January 25th, 2016 Vallegrande - A Bittersweet Answer to Prayers

Family and friends,

There was QUITE the big change this past week. I had an emergency transfer this past Wednesday/Thursday after a worldwide missionary conference. Don't worry, the only "emergency" was that it would make the travel plans a lot easier for everyone if I just went directly to the area after the conference instead of sending the elders from Vallegrande back to their house and then back to Santa Cruz again, etc. Mission President Willard pulled me aside after an amazing and missionary work changing worldwide conference (which they haven't had in over 10 years) to talk to me. He said: "Would you be okay with going somewhere far away where there aren't a lot of missionaries?" I kinda choked on my words at the possibilities of this question and said that I had felt prepared to do so after learning better how to keep myself happy despite challenges. He said "Okay, well be ready because you could be leaving tomorrow." He verified some stuff and pulled me aside again to say we would go ahead and do that (go to Vallegrande, 6 hrs away on the only road there, where there would be just me and my companion in a branch.... no district.... no zone.... nothing) and I could say goodbye to my area that night and pack my bags; the secretaries would advise me on the details for the next morning.

I scrambled to say goodbyes and barely got to half the people I would have liked to see, still managed to teach a lesson with a member and get a reference for Vallegrande. Was up until 12:30 am (way late for missionaries) packing. Left the next morning, met my new companion, Elder Castillo (Latino from Peru, one transfer more than me, 22 yrs old, obedient, kind, and more) and we were off in a van of sorts called a Trufi with my bags on the roof about bursting at the seams with my stuff. 

Vallegrande has a WONDERFUL climate..... reminds me of old town auburn, Nevada city, lake Tahoe (without the lake), and California all at the same time.

I'm out of time and there's a lot more to update you all on for next week but my request would be for you to pray for my comfort and for me to not feel alone please.... and send many more letters and packages..... Love you all.

Love,

Elder Van Horne

January 18th, 2016 - Finding the Miracles, Making the Miracles

Family,

Well I did everything I could to think about how I can stay out of rut, routine weeks like last week and make progress every week. I was able to change my perspective on that a little and also remember that with each and every passing day, little by little, I am coming to know Christ better and remembering that this work was far from easy for Him so it shouldn't be easy for me. Being the perfectionist that I often am, I need to look outward to others to see my personal progress sometimes, so thank you so much for all of your emails and support, especially the replies to last week's email. I came to realize that I am REALLY quite blessed to be in Bolivia. There is a certain magic to being in such a poor, foreign country. So much to do, so much to explore, receiving old school letters a month later as I assume it was long ago as well, having some old school stuff and some new school, etc. It really keeps things interesting and what a blessing it was that I was calm and comfortable enough to even think I was getting into a rut last week haha..... Needless to say email time is always stressful for me.... but I have come to appreciate it because I ALWAYS have something to do. :) I don't think I could've survived the routine of a mission in the states haha. I am seeing more and more that I am grateful for and practicing my positivity. Only what I see to be the most important gets sent home :) and that's good.... kinda.... because sometimes I have to think really fast and don't always send this pure spiritual fire home all the time. :j

Right so I have talked many times about planting seeds here in our area and looking over the thousand odd people I've talked to in the past 6 months with just one baptism has made me realize there is actually some necessary ground plowing and tilling before those seeds can even be planted haha.... we do a lot of that. Sorry! No Time! Love you all! Keep telling me your blessings!
My first baptism. :) Sergio Salazar Saldias

January 11th, 2016 - A Bit of a Rut

Family and Friends,

Well unfortunately I seem to have hit a bit of a missionary life rut this past week. Not much has changed and I don't feel that I have progressed as much or seen the changes I would've liked to have seen at least in myself this past week. Whether it was the constant mid 90s degree humid weather, the sweat, or the sun beatin down on my back.... I hope I can make some changes this upcoming week. I'll be needing my p-day today that's for sure.

