Has the day of miracles ceased? No!

15 September 2014

Well Saturday we had two baptisms. Let me tell you a little bit about it. So we went to the church at 10:30 to clean the baptismal font. Everything was good. We left to go visit people and find clothes for the people that were going to get baptized and other important stuff like that.

 

We arrived back at the church at 4 pm for the 5 pm baptism. We turned on the water to start filling up the font.... and there wasn't any water . . . well not exactly, the water spout was spouting out water really really slowly. And then we realized something else - there was nothing to stop the drain. And then we realized something else - I didn't have pants to baptize because I had left them in Cucuta. And then we realized that we couldn't get into the font because on either side of the font the doors were locked. And then we realized something else - the library was locked so we couldn't get hymn books. I think that about sums it up. It was not looking very good. 

 

The other 4 missionaries arrived later with investigatores of there own that were going to watch the baptisms and we told the the problems that we had. So we decided to go into the other room and say a prayer because we needed some milagros.

 

First, we found a bouncey rubber ball. I am not sure where it came from or why it was in the church but it was perfect to close the drain. Second, one of the missionaries had a pair of pants to baptize and they fit me perfectly. Third, one of the missionaries was able to pick the lock on the locked door on the men's side so we could enter the baptismal font. Fourth, one of the missionaries felt impressed before he left the house to bring 4 extra hymn books, and since every other missionary had their own hymnal we didn't need to get into the library. The water was only up to my knees but we didn't have any more time so we went to do the baptisms. The locked door to the girls side was magically (or miraculously) opened, which was really good because we were baptizing a woman and her daughter. Even though water was only up to my knees the baptisms were done without any problems.

Everything changed from the moment that 6 misionarys suplicated the Lord through prayer, for miracles. Now looking back on the event I realized saw several. I saw his hand that night. The Lord's spirit was with us in the ceremony. The mother we baptized had tears of joy as she came out of the water. 

 

Well the biggest challenge of being a missionary in Colombia is . . . one moment to create suspense . . . wait for it . . . duh dah - La Unión Libre. The prophets have prophesied that the plan of Satan is to destroy the family and make a mockery of the law of chastity. And he has been rather successful here in Colombia. The missionary who can help the people have the desire to live the law of chastity will have great success here in Colombia. I am not able to express my feelings about this. I wish you guys could see and hear what I see and hear. Anyways I am not going to talk anymore about this today.

 Love, Elder Luke

Photos from Barranca

8 September 2014

So for my birthday some of the members did a little party so that was cool.

My comp and I are fighting evil (Here's a picture to worry mothers)

I just want you guys to know the only reason I send goofy photos is because the only time we have to take photos is when we are goofing off. So here's a picture of my new companion. We work hard. We work when its time to work and we goof off when its not time to work

 

 This is what I caught a few minutes ago

These final pictures Luke stated, "We might have had to take out a few drug lords."

(Luke seems to be really enjoying this.)

I'm sure this is the local soldiers thanking the Elders for their fine work.

Don't leave your keys in the door lock . . . just saying

1 September 2014 (Luke is now one year older - Happy Birthday Elder Rallison 8/31)

Hey fam and friends so this week has been pretty fun so I would like to share a few things that have happened in the course of this week. So this week started off really well. We have a family here (they are recent converts) and they are introducing us to all of their friends and neighbors and their other family members. So that is really awesome. On Monday we went and visited them and it was awesome. And then we got a call from our zone leaders.  Our zone leaders told us that we could not visit that family any more because a missionary (8 months ago) kissed the lady and got sent home . . . so that was not fun to hear especially since they give us more referencias than anyone else. Disobedient missionaries ruin everything. 

We have been working with a woman named Patricia and this week we had a few good lessons with her. She has a difficulty that I wont share with you guys but she broke down and just started to cry and cry and cry and so we did what I think all missionaries do in that situation. My companion and I looked at each other and we started praying in our heads and the spirit started guiding us and by the time we left she was calm and there a peaceful feeling in the room and she had a the resolve to overcome everything and we were all feeling really good.

