THE PIG'S TRASERO February 25, 2018

The road sign at the entrance of our area says "El Viejo, Land of Jesus Christ". Obviously this place was chosen before the foundation of the world for some prime time reaping and harvesting. Our week coasted as we plowed through each and everyday looking for families and trying our best to testify of the Savior so the stubborn ones would accept going to church. Before we begin, Happy 23rd to my older but not eldest Sister, the late great Madison Campbell Withers (CAKE DAY!). Been there since Day 1! I'll see you on the escalator in SLC! Also, the Old man and woman Campbell are hitting 28 AÑOS married this coming 2nd of March. WOOHOO! 

Monday night took us to the house of Jairo and Maritza, our future eternal family, for a little family home evening. We played our flour game and it was a ball! Be on the lookout for their baptism fotos in the next 2 weeks! (Just a few more bumps and dents to buffer out)

We jump forward in time to Friday due to only the amount of hard work put in Tuesday-Thursday! Our service project to animate a lady to get baptized failed in the morning on Friday and we went about with a member named Kevin separating wheats from tares. Our adventures took us to the house of Reynaldo, an eternal investigator who had quite the spiritual experience. After our lesson the week before about the Great Apostasy and having the humility to ask God if this was the truth, he turmoiled for a full week, time and time again on his knees, searching for that answer. Just like our dear friend Peter of old, Reynaldo received his answer, not from flesh or blood, but from a source from on high. The Spirit filled the room as he told us his experience. The water will be ready for this coming Saturday! God lives and answers humble prayers of faith.

Saturday, we were called to a Nica farm in Tonala as a zone to give a little service to the struggling branch. The activity was a blast and the familes out in the jungle loved the visit from us! 

Enjoy. Love you amigos!

Elder Brayden Campbell 

5 FOOT IGUANAS AND DIRT TRAILS February 18, 2018

Valentine's Day came and went, along with its surprises and tricks. Long story short, Elder Nonu ended up with a 5 foot iguana on our back patio, which served as a guard for a few nights in preparation for "sopa de garrobo". I'll keep you posted on how she goes! 

God is truly showing me that this is work. He has taught me that we have to be willing to pay the price to find his elect and chosen children. He wants our work, consecration, faith, diligence, obedience, talents, and prayers. A giant lesson I learned is that to be prayerful over EVERYTHING will lead to the hidden door with a family waiting to be taught. Nonu and I after our weekly planning with the zone last night, left our Bishop´s house with a prayer to find a family. At 9:15, we were on our way home without any positive. We mad an abrupt stop at a darkened house, and lightly knocked. A father came out, quickly invited us in, and told us he had been waiting to be taught by servants of God about his will. We met the family and something special is going to happen in that home with the Gospel!

Everyday we saw miracles working with Elder Morales. He convinced an eternal investigator about the errors in the Catholic church and humbly beared testimony of the importance of asking God for his answer to what we have been teaching for so long. Reynaldo, the mans name, came to church this sunday and told his sister that he has never felt so close to God as he has read the BOM and listened to us teach him. He asked what he should do to her.. She said "GET BAPTIZED!" This friday, he is going to choose the day for the dunk contest!

The dirt trails are what I live for. The Chosen live amongst them! I love you all. 

Elder Brayden Campbell

If heights by great men reached and kept

Were not attained by sudden flight

If they, while their companions slept,

Were toiling upward in the night

Then what did motivate their climb?
What did companions never feel?

Was it fear or prize sublime?

Did obligation feed their zeal?

Each height by great men reached above

Is motivated out of love. 

FOTOS:

THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH February 12, 2018

The exotic Nica journey is in full swing and the big house of El Viejo is loving every moment of our dusty visits and gallo pinto dinners. Elder Morarles turned the big 20, families our progressing in our area, and Valentine's Day is upon us. What else could you ask for?

Tuesday we worked our tails off to find and teach those families! The elect family that came to church last week was stunned shut by the power of the Holy Ghost as we taught the Restoration for the first time. They loved it and are now reading the BOM each night as a family. Thee sweetest sight!

Wednesday was Spring Break as we headed down to Managua for our 'capactiation' of the new missionaries!

Thursday I headed out on divisions to El Naranjo with Elder Silva from Brazil to do some baptismal interviews with the troops! They were spiritual and funny, and each person passed with ease. It ´twas a great day to be alive on the Lord´s errand. ( I sure did miss doing those interviews!)

Sunday was a humbling one for us. A lady in our ward named Esperanza has been having some serious medical issues (an untreated hernia the size of an arm. She had no shame in showing me haha!). She pleaded that we would go to her house after church and give her a blessing. Elder Nonu and I went, read from the Scriptures, pumped her faith up, and a blessing was given. Later, she asked for the Sacrament as she was not able to attend the meeting that day. We broke the bread, poured the water, knelt, and the Spirit took over from there. We felt a little like the Savior did all those years ago when he gave the first Sacrament to his apostles. It was a holy moment for my Tongan homie and I! After, Bishop Romero took it to us and said that we had to step up our game. He only excepts excellence from us (Which is super cool!) He pumped our faith up, told us to leave his house and to find a family based on the Spirit´s guidings and report back to him how it went. We found a family of 12 that all accepted dates for March. The faith of one Bishop can move mountains... 

The journey continues. This work is divine. Keep on Keepin' on friends and family. I love you all!

Elder Campbell

Scrips:

Isiah 64:8 The Potter

Hebrews 12:1-2 The Finisher

2 Nephi 25:23 We (Us and Christ)

WORDS FROM THE DUST February 5, 2018

The arrival to the beloved zone of Chinandega Oeste could not have been better initiated as a lady from Managua took us to her sister's house just down the street from the church and introduced us! Her trip to the temple in Honduras fell through and she felt the need to find the Elder's in El Viejo to show us her family members. A few short lessons later, they came to church yesterday and are now on that path to being baptized. Yes, this is a mission of miracles and yes, we see them on the daily!

Our week was full of awesome experiences, trying to meet the members, the investigators, the areas, and everything in between! My new companion is named Elder Morales, and he is from Guatemala! He loves to talk to people (LIKE ALL CHAPINS!), teach the Gospel, and joke around with me! He was converted to the Church a short 5 years ago and is a huge example to me on the power of consecration. We have been working like mules to get to know everyone and their dog in our ward!

Member missionary work is the key to success. The Spirit prepares the people for us and the members are the #1 way to find the elect who are prepared. I have already received 25 references from the wardskis... Prepare yourselves for lots of photos of white :)

I love you family and friends, perdonarme for the lack of photos.. Next week the email will be blanketed with pictures of your favorite boys! Have the best one yet!

Elder Campbell

(Nica keyboards suck!)

John 8:32 The truth shall make  you free

Alma 18:10, 17 Ammon was WILLING to do whatever he was asked and whatever it took to be successful!

New companion- Elder Morales