The Longest Week

WOW well what a week, this honestly has felt like the longest week in the whole world, but change week always feels like that. So as you probably guessed I don’t have changes, yep that’s right I’m staying in Teculutan I’ll be here for 6 months and 4 and a half months with Elder L. I was a little ready for changes a changeup, but now that I know I’m staying here I’m ready to tear this area up!

So yesterday (Monday) we had our zone conference, they told us Thursday so it was a little short of notice but it was SO GOOD! Elder Armado is in the first q. of the seventy and now has the longest time of any of the seventy of being one of the seventy (I probably could have said that better but you understand) oh man it was so great! he is such an amazing man, there wasn’t really any form to his lesson, he let us ask questions and he would then give like 20 minute answers (the first 2 minutes was the real answer, and then the rest just whatever the spirit told him to say) it was super good, can’t really describe it more than that, but it was definitely a spiritual high! And a super motivator to work harder. After or during the conference I realized a couple things that I am going to put into practice, mainly just dedicating myself more to the work, and not getting so distracted. I’m here for two years and the Lord wants my 100% so I’m going to give it my all for all the time I have left. and I’m going to be more positive, it doesn’t matter who my comp is I am going to learn something from every single one of them, because that is why they are my comps because they have something I need to learn whether it be of what I should or should not do.

YES! I got your package!! It was AMAZING I loved the Girl Scout cookies! I’m so stoked for those! That magazine was interesting also, Desert hills seems to be doing really well with sports which is awesome!  um to answer some of your questions I haven’t baptized the 8 year old yet I still need to call the branch president over there (man am I turning into a Guatemalan but procrastinating?) so you asked about the 500 members, we are trying to visit each one and see what happened why they stopped coming, and see how we can help then, and invite them to come back, one of the ways we are doing that is inviting them to the temple, and to prepare again (because in order to go there they have to pay tithing, attend church, live the word of wisdom and chastity) so it’s all a part of a plan of Elder Perry, it is working and we are starting to activate some people, but then there are some other people that don’t want anything to do with us, and that’s a little hard, I don’t understand how they can be a member and then a couple years down the road don’t want anything. Usually what happened is they were offended by someone or something. It wasn’t that they never had a testimony (usually, we have found some cases where they admitted they never had one) it was they got baptized and didn’t have the support of the branch to adapt to the new live and continue. So we are trying to help people come back to the fold. But mainly above all like they said in conference just love them, don’t treat them any differently just love them.

I can’t believe it’s the iron man time! I’m so jealous! I want to do that so badly, but in 2 years I can be able to!

So I am now out of time, but I want you all to I love it here, and I love these people, that was another topic of the conference, they have a different culture, its dirty here (they throw trash in the streets like it’s no big deal) but just love them, and I do I love them! And I love you guys! I hope everything is going well I miss you all but I love it here sorry! I look forward to calling home! Hang in there. How is thumper doing without Shelby? And how is mitt Romney doing? You better get prepared with the Olympics coming up; I expect grand details about everything! And also about the NBA (well not grand details but up dates) tell Br. Wilcox he has his work cut out for him with the Olympics!

Mom how did your lesson go? How is everything going with everyone! WRITE ME! I now know I have almost a year because the letters have stopped now, but its ok I knew this day would come so I have been preparing for it. Hahaha just kidding, ok well until next time! I love you

Elder Call

10 Months Already!

Well I will not be sending any photos home this week because I uploaded like 200 to Picasa!!! The first 40 were from Elder Lagos camera, and then the next 151 were from mine! And mom the picture of the Catholic Church looks like the one in Google earth because they are the same one!! So I am glad you got my package, I sent the name badge home just so you guys could have an extra one, and I got that picture done at the fair that was here in like Feb, forever ago!

So from last email tax return? How much money are they going to send me? Look in Picasa because there is a photo of Shipley but you guys have already seen the photo (his p day is Saturday so I can never give a surprise that I saw him) but we were talking after the meeting about how our mommy’s are best friends. So we thought what would they like better than a PHOTO!! He is such a stud. Dad you said last week you found a cantaloupe from Guatemala, I have no doubt that it was from Zacapa (the department where I am at) so you just found a part of my life here! 

