Love you! (week 89)

Hey Friends and Fam!

 

    Wow crazy week but don't have all the time in the world to write about it.  Wow, this weekend was sooooooo tiring but was highly anticipated and well-worth the long drive....so my week was good.  On Friday we left at 6pm for a 12 hour drive to Panama City. So I tried sleeping on the bus but didn't do well because of the freaking winding roads and it was soo cold on the bus.  But we got to the city in great time and got off the bus early at like 5am to stay the night with the zone leaders from the city. It was cool because they live in the first chapel that was built in Panama in a place, right by the Puente de Las Americas, called Balboa.  It’s no longer a ward but was awesome and I did a couple baptism interviews for them in two different areas that day. 

 

     The first was in an area that I have always wanted to go - a straight ghetto called Chorrillo...suuuper dangerous and I always wanted to see the area since it’s notorious in our mission - just huuuge apartment complexes that are straight trash - pretty gross area and must admit it made me a lil nervous.  I was with another gringo but it was cool. Then I went to the Vera Cruz area which is a suuuper cool place a little ways outside of the city- touristy and mostly Kunas with beautiful beaches.  It's my dream area but due to disobedience in the past Elders can’t serve there.  Then at 3pm we had the mission conference - it was sooo cool and Elder Soares is the freaking man!!  His testimony was awesome and the sprit was soooo strong...such a humble guy and the first ever Latino apostle!

 

     Then we rushed back to Albrook (the huge city bus terminal) and tried catching the direct bus to Bocas del Toro, but it had already left...was completely devastating because we were just a little late and missed it.  So we ended up having to take a bus to David then a chiva at 3 in the morning to Bocas…was sooo tiring because I didn't sleep much then either.  Yea, so I was nice and tired and pretty sleep deprived and we got to church late yesterday.  But we ended the week strong and I slept like a baby last night so it's all good.   Awesome weekend and I'm looking forward to finishing up this change strong…then I’ll be on to my last change in the mission...so crazy!!  I talked to pres a lil and he told me he was probably going to send me to end a little closer to the city because I’ll only have four weeks left when changes happen.  I really want to end my mission here but if I get changed I won't be too sad because experiencing another area of Panama would a fun adventure too.  I’m so excited to hit it hard these last weeks here! 

 

    It was pretty crazy in the mission conference seeing my couple of comps that still remain in the mission…sad stuff if I think too hard about it.  That was the first time in my entire mission that all of the missionaries were in one conference together.  When Elder Cook visited the mission the San Blas and Bocas del Toro zones didn't attend…so it was super special that we were able to be there to hear from Elder Soares.  

 

Love you all have a good week!!!!!

Elder Call

Grandpa's Call's Funeral (week 88)

Hey friends and fam! 

 

Wow, was just informed of grandpa’s passing.  Nobody had told me anything about it until now when Nick wrote me.  I know it’s a very sad time but at the same time what an amazing joy he feels now with grandma.  I am a firm believer of God and of his plan of salvation. I love Grandpa Call so much what an honor to be his grandkid.  He is an example to all and a down right amazing person…blessed to carry on his legacy here in Panama !   He lived an amazing life and he’s going straight to lo alto. 

 

Wow great week out here in Changuinola, better than ever out here. Also freaking pumped and praying and getting prepared extra hard because Elder Soares is coming to panama this saturday to talk to us!  I'm soo pumped and it will be the second time attending a mission conference with an apostle of the lord.  Awesome stuff but the drive is guna be suuuuch a drag.  We are about 13 hours from the city and we have to take a the night bus to not miss too much time teaching. I'm trying to convince pres to let us return here in a plane cus there's a litttle airport here but I doubt it will happen hahaha.

 

We had a baptism this weekend of that kid Mosiah and I feel sooo awesome and am so excited and happy because his family now has a goal of going on the bocas del toro temple trip in just a few weeks.. so we re-activated the heck out of the family!  So ya seeing a lot of success and working a lot with recent converts because man sometimes the recent converts get baptized and left by the missionaries and stop getting love and I hate that.  Pres is stressing the importance of working with them too.  Man All good out here though and these weeks have been so amazing and I've been working especially hard and with more happiness. Week was super special and I'm so honored to be a missionary.

 

The whole country of Panama is going crazy right now because these weeks are independence weeks which are huuuuge holidays for panama.  Everybody basically goes wild, and it ain't your average wild, because Panamanians are normally pretty wild but during these holidays they’re even more wild than normal hahaha.  So it was crazy here and there was a huge parade here and everyone was hammered and doing naughty stuff.  I felt so separated from it all but just looking at it from a spiritual viewpoint it was a nightmare haha…saw one or two naked people and other things that I can’t say over emails hahahaha.  Last year at this time I was still in san blas and I reflect more on that time of my mission than any other time. Even the kunas went crazy for this freaking holiday.

