03/16/15
Hey guys, well checking in after another week here in
the area and this week went by fast (as usual). It was great this week because we got to do a whole bunch of
stuff. On Tuesday we were called in the morning by the bishop of the ward
and he told us about a service project that we were going to do in a
school. So we go to the school and for a Mormon helping hands project, we
helped hand out school supplies to all the children in the school (about
460 of them). It was fun to be able to see the children enjoying
themselves and now whenever we are walking in the street we hear "hey
gringos!" because all of the children know us now.
Another highlight of my week was talking to an investigator
and his family named A. His wife goes to the Christian church and her children
too, but her husband A does not because he is an atheist. The first time
we talked to him it was shocking to hear that he did not believe in God. Guatemala is a strong Christian country
and it is really, really, really rare to be an atheist. So we went back
for the second time this week and we had a really deep and spiritual
lesson. He had a lot of questions.
We were able to relate science and the existence of God to him and
helped him open his mind a little about God and how religion and science can
work together. At the end of the lesson he was saying that he will have a
lot of thinking and evaluating to do.
We hope that we helped him
open up his understanding more. I hope that we can continue to teach him.
Other than that the week was pretty normal. This
coming Wednesday, we have a mission meeting with the apostle Elder Anderson, so
that should be good. Looking
forward to it.
Oh well, have fun I love you guys!
3/09/15
Hey guys another week has gone by and since last Wednesday
we have been working really hard. As a mission we had a goal to find at
least 15 new investigators and put 2 baptismal dates for every companionship,
and we did just that!
It was kind of funny working this week because I burned my
companion out. He doesn't really like to contact and walk up and down
hills and stairs so I just took him to "hell and back" like coach
Roland would say. He is super tired, so tired that we did not go to the
gym the whole week because he wanted to sleep. But in the end we taught
30 lessons with member, found 25 new investigators, and put 2 baptismal dates
with our investigators.
It was kind of frustrating though because we are teaching
this super good investigator named MF and her son. She goes to church
every week, and wants to get baptize, but she is not married and her husband
for some reason does not want to get married. I feel super frustrated
with him when we talked to him because he always fights with her over her
desires to search out God, but we are working on that. I was reading in
2nd Nephi about how there is opposition in all things... and that is how it
will be forever. To learn and grow we need opposition, and through the
problems our faith will grow. We will continue to fight through the
opposition and do all we can to help M and her son.
The rest of the week was great, we had another interview
with president as a zone, and it was good. We just talked about
conversion, how I am doing, and the area.
On Friday, there was a gun down in our area and being
typical nosy missionaries, we went back the next day and the blood was still on
the sidewalk. COOL! Haha. I found some of the crime scene tape and
put it in my journal.
Yesterday, my companion had his patriarchal blessing given
to him by the stake patriarch. It was a great experience. It is
weird because when I try to remember what was said, I can't. I guess that
is how the Lord works to protect things. I feel like bishops and stake
presidents forget things that people confess too? But I do remember the
spirit in the room. It was a good, charged feeling.
All in all I am loving what I am doing. Just working
hard and trying to enjoy time. Well,
have a good week, I love you guys!
3/04/15
Hey guys, well this past week was great and we got a lot of
things done. We are working hard and things are getting a little
better. I have had to work and talk with my companion to get things
rolling there, but it is all good. We had 2 interviews in a week and a
half, and the first interview was on Friday with President for the situation
with my companion and yesterday we had our normal interviews.
The leaders are focusing a lot on personal conversion, and
how having a testimony is not enough, and it is true. In these last days,
having a testimony is not enough and we need to act and be converted upon what
we know. I think Elder David A. Bednar gave a talk named "when thou
art converted" and it is really good. He quotes Joseph Smith, and he
said that "when a man comes closer to the perfection and true conversion,
he loses all desire to sin". I
hope that all of us can come unto Christ and be perfected in him... little by little.
Other than that we had a good week. We went to the temple today that
is why we are only writing you today. So other than that we had a good
week. Working and studying hard. We have some baptismal dates for
this month and April, but we will see.
Love you guys and take care!
