Happy Pioneer Day!

July 24, 2017

Dear Mom and Dad and my amazing family and friends!  Happy Pioneer Day

It is a bit crazy here because the people don’t celebrate pioneer day, and the American holidays and a lot of days they slip by without me even remembering what day it is but I hope you all have the best pioneer day today.

Almuerzo Last Week

As for my companion´s uncle, I forgot to ask my companion before we went to the internet cafe for the address of his uncle but the next week I will try to send it to you for sure.  His dad also works in the states and travels a lot which is really awesome.  The last week we had to go to the mail place which was in the north mission to pick it up because it weighed too much and only he could pick it up and not the mission. What an adventure.  The mail place was sure different than at  home but the people were very kind and helped us find his package, and thankfully they didn’t charge a fee.  What a blessing!

 

Visiting the plaza with my companion

But this week was amazing! Monday, Hermana Rodriguez called and asked how my companion’s foot was doing, and since his foot was still hurting we went to the doctor whose clinic is in the center of the city and he is a returned missionary.  The amazing blessing was that the doctor told us that his bones weren’t broken but that he had torn a tendon and that we hadn´t rested enough so it had healed into a knot.  But the amazing blessing is that he said the injury isn’t really bad where he has to go home.  But for three days he needed to rest in the house, drink vitamins and get 3 shots, one for every day of the 3 days of rest.  Sunday we were able to go back to work, but my companion will still have to use crutches for three weeks so please keep him in your prayers.

The other blessing was Saturday we received news of the transfers, and my companion and I are staying together.. Wahoo! Also, our Zone was divided, and my companion was made the new district leader.  He sure will do great.  Also, I heard Elder Barazoto got transfered into my Zone!  It sure will be great to see my son (the title of the person you train).

Also, Familia Cholima is doing great!  They weren’t able to come to church this week because of work, but they are so eager to continue to learn about the gospel.  Yesterday, we taught them about the law of chastity because they are not married and they expressed their desire to be married. But Hno. Cholima doesn’t have his birth records or his card of identity so he needs to get those first, which makes it a lot harder.  But I firmly know that God is a God of miracles and can do all things.  Please remember them in your prayers so that they can get their documents to be married.

Another tender mercy this week is we recieved a reference of a girl named Yulinana.  After two days of looking for her house, we found her, and she is so prepared to be baptized.  It turns out she has been attending church for 2 months and we didn’t even know it. But she wants to be baptized and is working to help her parents know that she is ready for this decision but what a tender mercy.

If you have someone who might be interested in the gospel, or who needs it (which is everyone) have the courage to give the missionaries a reference for someone they can teach.  It works miracles!

Going back to the days of rest with my companion, we had two multi zone conferences - one with Presidente Rodriguez and Friday the next day with Elder Godoy our area presidente.  I know that this church is guided by our Savior Jesus Christ and that He has called latter day profetas who direct his church and his work including calling members of the 70 and mission presidents.  Elder Godoy taught us about the atonement and how the atonement of Jesus Christ is not only for us to overcome our sins but enables us to have the godly strength to become much more than we could ever achieve by ourselves and that through the atonement the Lord does not change our circumstances but blesses us with the divine strength to endure and change them for ourselves.  I know these words are true and that Jesus Christ loves us so much and that through his continual grace that we receive each day as we strive to do our very best we can return to him and we can overcome of faults, our sicknesses, our weakness and fulfill our divine nature.  I love you all so much and I hope that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can continue to be pioneers in the latter days, which is one who goes before to prepare or open up the way for other to follow (and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ).

Love your son,

Elder Matheson!

Sunsets In Bolivia - Beautiful

One Huge Miracle

Dear Mom and Dad, Family and Friends,

This day we went to the dentist for my companion and picked up a package from his dad.  I found out too that he has an uncle living in Springville, Utah.  I sure want to get his address and send it to you. Sorry this email will  be shorter;  today has been an amazing p-day full of blessings but a very fast one.

As for this week, my companion’s foot is doing so much better, and we are walking a lot faster.  He still is using crutches, but he is feeling much better.  Thank you for the prayers.

I guess one huge miracle this week was that Familia Cholima came to church.  Here sacrament is the last hour to accommodate two wards at the same time, and my companion and I both where sad when all of our investigators couldn’t make it.  But right before sacrament meeting, Familia Cholima came.  In short, when we started teaching them we didn't think they were going to progress, but the Lord works miracles and in our last lesson when we asked when we could return, Hno. Cholima said next week can you pass by at least 3 times a week, and his wife said we brought a special spirit to their home.  What a blessing!!

This week in my studies it has been incredible to read the Book of Mormon and Our Search for Happiness by Elder Ballard.  Those books you sent me with are amazing.  But the things I learned this week is how in the Bible many profetas saw the great apostasy and that we really need a restauracion through the Profeta Joseph Smith.  I know Heavenly Father lives and He loves us so so much.  When I have gotten discourage or made mistakes, and I pray and ask him for help,  every time I feel so much love and never a harsh chastising voice or feeling in my heart but rather a divine parently love that is indescribable..  Truly we are children of God and He is our loving Heavenly Father.

Also mom could you let Braden know that I am cheering him on, and I know he will be one of the best missionaries because he is so humble, obedient, and has a powerful testimony that will bless so many lives and I totally want his email to write him.

I love you all so much!

Your son and brother and friend,

Elder Matheson

​Zona Cañoto.  Also this next week we have transfers but I hope and pray I get to stay and work with my companion.

 

July!

