My Testimony Has Been Growing Every Day

Going Christmas Caroling

What a crazy week! It was awesome to talk to you guys this week. It`s crazy that the next Christmas I`ll be with you guys. This week really was one of the most stressful weeks on my mission. But I'm not complaining. I have been learning SO much and really my testimony has been growing every day.

I think some of the stress I've had this week is due to the people who have all been on vacation. Everyone likes to leave during Christmas and no one wants anything. It`s interesting because in the missionary manual it says that these days are the best opportunities to find and teach. We did actually find a few new people this week which is awesome. One of them was able to come to church. He has actually listened to missionaries a few times and his family are all members but he has never wanted to get baptized. This time my companion taught him in divisions and he said he knows he needs to be baptized and he isn't really sure why he hasn't yet. He just wants to be able to have an answer that he can he sure of. So yeah he`s looking really positive and I`ll let you know how it goes with him.

Maybe you guys remember Rafiel Aguirre who was going to get baptized this week. Well long story short he wasn't able to because he had to go to the hospital for a little operation. He should be OK and everything but it delayed his baptism a bit so we'll keep working with him. This ward is going to have a lot of success I think coming up soon so that`s pretty exciting.

So yeah I hope that you guys had a good Christmas. It sounds like you did. And Mom don't worry about it, whatever food you guys weren't able to eat you can just send it down in a box for me. I wouldn't be too disappointed trust me. Curtis have fun with your helicopter which is WAY better then mine was :p Sounds like you guys were able to get the whole family together which is cool.

Well we'll keep working over here. We should have a good week coming up. We actually don`t have P Day today cause on Thursday we're going to the zoo. I hope you guys have a good week and next week I`ll let you know if I have changes or not.

Adios Familia.  

Christmas Letter

Can you believe that this week is Christmas? Well if not go throw a bit of water on your face and look at a calendar! Wednesday here we come.

I remember thinking a year ago today..."hmmm where will I be in one year for my next Christmas". Now thinking about that is a bit weird because I know exactly where I will be. I hope everything is good in Oregon. That`s pretty cool that the whole family is together. Man that`s weird. I remember when Sean was on his mission and wasn't with us. But now all you guys are together and I'm the one who's far away. Weird how that happens right? 

So this week was another one of those really tough one. It`s weird cause during this time when the people should be thinking more about Christ and everything no one wants to hear anything about the Church. It`s kinda sad because we had SO many appointments fall this week. We still were able to teach a bit but not as much as I would like. Also we still are having some more success working with SOME members. Some just don't want anything to do with us but others really are doing a lot. I was just trying to think of a good experience to share with you guys this week but nothing came to mind right away. But hey we had a ward activity this week which was cool. We had to do a talent in front of everyone which was actually pretty funny. I was a bit disappointed though because no one could get a trumpet for me. I really actually miss playing a little bit but oh well. 

So let`s see. This week I'm just going to call you guys exactly like the other times. I`m thinking about calling around 5 or something but I`ll let you guys know tomorrow hahaha. That`s weird that we're going to be talking. I hope I remember English....But I definitely don't have an accent. So Curtis has 2 tablets then? Man it`s cause he goes to the rich school haha. Well enjoy those Curtis and don't be expecting one from Santa. I hope you guys all have an awesome Christmas and that`s all my time. Talk to you guys Wednesday!

Adios 

Six Baptismal Dates

What a week this one.

Definitely a good week. To start things off strong I got the package!! Haven`t opened it yet but I will as soon as we get home. But don`t worry I think I might save the presents until Christmas. Also I got a package from Aunt Angie and Uncle Byron! So Thanks a TON to everyone and hope the whole family has an awesome Christmas. 

As the area goes we had a very good week. We were able to put 5 baptismal dates! Most of them look very positive and so we should have a good end of the year. Rafiel was able to go to church yesterday and has finally decided 100% that he wants to be baptized. The same day he`s going to do it we have to have a wedding and two more baptisms. This area has just randomly started to be very successful. To bad within 3 weeks I should be leaving....Oh well I`ll go where the Lord needs me. 

We`ve also been starting to have a lot more success working with the Members and using their houses to have lessons. The stat says that 2/3 people taught in the house of a member are baptized. 4 out of the 6 baptismal dates we have we teach in the house of a member and we`re working hard so we can get all 6. One of our baptismal dates is the Father in Law of the Bishop who isn`t a member. He`s always ahd drinking and smoking problems but he has been going to church and we finally got him to accept a baptismal date. On Friday we woke up early to wake up the Bishop with fireworks (because that`s what they do here on people`s birthday). A bunch of people from the ward were there which was funny but the Father in Law (Oscar) found us out of everyone at 5 in the morning sat us down and took out his Gospel Principles book to ask us questions. He had it all marked up and everything which was cool and I think he`s excited to be baptized. 

