I am writing this ahead of time because I don’t think that I will have time this Monday. Transfers are coming and it's typical to only be in an area for three months. I think that I am probably going to be transferred because I have been here in Nuevo Mexico for just under 5 months. I hope not; I love it here! I know the area, the members and the investigators and their situations. Ironically, I just found out that I was in the area where Elder Betts served! It was quite literally the last three days that we found an old note from him here. I found out that I actually taught some of the same people that he had taught. Sorry man, some of them were progressing but it is possible that one day Anna and Alfredo will be picked up again by a future missionary. They are pretty solid but just have a little trouble getting to church. As any missionary who has served in this part of Colon, its Nueva Italia on a Sunday, there is no transportation. It was sad as I said my goodbye to Aldea and it was just very tranquil. Of course, the bar on the other side of the river was blasting music but this time it happened to be Bob Marley. I came to the walkway to listen to three birds and it was so beautiful this time of year. I could not have asked for a better goodbye. Well…. except that nobody was there. It's
Now that I am leaving I should probably tell you a bit of what we have been doing there. We have been teaching many families here who are apt to listen, many have a great faith in God, but know nothing about Jesus and the scriptures. Others attend different churches but they do have their questions. Now, after reading the Book of Mormon and many other things they want to get baptized. They just feel nervous to get to church. Its like when you buy a pizza and nobody wants to be the person to eat the last slice but they all want it. We invited them and many ask…yea, I want to but who else is going? Many have a testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. We have been teaching one of my favorite investigators, se llama Juan. He overheard our lesson about the word of wisdom and was captivated. He told us, "Why doesn’t the world at least the youth here know about this!" We invited him to baptism and left that day and Elder Franco after we sat down at the bus stop said, ‘You know what we just did right?” I was just like, ya we invited the brother in law of Diana to baptism…. And? Then he said, “He is El Nono or El Casique” (meaning the tribe leader).
We started teaching Juan and he fell in love with the Book of Mormon and asked for two more books so that he could share them with his friends. He asked a lot of questions and all them were rather deep. He has a passion for the history of different tribes and cultures. Now the Book of Mormon explains a lot about the people who were in the Americas, how they got here, what their belief was, challenges, circumstances, but the crowning point was when Christ came after his resurrection and gave personal ministry to the inhabitants here. This book not only is up his alley of personal interest but very spiritual.
Now that I am leaving I should probably tell you a bit of what we have been doing there. We have been teaching many families here who are apt to listen, many have a great faith in God, but know nothing about Jesus and the scriptures. Others attend different churches but they do have their questions. Now, after reading the Book of Mormon and many other things they want to get baptized. They just feel nervous to get to church. Its like when you buy a pizza and nobody wants to be the person to eat the last slice but they all want it. We invited them and many ask…yea, I want to but who else is going? Many have a testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. We have been teaching one of my favorite investigators, se llama Juan. He overheard our lesson about the word of wisdom and was captivated. He told us, "Why doesn’t the world at least the youth here know about this!" We invited him to baptism and left that day and Elder Franco after we sat down at the bus stop said, ‘You know what we just did right?” I was just like, ya we invited the brother in law of Diana to baptism…. And? Then he said, “He is El Nono or El Casique” (meaning the tribe leader).
We started teaching Juan and he fell in love with the Book of Mormon and asked for two more books so that he could share them with his friends. He asked a lot of questions and all them were rather deep. He has a passion for the history of different tribes and cultures. Now the Book of Mormon explains a lot about the people who were in the Americas, how they got here, what their belief was, challenges, circumstances, but the crowning point was when Christ came after his resurrection and gave personal ministry to the inhabitants here. This book not only is up his alley of personal interest but very spiritual.
I remember and will always cherish the one day we were answering one of his questions and I have never seen anyone look at a book the way he studied the scriptures while we showed and pointed things out. With a voice softly trembling, he said and I quote, “I have been looking for this answer for the past twelve years of my life…and here it is so plainly in the Book of Mormon. Why couldn’t I have had this book sooner.” When he had a question, he had his scriptures opened and was waiting for us to guide him as to where he could find his answer. I actually gave him my triple combination and he is now using it often. We have invited him to baptism a few times and he genuinely wants to get baptized but he is just very busy. That and as the leader, he can’t have a legal sway on politics or religion. With time, he said, “I don’t’ care, I know this is what God needs me to do.” He is just now at a stage where he wants to know the Book of Mormon front and back so that he can defend himself when others start questioning him.
I have strong reason to believe, that when he gets baptized. It will turn into a smaller version of the King Lamoni story. Like Matthew said, “When they see his good works, they will glorify their God,” or as Paul put it in his epistle to Timothy, “He will become an example to the believers.” I am just thankful for this experience that I have had here in Colon. Even though I didn’t get to see it all play out, I couldn’t have dreamed of an experience like this. I can’t express my gratitude sufficiently. That is what I have been doing in Aldea...Normal Everyday Missionary Work!
This past Sunday, we had a baptism and this Wednesday we had another scheduled. It was her birthday and she was really excited about baptism. With the very small budget we have here, we scraped enough money together to buy a cake, it was perfect. Just until she came into the water and then had a panic attack. She never told us that she had a fear of water. After calming her down, she went for the first time underwater and forgot to plug her nose and started flailing. We had to do it again but she being more panicked and took a step out. We dismissed everyone and gave them warm remarks for showing their love and support for Marret. Bless her heart, even though she was utterly terrified, she was firm in her decision to get baptized. We lowered the water and tried many things to help her, but after two hours of sitting in the water, we called it a night. She, this week, has been practicing in the river by her house and we have plans for next week to try another time. I have never been prouder of a little girl for trying to follow Gods example, and have never seen a man with more patience than Elder Arriaga that night. It was really a testimony builder of preparing down for letting the Lords will swallow up our own will even if it is difficult.
I should be getting Changuinola around Tuesday morning and I am honored to be one of the eight missionaries who is practically in Costa Rica. This morning we waited for a bus for about thirty minutes to get from Colon to Panama City and I missed the 6 o’clock bus from Panama City to David. However, we ended up passing the 6 o’clock bus on the way because it had broken down and had to go into a garage while everyone in that bus waited so that is another blessing. I am now with Elder Reira and he is pretty cool! We have only had the chance to talk three times and one of those times was when I passed pink eye to one of his investigators. We are already off to quite an experience and there are only going to be more.
The first bus ride from the bus terminal Albrook to David was nice, I was on a double-decker bus and sat by the window. Wow, what a view! The second bus from David to Changuinola was a little bit sketchy. The trail that you go up reminds me of going on the narrow road out by Hearst Castle or when we drove to see the sunrise on Mt. Haleakala in Hawaii. We went up and down those winding mountainous hills and at times we were driving in the clouds and sometimes above them, we past waterfalls, rivers, dams, and rainbows on the cliff side. I felt like I was on a tour bus. It was absolutely beautiful, I felt as if I was going to a secluded mountain to become a monk. As with this haircut, I am halfway there… and the best part was I was genuinely cold. I think I am free from melting, but I have no idea how they got a road up here and how they planned it out, but it was amazing. I wish that I could have stopped off to have taken pictures. I am also glad that I didn’t have a lot to eat today because I think that it would have turned that trip into a different experience. Many small decisions turned into great blessing throughout this day.
I am here and alive, I actually got here late, late, late Monday night! Changuinola is in the boonies, but I absolutely love it.