OCTOBER 27, 2014 -- BAD GUYS, RESCATADOS AND WHAT NOT

Elder Jonathan Tracy and his "Cat Friend" -- CHUCHI

October 27, 2014 -- Week Seven In Bolivia!

So this week was crazy. So much stuff happened, I don´t even know where to start. Let's begin with my encounter with the Robbers.

Elder Gutierrez and I were walking just like any other night when we see these two guys waiting by a wall.  When a stranger walked by, the two guys pointed and jumped him.  They had machetes.  And I´m pretty sure they stabbed him.   So Elder Gutierrez and I did what any other person would do.  We ran faster than I have ever ran before in my life.  And believe me, you run fast when there are people with machetes chasing you!!!  We´re all good, and we didn´t get hurt or robbed.

In the realm of teaching, we are currently rescuing a family.  They have one more Sunday until they are rescued. Next Saturday, Hermano Alex Alpire is going to baptize his 10 and 8 year old sons.  Then the next week, they´re going to go to the LDS Temple in Cochabamba, Bolivia to be endowed, and sealed for eternity.   I have literally helped bring a family together forever.  I´m beyond happy!!

Scripture of the Week: 

1 Corinthians 10:13 --  

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Whenever I use this scripture in a lesson, (and I use it almost every week), I think of Dad when we would drive to church and I quote my Dad.  He would say:  ´´Who wants to memorize scriptures?!?!?!?!?!?´´ And then for the whole 30 minute car ride we would repeat this scripture and many others over and over.

When I use this scripture in my teaching, I add the word ´´Challenge´´ after temptation.  Because God knows our limits, and He won't challenge us above that which we can accomplish.  And when we do accomplish it, we usually grow in that process.

Scripture Case Made From Aligator Skin -- Jon is having one made with the Nauvoo Sunstone as the centerpiece.

Have a good week everyone!!!!!

Love, Elder Jonathan Tracy



From Jon's Mom -- Snippets from today's email.

MOM:  Hey Jon, I see that it is supposed to rain and be cooler this week in Bolivia.

JON:  It rains, it is colder in the morning, but when the Sun comes out, we cook MOM!  LOL.

JON:  This my Cat friend who lives with us. Her name is ChuChi. She´s the dueñas cat. The dueña is the Land Lady. We rent her house, and she keeps the cats with us. 

MOM:  Tell me more about this experience with the robbers?

JON: I was chased by robbers with Machetes.  We ran like hell Mom.  I'm not getting stabbed. lol

MOM:  What are you going to do today on your Preparation Day?

JON:  We´re going to go play ´´Wally´´ which is Volleyball with a few new rules. 

MOM:  What else is going on?

JON:  3 minutes Mom. Love you!  Tell Dad I miss him everyday.  And tell him I think about you both everyday!

JON:  Bye Mom. Talk to you in November. Love you.

OCTOBER 20, 2014: BOWLING, ESTABAMOS BUSCANDO, AND ALGO MAS

This week in Bolivia:

I went Bowling, Celebrated my Trainers 20th Birthday, and walked a lot.

Elder Tracy Shaving

Last preparation day we went bowling in the first ring of Santa Cruz.  It was called Cosmic Bowling.  I got beat by the Latinos that have never bowled before in their lives. How neat is that!

Bowling with Elder Tracy and Elder Jarvis

Then on Tuesday, we had a meeting for all the Nuevos (Newbies) and their Trainers.  The bowling was a Multi-zone Activity. So I saw all the Gringos in my group.  It was a great reunion.  After my training is complete, I might get to be a trainer.  My companion tells me everyday, "Usted va a entrenar un Latino."  Translation -- You will train a Latino.

The same Tuesday it was Elder Gutierrez´s birthday.  We had cake and all the good stuff, but the cake had strawberries. Gringos can't eat the strawberries here because they are dangerous.

Elder Guiterrez's birthday party.

This week was hard.  Elder Gutierrez got sick on Friday, and we couldn´t leave the house.  And we lost a lot of our investigators.  

This week is a new week and I´m going to ´´shake hell´´ as Emily says it.

Scriptures with Elder Tracy

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

This is my Favorite Scripture of all time.   I chose it to be on my Mission Plaque which hangs on the wall in the foyer in our Chapel in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

We can´t accomplish anything by ourselves.  We can´t receive salvation, have an eternal family and enjoy the blessings of eternity by ourselves.  When we trust in God, he will provide. Cuando Confiamos en Nuestro Salvador, Hablaremos ´´ Si Señor, te seguiremos´´.   

!Que tenga una buena semana¡

Elder Tracy

Some questions that I (Dana, Jon's Mom) asked him.

