18

  So I had changes this week and got sent to the other side of the mission in Huehuetenango in a place called Zaculeu and Im in a trio until tomorrow when one Elder finishes his two years and the other is the person that Im training right now. They are both from Honduras and they are super funny. My son ( what we call the new guy I get to train) came to the mission in 2015 but got sent home becuase he punched his comp and he finally returned after 3 years which is awesome. His is 23 and teaches awesome. He talks tons with all the members and we have found some awesome people to start teaching. 

  Im in the city now and we live with the zone leaders so that is fun because my zone leader from Xela is in the same house with me now and I get to talk with him more. The food here is awesome and I have eaten more food from members in one week than all of my time in Zunil. I might actually gain weight here. The area isnt as big a Zunil but it is still a little hard to memorize in one week. Spanish is going well and Im so blessed to be training. It is such a fun experience, but I tell my comp everyday he is training me becuase he knows more Spanish. HAHA. 

  On friday we went to eat with a lady from San Salvador and she made us some food from her country called Papusas and they are so good. Then she shared he conversion story and it was so amazing how God had prepared her to be a member of the church. Then she said that her other american son/Elder went home so Im her new son and she only refers to me as "hijo" and I say "mama". She is a 70 year old lady in our ward. The ward is about 150 people which is so awesome and the members try to feed us every meal which is so awesome. 

  I dont really have anything else to share so I love you all and I will see you soon. 

The first picture is at the 6 weeks meeting with my son. The second is with my "mama" and the 3rd is in a members house waiting to eat.

17

This week was super wierd and interesting. We found to super awesome investogators and probably the most positive in the area . One is a 18 year old girl from Cantel and he works in a bread shop. The other is this 70 year old guy who lives on a mountain so it is super fun to climb the mountain  3  times a week haha. We are also teaching a family that lives in the middle of the jungle so it is super pretty to walk to their house. On sunday we were sitting in the sacrament meeting and some random dog walk in and the members attacked it and threw it out of the Chapel and I was just shocked. I didnt know what to do but just laugh. Then we saw a dog just chilling floating down the river which was super weird too. I also helped some members dig the foundation for their home but I forgot to take pictures and it was super fun because I like digging holes. I have some blisters on my hands from it but they should go away soon. My comp has had lots of problems latley and  hasnt sleep super good. He also has problems with the member and the other day he lost his temper and threw a chair at  a little 5 year old so I had to call Pres. Diaz and tell him and that was super fun as you can imagine. Sometimes I feel like Im the older comp. Tomorrow I will have changes which is super sad because I have grow to love all the people here in this little town. The members told me the wished that my comp was leaving which made me sad, but I hope to return here and finish my mission. I packed all of my bags last night and will be visiting members until we need to be in the house at 9:30 tonight. I hope that all of you are having a good time at home and I pray for you all everyday. Spanish is fine now just need to learn Kiche. Love you all and Ill see you soon.

1. The zone leader and a member that leaves for the mission today 

2. Jungle where the investigators live

3. An avocado tree I found in the jungle

4. The view from the Jungle

16

Its super fun here now but  I can't wait for changes next week. There are so many different possibilities because I will be finishing my training here. I'm not really sure if I want to leave or if I want to stay another 6 weeks here. Its crazy to think I have been here for 4 months already. Each week goes by faster and faster. My goal for next week is to be training a new Elder because that will mean my spanish has improved enough to be kind of alone when it comes to talking. 
  The weather here as been super good here.  The hottest it has been is only about 90 degrees and sometimes at night it is in the 40s. We are working with and awesome family right now called the Pocol Quixtan family. Also, its been super weird lately because I have started to understand conversations in Kiche but I don't know almost any words. With the Pocol Quixtan Family  the Dad invited us to play soccer with his brothers and I was so bad haha, but I had fun.   So that is all that matters. 
  My favorite food here is the fries that they sell in the street and this super good hot milk drink. Also, we had our Day of a Thousand,  where every first Wednesday of the month as a mission we try to find a 1000 new people. Me and my comp found 27 before 4:00 and went to help other people because the goal is 15 each companionship. 
  My comp has lots of anger problems and hates just about every member that we have in the ward which makes it kinda hard to visit the members, but he doesn't remember where everyone lives so I just don't tell him where we are going and we visit members. We are going to have the interview with President Diaz tomorrow for the month so that should be fun. 

Well that is everything I think so I love you guys lots and Ill see you soon. 

Photos:

All the YMCA shirts I have found and bought 

A kid of one of the members

15

So this week was super fun with the new year and also with the meetings that we had. My comp & I  spent the new years in Xela with the zone leaders and it was super fun. We ordered pizza and drank lots of soda. Then the next day there were not any buses because of the holiday so we had splits (we split up our companionships and go out with a different comp for the day) and it went pretty well. Then we traveled home and worked the rest of the week in our area. Friday we had a leaders meeting so I went on splits  in Xela with another Elder from my group and we are both in our training and he is a super good guy so we had lots of fun.

   I had the best lunch I have ever had in the mission, but on the way to the lunch the was a fire next to the Chapel and the houses were getting filled with smoke so we ran and helped people get out of there houses. Mainly the old people because the can’t walk fast and we carried them out away from the smoke and fire and then left a statement with the firefighters when they showed up. After this we both went back to the house grabbed some water and ran to our next appointment with the old guy that doesn't hear very well and I started to laugh a little because the other Elder (my comp) doesnt talk super loud and the old guy just kept saying "what, what, what" and it was kinda bad but the spanish was fine. 

After the meeting we went to the hospital for my comp because he had a UTI and couldn't use the restroom without hurting and I laughed super hard when the doctor told him the same this as me..... its because all he eats is tortillas and drinks 7 UP and never water. So he got medicine and he is doing good now and doesn't have any excuses not to work so that’s awesome. This next change one of us will be leaving the area and we arent really sure what is going to happen. I really want to train this next change but its not really my choice. 

I hope everyone is doing good and I Ill see you all soon. Love ya. I forgot my camera so Ill send pictures next week. Here is one from my companions camera.  

14

Hey everyone things here are going pretty well. We didn’t do anything super crazy for Christmas, but it was super nice to call the family and say hi and talk with everyone. Super glad my best friend could be there too. Was a little sad to have to say goodbye again. It was almost harder than in person haha. 

This week we found some awesome new families to teach and Im super excited to share with them. I dont really have any crazy stories for this week but it’s weird and interesting is that there seem to be twice as many dead animals in the street this week ?!  

For the new year Guatemala lights off tons and tons of fireworks and drinks a ton so tonight shound be fun because the drunk poeple love talking to the missionaries. Tonight should be fun though because we are staying with the zone leaders again and the fireworks should be cool to watch.  Last week some missionaries shared a story with us when they were contacting a guy all the sudden the guy stands up and looks out side because he dog is getting in the trash and then the guy is like "one second Elders" he then runs to the door with this fat branch and when the dog enters the house he proceeds to beat the dog over the head until the dog dies and the branch breaks in half. Then after he says "lo siento Elderes perdi mi paciencia" which is like sorry Elders I lost my pacience with the dog. That was the first time they talked to this guy. Now I think this Saturday that guy is going to get baptized in their area so luckly that sin will be washed away. The amount he had to change to be ready for baptism is amazing too. 

 

Thats all I have to share so dont forget to read your scriptures and say your prayers. 

Love you all and Ill see you guys soon. 

Christmas tree is Xela 

My desk 

Me at my zone leaders