SIEMPRE ME SIENTO SUCIO

Rain is terrible

What uppp, I am happy to say this past week has been amazing!! We have been working hard here in San Martin and it has been well worth it. I also am loving the city so much. When I first got here my attitude was focus on all the bad things about the city but now I have switched it and I am happy here. It's beautiful and I have friends here now!! I still am not a fan of how dirty I feel 24/7 and eating with my hands is the worst. But all the Élders say you get used to it, I'm not too convinced.

We started English classes this week, which has been so fun. We have been teaching just little classes and none of them are members which was the goal. Obviously we want to teach them English but the main idea is to get them in the church and be comfortable around us. We do them just twice a week and it is hilarious. There are about half adults and half kids. Small classes of like 10. These classes worked to perfection. It's a fun way to have fun with everyone and it is hilarious listening to the adults try to speak English. The kids are way better than the adults. I realize how hard English is to learn though, we have so many things that just don't make sense but oh well. That's not the main point though. We invited all of them to come to church and 5 of them came!! Watching them come through the door was mind blowing. I couldn't believe it

We also had 2 others attend the church. This guy saw a post we made on facebook and he called us and said he needed to talk to us. I am grateful for the modern day tool of technology because otherwise we may have never found him. But we gave him a lesson on the restoration. It was cool because in lessons I usually understand around 10-15 percent of what is said but I just understood everything he was saying. He said he believed in Joseph Smith and that he believes the Book of Mormon is true even though he hasn't even read it yet. He said he could just feel something telling him it was true. Milagrosss. Anyway he and his son came to church and stayed for the 2nd hour and man it just made me so happy. 

Missions are still very tough haha, but wow, the spirit really does his job well. If we all just do our part in anything, the spirit and God will take care of the rest. I testify that this is true.

Scripture of the week:

Mosiah 2:21 "I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants"

Mosíah 2:21 "os digo que si sirvieseis a aquel que os ha creado desde el principio, y os está preservando día tras día, dándoos aliento para que podáis vivir, moveros y obrar según vuestra propia voluntad, y aun sustentándoos momento tras momento, digo que si lo sirvieseis con toda vuestra alma, todavía seríais servidores improductivos"

Clases de inglés gratis

Our little English class

Jesus (this little kid) is my best friend

Me and Perez on top of San Martin

OG pic

    GOTTA LEARN PATIENCE

San Martin

Hello all!! I hit 2 months this week. Wow anyone who says time flies is wrong. Just kidding but not really. This week went by a lot faster than usual though. My first full week here in San Martin has been full of ups and downs, this place is crazy.

We have 4 really serious investgators that have so much potential and other contacts that I think could get to this point with a little more work and effort. We have been working real hard trying to turn things around here. There have been 3 baptisms here in 3 years before it was closed down for a year. No one here has heard of missionaries or the church before and most people are Católico and Evangélico. Usually when they have a religion they are so nice and hear us out then decline and say that they can't change their religion (which I don't blame em), I wouldn't change mine either but we still try and tell them they can. lol. But Sunday proselyting is real tough. They do not appreciate when you try and talk to them about another religion after they just had church. It's kinda funny cause they get mad at me and my comp and I don't understand a thing. I think it's a good thing I don't speak the language good because afterward I always ask Élder Pérez what they said and he always types it out in google translate for me. Sometimes I'm like wow, good for you for being kind and patient with them because some things they say are offensive and bazar. If I understood, I would probably take a jab back at them. So I gotta learn patience too by the time I get good at Spanish.  I'm thinking I have got plenty of time lol.

We gave talks this last Sunday that went very well. I spoke on the Holy Ghost and was trying to think of a good story to tell them. As I was thinking I thought of some crazy and funny stories with the boys. I realized that we had some close calls on life a couple times. I'm thinking home was more dangerous with my friends than walking dark streets at night in Guatemala. Although, I haven't been held up at gun point yet. Shout out ELDER GROTTYHAT on not dying. Legend

Go Utes too!! Caleb Williams es un niño pequeño

Love and miss you all like crazy!! 

Scripture of the Week:

Ephesians 1:4 "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love"

Efesios 1:4 " según nos escogió en él antes de la fundación del mundo, para que fuésemos santos y sin mancha delante de él, en amor"

Muy enfermo

Tuk Tuk 

I miss watching read football

First fade of the mish

    PANDA EXPRESS?

Hermana Clida Ines Perez' baptism

Wow what a crazy week. Ok so to start off, Guatemala has been actually going through it. The blockades got a lot worse and weren't very peaceful in some places. It is really sad and we weren't able to leave the house one day. Then we could go out but weren't able to be out past like 6 pm. But by the end of the week we were back to normal. Now that I am writing this, I'm realizing WOW it has been a very long week. We always come out on top though. On Friday we received the news that the road opened up and we were able to go to San Martin and not stay in the office. I'm gonna miss that place though, it was always a good time with all the missionaries there.

I had the opportunity to have "my" first baptism this week! I met with her once before she decided to get baptized but my comp Élder Pérez did all the work to get her to this point. The baptism was on Saturday and it was such a cool experience. I'm not sure if Élder Pérez really wanted me to baptize her or if he just didn't want to get his temple clothes wet, but whatever reason it was. I'm glad I had the opportunity to baptize her. After the baptism we had English class and I love it. It's the best, cause I teach them and they realize how hard it is to learn a language. I always get made fun of being a "Gringo Guatemalteco" and it's funny. So it helps them understand how hard it really is. But the people are so so nice and are always willing to help me with my Spanish. My comp is especially good at this. He doesn't speak much English and I don't speak much Spanish so it's great, we learn a lot from each other.

We left to San Martin and got to our apartment at 2 am and in bed at around 2:30. You could say I could've slept on the way but it was terrifying. To put this into perspective. It was super winding roads. Think about Big Cottonwood Canyon. My driver, anytime there was a straight away, (which was pretty often) would gas it til the very last moment. Not exaggerating we got up to 120 when I decided to look over at him when there was a turn coming up. He really really wanted to get there fast. So there was no sleeping on the way and Sunday was a very very long day. This place is a lot different than San Lucas. It's a lot more poor and the culture is a lot different. The culture shock is crazy right now and I feel gross all the time but it's good because I need the humbleness.

Today for P-day we went to Chimaltenango which is far so we took a bus to meet our district. When I asked what food they have there my comp names off McDonald's, Burger King, Dominoes. You know all of the classics. And then he goes, "You need to try this place called Panda Express". So I played along for a sec and was like nah sounds gross what even is that. Then I told him they're all over. Élder Pérez is la cabra. 

Love you. Miss everyone like crazy right now/ Everyone says this but right now I would absolutely love to hear from everyone!

Scripture of the week: 

Moroni 7:13 "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God"

Moroni 7:13 "Mas he aquí, lo que es de Dios invita e induce a hacer lo bueno continuamente; de manera que todo aquello que invita e induce a hacer lo bueno, y a amar a Dios y a servirle, es inspirado por Dios"

Heading to a lesson in San Lucas

I get to look tall for once in my life

San Martin

Jonah and this Nino would get along real well 

Panda Express?

    MADE IT TO GUATEMALA

Giving away Book of Mormons

What's upppp! I finished up at the CCM and headed out to Guatemala last Thursday. So much has happened since my last P-day on September 28th. First of all, General conference was freaking amazing. That was the first time I have ever listened and studied all 5 sessions. There were some quick 5 minute naps in there, I can't lie, but overall it was amazing receiving so much knowledge from the leaders of our church.

There is soooo much that I could talk about but I will keep it short. My new comp is Elder Perez and he is one of the AP's and a legend here in the mission.  I love him.  Right as I was assigned my companion (the night we got here), President Probst said you have a lesson that you guys have got to get to. So I jumped right into it. We were able to meet with this family and they were sooo kind. It was funny introducing myself to them because they wonder why I can't speak Spanish but I am Guatemalan. Then I tell them that I was adopted and tell them the whole story, haha they didn't believe me! hahaha. About half the time everyone laughs at me or is like that is sooo cool. No inbetween lol. They were the kindest people ever though and fed us and we had a whole testimony meeting in the dark. Could I understand a thing, nope, not really, but the spirit was there and it was such a cool experience.

I am assigned to go to the San Martin area but have been serving in San Lucas because here in Guatemala there have been many protests against the Government. I don't really know that much but I know the government won't step down and give power to the people elected. I dunno, it's about some crazy stuff. But the streets are blocked everywhere and a lot of us are stuck where we are. We are perfectly safe, just can't drive places, that's all. Nothing to worry too much about. We have been able to serve and proselyte with no problems. Me and my comp Élder Pérez have been serving in this nearby town called Santiago Sacatepequez. Everyone is super kind and a lot of people want to learn more. They are also very patient with my Spanish which is so comforting. We have a couple people who are pretty interested and others who we have their contact info. We have had people shut us down of course but they always want to hear what we have to say and are very kind to us. They kindly reject receiving the Book of Mormon. 

In my assigned area San Martin was "closed down" because there are about 15 members who are prolly not active, there is no church, and there has been no success so they shut it down. Me and my comp are going to reopen it and hopefully turn things around. It is going to be very tough work but we are good, it's not a mission if it's not hard. 

Hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows. You guys hear all the good stuff but there have been a lot of struggles so far in the mission and at home. I pray so often and it really helps. The language is really tough but I am learning quickly and am trying to be patient. I just feel like I can't connect to the people nearly as much because I don't understand them and I don't know if they understand me but our Heavenly Father doesn't give us trials that we can't overcome. As long as we have faith

D&C 103: 27-28: "27 Let no man be afraid to lay down his life for my sake; for whoso layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again. 28 And whoso is not willing to lay down his life for my sake is not my disciple."

DyC 103: 27-28 "27 Ningún hombre tema dar su vida por mi causa; porque quien dé su vida por mi causa, la hallará de nuevo. 28 Y el que no esté dispuesto a dar su vida por mi causa no es mi discípulo.

First Lesson

A lady we met today - Cutest little girl!

Dogs and drunks love their sleep

Elderes in Guaties

Gourmet meal - Elder Sargent misses American food

I miss my dawgs