August 25, 2014 Transfers in Neiva York!

August 25, 2014

Transfer in Neiva York!

It's transfer week!

So last week I forgot to write (I think) about the emergency transfers that we had! I got moved... to Manzanares 2! In the same ward! I just switched spots with the gringo in the other companionship here in Manzanares. My new companion has been Elder Ayala, a peruvian missionary that ends in 3 months!

This past week, after packing all of my things and moving like 6 blocks down the street to the other missionaries' house, we got some good work done with a young man named Luis Felipe. He is super cool, he goes to church now every week, and always has great questions (to which we always have great answers!) He has made the decision to get baptized this coming Saturday! I am super excited.

The investigator that we found the week before in Manzanares 1, Mauricio, is also progressing to his baptism date this Saturday! On Friday I got to go visit him with Elder Ayala, and he is just super great and ready to make this step in his life.

And today is P-day! We went to play micro (again) because I love it haha. My  companion hasn't had any money for the past few days, but I happened to be using my money especially wisely the past week, so we got there and had a great time.

Last night we figured out the transfers and... I am leaving! After just one transfer in Neiva, I am going to La Mesa, an area like 40 minutes away from everyone in the Zona Soachington (Soacha). It is almost back in Bogotá, so I will have the 6 hour bus ride again tomorrow, along with another bus ride out there. But I heard it is a super cool place, and it is still hot, so I think I will like it haha. But I am going to miss Neiva soooo much! I love the people, I love the heat, and I don't even mind that I am sweating all the time haha. And I will miss the baptisms of Mauricio and Luis Felipe. But I will go where the Lord wants me to go! I know that this church is true, and that Jesus Christ personally came to the Earth again to restore his church, and that church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Toombs

August 18, 2014

Hey! Lo siento ya no tengo tiempo, but it was a good week!

Highlights of the week: Last Thursday we received a reference from Elder Mills, so we went and visited Mauricio, our new interested investigator! He is a great guy, has a little bit of OCD, but he understands all of our lessons clearer than most of our other investigators. SO on Saturday, the other wards in Neiva had like 9 baptisms, so we brought Mauricio, and he wants to get baptized! Then, sure enough, he came to church this Sunday. Some people really are prepared!

Today has been a little weird, because the President came down and decided to interview us on p-day haha. So we got those interviews done, all dressed up in our Sunday clothes, and went to eat lunch with the president too. It was awesome! I ate more meat today than I think I have eaten in all the rest of my mission haha. And we get to have a little more p-day tomorrow.

Have an awesome week! I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to be here in Neiva, I know that this church is true!

Elder Toombs

August 11, 2014 9 Months!!

Buenas! This weeks has gone along fairly well, we have been working hard in the Apple Orchards ward (Manzanares; and I don't think that there are apples here haha)

Last Monday we got to do a family home evening with a family that Elder Sariego reactivated over a year ago! It is super cool to see how they are still strong, and we even found out that one of them has a girlfriend, who isn't a member, who lives in our ward and wants to hear more! Let's hope that she progresses!

We have also been visiting a part family who's dad is a recent convert. His name is Hugo, he is missing his right hand, and his wife and kids haven't been baptized yet. They are waiting to see the change in him to decide if they want to be baptized. But their two daughters are super cool, and always come to our English class! We will see what we can do to help them.

Last Sunday we were talking to members after Sacrament Meeting when a member came up to me and...well... told me she wasn't a member! They had attended church all of the Sundays that we had been there, so we just assumed they were members. Well she and her boyfriend are pretty much members that need to get married to get baptized, but they introduced us to their daughter who is interested! She has gone to church the past couple weeks, and she went to the young women/relief society activity, so she is really liking the church! Maybe they can all get baptized together!

And speaking of the activity, the women of the ward all went on a trip all day on Thursday to go dancing, swimming, and super cool things like that: We almost went with them haha. We got up on the big tour bus and there were seats open! But instead of going, we went out with an inactive Elder's quorum president, found an old investigator, and took her to the ward Family Home Evening! It was a great experience.

Then today all of the elders in the zone came here to Manzanares to play soccer, then a few stayed after with us and we all made hot dogs with avocado!

Well I don't have any more time, have an awesome week! I now feel like I'm at home here in Neiva, the weather isn't too hot, and really reminds me a lot of Arizona. I am so glad for the opportunity that I have to be serving here! I know that the church is true, that we have a living prophet, and that there are people here being prepared to receive the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ! Bye!

Love,

Elder Toombs

August 4, 2014 Not too hot!!

August 4, 2014

Not too Hot!

Hello! This week has actually had some great weather, almost always with clouds, and it even rained a couple times! It isn't anything like Bogotá, I still haven't needed an umbrella, but I feel like I am back in Arizona where rain is just a miracle. The week went well, it wasn't quite like last week, but much better in visits than any week I had in Modelia. There are almost always people at home; it is like nobody works haha.

We have been working a lot with the family Pérez; they are less actives (The mom and grandma), and their oldest daughter, Alison, is 8 and hasn't been baptized yet. So we have been working with them to get the mom and grandma back and get the daughter baptized. The Sister missionaries had been in that area before, but never had much success with them; however, now that we are helping them, they went to church, and want to keep it up! And the grandma asked for a blessing to get through her smoking and coffee problem; in the past couple weeks, they have really found the desire to change.

The investigator that was trying to bible bash us ended up saying that God revealed to him all of the false prophets, which ended up including Thomas S. Monson, and us. Some people haha.

We got to visit a couple times with the exorcism family too. One of the sisters is a little snaky, but the others were showing real potential! I asked them at the end of a lesson that if there was a prophet on the earth today, what would they ask him, and when we passed by last night, they had some great questions, like why are there wars in the world, and what happens to children when they die. It is awesome to have the answers to their questions through the gospel of Jesus Christ!

One thing that had been happening frequently here is the power going out. The worst was last night, it went out as we were going to bed, and the thing is, you can't sleep here without a fan going, it is just too hot. But it came back pretty soon; I was able to sleep a little haha.

And today we went to play micro again! Thank goodness for p-day haha.

I hope you all have a good week! I am reminded so frequently about the power of the gift of the Holy Ghost; it is a great privilege to be able to walk about always with the guidance and comfort of God! I hope you all will do whatever you can to keep it with you at all times, it is worth it.

Love,

Elder Toombs