Hey!

It’s hot. 

So incredibly hot. 

You have no idea. But I think that I am getting used to it. 

So let me tell you all the stuff that happened to me this week, although I have very short time. 

First:  Brandon 

Brandon Castaño is Venezuelan. He is Colombian by birth but grew up in Venezuela. He has had a rough life and he is only 16.

Last Sunday we were walking down the street when I hear someone say, “ELDER!”

I looked around but I didn’t see anyone but a semi-gangster teenager behind me but he wasn’t looking at me 

Second time “ELDER!” 

I looked around but still didn’t see anyone.

The third time “ELDER!!!!”

I look at the kid behind me it had to be him. He looks up from his feet and sure enough it’s him, and he is crying. He introduced himself as a member of the church from Venezuela but it’s been a long time since he has been to church. He was kicked out of Venezuela because he had a difficult situation go on with the guerilla’s there. He had two choices, stay at home and be killed or run. So he ran. In the middle of the night he crossed the border in a serious of trucks and stunts that honestly a 16-year-old boy normally could not do. He reached Medellin, Colombia with only the clothes on his back and started to walk knowing that he had family in Cali and Buenaventura. 4 days after he had left he got to Buenaventura in a bus, and as he was in the bus station he asked for help using his nationality by birth, Colombian, although he had never been in Colombia before in his life. They called his mom and she brought his clothes to him. He is now living with his mom’s aunt and uncle that both he and his mom met for the first time about a week ago. He is a little rough around the edges but has gotten pretty attached to us. He has tattoos up and down his arms and tattoos on his lip. He is super awesome and is changing his life, starting from zero. 

The other experience was the most amazing lesson of my mission with a recent convert called Bryan. 

Bryan is 22 years old and can serve a mission so we went to his house, my companion, Hermano Árias and I. We had the most incredible lesson where I shared the reason why I decided to serve a mission, including the talk given in General Conference in October of 2012 about the bees working on the beehive. He cried, and said he knew he had to go on a mission. We told him he needed to ask God if it is what he needed to do and we left. 20 minutes latter the phone rings, its Bryan and he says to us: How do I start the paperwork. 

Everyone was so excited because he would be the first missionary from Buenaventura in the history of the branch of 130 people. We were working with him and then before sacrament Bryan left crying from the Chapel. After sacrament we went to visit him only to find that the previous day he found out that his girlfriend is pregnant. In an instant and only 4 days after he made the decision to leave on a mission his opportunities were crushed. 

Satan works to destroy our hopes and dreams, just when we think we are on the right path is when he will try anything possible to drag us down. In these moments we cannot let him win and we must follow the example of Peter as he started to cross the water towards the Savior. As Peter began to sink he extended his hand and asked for the support of his Savior. We must do the same. 

We must ask for the help that we need and we will be made strong. 

I love this gospel please keep going. 

Buenaventura is super cool. It’s mega ghetto, like... honestly super ghetto. However I’m safe because everyone is fascinated with Americans here it’s awesome. I’m constantly listening to 2-Pac, Eminem, Snoop Dog as loud as the speakers can play. The house can be falling down but the families have the latest equipment in listening to music.

The life he revolves around music. 

I love you all so much 

I leave you with the challenge:

To think about a youth near you that is passing through difficult times. Show the youth your love and support and that you care about him/her.

I know you can do it. 

Onward ever Onward

Elder Lyle