 

Wow speaking of kunas, I feel like God has blessed me with a gift. I can literally smell kunas…hahaha…I can just feel when they are around and when see then I just get talking in their language and they love it.  So we are literally teaching the only kuna families in the entire province and its been awesome.  One of the families is progressing and I hope they meet their baptism goal in two weeks.  So ya, Jackman is a good comp, super different and an interesting chap, but all is well.  Patience is the key with every comp (something I have worked on my whole mission and still struggle with haha) but I promise I have gotten more patient fam!  

 

Well, that's all I got... sooo many funny stories but man i just don't remember them all.   Animal stories- I just feel like I have been in panama so long that these crazy animals don't get to me like they used to. Before the mission I would of freaked out seeing these animals…hahaha.  For example the GIANT possum that walked right outside our front door, or the red and yellow giant poisonous frog that during church came in and everyone was freaking out and I had to be the one to get it.  Or the turtles that swam in the rain water in front of our house. Yup good stuff.  Man, also as a side note, we walked through this crappy are (where we always work) and there was like a gay indian volleyball association that we walked by and I have never received that much crap from anyone in all my mission hahaha.  Good stuff!  Well thanks friends and fam...Jesus loves you all, do the right!

 

Bye, Love Elder Call

Happy Halloween (week 87)

Hey friends and family!

 

Wow what a week out here in Changuinola.  It's still awesome out here and continues to be one of my favorite areas in my entire mission. Idk what Pres is going to do with me next change because I’m leaving two weeks early for school.  It will be weird if I’m here till the end of my mission because of what a pain sending a new missionary here mid change would be.  This area is so far from any other area in the mission and I don’t think pres will want to close this area for two weeks after I leave.  Who knows what will happen but I would really like to finish my mission out here.  Wow, the weather has been brutal this week.  So Bocas del toro has a way different climate than the rest of Panama and it honestly feels even hotter and more humid here sometimes.  In Panama City right now summer is starting so rainy season is over but out here this week its been raining soo much which is a drag to work in but I'm used to it by now…lol!   We found some awesome people this week and we are seeing miracles happen like the baptism we are having this weekend.  Mosiah is 9 and didn't get baptized because his family went completely inactive.  But activating families is my specialty and we activated the family and they came to church for the first time in 5 years this Sunday!!  I was blessing the sacrament and when I saw their family walk in I was put to tears.  They put the natural man behind them and came back to church after five years!!  So dope and I’m so happy for them.  So Mosiah will be a dope baptism next week and the best part is his family will be reactivated because of him.  My comp Elder Jackman is good too…we are very different in personality but he's cool.  So all is well and loving life!!  Love you friends and fam!   My camera is still broken so I haven't taken a pic in like 4 months sorry fam!

 

Love,

Elder Call

Celebrating 28 years! (week 86)

Hey friends and wonderful family, 

Wow so it was another exciting week just like every week out here in the best place in the world.  Changuinola is the bees knees and the cats pajamas at the same time.  People are so awesome and the branch sucks but some members I freaking love and are so down to help. The more time you have in the mission the better relationship you build with the members and the more willing they are to help you.  So yesterday we went with an awesome member named Hermano Piti to do visits all afternoon.  I haven't been driven in a car for that long in a while and we got to know sooo many people.   It also taught me a lot of principles that are really important for me like we talked a lot about the quote by Jesus that "its easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into heaven". It was interesting to hear his remarks and concepts on the story and it really made me think about the importance of not being selfish. Man the mission just teaches so much and yet there is sooo much I need to learn haha.  Wow so update is that these scabies are not going away!  I think its because of all the contact I have with these nbobes, who tend to be dirtier than kunas (which is really hard to imagine). So one guy was saying that the best cure for scabies is to get this type of leaf called "matarata" (not the best name hahha) and to boil a bunch of the leaves and rub them on my body. So I was in the shower last night probably looking like a crazy person rubbing bright green leaves on my skin. At the end I turned literally a tint of green haha and I pray these freaking things go away. I had to hunt the "matarata" down in the jungle for like 20 min so it better be worth it.  So finally we had a freaking BAPTISM!! his name is Christian and he's 17 years old. We found him living by himself in a house basically on house arrest. He had just gotten out of prison in David for gang violence and robbery, yup.. so it was a loong call with pres and it took a lot of convincing on my part but pres has a lot of confidence in me though so he got baptized yesterday. It was sooo awesome and in two weeks he's turned his life around...he hadn't abused drugs or been out doing things in a while before we met him.  He fully repented and it was soo awesome to see his changes and now we are talking about him going on a mission.  Only prob is he has gang tattoos still and there are a great number of people trying to kill him.  But he has really become a disciple of Jesus and I'm so happy for him and I will always write and support that kid...such a good friend of mine. Ya so all is well...love life and the mission and couldn't be happier. The people here are awesome as ever so ya that's all I got.  Love you all have an awesome week!!

Elder Call

Caroline's wedding (week 85)

Hey Friends and Family!

