Brayden's Nicaraguan Adventure: WEEK ONE IN THE FIELD September 19. 2016

Elder Campbell still lives! The last email was a little over 9 days ago, I apologize for all of my fans out there. I arrived in Nicaragua exactly 1 week ago and it is quite the place. I go contacting every day in a jungle village called Sor Maria, it's the coolest little place! The Nicas are the kindest, humblest people. Every person I pass in the street will say 'Adios' or 'Buenas', even if they look like they are going to kill me. A little about the place: There are dogs EVERYWHERE! Bolos (drunks) try to talk to us at the bus stop and in the street about God and try touching and hugging us. Nothing better than messing with a Bolo right before you go contacting! ;) It rains every day in little spurts. Our area is solid dirt roads and jungle, so we get covered in mud! My trainer, Elder Hobbs from Idaho, has been in the mission for about 23 months. He dies a few days after my birthday.. BUT! What a first week this was. Here's the good stuff!

Sunday: Last day in the MTC! It was super hard saying goodbye to all the boys from the District. After the devotional from M. Russell Ballard (3 Apostles in 6 weeks!), we said one last district prayer in our classroom. I love the dudes so much. McCord and I spent most of the night packing our stuff so we would be ready to leave at 3:50. MTC was some of the funnest 6 weeks yet :)

Monday: We took TRAX up to the airport and were in Atlanta around noon. After, we got on our plane to Nicaragua! When we landed, President Poncio and his wife were waiting there with a couple missionaries from the office. He is the COOLEST little Guatemalan guy. He was joking with us and making fun of us and asking us all of these questions. We're gonna get along just fine! After, he took all the new missionaries to Pizza Hut. We went to the mission home and that is when it became real! I was actually in the mission. It hit home!

Tuesday: I met my daddy! Elder Hobbs from Idaho adopted me on 9/13/2016. He is a ZL, has about 23 months in the mission, and he loves to machete people during lessons. (Picture of us below!) We got assigned to the Matagalpa-Sor Maria area. We are currently re-opening it, so we have tons of work to do! We took a 2 hour bus to Matagalpa and then we went home to drop off my bags. We have to climb a sketchy three story spiral staircase to get into our house! It's quite the place. We DO have running water, but the room is infested with fleas. Let the adventure begin :) We went to members houses after, and I didn't understand a word. In the middle, Hobbs looks at me says, "Elder Campbell will now bear his testimony to you." It went well..!

Wednesday: We went out to Sor Maria and we went to work! We met tons of people, talked to investigators who investigated the church months ago before the area closed for awhile, and then we had our lunch. Hermana Conny makes us lunch every day and it is SO dang good. Blessed to have her!

Thursday: I had my first baptism! They asked me to baptize Arelene Espionza only after 4 days in the mission. I was super nervous, but it went really well! She was so happy after she came up after the water. We are already seeing tons of miracles in our area. I understand very little during our lessons, but I know my place! I say what I know when the time is right, and I am the designated baptism inviter. We have tons of dates set for the coming weeks :) I'll keep you guys updated!

Friday: We had a lesson with this 78 year old women and the craziest thing happened. She had been avoiding getting baptized for over a year, but Elder Hobbs and I asked her to say a prayer with us on her knees and ask God for an answer. As she was praying, she just started wailing. I couldn't understand one word, excpet 'Bauticeme', which means baptize me. She agreed to be baptized and set a date for the following day. It was insane! Miracle for sure. She told the other ZL during her interview that she received an asnwer during that prayer.

Saturday: We just worked like mules some more and contacted tons and tons of people. The members help us out SO much! Every day/night, we always have a member helping us teach. I love the Nicas so much!

Sunday: We had 62 people attend church. Sor Maria isn't even a branch yet, but if keep our attendence up, we'll a branch super soon! After church, we were waiting at a bus stop and Elder Hobbs was sitting down below the bus stop sign. He jumped up and sliced his head on it on accident! He started bleeding everyone and PASSED OUT. Here I am, can't speak a lick of Spanish, my comp is bleeding and passed out. Luckily, tons of people were helping me out! I tried calling someone on our cell phone but not one person picked up. A truck took us to a clinic and Hobbs got some stitches. Adventure or what?

Another email ended. I hope you all are enjoying that nice fall weather and football! Nothing better :) I love you guys so much! Twanies!

Elder Campbell

Scriptures:

Enos:1:15 "Receiving an answer"

3rd Nephi: 12:48 "Be perfect"

Matthew: 18:21-22 "Be quick to forgive."

Matthew 25:40 "Done it unto me."

Luke 13:24-28 "Imagine hearing this from Lord. Gives me chills."

3rd Nephi 21: 28-29 "We never walk alone."

Pictures: