BE BRAVE, BE STRONG, BE FAITHFUL, BE HAPPY

So much family came to the airport to welcome me home!

Hey what's up everyone, super big surprise for all of you. I'm home!! After a lot of thought and a couple talks with my President, we decided it would be better to end the mission a little bit early and start my life here in Utah! In this last email, I want to express the love and thankfulness I have for my home in Guatemala.  Guatemala will always hold a special place in my heart and I love the people and will miss them more than anything. 

I was released today and I want to share my testimony about something that I learned on my mish. The main thing I learned is that Christ loves me and each and every single one of us. I can't tell you how many times I have fallen and He has never given up on me. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to learn of His love and I know it is real.  I know that some of you guys are going through some tough times and it's ok. Everything will be ok. Look for Christ's love. We can always, ALWAYS, find hope. In our darkest times, He will be there to guide us, strengthen us, love us. I know it pains Him to see us in pain but He knows it will help us. He also trusts us to go and get the help that we need. Every single one of you guys has been that help for me in these past 21 months. All the prayers, emails, and thoughts you guys have shared with me have made it possible for me to have a successful mission. You guys helped me. When I was in my darkest of moments, you guys strengthened me and I can't express the love I have for all of you for doing so. I also know that Jesus Christ did that for me as well and does it for every single one of you. And because you have all helped me so much throughout these past 21 months I want to return the favor. My mission in Guatemala may have come to an end and maybe I don't have a plaque anymore but my mission goes on. I will always be here for all of you and will constantly have you guys in my prayers.

It will be hard, and it is hard for us to stay on this covenant path but we can do it! I know we can and I promise you guys that I will keep moving forward and progress in this gospel. 

My last scripture that I want to share with you guys is found in Alma 36:21.  It reads…

"Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."

Be brave, Be strong, Be faithful, Be happy

I love you guys more than anything and remember that God loves you more than anything.

Te amo Guate

     LOS ENONTRE

Mama Rosmel

Super super long and crazy week. As some of you guys know, last Saturday I met my birth mom. I will tell you all as much of the story as I can without boring you. Haha!  For the past 20 months of my mission, I have been telling the same story. “I was born here in Zacapa Guatemala, then when I was six months old I was adopted by a family in the United States. That's why I'm brown but I can't speak Spanish”.  haha. I came on my mission with my original Birth Certificate, so I always knew my birth mom's name (Rosmel Munoz Godoy). When we went to RENAP (the place where they deal with ID issues) I asked them to search for her name. So they did and they said that she doesn't have any ID in their system and is not a citizen of Guatemala, but, they did have the name of my birth sister Haydee. (We knew that my birth mom had 3 kids before she gave birth to me)

A couple months later, I told a member of our ward here in Alotenango my adoption story and they were super interested. They said they were going to find my birth family on facebook.  They searched, and the next day they told me that they found my sisters and brother on Facebook. (I knew it was truly them because my brother looks so much like me.) Then we found an aunt and a cousin named Leslie on facebook also. I reached out to Leslie because I was 100% sure my siblings didn't know about me and I didn't want to create problems. After reaching out to Leslie I didn’t hear anything back. (I just asked her if she knew who Rosmel Munoz Godoy was).  Another week goes by and I reached out to her Facebook again but still no response. So for 3 months I have gone without any response.

With no response from the cousin Leslie I decided to reach out again and tell my story and explain that Rosmel is my birth mother and I am trying to contact her.  A few weeks ago I was in a lesson and I saw a notification come in from my cousin Leslie. She was obviously confused so that night I got permission to get on a FaceTime call with Leslie and her mother (my aunt) Olvia. We talked about everything. They didn’t know anything about me.  (Rosmel hadn’t told anyone about her pregnancy or giving up a baby.)  It’s insane that it went so well. They were both very nice and loving. 

