July 27, 2015 Transfers to...Brazil!!

July 27, 2015

Transfers to…Brazil!

Just kidding! But yeah we had transfers this week, Elder M left today in the airplane to Bogota, then he is going to Ibagué! I will really miss that dude, I was companions with him last year in November, his district leader until February, and then we have had these three months together in Leticia. I have learned a lot from him, and I have really seen his personal progress and it is incredible. It was sad to see him go, but I know that the Lord needs him somewhere else now. My new companion is Elder E, he is from Paraguay, and he has about 5 months in the mission. He is 19, and a super cool guy! I am looking forward to the time that we will have here.

Tuesday we had intercambios! I stayed here in my area with Elder S. He is a fantastic missionary, and we had a great time. We got a bunch of appointments in, and had a great lesson with the A family and the C family, the mom and dad of C, the recent convert from Bogotá that came down a month ago.

On Wednesday, we went to visit a less active, J S. So J is an returned missionary, but he works in the police, and hasn't been to church in a long time. His wife isn't a member, and sometimes that is tough for him; a month or two ago, we were helping him repair his marriage. Now he and his wife are happy, so we are trying to repair his relationship with God. We taught the Sabbath Day, and he just told us that he needed to go to church. He said that he was free that Sunday morning, so he committed himself to go to church.

Thursday we taught someone that we contacted in the street, M A, in the church. He came over in the morning, and when we talked with him before, he had said something about a past marriage. So when we started with the prayer, and asked a few questions, his life just came spilling out, about all of his desires to do the right and about all of the past mistakes that he has made. We were able to talk about the law of chastity and repentance, and he left much better than the way he came. Sometimes it really surprises me how easily some people talk to us. I know that we have received authority from God to be His servants, and that the people can recognize it as well. Later, J C got back from Neiva! He is the convert that got baptized the week before I got here to Leticia, and it was great to have him here again.

Friday, S was going to have his interview for his baptism, but never showed up! But then we went to have a family home evening with A's family. A is a recent convert, and his family has always been pretty closed to us. However, we had an awesome time! We played some fun games, and they really opened up. Then, we shared a short message, and when we left, the Spirit was really there.

On Saturday we went to...Brazil! The P family had to move across the border, so we got permission to bring backpacks full of stuff on our bikes all the way to Brazil! (like 5 blocks from Colombia haha). But it is really weird, we cross the border and everything is different, the houses, the streets, the music, and everybody speaks Portuguese! It is super strange haha. And now we will be going there every week!

On Sunday we had a great lesson with the A family about the law of chastity, they really understood the importance of living the commandments and are super excited to get married. We just need to get their papers from Bogotá, and listo! However, it was pretty sad when Elder M said that he was going; but they understood why very well. And J S went to church wooo!!!

I know that the Priesthood is real, that God gives us his power and authority in order to bless others and to bring us closer to him: I know that I hold this authority, and I feel it more certainly every day.  The time that I have left to hold this calling grows shorter every day, so I will continue to strive to magnify it as best I can.

Have a great week!

Elder Toombs

July 20, 2015

July 20, 2015

This was a pretty good week! I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be a missionary: Every day I learn more about how sacred this time is.

So this week in Leticia there was a giant event that is called the Confraternidad, (co-brotherhood? I don't know haha). Leticia borders on Tabatinga, Brazil, and Santa Rosa, Perú, so every year, they all get together and have a bunch of parties and competitions and stuff. So lots of people weren't in their houses this week; but we keep pressing on!

This week, we were able to visit C's parents. C was the recent convert that came down from Bogotá a couple weeks ago. His parents are great people, and C even called while we were there! They have a great desire to follow C's example, and to set the example for their daughter.

We have been using the branch birthday list to look for less active members, and a couple weeks ago, we decided to look for a member, F S. We went to his house, but they said he had moved. They also said that he drives a car around Leticia blasting advertisements from his stereo. So while we were waiting for an appointment in the church, we saw the car come around the corner, and we ran out as fast as we could to stop him. He was super happy to see us, and told us to come by. So this week, we found out that the recently-baptized family of 4 hadn't gone to church in about a year because a member had offended them; the missionaries would always come by, but they never wanted to go. On Monday we had a great family home evening, and the spirit was really there. They committed themselves to church!

