This week was hard and wonderful.
Me and my compañero were having a few difficulties and disagreements because
sometimes our personalities are really different, and I still haven’t mastered
Spanish yet. But within in these trials
there were so many blessings.
One thing I have learned it that a lot
of times Heavenly Father will not give you a companion who is exactly like you
because then you would never learn and grow. Elder Alvarado is really
direct, and at the first my feelings got hurt a lot, but it has been amazing to
see that during this time with him I have learned to communicate with clarity
my ideas and not let little things hurt my feelings but to keep going.
Elder Alvarado also has sure helped me learn how to teach the restored gospel
direct. Sometimes when the people would reject our message I would just
say muchas gracias and walk away, but wow with Elder Alvarado I have learn to
be bold and declare repentance and the gospel regardless of if the people
reject you. This week, we knocked on a door of a man and he told us that
he had his religion and didn’t want to talk to us. Well we persisted and
testified to him of the Book of Mormon and how this book is the word of God and
is true. It is so true. He still rejected us and I was sad because
the Book of Mormon has been a source of love and counsel with my Heavenly
Father when I have difficulties, discouragements, or sicknesses and this man
rejected this truth. But I know Heavenly Father loves each of his children, and
I have faith that in another day the missionaries will knock his door again and
he will receive this joyous message that Jesus Christ lives and again just like
in times of old he communicates and guides His church through a prophet and 12
apostles and that He has given us convincing evidence that this message is true
which is the Book of Mormon. And if we read this book, ponder its
teachings and ask God he will let us know that this book contains his words of
healing and love for each of his children!
Wow, I sure invite you all to read the
Book of Mormon everyday for this book contains power and as we hold to the
teaching of this book and the Bible just like an iron rod, Satan can never
overcome us with his tentaciones and his fiery darts or his lies or his feelings
of inadequacy.
Also, one experience that was really funny was that we left the house in the rain and we were trying to catch a micro. I crossed one lane of traffic and was waiting for the other cars to pass, but I didn’t look in front of me at the 4 or 5 inches of water that was in front of me. Well the traffic passed, especially a big truck and it was just like in the splash zone of a water park.
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| This past week it has rained through the whole week and I have been using all the rain and winter gear you sent with me. |
I had a Companionship exchange with Elder
Moore from Utah. He came to Bolivia in the same group as Elder Barazoto
and his testimony is amazing and he is so fun. One thing I learned from
him is it is important to have fun preaching the restored gospel. One way
to celebrate a successful day where we found 5 new investigadores was to buy
salteñas. Wow it was delicious and sure felt good.
For our Zone
activity. We ate a KFC. It was
good!
Wow, I sure love you and I hope you have the best week.
Love your son,
Elder Matheson,
Extra... Info Shared During The Mother's Day Skype Call on May 14th:
The weather in Bolivia is now really
rainy and cold.
Elder Matheson learned he is going
to be an uncle in September 2017!
The Spanish language…it’s coming but it
sure is humbling…oh man! I am starting
to understand all the Spanish pop songs that play in the micros and around
town.
In my new area all the streets are
paved in cobble stones and all the people are super nice. The members are really great and are helping
us out a lot. Where I used to live there were lots of dirt roads. Now we don’t have to polish our shoes as
much.
This is what a typical day is like:
We wake up at 6:30 a.m. pray, then usually
have to go to the bathroom really bad. (I am getting used to having diarrhea. It’s kind of a constant.) Then we exercise for 30 minutes. Next, one of
us showers and the other eats. For
breakfast we have been eating plain oatmeal mixed with chocolate milk. It’s really good. We start our studies at
about 8 a.m. Personal study is the
best. My testimony has grown so much. Then we plan and do companionship study then
30 minutes of Spanish language training.
At 10:30 or 11 a.m. we go out contacting until lunch – almuerzo. The food here is the perfect food...lots of
flavor but not too spicy. They have
2,000 different types of soup. After lunch, we are really tired, but we go
straight out and start contacting again. We talk to a lot of people walking in
the streets. We teach into the
evening. Usually we don’t eat dinner but
we buy a loaf of bread for about 10 cents at the tiny stores located on almost
every street corner. Sometime members will give us lots of soda or we might buy
an empanada. We return to our house
around 9 p.m., write in our journals, and get ready for bed.
Everyone here believes in Christ, which
is really awesome. The hard thing is in
helping them know about the restoration and the importance of having the
restored gospel.
We live in our area this time and there
are tons of streets and not a lot of dogs in this area. It’s really nice. We used to get tons of street dogs chasing us
but we used our scripture cases for protection.
The dogs would get really close but they never bit us. Elder Barazoto got nipped once.
Here there are 4 missionaries for each
ward and 2 areas per ward.
The Bolivian hour here is usually about
45 minutes to 1 hour late. A lot of
times when we go to an appointment people are usually 45 minutes late or they
are not there. But they are really
nice.
The ice cream here is a little bit
different. It’s good, but it just tastes really different in Bolivia. Also milk is sold in little bags.
The clouds here move so fast, and it is
so beautiful. There
are no mountains where I live.
At church Elder Alvarado conducts the
music, and I play the piano for sacrament meeting. If I don’t know the hymn, it’s a good right
hander. A lot of times in the Forteleza
ward I played too.
There are native tribes here from Quechua
and Guarani I am picking up some of those languages and a little Portuguese. But I am still
learning my Spanish.
In our area in Santa Cruz we have a man
and his wife who washes for all the missionaries, but in all the other areas of
our mission the missionaries wash their clothes by hand.
So probably soon I will wash my clothes by hand.
I think one reasons we go on missions
is so we learn how important families are because I sure love my family.
I want to let you know that I know this
gospel is true and that Jesus Christ lives.
It has been the best. The mission has been the hardest thing but I have
learned so, so much. But the thing I
have learned most is how blessed I am to have such a wonderful mom, and such
wonderful sisters, and brother-in-laws (and a sister-in-law), and such a wonder dad, and brother and
grandparents, and I love you all so much.
I think one reason why we go away for 2 years is so we learn to
appreciate the blessings that we have been given. I sure know that Joseph Smith was a prophet
and that the Book of Mormon is true.
That has become my best friend.
Sometimes when I don’t understand the people here or just getting along
with your companions is a challenge just reading the Book of Mormon it sure has
helped me. I want you to know that I
love you mom and I hope you have the best mothers day and I am so grateful for
you as my mom. In my patriarchal
blessing it says you have been blessed with a mother who knows her calling and I
know that is so true and also a dad who honors his priesthood and also such
wonderful siblings. Jason I look up to you too so much and your service. And
Sarah, whenever I get sick or whenever it gets hard, I think of your
example. I have the best sisters I love
you so much. And Mary how to relate with
people and to always be so happy. And
Cameron to be calm and sure in everything and how you have been taking care of
Sarah… thank you so much. Just all your
examples and Grandma I remember your prayers… patience my child. Sometimes I sure feel like that. I just love you so much. I can’t wait to eat some ice cream with you
in a year and a half.
Thank you so so much
for all your prayers and all your help.
The gospel makes so much sense… it make
so much sense.
