Mission Week 57, Sogamoso Week 10, "Don't Waste Time...Go Get Things Done."

This week I learned how to plan haha!

Chapter 8 in preach my gospel is there to help you in your life in general, but for missionary work it's the BEST! 

I've learned how to always occupy myself with something to do. You should always be busy! Missionary or not missionary. If you get overwhelmed take a quick breather but then get back to work. You can rest when you go to sleep each night! Don't waste time! Go get things done. I've learned a lot about how we waste our time during the day. Use each hour to go do something productive. Whether you're studying the gospel, playing a sport, visiting someone in need. Always have something to do. Something my mom always taught me is that an Idol mind is a mind that can be tempted. If you're always busy it's really difficult for Satan to tempt you! Don't give the adversary the chance. I know that as we strive to get up excited to take on each new day and with a plan, that the goals you have set in your life can be reached. 

If you don't have goals set them! Then make the plans for how you will achieve them. Goals without plans are just "Dreams in Disneyland" -President Valladares-

Hope you all are doing the very best to achieve your life's goals! Love you all! and have a great week!

Elder Horton

BIGGEST SALCHIPAPA I´VE EVER EATEN IN MY LIFE! 

Mission Week 56, Sogamoso Week 9, "The Lord Will Always Be On Your Side..."

I don't have a whole lot of time to write today, but this week we had Our Monthly conference with President. Our zone traveled out to Duitama. President Valladares taught us a lot about helping people understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The love he showed for us is what touches each and everyone of our hearts, to help us to change and become better people. If a person truly comes to understand what true repentance is, they can accomplish anything in life. Hands down anything! The lord will always be on your side as you are constantly humbling yourself before him knowing what you need to get better at and striving to be better day by day. The Lord Lifts the people who understand and apply his teachings in their lives Ether 12:27.

That's my little message to you all I hope you know that LIFE IS HARD AND BEAUTIFUL! BUT, God loves you so much and he's always there to lift you up and get you through the trials that will come in your life.

GO AND FOLLOW HIM! 
Matthew 19:21

Love,
Elder Horton

Mission Week 55, Sogamoso Week 8, "if your worthy of the spirits guide"

The greatest part of the week was being able to see Liliana Mona get baptized!!

Starting off we put a baptismal date for the 5th of January that we ended up changing to the 12th of January. It was really special to see her enter into the fount. Bishop Fernandez performed the baptismal ordinance for her. Something that has always bugged Liliana is the fact that it's super hard for her to read. We were able to find one of those HUGE Books of Mormon. We gave it to her after her baptism. The look on her face was illuminated with happiness. The journey that I've had with Liliana has been so awesome! You could see how each week as she would come to church her character and personality started to change. She was full of energy, always smiling, and she even introduced us to her daughter and grandson! She has this burning desire to start sharing the beautiful testimony that she's gained. Liliana is a great example for all of us, she figured out really quickly the joy that comes from sharing the sweet spirit that she's felt. I want to get this entire family baptized!

If you are looking for happiness in your life then I hope you guys are sharing the gospel daily with those who surround you. Pary and ask God to bless you with opportunities to share the gospel and I promise you that if your worthy of the spirits guide, each day you will be able to DO SOMETHING (it might be something small or big) that will touch the life/Lives and help them to feel the spirit.

Love you all have and excellent week!

Elder Horton 

Baptism of Liliana Mona

Mission Week 54, Sogamoso Week 7, "A Referral from California"

The first week with Elder Rosales was great!

This week we found a really awesome guy to teach! It was a reference that we received from California!! They called us and gave us the information of Juan Manuel. We quickly called him and got a teaching appointment set up for the next day. When we arrived he looked very excited. He invited us in and we sat down and told us "What is this Book of Mormon that I've heard so much about!" We were really shocked! We taught him about the Book of Mormon and that only gave him more energy to start reading. He loves loves loves to read. Whenever he's in his house when he get home from work he starts to read. The way he came to find out about the church is when he was looking online and saw a link with the Book of Mormon saying "This Book changes lives" or something along those lines. He is a surgeon that works here in Sogamoso. The man is LOADED! Super stinking rich! He took us in his car and drove us to the chapel because he wanted to go see it! Then we went to go eat empanadas with him afterwards. I really excited to see how Juan Manuel progresses!

Love you all and hope your week is full of Faith and Blessings!

Elder Horton

Mission Week 53, Sogamoso Week 6, "¡FELIZ PROSPERO AÑO NUEVO!"

Hello! This week was... AWESOME!

