Día de Gracias!!

November 28, 2016

Mom and Dad, Family and Friends!

Thank you so much for telling me about the annual Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas tree hunt, and the family activities. I am sure Mary and Jason will find a great new car, especially a mission car. Wow and it is so wonderful to hear how Dad´s vision for the Co-op is coming to pass. I sure love you very much.

This week was full adventures, miracles, trials, and blessings.

For one, my stomach adjusted to the culture here this week through the means of the trial of diarrhea. Sometimes, Elder Salas had to make an emergency stop here. I know though, Heavenly Father was mindful of me for every time I had to use the bathroom, we were at home or close by a member’s house.

On Tuesday, I was able to go on a companion exchange with our district leader. I learned so much! For one, as a missionary, you need to learn to walk fast (thanks to you mom and Grandma Polly, I was able to do it! ) Also, I learned the importance of sharing the gospel with everyone you pass. We are all children of God, and every person needs to know they have a loving Heavenly Father in Heaven and a Savior, Jesus Christ.  One funny story though was we were passing a lady on the street, and I was so excited to talk to her. I told her that we were missionaries and asked her (Usted le gustaria comprar un mensage con usted) it turns out that “comprar” means to buy and actually I meant to say “compartir” which is to share. Oops! But the spirit spoke to her and she agreed and we taught her and her mom! I am so grateful for Heavenly Father. I know that this is his work and he is in charge, and if we will do our very best He will work miracles through us.

One miracle was teaching a man named One. He was outside chopping some weeds, and Elder Salas offered to help him while I talked to him. After talking to him and letting him know that we would like to share a message about our Savior Jesus Christ and our simple service, he let us in and was very receptive to the message of the Restoration, and I was able to give him a Book of Mormon and testify to him that this book is true and that this is why I am here to bring this knowledge to other families so they can know these things are true and that they have a loving Father in Heaven who as a plan for them and that Jesus Christ is central to that plan.

That day I had been feeling just a bit homesick, but serving and testifying of our Savior Jesus Christ help me overcome those feelings and remember my purpose to help others partake of the greatest gift of Heavenly Father - the gospel of Jesus Christ!

I was wondering mom and dad if you or Mary or Sarah or Michael had any advice to help me when those feelings of homesickness enter.  Sometimes in the night, I have dreams about the family or friends and then I wake up and I miss home just little.  

Dad how did you overcome your feelings of homesickness and be a tracking machine?  We sure walk a lot in the day and my feet get sore, but I often think of you dad and how you were a tracting machine and I want to be a tracting machine who serves the Lord with my whole heart.

Those were a couple of the trials this week, but I know this is where I am suppose to be and that my Savior, my Heavenly Father, and my wonderful family and friends love me very much and this helps me serve with vigor and purpose.

Thank you for your stories, your prayers, your examples!

I am so grateful for my eternal family!

Love, your son,

Elder Matheson!

P.S. Here are some pictures of these two amazing weeks!

Oh, and the mission office said if you want to send packages to send them in the bubble wrap envelopes instead of the boxes!

My address is:

Elder Matthew Keith Matheson

Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission

Calle Independencia #610 Esq. Lemoine

Zona Central

Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz

Bolivia

Catching the Trax from Provo to the SLC Airport

Illimani Mountain, the highest mountain in the Andes in La Paz, Bolivia

Arriving in Bolivia early in the morning

President & Sister Rodriguez at the Mission Home

Views of Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Our second night in the mission all the new missionaries had Papa Johns Pizza!  It was so delicious.

The corn here is massive

Last Sunday we had lunch with a family that lives across from us.  In our ward there is Elder Salas, me, Elder Escobar from La Paz, and Elder Fabria from Brazil.  The members in our ward are very kind to me and patient with my Spanish. Sometimes they refer to me as the Gringo, which means North American.

Companions - Elder Matheson & Elder Salas