The next day we visited Patricia to see how she was doing and she was super happy and smiling and laughing and we confirmed that she was going to come to church with us and she said that she was. And then she asked us a question I have never had anyone ask me. "¿Do the people sing alabanzas and clap in your church?"

" Umm no . . ."

"¡Whhhaaaaaat! ¿Why not? How can you worship the Lord without clapping your hands?

She was super confused and I am not sure why but focused on that and so we talked a little bit about that. She finally said, 'well I guess I can't judge a church before going and seeing how it is. And so I give you my word that I will go with you guys this Sunday. Because it is the spirit that will convince me.' 

So Sunday we show up at here house to show her how to get to the church because it was her first time. As we were walking up to the house, she came out, all dressed up ready to go to church. and then a car pulled up and she got in and left (but she didn't see us). so my comp and I were like what just happened?¿?¿?¿? 

We called her and she said . . . Oh sorry something came up and . . . then she hung up sooooo we are going to visit here tomorrow to find out what the what with her.

Later that night we walked by a house and the keys to the house were still in the door knob. in Colombia (at least where I have been in santander) there isn't a door knob on the out side just a key hole and the key is used to open the door. And someone left the keys in the door. 

So my comp and I thought he we can do a service here, knock on the door and tell the person that their keys are in the door and then we can try to contact the person. So we knocked on the door someone came to the window saw us (didn't know that we saw them) and went back to doing what they were doing. 

So I was like what the heck! That person just rejected us before they had the chance to hear . . . that we were there to serve them . . . So I opened the door and stepped in the house. In the front room there were 6 people watching TV. I scared all of them I'm sure. I said you left your keys in the lock and put the keys down and left . . .

But the look on all of their faces when I entered their house was pretty funny.

But hey, there are lots of people who reject us before the know why were are there. I guess they reject the Lord more then us because we are there to represent Him. But here is the thing: 

Getting rejected for the Lord's sake is much better the being accepted for the worlds sake.

Love, Elder Luke

25 Aug 2014

Wow, it is weird to hear about all of the changes that are happening in the house. It is weird to think that maybe only mom and dad and Arianna will meet me in the airport. Life is changing a lot. But hey I am sacrificing two years from you guys so that other people can have a family forever. 

Something a little sad/ funny is that some people do not what to have a family forever . . . I don't know. For example just the other day we were talking to a couple and we asked the dad/husband in the family would you like to be together forever with your spouse and he said no no oh no no no. We were like what? why? And then he told us that he was only there because he had kids with this woman and he is staying there for the kids and that he is unhappy a lot of the time . . . Soo the law of chastity is really important.

But hey, I wouldn't mind being with you guys forever I imagine that it will be really cool. Especially with all the blessings that we will have. 

I was thinking the other day (this is doctrine according to 2nd Luke) that the difference in the celestial world and the terrestial world is that one will have eternal progression in the real world and the other will have progression in a virtual world. Let me explain. The people in the celestial who are like god will have the power to create real worlds and the people in terrestial will be playing mind craft or something like that and will be creating things in a virtual world mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. 

I would like to be creating real things instead of virtual things

 

I imagine that the people in the lower worlds won't have anything better to do so they will play video games. 

Hey mom I was wondering if you would be able to put some names in the temple from me . . . I am assuming that you are going to say yes so here the are.

Sulema y Michelle

Orlando

Angélica  

Tania 

Gustavo y Maria 

Patricia 

Juan Muñoz 

and Elder Sac my comp also wants his name in the templo so that he can learn English faster

Soooooo if you could get those in there some time today that would be great . . . especially since the temple is only 7 mins away and you should probably be going like once a week anyways

Love, Elder Luke

Hottest spot in the mission is still not as hot as Arizona - 18 Aug 2014

Hey. So I do not think Barranca is as hot as Arizona. So far it hasn't been to bad. It is the hottest place I have been in in the mission though. It is really super green here though. So that is weird that it is hot but green. I don't know. For me hot is associated with death and burnt things and the desert.

My companion looks like a Latin Travis Talbot so that is pretty weird. I will have to send you guys a picture next time. I do not have a lot of time. Today is a festivo so nobody works so it wasnt until now (late in the day) that we found an internet cafe open

But life is good and that is pretty much all I have time to say

Love, Elder Luke