Bolivia Bound

Missionary Life!

May 5, 2014

Sorry about the less than creative subject today. I’ll have to keep working on that, ha. 

Well, this past week was action-packed! It started on Monday when we had the consejo de lideres (mission leadership council, I think it’s called in English) up in Santa Cruz, so we had to fly up to Santa Cruz on Monday, stay there until Tuesday afternoon, and then come on back to Tarija. The thing about still not being companionships of hermana capacitadoras is that my companion, Hermana Ence, always stays in Tarija while I go up to Santa Cruz. It’s sad to not be with my companion for more than 24 hours, but the blessing is that she can stay and work our area while I’m gone. :)

The consejo de lideres was fantastic, we all had to present a mission plan to achieve some high goals we have put as a mission, one of which is having 1450 baptisms in this year, the year 2014, which is the 50th anniversary of the church in Bolivia. Something I love about these consejos de lideres is that they really are a COUNCIL where we all talk together and come to conclusions together- it’s easy to see the Lord’s hand guiding us as we all come with different ideas every month and end up together reaching the same conclusion about what we need now in the mission. I know that the Lord really does guide us in all that we do, the little and the big things. Just as He guides a mission to be able to bring about the salvation of more of His children, He also will guide us individually in the questions we have and the help we need.

Then Wednesday, we had yet another exciting day, with a conference with Presidente Willard, but just for the hermanas. Presidente and Hermana Willard have been pretty concerned with the hermanas and the lack of self-confidence that often gets a lot of them down, discouraged, and makes a lot of them want to give up. I know that what he said helped a lot of the hermanas I work with, even though he didn’t necessarily know all the details that I have learned about their struggles - once again, interesting to see how the Lord guides us in all that we do. It was also very special to see, once again, the love that Presidente and Hermana Willard feel for all of us, their missionaries. They always, ALWAYS refer to us as their children and get all teary-eyed when they talk about their love for us. I love them.

And then Thursday, was dia del trabajador (Labor day, I think?) here in Bolivia, and our ward went for a day trip to the country! We historically have never been able to go to these sorts of things, but Presidente Willard gave us permission to continue to help with ward unity, and bring lots of investigators and less actives. I’m sending another email with pictures - it was gorgeous!

This is a picture of everyone that came with us…

and this is of us with the bishop’s family:

It was great - we brought an investigator, a less active hermana that has been coming back to church, and a whole less active family that hasn’t gone to church in a LONG time, and the elders in our ward also brought various investigators. It was great to see as friendships formed in the ward among all of them. Also, Tarija is so pretty! Mom, Dad, I know you’ve been dying to see what it’s like, so hopefully this gives you a taste. Next week I should have more pictures from the country, from a place that we’re going to visit today with the zone.

And finally, apart from all these exciting things, we have had the privilege to see even more miracles in our area. Yesterday, for example, was a great day. We have an investigator named Gonzalo whose dad died a few weeks ago, and we really showed up in just the right time - having his dad die has made him a lot more interested in how to live with his family forever, and he has accepted a baptism date and came to church yesterday. I’m grateful that the Lord sends us to people who need us. Also, we went to visit an active family yesterday and learned that a nephew just moved in to live with him - and he is truly a golden investigator. He’s already been reading the Book of Mormon, understood the restoration when we taught him, and accepted a baptism date and the invitation to go to church right away. And, we were able to teach a less-active member who has come to the realization that his drinking habits have driven away his wife and two daughters. He showed up to church on his own last week and asked to receive the missionary lessons because he wants to finally change his life. And finally, another less-active member showed up to church out of nowhere after being inactive for 14 years - no one, not even the bishop, knew him, but he wants to change his life and wants his wife to get to know the gospel. 

Wow - after a lot of hard work in this area, we are seeing the Lord’s hand here as people, of their own accord, are deciding that it’s time to come unto Christ. I love that - the Lord teaches me all the time that even after all I can do, I am totally dependent on Him. And once I humble myself enough to learn that lesson, that’s when He blesses me with miracles and with spiritual power.

Love you all! This week we have transfers so we’ll see where I am next Monday! Have a great week!

Love,
Hermana Chelsie Faulk

P.S. Shoutout to Bryan and Emily! Congratulations on getting married Saturday, and I’m excited to get to know my new sister-in-law in seven months. :)