Elder Tracy

Monday, November 3, 2014

NOVEMBER 3, 2014 -- WEEK NINE IN BOLIVIA

NOVEMBER 3, 2014

This week wasn't as super exciting as before. We just did a lot of walking, talking, teaching, preaching, and working like missionaries do.

Last P- Day (Preparation Day), we played some volleyball games.  And I talked to more Gringos.

This is Last P-day with my Friend Elder Jarvis. We were in the trunk area of a taxi.


Every two or three days, we go to visit a sick member of the church.  His name is Fabio Suarez.  He has been sick with Embolia, which is a virus that causes Paralysis. When we first visited him in my first cambio (exchange), Fabio could barely move.  But know that with help He can now walk. It is a blessing from God.

We rescued the Familia Alpire. ¡They are now Miembros Activos!  And Hermano Alex shared his testimony yesterday. He said he was grateful for all the Elders, the Ward, and what his new family have done for him. ¡ESTOY TAN ANIMAAAAAAAAADO! (I'm so animated/happy.)

Oh!  And yesterday we were working.   A Woman asked us to buy beer for her. We didn't but we said we had something better than Beer. Then we gave her a Word of Wisdom Pamphlet.  We are funny. JAJAJAJAJAJAJAAJAJJAJAJAJA (Ha Ha Ha)

TWENTY lessions this week.  People have been lying to us a lot for the past couple of days, and I don´t like it. But what can you do.


Scripture for the Week: 

3 Nephi 5:13

Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

I would like to thank my older brother, Lonnie, for showing me this scripture.  It is our job as missionaries and members to be real disciples of Christ.  But the question is:  "What are we doing to prepare to meet God?"  I would like to get some answers to this question from all of you.



 Please email me back at jonathan.tracy@myldsmail.net

Have a good week everyone!

Elder Tracy






A little additional fun information from Jon's Email home today:

This is my Scripture case. Its made of Alligator, Ostrich, Iguana and Cow.  Its pretty cool. (It was made by a local guy that Jon's talked about in a previous post.) 










It does say Mission of Miracles. That's the ´´Official´´ Name of the Mission, Because they Have The North Mission, and Mission of Miracles.

We walked everywhere this week. We walk everywhere everyday.  But tomorrow we are going to have a Mission Conference in the Canoto Stake Center. That is the Stake in the First Ring of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Here´s a picture of the Chapel.

                                Canoto Stake Center



I asked Jonathan to describe his typical day.



My Normal day...
There really isn't any normal day in this Mission mom.
But my Usual Schedule is this.  We wake up, and then we pray as Companionship.  After that, Personal Prayers. Then we get ready for the day.  At 8, we pray and have personal study.  At 9 we have Companionship study and Plan for the Day. At 10, we study Idioma, or Language. 11, 1st 12v weeks.

And from then on, we go to our Pensionista, and then we go to work. We usually have 7 or 8 appointments everyday.  But they fall through a lot.

Connor has almost got more converts that I do.
I have Hermana Hortencia Choque, and the Family Alpire. We rescued the Alpires, and they are a  family of 5.

So I say I have 6 converts.

I asked Jonathan to tell me about where he is emailing me from and how much does it cost to use the computer and the Internet.

I´m in a Internet cafe and to use the computer for an hour and a half  it costs me 4 bolivianos, or 50 cents  . 

And tell Connor that People in Bolivia are Addicted to Warcraft 3 and League of Legends, and Dota.  They Have different Servers for Different Countries.  But I thought it was funny.  And most people go to the Internet Cafe to play. If you have Internet at your house here, You are pretty well off.


Hey.  I have to go.  Love you mom.  Talk to you in a week!