September 12th, 2016 - Update

Hello Friends and Family,

I had a few of you ask about my health, so here are a few updates. Stomachs been good...I threw up a few weeks back... that sucked.... some bad food we ate I'm sure, other than that I've been way good health wise. Gotta look up these spiny bushes and trees that are all over tarija.... they're called Churky and Paraíso in Spanish.... one stabbed me real deep in my right forearm during a service project a few weeks back and I think part of the spine stayed in my arm because there's a BB sized bump there now but it doesn't hurt.... I might go get a mini surgery.... I'll look into that today. My companion cooks mostly desserts from some recipes his mom gave him; no bake cookies, brownies, manjar (caramel) cookies, and something called sopapias today (fried bread of some sort). Haha Bolivia cuisine consists of rice, veggies, chicken or beef, grease, fat, hair, occasional bugs, eggs, french fries, potatoes, soup, fried bananas.... and that's about it .... they just mix it in different forms and give it different names. Almost no mosquitoes here in Tarija.... pretty scared about going to back to heat and mosquitoes possibly soon here. The mission gives us the best repellent and its in every house tons of bottles in the mish... almost no wildlife here in tarija its a desert.... dogs, chickens, cats, vultures, pigeons, some other occasional birds, parrots in ppls houses..... occasional lil' lizard. We're at pretty high elevation here almost 2000 meters above sea level I think. It's been pretty hot these last few days.... been here since March 8th... next transfer on October 5th I think. I recognize a lot of ppl in the street now, it's pretty sweet!

Love,

Elder Van Horne

September 5th, 2016 - It's Been a While :j

Wow I owe all of you a lot information haha sorry we've been changing places for Internet a lot and training and what not tends to make things a little hectic.

Our mission President Rodriguez is from Barcelona, Spain and is very by the book. He's way good and has kept a lot of the extra rules similar to what President Willard had so that's all good. I'm still kinda getting to know him. I think he has a bio on lds.org if you want to look into that.

I've worked a lot on not getting discouraged over the past while and have found a lot of joy in that. I've only had 5 baptisms in 14 months now so that's a little lower than the norm for our mish but we still baptize quite a bit here.

I've been here in Tarija for 6 months now and will have 7 months when I get transferred probably some time at the beginning of October.

I had to take 3 flights in one day a while back to pick up my newbie companion I've LOVED training. He's way cool and loving, from Rancagua Chile.

The weather is starting to warm up again but it snowed yesterday morning, classic Bolivia.

Got my hair cut way too short haha converts pets.

August 29th, 2016 - Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Thanks again for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers, it can be a bit overwhelming at times, trying to manage the stress of daily life in a foreign country, but I am doing well. I'm going to pray about extending my mission end date and double check on it this week, but I don't wanna come home in mid June and not go back to BYU until the beginning of September I think it is in 2017. I would like to extend the end date of my mission about a month so that I don't have such a large gap before starting school again when I return. I'm in the same area with the same companion after transfers this past week and I am still training. Love you all and hope all is well with everyone!

Love, 

Elder Van Horne

August 22nd, 2016 - Update

Friends and Family,

I love you all, thank you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers as I continue on this Bolivian journey. I have had a big blessing that I haven't had a migraine since before I came out on the mish! Transfers are this week, don't think I'm leaving though, my original mission end date is 18th of June, 2017, still not sure if my mission is going to be extended to the 26th of July 2017. Trying to get a hold of 4 scripture books of our church online. There's an Elder here that says a mini version pack of BOM, Bible, DC, and Pearl are available on the church website for like $8 or something and he wants to give me the money, have you guys buy them and send them, hopefully I can figure out how to make that happen. I got some valuable feedback on lung cancer for a woman who was recently diagnosed, so that was good! I learned how to solve a Rubik´s cube this week and solved it once in 2 minutes 47 seconds so that's cool. :) Could you send me some ideas of activities I could do to find new people to teach? That'd be cool. :) The internet is SO horrible.... I lose TONS of my time.... it's been really hard for me to be patient with it these past few weeks. Thanks for being patient with me. 

