EMAIL... Week 67

Hola All!

Another week of enjoying our service here. I feel like we learn more every day, from every person we visit, from every message we share, and from every testimony we bear, and for me...just trying to understand what is being said and to contribute. Poco poco! The rainy season isn’t over yet, so wet, muddy, and mosquito bites are part of our daily experience. Thankfully, it didn’t rain while we had our laundry outside on the line. Tender mercy!

Fun teaching Blanca how to make chocolate chip cookies. Her 19 year old son told her she needed to learn how to make them, and to learn well! She is an amazing cook! Just ask Elder Koelliker about her Nica tacos and arroz con leche. Yummy! We met with them Friday night and sang “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go”, and Elder K showed the clip of Hugh B. Brown’s experience with “The Little Currant Bush”, retold in a talk by Elder Christofferson. We talked about how all of us have trials and difficulties in our lives for different reasons. Sometimes due to disobedience or sin by us or someone else. At times to humble us and cause us to turn back to our Heavenly Father. And sometimes, we have these experiences to refine us and prepare us for something in our future. Usually these experiences test our faith, but hopefully as we turn to the Lord for help, strength, and courage, our faith grows and we learn what we are supposed to learn from the experience. We also talked about the Plan of Salvation or the Plan of Happiness, and that our Heavenly Father also has a specific plan for each one of us. If we walk by faith and truly trust God and our Savior, we will learn, progress, improve, and accomplish our missions here on this earth. Proverbs 3:5-6 is one of my favorite scriptures that I have to reread often, to help me keep my perspective and remember Who is really in charge! What a blessing the spirit is in our work with these precious people!

Elder K had the opportunity to teach the baptismal prayer to a recent convert, who cannot read. He will baptize his nephew next week and will practice much to prepare. He is so excited to be able to utilize his Priesthood. We love watching their progress and enthusiasm as the people here embrace the Gospel and let Christ more fully into their lives.

We live in a duplex and as of last Saturday, we now have neighbors. They are an American couple and Jehovah Witness (known as Testigos here) missionaries. They have lived in Central America for 19 years, and here in Estelí for 2 of those years. We were able to help them move stuff in and chat a bit. They are very nice and very devoted to their congregations here. I’m sure we’ll have some good discussions!

Thank you all for your prayers and examples! We love you all!

Love,

Elder and Hermana Koelliker