So the next day they talked to my birth mom and told her I had reached out to them and she was obviously surprised!  Rosmel then told my siblings about me. A couple days later she reached out to me and we talked for the first time. It was pretty awkward, but such a cool experience. Throughout the past couple of weeks, we have been in communication and she expressed the fact that she wanted to come visit me. I talked to my President, and made arrangements.  I was making a trip with ward members to go to the Quetzaltenango temple Saturday 26th.  I would have time outside the temple for her to meet me while the ward members went in to do temple work for the day. That experience was awesome. We talked about so many things and she told me about the whole process of my adoption. Shortly after she put me up for adoption she moved to Mexico and has been there for the past 19 plus years. (She traveled from Mexico to meet me last Saturday)

After getting to know each other, I talked to her about God’s plan for me and for her and I taught her about the gospel. It was such a spiritual experience and it was a dream to meet her in front of the house of the Lord. After we met, she was able to travel back to my area with my ward members.  She stayed with a ward member overnight and was able to come to church with me on the next day - Sunday.  We taught her about forgiveness and baptism and she is excited to start going to church in Mexico where she lives and will be meeting with the missionaries in her area.  

There is a lot more to the story, hours of explaining.  I am happy to explain it to you all in 3 short months when I come home.   I found out that I have 3 older 1/2 siblings and 5 younger 1/2 siblings. Me and my parents will be stopping in Mexico on our way home from my mission to meet and visit with my whole birth family…

Rosmel my mom (46 years old)

Haydee - sister (30) and her kids moisés(11), cecilia(6), and marisol(2)

Byron - brother (28) and his kids Rosita(5) and Edy(3)

Cindy - sister (26) and her kids Edward(8) and Verenice(5)

Marely sister (18) and her daughter Karla(2)

Anderson - brother (16)

Osbeli - brother (12)

Yanet - sister (11)

Yuretzy - sister (6)

 

God has a Plan for you. I know it. I don't know exactly what my plan is or how this will all look in the future but what I do know is that if I remain faithful, I will be able to fulfill His plan and it will only be for my benefit. I love you guys so much and please stay safe!

Scripture of the Week:

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Jeremías 1:5 “Antes que te formase en el vientre, te conocí; y antes que nacieses, te santifiqué; te di por profeta a las nacione”

Mama Rosmel

I have a tag with my birth Family's name on it

Lunch with Cuates

Mama y primos

(My cousins Leslie her daugher Alice, my mom,

another cousin Alexis & my comp Elder Colque)

Goat

    SEMANA SANTA

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

sand art rugs

Good week this week. Super crazy week with Semana Santa (Holy Week) and everything. Guatemalans have a ton of traditions for this week with everything … art, music, food, etc. Honestly super cool to be here during all the tradition but it makes it a lil complicated with the work but we still had a good week. 

Huge miracle actually. We had a few investigators show up to church this week completely unexpected. Two of them had been referrals last transfer but we couldn’t ever get in contact with them. The person who gave us the reference lives outside of the mission but was visiting one day so he gave us the references but nothing happened. But this Sunday we were in church and we got a call from the guy and he was asking what time church started.  I said it already started but that there were other wards so he could go to one of those wards. So he did and brought the references from last transfer and their cousin. Their names are James, Michelle, and Wendy. So awesome to see and they even stayed after with so many questions. Wendy was so curious and we showed her the baptismal font and she kept asking and asking what she could do to be baptized. The Spirit there was so strong and we are so excited to work with them again. This time I feel like it'll be good. 

I loved this week. It was really a good reflection week and I love all the teachings that Christ made in the last week of his life. He is so incredible and I am astonished by his humbleness. He never thought about himself. Ever. What he wanted was always the will of the father. I know we all have a LONG way to go to get the level of humbleness but we can always start little by little. I love when Jesus is on the Cross and says, forgive them, for they know not what they do. He was thinking about them. I love a quote that says, ”humbleness is not thinking less of ourselves, it's thinking less about ourselves”. Forgive those who hurt you, think about them and love them like Jesus would. 

Love you all, be safe

Scripture of the Week:

Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

Lucas 23:34 “Y Jesús decía: Padre, perdónalos, porque no saben lo que hacen. Y repartieron entre sí sus vestidos, echando suertes.”

Las alfombras (the rugs)

My uncle Scott baptized this lady's grandmother!  

