10/20/2014 Its Raining... its Pouring

Hey All!

This week it's been raining a bit more than normal, only in the nights though.  The Boy scout in me has been helping out a lot; ever since me and Elder Pagoada got stuck at night a mile away from our house in a thunderstorm without rain gear, I've been carrying my rain jacket in my backpack whether the sky is clear or not.  This week we got caught in an unexpected rainstorm and I was able to pull my rain coat out no problem, my companion was not as prepared.

It's coming down hard in this picture, but all you can really see is that everything is really really wet.

We've also had to sit and listen to some preacher guy screaming with a microphone in the street to his congregation.  They blocked off the main road for his sermon.  He yelled things like "HOLY GHOST" and "GOD IS POWER, GOD IS LOVE, GOD IS MIGHTY" and "THE BIBLE IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST!"  but he never really screamed anything of depth.  Nothing pure and clear as the doctrine of Christ is.  As he was yelling about how everyone should follow the words of the bible I wanted to go outside, take his microphone, and read Mathew 6 to him.  It's no wonder that the Lord called them all hypocrites when he was talking about the people who pray in loud voices.

ANYWAYS, apart from the apostasy here... I was walking down the street and I saw the firetruck in front of the church.

  I knew that this wasn't any cause for alarm though, it just meant that the church was having water problems again and the fire department was helping the Elders in the other ward fill the font for a baptism.  This is the third time they've done it and they do it for free

....because they don't really have much to do here.

A member took us WAY out to visit his campo and to see a popular waterfall and swimming spot. We rode in the bed of his truck (as is the way here)

Other than normal stuff I've been reading Jesus the Christ.  THAT BOOK IS CRAZY.  For anyone who wants to double their knowledge about Christ, the gosple, and test thier volcabulary while they're at it should read that book.  It'll blow your mind.  It is, however, very hard to read.  I recomend it though.

That's about it, I'll talk to you all next week!

Love yas

~Cameron

P.S. BONUS PHOTOS!

(The photographer in him never dies...) 

Cameron has a thing for birds

10/13/2014 - Chocolate keeps the Missionaries alive

Hey Familia y Amigos!

We've been getting hungry over here, we always forget to go shopping so we've resorted to hunting Cocoa en El Campo...

...ok, no, I'm eating pretty good.  We stop and buy Pan de Comubia almost every night because there's TONS of Panaderias de Colombia here, and the bread is so dang good... I also eat good breakfasts.

OH HEY!  Speaking of eating, I got the package!

Yes, we enjoyed the taste of home.  Thanks for everything that was included!  My eggs in the morning and now 10x better with the tabasco that you sent.

Things here are great as anyways.  Roller coasters are interesting.  The ups and downs sometimes make you scream, but you always come out laughing in the end.

I can't say that the mission is anything less than a roller coaster.  Investigators build your faith and break your heart, some lessons are amazing and others consist of three fully nude little boys trying to attack you and steal your pamphlets while you try to teach their distracted little sister about Jesus. (I had a day yesterday... No I did not take pictures)

Between all the lessons and planning and work, there's hardly any time for fun and games...

...And no, we don't have more mandarinas than we can eat.

Dia de bruja is coming up.  (day of the witch) I really don't know what people here do for that or what the missionaries do during that time... I guess I'll find out.

How are preparations back home for Halloween? Has anyone tried to put Bill in the front lawn yet?

Love you all!

~Cameron

COCOA BEANS

10/06/2014 Adventures in the Jungle!

Hola!

Conference was cool!  I was able to watch all the sessions!  All the talks that weren't in Spanish had a Spanish guy speaking over the audio of the actual speaker.  Which was cool but I sometimes missed the voices of the leaders I love.  Although, President Packer sounds a TON more youthful in Spanish. And the lady who was translating for the lady who spoke in the first session started choking on tears half way through the talk whereas the original speaker's composure was completely normal.

I saw mom!  We all did! We all had a fun game of "Spot Elder Howell's mom" During the sessions. She was on Music and the Spoken Word a ton!

So, I got a lot to send but not a lot of time, AGAIN...

I'm writing so late because we went on a P-Day adventure today and got back a little later than planned...   I'll get to the adventure in a second. (Get ready for a ton of pictures!)

RIGHT, so we baptized Jorge!

Jorge is a poor man who lives in a little shack, but I realized something in this picture...

...LOOK AT THIS! If Jorge was born in the US he could definitely be a movie star.  LOOK AT THAT PHOTOGENIC FACE.

Ok... onto the adventure...

So, Elder Martínez pointed out that we don't really have much to do for p-days in Buena Fe. We decided to ask members if there was anywhere cool to go.  And the ward mission leader of the other ward told us he knows a place that's in the zone and that he knows a guy.  So the eight missionaries of Buena Fe all went here today.  SUPER COOL PLACE!  It's basically a resort built in the jungle with a bunch of hiking trails.

COCANE PLANTS!!

After the hike we all ate in the lodge. The Food was really good! and because the administrator is a friend of the missionaries it didn't cost more than $5 each for everything!





AND that's it.  Tomorrow we're going to have interviews with the President, AGAIN. and on Friday the area authority is coming to talk to the mission.  Also on Friday I complete 6 months in the mission.  WOOT!

I'll talk to you all next week! I should be getting my package from the office tomorrw.  Love you all and I hope the best for everyone!

Chao!

~Cameron

09/29/2014 - New Companion... Again!

Hola!

My baptisms have been good, I've realized how important members are in this work and I think back of how back home was and try to remember if I was a selfish-drone-like-member who did everything I should do for me but never really helped with this grand work that's happening in every part of the world or if I was better than that.  Whatever the answer, I'm pretty dang sure that when I get back I'm going to do a lot better.  If the missionaries need references or someone to go teach with them, I'm gonna try to be there.

For General Conference next weekend we could go to the stake center is in Quvedo which is 30 minutes north of us in the bus.  BUT I think that they'll be able to set up a projector in the chapel here in Buena Fe, so I don't think we'll be traveling.  Which is good because I hate buses.

Gissela and Carlos are doing good, we helped them with their first Family Home Evening and we're hoping that they'll continue the tradition.

SO! This is me and Elder Martínez and Vadamir, a baby of a member who wanted us to take a picture of her baby.

Yes, Elder Martínez. My new new Companion! (new new because my other new companion wasn't that old) Not sure whats up, but my companions keep leaving and I keep getting left here in my first sector.

So, Elder Martínez is from Porta Rico, he just got out of the mission office.  He served as the secretary who's in charge of packages and materials for seven months. He knows a lot about how the mission works and things that deal with the HQ of the mission.

ANYWAYS, he's spent parts of his life in New Jersey and Lehi, Utah and he speaks really good English, which is nice but also a pain because it super tempting to talk with him in English.  but yeah, that's Elder Martínez. He's super cool and has about 14 months on his mission.

I'm not too sure what else to write about...  Next week we have plans to go on an adventure for p-day, I'll let you know how that goes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOM!

Hope everything is going well back home.   SEND BIRTHDAY CAKE!  LOVE YOU ALL.

~Cameron