What!! No letter??...January 5, 2014

No letter today.  Still in a bit of a daze with all I am trying to do.  Hope I am doing what I am supposed to.  We have a meeting with the Bishop and Deivis and Diana tonight.  They want to get married and baptized this week!  Wahoo!!  We went to the zoo today as a District.  It was kind of dumb but I got lots of pictures.  I will send a big letter next week!

Elder Mora

 

 

Thumbs up with the Badger!

 

Elder Kletzli

 

Elder Kletzli from Kaysville, Utah and Elder Slack

 

Elder Slack



Yes, Elder Slack is a mono (monkey)

 

The Lucero District
Elder Mora, Elder ?, Hermana ?, Hermana ?, Elder Kletzli
Elder Slack (District Leader), Elder ?, Elder ?

 

 

KFC in Colombia...December 29, 2014

Hello and Happy Holidays from Colombia!!  I hope all of you have had a wonderful holiday season and that you all were able to enjoy time together as family and friends!!  I do have to say that I never have eaten so much in my life nor had quite a Christmas dinner. I bet none of you will guess what we ate as a mission for our Christmas dinner...When I told my mother that it was Gavin's and Dad's favorite place to eat (not really) she immediately knew what it was!  Yes, for our Christmas dinner we ate a chicken wing, hamburger, and coleslaw from KFC!!  Here in Colombia!!  Haha!  I was quite surprised to see that and I can honestly say it was the worst Christmas dinner I have eaten in my life!! Haha!  It was not bad but just not what I was expecting!!!  Our week was fine but kind of difficult because it was the holiday season and many people were either too busy with family or too preoccupied in the corner store.  We were able to talk to a couple of people though.   Less actives more than anything.  So that is our focus for the next little bit here!  The ward we are in is so willing to help us in whatever way they can which makes things super awesome!!  I hope you all have a wonderful time and remember truly the reason why we celebrate this time of year!!

Love, Elder Slack

 

***For the first time I have other Americans in my District and Zone!  Elder Kletzli is in my District and he is from Kaysville.  He knows Davis Owens and we get along great!  There are 3 other Americans in my Zone; Elder Edgar from Idaho, Elder Frost from Arizona and Elder Atwood from Springville, Utah.

 

 

Elder Mora taking a nap

 

This is what their washing machines look like...no lids!

 

First transfer to Lucero...December 22, 2014

Happy Holidays from good old sunny Colombia!!  I got transferred to Barranquilla and am now serving in my second area called Lucero!  The ward is super awesome and I have truly felt the importance of the missionary work from the members, not just the missionaries!!  My new companion, Elder Mora, is from Ecuador.  He has about 2 weeks in the mission and about 5 days in the mission field!!  I am super excited to get to talk to the family for Christmas and I am super ready to just eat tons and tons of food!!  We already have about 6 dinner appointments!!  One of the new families we are teaching is a couple who lost their only daughter about 3 weeks ago to a bad prescription by a doctor.  It is really rough to walk in their apartment because they are torn apart. They actually have set their own baptismal date, their own date to get married, and listened and downloaded to just about everything from the church onto their phones!!  I am praying really hard that they just stick with it!!  Other than that we are a little lost here in our new area in Barranquilla but I am loving it!! I especially love watching the Lord's work move on!!  I wish you all the best this week and as Pedro says, "May all your wildest dreams come true"!!  Merry Christmas!  Feliz Navidad!

Love, Elder Slack

PS  When we went to church yesterday, the high councilman, Hermano Carlos Pantoja, approached me and asked me if I knew an Elder Swap.  I said no and asked why and he said he had a niece who lived in Utah and an elder was here serving whose mom was her teacher.  I asked if the teacher was Miss Amy and he smiled and said, "Welcome to Colombia.  Let me know if you need anything". Kind of fun to have a connection from home. 

Transfers are tonight...December 15, 2014

Hello everyone!!  This week was very different with Zone Conferences, some interviews with the President, and some divisions with the Zone Leaders!!  I am learning tons here in the mission but mostly just that I need to open my mouth and talk because people are ready to listen!  We have set aside most of the investigators we were teaching because of their lack of progression and have a whole new page of people to talk to!  One of the ladies we are teaching is in a wheelchair.  Her name is Carmen Pajaro.  She is 43 years old and knows the Bible like the back of her hand but it is amazing how confused she is about some of the principles!  She isn't married but has plans to get married this month to her partner of more than 15 years!  They are super attentive to what we teach.  I am amazed at the faith she shows under her circumstances!!!  One of the little blessings I have received to show the hand of the Lord in all things!  We are also teaching a man named Hever Pariñan who isn't married either.  He has two little kids and is super good friends with the Bishop.  We had an appointment with him and the Bishop that went super well!  I know he felt the spirit.  The only thing is, that doesn't deny the fact that he has his agency!  I guess we will see!  Everyone is getting ready for Christmas here!  I don't feel too bad because I know you don't have snow either so MERRY CHRISTMAS!! :)  Transfers are tonight and I am anxious to see what will happen!  I guess no matter what happens I am still in the mission so it isn't that big of a deal!  I am excited to spend Christmas here under the palm trees!  Oh and today we were going to a Zone activity and got stuck behind some cars because a 4 ft. long iguana was crossing the street!!  It was massive!!  Haha!  I am doing absolutely awesome and hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season!!

