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