(Her name is Glena)

Making bread for Semana Santa

Osorio Family from San Martin

Michelle, Wendy and Chezzuaff

Distrito Cuestas

Hombre de maiz

    BABY BLESSING & BAPTISM

Bap and Blessin

Super good week this week. Christopher got baptized and we also gave his little sister a baby blessing! Honestly a super sick experience to be able to give a baby blessing and also finally hold a baby for the first time in the mish. I missed it a lot. Her name is Crystal and she has soooo much hair haha. She was so good during the blessing and Christopher was also super good in the baptism. He’s a little kid and the water was so cold, what a champion. 

We had another fecha that was supposed to happen on Sunday too but he got scared. He is super ready but also super new, so he got cold feet but he did came to church. Usually when someone has a fecha for that Sunday and it falls through, they don’t come to church. But Eber beat satan and came to both hours of church and stayed for the baptism when he was supposed to be getting baptized as well. Champion. We just really need to focus in on him this week and we definitely think he will get baptized. Pray for Eber.

Lately the work has been hard with Easter going on. A lot of people are gone and a lot of people take a lot of pride in their religions this week so it’s been a little tough but it has also given us the opportunity to take pride in our religion and to share about the atonement. Easter is such a special time and I love the mission because I have grown such a greater love and knowledge of this week and what it really means. Christ teaches us so much about His love for us and how we can also share that love. When we love others, we are loving Christ.

I invite all of you guys to think and study about this Easter week and share your love to others all around you. Love you guys so much and be safe.

Scripture of the Week:

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 

Juan 15:13 “Nadie tiene mayor amor que este, que uno ponga su vida por sus amigos.”

Patojos (kids)

Molino

Zone Conference

    LAST CONFERENCE

La Zona Solola

Super good this week and we had transfers. I’m with Elder Colque. He’s from Bolivia and he’s a super cute kid, super ready to work. Conference was super good and I received a lot of answers. I went in with a question on how I can be more confident, or just less scared. Less scared to contact everyone I can, less scared to be direct with people, less scared to get home, etc. So I was praying all week and I got an answer. 

My mom sent a package for my birthday and sent a little wristband. It says, “Look unto Christ in every thought, doubt not, fear not”. I was wearing this wrist all week leading up to conference trying to figure out how to be more confident in everything and didn't even notice I had the answer.  

I have a short email this week but we all have so many fears and there are so many things that we don't want to do because it's risky or because it's scary. We all have it. And one of Satan's biggest tactics is fear. I love 2 Nephi 31: “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men”. In James 1:6 it says"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed”. 

If there is something you are waiting to do, do it. If it is good in the sight of the Lord, He will make sure it all works out. Love you all be safe 

Scripture of the Week:

D&C 6:36 “ Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

DyC 6:36 “ Mirad hacia mí en todo pensamiento; no dudéis; no temáis.”

Sister Training Leaders e Inglaterrra

    COME FOLLOW ME

Amo a Jesus

Yo what's up super good week. Going to write a super quick email but we had a lot of progress this week. We've been working in a village called San Jorge and it's been super fun. Before, there was not much going on there but we met with the members and got references and we had awesome lessons. We met this guy named Eber and he was a reference and then he came to church 2 days later. Super goat and all during the second hour he was asking us so many questions and they were all the right questions to be asking. We had a lesson with him after and put a goal for him to get baptized on the 13th. He's a goat and can be super ready by then I know it. 

Here's a little quote I want to share with you guys as well, it has helped me a lot through the mission and I hope it can help you guys too.

“Salvation is not a cheap experience, no one is going to have rich abundant experiences for minimal effort.  I do believe that there is something in this walk of salvation, this quest that says we have to pay something for that.

When we've come to know the Savior, it's when we've been out something in the border lines of Gethsemane. The road to salvation always goes through Gethsemane and it will always require a journey to the summit of calvary.  If we say we are disciples of Christ, we walk where he walked, we feel what he felt, we pray the way he prayed and we shed the tears that he shed in some proportion.