And on Saturday, two members, D and J, got married! They asked us to take part in the choir, and we sang Oh my Father and The Lord is my Shepherd. It was fantastic, and the speakers gave great messages about the eternal family. I know that our families can be together forever.

On Sunday, there was like a bunch of parades that all of the youth and their parents had to attend, so we postponed the Sunday meetings to 2 in the afternoon! It was really weird to have the meetings so late, but we had a great opportunity to make some visits in the morning. We dropped in on S, who has been progressing a ton. He is a great guy, and really has the desire to get baptized and continue to change his life: I love the difference that we can see in people as they prepare themselves to make covenants with God. The Spirit really works in them; it testifies to me that this really is the work of the Lord. After visiting S, we visited a family that we had contacted, and the appointment went really well! They were really interested in the Book of Mormon, and were excited to hear more. Then at church, Cesar's mom came, and the Salas family! It was so great to see them there.

I can't share with words the gratitude that I have for being able to serve a mission. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is our Savior's true church, that through His grace we will be able to have eternal families, and that I am His servant to help others to reach that goal.

Have a great week!

Elder Toombs

July 6, 2015 20

July 6, 2015

20

Hello! This has been a pretty great week here in Leticia. And today I have 20 months in the mission! I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by; I am starting to feel the need for more time haha; I love the mission. I love being able to give all day every day in service to my Savior. And I know I will continue to serve Him until the end.

On Monday, we played a few hours of soccer and basketball in the church, and got super tired haha. When P-Day ended, we rode our bikes out to the Ahuanari family to watch the short version of the Restoration. That family really has been built on the principles of faith and righteousness.

Tuesday, we had Intercambios! I went with Elder S in his area; he is an excellent worker and missionary, and we had a great time. When we got back to his house, he showed me a fireside with John Bytheway about the Sabbath day; it was a fantastic talk.

On Friday, we passed by a less-active family's house to see if they had gotten back from their vacation, and they had just arrived 3 hours before. They told us that they had brought us a surprise, and they went in the house and brought out Doughnuts! (Donuts? haha) Here in Leticia, there aren't any American restaurants, so there aren't any doughnuts either; it was a great surprise. Then, later that night, we went to the church to celebrate Elder R's birthday, and we say the movie "Meet the Mormons!" It was an excellent movie, I had never seen it before; the Spanish version took a while to come out haha. But if any of you haven't seen it, look it up! It really was an uplifting experience, and it was exciting to see Gail Halvorsen and a little bit of Arizona haha.

Saturday: Happy 4th of July!!! I am so grateful for having been born in a land of liberty and opportunity. Today it rained like crazy! As we were riding to our house at mid-day after an appointment with a less-active future-missionary, G, when it started looking a little cloudy, so we started speeding up, and I just hear a rattling noise from far off and then about 50 feet in front of me on the road I saw GIANT raindrops flying down, and tons of them! We ducked under cover on the side of the road, it was some of the hardest rain I have seen here, and it just came out of nowhere haha. Later, we visited another less-active future-missionary, A. He is a great guy that just got a little on the wrong track. The lessons with him are always a little tough, because he acts like he isn't listening (that's why my companion never wants to go visit him haha), but this time we watched a video about the limits that we need to set and live by to prepare ourselves to go on a mission. It was a great lesson, and he told us that we are the only members that he really trusts: It is really a lesson that though patience, persistence, and love, we can really get through to the people that need us.

On Sunday, we had 106 people in the sacrament meeting! Normally we have like between 70 and 80, and we had never broken 100 in my time here. The other half of the A family came too, and they loved it! Then, in the evening, we went to visit the branch president, Pte. A, and his family. It has always been difficult to get along super well with the president, but this time he really opened up and we laughed and ate pancakes with maple syrup and Hershey's syrup and a red, white, and blue jello that I made! It was a great night, and a great way to finish the week.

I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ, and the only church that He leads and guides. I love being here. I love wearing His name over my heart wherever I go. He is why I am here. I hope that you all will be able to increase your faith in Jesus every day, as I am doing now.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Toombs

June 29, 2015 Eu Nao Falo Portugues

June 29, 2015

Eu nao falo Portugues

Hi everyone! I have decided that I need to start studying Portuguese a little more, because when all the Brazilian members get to church, I didn't really understand everything haha. This has been a pretty good week!

