Week 60: I'm So Grateful!

Sorry for the short letter already, but this week was super busy! 

We started off traveling to Bogota (6 hours) for a leadership meeting and it was a long but short trip! haha Everything went well and it was so good to hear from President Baquerizo.  He’s seriously the best and I love participating in his trainings!

Also, SURPRISE!  More Baptisms! woohooo!!  All the kids were baptized this last Saturday and it was a great experience!  I’m so grateful for this gospel and the joy it brings to our lives.  It has helped me so much on my mission and it has given me a 180 degree turn.  I thank my Father in Heaven for everything He has done for me.

Read your scriptures daily and say your morning and nightly prayers and I promise you will constantly feel the spirit!

Love you all!

Elder Marsh

Just being his goofy self!  Oh how I love this kid!!!

Saturday Baptisms!  :)

Week 59: Iguanas and Crocodiles, OH MY!

Hey everyone!  This was a super slow and not so eventful week, but hey the mission life is the best life and I’m enjoying every second here in the hottest place ever! NEIVA! 

I had some exchanges with Elder Luizaga from Bolivia!  He just finished his training this past transfer.  He is a super cool guy!  At the end of the day we were giving feedback to see what we did well and also what we can improve.  I asked him what I could do better, and he sat there thinking for about a minute, and then he said, ´´you need to be more careful on your bike.  About 50% of the time I was freaked out thinking that you were gonna get hit by a car and I’m actually really surprised you didn’t.´´ hahaha  I started laughing but I promised I’d be more careful when riding my bike!  That’s what you get for being a stud bike rider hahahaha.

We couldn’t find our investigator Eliana for a week.  She doesn’t have a phone.  Then, one day she called us out of the blue from a minutes(track) phone and we were able to set up a visit with her!  It was for sure a sweet tender mercy!

Sorry for such the short news.  I’ll do better next week.  But here are some cool pics of iguanas and crocodiles for you guys!

Con bastante amor y agradecimiento hacia ustedes. (I’m so grateful for you. With much love..)

Elder Marsh

An iguana just strolling around town!

Crocodile near a neighborhood pond. What??!!?

Elder Marsh says he zoomed in and not to be worried.  Really??..NOT AT ALL possible! 

*Note from mom:  An uneventful week???  I think NOT!  He actually sent these pictures last week without any explanation whatsoever.  It wasn't until this pday that he told me more about the pictures.  I was on pins and needles all week.  I'm not really sure I felt any better afterwards though!  

Week 58: Two Surprise Baptisms!

Hello! Once again it was a super hectic but super fun week!! 

On Monday and Tuesday we had interviews and capacitaciones (meetings) with the president and the assistants.  It was a great capacitacion of course coming from our mission president which is such an awesome and inspired man!  After, we had intercambios (exchanges) with the assistants and I got to go with Elder Garong!  He’s half Philippine and half American and he’s from Utah!  So of course we had a blast together!

The last thing that happened this week is that we had a baptism!  It was of Rubi and her son William!  The have seriously for the past two weeks just been asking us WHEN they were going to get baptized!  It was super awesome and such a spiritual experience.  It was all like really last second because she had her interview at 5 and she was going to get baptized at 7!  So after the interview, we had to run and fill up the font, later bike to our house and grab our baptismal clothing, come back, teach a lesson to an awesome investigator, then get changed and get ready for the baptism.  It was all super hectic but super fun and a great experience!

I’ve been developing a lot of patience these days learning how to manage everything and not get all stressed out!  I was able to turn to my Father in Heaven in silent prayer and ask him for the comfort to get through everything.  I’m so grateful for his help, and everlasting love that he has shown to me.  I hope all of you can pray earnestly.

I hope you all have a great and blessed week!

Elder Marsh

Note from mom:  No pictures this week.  His new calling as zone leader has been keeping him extra busy.  He is loving every second of his service, challenges and all.  I'm so very proud of him.

Week 57: ¡Qué Semana Tan Chiflada!

Hello everyone!

This has been probably one of the craziest weeks I have ever experienced on my mission for sure!  Every day of the week, something extraordinary HAD to happen! haha but that’s what makes the mission fun right?!

So on Monday, I had to travel from Bogotá to Neiva which is about a 6 hour bus ride or so.  Then when we got to our house, but some sisters from the zone decided to change houses as well as areas without asking the mission president for permission.  So we had that bit of drama but they finally gave in and gave us our house.

