Earthquakes and Volcanoes - Just Another Routine Day

Hey you guys.

20 and counting...that`s crazy (he just had a birthday).

Birthday in Guatemala in a Cool Hat

Sorry I couldn't write last week and seriously I don't have much time this week to write. It`s been a good couple weeks and super fast.

I should start with the last P-Day. What happened last week is my companion wasn't actually legal here...OK he was but he didn't have the visa thing. He just had to go to the offices to sign a couple things. I was expecting that P-Day to be kinda lame with the travel and waiting in offices and everything but it wasn't like that. There were 6 of the new Elders that had to do the same thing so all of the Senior Comps (like me) got to go to basically the coolest part of the mission. All it is is a huge Mall place but we had a good time. We started off by playing pool and then went bowling. After I ate this huge burrito thing that was delicious. To top it all off we had time to go to a Walmart and I bought Root Beer!! Man I had forgotten how much better Root Beer was then other sodas. But yeah much better than stuck in the offices all day. The only downside is that I couldn't write. 

Local Family

So let`s see. I shall continue with my birthday. It was a pretty happy day. So happy in fact the the whole earth trembled with excitement. Yeah there was an earthquake on my birthday. It was actually pretty decently big. It was a 6.5 but we felt a lot of it. No one got hurt or anything but we were laughing pretty hard. We were eating and then everything just started shaking. The second one I've felt on my mission. Volcanoes and Earthquakes. Second coming anyone? Ok maybe not cause that`s kinda normal here and it says it`s going to happen in diverse places I think is what it says.

Alejandra's Baptism

Ok almost no more time but we had a baptism! I don't know if you guys know but Saturday Alejandra got got baptized. She actually wasn't our investigator until the other Elders left but still it was awesome. I`ll try to send pictures oh and Mom sorry I still don't have the package...Yeah so maybe in a week. Hopefully....

I shall see you all soon.

¡Adios!   

Baptisms, Wrong Perceptions and Volcanos

Man I`m almost 20. That`s so weird. Oh and yes I'm almost halfway done with my mission...Oh my goodness. So fast. But this week was awesome. 

I should start out by telling you guys what happened the last week that I forgot to say. Well yes I saw something new. We were walking at night and we looked up and what do you know a very big volcano was erupting. Yeah lava and fire was shooting up super high haha. Cool right? I'm assuming it wasn't the biggest eruption ever or anything but super cool.

So anyways on to this week. I've kinda gotten to like having the whole area to ourselves. We're having some good success with 2 baptismal dates for September and they'll both be ready without doubt. The lady that I told you about that is married to a less active (who now is active) is going to be baptized on September 14th. Also a day after my birthday on the 7th we're going to baptize Alejandra who is the daughter of a recent convert. They have progressed so well and are both super excited to take this step. I am loving this area so much but the problem is time is going way too fast. Can you believe that I already have more than a month here? 

So let's continue with yesterday. Two investigators that always come to church told us they weren't going to be able to come so I was thinking we weren't going to have a whole ton of investigators there. Even though we didn't bring any we still had 8 of our investigators show up. I was actually super surprised but considering the goal this week was 8 we definitely had our prayers answered. A lot of the investigators that came came with less actives too and they came for the first time. We should have some decent success here. I could easily be here until I have 16 months too so that should go by before I know it. 

What else happened? Hmm well why am I asking you guys. You don`t know...Let`s see. Even though a lot of people are really receptive there are some of the hardest people  here too. I have heard some weird things. Of course every day it`s "the only thing I don't like about your church is how you worship and pray to John Smith." Why is it that even here they can`t get his name right and if we tell them "Josè" they will not accept it. Weird way Satan works there. Also someone told me today on the bus that the Mormons drink too much alcohol and they set a bad example for young people so she doesn't like the church. I explained the Word of Wisdom and we actually consume less alcohol than almost any other group in the world...well I assume that`s the truth. But of course people like that don't believe anything we say. Their Pastors always tell them really bad things about the church. It`s interesting when we find a pastor when we contact. I've had some interesting conversations.    

Well yeah that's life in Guatemala and I kinda forgot to bring the adapter for my camera so I can't send any more pictures. Oh and Mom Layton (the Dog) lives with the kid in the house that we eat in. He found it in the street when it was really small so he brought it in his house. And yes now there is a dog with our name. 

Have fun in California without me. 

PAZ