The invitation is always "Come follow me”.  That journey will be somewhere in the border lands of Gethsemane and at least somewhere in the shadow of calvary”.  -   Jeffrey R. Holland

Anyways that was a cool little story I wanted to share with you all and hope you guys are all doing super good. Stay safe

Scripture of the Week:

D&C 58:2-4 “2 For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven. 3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. 4 For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand”

DyC 58:2-4 “2 Porque de cierto os digo, bienaventurado es el que guarda mis mandamientos, sea en vida o muerte; y el que es fiel en la tribulación tendrá mayor galardón en el reino de los cielos. 3 Por lo pronto no podéis ver con vuestros ojos naturales el designio de vuestro Dios concerniente a las cosas que vendrán más adelante, ni la gloria que seguirá después de mucha tribulación. 4 Porque tras mucha tribulación vienen las bendiciones. Por tanto, viene el día en que seréis coronados con mucha gloria; la hora no es aún, mas está cerca”

District Chacaya

Sisters

Elder Muñoz and Elder Aronda

Obispo Aviola and Family

Chacaya

     SERVE AND LOVE

Aguas de Mormon

Yo pretty good week this week. We are still super excited about Esteban’s baptism. He’s doing great right now and we are now working on some other people. We had an activity about a week ago for the Young Women in the stake. It was about missionary work so we very briefly trained them on how to make a contact and how to teach. Then we went out with groups and contacted a bunch of people in their houses, stores, or on the street. We saw a kid watering some plants outside his house so we told this group of Young Women to contact him. They did great.  This week we have been contacting all of the people that the Young Women talked to and we went back to the kids house. His name is Ian Soto and we met his older sister Katheryn and told them who we are and what we do. Got contact information from them and then went back a couple days later and got to know the younger siblings and the mom named Sandra. They are awesome and so loving.  There are so many people today who love so much. This family does not attend a church but do believe in Christ. And that means they believe in his commandments. They offered to let us in and I saw that the mom was mopping so I asked if I could mop. She obviously said no but I grabbed the mop from her and started cleaning the kitchen. She died laughing. She thought it was the funniest thing ever and by the time I finished she started asking questions. Where we were from, why we’re here, where do we live, what church we are apart of, who washes our clothes, who feeds us, etc. When we told her what we do and what our living conditions were she was surprised and told us that whenever we are hungry and whenever we need clothes washed, we could call her and she would feed us for free and wash our clothes for free. 

We will make progress with her, I know it. But the first lesson that we had with her was not us teaching her, it was her teaching us. She showed us that she believes in Christ, and through action is how we show that. The 2 greatest commandments are to Love thy God with all thy heart, might, mind, and strength. And second, Love thy neighbor as thyself. When you are in the service of your neighbor, you are in the service of your God.

The last lunch that I shared with my Grandpa England he said this, “When you see the opportunity to assist someone- jump on it. Make them love ya, it will open opportunities”. This lady really understands what it means to serve and love others and it was such a great lesson for us to learn. She wasn't trying to be nice or trying to impress us or anything, it’s just the way she is. So Christlike. If you feel like you aren't being served or it's hard, serve others, chances are they are feeling like that too. We will get there some day haha. 

Anyways love you all so much, stay safe and always remember to love and serve others. Often times it helps us more than them!

Scripture of the Week:

Mosiah 2:17 “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

Mosíah 2:17 “Y he aquí, os digo estas cosas para que aprendáis sabiduría; para que sepáis que cuando os halláis al servicio de vuestros semejantes, solo estáis al servicio de vuestro Dios."

Kelvin, Alondra, and Dayana

Lake Atitlan and the volcano

 

    SERVICIO

Servicio de Distrito

Yo super great week. We did so much service this week, which was so fun. On Monday last week I looked to my companion and said that I really wanted to be better at loving others and that serving is when I feel the happiest. I told him that I hoped to serve a lot of people this last week. We definitely got my wish. We got calls to move 600 cinderblocks as a district, move an ice machine that weighed for sure at least 1000 pounds, translate for medical students, and at 7 am go and kill a rat in a members house lol. I loved it.

The cinderblock service was super fun. To be there as a district covered in dirt and all sweaty was super fun. It was also in a super far away village so that was lit. The ice machine didn’t take too much time but it was so freaking heavy. Also he let us have some fun and get sledge hammers and destroy a big block of cement. I took a turn and on my swing down the top of the sledgehammer flew off so fast right towards my companion (and behind him was a pretty nice pickup truck). No one can convince me that an Angel didn’t guide the hammer because it went flying and went right through my comps legs and right under the car. Not sure who it was but that Angel saved a life and a window lol. The rat was pretty fun, good birthday present. The translating was also super fun. Pretty interesting and it was fun learning about some medical stuff. Also very interesting hearing about Guatemalan 50 year old women’s medical problems. Pretty gross. 

