Hello Everyone,
Well, another p day with not a ton of time to write everyone for the
week but oh whale, it is what it is.
This week was pretty mellow. A little too mellow for our likings but
that's alright, because we are hoping to bounce back this week with
some more lessons. They are cutting the transfers short by a week so
there is a little change that I will be leaving the islands next week
which makes me super super sad, but I doubt it, I'll probably stay for
one more, or at least I hope. That would probably be the max though.
I think the best experience this week was when we went to our
investigators house from Colombia on Tuesday morning. As we entered
the house and sat down to start talking, they started playing this
Spanish music with this speaker super loud and starting bringing out
all of these Spanish instruments and playing them in front of us. We
had no clue how to react to that as missionaries jajaja but it was
pretty funny.
As far as investigators, we went through our area book again and found
this super rad investigator. His name is Guillermo and he's from
Africa. He speaks French and Spanish and his African Native Language.
He's 23 and super amable and friendly. We passed by, and the doorbell
to his apartment building was broken. We started to walk away but
looked up, and from the top floor, he was sticking his head out of the
window. He told us he would come down. He did and he let us go up to
his piso, where we were able to teach him a super powerful lesson on
the plan of salvation. It was a neat experience for us.
One thing I realized this week in my studies is how much of a blessing
it is for us to have the Book of Mormon in our lives. The Book of
Mormon really is a testament of Jesus Christ. Not only does it help
us to know that this really is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints, but as we read it and apply it to our lives, it helps us
to become more and more like the Savior. It is a sacred book that
brings us closer to HIM. I'm so grateful for the role it plays for me
in my life.
Have a legit week everyone
Elder Baron
Monday, February 29, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Fantastic food and finding Fabio
"Are you supposed to dig the hole before or after you go to the
bathroom" -up the movie
This is just one example of some of the deepest and most difficult
questions to answer as a trainer...
But anyways, this week was good! I finally changed the pink sheets in
the piso, and we are still working on other ways to defeminize it, but
not sure. If anyone has any ideas, send me an email, we are open for
advice. It was too much to handle before, but it's getting better
little by little.
Some of the highlights of the week were getting a call from a member
who was pretending to be a jehovas witness who wanted to get baptized into
the church, eating some outstanding duck from this Chinese restaurant
downtown, having our investigator give us some amazing South American
cooking lessons, having a returned missionary from Venezuela move into
our ward, and other little miracles that seem to happen the harder we
are working.
Every week we try to stay as busy as we can and have as many things
scheduled as possible. Recently we have been having a ton of lessons
scheduled which has been super amazing. However, there are days where
we are just hitting the pavement all day till we have nothing left to
give. On Friday night, we knew we were going to be spending a good
majority of our time contacting in the streets and doing as many
things as possible. Every night we pray the night before to
try and find new people or have opportunities to help whoever we can
to come unto Christ that next day. We have this young investigator
named Fabio who has just been dead for like a month. His phone
doesn't work, and he told us not to come to his house because his
parents may not take our visit very well. We had no way to contact
this investigator. That Friday night, we planned that we were going
to just take our chances by going to his house. I wrote it in my planner
as "find Fabio". Well, the next day we started walking to his house
at that time and it just did not feel right. So, we decided to stop
and start contacting. The first people we tried talking to rejected
us. But as soon as the people walked on, we saw this kid about two
football fields away from us with no one else around waving both of
his arms in the air walking towards us. Puzzled, we started to walk
towards him. Guess who? Fabio himself was walking towards us. We
were beyond stoked to see him, and even more stoked when he asked us
when we could meet again. He told us he has been reading in the Book
of Mormon and has questions. We set a date to meet with him this
week. We wanted to Find Fabio, and the Lord led us right to him.
This is just one of the ways the Lord works with us as we do his work
here.
Another experience was with this investigator we have named Carlos.