      How are you?  What are you going to do today on your preparation day?

I'm doing good!  Its so hot, Mom.  It is 36 degrees Celsius, which is roughly 97 degrees.  Normal P-day stuff, going to the Bolivian equivalent of Wal-Mart, Hyper-maxi.

How do you get there?

Sometimes we walk.  Sometimes we use a bus.  It depends.

How is everything going?

Hey. I´m about 1/8th done with my Mission. The time is going so fast. I´ll be home before you know it.  Hey. Theres a member who lives in my Mission that can make real leather scripture cases. I´m thinking about getting one. They cost 180 bolivianos, or about 20 bucks. But they are made with Real Alligator leather, you can ask for Cheetah fur.   I am probably going to be in my area for another four months.

10/13/14 -- WEEK SIX IN BOLIVIA: MACHETES, MONKEYS, AND DOODADS

OCTOBER 13, 2014

WEEK SIX IN BOLIVIA:  

MACHETES, MONKEYS and DOODADS

Jonathan in his apartment in Santa Cruz, Bolivia -- 10/12/14

This week was interesting to say the least. We had two days of service where I used a machete to cut grass.  I felt like a pirate,  lol.   Then Elder Gutierrez and I jumped and grabbed coconuts from a tree and used our machetes to cut them open and drank the juice inside of it.  Pretty "chevre" (cool) if I do say so myself!

First Counselor in Bishopric's Pet Monkey

The second day, we went to our First Counselor in the Bishopric's house.  He has a pet monkey.  Needless to say, multiple pictures were taken. 

The First Monkey Jonathan has fed.

I gave the monkey a cup of pop to drink.  Probably the coolest thing I have done in my life so far.

We taught over 22 lessons this week, and we walked A LOT this week.  

For all you Elders and Hermanas with Cars.......Luuuuuuuuuuucccccckkkkkkyyyy. I´m getting big muscles. Exercise everyday will do that to ya.  

Right now, Elder Gutierrez and I are teaching a man named Israel Calderon. I believe he is one of those prepared by ´´the Lord of the Vineyard."  Right now, he has a baptismal date, and a Libro de Mormon.  How exciting!

Yesterday was Elections for the new Bolivian President.  The encumbent, Evo, has been President for over 16 years, and he is a Socialist.  He won the Election last night.  There is a chance he could go full Communist.  So we are going to have to wait and see.  During the Elections, the Gringos (ME, Elder Fruehan & Beals) could not leave the house until 6 pm.  So Elder Fruehan, Elder Beals and I partied in the house for a while.  How neat!

Jonathan's Companion -- Elder Guiterrez

Scripture for the Week: 
Helaman 10: 4-5

You can change Nephi´s name for your name when reading this scripture. 

"Blessed art thou, Nephi (Jonathan) for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people.  And thou has not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

We can be as strong as Nephi and Lehi.  When we center our lives in the Gospel, we can and will be blessed.  Even be blessed forever.

Elder Jonathan Tracy

Message from Hermana Emily Tracy which Jonathan is carrying with him daily.

Jeremiah 29:13 

And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with ALL your heart!

October 6, 2014 -- WEEK FIVE -- CONFERENCE, REVELATIONS AND SUCH!

WEEK FIVE. 

One month down in Bolivia.  

Where did that month go?  It went into the past, because right now I'm blasting through Bolivia.

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy serving in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

General Conference as a missionary is like Christmas, Birthdays, Any Party, and maybe even Arbor Day in terms of celebration.  I have six solid pages of notes from five sessions of General Conference. 

My favorite quote was from Jefferey R. Holland who said, '' I may not be my brothers keeper, but I am my brothers brother.''  That was an inspiring quote.  It reminded me of the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the question,  ''Who is my neighbor?'' Our neighbors, brothers, and sisters are the people we choose to serve, and the people we love unconditionally.   As we love, we gain the qualities of Christ and we become as Him.

Elder Jonathan Tracy and Elder Fruehan

I struggled this week with being Christlike.  I was getting over my cold, and I didn't feel good.  And I still had to walk, talk, and act normal.  I had to use the Atonement of Christ to get over my feelings of inadequacy this week.

Jonathan's Companion Elder Guiterrez from Bolivia and another gentlemen.  

And that is where this week's favorite Scripture plays into all of this.

The Scripture today is found in the Book of Mormon.


Mosiah 14: 3-5.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

 

I know that Jesus knows who you are.  He knows everything you were, are, and will be.  He is the Divine Potter. Let Him shape us into what we need to be.

Elder Tracy

Here are a few random pictures of Santa Cruz, Bolivia where I am serving my mission.

Random stray dogs

Random Horse