New Area, Assignment and Companion

Man what a week.

Well right off the bat I should let you guys know where I am right? I am now in Zona Guatemala in an area called La Villa. It's right smack dab in the middle of the city. Really it's the first area that I've had close to everything. It's actually SUPER close to the temple. It's in zona 14. Definitely an awesome area. And also so you know I am no longer zone leader haha. I am a district leader and I am training the only missionary that came to this mission. His name is Elder Apaza and he's fresh out of the CCM. He from Bolivia and he's a really good worker. It's going to be SUCH a good couple changes here. Also so you know we are opening the area and a couple weeks have passed by that this area has had missionaries. Just so you know it's kinda weird for missionaries to reopen areas here a lot have never done it. Now I've had 5 areas and 4 of them I've reopened....It's pretty hard but definitely a good chance to work. When we got here none of the members knew we were coming which was fun cause we didn't have anywhere to eat that first day.

So anyways this week has been full of work. It's a hard area because everybody works here. In the afternoon absolutely no one is in the house until about 6 o'clock and after that time we get really busy. We've worked a lot with the members which help us a ton so I think we should have success here.

Ok so here's the thing I had to help my companion with internet problems and it kinda ate up my hour of internet so I don't really have time. The next week I should be able to write a lot more. I know this letter is pretty pathetic but I'll write more later.

Love you guys and have an awesome week. I'll send you a ton of pictures next week cause these computers are a lot nicer than the last ones. Hope you have an awesome week and always remember.....Elder Layton is coming home too soon. They are buying my airplane ticket this week. Hahahaha see you soon.

Killer Missionary Tips?

What a week.

I'm not exactly sure where to start. This week we were running all over the place.We had a really cool special meeting with President Stay where he gave us all the tips that he gives to the missionaries when they go home so that we could all hear it. He gave us the key in getting 100% in all our classes in the university and he explained the way to find The One......(Baggy). Hahaha just kidding but it was weird talking about that.

Anyways we started the week in divisions and I went with Elder Mangum to his area of Monjas. The reason we went there is because we had a little problem to figure out with the Branch President....and Stake President. It all went well though. It looks like the problem was resolved. We had a really good division too and I learned a lot.

Like I told you guys the other week I have recently been working a lot on my Faith in Jesus Christ. It is something that I need more of and this week I could feel my faith growing. It was a lot easier to get motivated to work because my faith was stronger. In our area we have been having a bit more success but our baptism (Lorena) wasn't baptize this week. She had her interview with President and everything and passed but she just wasn't able to on Saturday so until this Saturday she will be baptized. That's kinda tough too cause last night they told me that I have changes :(

I really don't want to leave this area. It has been an awesome area. I only have 2 changes left though so I should be going to my last area. I am thinking that I will stay as Zone Leader but maybe not. There are 5 zone leaders going home and with the change of presidents in this change I'm thinking they will keep all of us as zone leaders to have more experience. But I'll let you know where I am next week. Tomorrow morning really early I'm going to the capital to be in the meeting. Should be fun.

So on Thursday I also went to the Capital. After the special meeting with President Stay we had divisions with the Asistentes. Now in this missions the Asistentes don't have a car only the secretaries. For some reason that day the Asistentes had it and I got to go all the way to the Capital in a nice Toyota Hilux!!!!! Way more space than a bus. Man it was SO comfortable. It was a nice treat for me. But tomorrow we're going in bus again.....

Anyways that was the week. Definitely a good one. I hope you guys all have a super fantastic week and Curtis. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!! You're so old now!!! Man I hope you enjoy cake for me. Yesterday I ate cake for someone else`s birthday. Have fun driving!

Well love you guys and I`ll see you soon! 

God Provides a Way

I think in a week every day here is Monday... because I promise you guys I think I wrote you yesterday. Well anyways this week was good. As a zone we had 5 baptisms which means we're above our monthly goal by 2. The missionaries are really working hard and we're seeing the fruits of that. In our area we didn't have a baptism because she couldn't go to President Stay's office but this week President Stay is coming here so he should be able to do the interview. Also so you guys know I'm pretty sure I'm going to have changes from here. I already have 6 months here so next week I'll let you know if I'm staying or if I'm leaving. Man this area was fast.

Ok a ton of distractions. It's kinda hard for me to write right now cause I'm also buying 65 lunches.So this week was fun. It has been raining a lot so we've been getting wet a ton. But I actually kinda enjoy it. At least it's not really hot still. This week I have also seen a lot of blessings as we have been diligent. We put some goals and I'm not sure how but we were able to complete with them. Yesterday we still needed 6 lessons with a member to complete with our weekly goal. Both our plans to be with a member yesterday told us at the last minute that they couldn't but somehow God provided and we were able to have exactly 6!! There just happened to be a member present in each house we went to. One house we had a member but no investigator and as soon as we finished the prayer his daughter (not a member) came home early from playing soccer and decided to join us. Cool right? I know if we put goals and are diligent God will provide a way to complete with those goals.