Celebrating Christmas was a little different here for me. I had my first Christmas in the field, but I've already passed my first Christmas in the MTC so I guess thats it haha. It was great to see everyone helping out the Venzeulan's that have been afflicted out here in one way or another. I've learned that the real spirit of Christmas is what we do to help lift the lives of others around us. GO BE THE LIGHT IN SOMEONES LIFE! SERVE THEM! LOVE THEM! PRAY FOR THEM! ACT!!

We have entered transfers as we enter into the new Year. My companion Elder Oliveira is going to Barranca! My new companion is Elder Rosales. He is from Peru.

This last week EVERYONE was out of town in our area. It almost seemed empty. We focused on trying to bring a little of this Christmas spirit to everyone here by sharing the best message/gift into their lives! The Book of Mormon!

Love you all and hope you have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Elder Horton

Columbia Bogota North Mission 2018

The Zone in BogotáThe District in Sogamoso

Mission Week 52, Sogamoso Week 5, "Merry Christmas to All!"

This was a really fun week!

Half of the mission came down to Bogotà this Tuesday. We had a HUGE multi zone. President Valladares talked with us and gave us the energy to take this next year on as a real challenge and go find the people that are waiting for the gospel. We also had a talent show! Our zone performed a few acts haha. The best one was when all the Elders sang "Hacia Belen va una Burra rin rin". I have a video of it I'll try and send it in this email if I have time, but if not I'll get it the next week. On Thursday we all went to a place called "Jaime Duque". It's this Gigantic park/Zoo. I saw a bunch of animals that I've never seen in person before! There is also a whole lot of weird art there. Also there's this exhibit that is a hallway that goes on forever! The hallway explains the evolution of man (from the worlds standards, how we are all just apes that grew up over time). It was really funny. It makes me so grateful for the knowledge that God has given me!

One of our investigators that has been progressing very quickly is Liliana Mona. I talked about her las week. She is AWESOME. She's literally the chosen one haha. Gos has great planes for her. The most recent lesson that we taught her was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She understands so well! It makes me smile when people understand the Gospel and want to change their lives to align themselves on the path to God! Even though she can't read very well due to her eye problem, she continues to press forward, and having faith that God will help her to understand and to increase her knowledge. I've seen for myself the way she can understand the Gospel so well. It's like it comes so easy to her. God truly blesses those that put their faith in him and do all they can to follow through with what he has commanded. She's always there with us each Sunday too! Even though her life isn't easy, her work is very hard on her, she wants to show God that she has faith in him. I've learned a great lesson with her.

One year has passed by really really fast. Mission time flies by almost as fast as God's time. I've learned so much in just one short year. I can't wait to see what miracles and learning experiences this next year brings!

Love you all! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
Elder Horton 

Mission Week 51, Sogamoso Week 4, "Learning New Skills as a ZL"

Hello Family and Friends!

This week we had a whole lot of companion transfers for the day. It was fun to be with all the different companionships. I learned so many new skills from each one of them. We went to Yopal as a secret this week. That means we didn't tell the missionaries there that we were coming. We showed up at the door and they were like oh shoot! haha! I got to work in my old area for the day there. It was great to be back in the old area.

Im studying a lot in Doctrine & Covenants Lately. It's such an exciting book. The Lord is literally talking through it! From reading and pondering a lot I've gained a greater and more powerful testimony that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet called of God to help restore God's true church on the earth today. Like our prophet today Russell M. Nelson it's so cool to think that he really talks with God face to face!!

We are teaching a lady names Liliana Mona. She is 52 years old. We found her contacting in the street. She's from Colombia but she was living in Venezuela. She had to come back because of all the bad things happening there. She's now working as a house maid just to make ends meet. She got really excited hearing about the Book of Mormon. She loves loves loves to read the Bible so it was something new for her that she wanted to discover. We decided to bring her with us to teach her in the house of Emperatriz Jimenez (Member). Emperatriz was so sweet through out the entire lesson. Whenever she would talk with Liliana about the church she would hype her up to get baptized haha. She kept saying, "Liliana after your BAPTISM you're going to be so happy" or "Liliana i know this BAPTISM is going to bless your families life". They were just simple little phrases, and that was all that was needed to invite the spirit in to that lesson. She has a very strong testimony. I love how almost every sentence she said was centered on Baptism. That is the door to open up all these wonderful many blessing that our Heavenly Father has in store. Liliana got very excited after talking with her and hearing her testimony. She told us that she wants to be baptized on the 5th of January! I'm so happy for her!

I love God, I love his teachings, I love his plan, and I'm so grateful to be apart of his work!

Love you all!
Elder Horton