We found Carlos on the oldest page we have of people who were
contacted by the missionaries but for some odd reason, either stopped
talking to the missionaries or never answered the phone or the door in
the first place. Anyways, we called Carlos and he told us we could
come over. Carlos is a hard working construction worker, and was
pretty exhausted both times we taught him, but he excepted everything
rather well, and when we invited him to read the Book of Mormon, he
found the time to do it. To be honest, we didn't really think he was
going to come when we invited him to church. Sunday morning, we
started sacrament meeting and there was not a single investigator in
church. We were so bummed because all of our progressing
investigators couldn't come for work reasons or some other reasons we
don't know. I was pretty sad, but as we started the sacrament, in
walked Carlos. Not only did he come, but he brought his wife as well.
Not only that, but they walked like 40 minutes to church! He had his
Book of Mormon in his hand and a restoration pamphlet we had given him
as well. He walked in and in the loudest whisper I have ever heard
was like, "I'm here, I brought my wife, and my Book Of Mormon." I'm
not sure what some of the members thought when they heard this as they
were singing the sacrament hymn but it was music to my ears. We don't
know what's going to happen with Carlos, but what we do know, is that
he has a lot of potential if he keeps up with that same kind of faith.
Other than that, things are going good here in Vecindario. My
companion is so faithful man. I'm so blessed to have this guy here
with me, and he's improving insanely fast in the language.
This truly is the Lord's work. I know this gospel is true, and I know
that it truly is the path to never ending happiness here on the earth.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Elder Baron
bathroom" -up the movie
This is just one example of some of the deepest and most difficult
questions to answer as a trainer...
But anyways, this week was good! I finally changed the pink sheets in
the piso, and we are still working on other ways to defeminize it, but
not sure. If anyone has any ideas, send me an email, we are open for
advice. It was too much to handle before, but it's getting better
little by little.
Some of the highlights of the week were getting a call from a member
who was pretending to be a jehovas witness who wanted to get baptized into
the church, eating some outstanding duck from this Chinese restaurant
downtown, having our investigator give us some amazing South American
cooking lessons, having a returned missionary from Venezuela move into
our ward, and other little miracles that seem to happen the harder we
are working.
Every week we try to stay as busy as we can and have as many things
scheduled as possible. Recently we have been having a ton of lessons
scheduled which has been super amazing. However, there are days where
we are just hitting the pavement all day till we have nothing left to
give. On Friday night, we knew we were going to be spending a good
majority of our time contacting in the streets and doing as many
things as possible. Every night we pray the night before to
try and find new people or have opportunities to help whoever we can
to come unto Christ that next day. We have this young investigator
named Fabio who has just been dead for like a month. His phone
doesn't work, and he told us not to come to his house because his
parents may not take our visit very well. We had no way to contact
this investigator. That Friday night, we planned that we were going
to just take our chances by going to his house. I wrote it in my planner
as "find Fabio". Well, the next day we started walking to his house
at that time and it just did not feel right. So, we decided to stop
and start contacting. The first people we tried talking to rejected
us. But as soon as the people walked on, we saw this kid about two
football fields away from us with no one else around waving both of
his arms in the air walking towards us. Puzzled, we started to walk
towards him. Guess who? Fabio himself was walking towards us. We
were beyond stoked to see him, and even more stoked when he asked us
when we could meet again. He told us he has been reading in the Book
of Mormon and has questions. We set a date to meet with him this
week. We wanted to Find Fabio, and the Lord led us right to him.
This is just one of the ways the Lord works with us as we do his work
here.
Another experience was with this investigator we have named Carlos.
We found Carlos on the oldest page we have of people who were
contacted by the missionaries but for some odd reason, either stopped
talking to the missionaries or never answered the phone or the door in
the first place. Anyways, we called Carlos and he told us we could
come over. Carlos is a hard working construction worker, and was
pretty exhausted both times we taught him, but he excepted everything
rather well, and when we invited him to read the Book of Mormon, he
found the time to do it. To be honest, we didn't really think he was
going to come when we invited him to church. Sunday morning, we
started sacrament meeting and there was not a single investigator in
church. We were so bummed because all of our progressing
investigators couldn't come for work reasons or some other reasons we
don't know. I was pretty sad, but as we started the sacrament, in
walked Carlos. Not only did he come, but he brought his wife as well.
