Monday, March 28, 2016

WEEK 80: LOTS OF TRAVELLING

We had a pretty good week this week.  

We were able to do a lot of visits and we were able to invite a lot of people to repent of their sins and be baptized. 

We have been recently working with a lot of referrals. I was actually out of my Area for three days. We had three day long intercambios (exchanges) with the Elder in Yacuiba, which is like an hour and a half drive by car. 

We were working with Elder Arcia near the Border of Argentina.  He is companions with Elder Beals, my friend from Bermejo. Then we got to go work with Elder Decoud from Argentina. He was super fun to work with. They had been having some difficulties in their area, but we tried to get it back up to shape. 

By the end of this week we taught fifty-eight lessons with Members present and fifty-eight other lessons. The work is hastening and I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for us.

LDS General Conference this week. #revelation.

EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THE NEW CHURCH VIDEO CALLED #HALLELUJAH. 

The video has changed my life. It strengthened my faith so much in Jesus Christ.  He truly is the Messiah of the World. And like what the Prophet Isaiah and the Composer Handel wrote and immortalized: "And he shall reign for ever and ever . . ."

Pictures: 

1.   Picture of Elder Arcia and me.




2.   Two Weeks ago, I ran into Daniel my convert from Tarija. Here is a picture of us six months later.




Scripture of the Week: 
Isaiah 9:6

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 Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.


Monday, March 21, 2016

WEEK 79: CIVIL BLOCKADES. 105 DEGREES WEATHER.

Villamontes is going great! 

The work here is really going along very well. I am happy that the Lord has placed me here during such a crucial time of this Branch. 

We are trying to get the attendance up so that we can be approved to start building the new chapel. We are actually in a house church right now. So we need to work and baptize a lot so that we can have the best chapel in the Yacuiba District.

We have been having some hard times getting around. There is a civil blockade going on throughout all of the city. We haven't been able to use the micros or taxis while the city has been in this blockade. 

We had to go pick up the Mission nurses on Tuesday. So while it was 105 degrees outside, we walked for at least an hour and a half to pick up Sister Missionaries so that they could see some special medical clinic. Then we just walked around and didn't have any lessons.




But the fruits have come as we baptized a family this week. Franklin and Maite Robles were baptized on Saturday. My companion baptized them. And then we had a nice lesson with them afterward.




Scripture of the Week: 
3 Nephi 14:16-20

Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  

Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.  




1. Sleeping in Yacuiba: Plaza Principal





2. Its so hot that my clock tells me so


3. Baptism of Franklin and Maite


4. Us with Manuel Rivera


5. Car rides to Yacuiba



-- 
Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy
   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia
               2014-2016

Monday, March 14, 2016

WEEK 78: BACK TO THE BRANCH. ZONE LEADERS.

Well everyone. 





Elder Tracy

Elder Jonathan Tracy

Elder Tracy is back serving in a Branch.  

I got transfered to this place called Villamontes. Two weeks ago, it was the hottest place on Earth. The temperature got up to 122 degrees Farenheit. 

My new companion is Elder Dansie. He is from my group. We all began our mission at the same time.  So we are a bunch of white guys in charge of 14 people. My area is amazing. It was called the best area in the whole mission. I am excited to see the outcomes. Everything here is fun. But its just a little hot. But I'm starting to get a hang of it.

My zone is called Yacuiba. It is the biggest zone in geographical size.

We are going to baptize so many people. I love the Lord!

Scripture of the Week:
Acts 3:19-21

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.




Elder Dansie from Pleasant Grove, Utah
Have a great Week!
-- 
Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy
   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia
               2014-2016

Monday, March 7, 2016

WEEK 77:FOUR BAPTISMS, BOOK OF MORMON, AND CONVERSION.

Hey everyone. 

This week was amazing!

So many miracles in so little time.  The Lord is so powerful. My testimony of his power grows stronger and stronger with each passing day.  I thought I would never baptize in this area: La Cañada.

The Lord allowed us to baptized the Eguez Family, a mother and her three daughters. Ivonne (the Mom) was from the Evangelist Church.  We had been visiting her since December, and she always told us that she was already baptized.  But she began to read the Book of Mormon. Little by little, her heart changed and her thoughts of baptism were positive. She was reading and praying and going to Church. Two weeks ago she told us, "Elders, I need to be baptized." We went crazy trying to teach her the six lessons and get everything worked out.  But in the end, the Hand of the Lord was over this work and all four were baptized and confirmed. The Book of Mormon has power to change the hearts of the children of men. I love the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is true. 

The baptismal service was amazing because The Eguez brought seventeen of their family members! So we are going to be having more success and many hearts were touched!



Scripture of the Week: 
2 Nephi 25:16-18

And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind -- and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things.

And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state.  Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men.  

Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they need not look forward anymore for a Messiah to come, for there should not any come, save it should be a false Messiah spoken of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected of the Jews.


Pictures:
1. La Villa Zone


2. Ivonne and her 3 daughters (from left to right): Estefani,         Ninoska, Ivonne, Barbara


3. Picture with the Elders!

4. Elders with the Baptisms

5. All of the Family members. They brought like twenty            people to the Service!!!


-- 
Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy
   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia
               2014-2016

WEEK 76:CRAZY LONG WEEK!

Well Family. 

I have like five minutes to do this because the Internet cut out for the last half hour. 

We have been having some hard times here.

Maria Pedraza will be baptized this week and has to talk to the Mission Counselor. So it is going to be interesting to see what happens from all of this stuff.

Scripture of the Week:
Jacob 2:18

But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. 


I love you all!









-- 
Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy
   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia
              2014-2016