Missionaries and need greaters!

There are two missionary couples serving here in Tarija and numerous need greaters from many different countries that have come to serve. Last week we had Russel and Janice Underkoffler over for lunch (A missionary couple from Boston,USA that have been serving here since 1989) along with a need greater couple who have been serving here in Bolivia for almost 8 years and are greatly enjoying their retirement serving here in Tarija, Bob and Reenie Marsden. We all had a blast listening to their stories about how they learned the truth and all the decisions and sacrifices they have made that ended them up here in Bolivia. My strong desire for missionary service and determination to continue in my current assignment was deepened as the Underkofflers spoke of Gilead and their experiences here in Bolivia. It’s so beautiful to see the undeserved kindness Jehovah showers upon us as his imperfect servants and how he blesses the efforts we all make to further his name in these last days. Its a real joy and I consider it such a great privilege to meet such faithful brothers and sisters! To enjoy their "down to earth" personalities and encouraging company really made for a very up building afternoon.

My Carnet!

Its official! Im a Bolivian! haha well not exactly but today i finally got my "Carnet" (the Bolivian form of identification) to show that im a Bolivian resident! Yay! lol When i went to get it at the police station i was practically jumping and screaming as i walked away....but i tried to control myself. lol So exciting!

The Journey

It has been said that “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” I must admit that when I undertook this journey to Bolivia I had many expectations, hopes, and prayers wrapped up in the life and reality that awaited me...but it has been so much more than i could have ever dreamed or prayed for. Serving where the need is greater is definitely one of the most rewarding ways to spend the time left in this old system of things! Jehovah gives you much more than you could or would even think to ask for. :)

Sorry i haven't posted in a while, between service and daily life here in Bolivia there is'nt much time left at the end of the day lol The months have been flying by!

The elders in the three congregations that share our hall have been planning a remodel project on our hall for a while and after speaking with the RBC here in Bolivia they made arrangements to begin the project around June. Ever since they read the announcement about the project ALL the friends in the halls, young and old, have been coming up with so many amazing ideas to help get funds for the hall. Every weekend there is a service group making a lunch to sell, we have been making cakes and arroz con leche and any other food that will sell on the street, yard sales in the feria, collecting cans, bottles, copper, anything you can get money for we are collecting haha

It is absolutly amazing to see all the effort the congregations are putting forth as a whole, families, service groups, and as individuals! You can so clearly see the united spirit of Jehovah's people and the stong spirit our heavenly father can supply for us in order to accomplish his work.

There are many new studies coming to the meetings. Jenny and Fidel (An elder and his wife in our hall) are studying with a young couple. Marcelo has been studying for about a year in Bermejo (a town about 230 miles outside the city of Tarija) and they recently moved to Tarija to study in the University but were unmarried with a young son. He knew that in order to please Jehovah and progress they needed to get married. We were so overjoyed when they invited us to join them on that special day! As you can see in the picture they are very happily now married and making excellent progress in the congregation, she is in chapter 7 of the bible teach book and he gave his first talk last week and changed his major in the university so that he will have more time to be out in service, he wants to become a pioneer and elder in time. I know Jehovah will certainly bless all the heartfelt efforts they are both making!