We finally got a baptism after a very long time. Esteban Gamboa is now a member of the true church of God. A true miracle happened. We started a fast and it was super good. We got a call from a member 20 minutes after we started our fast to eat dinner with them. That doesn’t happen here so it was pretty clear that it was a temptation to eat haha. So we said no sadly and went the 24 hours without food or drink. Also pretty tough because the medical students had so many good American snacks and offered it to us and it was tough to say no haha. But we stuck with it and I couldn’t be happier that we did. We later had an appointment with Esteban and he had said he wanted to get baptized but later. He said he needed more preparation. So a member came with us to talk to him and bro cooked. Esteban said that it was just fear that was holding him back and the member hyped him up and we set the fecha for Sunday. So yesterday the baptism happened and Esteban said he couldn’t feel happier about the decision he made. 

Fasting helps so much and serving helps us find so much joy. This week was such an awesome blessing and I am loving the mish. Please reach out, I miss and love you all

Scripture of the Week:

Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Isaías 40:31 “pero los que esperan en Jehová tendrán nuevas fuerzas; levantarán las alas como águilas; correrán y no se cansarán; caminarán y no se fatigarán.”

Esteban Gamboa's Baptism

Lake Atitlan

    MILAGRO

Solola

What up, good week last week. Super fast one. This week I did some divisions with Elder Muñoz and Elder Aranda and it was good. We went to a super far away village to teach this investigator and it was pretty fun. We also did a service the next morning which was actually pretty lit. We put about 5,000 pounds of rocks in bags for about 3 hours. Elder Aranda said he was feeling sick about 20 minutes in. It was definitely cap. Bro took 4 bathroom breaks, each for at least 15 minutes. We chill tho, bro grinded. Elder Muñoz is a grinder tho, bro is Guatemalan and was lovin the work. 

With the work it has been good. We got people progressing and it has been fun lately. This email will be super short. So sorry ma but I want to share a quick thought. We have been praying for miracles to happen but I didn't really know how they would come. President Nelson said this in his talk in April 2022 - 

“Moroni assured us that “God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.” Every book of scripture demonstrates how willing the Lord is to intervene in the lives of those who believe in Him. He parted the Red Sea for Moses, helped Nephi retrieve the brass plates, and restored His Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Each of these miracles took time and may not have been exactly what those individuals originally requested from the Lord. In the same way, the Lord will bless you with miracles if you believe in Him, “doubting nothing.” Do the spiritual work to seek miracles. Prayerfully ask God to help you exercise that kind of faith. I promise that you can experience for yourself that Jesus Christ “giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” Few things will accelerate your spiritual momentum more than realizing the Lord is helping you to move a mountain in your life.”

Miracles always come, big or small. But we have got to do everything in our power to HELP them happen and trust in God that he will MAKE it happen. Joseph Smith receiving an answer was a miracle, we know that. But it came in a very different way than I'm sure he wanted. I don't think it was very fun to be scolded, feathered, tortured and finally murdered. I don't think that is what the 14 year old boy wanted when he went to pray in the Sacred Grove. But he had the faith and did everything he could. Our Heavenly Father did the rest. It was a tough battled miracle, but still a miracle. 

They still exist, God is the same, and how miracles come is the same too. I love you all so much, stay safe

Scripture of the Week:

Mormon 9:15 “And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.”

Mormón 9:15 “Y ahora bien, a todos vosotros que os habéis imaginado a un dios que no puede hacer milagros, quisiera preguntaros: ¿Han pasado ya todas estas cosas de que he hablado? ¿Ha llegado ya el fin? He aquí, os digo que no; y Dios no ha cesado de ser un Dios de milagros”

Solola

Exchanges with Elder Munoz and Elder Aranda

Quetzalenango Temple 

P - Day in Pana

Elder Couser

I miss my family in

San Martin

Hermana Judd

Investigators