I did give a talk in Sacrament meeting yesterday with only about a 24 hr notice before-hand on the work of salvation and it turned out alright. We had my first successful baptismal interview 2 days ago! My first real baptism with Sergio Salazar García so that's cool! :)

Ps. Hey someone sent me WAY too big of a package/box recently.... I need to know who it was and remind everyone to check the suggestions for mailing that should be a few weeks back in my blog that gets posted to Facebook because Aduana or customs down here basically is holding on to it and asking somewhere are $100 to take it out! D':

January 4th, 2016 - Keeping the Spirit Strong

My beloved family and friends,

Well I passed quite the milestone this past week, the 6 month mark came with the New Year. I'm actually on a pretty cool track getting to call home right around 6 months close to New Year, 1 year in the end of June but the Mother's Day call in May, and repeat for 3/4 and 2 yrs. Time is still rather weird out here... with how hard the work is at times it can seem like time is taking an eternity to pass, but ALWAYS when I look back, it feels like I got on the plane a couple weeks ago to go to Bolivia. At the end of January I will have 7 months and I should be changing to a new area around the 25th of January.... hopefully somewhere not too hot for the 2nd half of summer until the end of April or so. :/ I've LOVED my first area and come to find that it's actually quite a bit better off than most. There's sisters in our area, so you know it's nicer than the rest.... they don't send the sisters to the scarier areas. So at least wherever I am, I can feel that I'm giving service to the sisters with every passing second by allowing them to be in the centers of the cities and more tempered climates haha. :j
A missionary named Natán Corcus got back from his mission in Irvine, California about a week and half ago to our ward! President and his wife showed up to hear his farewell because by some crazy spiritual miracle.... he was their first friend sitting next to them on their flight into Bolivia from Peru about 2 and a half years back while he was coming back from a business trip. This guy is a pure stud, just ripped, stylin' and shining with the spirit. His mom died from cancer a week before he came home! He's propabably the most inspirational leader I've ever met... He speaks English like a gringo and perfect Spanish. He came with us to lessons 2 times this week and gave me some MUCH needed advice. I've always thought of all the music, dogs barking, roosters crowing, bugs buzzin', crazy kids, etc. rather unique to Bolivia as quite the set back for bringing the spirit in our lessons and Nathan flipped this on me (paraphrased) "Whenever something like that happens to me, I just look at it as a challenge. I'm like, alright let's see how strong I can bring the spirit even when I'm in the depths of evil and pure distractions." I just sat there in the car next to him wide eyed and speechless for a second at how incredibly positive this guy had become with his mission.... He talked about the pain and struggles he had with his mom suffering so much from cancer in his mission and said "There comes a point when pain just becomes really destructive and obstructive to success. So I had to step outside myself and let that pain go, then go to work." I can only hope for him to accompany us more and that I'll will be hanging out with him sí o sí as we say down here (100% without a doubt, yes or yes) after the mission.

Anyway, as part of the New Year and having 6 months in my mission I would like to try something a little new. I ALWAYS want to be able to look back on the time I have here in the mission and feel proud of what I've accomplished and, I'll be honest, it's been a little difficult to see my progress recently. I would like to keep the spirit going strong in this way with all of you. Being one of the most obedient times of my entire life, my prayers have more power than ever, so once again I'd like to re-invite you to tell me what you would like me to pray about to help you with. Then, in each email... I'd like to hear changes you've seen in your heart that may be related to my prayers for you and you're welcome to do vice versa with me. Being the perfectionist that you all know I am, this would REALLY help me to see that my obedience and prayers are at least blessing my family and friends back home even if I don't feel very successful out here. I love you all so very much and hope you are staying true in your gospel responsibilities.
Sincerely,
Elder Van Horne

P.S. The missionary tradish is to burn a tie at 6 months... the salute is the number six and this a very gnarly tie another missionary gave me specifically to burn (you know how much I love my ties).

Probably would've been more authentic to be in my missionary get up but we had to be home by 7pm on New years and we take advantage of the times we don't have to be in a shirt and tie haha.

Another classic Bolivian MASSIVE butterfly or moth. :)

The sweet way low Bolivian clouds that change the weather in a matter of minutes :) Love em!

Bolivian sunsets aren't too bad either sometimes ;)