Mission Week 70, Duitama Week 5, "In Bogotà this week for interexchanges with the Assistants."

We went to Bogotà this week for interexchanges with the Assistants. They taught us how to become better leaders. There's a story about the greatest tasting fish in the world. In Japan just off the coast, fishermen would go out in their boats and cast their nets. They always came back with much success and the people of Japan loved the fish. BUT one day there just didn't seem to be any fish, they casted their nets the entire day and caught nothing. The fishermen decided to head out farther. But still they seemed to catch nothing. Until they had traveled out about 3 days by boat. They casted their nets and finally! They seemed to find fish! They caught as many fish as they could and then headed back to Japan to show all of the people that they found fish again! But when they got there and they people tried the fish they didn't seem to like it. The fish didn't seem to have the same flavor as before. So the Fishermen started to think, ok what's going o here...One of the fishermen replied "It must be because the fish aren't moving! They seem practically dead when we get into port!" They all started to think what can we do? Another fisherman replied, "Lets put the fish in a tank and throw a shark in there and see what happens! They all agreed. When they got out to the fishing area, they again threw their nets caught a bunch of fish and put them all into a huge tank. Then they threw a shark in to see what would happen. As the shark started to swim close to the fish they started to FLIP OUT and swim like they've never swam before! That sure got them alive! When they brought the fish back to Japan the people exclaimed, "Now those are good tasting fish!" They had tasted better because those little fish where on their little fins (They were more alive) because of the shark that was constantly passing by. The Assistants related this story to us as leaders. We need to be the sharks that are constantly following up with the missionaries to help them to have success, and to keep them constantly swimming with all of their might. Thought that was a pretty fun story haha.

Hope you guys all have a great week!

In Bogota at the Mission Office with the AP's

Where else would a good American Lunch be?

Enjoying a nice cold 7up!

Elder's with a Birthday surprise...

Mission Week 69, Duitama Week 4, "A week of Celebration called "Semana Santa" or "Holy Week."

Another week in Boyaca! We were able to set a baptismal date with Astrid this week for the 18th of May. We found her during a District activity. She told us straight off the bat that she wants to be a better mother for her two daughters. She is single, she got divorced from her husband a couple years back. She wants her to girls to be safe and successful in this life. We were happy to teach her the right way to walk to be able to blessed with that! We have been teaching her for about three weeks now. Astrid is really intelligent. Anything we leave her to read in the Book of Mormon, she always hits the key points of every chapter so it can bless her life. She is learning very fast!

Our zone went out to Tunja this week for an open house activity at the Church building there. It was great to be able to help many people know who we are and how the teachings of Christ can bless their lives.

This week was a celebration week in Colombia. It was called "Semana Santa" or "Holy Week". All of the Catholic churches all around the world were having celebrations and meetings the entire week.

Hope y'all have a great week!
Elder Horton

Impressions of Duitama:
1.) Everyone here is Catholic
2.) There are thousands of little shops that sell for example car parts, flooring material, home items, perfumes, school supplies, internet, computers, etc! If you're looking for something just talk a walk around town and I'm sure you'll end up finding it.
3.) No matter what the price is of something, you can always bargain it down.

My comp Elder Tarazona and I

Duitama zone in Tunja for Open House activity

Elder Erickson, Elder Balmforth and I

Duitama District

Tunja district

Mission Week 68, Duitama Week 3, "The Lord is preparing the hearts of his children."

This week we had a really cool experience contacting in the street. We went realllllllly far out to the corner of our area in a neighborhood called San Luis. There we decided to start knocking on doors. For a while it seemed like we weren't getting anything. After about an hour of that we were getting ready to head out since we were not having a whole lot of success and it was getting late. One house we knocked on and a Lady answered the door. She seemed a little afraid to see us at first but then we presented ourselves. Her name is Jaime and she invited us in to share our message with her. Before we even started the opening prayer she instantly started to cry telling us a lot of problems that have been going on in her life. We focused our message on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It was our hope to bring peace into her life and to help her form a relationship with God. At the end of the lesson we invited her to offer a pray asking God for peace in her life. She offered one of the most beautiful prayers that I've ever heard in my life. She started off by saying " "Oh God" She then proceeded to thank Him for everything that she has. Then, pleading with all her heart she said "Dios, con todo la fuerza que tengo en mi corazon, porfavor ayude me tener paz." (God, with all of the strength that I have in my heart, please help me to have peace.) When those words came out of her mouth, instantly a peaceful calm fell over the room. The spirit was brought into her home. As she ended her prayer, her little daughter started to scream. But she looked at her and just smiled. We set up another appointment to come back and left. Passing her window we saw her continue to sit there on her couch and just smile at her daughter. It was a miracle to be able to see the hope and light come back into her! Leaving the house I couldn't help but think about how the Lord is preparing his children to receive his gospel. Don't let moments like this pass you by as you're walking about each day. The Lord is preparing the hearts of his children Alma 16:16. My testimony of prayer has grown! It also made me remember how immediate blessings come as long as we ask with faith.

