Blessings And Change

13 de Febrero de 2016

Dear Mom and Dad and my most wonderful family and friends,

This week has been so crazy and amazing.  Tuesday in the morning Elder Salas and I received a phone call from the assistants, and our hearts started pounding.  The whole morning we were so nervous and excited to see what would happen.  The assistants asked to talk to Elder Salas and said that he was being transferred to Tarija and that I would remain in our area and be a new trainer.   Wow! When I got the news my heart jumped just a little bit.

Elder Salas and Elder Matheson with Familia Coca Suares and Suares Suares eating hambugers​

All day Tuesday, we visited the converts and investigators that were very dear to us.  Many of the families were a little sad to have Elder Salas be transferred, and he was a little sad too but also excited to have a new area.  It was amazing to see the love Elder Salas has for the people of Bolivia, especially in this area.  

If there are three grand things I have learned from Elder Salas, they are:

1. Become friends and love the people, especially the children

2. Always be worthy to give a Priesthood blessing and always look for ways to serve and give blessings for this is why we have the Priesthood to bless others with the special blessings of Heaven.

3. Don´t be afraid to try new things.  One time in the Hypermaxi, I kept debating over which kind of chocolate to buy.  After 10 minutes of  paciencia, Elder Salas said, “Elder Matheson, if you don´t know if you like the food, then try it.”

I am so grateful that I could have Elder Salas as my trainer and companion.  He is an amazing missionary and will continue to bless the lives of those in Tarija.

As for my new companion that is straight out of the MTC, he is not from Ecuador, or Peru, or from Utah but....from Gilbert, Arizona where it is hace calor!  

My new companion, Elder Barazoto!

His name is Elder Barazoto, and he is such an amazing missionary.  He is 19 and likes to work hard and wants to be obedient and has loves food too, especially pancakes.  

During Thursday in the morning, all the new trainers had a special meeting with President Rodriguez where we learned that the Lord has called us to be a trainer.  This sure helped me know that the Lord knows me and knows that I can be a good trainer, even if I don´t have Spanish all the way under my belt.  President Rodríguez also taught us that our examples and how we train these new missionaries will determine the future of these missionaries and the mission.  Wow, what an awesome responsibility.

Right now I still get butterflies here and there but, I know that if I just rely on the Lord and be obedient that I will be a good trainer.

After this meeting, the new missionaries entered the room.  Presidente Rodriguez had the trainers introduce ourselves and then the new misioneros introduced themselves, and then one by one he called the new missionary's name and who his trainer would.

This week with Elder Barazoto, it has been awesome to have him as my companion, and he has so much of a desire to serve and work hard.  I know that Presidente Rodriguez was inspired by the Lord to have Elder Barazoto and I be companions.

I am so excited also that I get spend 3 more months in this area of Fortaleza, and I know Elder Barazoto and I can baptize many people that Elder Salas and I have been preparing for baptism.

One family that we taught this week is familia Carasales.  Julio is around 25 or 27 and he and his wife have one child, Santiago.  They are both baptized but they didn´t get married because the father of Julio´s wife is living in Spain and wanted to be here for the marriage but won´t return for another year.  

On Saturday, we talked to them about the importance of marriage and keeping their baptismal covenants. And that the sooner they were married the sooner they could receive the many blessing the Lord has for them and prepare to go to the temple.  They agreed to start on the marriage papers and their goal is to be married this month on Saturday the 25th.  If you would pray for them that they can get their papers all filled out this week that would be wonderful!

I know this is the Lord´s work and that He lives, and that He loves us so much. And the best way we can show our love for Him is by keeping his commandments.

I love you mom and dad and my whole wonderful family!

Love your son,

Elder Matheson

P.S.

As for the ward activities here mom, every Tuesday, the jovenes or youth play futbol at the church and sometimes as missionaries we play with them in our proselyting clothes, but I am really careful to take good care of my clothes.

Soccer with the ward at the church

​Familia Escobar - we are going to baptize them!​