Life goes on. This has been a long past week with a lot of crazy happenings. We have been working like crazy and are finally getting results. We've got several of our investigators now preparing for baptism in the coming weeks and hopefully all will come through. The members here have really started to take part in the work. One sister took us to meet her cousin and her family, they now have baptismal dates for the last week of April. Love it when everything just works out like that.
This past Friday we had a ward activity that will bow be taking place every Friday. We call it Super Friday! Cool right? In this past one, I jumped rope! I actually did pretty well for someone dressed in shirt and tie. Go about 15 good hops in before they went and sped up on me. No fair, but oh well, what's one to do.
This Monday was fun as we had a zone meeting that morning. Only problem was that they called us about half an hour before to let us know that the meeting was in Funza (very far away) instead of in Alejandria (relatively close). So we went running out of the house and took a bus for and hour to get there and guess what, we started half an hour later because the zone leaders got there late. Well, yeah, it was good, but quite the journey.
Today we played soccer (again I know), ate pizza, and played ping pong as a zone. One of the missionaries, Elder Porflit, actually played semi-professional ping pong in Chile. I'm proud to say that I scored against him. Once. Final score 1-11. Yay!
So without more news to share I'll have to stop there, with a commitment to you all to take better notes so I know what to write.
Love you all,
Elder Rallison
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Crazyness
Two weeks news in one email. See how this goes.
So, I'm now starting my fourth transfer here in Engativá and I'm continuing with Elder Quiñonez. The last two weeks have been really busy work wise, but with rather few results. We have been working a lot with getting the members here involved in the work as well as looking for new investigators. We've got a great family that we are working with Diego and Maijorie and their son Diego Jr (he's 8, I love how perfectly the things work out). They are good, but only the Diegos could come to church last Sunday as Maijorie was in bed sick. Hope we can get all of them to church this Sunday. We've also got Estefani, who we are going to baptize on April 9th. She actually is pretty much a member of the Church, she lives with her grandparents who have been members for more than 40 years and only hadn't been baptized before because her Catholic father didn't want her to. But now, she is going to get baptized so that's all good.
On the Sunday of stake conference, everything went....well....it went. I did my part well, but the choir was the most mixed up, off key, group that I have ever heard. Sister Kennedy would have cried had she been there. The talks were good though, especially, Sister Hacking's. She talked about making sure we are in places and in a state of mind in which we can feel the subtle promptings of the Spirit. She shared the story of when Christ came to the Americas (3 Nephi 11) and when God introduced Him from the heavens. God announced it three times, but the people didn't understand it until the third time when they were attentively listening. We all need to be sure that we are listening to hear that still small voice when it comes. There is not much more important for us missionaries than the Spirit.
Last Wednesday I went to the center of town with another gringo from my zone so that he could do his trunky shopping. I found some cool stuff, such as knock off cologne that costs $2.50. How cool is that! And it actually smells really good. Can't beat that deal.
Today we took it a little easier and just cleaned house and played card games such as Monopoly Deal and Uno. Also went and got groceries and we got haircuts. Mine is short, but still not as short as that one time....
I'd like to thank you all for your loving help and support in this work. Thank you for you prayers and your love. It means more to me than you could imagine. Really.
Love you all,
Elder Rallison
So, I'm now starting my fourth transfer here in Engativá and I'm continuing with Elder Quiñonez. The last two weeks have been really busy work wise, but with rather few results. We have been working a lot with getting the members here involved in the work as well as looking for new investigators. We've got a great family that we are working with Diego and Maijorie and their son Diego Jr (he's 8, I love how perfectly the things work out). They are good, but only the Diegos could come to church last Sunday as Maijorie was in bed sick. Hope we can get all of them to church this Sunday. We've also got Estefani, who we are going to baptize on April 9th. She actually is pretty much a member of the Church, she lives with her grandparents who have been members for more than 40 years and only hadn't been baptized before because her Catholic father didn't want her to. But now, she is going to get baptized so that's all good.
On the Sunday of stake conference, everything went....well....it went. I did my part well, but the choir was the most mixed up, off key, group that I have ever heard. Sister Kennedy would have cried had she been there. The talks were good though, especially, Sister Hacking's. She talked about making sure we are in places and in a state of mind in which we can feel the subtle promptings of the Spirit. She shared the story of when Christ came to the Americas (3 Nephi 11) and when God introduced Him from the heavens. God announced it three times, but the people didn't understand it until the third time when they were attentively listening. We all need to be sure that we are listening to hear that still small voice when it comes. There is not much more important for us missionaries than the Spirit.
Last Wednesday I went to the center of town with another gringo from my zone so that he could do his trunky shopping. I found some cool stuff, such as knock off cologne that costs $2.50. How cool is that! And it actually smells really good. Can't beat that deal.
Today we took it a little easier and just cleaned house and played card games such as Monopoly Deal and Uno. Also went and got groceries and we got haircuts. Mine is short, but still not as short as that one time....
I'd like to thank you all for your loving help and support in this work. Thank you for you prayers and your love. It means more to me than you could imagine. Really.
Love you all,
Elder Rallison
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Howdy y'all
Great week, not much new, just the normal.
Sorry, I'm sending this a little late, but our area was without electricity for a good part of the afternoon.
Choir practice went....well..... this week. The men are singing a little better as we had to change them to singing melody with the sopranos instead of singing the tenor part. I guess this is easier for them (for Kolob). They are still entering offbeat in the other song, but hope that all gets worked out. We've got another practice this Saturday to (hopefully) finalize everything and get it sounding good. Please pray for them (and me) we are going to need it.