I love you all and hope that your testimony of prayer can grow like it grew with Jaime!

Elder Horton    

Mission Week 67, Duitama Week 2, "I know that repentance is the door that opens up miracles."

General Conference!!!

I learned so much! One of the things that I thought a lot about was Repentance! King Benjamin talked about having a clean conscience before God. When we have a clean conscience before God we know that we have done all that God has asked us to do. We know that we will return to live with him in his presence. Repentance enables us to be able to feel that. In Mosiah 4 King Benjamin explains also how we can have continual happiness in this life. He explained that when we humble ourselves before that Lord and trust him and do what he has been commanded of ourselves each and everyday that we will always rejoice, we will be filled with the love of God, we will always retain a remission of our sins, and your knowledge of God will increase everyday (Mosiah 4:12). If you want to feel happiness then keep the commandments of God! If you fall or fail to do so, get back up brush it off, make the changes necessary in your life, and keep going! It's never too late, or too difficult thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He has already lifted us all up. Thanks to him we will all rise again. You just need to understand and recognize that! The only thing that God requires is that we say we're sorry, change, and be BETTER. I know that repentance is the door that opens up miracles into our lives. If we are clean, then God will be with us, if God is with us then we will receive blessings and be able to behold miracles.

I hope you all learned a lot during the Conference. Now Go Apply all the things that they said!

Love, Elder Horton

Pictures of Temple Trip!

Mission Week 66, Duitama Week 1, "The hope that Jesus Christ brings us is that we DON'T need to be ALONE."

My first week here in Duitama was great! Although it's basically the same thing with lots of cows, rain, and cold weather. The ward here is helping the Missionary work progress rapidly. I've never seen a ward with so many young men and young woman willing to serve. There are lots of Young men and woman preparing themselves to go and missions and they want to come accompany us to teaching visits with investigators. They also love to play basketball! This has to be the first ward that I've been in that likes another sport other than soccer!  We live in an apartment on the 9th floor of the building. When I first got here we had to take the stairs up 9 flights with my bags because the elevator wasn't working haha that was rough. The elevator here is almost always broken, so my legs are going to be ripped when I leave Duitama. We also live right down the street from the chapel. In almost every one of my areas in my mission I've always lived pretty dang close to each church building which has been really nice.

My new companion's name is Elder Tarazona. He's from Peru. He's also apart of my group from when we were in the MTC!

The ZL's of Duitama (Elder Horton and Elder Tarazona)

Other than that we've been going to work looking for people that are ready to be baptized! We found a really great guy yesterday. His name is Hever and he is from Venezuela. He came to Colombia by himself. The lesson with him was really special. When we started the lesson he talk to us about some trials that are going on in his life. He is looking for peace and happiness. I was so happy when we were able to tell him that you're in the right place! We shared with him a message about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Some of our Favorite scriptures that we like to share are in Alma 7:11-12. It helped Hever to understand that he's not alone. As he read these verses he paused and tears started to form in his eyes. The spirit was so strong. He wants to learn more about us and what it is that we teach. He felt a peace that I think he hasn't felt in a long time. We well continue teaching him and see how he progresses!

The atonement of Jesus Christ is what I was thinking about a lot this week. There are so many people in the world with trials that are very very hard to handle alone. But the sad part is that there are many people that think they have to take it on alone. The hope that Jesus Christ brings us is that we DON'T need to be ALONE. He understands what we need. Let him be in your life and recognize him as your Savior. Alma the younger was a great example of how to realize that Jesus Christ is our Savior and how to change the misery that one has to joy and happiness. In Alma 36:17-21 Alma is there in the depths of misery ready to perish, but he remembers the teachings of his father about the coming of a Savior and as he concentrates his mind on that alone, he cry's out in his mind for the Lord to have mercy on him, to save him. As he does so the misery and pain that he felt changes immediately and literally immediately to a Joy that he had never before felt in his life. I want to invite each and every one of us to focus our thoughts this week on the fact that A savior was born, he came, he lived, and died for each and every one of us. I promise you that as your thoughts are more focused on the Savior that you will feel this joy that maybe you've never felt before in your life. Try to grow closer to the Lord each and every day and you will see a great change on the outlook that you have on life. You will have greater optimism and that light will shine and touch others.

I hope that you all remember that God loves you so much. No trial, nor sickness, or doubt is greater than him!

Please enjoy this photo of a braided horse.

Have a great week!
Elder Horton

Ever seen a Braided Horse...now you have...enjoy!