Last Tuesday, we taught J, he is getting ready for his baptism! We talked about tithing and fasting; J lives in one of the worst economic situations I have seen, getting like less than $10 a day and spending $6 on his hotel room, but he is committed to pay tithing to receive the blessings that he needs. He has been a great example of faith. Then we went to visit the Ahuanari family! They understood perfectly the need to get baptized again; it was a great lesson.

On Wednesday, we taught E, an investigator that is a biologist and has very different beliefs about God, the Bible, and religion in general. He believes in that "superior energy" that drives everything, and has trouble accepting many truths about God and the Gospel. We taught the Restoration, and it was pretty tough for him to accept everything; he wants to look for the physical evidence of everything, instead of asking God for the answers. However, after the lesson, he invited us to drink coffee (we drank hot chocolate instead haha), and as we were talking we learned a lot about his background, that he has had a lot of problems with his family, and it seems like that is why he has this desire to hear more and more. I know that we wants to accept the truth, it has just been difficult for him. So we are working hard to increase his faith, so he can have the answer that he needs.

On Thursday, we met a recent convert from Soacha! (well from San Mateo haha) His name is C, Elder P and Elder P baptized him this year, and he came down to Leticia to visit his family. He is a great guy, and is also excited to present his family to the church! Then, in our missionary coordination, the Seminary and Institutes leader met up with us and gave us some great ideas to help our the branch's youth activity.

On Saturday, we started the morning doing service project to help build a house! There are a couple eternal investigators that needed to basically destroy their old house because it was falling down a hill, and we started building up the foundation again. Then we had a cool English class, and finished the day with Jair´s baptism! It was a great time, and he was just soooo happy. (Sorry, I forgot my camera in the house, pics next week :) )

Sunday J was confirmed, and the Dad and two daughters from the A family were able to go to church!!! They have so much faith, and had a great time in church. Next week they are planning on trading off, so the mom and two sons can go, but L (the dad) said that they will be working hard to that everyone can go together! They are just such an incredible family.

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to be in the mission, and to have President Lozano to guide, help, and inspire me. He is finishing this week, and the new president will be starting! However, it isn't going to be too big of a change here in Leticia, because he probably won't come down here to visit for a while haha. But I know that I was called to this mission to have the guidance of President Lozano; I have grown to have a profound love for him and his wife, and I will miss them tons. It is the tough part about being out here in Leticia, not being able to personally say goodbye. But everyone has their time to serve. I hope that you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Toombs

June 23, 2015 Colombia es Victoriosa!

June 23, 2015

Colombia es Victoriosa!

Hi everyone!

So last week on Wednesday, Colombia beat Brazil in the Copa América (soccer) and everyone went crazy! So we live just minutes from the border with Brazil, and during the game, they had to close the border to keep everyone safe. My house is built on the side of the International Avenue, the road that goes to Brazil, and after Colombia won, EVERYONE got on their motorcycle and started riding back and forth, honking and beeping and screaming! It is unbelievable how important soccer is to the people here. Luckily, after a little, it started to rain, so everybody went home so we could sleep haha.

On Thursday, I bought... Campells Chicken Noodle Soup! It is weird, but there are lots of imported American foods here, and because I have had a little bit of a cold, I decided to buy some. The only catch is that it is $3 a can!

On Friday, we took the journey to Kilometros to visit the A family. So what happens is that the first time that we went to visit them, earlier in the day, the song "Careless Whisper" got in my head, so I started singing it in the shower, and when I got out I realized that my companion was singing it to, and then when we got to the appointment, the mom's phone rang, and it was that song! So in the next appointment, we told her about that, and when we got there on Friday, we were walking up to the house, and they started blasting that song! It was super cool, I know them a such a short time, and love them so much. They really believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and they like the Book of Mormon. Their biggest challenge is going to church; we will be working to see what we can do.

On Saturday, we went to a family that lives near Kilometer 12; it was like 50 minutes from our house riding bikes! We went over 15 miles riding bikes that morning haha. And we had a cool English class!

