May 30th

VIEW OF CONDEGA
FROM THE TOP OF THE TOWER

In his letter this week, I asked him what he does as Branch President to prepare for church each week.

Well I don't have a ton of time today, sorry guys, but Sundays work a little like this.  We take the chairs to church.  We set it all up in this little house, and then we pass by our investigators.

TRANSPORTING CHAIRS TO CHURCH

We prepare the agenda a day before and sometimes Sunday morning if we forget.  During the week we ask people if they are willing to speak or do prayers, it's pretty cool. We actually got sick this week. We had the flu and my back kinda hurts, so that was a tough, but other than that we are doing good. We bought some food, and I had to go to Estelli.  This week has been a little stressful, but it's all good. I love you a ton!!!  

P-DAY WITH FRIENDS

We hung out here in Condega with our converts today.  We took pictures, went sight seeing, and ate carne asada at their house, it was really fun.  

(It's so nice to have access to the mission blogs in Nicaragua.  The nurse, Sister Bell, posted this in her blog after they went to Condega, and I sent it to Easton.)
The members meet every Saturday Evening for a group social, like a Family Home Evening. It was supposed to start at 5:30, but it didn’t start until after 6pm….. Nicaragua time. The Elders reviewed the Plan of Salvation, making it a game. It was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed themselves. The Elders have a lot of energy, work well together, love the people and the people love them, especially the youth. 
This was his response when I asked him if he read that part of the letter.  Ya it made me feel happy.  We had a blast with the Bells when they came.  Hermana Bell is just like Grandma. It made me think about you guys a lot.

May 23rd

Hey guys,

DISTRICT HIKING TRIP

Everything is going good down here in Nicaragua. This week was awesome!!!!!! Even though we did not spend a ton of time in the area, we managed to make a difference with the help of the lord!!!! Something that I learned this week is that we gotta learn from the people we are with. I love my companion, but sometimes we fight because of differences of opinion.  

I'm a pretty prideful guy, and always think I'm right, so I have lost a lot of opportunities to learn from him. This week I have done my best to just let things go and be humble, to learn from my companion.  He has taught me to love the people and teach with true intent. This week, we learned together that to have the spirit in a lesson you gotta be listening to the needs of the people and you got go into it with joy. If we teach without happiness, without joy, without being excited, talking with the people and involving them with activities and examples, nobody will want to listen. We have found that as we better our way of teaching, the people commit and follow through more often and more easily. The Lord had blessed us immensely in these past weeks, and we will do our best to receive the blessings of the Lord here in Condega!!!!

Condega May 16th Family Baptism

Hey guys we had a killer week this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The family Benavidez got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was super cool but a ton of work. We had to find a lawyer and get the papers together and on top of all that make sure everyone was ready for the baptism. In the end everything worked out, almost the entire branch showed up to the baptism. We took a bunch of photos.

After words we ate chicken with rice, pretty dope. We are very grateful for this family.  From the beginning, they have had the desire to get married and baptized, and have come a very long way. Hermana Nubia has been reading the Book of Mormon for 3 or 4 weeks, thanks to that, her testimony and desire to change has been solid. She took out her papers, she animated the family,  and thanks to her, we were able to have this miracle.

I know that anyone who reads the Book of Mormon will feel the power of the spirit and will know the truth. You don't have to read a ton. You don't have to understand everything, you just gotta have the desire to know and you're golden!!!

April 25th Condega

Hey guys I don't have much time to write, sorry.  But there are 6 people in the district. The most awesome member is Rosa and the area is really humble and accepting!!!! I gtg guys sorry, but I love you a ton Hayden and Alex thank you for writing me.  ( I sent him Prom photos and band concert photos of his brothers)  Hayden so swag!!!! Alex so dope and so grown up man I'm so pumped for you!! Sorry guys, I didn't have much time to write this week but here are some awesome pics of the pupusas we made!!!!!

Love you

April 18th

Hey guys the week went well,

I feel kind of bad though, because I  ran out of stuff to talk about.  It either went well or it didn't go well.  BUT, Everything was cool this week. When you go to church and keep the commandments God recognizes that you want to succeed and he helps you out with your dreams and your goals.  You can and will accomplish so much in this life, you just gotta play it cool and do the things God needs you to do.  When you're tempted just look the other way, and chase your dreams and do what's right.  We are going to pass by more frequently to help the members out. "The street of Gold" came to church again.  The husband is super awesome and super receptive and wants to change but certain things and his friends are not helping at all. We have faith that he will change and we have plans to pass by every day to keep him progressing. This week, thanks to my companion Elder Alfaro, I learned that in the mish you gotta balance the animo of the members. If they aren't excited then everything falls. As missionaries we gotta be excited and happy. We just gotta keep fighting with a smile on our face.  God loves you and he is super pumped to help you out, but to get his help you gotta help him out.

Love You Guys!!!

This blog was written using pieces from his letter this week and a letter to our family.

April 11th Branch President

Hey guys this week went fantastically.
So, I'm sitting outside our house.  It's morning time.  I just finished washing my clothes  by hand, and now I'm writing a letter to you guys while laying in my hammock.  The week went pretty well.  I experienced my first Sunday in Condega, and it was pretty awesome.  Here in Condega the church is just beginning.  We meet in a sewing shop, and I am Branch President.  I really like it, but it is definitely a challenge.  The Lord has blessed me with a lot of responsibilities, but at the same time a huge opportunity for success.  I am still district leader, and I am training.  

We are working in an area so new that it's only been about in existence 5 or 6 months  It is very difficult, but I am learning a lot.  My zone leader, Elder Ferrin, has helped me a lot, and has taught me a lot about how to be a district leader.  With these responsibilities my point of view has changed a lot.  I feel as though I am becoming the missionary and person that God wants me to be.  I have become more patient and I have obtained a work ethic that will help me so much in the future.  
It was a toughie,  but in the end everything worked out super well. We managed to bring a family of 9 to church. Right now we are working in El Valle de Jesus, a cool little part of town that is super receptive. One of the streets has a woman that is going to get baptized. She showed us to her daughters, the daughters showed us to their friends, so now we are teaching almost the whole street. It's going really well here.  we finally managed to grab ahold of the area and find some super awesome people!!!!!!  I want to thank you Mom and Dad for putting up with me and getting me out on the mission.  These experiences I have had and will have are changing my life.

April 4th

Hey guys,
The week went pretty well. My new companion is from El Salvador.  Elder Alfaro and I are working pretty well, but I know we can do better.  Condega is a poorer area, and it is hot much hotter than my previous district.  Our area Condega, has a huge amount of potential and we are barely scratching the surface. It's different than  La Trinidad. There are not many churches here.  The members in this area are super awesome. One member in particular is named Hermana Rosa, she passes by all the converts and members, and works with us frequently. Conference was super great, I loved it!!  Hey guys I'm so glad to hear from you.  Thank you so very much for writing to me.  I really do appreciate it.  It makes my week so great.  

 You guys are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!