Love you guys,

Elder Van Horne

August 15th, 2016 - Update

Hello Friends and Family,

It's getting hot again, not fun, I miss the cold already, but it's still not too hot yet, really scared for the heat, it just kills me. It's a whole nother story walking around in the climate the whole day in proselyting clothes without AC in houses or cars I realized :/ Love when I get pics from you in weekly emails! I love hearing from people who remember and still write me..... my patience has been tried A LOT recently with really bad internet and computer equipment, tell everyone sorry for not writing. I'm seriously thinking about extending my mission, if I do, I still have to make sure, but I'd be coming home July 28th 2017 I think instead of mid Juneish.... I feel like I owe the time to the Lord and would like to try and make more progress before I leave. Oh and I wanted to say it REALLY means a lot to me when you guys follow through and do what I've asked of you.... more than anything. The time started passing by a little slower for me out here with training because I gotta teach my son how to love Bolivia and we don't have many people to teach and he's really introverted like Elder Gilbert was.... that's kinda rough... but we're workin' on it and it's creepin' by a little faster now.... that's how I like it. Makes me feel like I love the mission and am using my time wisely.

The bishop's mom in our ward is really worried for the bishop's sister that has lung cancer. She asked me to ask you guys to look for ANY medicine or something more developed that they could somehow get their hands on or research more for her. Could you guys do that for me and let me know next week?

Thanks for your help, and your continuous love and support!

Love,

Elder Van Horne

July 25th, 2016 - Update

Dear Friends and Family,

If I ever don't write you, it's not because I'm mad at you.... never felt that way or done that; always because of computer problems with internet or lack of time. I love you all.

I felt inspired to invite you to read chapter 6 of preach my gospel starting with the attribute test at the end of the chapter, then over the next several weeks, choose one Christlike attribute to work on each week. It's pretty amazing the progress you can have, I did it at BYU for my mission prep class and have been reviewing chapter 6 a lot lately. Pretty sure you can find an online version of PMG on lds.org or the Gospel Library phone app. Will you guys do that for me please? I think it will help each of you a lot.

I love, miss, and pray for you all each and every day and throughout the day.

Love,

Elder Van Horne

Here's my first "son" in the mission, lot of responsibility, part of why I've had no time to write recently haha.

July 18th, 2016 - Talking with Everyone/Blessed

Well.... I've found the only way to overcome the sadness of leaving someone behind that isn't ready to receive this message is finding a bunch more. I've never talked with so many people before this point in my mission. It's suggested in our sweet book Preach My Gospel that we talk with as many people as possible every day and trust in the Lord that He is putting prepared people in our path to teach... I find myself analyzing every person I pass in the street now and silently asking my Heavenly Father if they're the one and then talking to them or moving on.... because if we literally talked to everyone we see, we'd never arrive to an appointment.

My companion, Elder Rojas has progressed a lot and given me a lot of hope that people can really change for the better. Transfers are this wednesday, so we'll see what happens. We still have some rough moments, but I'm larning more patience, my companion more tolerance, selflessness, and love.

Happy late 4th of July to everyone, nothing special happened here.... a few extra street parties for Tarija independence day as well and some cake for my companions birthday, all of which fell on the same day.

I invite you to look up and read the bio on our new mission president which I'm pretty sure you can find on lds.org. He's from Spain and his wife and 17yr son his here with him.

This was supposed to be for last week just so ya know :)

Our Mission President sent this email to the whole mission. There's about 182 missionaries in our mission right now, he sent an email choosing only 4 or 5 elder's letters written to him and chose mine! :D Sharing miracles inspire others!

Queridas hermanas y elderes,

Pueden escribirme sus cartas semanales en español , inglés , portugués, e incluso si alguno sabe, en catalán.

