ELDER JONATHAN TRACY'S BOLIVIAN MISSION BLOG: July 2016

WEEK 93: SAYING GOODBYE TO PRESIDENT WILLARD

This week was a very impacting week in the Mission. We said goodbye to our beloved Mission President and his wife, Sister Willard. They were here to recieve me when I came to the mission and now I have to say goodbye to them with two weeks left in the Mission. They will be missed but I will be able to see them again because they only live in Arizona!

So we started off this week by going to a look out point in Villa Montes with a new returned missionary named Jaime Trujillo. He took us up there and we took some funny pictures, my companion fell down the mountain (that's a joke, but we did go do some Mountain Running) and we watched a dude do some sweet jumps on a Motorcycle. Then we went and visited some of our favorite converts, The Rojas Family, who live out in the middle of nowhere. So we had to go sprinting home to go catch a taxi before we got home late. That's when I fell down and twisted my ankle. So we are stranded out in the middle of nowhere, and we are going to be late. WHAT DO WE DO? We said a little prayer, and a taxi came out of the middle of nowhere and it drove us for HALF the price of a usual taxi. I know the Lord in aware of his Missionaries.

Later that week, we had to do the long travel to go and say good bye to President Willard. We had a good conference about the Power of the Ordenanzas and how the power of Divinity is shown through them. At the end we all said goodbye, gave a big hug, and they gave us a picture, a card, and two rocks, one clear and one red, which represent purity and the Atonement of Christ.

Afterwards, we traveled back and got home at 5 in the Morning. We woke up at 6:30 and we were DEAD. I was so tired. But we were able to have a kicking lesson with Marcos and Mariela that day.....and THEY TOLD US THAT THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED. God does answer prayers! Thanks to everyone that prayed, it was a real help!

So that was our week!

Scripture of the Week:
Alma 40:11-14

Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the ressurection -- Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil -- for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house -- and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.

-- !

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

2014-2016

Missionaries with Jaime!

Us on the bus on the way home

In the look out point

My companion was tired

WEEK 94: ALMOST THERE, CHANGES IN THE BRANCH

This week has been really interesting.

We had a lot of change take place in the Branch. We had a Branch Presidency change, and the Elders Quorum changed a lot. A Recent Convert of a year, Willan Cardozo is the new branch President of the Villa Montes Branch. Jaime Alejandro, the dude that just came back from his Mission in Brazil is the new Elders Quorum President! A lot of cool changes! And we have been working our butts off. We have a family that is going to get married and baptized.... on the 30th of July. So I won't be here to see the baptism. But I know that Marcos and Mariela will be happier and have a lot better life in the Gospel.

Not very much happened this week. Just that we got lost in the middle of nowhere. We just decided to keep and walking and we found ourselves on the highway to Camiri. But we got to take a cool picture before we walked back home!

Scripture of the Week:
3 Nephi 11: 9-17

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that sould come.

And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

-- !
Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy
Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

2014-2016

Pictures go like this:

1. Four of the most adorable kittens

2. Horse Door

3. Chicken Fighting: Bringing men together

4. Welcome

5. to

6. Villa Montes

WEEK 95: LASTS

This week has been so much fun.

So rewarding. We had a really good week.

We did exchanges with the Zone Leaders. So Elder Dansie and I did three days of teaching together. We were able to say good bye to a lot of people, Familia Robles, Familia Trujillo, and we were able to have some fun as we did it. We did Family Home Evening where we drew on each others faces (typical Elder Tracy Game).

Wednesday: We had to go to Camiri to go do an interview so that Elder Nelson and Elder Martinez could have their baptism. Then we had to wait until like 1 pm to do another interview so that another person from Camiri could get baptized. We climbed up a Mountain while we waited, contacted some people in the street and then we took some pictures with the city in the background. Such a Beautiful place.

Thursday: Last Zone Conference

Friday: Last Weekly Planning

Sunday: We woke up and put our suits on to go pick up people. My companion called and invited everyone in the world to Church. Nobody answered... we went and tried to pick people up, and nothing. We got to church and nothing. The first hymn starts and then three of our families that we are visiting made it through the door to Praise the Lord Jesus Christ. God is good to his children.

Then we got to eat lunch with our new Mission President, President Luis Rodriguez and his wife Consuelo, and their 17 year old son Abraham. We had a small meeting with them and then we got to go home and get back to work.

I know that the Lord is here to bless us. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is the Word of God!

Scripture of the Week:

2 Timothy 4: 6-8

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

-- !

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

2014-2016