Um Hi Family

Hi my mom, and my dad

Well this week FLEW by! It was seriously so fast, and SO HOT, so before I said it was hot but this week it hit an all-time high, I thought it was hot before, but now it is ridiculously hot! And it is starting to affect me, I am so tired, but it’s like a deep sleep that can never be fed, I feel like I have mono because I am always tired. (But that is known as the kissing disease so it would be better to say I have some other disease that makes me sleepy, just to avoid suspicion) Today we are just going to sleep and I am so stoked for it.

Well I feel like I am just playing with your guys hearts by saying we are moving then no, then yes and now NO! We are staying, things have settled down she is actually a kinda nice lady and we understand her point of view and she understands ours (and there just isn’t anywhere to move to) so we are staying, we have fixed everything in the apartment (thanks to my comp, he is a handy man).

Thanks for all the emails they are really so great! And the pictures were crazy! Dicks sporting goods? So now that’s like 5 sporting good stores we have? What else does St. George have? And also you guys need to be keeping the movie list! How could I keep one if I didn’t even know what movies are coming out! I’m shut off from the world so you guys will have to keep this list. This last week I was a little baggy, or just thinking about the family more first time in a long time, I think it was the heat (made me delusional and crazy) I’m stoked to go on a family vacation with you guys, (dad is so funny saying we won’t go, he made me laugh)

So we found an investigator that is crazy literally crazy! the first visit we could tell he was a little different, but we decided to press on we can really help this guy, he told us the voices told him to talk to us, so we took that and used it to our advantage and taught him, and he really liked everything, we got him on track to be baptized, but then things got flipped upside down around and turns out he just got out of a mental hospital and now he thinks we are trying to kill him or something, so we aren’t going to visit him anymore.

That is so weird it takes forever for you to receive emails! I’m sending this at like 926 so lemme know when you get it. Also mom you can’t let your studying replace the Book of Mormon, you need to do them both! They will help one another, also have you thought about fasting? I was studying fasting because yesterday was fast Sunday, and I learned so much about it that I didn’t know before. I didn’t bring my notes so I just copied this off of the church website, but pay attention to all the different reasons of why we can fast and also search the scriptures they are really awesome!

"To fast is to go without food and drink voluntarily for a certain period of time. Fasting combined with sincere prayer can strengthen us spiritually, bring us closer to God, and help us prepare ourselves and others to receive His blessings.

We can fast for many purposes. Fasting is one way of worshiping God and expressing gratitude to Him (see Luke 2:37; Alma 45:1). We can fast as we ask Heavenly Father to bless the sick or afflicted (see Matthew 17:14-21). Fasting may help us and those we love receive personal revelation and become converted to the truth (see Alma 5:46; 6:6). Through fasting we can gain strength to resist temptation (see Isaiah 58:6). We can fast as we strive to humble ourselves before God and exercise faith in Jesus Christ (see Omni 1:26; Helaman 3:35). We may fast to receive guidance in sharing the gospel and magnifying Church callings (see Acts 13:2-3; Alma 17:3, 9; 3 Nephi 27:1-2). Fasting may accompany righteous sorrow or mourning (see Alma 28:4-6; 30:1-2). " 

Ok nana is a stud; tell her way to go on her reading! She is so awesome, send my love to her, also I haven’t heard anything from Aunt Barbara did you say she was going to tell me where she went in Guatemala?

I am so stoked for general conference, we are probably going to go to Zacapa to listen to it, so I can listen in English, I will probably be able to see everyone from San Jorge so that will be such a blast! And also we are going to eat dominos!!!! SO STOKED and the best part is that it is GENERAL CONFERENCE. Everyone better listen and also what we are telling all our investigators is to come prepared, have a notebook to write down your thoughts and the spiritual impressions, and come with questions so that you are listening with a purpose, these are Prophets ladies and Gentleman! Let’s get the most out of this that we can. Oh and just an update I only have like 4 talks more of this last conference to listen to before this conference!

so this week in photos yes that first one is Elder Lagos with an ice cold Pepsi, instead of drinking it the thing to do is put it on your neck (cools you off) 

(I told you it was hot this week) next one me with a pepper,

our comedor told me if I eat that she won’t charge me for this next month that’s 600 q´s! It was super tempting, but then the voice of President Hinckley came into my head "don’t do stupid things" and so I decided not to. and the next one is we went up into the mountains in the boondocks searching for an investigator found the house but she wasn’t there,

then we found some less actives and they are coming to church this next week! (It was so far!)

Ok well I am done rambling, I love it out here, (even though we are baking) I feel like I am plateauing a little so I need to step things up a little with my studies and try to follow the spirit more, are we doing all that we can? Are you finishing every day and feel accomplished? When you go to bed do you have the feeling that it was a great day? Why or why not? Let’s work on making the most of everyday and having a great attitude! This is life why not make it fun?! Alright love you!

Elder Call

Happy Days!

