Week 102 last week in the Cucuta, hard to say goodbye to such great people who have become my family away from family!

Okay well made here to Bogota after a long trip! It was really sad leaving Cucuta because I feel like I left family again! They really are a family for me. They made me give a farwell talk and everthing how cruel. But luckily I was able to fight away the tears. Later after church we went to visit Kevin and Ivan and their family. We had lunch with them and were able to spend some time togther before I left. They even took us to Terminal to drop me off. And on the ride to the bus station, they all said their last words of goodbye! It was really sad. And then saying goodbye was the hardest thing I have ever done! Kevin and Ivan were both crying, it was super sad! Im going to miss that family so much!!! 

  Anyways well my companion or old companion Elder Hildebrandt is trainning!! Can you say PODER? Im going to be an abuelo jaja :) And well Im with Elder Tipton right now finishing the mission like I started it jaja! Well not much else to tell you guys and I dont have a ton of time either but tomorrow we go to the temple and then thursday I'll be flying home:) I guess we will see each other soon! 

Love you all Elder Strong

Week 101

Thanks Mom for the Email.

Well too be honest I dont know what to write about becuse I lost my agenda so I dont really remember to much of what we did, and other bad news I lost almost all my pictures of Cúcuta:( 

Well lets see, we are starting to work more,with our recent coverts and helping them prepare to go to the temple and all that good stuff. The Jóvenes are going in December so I think Ivan might go with them that will be sweet because the temple is pretty far away from here almost a days travel! 

We also had our Zone conference this Wednesday my last one which was super sad especially when I had to give my ¨last testimony¨in the mission. I basically cried like a baby, but since I lost all my pictures I guess there is no Proof:). Anyways it was good we talked a lot about the book of Mormon and the importance of having a testimony to be converted to the Gospel so that was cool. And then later we had a cake tres leches!!!

Domingo

Well we have a new bishop and we finally have a elders quorms president after 5 months so that is great, and Im glad my companion will be in good hands after I leave! That truly was a blessing ! 

Pday!

Well today we had our Zone Activity

We played some Micro, ultimate Frisbee, watched 17 milagros, and ate dominos and also played some Ping Pong it was pretty chill! 

Well not to much else to say. This is my last week here in Cúcuta which is really sad, but Im going to give it my all and leave here with no regrets. Im definitely going to miss such a great place! It really has been the best 2 years! I think Im going to feel the same as when I arrived here in Colombia excited to start something new but sad to leave family behind. 

I guess we will be talking. I just want to thank you guys for all your support these past 2 years, and all the prayers and everything else that have helped me. Have a great week!!! I love you all!!!! 

Elder fuerte:)💪

Week 100

ThaNks Mom for the email...

well this email will probably be a little shorter because I dont have very much to say, but we will see....

Sick Again

Well this week I had a super bad cold! It was really annoying because my accent in spanish is bad enough without a  cold. And then came a bad cough i was just a mess at the beginning of the week but that is okay because after drinking lots of Agua Panela con Limón and also Miel con Limón Im doing a lot better now and The cough is gone so that is good news! :) Hopefully I wont get sick anymore ( Knock on wood cross your fingers) 

NDH

We had a Noche de Hogar with Hna Clara which went super well we talked all about missionary work and everything and now she is going to invite a ton of her neighbors to another NDH So that is legit! By the way how are you guys doing with your NdH? You should invite your friends over when you have the missioaries over and have one right then and there!! 

Baptism

Well thank you all for your prayers they were definitely answered because Ivan made the decesion and was baptized this Saturday! Baptisms are always really stressful to prepare for because it seems like at the last minute a lot of things go wrong! But it is so worth it!! It was an amazing ceremony and I had the privledge of baptizing him so that was super great! Im so excited for him. He turns 18 in 2 weeks and he cant wait to serve a mission so that will be the best! Im so excited for him and his family. Speaking of which his Mom who isnt a member came and loved it! 

Tour of Cúcuta

Well today one of the members here offered to take us on a tour before I leave to visit cool sites here that we didnt even know existed! It was super legit we took tons a pics with statues, in the stadium, and lots of other things. Overall it was a blast. 

