Selfie with Elder Barrios

"Ma" and her daughter!

Pizza night!

Downtown Manizales!!

3/21/2016

im in love with Manizales. if i lived in Colombia this would be the place.

we are getting a lotta work done but the results are a little slower. got some people we are gonna put baptismal dates on this week. so that'll be good..... this week is Semana Santa (holy week) and basically every one is Catholic so things will be a little harder than normal. but we´ll work hard :)

yesterday was interesting!! president Calderon surprised us and showed up at a stake priesthood meeting here in Manizales. i had to give a talk too. i talked about Mosiah 18 and DyC 15. i think it went well.. after about 20 mins the stake counselor put a paper on the pulpit that said "ya es su tiempo Elder" in other words "stop taking and sit down" hahaha it was embarrassing. but the pres talked and it was REALLY good. super motivational for the people here i think. and then this morning we had interviews with him. more compliments on my Spanish. i was super happy about that. my mission president really is awesome. its easy to feel his love when he talks. i hope my investigators feel the same way when i teach them.

not sure what else to say. i'm learning some Portuguese from an RM that served in Brazil. its not too hard haha its a lot like Spanish and i already new a little bit from living with Tragante a year ago... TIME IS FLYING!

i love you guys and miss you guys soo much. youre all in my prayers. stay happy for me. and study the scriptures daily. do what God expects of you. He loves you and knows whats best :)

"The Lord Is My Light"

ELDER H. BIGELOW

Manizales!

6th area!!

New comp, Elder Barrios

Hammock!

Internet Selfie!

3/14/2016

well guys, i couldn't be happier with this transfer. i absolutely love my area. its cold, there's nice people. awesome comp from Guatemala. lots of people to teach. things are just great.

so the drive here was interesting. they sent us in a tiny van that went about 80 miles an hour around switchbacks. the drive from Medellin to manizales is normally about 6 to 7 hours and we made it here in 4 1/2. haha we all felt pretty sick afterwards.

got to the area and i already feel super accustomed. we are teaching a girl who is suuper excited to be baptized. sadly she got called into work last minute yesterday so she couldn't go to church. but we will keep working.

our area is in the mountains so we walk up steep hills all day, the air stays pretty cool tho so its not to bad, but it gets COLD at night when its all rainy and we are walking down hill to get to our apartment haha.... and at night, a pair of socks and my blanket aren't enough haha i freeze! but we have hot water. so hot showers and hot chocolate in the morning help :)

guys im so excited to work here and find all the prepared people God will put in our path. last chance i have to love and serve the people in Colombia. and what better way to finish than in my favoriteof all places here.

The gospel is true and God loves you!!

"High On A Mountain Top"

ELDER H. BIGELOW

Random little Colombian Ranch! 

Crazy Bike!!

3/7/2016

good week. fast week. not too eventful. we got to explore other parts of our area we didn't know before.

mainly the only news i have this week is that i am being transferred! i leave tomorrow to Manizales!! the coldest part of the mission that is down by Bogotá. and i say cold but really its like 60-70 degrees and rainy.. back home that wouldn't be cold.. but after 100 degree weather everyday for the past 4 1/2 months it'll probably be cold to me. i am super excited. my new comp is Elder Barrios from Guatemala... hes got like 14 or 15 months in the mission. it should be awesome cause we both are experienced and we will get a lot done!

i don't know how much I'll miss Lorica. but I'm definitely gonna miss Elder Dawson. i hope he comes down to Manizales next transfer. hes a great guy. i know hes gonna do super well in his mission. I'm super grateful for the opportunity i had to train him.

i hope he learned as much from me and i did from him.

well guys, keep going strong and being good people. i love you all. cant wait to give you big hugs again! haha

"I´m Trying To Be Like Jesus"

ELDER H. BIGELOW

Coast Zone!!

Filling the font :)

Marly's Baptism!!!!!