Aquí cuatro historias de aplicación , podría poner muchísimas mas que he recibido de ustedes , algunas de ellas fantasticas , pero no quiero quitarles mas tiempo para encontrar personas:

Le comento que gracias a lo compartido en el consejo esta semana y ese mismo día pudimos encontrar una familia con exactamente las mismas necesidades que en la practica aunque ellos están casados, y al poner en practica lo aprendido esta familia se sintió en mas confianza, el no tenía una buena relación con sus hijos y tiene un desafío con la palabra de sabiduría, pero al invitarles a mejorar esas relaciones familiares, ellos vieron que estábamos allí por ellos, así que les invitamos a la iglesia y fueron, les invitamos a una fecha bautismal y aceptaron, y les invitamos a que si alguna lunes desean jugar con el y sus hijos y a su vez traigan mas personas que estén pasando por dificultades al juego para sacar cita y ellos aceptaron y ahora esta leyendo el libro de mormón.

Elder Lara

Wow... ¡Que semana de milagros! Me esforzé por hablar con todos más que cualquier otro tiempo en mi misión y logré la meta de Elder Ballard de los videos del Distrito de hablar con 10 personas fuera de los planes por el día en varios días por la primera vez. Siento MUCHO mejor en la obra y más fuerte en mi discernimiento con el espíritu cuando debemos seguir siendo persistente y cuando debemos dejar alguien que no está preparado…

Estamos hablando con todos, entregando Libros de Mormón, y probando ideas nuevas. Ha sido una semana muy buena y exitosa, especialmente con las referencias y contactadas.

Elder Van Horne

Nuestra correlación misional no era muy buena… pero intentamos ayudar a él y ahora nuestra correlación misional es mas fuerte e eficaz, así podemos ayudar también a que funcione mejor el consejo del barrio, pues los lideres ya salen con asignaciones en la correlación y solo presentamos en el consejo del barrio.

Elder Alencar

En esta semana hemos estado enseñando a una familia muy preparada, hace algunas semanas, estábamos yendo a casa en un torito, comenzamos hablar con el conductor acerca de su familia y compartimos breve mente un poco de la restauración, pedimos su dirección, sacamos una cita, fuimos a visitarle. En su casa estaba con su esposa y sus hijitas, su esposa tiene familiares que son miembros de la iglesia los cuales le han dado un buen ejemplo ella nunca habia hablado con misioneros antes y por ser la primera vez estaba muy interesada en saber, su esposo a ver sus animos tambien comenzo a interactuar mas y nos hacian preguntas. Testificamos con todo el poder de nuestros corazones a esa familia y ahora se esta preparando para ser bautizados. 

Elder Moreira

July 11th, 2016 - Update

Hello Family and Friends,

Here are a few updates on my progress and Bolivian life. The nights are the best recently, warm, windy, reminds me of home, never too cold at night... not too chilly in the night or the morning really.... hasn't been cold the past 3 or 4 days.... some say another cold front is going to come again, others that winter is passed, the weather is really mercurial here in Bolivia.... changes way quick... before we had to go back to the house every now and then to layer on some more clothes.... it would get really hot right before it got really cold with a huge gusty dusty wind. My Spanish is rockin', my stomach is practically adjusted to Bolivian food, we almost always eat good. Wierd to think it's summertime back home. We've found TONS of new people..... President Willard's last conference just shattered any fear I had of talking to people in the street.... just so few that want to listen to us. Some rocky moments with my comp. still, transfers are this Wednesday so we'll see what happens, the newly we couple still has the same fights, but they make up a lot quicker now, the husband stopped driving taxi to keep the Sabbath day holy and be with his wife more, but he's jobless now and they're practically broke, he's looking though, she's working, and they're doing good. Oh man I love seeing all the members at church, Bolivians who really get involved and are proactive doing things, love, and appreciate the gospel are so refreshing to be around.... I LOVE being around other people I realized.... it's a KILLER when I'm with my companion for entire days trying to talk to ppl in the street and just getting rejections.... the church changed to start at 10 am last week so we have even more members who are able to attend now....3 weeks ago at 8 am 106 were in sacrament meeting, 2 weeks ago at 10 am with warmer weather: 210.... so that's chill and a lot less stressful to get our studies in and to church on time. I'm doing better than ever in health and safety. We spent like 5 hrs this past week helping dig a 2 meter diameter hole down 1 meter.... that was rough.... the guy needs it to fill up for a new bathroom he's going to put there..... I guess trucks come with suction tubes to clean that all out every once and a while for the poorer less developed parts of town. People rarely go to the temple here, some are rich and faithful enough to go themselves, others have a more difficult time going regularly, the special faithful few get sent on a ward funded temple trip. Went to a waterfall close to San Lorenzo with the married couple, 2 p-days back or so, we played ping pong and made pancakes in the stake center for my companion's b-day. I'll try to send some pics.

