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

Camiri

 Face Drawing

Camiri. Beautiful Place.

Elder Dansie and Me

Familia Espinoza

 Leaving my legacy in Bolivia  

Preaching to the People from the Mountain

Last Sunday In The Mission

WEEK 92: VILLAMONTES -- THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM OF MISSIONARY WORK!

This week was really fun. 

We have been working very hard with our recent converts and a new returned missionary friend Jaime Alejandro Trujillo. We have been doing a lot of divisiones and we were able to teach 18 lessons with members this week! We have been going hard. 

Tuesday was fun because we had our first taste of the New "Brazilian" Returned Missionary. He speaks more Portuguese than Spanish now!  So he has been working with me and we have been teaching lessons with Members left and right. HE is so cool!

We had to do some weird service this week. 

On Wednesday, we went and caught Wild Pigs in the house of our pensionista. So my companion had the privilege to pick up two little disgusting little pigs.

We are pretty sure they are going to be Boars when they get bigger, because they are all hairy and stuff. Then for our reward, they let us eat wild Armadillo. 

It was actually really good. But you have to try it for yourself! It was like roast beef, but with a little bit more fat on the bones!

That's about all we did. Pray for our Investigators, Marcos and Mariela. They have to make the decision to get married to be baptized in two weeks!

Scripture of the Week: 

3 Nephi 11:8-10

And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

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

-- !

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

  Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

              2014-2016

Pictures go like this:

1.Elder Aguilar in a transfer that we had

2.Us again

3.ELder Del Pozo with the Little Boar

4. Me with a Parrot

5. Parrot again

6. Roasted Armadillo. Yummy

7. Oh Hello There

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

               2014-2016

WEEK 91: IT IS COLD HERE IN THE HOTTEST PLACE ON EARTH!

It was so cold here this week. You know it is cold when you are in your bed, and can see your breath come out as smoke.  I am freezing to death out here. We have been working so hard. And the Lord is blessing us with success. We have been able to find some new families. Some new families showed up at church without us even inviting them. Lots of lessons with members, and lots of people in the church.

Did splits with the Zone Leaders this week.  Elder Dansie went with my companion to Yacuiba and I got to be with one of MY BEST FRIENDS IN THE WHOLE MISSION.  Elder Wilson is my new Zone Leader.  We had a lot of fun trolling around through Villa Montes.  We were able to find a lot of people that Elder Del Pozo and I couldn't find for a while. We took some time in the morning before lunch to get some Recuerdos.  Elder Wilson and I have the plan to get Panchos. I have a picture for everyone to see.

Then we had a cool Zone Conference where we read about "Eyes of Faith".  We read from Numbers Chapter 13 and 14 from the Old Testament.  We learned a lot about Caleb and Joshua trying to get into the land that "Flows with Milk and Honey".  Which really means that there are good things in every area of the mission!

I have four weeks exactly before I get home . . . getting kind of nervous. 

I hope everyone has a good week!

Scripture of the Week: 

3 Nephi 20:8-9

And he said unto them:  He that eateth this bread eateth of my body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled.

Now, when the multitude had all eaten and drunk, behold, they were filled with the Spirit; and they did cry out with one voice, and gave glory to Jesus, whom they both saw and heard.

Pictures go like this

1. Elder Del Pozo and I during Family Home Evening. They drew on our faces!

2. Elder Tracy from "El Chaco". This is the traditional dress of the region where I am right now.

3. Elder Wilson and I. This time we drew on each other.

4. Our Area. This is what most of it looks like. Dirt roads and lots of dogs (haven't been bitten yet)!!

5. The name tag on the church

6. My district on Sunday: Elder Aguilar, Elder Del Pozo, Elder Tracy, and Elder Brown!

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

              2014-2016

WEEK 90: COW SKINS AND TRANSFERS

This week was a lot of fun. 

First off, we had some transfers. Elder Choque from La Paz left Villa Montes to go to the center of Santa Cruz, the Cañoto Ward.  To be honest, I'm happy and relieved that he has left.  He was constantly looking for fights from my companion Elder Del Pozo and it is going to be a lot quieter in the house!

Then Elder Aguilar had to go pick up his new companion, and he lasted 3 days out of Villa Montes with Elder Dansie our Zone Leader.  Elder Del Pozo and I promptly cleaned everything and then Elder Aguilar came back with his new companion who is......Elder Brown from Salt Lake City, Utah! So we have the three Elders that are going to witness my "death" (completion) in the mission. They are going to be getting a lot of free stuff when I leave! 

My companion and I have done a lot of service this week. We visited a member named Johnny Cruz, and he works with Leather.  He makes wallets, Scripture Cases and just about anything else you can think of.  Well we donated him a cow hide, that is literally my size.  It is so big and it was heavy too. Below is a picture of said hide. Then on Saturday, Elder Del Pozo and I helped move two families into different houses. We helped our Young Men's President move his house. He had three trunk loads of stuff to move. So we used all of our morning to help him. Then in the Afternoon, we got an emergency call to go help Johnny Cruz and his family to move. So I got a little bit dirty. But the feeling of service for these two Brethren has grown! We love the members here in Villa Montes. 

The investigators here are progressing. We have found a new family, The Bravo family. They have a lot of interest in the Church and want to learn more. They attended church! And we are so happy for the progress that they are making! The Book of Mormon changes lives!

Scripture of the Week: 

Alma 34:15-16

And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.

And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.

Have a great week everyone!

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

               2014-2016

Pictures go like this:

1. Elder Aguilar and I with our trophies from a "Chess" tournament we had.

2. The Cow Hide!

3. Elder Brown from Murray, Utah

4. They made me cook a little bit on 

Sunday!