Happy Thanksgiving... Nica Style!

The baptism of Carlos last Saturday! He was so excited and happy!

The pig was sleeping in relief of not being the Thanksgiving meal. The turkeys all got away, so we had to settle for giant drumsticks. We were thankful to be able to provide a Nica Thanksgiving meal for the eight amazing missionaries we get to work with every week! We love and appreciate them all! Their parents can be proud of the people they are and the work they are doing! If we can’t be with our own family at this time of year, we’re grateful to be able to serve and feast with them!

EMAIL... Week 73

Hola All!

No rain for almost 2 weeks, and an overall cool down. The kids here finished school for what they call summer yesterday, and don’t go back until the first of February. There was a lot of celebrating yesterday and the “Festival de Pan”, which is bread. Different venders brought their different breads to sell and compete with to Central (the center of town where the main cathedral and park are with many surrounding businesses), and they set up their booths. This country has more celebrations and festivals than we have ever seen or heard of. They love their traditions and parties!

The people and missionaries here are so grateful for the church clothes donated by the old Desert Valley Ward for Jacob Hofer’s Eagle Project! We are able to help so many people feel special and more comfortable attending church! Thank you ALL so much, especially the Bryans for bringing it all with them! Little things to you all, made a big difference to many people here! 

One of the families we have been working with this past year to help them prepare for the temple has reset their goal for March. Apparently the Temple Trip bus is full and their Branch President didn’t get them on the list in time. We are happy that so many are going, but disappointed that they need to wait. They had a great attitude and promised to send us a picture of themselves in front of the temple in Honduras in March! Many won’t get to go this time because of the limited room on the bus and temple housing. They may be able to schedule another trip for January, but that isn’t certain, and most people need to plan a couple of months ahead to get work off. Enjoy our temple! Close, convenient, and the source of many blessings and peace! 

We love these people! Everyone needs to feel loved, accepted, and valued! As we visited this week, many asked us who would come to visit them after we leave in January. It hurts our hearts, because we don’t have replacements yet, and may not be replaced. With the lack of transportation here, many of the people we visit regularly won’t receive visits often, and some probably won’t receive anymore at all. We are preparing lists for each Branch President, and will encourage them to implement Home and Visiting teaching more effectively. It is a challenge for them for sure!

They had Black Friday here yesterday, and they had black balloons everywhere. Since the people don’t have a lot of money, it wasn’t as crazy as the ones we have experienced, but did signal that Christmas is on it’s way! We are excited to roll out the “Light the World” videos in our coming visits. We used the ones last year and they brought such a wonderful spirit and reminder of the precious gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ! We invite you to view the videos and share them...invite people to your Family Home Evenings and share the spirit of Christ as we prepare for Christmas! What better gift to give others than the spirit of Christ in their lives!

Thank you for all you do and are! I loved being reminded that we are Heavenly Father’s hands in answering prayers! May we look to serve, help, love, lift, and bless the lives of those around us, especially as we honor the Savior at His special time!

Love,

Elder and Hermana Koelliker

Baptism... Reunited with Friends... Zone Conference...

Beautiful day for the river baptism of Ever in Condega by Elder Bassett!

 Continuing the celebration of Elder Najera’s birthday with flan!

Such a treat for us to be able to spend a little time with 4 of our dearest friends! What a marvelous and needed service they provide for the future missionaries from Nicaragua. The transformation of the chapel was amazing and everyone there generously and unselfishly serving! Love these people, including the 3 “monkeys”. Ha ha!

Wonderful Multi-Zone Conference! Great opportunity to “cookie” Elder Adams for his birthday! He helped us many times while serving in the office! Love our ever changing Zone! We love serving with these awesome missionaries! It is truly a great privilege for us, and we are so humbled to have this opportunity!

EMAIL... Week 72

Hola All!

Time is flying by and we are enjoying being anxiously engaged in a good cause! Last Sunday, Marra Jones was born to Lacee and Daniel! We are so happy to have been blessed with our 12th grandchild! We are sad not to be able to be with them to welcome this little angel and help, but we know that this is where we need to be at this time. We are so grateful to Malia for flying up with her two youngest daughters to help and support the Jones family at this special time. We are especially grateful for our knowledge that families can be together forever!

Sunday, after our Temple Prep lesson in Condega, we drove to the river there for the baptism of Ever. It was a beautiful setting and Elder Bassett did a great job. They changed to dry clothes in the tall bushes and we took them back to the Elders’ house, where they meet for church. It was a sweet reminder that we need to be witnesses of Heavenly Father and our Savior, at all times, and in all things, and in all places.