Not only that, but they walked like 40 minutes to church! He had his
Book of Mormon in his hand and a restoration pamphlet we had given him
as well. He walked in and in the loudest whisper I have ever heard
was like, "I'm here, I brought my wife, and my Book Of Mormon." I'm
not sure what some of the members thought when they heard this as they
were singing the sacrament hymn but it was music to my ears. We don't
know what's going to happen with Carlos, but what we do know, is that
he has a lot of potential if he keeps up with that same kind of faith.
Other than that, things are going good here in Vecindario. My
companion is so faithful man. I'm so blessed to have this guy here
with me, and he's improving insanely fast in the language.
This truly is the Lord's work. I know this gospel is true, and I know
that it truly is the path to never ending happiness here on the earth.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Elder Baron
Monday, February 15, 2016
Strange things are afoot at the circle K
Well, this week was mas o menos pretty exciting for us here in the
islands. We had a solid week of lessons that actually happened here
and we had some investigators finally come to church, but man just a
ton happened.
One of the craziest things is that we got a call a couple nights ago
from our district leader telling us that we need to change pisos with
the hermanas in our area, because some people were worried about their
safety. We were incredibly sad to leave our bright colored walls with
our pictures of wolves barking at the moon and eagles flying over the
mountains to enter into a piso with the smell of femininity and pink
sheets, but we are stoked to live closer to the church and to have a
change. It is a little different over here, hence the subject line I
put for this email, but it's a cool new little piso and it still has a
dryer. All is well.
So we had the privledge of having a general authority, Elder Morera
come here to tour our mission. He was one of the most lively speakers
I have ever seen, and he spoke to us in broken English, but wowsers
that was an experience to remember. He shook each of our hands and
gave us one of those talks with just enough love to feel like a pat on
the back but just enough fire to singe the eyebrows a little bit. We
talked a ton about how we need to change our mission culture. A lot
of times in Spain we think that we aren't really going to baptize a
ton of people or we aren't going to be that successful because of the
things we have heard from others. But we talked about how we need to
change to be a mission with more faith both in ourselves and in the
Lord. We talked about the way that we need to adjust the way we spend
our time and the way we teach, and it was truly a motivating
experience
This week I learned that it is incredibly important to listen to the
Holy Ghost no matter what the prompting is. One afternoon we went to
go throw out the trash. As we started to walk away I went to go sit on
this bench to start to call some of the people we needed to for the
day. I had this prompting to keep going and do it somewhere else. I
kept walking until we got to another spot. We sat down and started to
make some calls. Our investigator walked by and came over and just
sat next to us without us even saying anything to him. We have been
trying to meet with this investigator for two months, and we finally
had an opportunity. We shared an unplanned lesson on the Savior, but
we were able to feel the spirit really strong. The Holy Ghost guided
us exactly where to go, and although this experience wasn't very large
or life changing for that investigator, it was at least a change for
him to feel the love that is felt when we have opportunities to feel
the Spirit. The Holy Ghost really does guide us in small and simple
ways every day.
I'm so incredibly grateful for the chance I have here to be an
instrument in the hands of the Lord, and I truly know that this is the
Lord's work here. He is at the head of it, and these are his Children
we are teaching. He knows them, and if we listen to him, he will tell
us where to go and exactly what to do to help them. I say these
things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Elder Baron
islands. We had a solid week of lessons that actually happened here
and we had some investigators finally come to church, but man just a
ton happened.