Well Im glad to hear all is going well back home! I hope you all have a great week! Love you all!

Elder Fuerte:)

Week 99

La Linde 

Well we paased by Tuesday and visited a less active family. It was actually really cool because when we got there one of the brothers was there with a big smile on his face and told us that he has been getting up every morning and has read the book of Mormon before doing anything else. And you could really see that he found a new joy! It was great and then he came with us to conference and really enjoyed so that was legit!

Visa: 

Well I have some good new and some bad news... ( If this is mom reading this only read ¨The Good News¨) 

Bad News: well some of my papers got lost in the mail to renew my visa, so I might have to stay like 3-5 months longers for the process to take place again! Well i guess this could be good news too! More time in the mission right? No broma, I just sent it to a wrong adress.

Good news: well I resent it and they recieved everything and it is all Ok so dont worry Mom I'm still  coming  home jaja :) but I was almost able to extend lol by obligation ;)

General Conference

I absolutely loved general conference! I was waiting to hear all about marriage, families, and temples, but nothing. I think it was just God´s way to remind me that I still dont need to think about those things right now lol:) But it was great I loved it so much. It was fun watching it with the other gringos. I even mad rice crispies which was the best! I think my favorite session had to be priesthood! It is always just so powerful and I feel they are always really direct and to the point! I really enjoyed Elder Uctdorf´s talk about Alma and Almulek, because I have never thought of that story in that way before, which was really inspiring for me! 

Pday:

we went and bought some cool colombia things ,and well I can now say Im more colombiano que gringo jaja lol ;) 

Anyways Im looking forward to this week ; because if everything goes according to plan Ivan gets baptized this Saturday!!!! We could use all your prayers !:)

I love you all so much ; I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Elder Fuerte:)

Week 98

Thanks Mom for the Email:) Im glad you guys had a great week! 

My Week ....

Multi Zone Meeting

We had the prilvege  of a visit from president and his wife and the assitants. It was super great! Plus I was able to see Elder Lopez again which was awesome! Well they talked about having Charity for one another, and also alot about teaching people not lessons. Which was awesome, because a missionary can get caught up just teaching memorized material but it something so important to listen to the investigator and the spirit to really help them recieve a testimony. And so we are trying to become better at that with my companion. 

Hugs

Well we are teaching a less active member and he is a great guy. He is only less active because where he was living the church isn't there. So well we were teaching him and then he introduced us to his neighbor who lives next door. And we were teaching her. She is really recpetive and everything! She even wants to be baptized!! Well as we finshed with a prayer we gave the less active a hug, and then we went to shake the hand of his friend. And she asked us ¨and my hug?¨Awkward but we explained but she was still a little sad. But it was kind of funny. 

Intercambios

This week we had intercambios with the zone leaders which was cool. We had a great time , and I felt the spirit so strong this day! It was an amazing day just teaching and helping others! Also some less actives gave us a ton of Mamones so we filled our bags with them and were eating them all day! They are so good! 

Bautismo

Well saturday came and Maria finally was baptized! It was awesome,. Her mom, sister, and grandma came!! Also Ivan came to the baptism!!! Anyways it was great! There were a good group of members there to support her so that was awesome! Then later after the baptism we had a lesson with Ivan and now he has a baptismal date for the 8th of oct. Im so excited for him and he is ready to be baptized! he is basically a member because he goes to mutual, activities with the youth, church, and everything else. he even wants to go with us to visit people! Now he just has to be baptized :) 

Anyways that was our week! 

I love you all so much have another great week!

Elder Strong

Week 97

Thanks Mom for the email! I Glad that you had a great Cumpleaños!!! I wish I could've have been there to celebrate, but I hope you were able to feel my prayes for you at least. Do you want to know something kind of cool. This past Saturday, or your Bday is the Día de Amor y amistad. And well I just want you to know how much I love you Mom. I really dont know where I would be with out all your support! You have done so much for me, and my brothers and you deserve a lot more, than we give you! I dont think we could ever repay for all that you have done for us. I could go on an on about all the great things you have and do for us but the list would be endless! Im so happy to have such a great, amazing, and one of kind mom. Te amo Mamá !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the rain came down and the floods went up.