Sunday was... Fathers Day! Happy Fathers Day to the best Dad in the world! I love you Dad, and I could never thank you enough for everything that you have done for me! After church, we went to an eternal investigator's house to eat father's day cake haha. S and J were both at church today, and J is getting ready to be baptized this Saturday!

Yesterday, we had fun playing soccer with some members and the missionaries from Brazil (one is Elder S's cousin, how crazy is that!) And then, when we were going to a museum, Elder S's bike chain fell off, and while we were stopped we saw ex Elder A on the side of the road! He finished his mission last week, and came down with his family! It was pretty cool to see him again.

I love the mission with all of my heart, it is the best opportunity in the world to serve our Savior Jesus Christ. I wish you all a great week!

Elder Toombs

Elder A

June 16, 2015 Transfers

June 16, 2015

Transfers!

Just kidding, well we had transfers, but I am still here in Leticia with Elder M! WE have been working super well together, so I am excited for another transfer to make more progress here in our area. Elder Caballero took off to Bogotá to finish his mission, and the new missionary in the district is Elder Rojas, a Peruvian that was in my first zone in Bogotá! He is a cool guy, and a hard worker.

So last Monday after writing, we all went to Mundo Amazónico! (Amazonic World haha) It was pretty cool. It is like a little tour place, where they took us to see a little aquarium with lots of cool (and dangerous) fish (like piranhas, electric eels, and more!). We also got to learn a little more about the tribal culture, shoot bow-and-arrow, and use a 3 meter blow dart gun! It was pretty cool!

On Tuesday we had out last district meeting with Elder C. We talked a lot about the importance of the Book of Mormon in conversion; about how it is the most powerful tool that we have to convert, and how important it will be in each of our lives after the mission to help us to reach a personal conversion that will lead to salvation. We shared our testimonies of the Book of Mormon; it was a great meeting where the spirit was really there.

On Wednesday, we went to a family that lives BIEN lejos (pretty far haha). They were a reference from the health activity that we had a few weeks ago. It is a family of 9, and they are fantastic! Well worth the almost 30 minute journey hauling it on our bikes haha. We shared the message of the Restoration; it was a great lesson!

Saturday was an awesome day! Even though I woke up with a crappy fever haha. In the morning, we visited with N to make sure that she was ready for her baptism, and she was! I have truly seen a change in her in my short time here, and she has a strong desire to be obedient and to continue faithful to the end. In the afternoon, we taught our English class again, and then N got baptized! It was a great experience, and the (rich) Ward Mission Leader bought a big cake haha.

On Sunday we took Elder C to the airport. In a police van!!! He was calling some members to say goodbye, when he called a cool les active named Jon Salvino, a policeman. Then Jon asked what time we were going to the airport, and he dropped by and took us there! That was the first time I rode in the front part of a police vehicle haha. Then, as we were walking home from the airport, we stopped to pick a few fruit from some of the trees in the median in the road. They are called palm roses ( I think), and they were pretty good! And Elder Maquera stained his shirt haha.

Yesterday, we played soccer in the morning with some YSA, ate lunch, and went back to the airport to get Elder R! It looks like he still doesn't know how to ride a bike, so we will be helping him this week haha. Then, last night, we went to the family of 9 again! It is the A family, and they are fantastic, they believe that God has been answering their prayers about Joseph Smith, so we taught about the Book of Mormon, and they are super receptive. We will see how it goes!

I know that I am an authorized servant of God here in the earth, with His power and authority to share the gospel. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, because I have read it, because I have asked God, because I have received my answers, because I have applied its teachings to my life, and because I have been blessed by it. I hope that all of you are reading it every day; it will truly bring you closer to God than any other book possibly can. I love you all; have a great week!

Love,

Elder Toombs

Amazon River

At Mundo Amazonico

June 8, 2015 The Rain-less Forest?

June 8, 2015

The Rain-less Forest?

Last Sunday to Thursday it hardly rained at all here! It was just blazing sun all day, so we were pretty toasted every time we got home at night. However, this weekend it started to rain like crazy, so everything is back to normal again haha. It has been a pretty good week!

