HIS DEFINING MOMENT August 27, 2017

Beloved ones. We were welcomed with the visit of two General Authorities of the Church this past Friday! Brother M. Joseph Brough of the YM General Presidency and the long lost son of James E. Talmage, Tad R. Calister, came down to Nicaragua and had a little zone conference with the 3 zones of Nicaragua. What we learned was incredible and the Spirit we felt was humbling and edifying. We traveled to Chinandega and the promised North Lands of Nicaragua (Estelí) to put on the Multi-Zone conferences with the rest of the troops with President Poncio. He always puts a smile on my face hahaha!

On Monday, we did a few Family Home Evenings with members and investigators in the Maximo! Long story short, if you let your foundation grow weak, you had to dig it out with your mouth. Joy to world watching old ladies slam their faces into plates of flour!

Brother Calister talked purely about the importance of understanding the doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "The Holy Ghost cannot teach doctrine. He can only give a confirming testimony to the recipient of the message. Every investigator NEEDS and DESERVES someone who can be that vessel of the Holy Ghost, who knows the doctrine, and can teach it with clarity." A few weeks ago, I read his book on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and was praying that he would talk about it.. My wish came true baby! He went right into the deep doctrine of the Lord´s sacrifice and the Spirit hit me to my bones. "The Atonement of Jesus Christ means to literally be At-One-With Him. It his the most divine showing of love and power at infinite porpotions that our Father in Heaven as ever done. When we are in the Celestial room, it is symbolic of being At-One WITH God. When we are in the Sealing room with our spouse, it means we are At-One LIKE God, with an eternal wife and children." He changed our perspectives completely. Oh how I wish you all could have been there.

Miracles were in abundance this week in the Maximo. Our little group of sheep are coming along. We've been working hard with the Young Men in our ward to help them prepare for their missions! I love you boys from the 6th ward all serving or preparing!

Take care family and friends. Until next week,

Elder Campbell

Quadruples with my boy, Memo!

LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT (1 THESSALONIANS 5:2) August 20, 2017

I couldn't be more proud of my family.. For all the Lake Powell pictures they sent my way and for how good they all did on the wakeboard. Love you guys! It was easily thee most insane 7 days in Nicaragua.. We literally experienced it all as a companionship! As we get into the beef, congrats to my man Nick Andriese for completing his 2 year mission in Mexico. I love you dude and can not thank you enough for the example and brother you have been to me! Take it easy with the hunnies at the Y... AND! Shoutout to my eldest sister, Jentrey, as she turn and Prophet Thomas S. Monson celebrate their birthdays.. I love you Jench. Just like Kenny always said "´Wake up and you´re 25 and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife (Jake)." Happy 25th!

Sunday and Monday, all the dead missionaries came down to our house and completely destroyed the place. Jerks! A few white Elders showed up Monday night from the MTC as well.. To think that was 1 year ago, scared to death entering into that beloved house.. haha!

Wednesday night, we had quite a humbling lesson with a lady, named Nora, that lives in our ward. She was baptized in the church 35 years ago in Costa Rica while on vacation, but returned to Nicaragua and went inactive. She sent her son on the mission 9 months ago, but from there, has been less-active. After doing some investigation, turns out that her baptismal records do not exist and she is not a registered member.. So, as we told her that she would have to get baptized again, she wanted nothing to do with it. She said she didn't know if the church was true and that she had been listening to the Testigos (JW) and that she wasn't sure if she wanted to be a member of our church. As we taught, we realized that she never learned the true doctrine of the Church, including reading the whole Book of Mormon. From there, we went to work! We prayed for the Lord´s help, and we taught about the Restoration. The Holy Ghost took over! We testified, answered questions, and witnessed a complete conversion and change of heart. She told of the calm, peaceful feeling in heart, testifying that the church was true. She committed to read the Book Of Mormon, and now wants to be re-baptized to prepare for the temple once her son returns from Guatemala. It was beautiful!

Thursday.. At 4:45 in the morning, one of the missionaries in our house woke me up, yelling. He said that someone broke into our mission office in the church in Waspan and they stole EVERYTHING. We rushed over in the car.. Just as Paul said to the Thessalonians, the thugs in Waspan came like thieves in the night, cutting through the security bars on the windows and stole all the computers, money, cameras, etc. We've had problems of thieves before, stealing the mirrors off our cars, but never to that scale. They had some guts to go that big on us. Will a man rob God, I ask?

Friday, we put on the wedding of my good friend, Marvin with Hermana Mercedes! It was quite the experience helping them come together as a family and allowing Marvin to learn the Gospel and now have this desire to become an eternal family in the temple in 1 year. He told that to Merecedes in front of everyone at the wedding!

Saturday, Marvin entered the waters of baptism. He said he´s never been so sure about something in his entire life. The Holy Ghost truly opened his heart and allowed new truths to be accepted as we taught him and helped him understand how Jesus Christ could change his life. I sure do love this work and the miracles that come to pass when we work side by side with the Savior and testify of him with all sincerity of heart!

What a week it ´twas. I love you all back home, happy college football season, watch it with all energy of heart. Take care!

