The title says it all! We've got transfers.
So for the first time ever.....I'm staying here in Engativá! This is the first time that I have ever had more than three months in an area. And more my comp (elder Mendoza) is heading off to Cucuta, leaving me with a new companion. His name is....well we don´t know yet. See, he doesn't get to the mission until tomorrow. But I'll be sure to let you know his name when I get it, okay? =D Listo.
So, what more is there to say.....umm. Love you all lots? Oh, I am almost old! In ten more days I'll have a year in front and a year behind. Tan linda.
Love you lots =D
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
One other thing =D
Okay so I think it is about time I tell you all one more thing that kind of happened.
So you all know how I've never broken a bone in my life? Well, not quite true. You see, about a month ago, when we preparing for the baptism of Daniel, I leaned against a door in the chapel and well, it fell open. I hit my elbow on the ground, hard. It HURT like the DICKENS. I got to the house somehow and put it in ice water. When I got to the hospital on Monday it was so swollen, it looked like a small melon. I got an X-ray, and then the doc gave me the news. I had broken my left elbow on the outside (okay the bone that sits on the left side of the elbow) and torn the ligaments a bit on the inside. The doctor put me in a sling, gave me painkillers, and told me to do an exercise rotating my wrist and to come back in two weeks for a consult. Also, no sports for three months. Miss football. =(
So, I had two weeks with a sling (a very stylish navy blue, Lyric, I know you'd want to know) and then headed back to the doctor (which happens to be on the other side of Bogota, only an hour ride in taxi). I saw the doctor and he did a bunch of tests to see how my flexibility and movement of my elbow is progressing. I was able to do almost every thing except touch my shoulder and fully extend my arm. After all that, he said I don't need surgery, I don't need a cast, and, from that point on, I didn't even have to use the sling. He said I was incredibly lucky and that it is healing very fast, unusually so. What a blessing! I think I owe that too my companion, who gave me a priesthood blessing minutes after the accident. What a wonderful power that God has given to man, to be able to bless and to heal. Now, I am able to move my left arm in the same manner as the right, as if I never had broken my elbow. Milagroso. Gloria a Dios. =D
Love you all. The only reason I didn't tell you earlier is because I didn't want to worry.
So you all know how I've never broken a bone in my life? Well, not quite true. You see, about a month ago, when we preparing for the baptism of Daniel, I leaned against a door in the chapel and well, it fell open. I hit my elbow on the ground, hard. It HURT like the DICKENS. I got to the house somehow and put it in ice water. When I got to the hospital on Monday it was so swollen, it looked like a small melon. I got an X-ray, and then the doc gave me the news. I had broken my left elbow on the outside (okay the bone that sits on the left side of the elbow) and torn the ligaments a bit on the inside. The doctor put me in a sling, gave me painkillers, and told me to do an exercise rotating my wrist and to come back in two weeks for a consult. Also, no sports for three months. Miss football. =(So, I had two weeks with a sling (a very stylish navy blue, Lyric, I know you'd want to know) and then headed back to the doctor (which happens to be on the other side of Bogota, only an hour ride in taxi). I saw the doctor and he did a bunch of tests to see how my flexibility and movement of my elbow is progressing. I was able to do almost every thing except touch my shoulder and fully extend my arm. After all that, he said I don't need surgery, I don't need a cast, and, from that point on, I didn't even have to use the sling. He said I was incredibly lucky and that it is healing very fast, unusually so. What a blessing! I think I owe that too my companion, who gave me a priesthood blessing minutes after the accident. What a wonderful power that God has given to man, to be able to bless and to heal. Now, I am able to move my left arm in the same manner as the right, as if I never had broken my elbow. Milagroso. Gloria a Dios. =D
Love you all. The only reason I didn't tell you earlier is because I didn't want to worry.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
So tired.....
This week has been a long one. Fun, but long. And very, very busy. So I passed Thursday traveling from one side of Bogota to the other for a special appointment and then I went and got sick. I spent all of Friday sick in bed with some flu bug. That was really fun. So, because my companion and I were out of action for two days (three if you count P-day, four if you count Monday as well.) we were working like maniacs all Saturday. We left the house at ten and worked straight until nine without even taking break for lunch. We did a lot day and even more on Sunday. In the end, we met all our goals after having done the work of one week in two days. That was hard, but in the end one of the most satisfying things I have ever done.
