Week Sixty Seven

[ No report this week because there was a Christmas Eve videochat with the family. ]

Week Sixty Six

[ No report this week because Ralph moved to a new area on P-Day. ]

Week Sixty Five

Hey fam what is going on??

This week has been CHRISTMAS SPIRIT OVERLOAD.

Even if I could tell you how much JAQUE and I are #lightinguptheworld you wouldn't believe it...

Here are some things that went down this week:

FIRST OFF

We had a DOUBLE-STAKE COMBINED CHRISTMAS RECITAL #ONSTEROIDS. There was an awesome primary choir, missionary choir, adult choir. Probably 700 people came. It was so awesome. Our zone had 2 choir practices this week. We sang a carol called "Hacia Belen Va Una Burra Rin Rin."

PS the best Christmas song ever is called "mi burrito sabanero". It plays all the time here. Definitely listen.

Also went to the Notary to be witnesses for Lendy and Alex's marriage. That was sweet. Alex was the alcoholic who never talked to us. Their wedding was awesome + the Area Seventy Elder Ardila happened to be there for his daughter's wedding, so he got to talk with our investigators. This all happened Thursday.

In Colombia, the 7th of December is a holiday called "Day of the Candles." At night at about 8:00, everyone puts candles out on their porches. You take a thick wax candle, light it, pour hot wax on the ground, and stick the candle on the wet wax so it stays put. You usually put a candle out for every family member. It's also to honor Virgin Maria. Anyway, after the wedding, we all cabbed back to their house and lit candles. Really memorable night. I loved it in Barbosa as well. It's so pretty seeing the candles lit everywhere.

On Friday, Alex, Lendy, and Samuel their kid all had their baptism.

Here are the programs decked out in APRYL STOTT.  Our ward came through. We had a lot of people come and the Relief Society brought cake and sandwiches.

Investigators took a picture of us praying lol.

This is from watching the Christmas devotional with Julian and Daniel.

Alex Lendy and Samuel with family.

Pretty good week. There are 5 huge hospitals in my area so it's good for Christmas.

How are you guys? Hope all is good in the bay. Good luck with finals week.

Love you guys
Elder Blair

Week Sixty Four

Hey family, how are you guys?

Had a great week.

Wednesday was the multi-zone conference. Jaque and I were in charge of lunches for everybody. 50 missionaries. We ordered 50 bandejas paisas. Bandeja Paisa is this crazy Colombian dish from Medellin with sausage, fried pig fat, avocado, arepa, rice, beans, other stuff. It was SWEET. Everybody was so happy.

For the multi-zone, President Laney trained on contacting better. Opening our mouths and overcoming social anxiety. I feel like one thing I'll miss about the mission is the excuse we have to talk with anybody we want to. We can just stop anybody on the street and talk and it's not weird because that's what missionaries do. I remember being in SF and seeing people walk by that I would want to meet. It's not the same without an easy excuse. STILL DOABLE but not the same...

After the conference, Jaque and I went back to our area. We had an hour left to work before we had to head home. We decided to contact. Found this dude named Marlon. I asked if he was Marlon Brando and he said that's where his name came from. We asked if we could share a message with him and he invited us to his house. We met his family. Turns out his mom is days away from dying of cancer. We found him at the right time.

Next day, our zone had interviews with Pres. Laney. President talked with me about personal ministry. Focus on the individual.

Then we left to the airport. Missed our flight to Bogota so we cabbed to the bus terminal in Bucaramanga and caught the 12 hour bus to Bogota, arrived at 2AM at the secretary's house. #noregrets

Had leadership council. We settled on a mission goal of 1500 baptisms in 2018. We had to take about 30 Christmas packages back to Bucaramanga for all the missionaries in our zone. #neveragain

Saturday we visited a recent convert named Gloria. She thinks God will heal her of her bone cancer and that she doesn't have to do anything. I shared this verse towards the end of Alma that says that God prepares plants to fight disease. She's awesome but definitely needs support.

The best hospital in Colombia is in my area. Its called FOSCAL and we frequently find people who are only in our area temporarily because a family member of their's is in the hospital.

Some of our key investigators are Arelis and Thomas. They wouldn't answer the phone this week and were never home so Sunday we were bummed. Got to church and they were in the front row #yassqueen They are powerhouses.

This random investigator dude showed up during sacrament meeting and sat next to us. He needed to get to Boyaca to be with his sick mom. We hooked him up with a travel ticket + a place to stay for the night. #goodturndaily

Alex and Lendy are getting married and baptized this week. Alex was alcoholic when I got here. #HEARTSARECHANGING

WE ARE GOING HAM FOR #ILLUMINAELMUNDO #LIGHTTHEWORLD Jaque and I are dropping acts of charity like bombs in Floridablanca.

I think I only have a couple more weeks in this area. Really loving it. It will suck to have Christmas where I don't know anybody but also cool?

Love and miss you guys

Elder Blair