Love,

Elder Van Horne

July 4th, 2016 - Foto de Zona

Nuevo Presidente Rodríguez, su esposa, y su hijo, Abraham (17 años)

Dear Parents of North American Missionaries,

Due to a change in President Willard's assignment in Seminaries and Institutes, they will be speaking in Arizona on July 17th NOT August 14th. For any that would like to attend, the meeting will be at 2pm in the Meadowview 1st Ward located at 2958 S Recker Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85295

June 27th, 2016 - New President

Friends and Family,

Well a lot has happened over these past few weeks I haven't informed on. Elder Montoya from the first quorum of the 70 had a conference with us several weeks back. He helped us improve the quality of our baptismal services and showed us a picture of a baptism with over 100 in attendance, 8+ missionaries, 2 baptisms at once, more than 30 in white shirt and tie on the banks of a river with several men wielding axes, spears, and machetes on the shore.... to protect those in the water from crocodiles. A real life or death experience of repentance and obedience, I'd invite you to look for the picture. He invited us to think, love, and do all as Christ would, have at least one lesson with the bishop accompanying us every week, to pray for the bishop and his family and make his worries our's, to know the names of all the church leaders in our ward and the names of their children, to greet people as Christ would... looking them in the eyes, share our testimony looking in the eyes of our companion every day before proselyting to keep Satan from coming between us, and to be alert, obedient, smile, and most importantly forget ourselves.... I can't exaggerate the power of doing that. Please try a few of these invitations out for yourselves and see the blessings.

There's a lot of drunk people in my area here in Airport 2 of Tarija Bolivia..... I have from the airport here in Tarija all the way to Bermejo almost if you want to check some map out.... it's a huge area. Probably half of it is covered in vineyards.... so you can imagine why there's a lot of drunk people..... rarely see any of them turn violent, an never against us. The Lord blesses and protects us. I'll admit a slight laugh combined with a little sorrow for the wickedness of souls is unleashed every time we're out walking or a taxi drives us past some guy just straight lights out on the side of the road sleeping.

I've found a good new technique of keeping little kids from distracting our investigators in lessons here.... they like making faces back and forth XD especially eyebrow movements haha I've had some good experiences with that.

I'm so grateful for the cold weather here, so nice for a change from the Bolivian heat. My area is really deserty, pretty cool, way huge. Love it here in Tarija.... one of the nicest places in our mission. Check it out online seeing as I'm only 2 months or so behind on sending pics ha sorry about that.

I realized over these past few weeks that the jobs people have here really impede the missionary work... not to complain or say anything about Bolivia, just a trial I realized. The large majority work as taxi drivers, construction workers, or in el campo, or in other words, farm work. It's rough to focus on families and find men that could possibly be future priesthood holders when so many work Monday to Saturday until 8 at night and then go to markets and visit family on Sunday. Just a little update on the majority of our mission, but we still meet and find prepared people that the Lord places in our path.