I had interchanges with Elder Porflit on Monday. Enjoyed it a lot too, because he is one of my best friends here in the mission. We both have the same amount of time in the mission and he was in my first district when I was in Zipaquirá. He has changed a lot. He's got a better manner of teaching and working as well as a little bit more belly. He is the funniest, craziest, and best Chilean that I have ever met. He said I have changed a lot too. Why is it that you can rarely see the changes in you? Only see those in others. Ah well.
We are having a lot of success with our investigators and we are putting forth our best effort to get them baptized. I believe the key lies in their testimony of the Book of Mormon, so we are going to be swinging by their houses to verify how each one is going with said commitment. I want Oscar baptized, but he still has a few fears that we need to address before he takes the plunge. He is great and is especially interested in the temple. I think we'll be taking him there for a special lesson.
Speaking of the temple, I got to go this morning. Yep, here in Bogota we are very lucky to live within an hour of the temple and have a chance to visit every three months. It was really something to go back, as the last time I was there was about seven months ago and with much less Spanish than now. This time I got a lot more out of it and had a hard time leaving the celestial room when it was time to go. I think I was the last to leave. Spent the rest of the day running errands and getting ready for transfers, which are this Sunday. I can't believe that it is that time again.
Really, the mission goes by so fast. In two weeks, I hit my hump day (Feb 17), that point at which I have a year behind and a year to come. Everyone says that the second is a lot faster than the first, but having seen how fast the first was, i can't see how it is possible that the second could be faster. The other thing that goes by really fast is internet time. Got to be going, will write you next week.
Love ya´ll
Elder (Gabe) Rallison
I had interchanges with Elder Porflit on Monday. Enjoyed it a lot too, because he is one of my best friends here in the mission. We both have the same amount of time in the mission and he was in my first district when I was in Zipaquirá. He has changed a lot. He's got a better manner of teaching and working as well as a little bit more belly. He is the funniest, craziest, and best Chilean that I have ever met. He said I have changed a lot too. Why is it that you can rarely see the changes in you? Only see those in others. Ah well.
We are having a lot of success with our investigators and we are putting forth our best effort to get them baptized. I believe the key lies in their testimony of the Book of Mormon, so we are going to be swinging by their houses to verify how each one is going with said commitment. I want Oscar baptized, but he still has a few fears that we need to address before he takes the plunge. He is great and is especially interested in the temple. I think we'll be taking him there for a special lesson.
Speaking of the temple, I got to go this morning. Yep, here in Bogota we are very lucky to live within an hour of the temple and have a chance to visit every three months. It was really something to go back, as the last time I was there was about seven months ago and with much less Spanish than now. This time I got a lot more out of it and had a hard time leaving the celestial room when it was time to go. I think I was the last to leave. Spent the rest of the day running errands and getting ready for transfers, which are this Sunday. I can't believe that it is that time again.
Really, the mission goes by so fast. In two weeks, I hit my hump day (Feb 17), that point at which I have a year behind and a year to come. Everyone says that the second is a lot faster than the first, but having seen how fast the first was, i can't see how it is possible that the second could be faster. The other thing that goes by really fast is internet time. Got to be going, will write you next week.
Love ya´ll
Elder (Gabe) Rallison
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Busy times
Things are moving along swiftly here in Colombia. My companion and I have been working like crazy. Our zone leaders presented a plan so that we look at and measure our progress on our weekly goals day by day.
My comp and I have been doing that and wow, our success is shooting through the roof. We are going to be shooting to break the mission record for contacts this next week. Wish us luck!!!
Our investigators are all doing very well, but are having a few problems with their families. Yeah, that's a first, everyone has the same problem. It is the whole idea that well....my family is Catholic (or Cristian) and what would they think if I were to go and change..... How do you work with that? My best answer is ....Who is more important? What is more important? What God wants? Or what your family wants?..... Well, we are doing our best. Either they will do it or not. We are here to invite, but they are the ones who have to accept the invitation.
Today, being prep day, we had a district activity. We went to Monserrate, a 17th century Catholic church built on the top of mountain. We had to take the good ol' TransMilienio (Bogota's metro) and then walk about eight blocks to get to the base of the mountain. Then, we had a very enjoyable cable car ride to the top. We walked around the top of the mountain enjoying very much the shops (one of which was selling coca leaves....yes, those coca leaves) and checked out a very creepy old church. Really, there is something about this place that just left me with goosebumps. All in all though, it was a fun activity with some great views of Bogota.
And that's all folks! Love ya all!
Chao!
-Elder Rallison
My comp and I have been doing that and wow, our success is shooting through the roof. We are going to be shooting to break the mission record for contacts this next week. Wish us luck!!!