A few weeks ago I met a young woman named Eloteria at the gate that led to her one room home. I soon found out that she lives there with her 7 children and one more on the way (she was having labor pains during our conversation), the whole family shares one small bed. She also told me that her husband recently left her. After talking for a little while and sharing some encouraging scriptures we made arrangements to go back the next day to see how she was doing. Well when i went back she had the newborn baby girl in her arms, she had had the baby that very night! As we began talking tears filled her eyes as she looked at her newborn perfect baby girl....she next explained to us that she was thinking of giving her away because she has no money or food to feed the other seven and had no idea how she was going to take care of another one. Tears came to my eyes as I watched her look at her baby and say "how can i give away my baby?...i feel like I’m giving away a piece of my arm..." but i could tell she really didn’t know what else to do. The sister I was with (an older sister who many in the hall call "Mom") gave her some really good advice and encouraged her that it is possible to come up out of the terrible situation she was in and arranged to bring her some extra cloths for the children and some food basics she didn’t have. I encouraged her to look to Jehovah for help. After being there for a while she calmed down. It was amazing seeing her whole demeanor change as we read Jehovah's words in Psalms 72:12-14 and Isaiah 41:10. Scriptures so familiar to us but so profound to her, they truly reached her heart. She has now been studying regularly for the last few weeks and has decided not to give her baby girl away and this Sunday I am going to pick them all up for the meeting. The other day i asked her if the baby had a name yet and her other little daughter said "No but what is your name?" i said "Sarah" she said "Then that’s the name we will put!" There is no better work to be involved in in these last days than the preaching work! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soon after i first got here to Tarija i knocked on a door and heard a little voice that i soon realized was coming from a crack in the door. The young boy told me that the door was locked but that he could listen through the crack. After talking a little while i told him that i would come back another time to talk more and we left. Later that morning we were sitting on the sidewalk and a young boy came running up to us asking "Do you know a Sarah?!" I told him that i was Sarah and he said "you’re the one that talked to me through the door. Please come back next week, i will be waiting for you!" I left him the great teacher book on our next visit which we studied for a few weeks but he was almost done reading it, every time I would go back he would be on his roof reading it. So after a few weeks we began the Bible teach. He had explained to me that he had a few bad friends that would try and make him do bad things like steal and that if he didn’t do what they said they would beat him up and he didn’t know what to do. Well this week when I went for his study I asked him how all that was going and he said "A lot better! I have been giving them my books and bible to read and explain what i have learned to them and they are changing!" Amazing! He is only 8 years old. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There are these two girls that live in Tomatitas (A small town at the edge of our territory) that have been studying for about a month and that I have been going to pick up for the Sunday meetings, Monica (10) and Blanca (8). I had been inviting their mom to come too but she was going to the Catholic mass every Sunday all day so was never home when i went to get the girls. Well...a few weeks ago she surprised the girls and I and decided to come see what this "kingdom hall" was all about and loved it! She has been coming ever since. Last week one of her other daughters also came and they all commented. The girls came up to me this week at the meeting, "Can we get tracts from the brother at the literature counter? We want to use them to preach at school?" Of course! haha These are only some of the many encouraging experiences we have every day. (This week im going to try and get some pictures of these studies so you can all put a face to the names :))

Any trip we may make is best measured in friends, rather than miles. One of the greatest gifts I have received on this journey to Bolivia is the privilege of meeting and getting to know so many of our amazing brothers and sisters! There is a special pioneer couple in my hall here in Tarija and they are a constant encouragement to me in so many ways. Their faithful example inspires and motivates all of us in the hall. They have been special pioneers for over 40 years, even continuing their full time service in their assignment when their daughter Sulamita was born! She is now also serving as a special pioneer in the Guaraní field (One of the Bolivian indigenous languages) in Santa Cruz. It would take hours to explain how many of the friends here have found such a very special place in my heart. I also received an unexpected yet very exciting visit from a couple Natasha and I had stayed with for a few weeks in Cochabamba when we were there last year, Guehisy and Victor Loayza. I have really been missing our "Bolivian family" from Cocha so it was so nice to be able to spend some time with them! The week they came to visit was also the week of their wedding anniversary so we decided to plan them a surprise party. It’s such a joy to be part of such a beautiful organization where no matter which part we may come from or how long we have or have not known each other we are all instant family!

I always think of you all back home as I gaze at the stars at night. Knowing that we all reside beneath the same sky, with the same hope, in the same brotherhood, united in the powerful hands of our heavenly father...all that helps me remember that we are never really separated, no matter how many miles may be between us were never very far apart at all :) I will be home for three weeks to visit in August and am so looking forward to seeing you all again! Thank you so much for reading :) Love you all very much! Hasta Luego :)