Hello Trials and Miracles

Dear Mom and Dad, Family, and Friends,

Tell Brother Carling that I am voting for him too! And please tell Arie and her husband hello for me. That is awesome she got married! I bet Aunt Bertha is very happy right now too. The plan of salvation is so marvelous and she is in so much peace with her family. Please give Grandma a hug of comfort for me!

So last week I couldn’t send photos, but I have a lot this week to tell about and all the fun stories.

This past week we had an intercambio with Elder Vidal and Elder Maravilla. I went to their area in Senac with Elder Vidal.

Their area is wonderful but very rich and a lot of the times the people are too busy for the missionaries, but we were able to teach a reporter. She sure knows a lot about all the tragedies in the world and all the bad things that happen to people and she didn't accept the restauracion very easily, but we were able to testify to her about the power of the Book of Mormon and that this book is evidence that God, our Heavenly Father, stills loves all of His children and has restored His church on the earth!

Elder Barazoto and Elder Matheson

I saw my Son Elder Barazoto! He is here in Tarija as a district leader!

This was a year ago! Wow, I am so grateful to have lost some weight! :)


So as a zone today we went to the mountains to some waterfalls and had a BBQ.  It was so delicious!! The menu was steak, big hotdogs, grilled chicken, salad, and rice with lots and lots of soda! It was so fun and the zone like it a lot!

​I borrowed my companion's glasses to become a musico!!

But this week sure passed by fast! One huge miracles is that in our zone we had 9 baptisms this week! The Lord blessed us so much!!! Also, in the whole mission we broke the record and we had 67 baptisms in one week with 137 baptisms for the month of March! The Lord is in charge of this great work!

This last week mom and dad was full of trials and miracles. Lately a lot of our appointments have been falling through and people are having a hard time going to church. We sure planted a lot of seeds with family Echat, and now we are going to leave them for a time so they can grow. They haven´t been keeping their commitments and it hurts your heart because you love them, but you can't force them to accept the gospel. You can only invite and help them!! But I know we did a lot of good and maybe in a month they will be ready.

Also, Marisol and Jose are progressing so much! They each have attended church and have friends who are members and are staring to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Now they just need to get married. Please pray for them that they can know the church is true and have the desire to get married.

Claudia and Edwin amazing too but haven't come to church yet.  This week we are going to teach them the importance of the sabbath day! Claudia works in a big super market called el camposino on Sundays and so a lot times she feels she needs to work. Please pray for them too!

Here is a little from my personal study:

And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord which had been given unto him. And also, I, Nephi, had been blessed of the Lord exceedingly.

19 And it came to pass that we did return without food to our families, and being much fatigued, because of their journeying, they did suffer much for the want of food.

20 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the Lord.

Just like Nephi, we receive blessings and trials, but we must never be angry with God because he loves us and is always with us if we do not reject Him and murmur against Him.

I love you so much!

Love,

Elder Matheson