One of the craziest things is that we got a call a couple nights ago
from our district leader telling us that we need to change pisos with
the hermanas in our area, because some people were worried about their
safety. We were incredibly sad to leave our bright colored walls with
our pictures of wolves barking at the moon and eagles flying over the
mountains to enter into a piso with the smell of femininity and pink
sheets, but we are stoked to live closer to the church and to have a
change. It is a little different over here, hence the subject line I
put for this email, but it's a cool new little piso and it still has a
dryer. All is well.
So we had the privledge of having a general authority, Elder Morera
come here to tour our mission. He was one of the most lively speakers
I have ever seen, and he spoke to us in broken English, but wowsers
that was an experience to remember. He shook each of our hands and
gave us one of those talks with just enough love to feel like a pat on
the back but just enough fire to singe the eyebrows a little bit. We
talked a ton about how we need to change our mission culture. A lot
of times in Spain we think that we aren't really going to baptize a
ton of people or we aren't going to be that successful because of the
things we have heard from others. But we talked about how we need to
change to be a mission with more faith both in ourselves and in the
Lord. We talked about the way that we need to adjust the way we spend
our time and the way we teach, and it was truly a motivating
experience
This week I learned that it is incredibly important to listen to the
Holy Ghost no matter what the prompting is. One afternoon we went to
go throw out the trash. As we started to walk away I went to go sit on
this bench to start to call some of the people we needed to for the
day. I had this prompting to keep going and do it somewhere else. I
kept walking until we got to another spot. We sat down and started to
make some calls. Our investigator walked by and came over and just
sat next to us without us even saying anything to him. We have been
trying to meet with this investigator for two months, and we finally
had an opportunity. We shared an unplanned lesson on the Savior, but
we were able to feel the spirit really strong. The Holy Ghost guided
us exactly where to go, and although this experience wasn't very large
or life changing for that investigator, it was at least a change for
him to feel the love that is felt when we have opportunities to feel
the Spirit. The Holy Ghost really does guide us in small and simple
ways every day.
I'm so incredibly grateful for the chance I have here to be an
instrument in the hands of the Lord, and I truly know that this is the
Lord's work here. He is at the head of it, and these are his Children
we are teaching. He knows them, and if we listen to him, he will tell
us where to go and exactly what to do to help them. I say these
things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Elder Baron
Colby's new companion
General authority visited our mission
Monday, February 8, 2016
HOLA TODOS
This week was pretty crazy to say the least. Last Monday night I got
a call at like 10 pm that I was going to go to Madrid the next day to
pick up my companion and bring him to the islands. Totally wasn't
expecting that but I made the trip to Madrid and was able to attend
some training meetings and bring back my son to the islands. It truly
was a sweet experience to have a nice little trip.
My new companion is named Elder Corbridge and he is from Kingsman
Arizona. He's taller than me and he is a crazy committed and diligent
Elder. He came here with desires to work hard, and I am truly
grateful to have him here with me. He's committed to the work. Man
training is way different than I thought it was going to be. My whole
perspective on the mission has just flipped 180. I'm a lot more tired
every day now too, and it feels way harder at times, but that's what
prayer is for, and I truly have felt many of your prayers back at
home. Thanks a ton
One of the coolest experiences this week from an investigator, was
when we decided to pass by this man who hadn't answered his phone in
three months. We passed by and he instantly began sharing experiences
with us about how he had felt the spirit in his life and he told us
that he felt like the Book of Mormon really was true. We tried to ask
him to pray about it and he was like, why, I already know it's true.
That truly was an incredible, unplanned activity which led to a
baptismal invitation being excepted. It's the experiences like these that
really do help me to remember that this is the Lords work and he truly
is preparing a lot of these people for us. I'm so grateful for the
chance to be an instrument in his hands as I try to help these people
come to know of the love and plan he has for each and every one of
them.
Hope your week is super bien
Elder Baron
Monday, February 1, 2016
Hola todos
Hola hermanos míos,
This week has been pretty slow as far as investigators, and I'm not
sure what's happening there, but hopefully things pick up soon!