As well as musical practice, I had interchanges on Monday with Elder Ponce. He's good, but we didn't have much of a chance to work as I was stuck in the bathroom almost all day with some stomach bug. I feel better now, but still am missing a little to be 100%.
Well, that´s it for now. Not much, but you know what they say, no news is good news.
Love you all lots,
Elder (Gabe) Rallison
Sorry, I'm sending this a little late, but our area was without electricity for a good part of the afternoon.
Choir practice went....well..... this week. The men are singing a little better as we had to change them to singing melody with the sopranos instead of singing the tenor part. I guess this is easier for them (for Kolob). They are still entering offbeat in the other song, but hope that all gets worked out. We've got another practice this Saturday to (hopefully) finalize everything and get it sounding good. Please pray for them (and me) we are going to need it.
As well as musical practice, I had interchanges on Monday with Elder Ponce. He's good, but we didn't have much of a chance to work as I was stuck in the bathroom almost all day with some stomach bug. I feel better now, but still am missing a little to be 100%.
Well, that´s it for now. Not much, but you know what they say, no news is good news.
Love you all lots,
Elder (Gabe) Rallison
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Not much new...ah well, maybe a bit
Went and worked with one of the newbies from the MTC this past Saturday. Was cool, he didn't talk a lot though. He was a little shy. But that's why they send 'em here, so they can change. I learned a bit too. Like, when it rains (and hails) and half your area loses electricity, that is not a good time for contacting.
We had choir practice this past Sunday. It lasted three hours. The problem was that the men kept on entering late each verse of "If you could hie to Kolob" and several weren't even singing their part. Instead, they were off singing melody with the sopranos. So, the chior director put up a bet, to see if they could possibly pull it together. They didn't, and now they have the privilege of bringing five fried chickens (complete with fries, arepa, and plátano) to the next rehearsal. =D Epic win (for me)/epic fail (for them). And all in all, epic feedback (I am not sure how many of you will understand that, but okay).
On Monday we visited a cool family. The Linarez family. They are cool. The grandparents are members. Well, a bit more than just members, they are pioneers in the church here in Colombia. They've only been members for 41 years now. The sister Linarez shared the complete history of the church in Colombia with us. It only took about an hour and a half. Funny thing is, their grandchildren (thanks to the father) aren't members yet. We are working with them, and ...we...are....going....to...baptize.....them. Someday. The older of the grandchildren (has sixteen years) loves aptitude puzzles. They are supposed to show how outside of the box you think. Well, I got.....3 of 10. But really, they are weird, and in Spanish (so I have a handicap, it's not my native tongue).
Yesterday it also rained a lot, so we had a hard time getting much done. We had a great appointment with Maijorie, an investigator that we found knocking doors. So we entered and she asked us if we wanted something to drink. We said yes, and she came out with two steaming mug of....coffee. Yikes! So, we started out explaining why we don't drink it, and ended up teaching the Word of Wisdom and the Restoration (as she didn't really understand it the first time). She was really impressed. Especially with the promise of long life. So she asked, how long does someone live doing this? Well.....President Hinckley lived until 97. She is like, no way. Yeah way. Suffice to say she is now committed to follow the WoW. Now we just have to get her married to her boyfriend. Grrrr. Later that night the electricity went out (but this time for only four hours, on Saturday it was six hours). It was a little creepy without the light, but we lived.
Well, that's all folks. But don't cry, I'll be writing again in a week.
Love y'all.
-Elder (Gabe) Rallison
We had choir practice this past Sunday. It lasted three hours. The problem was that the men kept on entering late each verse of "If you could hie to Kolob" and several weren't even singing their part. Instead, they were off singing melody with the sopranos. So, the chior director put up a bet, to see if they could possibly pull it together. They didn't, and now they have the privilege of bringing five fried chickens (complete with fries, arepa, and plátano) to the next rehearsal. =D Epic win (for me)/epic fail (for them). And all in all, epic feedback (I am not sure how many of you will understand that, but okay).
On Monday we visited a cool family. The Linarez family. They are cool. The grandparents are members. Well, a bit more than just members, they are pioneers in the church here in Colombia. They've only been members for 41 years now. The sister Linarez shared the complete history of the church in Colombia with us. It only took about an hour and a half. Funny thing is, their grandchildren (thanks to the father) aren't members yet. We are working with them, and ...we...are....going....to...baptize.....them. Someday. The older of the grandchildren (has sixteen years) loves aptitude puzzles. They are supposed to show how outside of the box you think. Well, I got.....3 of 10. But really, they are weird, and in Spanish (so I have a handicap, it's not my native tongue).
Yesterday it also rained a lot, so we had a hard time getting much done. We had a great appointment with Maijorie, an investigator that we found knocking doors. So we entered and she asked us if we wanted something to drink. We said yes, and she came out with two steaming mug of....coffee. Yikes! So, we started out explaining why we don't drink it, and ended up teaching the Word of Wisdom and the Restoration (as she didn't really understand it the first time). She was really impressed. Especially with the promise of long life. So she asked, how long does someone live doing this? Well.....President Hinckley lived until 97. She is like, no way. Yeah way. Suffice to say she is now committed to follow the WoW. Now we just have to get her married to her boyfriend. Grrrr. Later that night the electricity went out (but this time for only four hours, on Saturday it was six hours). It was a little creepy without the light, but we lived.
Well, that's all folks. But don't cry, I'll be writing again in a week.
Love y'all.
-Elder (Gabe) Rallison
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