So first of all I would like to clarify a few things from last
week. Sorry for the short letter but I ran out of time. So, the whole
weekend last week we had stake conference, well as you know the
missionaries don`t usually go to the Saturday night session. But our
mission president told us that we needed to go, I really didn`t see the
reason why, plus we were going to have a family home evening at that
same investigators house that I told you guys about the last week and
they were going to invite like 10 of their non member friends. So I was
really bummed and they were too, when we canceled on them. But they told
us to pass by Sunday and we`d just have a little lesson with just them
(which is where my experience comes from that I told you about last
week) So turns out there really was no reason that we had to go to the
dumb Saturday night session. THEN the zone leaders call and tell me that
I was invited to a special meeting called ¨time to shine¨ on Sunday
afternoon. This is for all the elders that have 4 months left on their
missions or less. I argued and said that I was probably not included
because I didn`t know if I was leaving in May or June. But they told me
to go, so I went. Once again, totally pointless, president just pounded
into our heads how we should give everything we have to the Lord and not
waste a single second of time. So I went back to my area with the
mindset of ¨great, I just lost all this time in these last 2 days, we`re
going to have 5 lessons in a little over 3 hours. Well that's when I ran
into the problem of the youtube and television. So I tried and tried to
explain to the investigators but it just didn`t work. Another thing, I
have a great relationship with this family and I would say that they
trust in me, so I decided to try to explain to them heart to heart my
situation, knowing that if anything went wrong, everything would be ok
the next day and we would still have the trust that we have. So I was a
little more hard on them than usuall. They didn`t like it, but it`s all
good now:) and from that experience, a new feeling came into my heart.
An amazing feeling of love and charity for Christ and his work, a
feeling that cannot be described but resulted in a few tears shed and a
decision made. I LOVE being an authoriized representative of Christ. I
am so grateful for the opportunity that he gives me to stand shoulder to
shoulder with him (although definitely not at his altitude) and put
those shoulders to the wheel. I have come to realize that this time is
unique and special and limited. So thank you for your support especially
Shay and Mom. Thank you:) I sent a letter to president last week and he
confirmed to me this week that my date is the 27th of June. Also, did you
guys know that before I did? haha
So also I didn`t have time to tell you about p-day last week, it
was totally legit! So after buying some Colombian style sandals with the
colors of the flag, that look REALLY feminine but complete my Colombian
outfit, we went to drive some GO-CARTS!!! yeah thats what I`m talking
about:) We were with E`perez his comp E`Dominguez and my comp. I figured
that most of these guys hadn`t had a WHOLE lot of experience with cars,
so I planned to get the first go-cart and lap them all. Yeah that's just
what I did, I burned rubber and was halfway around the track before
they could say hola. So the second lap I passed them all, screaming in
elation and pointing a taunting finger in their direction lol. Then I
was able to pass Elder Perez and Elder Castrejon again, but Dominguez had gotten the
course down, so we were dog fighting it and he made me crash twice
because I tried to take the inside line and he just crashed me into the
tires. Then the time ended, and I encouraged everyone to take one more
run!!! so we did, this time I was in the back and passed Perez and
Castrejon right away, but Dominguez and I dog fought it out for another
lap then I conserved my speed around a tight curve while he drifted
around it and I whizzed past him turning around and screaming ¨that a
baby big BOOIII¨ (he speaks english) and he while looking at me crashed
into some tires lol. So I whizzed around the track and while the track
employee was pulling Dominguez`s big but out of the tires I got right
behind him and passed him again making him crash once more....getting
even which was my goal:) then once the time was up I decided to take a
glory lap and around the last corner I tapped the brake and did a few
cookies to finish. YEAH it was pretty boss. I hadn`t driven anything
like that for quite a while!
SO we had a baptism this week!!! E` Castrejon was able to baptize
her and he was super happy I could tell:) He`s usually pretty even keel
about his emotions and I haven`t seen him anywhere close to mad yet. But
I asked him how he felt afterwards and he just told me bubbling with
excitement. ¨I feel just like I did on my baptism day!¨ It made me even
more happy than I was to see him so happy! Afterwards she bore her
testimony as well and it was really powerfull. We have been really
blessed here. We found this lady the first night that we got here, She
is the best friend of a member who is just returning to the church. That
night she said an awesome prayer and thanked God for the feelings of
peace and comfort that these 2 ¨muchachos¨ had given her. Obviously we
know that it wasn`t us, it was the spirit:) and the next lesson she
accepted the baptismal date. It was really cool to see someone just so
prepared fall into our path on the first night in Bucaramanga. Also in
sacrament, the bishop asked me if I could do the confirmation. It was
the first time that I had ever conferred the holy ghost to someone, and
it was a great experience for me. I think when one is conferring the
holy spirit to someone is when you feel the spirit the most. It hit me
like a freight train, and I had to stop a moment to recollect myself and
go on with the blessing. The words flowed out of my mouth as I gave her
a simple blessing in Spanish. It was a cool experience that I hope to
never forget.
Also I learned something new this week. I got here with all these
ideas to make the ward work better and fix it. No one listened to me, it
occurred to me that that was normal. Who would listen to a snot nose
missionary that thinks he knows whats best for the Ward when he hasn`t
even had a full week there. So I just shut my mouth and went to work, It`s a good slogan right ¨just shut your mouth and go to work.¨ Now,
after a month the bishop asked us if we could meet with him, and he gave
my comp an assignment of a talk! I think he`s trusting in us more:)
Alright so I`d just like to finish telling you guys that covered
parking would be really nice at BYU, and that me and Albrecht don`t have
any other requests on housing, just that we are all living together and
that my mom can keep talking to his mom and figure it out:) Love you
guys TONS!!!! I pray for you every night:) thank you so much for your
support and advice:)
-Elder Crook 
No comments:
Post a Comment