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

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

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

WEEK 75:ELECTIONS AND CONFIVAC

Well Friends and Family.

We just had a slow week. We had two brethren that have been going with us to do visits. But that's about it. And we have some fun pictures here.

Maria Pedraza is going to be baptized this week.  She asked me to baptize her. So we are going to make sure that everything goes well. I am happy that another daughter of God is going to recieve the remission of her sins.  And the fact that I have the chance to use my priesthood again.

My companion and I are taking some time to get to know the area.  We are becoming walking maps to anyone that sees us.  If anyone has a question in the street: Talk to The Missionaries.  Are you lost: Missionaries. It is perfect!

Scripture of the Week: 
Mormon 7:7

And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end. 

1. Taking the Bolivian Backroad!

2. Elder Gil and I 

3. Elder Gil in the Rich part of our area

4. Studying today

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

               2014-2016

WEEK 74:BIRTHDAY FUN AND CARNIVAL

Well Family. These past two weeks have been a real blessing. We were stuck in the house for over three days because of the Bolivian/Brazilian Tradition of Carnaval. 

So we were stuck in the house for like three days. From Sunday to Wednesday it was full study time. The Book of Mormon is the BEST pass time in the whole world!

We have been having a lot of success here in the ward. The Lord blessed me for my birthday yesterday with TWELVE INVESTIGATORS at Sacrament meeting. The Hurtado Family (4 people), The Eguez Family( 3 peopl), Maria Pedraza, Adrinna Rivero, Ariel Montero, Julio Vaca and Isaura Aguirre.  It was the most spiritual meeting in the whole church.  And it helps that I "play" the piano to make sure that the Hymns are sung well!

We had a training meeting with all the Ward Council.  And I trained them on using the 12 Steps to the Temple Program.  I felt the Spirit and My Companion and I trained and inspired the members to want to get the work done. Then they brought me a cake, and my companion "baptized" my head into it.  The Pictures will show you!

Scripture of the Week:

Moroni 10: 7-8

And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God.  And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

1. Companion Shenanigans. Teeter totter style

2. Being "baptized" its a thing that for a persons birthday. The get a face full of cake. They tell you to bite the cake, and when you bite it. They get ya

3. Present from some members!

4. Second Baptism in Ward Counsel

5. Happy Burthday to me!

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

               2014-2016

WEEK 73:SIX MONTHS . . . FOR THE FIRST TIME!! :)

Welp!

We have finally made it to six months in one area.  La Cañada is officially my favorite area in the whole mission!  My new companion, Elder Gil, from Argentina and I are ready to  "hit the pavement" and get to work.  My last companion, Elder Peña went to the Offices as a Secretary and now I'm the District Leader of the Sister Missionaries!

We have had four people come to church and we taught fourteen lessons with members present!  I hope we can keep doing this!

We have been teaching the Familias Eguez, Pedraza, and Gil so that they can be rescued or baptized.  And we also said good bye to Jorge Claros and we took some funny pictures there!

Scripture of the Week: 
1 John 4: 11-21

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.  

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment:  because as he is, so are we in this world.  

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We love him, because he first loved us.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:  for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

And this commandment have we from him, that he who I loveth God love his brother also..

Pictures:

1. Family Home Evening with the Familia Dantas

2. The Elders with Maria Pedraza and Alejandro Salvatierra

3.The Elders with the Familia Eguez

4. The Elders with Angel and Yenny, with their daughter Lundy!

5. We are "building" the Kingdom with Jorge Claros

6. Elder Gil and I today

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

  Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

              2014-2016