Our investigators are all doing very well, but are having a few problems with their families. Yeah, that's a first, everyone has the same problem. It is the whole idea that well....my family is Catholic (or Cristian) and what would they think if I were to go and change..... How do you work with that? My best answer is ....Who is more important? What is more important? What God wants? Or what your family wants?..... Well, we are doing our best. Either they will do it or not. We are here to invite, but they are the ones who have to accept the invitation.
Today, being prep day, we had a district activity. We went to Monserrate, a 17th century Catholic church built on the top of mountain. We had to take the good ol' TransMilienio (Bogota's metro) and then walk about eight blocks to get to the base of the mountain. Then, we had a very enjoyable cable car ride to the top. We walked around the top of the mountain enjoying very much the shops (one of which was selling coca leaves....yes, those coca leaves) and checked out a very creepy old church. Really, there is something about this place that just left me with goosebumps. All in all though, it was a fun activity with some great views of Bogota.
And that's all folks! Love ya all!
Chao!
-Elder Rallison
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
New life in the work
Wow. What a week. I seriously don't think I've ever worked as hard in my mission before. This past Saturday, we had interchanges with the missionaries from the MTC here in Colombia. I worked for the day with two awesome elders from Venezuela, Elder Colmenares y Elder Benitez. They were so cool. We worked like crazy, contacting, teaching, working, working, working. The best part is that after I felt as if I Had my "greenie fire" reignited (greenie fire is what we call that newbie desire to work). With them, in one day we found eight new investigators. So much fun. =D And to end the day, we ate tamales that one of the families in the ward were selling so that their son can buy his military exemption (military service is required here in Colombia, unless you pay a ~$400 fee).
After all that, we just had to keep it up. And we did. For the rest of the week, my companion and I kept up an incredible pace. By the end of the week, we had contacted more than 160 people! What craziness. Now we just have to make sure that we can keep it up this week. We've got a good start, now we just have to keep it up. We are teaching a lot of people, among my favorites are all the awesome black guys from the coast. They are so stinking funny. We have one named Oscar who always addresses us as Amigo Rallison and Amigo Mendoza. They also have such a funny clipped accent. But they are seriously my favorites. I have noticed that here in Engativá most everybody is from somewhere else. From Boyaca, from Duitama, from Santa Marta, from Baranquilla (like Shakira), from Ibague, from Pasto, but I have yet to meet anyone who is really from here in Engativá.
Well, I think that's about it. But of course, I can't end without a spiritual message for all of you. I have been reading and thinking a lot lately about gratitude. Gratitude is, to me, really the key to happiness. An ungrateful person can have everything and still not feel satisfied, while a grateful person, who might have very few possessions, is always happy with the abundance with which they have been blessed. Many times, it helps to take a moment and look. Look at all the manners in which you have been blessed in your life. And really, it is a commandment (verse D&C 59:7). I would like to invite each of you to say thanks. To your Heavenly Father. To other people. It really does help.
Thanks to each and every one of you. Thanks Dad. Thanks Mom. Thanks Skye. Thanks Lyric. Thanks Eli. Thanks Jonah. Thanks Isaac. Thanks to my teachers. To my friends. Thanks to my leaders. Thanks to my family. Thanks to each and every one of you who had touched my life and helped make me who I am today. Thank you.
Elder Rallison
After all that, we just had to keep it up. And we did. For the rest of the week, my companion and I kept up an incredible pace. By the end of the week, we had contacted more than 160 people! What craziness. Now we just have to make sure that we can keep it up this week. We've got a good start, now we just have to keep it up. We are teaching a lot of people, among my favorites are all the awesome black guys from the coast. They are so stinking funny. We have one named Oscar who always addresses us as Amigo Rallison and Amigo Mendoza. They also have such a funny clipped accent. But they are seriously my favorites. I have noticed that here in Engativá most everybody is from somewhere else. From Boyaca, from Duitama, from Santa Marta, from Baranquilla (like Shakira), from Ibague, from Pasto, but I have yet to meet anyone who is really from here in Engativá.
Well, I think that's about it. But of course, I can't end without a spiritual message for all of you. I have been reading and thinking a lot lately about gratitude. Gratitude is, to me, really the key to happiness. An ungrateful person can have everything and still not feel satisfied, while a grateful person, who might have very few possessions, is always happy with the abundance with which they have been blessed. Many times, it helps to take a moment and look. Look at all the manners in which you have been blessed in your life. And really, it is a commandment (verse D&C 59:7). I would like to invite each of you to say thanks. To your Heavenly Father. To other people. It really does help.