Okay well monday night after we wrote to you guys, it just start down pouring, with lighting, and out side the streets rose to about a foot and a half of water. It was crazy. Well we nocticed someone in the corner of street having trouble trying to get the Moto to higher ground because it was already surronded by water. Well I just told my companion to take my bags and went into the river and helped push the moto into the garage! Then we just decided to help people move the motos, and other by removing water that had entered the house. It was great to just go out and serve! Plus we found a great family who is interested in our message! :)

FHE with Maria

Well Tuesday we had a FHE with maria in her house with all her family! Her grandma , mom, sisters, even the dog, and we invited some members to come with us and it was the best! We shared a cool message about baptism and about her decsion to be baptized! And the family said they are willing to support her and everything, they even want to recieve the lessons too!! So that will be awesome! maria is going to be baptized this Saturday!!! Im so excited for her, to see the progress she has made in almost 4 months has been great to see! 

Morcilla :p ( dont eat it) 

Okay well early in the week I ate Morcilla and well basically it is a sussage but inside it is cooked blood and with rice, and the outer part, well I dont want to ruin your dinner, so Ill just tell you when I get back jaja. Maybe Ill bring some home so you guys can try it:) How would that sound? Anyways I got pretty intoxicated, and I was sick for about 3 days. I didnt even leave the house friday. But now I'm a lot better and I learned my lesson the hard way. :P

Domingo de Divisiones 

 Well every Sunday we go to San martin and we split up with the members and it has been awesome because we can cover so much ground! And we had some really great lessons, and where able to find some more part member families which is always the best in the mission! 

Futbol

Well today we were finally able to play Micro again. I haven't been able to play because in my district there are only sister missionaries and the 2 of us and   they dont like to play micro a lot. but they went shopping today, and so we went and played with some other missionries and members from a different ward. It was a ton of fun!!!

Well I hope you guys have an amazing week! And mom im so jealous you got to not only meet Brad Wilcox but have a picture with him too! i love his talks! Anyways love you guys!

Elder Strong

Week 96

Well sounds like you guys had a really great week! Jacob almost bro! You got to score a TD before I get back bro! And Kay mann whats up bro no goals this week? 

Well this week was really great! 

Martes: well we started off the day by getting lost looking for an address, but eventually after contacting a few people in the street we ran into some members from another ward, who helped us out , and we were able to talk with them for a while which was cool. Later we eventually arrived where we had planned on going. It was cool because we are teaching a less active and he introduced us to his girl friend who is super interested in the church so that was legit!

Miercoles: well we had zone conference we talked a lot about being obedient with exactness, so that was cool! Then later in the night we had FHE with a family and invited Maria who is super shy, too shy, but it was cool to get her to open up as we played some cool games!

Jueves: We didnt have any lessons :(, but it was still a great day! because a member called telling us how her friends dad wanted a blessing because he was in the hospital receiving a heart transplant. So went and it was a great experience the spirit was so strong. And the family also wanted a preisthood blessing for spiritual strength. And we were able to share a brief message with them. 

Viernes: We had to go to another area to interview an investigator getting baptized, and then in the night we had a lesson with Carlos, Cathrine´s husband so that was cool. we read the book of mormon with them and told him how he could recieve an answer to find out if the book of Mormon is true! The spirit was so strong!

Sabado: we went to the Park and gave service which super fun, plus we saw some iguanas!! Later we came home and cleaned the house super good! And then we had our actvity in the chapel. We did Lehi´s dream it was super cool, I was someone trying to get the people to let go of the iron rod and play poker jaja. But altogether everyone had a ton of fun!

Domingo: Well we went to San martin and lets just Maria has another baptism Date we had a really great lesson and it was just amazing I dont know how to explain it but it was powerful. The date is for the 24th of this month. If you guys could pray for her that would be awesome!!! 

Well toady we had transfer and ....... we are both staying here! It is going to be the best transfer! Also we bought a couple of cool things in the plaza! 

thanks Mom for evrything you are the best! I love you all have a great week! Juicios!!! 

Elder Fuerte