Love, Elder Slack


***We received word tonight that Brady will be transferred to Barranquilla tomorrow to be a Trainer.  His sweet Relief Society President, Hermana Ledys, contacted us and said it was her privilege to serve him and that he was a strong missionary and very friendly to all of the people.  We are so grateful to her and all the people in the Alto Bosque area that took such good care of him and made his experience as a missionary a memorable one.

District of Alto Bosque

 

Victor Sanchez and Elder Slack

 

Elder Wooden and Elder Slack

 

Elder ?, Elder Slack, Elder ?, Elder Wooden and Elder ?

 

The Gringos from the CCM...Elder Wooden, Elder Slack and Elder Balle

 

Last view from his apartment in Alto Bosque area in Cartagena

 

We just need to open our mouths and share...December 8, 2014

This week flew by so fast, it was incredible!!  On Tuesday we were in a trio with our Zone Leader, Elder Barreto from Brazil, and it was awesome!  The rest of our week we contacted and it felt awesome because we were able to talk to so many people and I realized how open the people are here about the things we teach!!  My testimony really grew because so many people are ready to hear the Gospel and have been prepared by our Father in Heaven to hear it.  We just need to open our mouths and share the gospel!  I love all the scriptures that talk about putting our faith in Christ and opening our mouths to share the gospel, when we do He will be right there with us!!!!  I have been reading Doctrine and Covenants and read section 87.  I have never before realized the the prophet Joseph Smith foretold the civil war AND both world wars, 29 years before it happened.  I know he truely was a Prophet of God and that we have a living Prophet who receives revelation specifically for us in these latter days!  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ lives!!  I know that according to our obedience to the things we have been taught, we will be able to live with our families again.  Thanks for all the love and support and prayers!!  I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavours and the merriest of holidays!!

Love, Elder Slack

He Is the Gift...December 1, 2014

Another week has come and gone!  I am amazed at the time that has past and the little time I have ahead!  I feel like the climb is over after this next transfer and then it is open waters from here on out!!  I love the area I am in.  I feel like it is the best in our zone!  I am hoping that I stay in this area over Christmas because I have a lot of super awesome people in this area that are always offering food!! :)  We had another baptism this week and it was one of our investigators, Hermana Alba.  She has 3 sons, and besides her son who is 8 years old, was the only non-member in her entire family!  She was super hard but I was very shocked to see her just break down in tears as she bore her testimony after she was baptized.  The Gospel and Holy Ghost really do amazing things!!  She is progressing way faster after than she ever did before her baptism!!  Other than that, things are going good here in Colombia!
Thanksgiving day passed quickly which made things a ton easier!!  We went bowling today as a zone.  Had a great time doing something a little different.  I am so glad to be a missionary and I would challenge all of you to see the new video "He Is the Gift" on mormon.org and share it with all your neighbors, friends, friends on Facebook, and family!!  Love you all and hope you have a wonderful holiday season!!

Love, Elder Slack

Bowling with the Zone

Elder Slack is the only American in his Zone

Elder Aguirre, ?, Elder Slack, ?,?, Hermana Alba, ?

Happy Holidays!!  Love, Elder Slack

                                       

Damage Control...November 24, 2014

I think this week should be called damage control in my mission!  After a very long week of pure partying by the people of Cartagena, we finally got to leave the apartment and begin teaching again.  This week was mostly to see who was doing what they should have been doing and who remembered what.  Unfortunately, a couple of the people we are teaching no longer want to hear or aren't doing what we had taught.  However, we do have a baptism of an investigator and her son this coming Saturday!  All of the family that they live with are members and they are the only ones!  It should be a wonderful experience for the entire family and I know that the baptism will help some other members who are struggling right now!  Weeks are kinda the same but I would however like to use an analogy (or a parable, because Christ taught in parables) that my Papa told me this week to help us all this holiday season!  He said, "When you have two mouse holes, do you only set the trap at one hole?"  He gave this analogy of the missionaries of the church, but is there anyone we know that is slipping?  As I enter the holiday season I remember more now than ever the importance of Christ in Christmas and the importance of service and remembering Him and His work.  I hope you all are doing splendid.  Just know that I am doing awesome!  The prayers help but they help you too so keep saying them!  I hope you can all find time in your busy schedules to "Count your many Blessings".  I love you all!

Love, Elder Slack

Views from the apartment

Elder Aguirre, ?, Elder Slack, ?