Hola
mi amigos!!!
My
area is a third of Fusa which doesn't sound like it is very big, but in fact it
is massive. I haven't even been to all of my area yet--it is one of the biggest in
the mission. We also have three other towns in our area that we can only get
to by bus or walk for about an hour. But it has been great, the people are
way nice. In my district there are only six missionaries and all are hermanas, or
sisters. They are all way awesome and it is so fantastic to be with them. But it
is kinda weird being secluded. We have to take an hour bus ride into Bogotá
for our zone meetings. Part of Fusa is town living and the other part is farm country. So
it is pretty sweet to be in such a diverse area.
We don't actually have a washer in our
apartment. When we need to do laundry, we have to call someone who brings a washing machine on a motorcycle and
attaches it in our apartment. It is funny to see people driving around on their
motorcycles with big washing machines on the back.
There are a ton of basketball hoops here but no one uses them. The bottom is
built into a soccer goal and the top is built into a basketball hoop. Today we
were able to play basketball which was way fun. The hoops are smaller
here so I could dunk with ease which was way fun.
As
you probably know, people take soccer way seriously here. If you are wearing a
jersey from the wrong team in a city, people from the opposing team will fight
you. It isn't a problem for missionaries but it is for some members. They all
love the national team and whenever there is a game, everyone wears their Colombia jerseys. It is pretty sweet if they win, but if they lose everyone is
depressed.
Okay,
enough about the city. Lets talk about my investigators!! This week was a
little bit tougher than the last. Last week we had a great week and we almost
broke the lessons taught record with 17. But this week we only taught 9 lessons
with investigators. It is kinda difficult. We will find a lot of people but
they all say they are resting so they don't have time to hear us even though
they are just sitting on the sidewalk. But we have found some awesome people. Darwin, a young man of 17, actually brought some of his friends to
seminary and they were interested in the gospel. If all goes well, he will be
baptized this week. However, our other investigator, Mildre, decided that she
wasn't ready to be baptized and we haven't had the opportunity to talk with her
after the lesson. I am praying that we will be able to teach her needs and that
she can be ready to make this awesome covenant.
A
funny story. We were in another area giving a blessing when a flash flood
occurred. After the blessing, the street to the bus stop was flooded. I was
able to hop to the other side on rocks and was waiting for my companion. A bus
was coming to take other people across the river, and since he had my umbrella,
he tried to throw it to me. It landed right in the middle of the flood and I had to cross it and got all muddy trying to retrieve it. I gave him a hard time
about it later, but it was way funny.
All
in all, it has been a good week. There are sometimes when I am way down, but
other times when I think, "there is nothing better than serving a mission". The opportunity to help others come to Christ, to feel the joy that comes through living the commandments. I want to talk a little more about this. I
have been learning now that we follow commandments only because we love the
Lord. He only wants to bless us, but he can only do that if we are obedient. I
am obedient, not because I have a perfect desire to be obedient (I wish I did but I don't) but because I love the Lord and need His blessings in my life.
And the best blessing we receive is the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I can't
tell you how many times I have had a prompting to walk down this road, take
extra money, or talk to this person, and it is the perfect opportunity to share
the gospel.
I am so grateful for this experience and for all of you. You uplift
me in all things. Thank you so much for all your prayers. You are such
great examples and I love you.
Please pray to our Heavenly Father who loves
you infinitely more than I do.
All
my love,
Elder Parson