An easier way to describe the Atonement of Jesus Christ.... reconciliation. Which in Spanish means re: go back, return, redo; con:with; cili: part of the root for chair, or seat. In other words, going back to sit down with Christ. Even easier.... a hug. Imagine the fulness of the Savior's forgiveness or the simplicity of the love one finds in a hug from the Savior or a hug between two young children. (Something Elder Uceda from the 70 helped us learn in a stake Conference we had a little while back).

Our mission President Willard did what most mission presidents don't do and had final interviews with each of us instead of getting ready to leave. He gave me the most powerful priesthood blessing and advice I have ever received. I can't explain how much I love and appreciate him and his wife. Real life examples of the Savior's love and obedience. We had our last conference with him this past tuesday and it was so amazingly powerful and spiritual I can't even explain. They explained so many beautiful truths, even regarding who we choose to marry after the mission.

If you struggle receiving answers to your prayers, keep your sacramental/baptismal covenants of taking the the name of Jesus Christ upon you, ALWAYS remembering Him, and keeping His commandments and then you won't have to question if it's your own feelings or those of your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When we are exactly obedient, our feelings WILL BE those of the Savior and our Father. Just STOP the little disobedience... alright? My mission president had his first kiss with his wife on the cheek.... the day before asking her to marry him. Their dates consisted of doing service projects together. He helped her down the stairs holding her hand once and liked it so much that he asked if they could hold hands more often.... and that was it. I wish I could express that same Christlike obedience and love that he has for me for each of you.... because it just inspires to change your natural man desires and make them the Lord's desires.

I'm talking with more people than ever, I'm a new missionary, more obedient than ever, working with my companion to make him more obedient, and developing Christlike attributes. I invite you to do the same. Even though I have felt some profound sorrow for those that don't want to change their lives and repent, I find joy in finding and talking to new people. I already love my new mission president, don't even know him yet, I'll have a conference with him this friday. I've invited people in the street and in the first few minutes of our lessons to be baptized and feel the power of the divinity in the ordinances Doctrine and Covenants 84: 20-21.

I have a big weekly list now of you all to email.... let me know if you don't want to receive my emails. I love you all.... be obedient.

Here's a pic of me trying to force my last bit of happiness out after hugging my mission president and his wife for the last time this past week.... sorry I'm not that sad almost ever now.

Love,

Elder Van Horne

My letter to President Willard (my previous mission president)

Dear President Willard,

As far as the work goes, I feel more guided by the Spirit than ever and did my best to complete the invitations from Elder Montoya and your's regarding urgency this past week; I wasn't perfect, but I turned as many of my desires over for the Lord's as I could, striving for 100% obedience. I talked with more people than ever, and felt much more confident about the future of my mission and the state of the work right now. 

I ugh.... I'm a little lost for words.... and fighting the tears here. ... I don't think anyone has had a greater influence for good in my short life than you and your wife. I can honestly say I'm quite sad I let my challenges keep me from enjoying my entire mission with you as my mission President... but I know that the Lord has a better plan for me. I can't express with words the love and gratitude I feel for you both. The Lord has been making me stronger than I had ever thought possible. I KNOW I was sent to this mission by revelation for a LARGE part being that you were going to be my mission president. It has been a privilege for ME to be a missionary guided by your love, direction and Christlike example. I find it much more easy to think, "What would President Willard do?" instead of always "What would Christ do?" as I work with my perfectionism and reach upward for advice and guidance. You may not have the keys or the time in the future, but I'd love to stay in contact with you at least every now and then for the rest of my mission. My only hope is that the Lord will continue to strengthen me as He has done so very much as you two leave and I put my trust in the Priesthood keys and the Lord. I hope I returned even a fraction of the Spiritual light you have illuminated me with in this past year. Be strong as well, President Willard, I'm sure none of this transfer will be easy for you either and I'll be praying for you and your family... as I have always done. The Lord makes much more of us than we make of ourselves. I love you President Willard, with all my heart, thank you for being the perfect mentor to turn my broken heart and crushed spirit over to our Savior more. 

Take care.

Love,

Elder Van Horne