Last Monday, we went to play soccer and we played for almost 2 hours; it was super hot and I almost died haha. It was because there were plastic covers to keep the sun out, but they held all of the heat in; it was like a giant oven. We played with the Brazilian missionaries from right across the border; their Zone Leaders had come to stay the weekend, and so we all played with a few members too. It was pretty fun, until the last 30 minutes when we didn't have energy to do anything haha.

In the district meeting on Tuesday, we talked a lot about how we can help recent converts to participate in the missionary work. We talked about how important it is that the fruit of the work remains, and how involving our converts in sharing the gospel is so important to strengthen their own testimonies. I know that my testimony didn't really start to grow until I came here to the mission, so I know firsthand the spiritual power that we get as we share the gospel. So we did a few practices about how we can help them invite others to come to Christ, and it was a really great time!

Nathan's District

The other missionaries in the district are Elder S and Elder C; Elder Sr has a little less time than I do, and Elder C is going home next week! It has been great being able to work with them the past few weeks; we have been becoming really united (that's what happens when you are the only 4 Spanish speaking missionaries in the entire rainforest haha).

So No is getting ready to be baptized this week! I have seen a giant change in her the past few weeks; she truly has the desire to live the gospel and to share it as well. So we are hoping to have her baptism service this week!

On Saturday, after a giant downpour in which we got completely soaked and had to cross bunches of flooded roads, we started an English Class here in the Amazons! About 10 people showed up, but I was happy because they showed up even after all the rain, and during the Champion´s League and Colombia soccer games. It was a good time!

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is His true church, and that knowledge grows every day that I study it, share it, and live it. I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Toombs

June 1, 2015 Lots of Rain!

June 1, 2015

This week has been a pretty good one! And I have better realized that we are in the rainforest; it has been raining a ton. Then the sun comes out, it gets super hot, and it rains again. It is pretty cool haha. One new thing that we have been doing is visiting a part of our area that is called Kilometros (kilometers). It is just a long road that goes super far away from everything, and there are little neighborhoods along the way. So this week we have been visiting a few people that live in kilometers 2, 3, and 4; it is a long way away from the rest of our area. So I was praying to find more people over there to teach, so we can dedicate a few days every week ever there. And, on Sunday, 2 less active members/families that we didn't know showed up, and they live over there! It was fantastic, and I know that God was answering my prayers.

So I thought I would talk a little about some of our investigators today.

N M is somebody super close to being baptized! She has been going to church the past month and a half, and has really liked what she has learned. A few weeks ago, when she didn't fulfill her commitment to read in the Book of Mormon, we were explaining why it was important that she reads, and she started crying and left. I know that the Spirit was there and it was strong, but still we thought that Noris was never going to want to listen to us again. But then she went to church the next day! One trouble that we have is that...she is dating a member of the church haha. We are trying hard to make sure that she continues to progress and go to church because she wants to get closer to Christ, and not because of her boyfriend haha.

Another investigator that we have is S, a Peruvian. He is a kinda old dude, and a few years ago he had already listened to the missionaries like 4 years ago. He almost got baptized, but he got super sick with dengue and then the missionaries were taken out, so he never got baptized. He came to church yesterday, and is super excited to be baptized soon!

J He is an almost homeless guy that has been coming to church for like 3 months. He lives in a hotel that costs like $5 a night, and he sells packages of incense sticks at 25 cents. He almost doesn't eat, and just works every day to have the money to keep living in his hotel room. He has had a tough life, with lots of drugs and alcohol, but he wants to change. He needs to make a few more changes in his life first, but he is getting ready to be baptized.

Hearing the news about Elder L. Tom Perry was a little sad for me; he is the only apostle that I have seen face to face, I have always enjoyed hearing his talks. I still remember when I was in the MTC with him and his wife; their messages had really helped me at the beginning of my mission. I know that he was an apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that he really had the authority from God to be able to guide us in these latter days. I am thankful for the many answers to my prayers that I have received, especially this week; I know without a doubt that this is the church of Jesus Christ, that He is at its head, and that He chooses His servants here in the earth. And I know that God has a plan for all of us, and that it doesn't end with our deaths. And that if we live like we need to, trusting in our Savior, we will be able to be with Him and with our families for all of eternity, like Elder Perry will be doing now. I am thankful for the Mission, and I will give everything that I can to take advantage of the time I still have.

Have a great week,

Elder Toombs