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

WEEK 72: TRANSFERS THIS WEEK, FUN TIMES IN LA CANADA

Hey everyone! 

This week was super fun! We have had a good time with the Work here in La Cañada.  The only bad thing is that we haven't been able to work so much because my companion is starting to have panic attacks every single time we go and proselyte. SO, we have been having some cool down time while he is taking some daily "breaks" from the work. 

I have been thinking a lot about what we learned on Wednesday.  For those of you who didn't know, we had a World Wide transmission about "Teaching Repentance and Baptizing Converts,"  We received capacitation from two Apostles and three Seventies.  It was the coolest thing ever. The Lord really is "hastening his work" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:73).  And I know that we are part of this work.

But besides that, nothing too big happened this week. 

Our plans for our baptisms fell through because they didn't come to church this week and we haven't been able to see them for like one week.  But in February we are going to have baptisms!

Scripture of the Week: 
Matthew 6:33-34

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow:  for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Pictures:

1. The District.

2. Elder Gomez who finishes the mission this week.

3. Elder Brimhall and I.

4. Zona La Villa.

5. Baby Anteater on my back.

6. Anteater on my arm

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

           Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

                      2014-2016

WEEK 71: THE SISTERS THAT STARTED THEIR MISSION WITH ME ARE GOING HOME NEXT WEEK

Well!  We are starting to get into the hottest days of the whole Bolivian year. We have been getting into some crazy heat everyday here. The little weather monitor lies to you!

This week was fun because we have been having a lot people coming with us to the Lessons.  I'm happy that we are getting some work done. 

We have two investigators that are progressing super fast. We have an older Sister and her grandson. They are named Maria Pedraza and Alejandro. They are doing super well and have a baptismal date for the 30th of January.  They have told us that they want to be baptized! So we are going to get them all ready so that they can be baptized. And we have an 11 year old boy from a part member family. His name is Lucas Robles. He is the only one out of his whole 20 member family that isn't baptized. He is going to baptized on the 30th also.  His Dad is super Catholic, but his dad said, " I will support my son in what HE wants to do."  So we just have to help him understand the importance of being baptized.

Scripture of the Week: 
Mormon 9: 11-13

But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.

Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man.  And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.

And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death.

Pictures:

1. Elder Brimhall and I have companionship transfer this     week!

2. The Most adorable puppy I have ever seen. This is Niño (Boy)

3. Dalio Vaca. HE was baptized in 1969 when he was a older man. He is 95 years old now.

5.Jorge Claros and I in ward counsel

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

               2014-2016

WEEK 70:WELP. IT'S JANUARY.

Well this week was super eventful!

On Monday, we did a zone activity and went bowling.  While we were there, The Arlen Tanner family from the Kansas City Stake start strolling in there and come and talk to us.  Both Brother and Sister Tanner served their missions here over 35 years ago and gave me some helpful tips for what I could expect when I am in the field.  Then we went and ate Papa John's Pizza in the Center of Santa Cruz.  It was greasiest thing that I have eaten in a year and a half.  And it was delicious!  Then we went and had a Family Home Evening with our Bishop.  They gave us fried chicken.  Sweet!

After that we just did some shenanigans. Get some people to church.  Taught some lessons. The usual.  But the best thing is that now, we are starting to get something moving.  This week we did a Ward Wide Fast for the people that wanted to participate. So we four missionaries, and our new Ward Mission Leader, and four other members joined us in the fast.  I hope something will work out!

Scripture of the Week: 
Helaman 5:10-11

And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.

And he hath power given unto him from the father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.

1.Picture with the Tanners

2: Bowling with the Zone

3: Jorge Vaca and his mission call to Lima West

4: My picture at Papa John's

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

   Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

               2014-2016

WEEK 69:2016 PUEJ (THEN)

Well, this week was fun. 

We have officially hit the "Golden Years" of the Mission.  I'm so happy for everyone that I have met while I have been here in this beautiful place that is Bolivia.

This week, we have been having some fun doing missionary work.  We have been visiting a family called the Sanchez family.  Iver (the Dad) is interested in the Church, but just doesn't have that desire yet.  His daughters and Niece have gone to church for two Sundays in a row. So we are going to be rescuing his daughters (they are less active members) and baptizing his niece (she is a non-member).

But other that that. We haven't been to busy. Its kind of a shame. But I know this week, with your help and mine, We will get things moving here in La Cañada. We just did a ward wide fasting to get the Mission work moving. I believe in that power!

Scripture of the Week: 

Ether 12:12-21

For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.

Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth.

Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.

Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.

Ye, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.

And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith.

And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.

And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad.

And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was the brother of Jared; forso great was his faith in God, that when God put forth his finger he could not hid it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken unto him which word he had obtained by faith

And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil.

Photos. 

There is only 1     :(

1. Companionship transfer with Elder Soliz on New Years Eve!

-- 

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy

           Misión Santa Cruz Bolivia

                      2014-2016