August 1st, 2016 Zone Leader

Questions:
How did your testimony grow this week even though you had trials?
How was the conference in Managua?  
What is different this time because of the spiritual growth you've made? 
Who did you see that you haven't seen in a while?

Tell us funny things that you would tell us in person if we were there?

Thank you so much for writing me guys I really appreciate it. This week went really really well. We went to Managua on Tuesday for the new missionary meeting. It went well, Elder Thackeray, "my son", showed off his Spanish by answering questions and teaching. We got to hang out with all the awesome elders who were heading home this change, like Elder Knight, Jennings, and Sirian. We headed home, but got back super late, which kinda messed with the whole week. After the meeting, the week just kinda went down hill because we got a little sick.  That sucked the excitement out of us.

Hermano Cristobal's Baptism

But at the end of the week we  had the baptism of Hermano Cristobal!!! That kid is awesome. Ever since the beginning he has been going to church with us without us having to pass by a million times. He's about 16, but he wants to serve a mission and I know he will be able to. I can't wait to see the pics later. My testimony grew this week, not a lot, but it grew.  I realized that even though there are times when we have crappy weeks we can always do better the next  week. This week  I saw Elder Cedeño for the first time in a couple months, and it's because I'm in Chinandega west as Zone Leader with him!!!! I'm so pumped and super nervous, but like you said Dad I just gotta enjoy the time and help other people make things happen. Elder Cedeño and I go home together and we are going to throw fire together as well!!! Hayden congrats on the license, And Alex you gotta send me pics of scout camp and Legacy dude its going to be sick!!!!

This is from his letter to friends, family, and Elders.
Hey everybody this week was super super super dope, but at the same time it was super super difficult. Monday was awesome, we had a little lunch with the elders of the zone then we kinda just chilled. On Tuesday we went to Managua and that ride was a toughie (Easton gets car sick). It was so worth it but it was tough. We had an awesome meeting with President Poncio and learned a lot, but after Tuesday we were just tired, a little sick, and kinda disanimated. We did everything we could to work hard, the truth was I was not to excited to do it, but we did it!!!!! At the end of everything we killed it, we had a killer attendance, and we had a ton of investigators come to church. The hardest part was leaving the area. The converts were sad, but one family almost broke me. It was Hermano Freddy and Virginia. I was going good but when Hermano Freddy and Virginia cried, I almost lost it. With them, we worked super hard to get them to take the step of baptism and they are true converts. Freddy is so dope, I can picture him as a leader some day!!!!I went to Chindandega again with Elder cedeño, as zone leader, but leaving was tough.  Cedeño and I are going to kill it here in Chindandega!!!!.

http://sandmbell.blogspot.com/

This is also from the July 31st blog post for Elder Scott and Sister Michelle Bell.  I find their insight most helpful.  They often include details our Elders and Hermanas don't have in their emails.  This mission is blessed to have them serving in Nicaragua.

"There was a huge change this week-end as we have 28 missionaries going home and 27 new missionaries coming. We will miss many of these missionaries who have been leaders in the mission. But we are excited to see many of the missionaries we have been working closely with receive other assignments. Elder Scaggs from Condega is headed for Chin Oeste as a new zone leader. His personal touch will be missed in Condega but his enthusiasm is needed in Chin Oeste."

July 25th Condega Thackeray Companion

Questions:
Weather: How do you handle the rainy season? (shoes, boots, jacket, umbrella)  What do the streets look like when it floods?  Or is it the hot season right now?

Converts: What do you do when you teach them?  Do you start with your Go To scripture, or do you have a prayer first?  Of your coverts, who warms your heart, and who gives you yummy food?  

Couple: I think there is a new missionary couple in Esteli, do they work with you? 

We are in the rainy season down here. Here in Esteli it does not rain too much as compared to Chinandega and Leon, where it flooded every week. When it floods, the edges of the street fill first then expand outward until it's like a big river. When it rains hard it floods guaranteed, but here it just sprinkles. In fact this last week we were doing divisions and my companion Elder Thackeray got soaked in a flash torential rain flood.  All his shoes got wet, but it's all good now. With converts we try to keep it short so we can find more people but we pass by and read a scripture then ask for references. We play a game where everyone has to touch a part of the body and the one who touches the part last has to do the prayer, everyone likes that. There are a few converts like Hermana Virginia and Nubia, they are always very loving, always go to church, and always help us out when we need them to pass by members or give talks. Whenever we pass by, food is guaranteed!!! There is a missionary couple in Esteli, but I have not met them yet. We work with the Bells a lot. I GOT YOUR PACKAGE!!!!!! THANKS GUYS In fact, when we got it we were fasting and the next day we dug into those chocolates!!! They were so good, oh my gosh, thank you so much. 