On Tuesday, everything was going pretty decent, until we get a call from an Elder at about 8:30 at night.  He said his comp had just crashed his bike.  They threw him in a taxi and drove to the hospital.  He said he looked like he just about died. So we were in the hospital from about 8:45 until about 10 at night waiting to see what had happened.  He broke his clavicle.  I had to wait outside with Elder Chavez (the Elder that didn’t crash) while my comp went in to visit the injured Elder.  Elder Amaya (my comp) stayed with the injured elder until 2:30 in the morning.  Then he ended up taking a taxi to come home and sleep.  The next day, we were supposed to have a zone meeting but it was cancelled due to the broken Elders clavicle.  We went back to the hospital at 8 in the morning and we stay there until 11:30am, just waiting to pay for everything.  The Elder is now okay, but for a while we thought he would need surgery.  No worries!  He’s a tough guy! haha.

That Wednesday, I did a baptismal interview for a young girl.  She was super awesome.  At the end of the interview when I was asking her who she wanted to baptize her, she pointed at me.  I was a little surprised because I had just met her but that’s ok.  Well, she didn’t end up getting baptized because her boyfriend wouldn’t let her.  Maybe it’s just not her time yet. 

On Thursday, we did a service project in the morning.  It was pretty fun!  The whole day seemed to be going great, until we get a call from the assistants at about 9:50pm telling us there was an emergency transfer.  We had planned the zone meeting to be Friday morning, but once again we needed to cancel it!  So on Friday, we took the sister to the bus terminal to send to Bogota.  But later that day we were asked to pick her back up.  Not sure what happened.

Also, we met a lady that said she was supposed to get baptized the 8^th or 10^th.  So we set up her baptismal interview for Thursday but she didn’t show up.  That happens though.  We will help all that are willing.

Saturday we FINALLY had the zone meeting!  And it went super good!  It was my first meeting.  I thought it went well and things flowed smoothly…phew.  

Sunday, we had normal church.  We had a lady visit with her two kids.  They have been by before and have really liked it!  We taught them yesterday and they have accepted a baptismal date for the 5th of November!  We were pretty happy.  The Lord’s work is so exciting!  We are so happy for the work in this area!  It’s going really well!

Well, that’s about it for the hectic week!  All is good.  Love you all!  Thanks for your support! :)

Elder Marsh

Week 56: A New Companion!

Hey everyone!

Sorry I wasn’t able to write yesterday we had transfers and I got transferred!  So I only have a little bit of time to write today.  :)

I am now in a zone called Neiva!  Which is one of the hottest zones here in the mission.  Neiva is EXTREMELY hot, and EXTREMELY dry! haha so it’s basically like Utah in the summer!  After being in Bogota for 4 months, where it’s freezing cold in the mornings and at night, it has been a huge change.  I’m for sure not used to it at all! Haha  It’s great though, it reminds me of home, playing football and baseball in the summers!  What a blessing :)  I was called to be Zone Leader. I am so excited for what's to come.  That will be super fun and an awesome blessing to be able to help all the other missionaries doing the Lord´s work!  My comps name is Elder Amaya and he is from Honduras.  He speaks perfect English because he moved to the US when he was 15 and was able to perfect his English. He’s a super awesome guy and super motivated to work.  I’m excited to get to work with him!

This last week was super awesome with conference and everything and it was seriously such an awesome 2 days of just pure revelation.  It’s seriously the best being able to listen to the voice of the prophet and the apostles, to really know what our Heavenly Father wants us to know.  I was able to make a list of personal questions that I wanted to have answered.  As I watched conference, I was able to receive an answer to all of the questions that I had written.  I don’t have my notebook with me now so I can’t share an example because I don’t remember them perfectly hahaha sorry.  But next week! 

Sorry for such a short letter, I don’t have a whole lot of time!  Thank you everyone for having been such a great support and for helping me along the way!

Yours truly,

Elder Marsh

Goodbye Elder Sotoski.

The Suarez family, but missing the youngest.

Week 55: I am so Blessed!

Hey everyone!

Things went really well this week.  We had some really cool experiences!

