What a Roller Coaster...........

Monday March 23, 2015

 

 

Well this week has been up and down. It started out hot. Just rolling with a ton of lessons and people to talk to. We even found the one and only GRINGO that lives here in San Jeronimo. He is from Georgia. Served as an Army Ranger for a good chunk of his life. Did 5 tours in Iraq, Afganistan and Kosivo. He has lived here for 5 years and is just working as a security guy for the mines down here. Seems to be a really cool guy. It is really weird to talk about the Gospel in English down here. I had to ask the Office if we had Books of Mormon in English and the Pamphlets to give him in English. I dont even know if we have those!! Haha. Anyway, he was raised Southern Baptist, go figure being from Georgia, and his Dad was a Marine, so he has had Military in his life for quite some time. He said he loves it down here it is just really calm and no drama. Unlike the states haha. We are going to start teaching him this Tuesday. We will take it slow with him, he said that he "Lost his faith long ago". I am sure he has seen some really wicked and awful things being an Army Ranger. But I know that once someone has faith, they can never completely lose it. We can lose faith in Mankind, because we are all carnal and human and make some really bad mistakes, but God in not the Mastermind behind war and murder and killiings. We have opposition in all things. But it is through God and Jesus Christ, that we can rest from our heavy burdens and miseries we have seen in our days and we can look forward to the day we ALL will be welcomed into the presence of our great Eternal God and our Older Brother who suffered for us. I am so grateful for that knowledge that I have learned and obtained here in the mission.

 

 

Thank you all for the support and love!!

Elder Bell

 

 

 

Monday March 16, 2015

 

 

Well,

 

This week is the last full week of this transfer. I am extremely grateful this transfer has gone by fast. It has been nothing other than a really really rough transfer. I have found that little quote book to help me get through though. I have found good scriptures and I have just studied way way hard as my companion has slept. This past week we found many new investigators but one that we are really excited about. She is the sister of a member here in Concepcion and she is very very catholic. BUT she has committed to a baptismal date of April 25th. Hope that we are able to share with her the Gospel Truths and she can come to know that the book of Mormon is true as well. I know that you all think time goes by slow but it seems to be zooming by down here I want it to slow down. The days feel like minutes. It is unreal. But i am just going to keep working hard to become the person God wants me to become. If we can become the people God has intended us to become, We will be able to live a more abundant life and be able to influence many many people along the way. That is what I am trying to do here and I hape you all have the opportunites back home to change someones life. Not only to HAVE the opportunity, but SEARCH and PRAY for the opportunites. Thank you all for the amazing support you give me. Some times my weeks depend on it :) Especially this trasnfer!!

 

 

Love you all!

Elder Bell

 

 

 

Monday March 9, 2015

 

 

So this week was really good! We found a whole bunch of new investigators and people who really have a desire to learn. The only problem is, my comp is lazy and doesnt study for our lessons, so I try to teach the majority of it, and everytime he jumps in he takes us to a different part of the lesson and they become confused. Frustrating I tell you Frustrating! But I am definitely learning to be more patient. I have almost bit a hole in my lower lip... just kidding.. Anyway, the work is difficult here, everyone loves their Idols and Images and dont think it is against one of the 10 commandments to worship their idols.. Anyway. I am working hard to be patient with them too. Because I know that the Holy Ghost can work through me if I demonstrate and am actually here to love the people to death. Although hard at times, I do manage to shed a few tears here and there in our lessons. I know that God has called me here for a reason. And I am still learning why here and why now. But I am grateful for the opportunity to serve. I was searching through our room the other day and I came across this book called, "The missionary's little quote book". It has some really good quotes. Many about patience too!! LOL... One that I want to share with all of you that has really stuck out to me is this one, that you can find in the Doctrine and Covenants, it says, "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." It has helped me realize that this in the mission, yes it is designed to go out and share the gospel with all those we come into contact with, but also, we are building the foundation of ourselves. Anything that is worthwhile takes time, one quote from Elder Holland says this, "The baking of lifes best cakes takes time, so dont burn your lips with impatience." Something I definitely needed to learn right here and right now, is patience. I am thankful for the lessons I have learned thus far and will continue to learn through out my mission and throughout my life. It makes life such a wonderful journey when we can see the hand of God in all the things that we do.

 

I love you all and hope You will continue to build your foundations of your great work, which is yourselfs.

 

Elder Bellddddddddd

This week, in Concepcion

Well,

This week has been pretty boring not going to lie. I have been dragging my comp around with me a lot this week. But that is ok, He needs to remember that he is still a missionary for 3 more months. We have found some really cool families that we will begin teaching this coming week.

 

We are still living in Concepcion. We will be moving the middle of March now. We will live above our Relief Society President. They are a really great family. She is such a rockstar. She goes out with us like every day to find new people to teach she has really helped us get planted in San Jeronimo.

 

We had an intersting experience with a Jehovah Witness last night. We explained very thouroughly that Jehovah, IS Jesus Christ only in the Earth... She was beyond confused for over an hour. Finally, she understood it, but pride got in the way and she said, Well, Jehovah is still my God no matter what you say and the scriptures say.... I just chuckled a little and said ok, and wished her luck. I am just so glad to know that I KNOW who Christ is, and that he is real and can help us with whatever we need help with.

 

A talk I downloaded last week by Elder Holland called, "However Long and Hard the Road" Has really helped me with the struggles I have faced this transfer thus far. He basically says that, No great acheivement has ever been accomplished wi

thout hard work and determination. I have directly applyed that to me right now and It has helped a lot. If you all have a chance listen to it and see how it can help you in your lives.

The picutres I sent home this week, are of our pension, who was a professional chef before she retired, and two stickers, which apparently describe my face when the sister missionaries see me walking behind my companion hahaha.... I am seriously trying the best I can, but it is very difficult at times.

 

 

I love you all and hope you are doing well. Keep on keepin on and I will talk to you next week!!

Elder Bell OUT!

 

 

I have added some of Taylor's email from last week:

 

"Well I wish I could say that I had as wonderful of a week as you guys did. My companion is very very lazy. Usually he sleeps in until about 8 oclock and doesnt even study in the mornings. Then when we go out and teach he does all the talking for 3 minutes and teaches the entire lesson. I just want to kill him. I sent an intersting email to presdient today. So we will see what happens. It is really frustrating when you want to help people and then your companion just comes in like godzilla and destroys everything. It happens in almost every lesson. I dont know if I can have the patience I need to have with him for 6 weeks.

The room we wanted to rent, was going to be a problem because it was furnished. So we asked the guy if he had a place to put the furniture. He said no. So I went and asked President at our mulit zone conference this past week and he said we could use his stuff for the time being. When I went back to talk to the land lord. He was a COMPLETE JERK and told us he didnt want to rent to us anymore. Which would have been fine if we had other options in the city. We dont so for now. We are staying in Concepcion. We have had EVERY active member that lives in San Jeronimo searching for a room with no luck. It has been stressful and frustrating this past week. We will just say I spent a lot of time on my knees asking for forgiveness for the anger and frustration that I have had this past week. I am really hoping that things pick up this week. I am not even going to look for a room this week. All we are going to do is WORK WORK WORK!! And hopefully through our dedication this week something will pop up. If not, then frankly I just dont care :)

 

 

I have a few pictures to send home of our multi zone that we had this last week. Glad to be in a new area with new missionaries. I always love meeting now missionaries and getting to know them. I hope everyone is doing well back home and I am always praying for each and every one of you!

Love

Elder Bell"