2/29/16

well. had a reeeaaallyy good week. last monday we ended up going back to the beach. and it was COMPLETELY empty. so we had the whole place to ourselves. super nice.

the week and the work was good. elder godoy (a seventy) came to the mision and did a conference. it went sooooo well. i loved everything he talked about. he helped us each through a "personal counsil" it was great. soooo many things we can always be improving on. dawson got a few packages from his family too! one was filled with peanut butter and chocolate... i may have mooched some. haha

the day of the baptism was a hectic one. our District leader lost the baptismal font keys. so we were thinking we might have to just go baptize her in the ocean.. Dawson really wanted to.. but luckily i have illegal skills from the government and got the door open with a kitchen knife. hahaha

it turned out great though. Marly is kind of a shy girl and told us she didnt want a big crowd.. but the whole ward was invited. she got her wish though and only about 8 people showed up. it was a nice little service. Dawsons first baptism.

i was super happy.

Marlys mom this week gave us a few good laughs this week, we were filling out the paperwork and asked for her birthday and she said march 1st.. then marly said "No its feb 28".. s we got confused then they told us it was actually feb 29th but that they put on her birth certificate March 1st... then we asked what year and she said 1961.... then i realized that cant be true if she was born on leap day. so i asked if she was sure and she said "i dont know. on the birth certificate it says 1961. but im not sure if they put it back a year or forward a year"........... SHE DIDNT KNOW WHAT YEAR SHE WAS BORN!!!! hahahahaha we figured it out for her. 1960 was a leap year. 

but yeah, that was our week. loved it. and love the gospel. miss you guys!

"I Need Thee Every Hour"

ELDER H. BIGELOW

Old Church!!

2/22/16

 a good week. and a fast one! had to spend a couple day in montería. we had a conference with the president. it went great. learned a lot. we also got told that we will no longer be eating with the members.. instead we will just have one person in each area that the mission pays to cook for us. should be cool.. sad to not get to know the members as well tho. also we got to watch the groundbreaking of the Baranquilla temple on saturday! it was really neat! not sure when the temple will be finished though.

our investigator Marly is doing really weel. she is excited for her baptism this saturday and so are we! i really hope she picks Dawson to baptize her, it'll be an awesome first experience for him. one thing i am learning is that your companion has to be your best friend while your together. that's the best way to have the spirit and have success. needless to say me and Dawson are getting along really well.

its almost certain that im gonna get changed in 2 weeks and we are pretty sad about it, but i am excited to see where i'll go next.

well i love you all. and i am glad youre doing good.

remember to ALWAYS be applying the things you learn so that we continue to improve daily.

 "I Love To See The Temple"                           

ELDER H. BIGELOW

5 Months!!

2/15/2016

another quick week. i dont think i even have to mention how quick they are anymore. you guys can just asume so unless i say otherwise. cause they are flying.

the week went reeeeeeally well. we have a girl we are teaching who moved here from another part of colombia to get away from her boyfriend she was living with. she had listened to the missionaries before but couldnt get baptized cause she didnt wanna get married. but now she can so shes gonna get baptized on the 27th! we are super excited for her. its amazing to see how her obedience is blessing her in her life. she is a great help to us to. she comes with us to other lessons and teaches and testifies. we are super happy with her. pray for her! her names Marly Rosa.

 

we are apparently gonna have a zone conf with the president this week. not sure what day. but it should be good. im looking forward tto it.

the beach last week was fun. sadly i have no pics of it tho. we went to one we hadnt gone befre that was a little further out. it was cool tho.

me and dawson are doing great and getting along. i have a testimony of blessings. i know the Lord is aware of our needs and wants to help. we jut gotta do our part at all times, and in all places. dont doubt His hand in all that you do. He lives, He is there, and He loves you.

have an awesome week guys do something crazy and fun! and be an example of light always. love you guys.

"Redeemer of Israel"

ELDER H. BIGELOW