1 nefi 2:1-7 One day, the Lord will require the same obedience of us. We have to be ready!

Lunch with the boys

Marvin

the wedding

NO THANKS!!!

Coco loco

LP CREW August 13, 2017

YOU GUYS ARE THE WORST! Don't hit any rocks with ol' Violator baby, she'll go to the tomb if that comes to pass.. Anyway! Have the time of your lives. Sure do miss you guys!

Luv,

Elder Campbell 

The selfie of me is with this guy in our area named Coco Loco. He tries to kiss my neck everytime we see him. Bolos for days!

 

Brayden didn't send a group email, but he sent photos along with this little note to our family.

 

Coco loco

RESPECTER OF PERSONS! HOME! August 6, 2017

Brothers and Sisters. As we conclude another journey filled week, I sure am grateful for all the experiences and miracles that the Lord has allowed me to be apart of in this key part of my life. I think one of the most memorable and sweetest things of this life is feeling the Holy Spirit of The Lord work through you to bless the lives of other persons. Our entire focus has been exactly that, working our guts out in the Maximo Jerez and it sure has paid off!

On Monday, we had one of the best Noche de Hogares at the house of my good friend, Flabio. His wife has been inactive for quite sometime and we were able to share an inspiring message about the family. We felt the Spirit like crazy. Flabio then wrote a dope poem and gave us raisins and juice from a plastic bag. (Plan Nica.) Flabio is like that cool uncle in your family!

Thursday, the boys and I completed 1 year of missionary service! We had our monthly Consejo on Friday so the entire world was at our house having a sleeping over. In honor the occasion, we smoked up the oven in the backyard and did some pyro action! From boys to men.. 1 year later! (McCord!)

Last night, we went to the house of a huge family that are all members. Except one. The daughter of our good buddy, Luis, who has been going to church for years and years, but could never get baptized because he mother (who lives in another part of Managua) never would allow it. Her father was scared to confront his wife (.....) and just let her be, as a dry Mormon. We've tried for months to help her get baptized, but she feared her mother too much. We began our fast, and begged the Lord to let a miracle occur. We put it into his hands! We went to their house at about 8:00 pm, walking past all the drunks in the world, with a purpose to have her baptism for the following morning. Elder Diaz and I shared the story of the 3 valiant young men in Daniel 3 and explained that the Lord will always be with us, especially as we face our fears. We explained that the Lord needs valiant sons and daughters and that he would bless her life immensely if she would put her trust in him. The Lord worked wonders and she accepted! This morning, we were able to have one of the most spiritual baptismal services and testimony meetings I have been apart of because almost every member of her family went forward and bore their love for this Gospel. 

Just as Peter explained, The Lord is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35). He does not care who we are or what we have. All he wants is our will. Our life. Our dedication. If we give that to him, loving him with all our hearts (1 John 4:18, that is when he steps in and changes our lives forever.

Nicaragua is the land of promise that all the ancient Prophets talked about, I swear.

Sure do love you guys, especially the members of my family. Keep on keepin' on and have the best week yet!

Elder Campbell

Moroni 7:42-48

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HUMP DAY!!  One year completed - August 3, 2017

THE LORD'S HANDS July 30, 2017

1 year ago... The Journey began. I am proud of this Gospel and the fact that I get to represent the Savior, Jesus Christ. We were able to bring down some miracles from the heavens this last week and see how the Lord works in his mysterious ways when we place our selves at his feet and let him guide and instruct us!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I was on the road with President Poncio and Hermana Poncio visiting all the houses of the missionaries on the west coast of Nicaragua. We were in Chinandega and Leon, thee hottest cities in this whole world. It was awesome being able to talk to President about his personal life and learn from his experiences! (Momotombo 'volcano' and Corinto ´the beach'). 

Last night, our good friend Steven took that step and got baptized! He is a shyer, quieter dude, but he is one of the most humble little teenagers I have met. He shows up at 4:30 in the afternoon to take advantage of the church wifi and play some Clash of Clans before seminary starts, then he goes to class, then has to return home to where his grandfather treats him like garbage. We were never able to teach him in his home because of his family situation, but the Bishop, being Steven´s uncle, really took on the load and was right by his side. Hours before the baptism, Steven´s grandmother called us and said he would not be getting baptized because he was sick and that he should wait a little longer. As persistent missionaries do, we went right on over to his house. We talked to him, offered a blessing, and told him a miracle would come to pass if he had the faith. Of course, the Lord provided and almost instantly Steven felt better. The Bishop baptized him, and the smile on Steven´s face sealed the deal. The Lord saw our sacrifices during the week, and because of it, he was able to make a miracle happen!

Nicaragua is cool. 

DyC 67:10-13 The Lord will make himself known unto us as we rid ourselves of all ungodliness and put off the natural man!

Take care, each and everyone of you back at home! Good luck to all you fresh missionaries and the ones who are entering into the holy MTC in the coming weeks. Prepare for big things!

Con amor,

Elder Campbell 

Brayden and President Poncio

Steven's baptism