We had some wonderful visits this week with members who are truly trying to be “all in”. Many struggle with attendance due to work conflicts, the weather, sickness, and no desire, due to lack of faith or having been offended. As we talk about how much our Heavenly Father loves us and knows us, and that if we do the small and simple things to the very best of our ability, He will not only bless and strengthen us, but He will help us find the way to accomplish all that He wants us to do. As we reflect on the perfect life of the Savior, and of His perfect example of love and service, and His fulfilling His role in Heavenly Father’s Plan of Happiness, suffering and dying for all of us, we are humbled and want to do our very best to follow Him and keep the commandments. The Gospel is for all of Heavenly Father’s children. We each need it to become the person we have the potential to become, and prepare to return to our Father and Savior.

The fun highlight of the week was traveling to Managua to surprise Barton and JoAnne Foutz, and the Bryans at their clinic for prospective missionaries. It was great to see their faces when they saw us. We had been trying to figure out how to get back down there with our crazy schedule, and the “Red Sea parted”, and we were able to go down. The timing was great, as they were all about ready for their lunch break. We got a tour, chatted with a few of the youth there for physicals from our mission area, met lots of the volunteers (who pay to go and serve these youth with love and sacrifice), and had lunch with these dear friends. We told our Mission President that Bishop Foutz had been our bishop, and had also been our home teacher for the 19 years before we came and never missed a month...so he came all this way to check on us. Talk about a faithful home teacher! Oh how we love these faithful examples and friends!

Our Multi-Zone on Thursday was great! The Poncios are great speakers and presenters. The missionaries love to get together and there is a powerful spirit in their presence. We all feel the spirit and gain an enhanced commitment to do our best!

I get to teach the couple we are working with to prepare for their Temple marriage, how to make chocolate chip cookies today. Nabill speaks a lot of English and he wants his fiancee to learn, so he’s coming along to make sure she understands. They are adorable! This is one of my small contributions to the work, but I love these people and serving them however I can.

We love you all! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder and Hermana Koelliker

Nicaraguan Fun with Friends...

We said goodbye to two of our favorites; Elder Hughes and Hermana Elías.

 Tuesday we picked up the Bryans in Managua, dropped off their things in Estelí and had lunch, and then headed up to Condega. We picked up Elders Bassett and the his new companion, Elder Simpson, who is from Las Vegas. We met him months ago and are excited to work with him. Fun fact, his brother recently moved into the Bryan’s ward, where Mike is serving as bishop. Small world.

Another trip to the waterfall. We had to show them one of the most beautiful places in Nicaragua. None of us got wet or fell over the edge from the top.

We picked up the Hermanas so someone had to sit in the back. Mike won! I guess that was a good thing because Hermana Koelliker would have had to drive. Scary!

¡Feliz Cumpleaños Hermana Donaire!

EMAIL... Week 71

Hola All! 

We had a very busy and memorable week! Sunday we finished Temple Prep with the Rosario Branch, and Condega had number 5. Because of limited space in the temple housing, some may not get to go until January. The temple trips are for 3 days, so it’s nice that the temple in Honduras has housing for the patrons. We will continue to follow up with those preparing to go, and hopefully their Branch Presidents will get their interviews done before the mission president or his counselor comes up to interview them. 

We had changes Monday, and Elder Koelliker put almost 80 km on the car with driving missionaries to and from the bus stations and to and from their houses here. It was fun to greet the new ones, and sad to lose Hermana Elías and Elder Hughes. We are so grateful not to been moved!

Tuesday we got up early to go to Managua to pick up Mike and Sandra Bryan. They came early for their Smiles for Central America trip, so they could work with us here in Estelí. It was so fun to spend time with them and to work with them. We did visits Tuesday in Condega after we got back from Managua. Of course, their Spanish is excellent and they did an awesome job commenting and adding to each discussion and lesson. We had a visit back in Estelí that evening. The waterfall on Wednesday morning was spectacular and the weather was great! We did visits after lunch and we went with the Hermanas to one of their new investigator families. There were 6 of us meeting with 6 of them in a tiny room of their wooden house, with the wood burning “stove” cooking dinner. They and their circumstances were so humble, but the spirit was strong. We all shared parts of our testimonies of the Gospel. It was a great experience. The Bryans were able to meet several of the people we work with regularly as well. Thursday we showed them a few places of interest and took them to meet Sofia, one of our favorites, then headed back to Managua so they could join their group flying in that night. Their group does complete physicals, dental check ups and work, and eye checks for youth preparing to serve missions, leaving within a year. When these Nicaraguan youth finish their time with them, the whole health section of their mission application is complete. What a blessing for these potential missionaries. We are hoping to get down to see them and Barton and JoAnne Foutz in action. This service is not only very generous, but so needed by these poor people. The Bryans will be fabulous missionaries, when they retire! They also brought 100 pounds of church clothes for the people and missionaries here, which was Jacob Hofer’s Eagle Project! Huge thanks to them, Jacob, and to all those who contributed to this amazing gift for the people here.

