Coban 3B

Familia,

Erin, Barrett, and Porter THANKS A MILLION FOR THE LETTERS!!!!!  Ahhh you guys are so awesome.  I will write you all back next week, I cross my heart.  Try not to have too much fun without me.

Sophaloaf, WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE.  Dang, I'm so jealous, student gov in high school was the best!!  So happy you are involved in that.  What a cool experience in the temple.  I miss the temple so bad, you should go every week!  We are so incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to drive for 10 minutes to serve in the Lord's house and feel the amazing spirit there.  EFY no way!!  So fun!  Not gonna lie, sometimes I had a bad attitude about going or some of the activities there.  Yes, sometimes the people are interesting.  Yes, the dances are awkward.  But the Spirit is real.  EFY is where I started to gain a testimony of the atonement and everything Christ did for us.  I felt a real prompting by the Spirit to bear my testimony and I couldn't ignore it, no matter how badly I didn't want to stand up in front of everyone and shakily bear my testimony of what I knew to be true.

Pay close attention to your feelings there.

Write notes.

Write in your journal every night.  Not just about the cute boys there and the COWS  (crush of the week) , but write about the things you are learning.  You will treasure them for years to come.

Have FUN!  EFY is awesome.

I love you and I hope you are crazy happy and playing in the sun and reading your scriptures!  La lo

 

Well family, longest week ever, but I'm back!!  Just livin it up in Coban, teaching people, getting muddy, climbing stairs, and learning spanish and q'eqchi' jaja

 

THE RUNDOWN:

-We saw a big white family in the mall and made jokes that they looked like a utah mormon family.. next thing we know they come up to us, HI ELDERS, HI SISTERS!!  Yep definitely mormon.  Reminded me a bit of my mom yelling to the elders from the car jajaja

-My watch and shoe tan lines are getting pretty out of hand.. but at least I still have my tan/burn lines from Hawaii right??

-My mission president's wife Hermana Curtiss will be staying at the Crystal Inn in Murray!  She leaves next Sunday and will be there for a week I think.  So just a heads up ;) Feel free to send presents ;) jajaja

 

So turns out my new comp is actually pretty cool.  And my new area is sent from heaven above.  My comp is Hermana Gonzales and she is from El Salvador.  We work in La Libertad mostly, there are lots of cars, and it's crazy hot in the day and crazy cold at night.  There aren't as many bugs in the new house and it's a good time!  The killer thing about La Libertad: STAIRS.  It is pure mountains and we climb 300 stairs for every lesson jajaja.

 

Day 1 in Coban 3B:

After a long day of changes, we taught 4 lessons after 4:00.. already more than we teach in a whole week in my old area.  I learned a lot of new things from my companion and came to find out that she is a really good teacher.  We invited an investigator, Yuri, to baptism and placed a date with her!

 

Day 2 in Coban 3B:

We had lessons before lunch, which was new for me too!  We taught 7 lessons that day and I'm just sitting there in awe thinking, "Wait, people actually listen to the missionaries??"

We invited another investigator to baptism, Marisol, and placed a date with her too.  Whaaaaa...

 

At night an interesting thing happened.  My old comp, Hermana Hernandez is now training another north american named Hermana B.  She is terrified.  Hermana Hernandez called me and said that she needed help because her companion was having a hard time and they couldn't communicate.  Hermana B then gets on the phone and sobbing, she began to tell me about her problems.  She feels completely inadequate.  She feels like she is a bad teacher, she can't speak spanish, she feels like she is here for the wrong reasons, she doesn't feel like Guatemala is where she is supposed to be serving, she hates the bugs, she doesn't feel strong enough, she isn't receiving answers to her prayers, and she can't seem to find peace.

Hmmm... sounds a lot like me jaja.  As I was listening, I was thinking hard and praying harder.  How am I going to help her?  I feel a lot of the same things.  But as I started to offer what help I could, the strangest thing happened.  As I told her that she is exactly where she should be and that her calling is inspired, I felt the most calming reassurance that I am where I should be as well.  As I told her that she is here for a reason, whether it is because she needs to learn something or she is there to help a certain person, I felt the Spirit testify that I am here for a reason too.  I reminded her of Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail and the promise he had that his trails would only be for a small time.  As a servant of the Lord, she was not sent here to fail and be miserable.  She only needs to trust in the promise that we will have angels round about us to help us and bear us up.  We will have trials of our faith, but they are necessary in order to learn and gain a testimony.  I told her about my experience deciding to come on a mission.  I was not receiving answers to my prayers.  I couldn't find peace.  But I left anyway, hoping to feel some sort of a confirmation that I made the right decision.  As I was telling her all of this, I received confirmation after confirmation that I am exactly where I should be and my Father in Heaven is absolutely aware of me.  Haha it interestingly turned into a self talk with the Holy Ghost letting me know that I'm on the right track.  I really don't know if I helped her, but it was an unexpected experience that I am truly grateful for.

