Week 68: And a Happy New Year!

Hey everyone! 

So this week was a super good one.  It was a very good Christmas!  I had a great time talking with my family.  I love them all so much!  There were also transfers and I’m staying here in Neiva with Elder Centurion!  Yes! Haha  Neiva is an awesome place and we also have a few people that are going to be getting ready for baptism this month!

Sad news, Bibiana wasn’t able to get baptized this last week :(  She had some things to do and wasn’t able to make it.  It’s all good though!  She’s more than likely going to get baptized this week.  She’ll be starting the year off just perfect, with a new clean slate!  Please pray for her so that everything goes well with her baptism and confirmation.

We were able to find two new investigators this week, Jessica and Yineth.  They were very receptive to our message.  They accepted a baptismal date for the 21st of January!  We're going to help them progress and do everything they need to do to be able to get to their baptismal date.

This week we did some service for a member.  His name is Alain.  We helped sand the gate to his house so that he could paint it all pretty!  We were there from 8:30 am until after lunch.  By the end we were really tired but it felt good to serve.  We had a great time!  Alain is the funniest guy ever! haha he makes me laugh so hard!

But anyways this week I’m going to be traveling up to Bogota for a meeting and we have some pretty good appointments set up.  I’m pretty excited for that! There may also be a baptism!  Please pray for my companion and me, that we may find those that are white and ready for the harvest! 

Doctrine & Covenants 4:4 

 4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo,

 he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same

 layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth 

 salvation to his soul;

Be safe and have a happy New Year!

Elder Aaron Marsh

Service!

Alain! hahaha!

Cool sombrero

The Fam!

Merry Christmas from the Missionaries in Las Granjas!

Week 67: Feliz Navidad de Colombia!

Wow hasn’t this month just flown by?!!  It felt like just yesterday that it was p-day. That’s just the magic of missionary work, to be able to just get lost in His work!

This week we were able to see an amazing blessing with an investigator that we found.  His name is Luis and he’s 18. We talked to him two weeks ago but just this last week we were able to teach him!  We talked to him about God and what he believed and he wasn’t sure.  He told us that his mom passed away a few years back.  We were able to testify to him that we know he can see his mom again.  It was a beautiful spiritual experience and it really grew my testimony of the plan of salvation.  I know that this plan is perfect and that our Heavenly Father made this plan so that we can be happy and have hope!  He accepted the 21st of January to be baptized!  He also went to church the whole three hours and he loved it! When we first met him, he told us that we were wasting our time in the mission and that it’d be better if we were studying.  But he is feeling the truth of the gospel in his life and he is changing day by day!  I’m super excited for him!

Also, an investigator that I haven’t mentioned a whole lot, Bibiana P, is going to get married this week and the 23rd is going to get baptized!!  I’m soo happy for her! Her husband Carlos and kids are less active members but have been coming back to church.  Carlos is a super awesome guy.  This week, we are going to give our Savior the best gift in the world, helping one of his children enter into the waters of baptism.  Que bendición!

I love this gospel and the Savior!  He is my best friend.  Have a very merry Christmas!  I love you all!

Elder Marsh

Conference with Presidente Baquerizo

My boy Alain! 

Week 66: Mission Christmas Activity

  

Hello Friends and Family!  

So there were emergency transfers here last week and my new comp is here!  His name is Elder Centurión and he’s from Argentina! Che!(an expression Argentine’s use.  It usually means “hey”) jajaja vos sabes!(you know!)  He has 20 months in the mission now, so he’s about to die here soon(means the end of his 2 year mission is coming soon)! haha  He’s a super awesome guy and we get along super well.  I’m pumped to be able to work with him and bring people to the gospel.

On Tuesday the whole zone went up to Bogota (there’s 20 of us).  On Wednesday we went to the temple with Presidente Baquerizo and his wife!  It was such a spiritual experience.  I loved every moment.  Then on Thursday, we got together as a mission!  We had a few activities that we were able to be a part of and it was sweet! haha Overall, the activity went really well and it was SO good to see everyone that I’ve made friends with!

We were able to have a lesson with the familia Gutierrez, but they asked us not to continue with the discussions.  This was hard for me.   I felt a sadness.  It was seriously such a sad moment for us as missionaries.  It explains it pretty well in Preach My Gospel.  If people don’t accept the gospel you will feel a sadness for them as children of God.  

Anyways! Have a great week everyone!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Marsh

Part of the Zone Neiva

Elder Damiano!

Sister missionary calling to let me know when to shut water pipe so water doesn't drain the baptismal font.

Che! Elder Centurión!

Week 65: Fe y Diligencia (Faith and Diligence)

Hello to everyone!

This week, we traveled to Bogotá for a leadership council meeting.  It went really well!  The focus was on finding new investigators.  Elder Amaya and I were able to find 10 new investigators this week!  It was great!  I’m so grateful for the faith and diligence we were able to put forward.  We saw many miracles!  It was seriously such a blessing to experience!

One thing that happened last night, is that my companion got emergency transferred! :(  He’s no longer a zone leader, but don’t worry he didn’t do anything wrong!  He is just getting close to the end of his mission and he’ll probably end up training instead until the end!  Sorry for another short email.  We haven’t had very much time lately but it’s the life of a missionary! haha

Love you all so much!

Elder Marsh