So yeah that`s what happened this week. Here it still doesn`t look like Christmas cause of course there is no snow. But it is nice cause everyone has really little fake trees up so it helps a little bit. You guys should send another package really fast full of snow. I would love that. Cause I mean come on there`s plenty there you guys can share a little bit.

Ok that`s my time. Hope you guys have a good week. Oh and by the way Elder Butler says hi. He was just sitting behind me and wanted me to say that. Merry Christmas and enjoy your Christmas. I shall talk to you guys soon.

Adios.

:/

We Are Always Protected

Well here I am!

I hope you guys all had an awesome week.

We`re still working hard here in what seems like the last 4 weeks that I should have in this area. Of course I`m still loving the area but we`re having a bit of trouble with some of our investigators. Actually interesting story. We were in a lesson and we asked a lady to pray. She didn`t want to and so we taught her how and tried to get her to do it. This took a bit of time but finally the husband said he would do it. As soon as he started we heard 8 gunshots...and close too. It freaked us out too cause If the wife would have prayed when we asked her to we would have been exactly where the gunshots were. God protects us in interesting ways. But the problem is the guy they wanted to get ran away and they ended up hitting one of our Former investigators! It looks like she`ll be completely ok cause it hit her in the leg but still it`s crazy. But really don`t worry about me over here. We are always protected.

Other than that we just worked hard this week. We put a baptismal date with Angie Grijalba and she accepted happily. She`s the grandkid of a member who recently has started to come back to church and she basically put her own baptismal date. I`m thinking it shouldn`t fall or anything so the 21st oif December we should have a baptism.

I should tell you guys about the Catholics here...The 7th of December is a big holiday that they have. They all buy piñatas that look like the devil and then they fill them up with a ton of fireworks. And the fireworks here are best described as well...bombs. It was the funniest thing ever though cause at 6 p.m. they all lit them off. There were huge burning piles in the street and every couple of seconds they would explode throwing firey ash everywhere. It was a blast to watch. Afterwards they have piñatas shaped as Bulls strapped with even more fireworks and people light them off...and get this, they put the piñata over themselves and start dancing! I`m not sure how they don`t get burned alive but it looked like they were ok afterwards. And to finish it all off they have a procession (I think that`s the English word for it) But they all were marching around in the street with a HUGE shrine for the Virgen de Guadalupe. I`ll send you a picture of it. The tradition is that if they wake up and their shoulder is green from the shrine then it is all your sins that have been forgiven. 

I love Catholics...

So yeah with that it`s all the time I have. Sorry I didn`t tell you guys more about investigators and stuff but I just have to tell you what`s going on in Guatemala. Basically the coolest country ever. So yeah have a good week. Oh and mom Christmas here is just fireworks and tamales. Everyone puts up a little fake Christmas trees too which is fun. Ok bye and be good this week. Santa is watching!      

Rafiel Aguirre

Well this is weird cause I still haven't got your last week e-mail. But oh well that`s ok I got this weeks. Sounds like you guys had a good week and a good Thanksgiving. Here the people literally don't do anything for thanksgiving so that`s ok. But hey next year save some pabo for me. 

So let`s see what happened this week. We actually had a lot more success this week working with members. We were able to have more lessons in members houses and that should continue. Also working in both areas is going well. We picked up a really good family this week from the other Elders who should be getting baptized this month. We're going to have a lesson today with them about baptism and challenge them for the 14th of this month. The Elders who just left think they should be ready and I definitely think so too. We also have been helping an older guy with only one leg named Rafiel Aguirre get baptized the 14th. I think he should be able to but he`s a bit difficult. He wants to know everything before getting baptized. We taught him about faith and everything but that didn't really change anything. But anyways he should still be ready for this month. It`s also hard cause he can`t get into cold water cause he`s kinda sick so we would have to go kinda far away to the only font with hot water in Guatemala. Well really it`s not that far but it`s going to be kinda a pain. Oh well it`s worth it when we think that it`s so that someone can be baptized. 

As for thanksgiving. I hope you guys had a ton of fun. Just one question. What on earth was Curtis doing with that ugly hat on (He was wearing his BYU/Utah hybrid hat)? It made me quite sad. I really wanted to eat turkey but apparently a family here is going to invite us to dinner on Christmas here and apparently they're going to have turkey.

Ok well I`m running really short on time. Sorry I didn't really have time this week. I hope you guys are all awesome and are enjoying the holiday season. It`s actually getting pretty cold here so that makes me happy. Not nearly as cold as in Oregon but hey one day I even had to put on my sweater. Thanks for sending my package Mom and I shall be waiting with anticipation to get it.

BYE

Have a good week.

Love you guys.

BYE