Familia Mia:)
Hello everybody! :) Oh how I love writing you every week. I love the pictures that I have of all of you. I think of you often, pray for you, and hope that everything is going well in your lives.
This is another tough time in the mission. What an opportunity to grow :) The Lord is showing me that He needs to bless me, so He put me in an environment where I would grow very much, and I have. :) I will be sure to send a picture of my companion next week. Sorry, I haven't taken any pics yet of the new area. I sent all of the pictures from my last area just barely. (You are welcome to visit Bruce's blog to see pictures: elderbrucebitter.blogspot.com). Hope you enjoy them :) Man, this is difficult. It truly takes unity to be exactly obedient and to succeed. Yet, the Lord still shows His mercy and shows that He is over His work, and the work goes on even though there are imperfect servants there.
We had two fechas that were set for Saturday that fell through and didn't work. Really sad. Yet, we still keep working and the Lord will show us the way :)
In Loma Coba 2, there are a lot of hills, about 9 to 13. They are some big hills :) I go up and down every day a lot. It's good exercise, :) yet the sweat comes, and in floods. I don't think I have ever sweat so much from just walking. It is amazing. :) There are a lot of Kunas here. Kuna is a kind of Indian tribe from the islands of San Blas here in Panama. They make this cool design called Moloc, or something like that :) I am going to have them make some for me. They will be great treasures to remember and be souvenirs for you guys. It is really cool. They are trying to teach me their dialect, but there is no way I am going to try and learn a dialect when I have a lot to learn in Spanish:) The Kuna people look very similar. You can tell if someone is Kuna. :) The people here are really nice.
This last week I tried to smile more, talk more, bond with the members, kids, and teenagers, and help build unity and show them that they can trust in the missionaries. It's been great and already we see doors opening. Isn't it interesting what just being freindly and Christ-like does? :)
There are so many less-actives here. The attendance at church averages about 90, and that is with the ZL's area too. We are missing almost 300 members! My plan is to find them and invite and help them remember :) The work is going well, despite the fact that we don't have many we are teaching right now. I have found that many of the recent converts that have been baptized don't even have a decent knowledge of the gospel and don't even know that the church is true. There is a lot of work to do here. We have two investigators right now. I want to try and have a bigger pool. We will have to do a lot of work. The two that we have right now are Daritzel and Inilda. Both girls are in the higher teens and getting baptized this weekend :) Happiness!
The work is going well. It is really hard here, especially because I am trying to build unity with my comp and it is really difficult. I feel like I am back to a shadow in the companionship and don't really have a say in anything. It is a nice experience. I am learning a lot - humility, patience, and a Christ-like attitude are required. I have been reading in 'Jesus the Christ' in the 17th Chapter on the Sermon on the Mount. Oh how mighty are those words and teachings! I know they are true :) I am trying to 'poner en practica' all of the teachings that He taught. This requires faith, prayer, and striving every moment. Prayer is essential, gratitude also, just as President Uchtdorf said - we need to have gratitude.
There is much to do, but we can do it with Christ and God on our side :) What is there to fear with our mighty God supporting us? Blessed are ye who are persecuted for my sake, for ye shall inherit the Kingdom of God. I am not totally sure if that is the right wording, but read it for yourself ;) I know the gospel is true. I truly do. I have had such a stirring in my heart. I cannot wait to have a family and teach my precious ones the gospel, just as my mother and father did for me :) I am so filled with gratitude for you! Truly the family is central to God's plan. Here in Panama, the family is being attacked and conquered. This is why so many are deprived of blessings and there is so much darkness. Truly we have to teach our children when they are young to keep the commandments of God. I cannot wait to do that :)
Thank you for your love and prayers in my behalf. I love you all so much with all of this heart that I have. I cannot wait to talk to you in a few weeks or so! :) Thank you for all that you do and for sending me pictures and writing me. Thank you all so much:)
Mom, be sure to thank the young women for sending me a letter with some notes in it. I am truly grateful for that. Tell them thanks :) I am pretty sure it was Sister Turner's and Sister Taylor's young women :)
Love, Elder Bitter :)
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