Umm so this week has flown by! And we worked hard! I think as far as stats go this is the hardest week we’ve worked, but honestly doesn’t even feel any more tiring. So we are stepping up our game because we need to see miracles in this area.

I explained to Dad that there are 4 different kinds of mangos and I think I’ve tried 3 of the 4; they all taste about the same. They are so good!  Oh I forgot to mention I saw elder Shipley last Monday in the office, he is such a little punk, and he was trying to get me to buy every little thing, like candy or get my shoes shined. But the reason we were in the office was to get money because we didn’t have any. And there he was like the little Satan on your shoulder whispering in your ear "buy it, buy it". We might have to go back again to pick up my comps glasses, I really don’t want to I am so sick of traveling, they maybe could just ship them to us.

I had the craziest thing happen yesterday in the house. So in Guatemala the bugs are a part of you, that is like thing number 3 thing to accept here. (Thing number one is there are no rules, and thing number 2 is that there is no limit on busses) so I noticed there were more than normal amount of ants on my desk so I get investigating and open one of the church DVDs I had and turns out there is a whole ant farm inside the DVD case with eggs and everything, it was horrifying, I was dying so then I searched through the next one and found an even bigger ant farm! THEN I searched in the next one AND... Nothing so they were only in 2, but still! I was horrified! So I quickly got rid of that problem by washing them.

I think we are going to switch houses at the end of this month and things are going to get pretty ugly. The landlord has tried to collect so much money from us for things that she should pay for so finally the office told us to switch so we are going to look for a new apartment today; I think we found one that seems pretty good it’s brand new so we will see how everything goes.

So this week I did divisions with Elder Zavallos, he is from Peru and has 2 months in the mission. I have 9 and a half months now how crazy is that?! But they went well we stayed in my area and I learned so many new things, got re-energized to work! (My comp also in his divisions, that why we stepped things up) so we have a baptismal date for the end of this month with a family and they are so ready and so great! I am so stoked for them they are really making a difference in their lives and making the changes needed to come unto Christ. He has had to stop smoking and it has been a nightmare for him to stop. He has had headaches and can’t sleep, but he is pressing through! They are super ready for this, now if only if we can find some baptismal clothes for him... (He is a giant! and just pure linebacker) but if that is our only concern we are going to be just fine!

So I have decided that this is going to be the hardest part of my mission, because it is summer now or verano. And all the movies are going to come out. A member who is a fanatic with all that has given me all the updates with the new movies coming out and this will be hard but just think this is my last summer to go through and I’ll be home by the next one!

So we went to a funeral I guess you could call it, but they do things different here, here if you aren’t family it is a party. They just sit for like 4 hours and talk eat drink and then leave, and there is a catholic priest there doing "interesting" (I won’t bash on any church but it is weird) things, I am so fascinated with the different customs and traditions of the different churches here, there are some weird traditions here and people that have really gone off the path. When you get into the small little villages they have some pastors that are leading the people away from the truth and it is so sad because they are so blinded!

Alright well there is a photo of one type of mangos they are smaller and are so good when they green and kind of unripe. Then they turn yellow when they are ripe.

 The other family is a family that we found walking down by the river and we are slowly teaching them. I love it here. 

There other photo is some trees that were super beautiful! 

Ok well I love you guys and hope everything is going well. I was dying when I heard dad got an iPhone! Bahaha!!! Tell him to hang in there and push through and he will one day learn it and love it; he will look back and not know how he lived without one. Well how is your reading going? Dad mom? And everyone else you all reading the Book of Mormon? And preparing for this general conference coming up! I love you all and keep it up!

Elder Call

Mango

Where do I even start?! First off today has been CRAZY, so my brain is scattered I have been up since 3 because we went to the capital today. And we are finally writing internet and it is super late and we still have to travel back to our area, and we still have appointments! But we went to the cap because my comp needed to fix his glasses and he had a warranty on them so we went, and I got to see his old area and one of the members fed us there I LOVE THE LOVE PEOPLE HAVE FOR THE MISSIONARIES. Always love them because we appreciate it.

So really I wish I could just send my brain home so you guys could see everything how I see them and feel how I feel. But I can’t. So this week has been a little bit of a tougher one, the people are hard here, and a little mean sometimes, I think people forget that we are human also BUT it’s ok because I am having a blast here. And the Lord has blessed us so much with our investigators; one of them has had a complete turnaround in her health and now is preparing to be baptized with her husband, ya that’s right A FAMILY! So stoked for them, their faith has been amazing.

Well the title is mango, IT IS MANGO SEASON! And I love it! Everyone and their dog has a mango tree and I don’t know if you folks have seen a mango tree but the ones here are HUGE! And have easily like 300 mangos so we have been eating mangos like candy, literally... yesterday I think I ate like 8. They are so good. Saturday we went to the temple with the rama and we brought an investigator. What could be better than a lesson on the steps of the temple?! Ya that’s what we thought so we brought her to the steps of the temple and taught her, it went really well. But we had to wake up at 2 to go, so I am running on low energy right now... MORE MANGOS!