So anyways I'm basically out of time. Just so you know Mom I would LOVE that job at Les Schwab. You should definitely put in my application. Also I've decided that as soon as I get home I'm going to buy a bike...so until I get enough for a car I can use that to get around...and also to get into shape before the AFROTC.

Hope you guys have a great week and that trip to Salt Lake seems awesome! I want to go haha. I'll let you all know if I have changes next week too so we'll see what happens. LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!! 

If some of his terminology & phrases don't quite make sense in English, just know that they do make sense when translated directly from Spanish! 

A few examples: "I'm going to have changes from here...", "this area was fast", "We put some goals", and "...provide a way to complete with those goals".

A Lifelong Process

I've got to say it. This has been a very stressful week. We've been working hard but we didn't have the awaited fruits of the week. We were going to have another baptism but she has to have an interview with President Stay so we had to postpone it. She will get baptized though and everything should be ok.

Anyways good job Curtis for making Jazz Band!! That's so awesome. He should have fun. Also in pit orchestra he'll learn a lot. To answer your questions, yes the same songs get very annoying. I can still remember all the songs from Bye Bye Birdie. That song will never leave my head but playing for 2 hours isn't TOO bad. You have time to rest between each song. Man that's crazy I'm going to be there with you to watch it!! It should be fun though. But shreck? Really? That's kinda weird.

Anyways as I was saying this week has been stressful. I feel like on the steep climb to perfection I've hit a huge wall. There are so many things that I have to do but I don't feel like I've been able to do all I need to. I'm really trying to work hard but I've been so tired this last week that I haven't been able to do a ton of stuff. Our area is doing alright but it isn't in it's high point. It has a lot of potential we just need to start working hard to find and baptize. I think really what I need to focus on right now is my faith in Jesus Christ. Weird right? almost 2 years of a mission testifying of Him every day and I need to have more faith? I've learned that really it's a lifelong process which will never be over. My love for Him needs to increase and that should be my only motivation for working. I love this gospel but maybe still my testimony has some room for growth.

We had a good week but also this week we didn't have much time in the area. We had to go to the capital and we had a couple of meetings. I've been learning a lot from President Stay and he is making preparations to go home. On June 28th he leaves and the new President will get here. Basically what he told us is that the mission lies on our shoulders. If we work the Mission's culture after will be to work. If we slack off and use the change as an excuse to work less that will be the culture of the mission.

I know this is Christ's church. I know that this work is the most important thing in the whole world and for some reason He has trusted ME to do it. I'll keep working here and hopefully we have a baptism this week! Have an awesome week everybody! Love you guys.  

Baptism of Lesli

Hi family!

Well once again here I am sitting at the computer writing you guys. Crazy how fast time flies right?

Part of Eric's Current Area - Progreso Jutiapa

Ok I've been soooo busy right now fixing problems and sending information so basically all my internet time is gone. I have to go to a meeting in like 10 minutes so I'll make this fast. So let's see. Here in Guatemala the rainy season has started so we're running around getting really wet. That has caused a lot of sickness too though. I've been completely fine but about half the Elders here have gotten sick with parasites. And also the Nurse doesn't speak any spanish so that makes me responsible to translate for them. But it looks like they should all be ok now. Right now the country here is being hit by a tropical storm which is kinda interesting. I'm not in an area that is really affected but it's just been raining non stop and apparently it's going to be like this for at least 48 hours. If I heard right there's also a hurricane in Mexico too but I'm not really sure.

This week was full of divisions which was fun. We did 2 in two days and so we're just running all over the place. It's always fun though I'm still learning a lot from the Elders here and I really love being ZL.

Before my time runs out I'll tell you about our baptism. We baptized Lesli which is the daughter of Odilma who was baptized a couple weeks ago. She really wanted to do it and really likes the church. She is reading the BoM and she understands it really well. Man I'm really starting to love that family and from the same family we should have a few more baptisms....1 by 1 we'll get them all haha. It's just hard to get them all together at once so yeah.

Baptism of Lesli

Anyways that was the week really fast. Hope you guys all have an awesome week and I can't believe Curtis is finishing his Sophomore year.....And he's turning 16 this month....Man how long have I been gone????

Monkeys Are Always Cool

Love you guys bye!!