Some of the positives from this week though were we were able to have
another baptism. We have this investigator who received all the
lessons in California that the missionaries have been working with for a
long time here who really wanted to be baptized earlier but has been
waiting forever for her parents permission. Well, they finally gave
it to her, and she was able to be baptized this week. So happy to
watch her finally take that huge step in her life and be baptized, and
it was such a blessing that her parents finally let her. That was an
awesome experience. Another awesome thing from this week was the p
day hike we went on today. The Norwegian English ( One of them wrote
the book surviving Hitler from Deseret Book which is a rad story I
would recommend) speakers in our ward drove us to the highest point on
the island called Roque Nublo. That was super sweet because one it
was super pretty and you could even see another island and two because
it was the last activity we got to do with a lot of these missionaries
who leave tomorrow because of transfers.
Holy lanta that reminds me. So I'm staying here on the island, but
I'm going to be training a new missionary fresh out of the MTC this
next transfer. It's going to be quite the test of faith as I'm still
so new to everything myself and still have a mountain to overcome with
the language, but I will trust in the Lord, and I know he will help
everything to work out.
One of the chapters in the Book of Mormon I loved from this week was
in Alma 24 about the anti Nephi Lehis. Wowsers, those people had so
much faith and they truly did understand the atonement, to the point
where many of them simply got on their knees and prayed while the
lamanites slaughtered them. they were true to the Lord in the promise
they made to repent of all the murder and crime they had done, to
never dirty their swords again. Those people were not only taken to
live with God forever in eternal happiness, but they also converted
thousands of the very people who had killed them in that time. Their
faith brought about their salvation, and also brought about the
salvation of others who had a mighty change of heart while seeing that
faith. They are absolutely amazing examples for us, of how we must
use the atonement to change us forever.
Hope everyone is doing well and know that I love you all to pieces!
Elder Baron
This week has been pretty slow as far as investigators, and I'm not
sure what's happening there, but hopefully things pick up soon!
Some of the positives from this week though were we were able to have
another baptism. We have this investigator who received all the
lessons in California that the missionaries have been working with for a
long time here who really wanted to be baptized earlier but has been
waiting forever for her parents permission. Well, they finally gave
it to her, and she was able to be baptized this week. So happy to
watch her finally take that huge step in her life and be baptized, and
it was such a blessing that her parents finally let her. That was an
awesome experience. Another awesome thing from this week was the p
day hike we went on today. The Norwegian English ( One of them wrote
the book surviving Hitler from Deseret Book which is a rad story I
would recommend) speakers in our ward drove us to the highest point on
the island called Roque Nublo. That was super sweet because one it
was super pretty and you could even see another island and two because
it was the last activity we got to do with a lot of these missionaries
who leave tomorrow because of transfers.
Holy lanta that reminds me. So I'm staying here on the island, but
I'm going to be training a new missionary fresh out of the MTC this
next transfer. It's going to be quite the test of faith as I'm still
so new to everything myself and still have a mountain to overcome with
the language, but I will trust in the Lord, and I know he will help
everything to work out.
One of the chapters in the Book of Mormon I loved from this week was
in Alma 24 about the anti Nephi Lehis. Wowsers, those people had so
much faith and they truly did understand the atonement, to the point
where many of them simply got on their knees and prayed while the
lamanites slaughtered them. they were true to the Lord in the promise
they made to repent of all the murder and crime they had done, to
never dirty their swords again. Those people were not only taken to
live with God forever in eternal happiness, but they also converted
thousands of the very people who had killed them in that time. Their
faith brought about their salvation, and also brought about the
salvation of others who had a mighty change of heart while seeing that
faith. They are absolutely amazing examples for us, of how we must
use the atonement to change us forever.
Hope everyone is doing well and know that I love you all to pieces!
Elder Baron
"Mi Novia, this is the ward baby here, her name is Yanira"
"This family makes us Spanish pizza a lot"
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