Walk with me

Week 2 down.  Crazy crazy!

Mom and Dad - how's the blog coming?? hopefully you've figured it out by now.. I have confidence in you mama

Barrett and Erin - you should teach Lily spanish too

Isaac - an hermana in my district now calls me seester in lawr.  hahaha

Porter- i thought you'd be happy to hear we can't drink coke in this mission.. p.s. you and Mckell were smokin hot at prom. daaang

Sophie - keep smiling my beautiful sissy.  I love you

To answer your questions-

I bought a huge blanket haha

My tummy is fine...changes by the hour...

I legit have no time to email

I'm getting my package that Hermana Alvarado mailed in an hour!!

Tell Spencer Wixom that my companion's desk has WIXOM and WIXOM SLC UT written all over it haha!! crazy crazy crazy.

 

 

"He made my feet to walk upon a narrow road

My knees He made to bow and praise

and He made my legs to stand in the light of His love and praise

He made my eyes to be His eyes

He made my heart to recognize His truth that fills these ears He made

He made my tongue to give Him praise"

 

Today, after a sweaty game of volleyball

This past week was a challenge here in Chamelco.  It's a beautiful but tough area!  The members here are about as uninterested in the work as the evangelicos.  The investigators hide behind their curtains, no one wants help cleaning their homes.. haha I had my first experience getting yelled at!  It was awesome!  And scary!  Haha this woman who has already taken the first 2 lessons came storming out of the shower telling us to get out, we aren't welcome in her home, she already accepts Jesus (clearly), and she is going to tell all her friends not to listen to us.  Haha her husband whispers "lo siento" as we peaced out.  Welcome to the mission Hermana Chetz (no one can say my name haha).

 

Reunion de distrito

I was starting to feel down but then I read mosiah 14:3-5 "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not.  Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

 

Life was anything but easy for Christ.  As a representative of Christ, why should I expect my mission to be easy?  Prophets of old were much better teachers, more worthy than I, and they were persecuted.  Like Christ, servants of God are persecuted, despised, and rejected -but with His stripes we are healed.  We can find peace and confidence in Him and His atonement.

"He made my feet to walk upon a narrow road"

3 Nephi 14:14 says "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it"

Hermana Hernandez and I (she is from Mexico City.
Her mother is the housekeeper for Isaac's Mission President!

As we all strive to bring others to Christ we will not always experience immediate success.  The road to all that God has is narrow, for all us.  I am thankful every day to have a Savior who walks with me every step of the way down that narrow path as I try to help others learn how to do the same.  "Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me."

 

Let us all walk with Him.  He will ever guide us.

NEC

Morgan

Another tender mercy...

A brief note from Elder Isaac Yates, Morgan's brother serving in Mexico City...

Crazy news! My mission president just called me and asked me if i had a sister on a mission. I said yes and he asked me which one. I told him that she was in Coban Guatemala. Turns out, the maid that cleans his house and cleans the mission offices is....La Hermana Hernandez! I freaked out! Haha Morgans companions mom cleans the mission presidents house and offices. I talked to her on the phone! She said that she has pictures of Morgan and her companion and that they are happy together! It was crazy to talk to her and this Friday President Valadez is going to introduce me to her. I will take pictures with her and she is going to show me the pictures of Morgan and her companion. Small world right? Tender mercy. 

Que en el mundo....

What is life.

I'm living in a literal postcard. It is so unreal here. I'm in Chamelco... I think? I don't understand anything but I think I'm still in Guatemala! My backyard is the jungle and my front yard is something like a city.. I don't really know what to call it. Every building is a different color and looks like it will fall to the ground at any second. There are nasty stray dogs everywhere, kekchi women carrying 100 lbs of flowers and vegetables on their heads, and people gawking at the white kid trying to speak spanish haha! You'd think I was an alien or a unicorn or something.  Some men here are very condescending, rude, and inappropriate. I get called out every few seconds and people tell me to get in their taxis. I hear a lot of "canchita!" and "whoaa.." a few days ago a drunk man was yelling at me and my companion and I didn't know what he was saying but my comp said it was inappropriate. 8 hours later he found us, unbelievably more drunk, and apologized for the things he said.. haha I'll take it I guess. Kids are always walking around with machetes, I've seen enough ladies breastfeeding for my lifetime, the elders' investigators hit on me, there are constantly scary marches going on by a bunch of people, there are bomb noises all night long, and the weather is bipolar! Welcome to Guatemala Hermana "Chetz". :)

Moral of the story is, yes I'm alive family haha! Sorry I couldn't write last week. Last tuesday morning I packed up my stuff at 5 in the morning and got on a bus to Coban! And yes, half of the latinos in the CCM think I will be their wife after the mission hahaha. I got to Coban, had some meetings, met my trainer, and went to my house!

My companion is Hermana Hernandez, she is such a sweetheart. I feel so bad for her, I don't understand a word she says. She seems like she would be really funny if I could understand her though! Our house is so nasty haha. It is just us two living there and it is FREEZING. I didn't bring a blanket so at night I wear three pairs of clothes to sleep in hahaha. I finally figured out how to get warm water to come out when I shower.. I didn't understand her a few days ago when she told me the first time haha. Food..... don't ask. I couldn't tell you what it is nor could I explain what it tastes like. I've been pretty sick, the nurse thinks I already have a parasite but yanno it's awwwl good.