Yes this is one of the hottest areas! And yes I really am so lucky to be out of the capital for so long, but next change I will probably go in and stay in for the rest of my mission. But that’s ok I have enjoyed my time outside.  I would LOVE to go up to Barrios which is the farthest area from the capital (6 hours) it is in this zone, it is so beautiful up there that would be my dream! And when I said “arm pit” of the mission I was referring to San Jorge! (I love that place) but it was literally in the middle of nowhere, and had nothing! Looking back I loved it there! And I probably will go back to baptize a little girl who just turned 8, (if I don’t have changes, I got permission from President).

Oh man so I won’t lie, I was pretty sick yesterday, throwing up and diarrhea, we were far from the house, but luckily we were at a member’s house, oh man, it was bad, but now I feel somewhat better... I think I know what it was that made me sick, something I drank from our comedor.

I was pretty sick yesterday but I am feeling a lot better today, I drank a strawberry drink it was super good, but here it is very hard to wash the strawberries so I doubt she washed them, who knows, I’m sick of this comedor she only serves us fried food, and for this I am fat, and the beans every day. But either this Wednesday or next change I will have changes and change all that up!

This past week has been normal, nothing really, we need to make progress in our area we don’t have people progressing which is horrible. This past week we really have been focusing on the Simi or the ward directory, to find all the people that aren’t attending and have moved or died, cleaning it up, because there are 500 members here but the attendance yesterday was 61, so something isn’t adding up, so we have been doing a lot of visits with inactive and some want to come back, but most don’t want a thing to do with the church which is pretty sad.  Besides that I am doing so great! I love it out here, I have 10 months! How crazy is that, doesn’t even feel like it, but I love it out here.

Mom what is your schedule for mother’s day like the days before, because I will ask president if I can call early or a day later but I need to know your schedule. Sorry this letter is kinda all over the place and not really a good one, but I am still alive and doing great, I love it! I love and miss you guys!

Ok well I have finished writing president and the other elders have not arrived to the chapel so I will just write a quick email of ramblings.  I’m glad you enjoyed your package, I love you guys and sure to miss you! I’m so stoked to come home! But I still have a long time left, I’m not letting it distract me, I am serving with all my heart and doing what I should be doing, but I do look forward to the day I come home and can be with you guys again!

I have really liked it out side of the cap, everything is a lot more chill, I think I will also enjoy inside the cap, because I will see the other missionaries more, receive letter more often (I haven’t received letters for over a month) because it takes so much time to get them out here, and there are actual wards that know what they are doing! But I love it outside I have enjoyed it a lot, and hope I stay out longer!

There is a really good restaurant I want to take you guys to when you get here, it is so good! (And clean don’t worry) and pretty cheap (if your using dollars, but as a missionary it is expensive) ok well I love you guys! And super stoked to talk to you in a month!!! May 13th right? Let me know your schedules and I will ask president stay for permission to call home early or late, I still don’t know about Skype it depends on if I have changes or not this week but we still have time. ALRIGHT I LOVE YOU!!!
Elder Call

A birthday gift

On Thursday April 12 I received a package from Guatemala...a wonderful birthday gift...of course I could not wait until the 14th to open it so I opened right then and there...Inside was a wonderful pencil sketch done of Chad...by whom I will have to wait until Monday's letter and then a beautiful 2 page letter expressing his love and appreciation for me...of course I cried tears of joy all day...what more could a mother want. He also sent home his missionary name tag...???

An unexpected surprise

Out of the clear blue today I received an email from Elder Shipley's mom. She and I have been corresponding because our son's are in the same mission...currently her son is AP to President Stay and I guess they have been in and around Chad's district this past week and have had meetings...she sent me this wonderful picture of her son, Elder Daniel Shipley and Chad...then she mentioned that Elder Shipley had this to say...."I sent you a picture of me and Elder Call. He was at the meeting we went to last week. He is such a nice kid. He would be an excellent comp." and then in the previous weeks blog..."The weather here is great, in the capital it feels like a regular hot summer day in San Diego, but outside the capital it is hotter than Satan’s armpit. Elder Call happens to be in one of the hotter spots of the mission, so I can see him suffering out there."

Awww, its great to hear from other's how well your son is doing...great blessing's to those that serve as well as those that support their service...I love these little blessings!!!