The week went pretty well, Jade was baptized.  The photo is of her and her family.  

This next part is taken from a Blog post by Elder and Sister Bell regarding Jade's Baptism.

Sunday, July 24, 2016
Happy Pioneer Day…. We started with a baptism in Condega. A young 11-year-old girl was baptized in the River. We started with singing “I am a Child of God”. The members that were there did not know this song, so Sister Bell and I sang it for them. Then Elder Scaggs had us sing together all the verses. They seemed to pick up the song very well. Then Elder Thackeray found a deep spot without any rocks and performed the baptism.  She was confirmed that afternoon in Sacrament Meeting by Elder Scaggs. 

After the baptism, we picked up the chairs at the store where the Elders rent them and helped set up the sewing factory for church. While the Elders went to their lunch appointment, 

Sunday, July 31, 2016
This was a long and fulfilling day. We left Esteli about 8:30, headed for Church in Somoto. We made a quick stop in Condega to give Jade, a young 11-year-old girl, a picture of her baptism that we had taken the week before and framed. She was very excited and showed the Elders later in the day the picture. They said she was very excited to have it.

This next part is from their July 23rd post.  Their blog is such a blessing. 
We then went to Condega for the Friendshipping Meeting. Elder Scaggs taught a lesson about the Sacrament and then played a game. He comes up with the most entertaining games. This game had two people standing facing each other, with the arms stretched up, touching each other, forming a church. Then one person stands underneath them, being a member inside the church. There was one person that was out. This person yelled Iglesia, Santa Cena or Apostacia. If they said Iglesia, then the persons who were the churches had to move and create new churches. The person that was out tried to become a church, therefore leaving another person out. If the person yelled Santa Cena, then the people in the middle had to move, with the person who was out, trying to find a free spot inside a church, leaving another person out. If the person yelled Apostacia, then everyone had to move. It was a lot of fun. Where does he come up with these games…. He is amazing.

We visited the home of the grandmother of some of the new members. She has been investigating the church for a couple of months but has had a difficult time stop drinking coffee. She had not been feeling well, so we gave her a blessing. Elder Thackeray anointed her in English and Elder Scaggs sealed the anointing in Spanish and gave her a wonderful blessing.

This next part is from the letter he sends to friends at home and Elders he's met on his mission. I enjoy working with Elder Thakeray because he has high goals and is ready to work hard no matter what.  We are not going to be able to get the 13 baptisms this month, but we are loading up the next month. This week we have been working a lot with a few very awesome people.  We have Hermano Asdrubal, he needs to get married, but has been reading the Book of Mormon a ton, even more than some of our members. He understands it all and is ready to get baptized but he's just gotta get married. He even helps us bring his family to church on Sundays. It's really awesome to see how people who are very positive and full of doubts read the Book of Mormon. Little by little it has the power to change people.  We have another couple who are preparing themselves to get married and baptized. They are Darwin and Magali. They are very young,  they went to church already, and they love the lessons. We just need to get them a Book of Mormon to get them studying. They have a little baby who is so funny he laughs and laughs and is always smiling. We also have Darling and Kevin. They have gone to church and they love the hymns. They were singing and everything. Whenever we pass by to teach lessons it's super fun and they learn super fast. Normally at church we sing acapella, so it sounds pretty bad.  I'm leading the music, so we get lost a lot, so we bought a speaker, and now we're bumping hymns in the church. Everyone is able to follow along better. We also have a super dope family  leading the troop here in Condega. They are called the family Ramirez they have been passing through a ton of problems, from losing their job to getting the son- in-law thrown in jail. They have gotten really sad but they always go to church and they help us teach when they can. We will help the other families follow their example!!!!! 
Peace out guys love you

   THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME THROUGHOUT THIS AND GIVING ME GUIDANCE, IT HAS HELPED MORE THAN YOU THINK!!! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!