Knowledge is liberating

Do they celebrate valentines day in Colombia?

Instead of celebrating valentines day, they make it the whole month of October! mes de amor y amistad! That's a bunch of love! As for my valentines day, just like every other holiday, I forgot and someone had to remind me. Happily Monday night I was in a meeting, and my whole group from the MTC was there. So we had 4 valentines! they were guys but, still cool! .....right!?

Yesterday i realized that there are only 3 elders that have more time my group. snikes.

I have been meaning to ask you, are the floods still an issue in Columbia? Did you ever have to deal with them?

They seem to have died down. My sector of Bogota is pretty well developed with the whole draining system. But some elders in Cucuta had to wade trough some knee deep water in some streets. FYI it's about to rain. but dont worry we got a covered soccer field booked at 2 in the afternoon!

This last Sunday we had a stake conference. We invited a family to go, they said they would go if we went to their church, we said ´´deal.´´ So they went to the stake conference, and yesterday, we went to their church. que cosa.

Basically, my experience yesterday just made me so glad to know where the truth is, because if I didn't I'd be standing up with my hands in the air for over an hour singing the same two songs. Lesson learned: Knowledge is liberating.

In that same conference we received a reference from other elders that a member had brought her family that lives in our area, and that her grandson wants to learn more. So later that day after an appointment fell through, we looked at the direction and realized it was on the other side of the alley. We went and enjoyed a great experience.

The Butrago family is a very well educated, just all around good family. They have always identified themselves with the catholic church. But the Felipe, 17 years old, told us that he likes how he feels in his grandma's church and they he wants to go back and learn more. Turned out he wasn't the only one. We knocked on the door and the dad let us right in. They had just finished lunch with a family from another ward. We talked with them for a little bit and they told they loved the conference. We then shared a message, the members there shared their testimonies, and the mom, Clara, shared with us how much she supported Felipe in his decision and that it would be a great blessing in his life, she then shared one of the most purest testimony I have heard. She told us how she had seen the blessings that her sister's family, that are members, have received and that she wants that for her family, and how she knew that if they keep going to church their family will be blessed too, and then she pleaded with her husband, holding his hand, with so much love so that he could open up his heart and learn more. He then told us that he believes what the church teaches is true, and that he wants all of his family to go to church and learn more. You could cut the Spirit with a knife it was so strong in that little room.

Thinking about how big of a impact Clara's sister family had on her made me thinking of the simple, one lined, definition of missionary work in la guia para las escrituras (which is like the topical guide in spanish). It states: ´´Misionary Work: To share the gospel of Jesus Christ by word and by example.´´

We are finding some great families. We're loving it.

I love you all!

Happy Valentines day!

e. adams

p.s. Great name choice Austin! viva Colombia!