January 11, 2010

Well fam it has been another good week here in Barranca :) We are doing very well right now and we had a good week of work even with the heat and humidity.

This transfer 18 Elders go home and 19 new ones arrive which means lots of changes. Last week I wrote Pres Hacking and told him a little of what was going on here etc, the challenges we’ve had and just asked for advice. So with perfect timing this week he came to Barranca to interview us all and then stayed until Sunday and went to our branch! The interviews went great. He asked what the challenges were here and about the church members. We have lots to do so we’ll just keep trying our very best. Pres Hacking really is great, he knows how to get you feeling good and inspired to do your best. He told me he knew I was under a lot of pressure here as Branch President in addition to being a missionary. He also said that I had and was gaining lots and lots of experience and when my first councillor was trained and ready to take over as Branch President, then he needed to decide at some point where else he could use me in the mish later on.

As far as the things here right now I would say they are at a high. As I said, President Hacking decided he would go to Pinos on Sunday for church, which is the first time in years a mish pres has gone to the little chapel house. So we didn’t have much time but we told a few ppl. Also our investigator Marisa and her 2 kids finally came to church and loved it. She is reading the Book of Mormon and is already in Jacob and says she really feels like it’s true. She feels peace when she reads. So we finally have progressing investigators.

Sunday was excellent. The attendance for sacrament meeting was up to 60! The average for all last year was 39 and the last 3 weeks we have had 50, 43 and now 60. The little chapel was about stuffed and Pres Hacking gave an awesome talk. As we were sitting there about to start he leaned over and said "What would you like me to talk about?" haha so I told him Unity and Love in the branch, because that’s what it needs. So he opened his scrips, took a few notes during the meeting and got up and gave a talk about unity and love in the church, cool. Then we combined Relief Society and Priesthood so he could give them the class and after church he got a few temple recommends taken care of. So in few words the branch is about at its high.

We have been all week with the list of neighborhoods visiting the less actives and although most aren’t even there anymore, we have found some and they are coming back. One brother who used to be branch president but went inactive has now attended two times in a row and it seems like enthusiasm is going up. Also for this Friday we have planned a branch activity. It is a cool idea my comp got from a young mens activity he did where you give everyone "talents" or coins etc. In the different rooms of the church we will set up activities where they can spend talents or earn new ones. Some of the bad ones are things like a tattoo parlor, a casino and the good ones are things like a first aid class or to learn other skills. So we are going to set up and decorate all the rooms to be different stations and then have a short message and snack. We put signs all over the church and have been giving little invitations to everyone with a line where they have to write the name of a friend that they will invite. So our hopes are that everyone possible comes and we fill up the little church and can build some unity and bring back some lost sheep.

So as you can tell it’s been an interesting week. We are very excited and things seem to finally be getting better. My little testimony for this letter is that adversity and trials really can serve to help us wake up and look for solutions and learn. I really am grateful that we can now see things improving in the branch as they have and I hope we can keep improving ourselves to keep them going.

I know the church is true. I love the gospel and my mission and the people. I’m learning a ton and I’m sure someday I’ll remember my time in Barrancabermeja as some of my best memories. You are in my prayers always and I know things will go well. Have a good week and we will talk to you next time. Love Elder B