Holy Week

Dear family and friends,

This week was somewhat crazy, being a week off for colombia. On Tuesday, we had a zone meeting and weren't able to get back to our area until pretty late, but we went and visited the Espitia family and learned that many of our investigaters are currently on vacation. Wednesday we talked to Jacob and learned he doesn't want to get married to his pregnant girlfriend and honestly doesn't really know what he wants. He is completely afraid of responsibility and we learned later in the week that he ran of to Bogota with about 500,000 pesos he stole from his mom. We aren't too happy with him, but we are trying to help his family as best we can at the moment. Thursday was a soccer Game day, so we couldn't leave the house for most of the day. Friday was exchanges with Elder Vergara. We went and got some records filled out for the baptism they had this Saturday. On Saturday, we went to talk to Leydi and Jacob's Mom and afterwards we had the baptism. Sunday, We had a good number of less actives show up and a few new investigaters, so next week should be promising, without all the festivals and with new opportunities to teach.

This next week we will have interviews with President as well as possible exchanges with the Zone Leaders.

Love you all,

Elder King

Cripples Don't Like Me

Dear family and friends,

On  Tuesday,

we visited Jacob and Leydi and taught them the plan of salvation. We then visited Nelson and taught him the same, invited him to be baptized and he accepted. He has been reading and show real interest, so I'm hoping he will be one to progress. We went and chatted with Fernando Espitia and his wife, a less active that we are trying to get to the temple. They are really spiritual, but also really old, so they have a hard time getting to church.

Wednesday

Our lessons with Lesyanis and Freddy fell through, then we had ward council and a meeting with the Ward mission leader

Thursday

We visited Carmen Causil, a less active that came to church last week. We taught her the gospel of Christ, which turned out to be a pretty inspired lesson to figure out what she needs. Then, we had  a lesson with Lesyanis. She says she isn't ready to be baptized yet, but that she will be ready next month. I'm not too worried about it because she is genuine aobut it and she keeps coming to church and reading, so she'll get there.

Friday

Another lesson with Jacob and Leydi. It was really hot. Jacob's younger brother is investigating now. We had another lesson with the espitia family. The title comes from stuff that happened this day. A dog went kind of crazy and was barking at us. The same dog had done it before, but the gate was open this time so it came out and startled us a bit. It only has three legs, so I wasn't super worried about it. On the way back from the Espitia's house, we walked past a guy with a limp and a cane. He looked at me as we passed and I could tell he was crazy and I thought he was trying to ask for money. But about five seconds later, he starts yelling and waving his cane around. Seems he doesn't like white people. He was crazy, but it was super scary and he kept following us, but he can't move very fast, so we hid in a members house as he walked past, still yelling somewhat rude things.

Saturday

We visited Jacob and Lady again and basically just went around inviting everyone to church.

Sunday

Lesyanis came and brought Freddy, and a less active family also came. But church was kind of a let down.

That's basically the week. It was pretty good, and we still have high hopes for conversion

Love you all,

Élder King

The food here is a lot better. I don't know why, but it is

The Coast

Dear family and friends,

it´s hot.

Tuesday

Travel day from Manizales to Medellin. Basically a free day, but I spent a lot of time just catching up with other missionaries.

Wednesday

Ten hour bus ride from Medellin to Montería. Lot´s of Spanish movies played on the bus. I actually understood them, which shows some progress in Spanish I guess. There is basically no escape on  a bus, so we just tried to ignore the movies. We arrived in Montería around six O´clock and then it was about an hour to my area in Cerete

Thursday

We started off with a great day, Élder Hurtado and I. We taught lessons to Lesyanis, our investigater that is on schedule to be baptized this next Saturday, Jacob and his soon-to-be wife Leidy, the second counseler to the bishop and his wife, Dreysi, and a less active lady with her kids. Pretty full day and I was purt´near tuckered out there at the end of the day.

Friday

We had a zone meeting in the morning and didn´t get back to our area until about four, but that didn´t break our stride too much. We visited dreysi again. She is less active and was in a bike accident last year, so she is slightly incapacitated. She can´t walk very well and she has lots of pain meds she takes, so she doesn´t make it to church very well. we'll see how she progresses. The second counseler hasn't been to church in two weeks, so we are visiting him and his family. As far as I understand, there is some social problem with the bishop or other members of the ward that makes him not want to go to church anymore. But we are working with him and his wife and they are helping us find new people. We already have a family of less actives and a family of investigaters from them, as well as an opportunity to teach their nonmember daughter.

Saturday

We had a lesson with Lesyanis and now she has all the lessons and seemingly no problems with the commandments. We had another lesson with Jacob and Leidy. Jacob is a really less active member, mostly because his family is. His Girlfriend and him are going to get married soon and she has a baptismal date right after she gets married, so we´re doing pretty well there. We visited some less actives, an old investigater for a second, people gave us food.

Sunday

So, I gave a talk in sacrament. The missionary that was here before was supposed to do it and then got transferred and dropped that on me. But good news is pretty much everyone we worked with showed up to church! It feels like a miracle. We are projecting five or six baptisms this transfer.

So yeah, it´s hot, but I decided not to complain about it and that has made it easier to bear. I´m enjoying a companion who wants to work and I expect great things.

Love you all,

Sweaty Élder King

oh yeah, I got Katelyn´s christmas package, and Grandma´s birthday package and a few letters

Nineteen and Still Kicking

I know you are all dying to hear about transfers, but let´s talk about interesting stuff first.

So, we moved houses on Tuesday and Wednesday which included moving all the junk from both our houses to the new house, riding in the back of a truck trying to keep anything from falling out and just generally cleaning everything that careless missionaries have made messy over the years in these houses. It took a long time and we all became very tired. Actually that whole process included Thursday too. On Friday, we had an activity at the church, but not many people came because it was pouring outside. After words, we went to Carlos Lechona and tried some of their lu'au stuffed pig and some ribs. It was somewhat delicious. On Saturday, the ZL´s had a baptism and then we taught English classes. I found some honest-to-goodness Bisquick, so my wallet is empty but my stomach is full. Speaking of spending money, I realized that I remind myself of dad too much sometimes. I bought a pillow for $115,000 pesos last week and I have been sleeping amazingly since then. The other missionaries were bugging me about it until I let them try it out. They consider it a worthy purchase and are searching for their own now as well.

For my birthday, we made some tacos at a members house Saturday night and then had pancakes the next morning, but so far it´s been me buying treats for everyone else haha. I normally wouldn´t have a problem, but now I´ll be leaving all my stockpiled food here.

Speaking of leaving! For Transfers, I´m going to Monteria. Super hot, super humid, and best of all, super fast, nearly unintelligible Spanish. Sounds like a new adventure!! If I will be getting any mail or packages, I would think it will be this next transfer OR I will get it when I stay in Medellin on Tuesday night for the trip up to Monteria. I´ll get you the address of the new house so you can send stuff there and we´ll see if that works out. 

Love you all,

Élder King