July 10, 2017

Dear Mom and Dad, Family and Friends,

I am so glad you like the video. My companion is 24 years old and has about a year and a half in the mission and every time he tried to submit his papers he got injured.  He also is studying before his mission to be a lawyer and he also has a degree to teach history and has been the secretary to the Bishop and a teacher in the primary. He is one the most amazing elders with so much preparacion and many abilities.

Elder Flores is from Chile.  He is the tall one in the video and is a spiritual giant and is full of the love of Christ. He is 20 and has more than one year in the mission.  He never says anything negative and tries to be super obedient.  He right now is training Elder Torres (the shorter Elder) from Peru.  Elder Torres has about one month in the mission and is a great Elder.  Of the 4, Elder Mazariegoz and Elder Torres always are teasing each other; with them together there never is a dull moment. Sometimes in the night we can’t stop laughing because the are so funny.

I’m glad you all had a good Fourth of July,  hopefully with some chocolate satin pie. ;)

As for this week it has been full of adventures and lessons.

​Our pension -The Artiaga Family.  They have helped us so much and their food is so delicious!

Tuesday, my companion and I just finished our run when we saw the other Elders playing football with Family Artiaga nuestro pensions.  I told my companion that we should go play.  As we got to the court, I remembered a rule from president about playing football with members, but in the Artiaga family there are a lot of kids and so I thought well we are already here and I didn’t think anything would happen. As we were playing, my companion and I went to kick the ball at the same time and it turns out I hit his foot hard and injured his foot.  When we got back to the house his foot had swollen so much, and I felt so terrible.   But this week we prayed and I fasted for him and he has gotten so much better.  Right now he is using crutches to proselyte, but I sure learned the importance that we must be obedient to all the mission rules especially the small ones.  Please keep my companion in your prayers this week.  I think this next week he should be better.  But we have had a lot of help from the ward members and sometimes in the afternoons we leave my companion in the house of a member and I go to proselyte with another member and in the evening we both leave to teach together.  If you ever get the chance, some of the best ways to help the missionaries is to go visit with them or do divisions with them.  The power of the ward members and their testimonies is priceless to help new people accept the gospel.

​In a movie night we had for the ward my companion borrowed a wheelchair and sure had fun!

During our district meeting, Hermana Gardner from Colorado wasn’t feeling good, and when she talked to the nurse she found out she had gotten Dengue Fever.  The nurse asked if I would give her a blessing.  Wow, I sure was nervous as it was the 2nd blessing I have ever given in English.  In the blessing,  I sure tried hard to listen to what the Lord wanted me to say and bless her with, and I felt I should bless her that her body would receive peace and that she could sleep at night and that she could receive comfort that her family was protected by the Lord’s hands and that according to her faith she would be whole again.  When the blessing ended I was praying that those blessing could come to pass.  Dad, when you are called upon to give blessings,  how do you prepare for the blessing and how do you feel or know what to say?

I sure love you all and hope you have the very best week.  Thank you for your prayers and support.  They bless us and our investigadores every day.  

Love your son,

Elder Matheson

Prayer!

Dear Mom and Dad (Family & Friends)!  

Thank you for your advice, it sure helps me each week.  I am so glad to hear to that Sarah is getting better too and Jalise had a baby.  So many miracles happen every week it is amazing!

This week, I had an interview with President Rodrigues, and he gave me the counsel to pray fervently in the mornings and evenings and make prayer on my top priorities.  It was amazing to the see the difference.  I tried pleading for the Lord’s strength, and he helped and filled me with his love and spirit when I needed help.  Also, he gave me the great idea if I get bored to sing with my companion.  We sure love singing and I teaching how to sing in tune.  My companion never has had musical instruction, but he has learned so much from youtube and now we are practicing together!

One big answer to prayer was with Familia Coya and Familia Gracia.  We found these two new families this past week and we taught them and learned that they both had lost loved ones within the past year or two.  They asked us where are they.  We taught them about the plan of Salvacion and how families are forever and this brought joy to their eyes.

The next day, I started with a prayer pleading for help to understand more where their loved ones are at, and it was amazing to learn how important missionary work is.  From Doctrine and Covenants 138, the Book of Mormon and True to the Faith it was amazing to learn that those who are baptized but do not keep their covenants, those who reject the gospel, and those who never received the gospel are in spirit prison.  As missionaries and members, it is our job to strengthen members who are struggling to keep their covenants with God and also to teach and share the gospel with everyone so that they can be baptized and receive these covenants to return to our Heavenly Father and so that they can do the work for their ancestors and loved ones in the temple.

How important the temple is.  Thank you for all your prayers and temple service.  They are blessing our investigadores and many investigadores in Heaven with the Ordinances of salvation.

I love you all!

Elder Matheson

Here is the English Translation of a song for Michael and Mom.

Today we want you to be happy (very happy)

and have this happiness enter your heart.

That you hear the echo of our happiness for you all the way to the Pirai. (a big river in Bolivia like the Mississippi)

Today we are going to give you (like always)

our heart  (como yescas means people who are broke and don’´t have any money, but for me it means that I don’t have anything material to give you for a gift although I would love to give you a big saltaña and hug and much more, but I will give that which I have which is the love from our heart for such an amazing brother and example and such a special heavenly mother.)

And we are going to give you this love in this song.

Happiness, Happiness, Happiness in your heart!

We give you in song that we hope you cumplir or have a happy birthday, that you have a happy birthday and that you have a haaappyyy birrthday!

I love you Mom and Michael! Happy Birthday!