Thanks to each and every one of you. Thanks Dad. Thanks Mom. Thanks Skye. Thanks Lyric. Thanks Eli. Thanks Jonah. Thanks Isaac. Thanks to my teachers. To my friends. Thanks to my leaders. Thanks to my family. Thanks to each and every one of you who had touched my life and helped make me who I am today. Thank you.
Elder Rallison
Pues
Bueno, to start, sorry that this message is a little late. I'll be explaining why in a moment.
This past week, we had a zone conference here with president hacking. It was really cool, with the focus being on.....well....focusing. He and the assistants talked about how we need to focus ourselves, much like a pair of binoculars, so that we can have a clearer vision of where we are going and what we are going to do. To help with that, we've had a change of P-day from Monday to Wednesday so that everyone is more focused on Sundays. For that, I am writing today. We had a great activity where we took little paper sheep and wrote on them what we are going to "sacrifice" in order to be better missionaries. Each of us then took them and burned them on an altar that had been constructed outside. Really cool idea, I think I´ll have to use that in the future...=)
Also, we baptized Daniel Cruz this past Saturday. The service was a little rough and we started about half an hour late, but in the end it all turned out really well. He is a great kid, just a little quiet. Reminds me a lot of myself.
So, lately we've had to put a lot of focus on finding and on setting baptismal dates. We've been having a lot of success in that realm, now we just have to make sure that they all come to church. That will be the moment of truth.
Well, not much more to say, the rain continues, it has let up a bit, but it still continues. Hope you all have a great week and most of all that Skye has a great B-day tomorrow.
Love you all!!!!
-Elder Rallison
This past week, we had a zone conference here with president hacking. It was really cool, with the focus being on.....well....focusing. He and the assistants talked about how we need to focus ourselves, much like a pair of binoculars, so that we can have a clearer vision of where we are going and what we are going to do. To help with that, we've had a change of P-day from Monday to Wednesday so that everyone is more focused on Sundays. For that, I am writing today. We had a great activity where we took little paper sheep and wrote on them what we are going to "sacrifice" in order to be better missionaries. Each of us then took them and burned them on an altar that had been constructed outside. Really cool idea, I think I´ll have to use that in the future...=)
Also, we baptized Daniel Cruz this past Saturday. The service was a little rough and we started about half an hour late, but in the end it all turned out really well. He is a great kid, just a little quiet. Reminds me a lot of myself.
So, lately we've had to put a lot of focus on finding and on setting baptismal dates. We've been having a lot of success in that realm, now we just have to make sure that they all come to church. That will be the moment of truth.
Well, not much more to say, the rain continues, it has let up a bit, but it still continues. Hope you all have a great week and most of all that Skye has a great B-day tomorrow.
Love you all!!!!
-Elder Rallison
Monday, January 3, 2011
Same Old...But with a New Year!!!
So, all is well here in Engativa. Everything continues as normal, without any real changes to report. Just a few cool things.
We celebrated New Years in Dorado as a district. We ate hot dogs in two different styles, Chilean Completos and American Chili-Cheese Dogs. Yeah, only 3 of the 6 were from Chilie. As such, THEY had their celebration a little early, at 10. Man they were crazy. The rest of us just celebrated with the Colombians. Happy New Year!!!!!
When we got to church we had a surprise. Jonathan has now bought a new suit and has had a haircut! Really, his hair is now really short, almost as short as mine is! And better yet, he blessed the Sacrament. I love being able to watch my converts progress, it is really something special.
So, really, there's not much more to say. The rain continues here in Colombia, Elder Mendoza is great, I'm healthy, um..... really....Not much more than that. Hope you all have a great new year!!!
-Elder Rallison
We celebrated New Years in Dorado as a district. We ate hot dogs in two different styles, Chilean Completos and American Chili-Cheese Dogs. Yeah, only 3 of the 6 were from Chilie. As such, THEY had their celebration a little early, at 10. Man they were crazy. The rest of us just celebrated with the Colombians. Happy New Year!!!!!
When we got to church we had a surprise. Jonathan has now bought a new suit and has had a haircut! Really, his hair is now really short, almost as short as mine is! And better yet, he blessed the Sacrament. I love being able to watch my converts progress, it is really something special.
So, really, there's not much more to say. The rain continues here in Colombia, Elder Mendoza is great, I'm healthy, um..... really....Not much more than that. Hope you all have a great new year!!!
-Elder Rallison
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
