So...NOTICIAS DE ELDER BOLTON e HIJO!
This week we had planned on baptizing two families and getting some really strong potential priesthood holders into the church, yet we had some problems Saturday night and I had to fight to get one baptized (and unfortunately in all the mess all I forgot my camera in the house!). How sad. Anyway, it was fantastic, as we got a couple married and then they got baptized together and then I bought a cake and we had a little party with the members. It was quite the event.
Last week our mission president came and spoke very frankly to all of us here in the zone, kinda macheted us (humbled us), and then left. I learned quite a bit in the two hours that we had to talk to him as a zone and individually when we were doing some practice lessons with him. He was rather impressed by my teaching (even though i was SUPER nervous to practice teaching in front of a mission president) and then old me to keep up the good work training. WHEW! Apparently even though I have so much on my little plate and I feel like I really never know what I'm doing, the Lord has been blessing me and guiding me the entire way. That sometimes seems so hard for me, especially being who I am, uptight and a perfectionist...but I have had to change and grow up a little, relax a little. I have truly learned that all we can do sometimes is trust in the Lord and give Him our all and then hope that tomorrow He will help me give even more.
I feel so strange sometimes because people tell me things that I know that the Lord intends for me to hear and intends to use to help and guide me, but sometimes they surprise me. Like, for example, I was talking to one of the ZL's the other day and I said something like all I wanted to do was train the rest of my mission and never have any other responsibilities. He just laughed and looked at me and then said, "Oh, you were serious. Bolton, just breaking the news to you, you're training on your second change. The Lord is prepping you for something big here." I was just dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say to respond! Someone else said that to me too...i was not a happy elder. But, life goes on and I keep fighting everyday to prove to the Lord that I am learning, growing and changing. Maybe, if He wants me to be a leader here I will be, but until then I'm going to enjoy my simple life.
I cannot even explain how much stuff I am learning and how much I am growing out here. I love my Heavenly Father and thank Him for everything He gives me. I know that He not only loves me, but that he trusts in me and my abilities. With Him I can do anything and overcome everything, so right now I live as if tomorrow were my last day here in Nicaragua and give my all.
Love you all and hope that all is well.
Love,
Elder Braden D. Bolton
Last week our mission president came and spoke very frankly to all of us here in the zone, kinda macheted us (humbled us), and then left. I learned quite a bit in the two hours that we had to talk to him as a zone and individually when we were doing some practice lessons with him. He was rather impressed by my teaching (even though i was SUPER nervous to practice teaching in front of a mission president) and then old me to keep up the good work training. WHEW! Apparently even though I have so much on my little plate and I feel like I really never know what I'm doing, the Lord has been blessing me and guiding me the entire way. That sometimes seems so hard for me, especially being who I am, uptight and a perfectionist...but I have had to change and grow up a little, relax a little. I have truly learned that all we can do sometimes is trust in the Lord and give Him our all and then hope that tomorrow He will help me give even more.
I feel so strange sometimes because people tell me things that I know that the Lord intends for me to hear and intends to use to help and guide me, but sometimes they surprise me. Like, for example, I was talking to one of the ZL's the other day and I said something like all I wanted to do was train the rest of my mission and never have any other responsibilities. He just laughed and looked at me and then said, "Oh, you were serious. Bolton, just breaking the news to you, you're training on your second change. The Lord is prepping you for something big here." I was just dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say to respond! Someone else said that to me too...i was not a happy elder. But, life goes on and I keep fighting everyday to prove to the Lord that I am learning, growing and changing. Maybe, if He wants me to be a leader here I will be, but until then I'm going to enjoy my simple life.
I cannot even explain how much stuff I am learning and how much I am growing out here. I love my Heavenly Father and thank Him for everything He gives me. I know that He not only loves me, but that he trusts in me and my abilities. With Him I can do anything and overcome everything, so right now I live as if tomorrow were my last day here in Nicaragua and give my all.
Love you all and hope that all is well.
Love,
Elder Braden D. Bolton