Talked with Elder Shipley in the office today, told him our moms are best friends and he laughed. also I saw a friend from my group he told me I looked fat... so that’s it it’s time to start exercising again I have been enjoying the sweets for too long, (I found a place that sells dr. pepper in the cap so I bought like 15 cans I LOVE IT!) but I’m still only 140 just with a mini belly.

I am mad at Aunt Barbara! Like they didn’t even offer to send me something! Or send something back with them! What punks!  I am stupid, Saturday at the temple I bought a ton of garments but the thing is 1. I don’t need them. 2. I don’t have space for them, so if you see on my card the charge it was for garments. (They are super cheap here, I love it) ok I am lame I’m sorry I promise I will do something crazy this week just so I can write about it next week, and I promise I will use internet when we have time so I can actually write. But I love it here! Missionary work is hard it’s really hard but I love it!

Elder Call

How Would You Like Your Steak?

WAHAHAHA FAMILY!!!

How is it going?! Umm the life in Teculutan is CRAZY! I love it here, except I am like a medium rare steak right now, and by the end of April I will be a well done steak. Seriously. So this week WE BUILT A HOUSE! It’s the same house we built before but we put down a cement floor, and then at like 7 one night we went and put the top coating to finish it. Then the next day we helped them move everything! It has been quite the project here but now I think we have finished and they are well off.

So for my birthday we made rice Krispy treats! With chocolate rice Krispy it was super good. Tuesday we helped with the house, Wednesday we went to the capital just us two. For the doctor and he went to the dentist. The dentist is named elder Call from Idaho, we are from the same Anson but that is where we split off is from Anson call. In the capital the doctor said to stop doing what I’m doing with my hand and for now just use duct tape and sand it down with a nail filer every couple days. Also the compound w worked great for the first couple days but then by the end of the week it was solid! The air dried it out or I don’t know what happened, but I kept the cap on it! So I don’t know what happened, but my hand is coming along just great. We bought Dr. Pepper in the capital and how my goodness I am in heaven! I’m loving life this week with my Dr. Pepper.

I don’t think I have ever drunken (drankin?) so much soda in my life, I swear, our commodore has a tienda and sells soda so she always gives us soda. But it honestly just hits the spot (I’m turning into dad)

So Thursday we invited an investigator to institute and she came! It was so good, she has no shame to do anything, and she was reading the scripture out loud participating. Then someone’s cell phone went off so she pulls out a no cell phone sign and goes and puts it up on the board..... ya... I am a little irritated at this ward here, we are going to give a talk and just chew them out next Sunday, and they don’t realize that literally everyone is judging the church based on them. REMEMBER PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS WATCHING YOU! And judging you even if you don’t notice they are watching.... always watching.... (in a raspy whisper)...always watching... (creepy?)

Ok now to answer some of your questions from the email.... Snake... hahaha I’m sorry for the confusion with this, this is a phrase in the mission and I shouldn’t have even said anything, but we use this term for girls (or guys I guess?) that flirt with you, everyone is in love with the mission name tag, this is something elder arce taught me, people are always offering their daughters for marriage and flirting, so we call them snakes. But the lady that always yells out how beautiful we are, we contacted her and we are probably going to start teaching her this week!

The pictures for this week.... I bought me a new bible this week!

We were in this little shop they are called liberaria it’s like a paper and craft store but they also sell bibles, and I saw this little guy and just couldn’t resist, I’m getting lazy and my bible is like a brick! Seriously I will send a picture next week, and this little guy doesn’t weigh a thing. It is the same version as the church’s the reina valera so I bought it. So the picture is my comps and then mine which is a miniature version of his! They call the bible la palabra (the word) and they call my bible la palabrita (the little word). It’s cute and I love it.

Second photo bug bites of Guatemala!

I left in shorts one morning to go the tienda to go buy some snack food real quick and bam! That is what happened, I swear bug bites are worse here, that was only after like 5 minutes and I hadn’t scratched it yet.

Third is a member family that is super awesome!

I love them, and their sons want to be missionaries when they grow up!

Well I’m drawing a blank other then I love it here and it’s awesome! Changes are this week Wednesday to be exact. Saturday if we are both here we are probably going to go the temple with the rama and investigators and then next Monday we are going to go to the capital again to get my comps glasses fixed. That’s a lot of traveling I know! But the busses are air conditioned! So I’m loving life.

Reading this month’s Liahona about President Monson we are so lucky to have a prophet on the earth again, just like in times of old. It only makes sense, God doesn’t play favorites, why would people of old get a tour guide of life and we don’t?  Because that is exactly what he is a tour guide on our journey through life. Always listen to his council and always hang in there Life isn’t always easy but that is what makes it fun and worthwhile right? (Or am I wrong) (People always say that here when trying to fight or prove us wrong) Think about why we are here and what is our purpose? That will help you with the day to day things. Alright well love you all! 

-Elder Call