We had a wonderful lesson with Carlos, a 21 year old orthodontic student, who is planning to be baptized next Saturday. He loves every concept and tells us how this gospel answers all of his questions. He actually bore his testimony last Sunday during testimony meeting and it was powerful. He asked the missionaries why everyone in the congregation wasn’t up there bearing theirs. Profound question! He will be a wonderful addition to the branch and wants to serve a mission himself in a year.

We are so blessed to have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. We are so grateful for our testimonies, leaders, the scriptures...especially The Book of Mormon, prayer, temples, and eternal families. We are thankful to be able to serve here and now with these precious people and share what we know and the blessings we enjoy! 

Thank you for your examples, love, charity, and prayers! We love you!

Love,

Elder and Hermana Koelliker

EMAIL... Week 70

Hola All!

Fun week celebrating the birthdays of Elders Bassett and Fankhauser! (Pictures on the blog.) We are so blessed to be able to work with such amazing young people! They are happy, dynamic, and good, and very patient with us viejos! With changes coming Monday, we start to miss them even before we know which of them might be transferred, but then love the new ones who come. Go figure! Change day is usually hectic and early! Gearing up!

Great opportunity to drive down to Dario to do a Noche de Hermanamiento for their branch. Elder K gave a great lesson, and then we played the water game (details not to be disclosed until after we have played it with our grandkids) and served Galletas Americanas (Homemade chocolate chip cookies) and soda. Such a fun group that we met our first Sunday in Nicaragua. They also had 5 investigators and several less actives attend. They send their love to the Lees, who helped build and strengthen their branch sooo much!  Elder K also did a great job for our Branch Hermanamiento on Thursday, as he was called up from his seat to do it. That's Nicaragua! We really have to pay attention to the person conducting, because he just calls people out of the group or congregation to lead the music, pray, and sometimes speak. Never a calm moment. Always have to be ready to participate!

Had a wonderful visit Friday with a man we have been working with to get his life in order. He has been working a lot of overtime at work, so we haven't been able to visit with him for a few weeks. The Hermanas didn't go with us because they were having a Zone Project, so it was only the 3 of us. He told us how much happier he is, now that he has overcome most of his weaknesses. He thanked us for visiting him, being interested in him, and for helping him to see the things he needed to change and for giving him ideas of how to succeed in making those changes. The spirit was strong, and we were truly humbled that we had received the inspiration to keep visiting and of what to say and do with him. He gave a beautiful and heartfelt prayer before we left. You never know when something you say or do is going to touch someone's life for the better. We pray regularly to be instruments in Heavenly Father's hands. Definitely a tender mercy for us!

We had Branch Consejo on Tuesday, and the new Branch President read John 21:15-17, about one of Jesus' visits to his disciples after His resurrection. After dining together, He asked His head apostle, Simon Peter, "...Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep." 

The BP was trying to encourage the leaders to visit and show love for those they have stewardship over. This is a new concept to some. As latter day disciples of Christ, He has asked us to feed His sheep and His lambs. These sheep and lambs are our brothers and sisters, especially those in our families and in our wards and branches. If we truly love our Savior, Jesus Christ, we will love, serve, help, forgive, and teach those around us, His sheep and His lambs. Each one of us can make a difference for good in the lives of those around us, and in doing so, we are demonstrating our love, not only for them, but for our Savior. We are so grateful for all of you who have served us and our family, as lambs and sheep through different phases of our lives! Thank you for your examples, goodness, and love! We love you all!

Love,                                                                                                                                                   

Elder and Hermana Koelliker

Birthdays... Bulls... Waterfalls... Flowers... Noche de Hogar

Celebrated two birthdays this past week; Elder Bassett who works with us in Condega and Elder Fankhauser who is one of the ZL’s of the Estelí zone. Both are exceptional missionaries we enjoy working with and love dearly.  

Another trip to the waterfall in the mountains of Estelí with Elders Hughes, Fankhauser, and Najera. It was a gorgeous day! There was more water than ever, but we were still able to hike to the top. We had to keep a close eye on the boys so they wouldn’t do anything crazy.

The jungle is lush and beautiful this time of year with so many colors including the spectacular flowers.

We were contacting a family the other day and I received a warm welcome. He was anxious to hear our message. The others?  Not so much.

We spent a wonderful Monday evening with the members of the Darío branch teaching a Noche de Hogar. We had a wonderful experience teaching the gospel to people we love dearly.