Yesterday I wasn't able to work at all because I was feeling pretty sick. I went to church in the morning and tried to understand what was going on.. I didn't know it was Easter until I logged on today and saw everyone's emails about it. People in church were saying it was Jesus's Birthday haha! Close enough right? Anyways, I was laying in the bed of a member in our ward while she was watching some black and white horror movie in English that was swearing like crazy thinking "what is going on right now.." The Elders came and gave me a blessing and I slept for the rest of the night. I feel fine today though, don't worry mama! The priesthood is real and the church is true :)

As far as the teaching goes right now, everyone is very uninterested, members included. We don't have any support but hopefully things pick back up this week when people come home from vacations.

I'm going to go try to send pictures because I have no idea how much time I have left but if I think of anything else to say I'll do my best to save time! I love you all so much. Thank you for your encouraging words. Things are hard but I know they will get better! Miss you all and I hope you all are having an amazing spring break!

Mom and Dad: You spoiled me. I don't know how to live on my own hahaha

Barrett Erin and Lily: Norway, seriously?? You are all brave and I'm so jealous. You know what that means for me when I come home? Vacation to Norway!

Isaac: In case you don't have enough Mexican girls wanting to marry you, you now have plenty of ladies in Guatemala who would be happy to marry you. Hahaha everyone thinks you are muy guapo and want to come find you. Watch out, I think they're serious.

Porter: I'm so jealous of your trip this week! Miss you and tell Mckell hello!

Sophie: You're crazy. Don't get kidnapped in St George this time like we almost did last time!! haha love you!

Talk to you soon family! Hasta Lunes!

Con amor,

Mo

NEC

Another tender mercy....

Wednesday's voicemail from the mission office....

“This is Elder Rudd and I’m calling from the Coban Mission. 

Sister Yates came in last night.  Delightful young lady.  In our group gathering she bore her testimony and spoke very well in Spanish.  Mission President is most impressed with her.  I’m sure she is going to do real well.  She’s been assigned to a nice area.  We’ve even visited it ourselves just a couple of days ago.  She’s got a great companion and she is going right into the work.  Rest assured she’s in good hands and we are delighted to have her.  Thank you now.  Bye bye.”

The Final Countdown

Familia,

Barrett and Erin...You are moving to Norway?? What on earth!  Take me with you. So happy for you!

Chandler, no way!  How crazy!  I'm so stoked for him! Tell him congratulations from me!  Guatemala is the best place on earth.

Mitch is coming to this MTC??  No way!!!!!  So cool!!

If you can, please tell Ben Houghton congratulations on his call!  I'm so crazy happy for him!!

Hermana Alvarado is the best human ever to walk this earth.  She is amazing. I'm so happy everyone gets to see her!

"Happiness is not the absence of a load.  Our Savior strengthens us to be more than we could ever be and do more than we could ever do.  Our load helps us rely on the merits, mercy, and grace of the Messiah. He will cleanse, heal, guide, and protect us." -Elder Bednar

"Challenges will come, but as you trust in God, they will strengthen your faith.  *read Helaman 5:12* THIS is your safety in the whirlwind."  -Niel Anderson.

Leave it up to amazing men called of God to answer my prayers.  I love General Conference and I'm so grateful that I was able to watch it in the CCM before heading out to the field in a few days! The last session of conference opened with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing "I Stand All Amazed" I sure hope Grammy was listening and watching with me because I was sure thinking of her.  I love her so much and I'm so happy that song was chosen.

I got to watch the Saturday night General Women's session and it was amazing!  I looked for mom and Sophie so hard but I couldn't see you haha.  But when they said to give your mom a smile, I hope sophie gave mom an awkward smile for the both of us. Forever Awkward.  But really, Sophie, give mom a big hug for me and you.  Mom, thank you for raising me with a knowledge of my Savior.  Thank you for preparing me. Thank you for helping me see my path to my heavenly home.  

We went on a field trip a few days ago to walk around and go to sketchy, underground, color filled markets! We got our cameras and went to wendy's but I was unable to connect to the wifi there so sorry I haven't sent the pictures yet!  I will soon.  The pictures I forwarded to you were some that the ccm nurse took.  

Dad, I hope you had an amazing birthday!  It's fitting that you share your birthday with Christ and that it was the day we got to hear from our amazing prophet.  What an amazing day and I'm so happy I got to spend it in the CCM; heaven on earth. 

Presidente Diaz is such a cutie huh!?  He took pictures of us, added you on facebook, and he secretly comes up to me and tells me to write a message on your picture for your birthday!  Haha I probably shouldn't have done that.. but I repented. Every time he sees me now, he says shhhhh it's a secret!  

I'm on my death bed once again.  I am so sick haha.  I have a cold or something but it feels like I have the plague.  Yesterday I had a 2 hour bloody nose and our cute nurse was in the bathroom with me smashing an ice pack on my face for an hour. I have been taking mysterious pills on pills on pills and I can't tell if it's making it better or worse.  Today I almost passed out in the temple and I had to ride in the car on the way back instead of walking!  Haha I'm such a mess.  Pray for me :)  

Today was my last temple day for a while. I am going to miss that place so much while I'm in the jungle!  Any last advice before I leave for the field? Bed bug spray reminders or anything? I have completely forgotten everything I was told before I left. Mom also in my package please send life savers, super glue, perfume, Just Bunches cereal galore, and pictures, pictures, pictures!  

  

I can't remember if I said this last week but everyone should watch Elder Bednar's Christmas devotional he gave at the provo mtc in 2013 if you can find it!  It is so amazing.  

I think it would be fitting to end with President Monson's words: "May we ever be found doing the work of the Lord."  

I love you all and wish me luck as I head out to Cobán next week if I can't get back on before!

NEC

Hermana Yatés