 

Well another great week out here in bocas del toro! Conference was soooo freaking good and it was probably my favorite since being on the mission.  Every 2 hour session seemed to be five minutes for me and the spirit was insane for every talk that was given. Of course, I missed like 3 or 4 talks due to the fact that we were running around trying to get investigators.  In the end a lot of people we are teaching came to watch with us and it went super great!  I especially loved Holland ’s message about the power of forgiveness and the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.  Also they highlighted a lot about the importance of the sacrament and the need to always "stay on the covenant path". I freaking loved it and some of the best lessons I have ever taught were in between sessions of conference.  I love and also sustain Russell Nelson as the prophet of the church, and also of course I thought it was insane the change to two hour meetings and the new "name change" of the church. He is truly an inspired man and a huge testimony to me about the revelation that our modern prophets receive. Baptisms will happen this weekend and I am super excited...about time!  My new companion is coming from the city and his name is Elder Jackman.  I'm excited to meet him.  It was the best being with Elder Amaya and his love and patience is sooo Christ-like.  Well I am pumped for this week!!  Have a great week everyone!

 

Elder Call

Track assignment (week 84)

Hey Friends and Family! 

Wow, it was a crazy week and I will tell you what, the mission, even with the time I have here, doesn't get easy! Every day provides new obstacles and challenges in finding the chosen people of God who are willing to accept his restored gospel.  Man, my birthday was good... 21 feels sooo old. Enjoyed it by having an amazing day working to help others come unto Christ.  I did however, change it up a little with my favorite lunch in panama (besides Dulemasi from san blas) of beef soup with extra yuka and special rice with a Vigor Malta to drink.  It was a super spiritual and special day and I'm so honored to have passed my 21st birthday here. Man had sooo many baptisms programmed but they all managed to fall.  Familia Luis pushed it back a week and the mother of 8, Maria Serrano, had some "women issues" and felt like she had to push it off for a time as well.  Not guna lie...I got down on myself Saturday afternoon when I realized the sudden and sad news about our baptisms but it didn't hinder my faith even a little. I know there are soo many chosen people of god in this area and we just gotta get more focused on being guided by the spirit. Man, so hoping for an amazing next week and I'm definitely guna enjoy general conference. It will be my 4th and last in panama :(  Next week is changes and most likely Elder Amaya and I have changes and he leaves because he's been here a while but man he has been the absolute best to me and I have learned sooo much from him.  Looking on the bright side though, I'll have a stable house to stay and sleep at with Elder Amaya's family when I come back and visit panama...grateful I won't just have to bum it with old converts and members hahaha. Wow, also special shout out to my cousin Nathan Doxey!!!! I literally cried when I found out you got your call here.  Just know you are coming to the best place and mission in the world.  Out of 10s of 1000s of missionaries you got called to the best mission where only 160 missionaries are blessed to serve.  You will also have a little time with the best mission pres ever, President Current.  

Love you all have a  good week!

Elder Call

 

Happy Birthday!!!!!!! (Week 83)

Hey friends and fam!

 

Wow, what a last couple of weeks and sorry for not writing last week. We had to go to the City of David, like 5 hours away on bus, for something and that took the whole pday.  Wow, so much has happened in just 2 short weeks haha. The week before last I already forgot and it all just seems like a blur hahaha.  This week was super cool in terms of the work and we are seeing more success than I think this area has ever seen before.  This area is known to not baptize a ton but we have been going super hard and it is all paying off. We had 10 investigators in church this Sunday and 5 of them have baptism dates for this weekend. I'm soo pumped and I know we can have them all.  It was a huge surprise but last week we felt an impression to go to a giant wood house and leave a blessing.  Come to find out that it's a family of literally 2000 people and one of their kids is serving a mission in Guatemala.  So that's soo dope because no one else in the family are members and we are going to make that missionary's dreams come true by helping his family.  So five of them went to church on Sunday, in spite of the fact that they are protestants, and we taught probably the most spiritual class yet on repentance...the spirit was soo strong.  We are visiting them today so i'm praying every minute that they can be baptized soon too.  Wow, we also got a text from some missionaries serving at temple square (didn't even think that was possible) and they said that they have been online chatting with a girl for the past month and the girl wants to get baptized.  Such a funny miracle, out of all places, chatting with a girl from Bocas del Toro, Panama haha.  So that will be fun and we are going to visit her tomorrow for the first time to see what's up.  Man time is just flying by and I just feel like there is not enough time in a day to visit everyone we need to. We are so busy up here and I have freaking loved this area sooo much. Comp is still the man and we get along great and I have no complaints about anything right now.  Also the week before last we had to go to David for the zone conference.  It was awesome and we all learned a ton about how to retain more converts and finding more families to teach.  Man, for lunch pres surprised us with super cheese pizzas from little ceasers...like idk where it even came from...haha...but it was actually so freaking good and I had almost a whole pizza to myself.  Man, then like an hour later we loaded up for the five hour trip back to the area and I was soooo sick...haha...I was still so full I could barely breath.  I was letting loose soo much gas that everyone on the whole bus was complaining...so grateful to my father in heaven that no one found out it was me hahaha.  Soo funny but yup sorry that's all I got.  Love u all have a good week as usual!  Big shout out to all my fam that has been celebrating their birthdays, Ella, Natali, Jared, and Grandma Brown in heaven. 

Love u all, Elder Call