First of all, I had a companion exchange with Elder Trelles from Ecuador!  I went to his area in Bochica and we had a really good time.  He’s a really awesome Elder and a really hard worker!  We had a funny experience with a guy that looked like a skinny Santa Claus.  As we were looking for an address, he stopped us and asked, “Oh, the Mormons! Do you guys have a little bit of time right now?”  We told him ´´yeah of course!´´ So we started talking to him and he was bringing up some really strange topics about God.  The whole time I was just super confused!  He was saying that the bible had been changed so much to the point that it’s now only a story and not the word of God.  He also said that women only have 9 of the 10 original commandments.  Since I was still really confused at one point I said ´´whoa whoa whoa.  Wait a second.  I’m super confused.  What do you believe in?!?!´´ He started to laugh and continued talking.  We needed to head to an appointment so we told him we needed to go. He told us ´´none of you missionaries ever have time!´´ and then left all upset. I don’t know what to say except it was a super interesting experience.

  

On Thursday, we had a super awesome experience with the spirit.  As missionaries, we always come up with a lesson plan before a visit.  We went to visit Juan Camilo and his wife, Viviana.  We had planned to talk about the Doctrine of Christ and set a baptismal date.  During our meeting with them we had a FHE (family home evening) about eternal families.  As we started to talk more about the FHE, Juan told us, well I want to get sealed in the temple because I didn’t know I had to get sealed to my family if I want to see them again after this life.  And instead of continuing on with the lesson, we decided to talk about marriage.  They aren’t married and we were able to invite them to get married AND they accepted!  Juan and Viviana had tears running down their face.  Juan said that he first needed to ask for forgiveness from his wife for a few things, and I had the strong impression to talk about repentance and it fit so perfectly for them.  They were then able to accept a baptismal date for the 22 of Octubre!  It was such an amazing and spiritual lesson.  Elder Sotoski and I literally leaped for joy when we got home!  It was so special.

I really love the mission so much.  I am so grateful for ALL the blessings my Father in Heaven has poured upon me.  I have learned so much to be able to trust in the guide of the spirit and I have been soo blessed for doing so.  What an amazing experience it has been to be here in Colombia, exactly where I am supposed to be.

Thanks for all of your prayers!!  You’re all in mine.

With lots of love,

Elder Marsh

Way baby snake!

Juan Camilo, Viviana and their family

The hike up to Aguas Claras

I had to take pics to remind me of my chickens back home!

FINALLY, a tag picture! 

Week 54: The Lord Has a Plan

This has been a super difficult week but I’m learning like crazy through the spirit, so I’m not worried.

Well let’s start out with the bad news for this week!  We had eight lessons that fell through.  They were some of the investigators that have the most potential to progress.  Of course, it’s super hard when a visit falls through after confirming it, because you did everything you could.  Just gotta keep moving along! 

Also with our investigator Angelica and her daughter Andrea, the investigators we met at the open house, are doing super good!  They’ve already attended church three times and for the whole three hours!  They are super happy and are loving this gospel!  I’m so happy for them!  We challenged them with a baptismal date for the 24th of September. They don’t feel ready yet and they want to understand more.  I was super disappointed that they didn’t accept the baptismal date, but I know I shouldn’t be.  I was only thinking of me, me, me.  I know the Lord has a plan for them but on the Lord’s time not mine.  I need to be more patient, and understand that our Heavenly Father has it in the palm of his hands.

There was a couple’s activity in the chapel this last Saturday while we were in the correlacion meeting, and they starting playing a few songs in English that I listened to before the mission.  I felt super weird but I honestly loved it haha.  It was a tender mercy for sure.  I’ve been forgetting ALL music and movies that I’ve ever seen.  It’s like my Spanish is replacing all the music and movies. Haha.  But that is a good thing.  It keeps me more focused on my mission! :)

Also, this week I had companion exchanges with.......... ELDER MOISÉS!!!!!! :) MY DAD! hahahaha It was a blast for sure to be reunited with him and work with him again.  He’s an amazing missionary and I always learn so much from him!

Anyways, I love you guys all like crazy!  Stay humble and have patience this week!

Que Dios les bendiga.  Sí señor.  Con mucho gusto. (Inside joke lol)

Your fav,

Elder Aaron Marsh

When lunch falls through and you're a master chef!
Spaghetti noofles, cheese sauce and salchichas (hotdogs).

Lorenzo misses his owner, John.  He moved to France for 2 years and asked us to play
with him twice a week. So we decided to give Lorenzo a piece of love from his owner :)