 

Day 3 in Coban 3B:

After climbing literally hundreds of stairs, learning all sorts of Q'eqchi' and being covered in dust from the dirt roads, we taught 8 lessons.  Is this real life?  There is this family of 8 little girls, half of them are cousins, one is an aunt, and some are sisters, but they are all under 7 years of age and are the family of Yuri.  When they see us they yell "HERMANAS!!!!!!"  and run up and hug and kiss us for 10 minutes.  They always lead the "señoritas" by the hand to make sure we don't fall walking up and down the stairs to their house.  They put chairs up next to ours to teach with us and love to sing a bunch of jumbled spanish with us.  We were talking to Yuri's husband and he said he has a lot of questions.   He then asked about baptism.  We pulled out the picture of Jesus being baptized and asked him what he wanted to know.  He then says, pointing to the picture of Jesus, "Yeah that.  When can I do that?  Just tell me when, and I will be baptized."  It took me a minute to figure out what he was saying.   Oh... that's a GOOD thing!!!!!  Jajaja I thought that only happened in the movies.  I just kept laughing the whole lesson in disbelief.  We placed a baptism date with him as well.  That night we walked home on the dusty road smiling from ear to ear.  We are seeing miracles in this area because these people are being prepared by the Lord.  We are just here to be his hands, feet, and mouth.

 

Long story short, it was a good week :)  I'm grateful to be here.  I love the work and I love the Lord.  I love my family too I guess ;)

hasta luegooooo

 

No Empty Chairs

Mo Rae

TRANSFERS

Familia,

It sounds like you all had a lot fun with all the celebrations!  Send more pictures!

 

THE RUNDOWN

-Yeah there was another earthquake this morning at 5:30.  It woke us up because our beds were shaking so hard!  Haha my companion wakes up and with a lot of concern, says (in spanish) "I think this is an earthquake..??"  well yeah.  She starts running outside but I was too tired to move. I just stayed in my bed and told her it would end soon.

-I got the  4th of July package, thank you mama!! And yes, send letters to the same address as packages.

-I got my pictures back!

-My eyes are fine, haha just a few black spots in my vision on my left  eye.

-HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN! I am just really happy you are in my family and you are the best in the world. Thanks for taking care of my weird brother;)

 

So we have transfers tomorrow... adios Chamelco!!!!!! Hermana Hernandez and I are both leaving our area and they are sending new missionaries to clean it out. Haha I am headed to the city.  Coban with a new comp, Hermana Gonzales. She has been in my district and she is known for being the most dramatic, wild, party lovin' Hermana in the mission.  Awesome. Also she is in love with Isaac. She saw a picture of him my first day in the mission and since then my name has been cuñada (sister in law). An elder found a picture of him in her missionary hand book and I have NO IDEA how she got a picture of him. Haha i'mma have to lay down a few laws!

Leaving Chamelco has given me the opportunity to reflect on what I learned in this area and how I want to change. I definitely learned a lot of patience. I learned I need to be better at looking for miracles in every day. Yes, Chamelco was challenging, but there is always something good to see and Heavenly Father's hand is in everything. I am going to work on that in my new area. I learned that although some people may not be ready to accept the gospel and change their lives, we have the opportunity to plant the seed. We had our last lesson in our area last night with Helka.  Her husband is a member but doesn't do much to help his wife feel the desire to be baptized. We decided that nothing we were doing was helping her realize that she can feel the Spirit. So naturally, we turned to the video of the Restoration. At the end of the movie we bore our testimonies and the Spirit was so strong. She started crying and couldn't pin point what she was feeling. I told her it was the Holy Ghost testifying of the truthfulness of our message. That she was feeling something so special and so perfect and she has the chance to feel it all the time. We are happy that we were able to leave the area with that special experience and we hope she will be baptized and one day be sealed to her family.

 

I love this work and this gospel. I love you all too! Until next week!

No empty chairs

 

Hermana Yates

Perfect Peace

Familia,

You guys are all over the place!!!  It is so fun to see what you are doing every week.  I hope you all have a fun time this week with the 4th of July celebrations!  The 4th is my 4 month mark so celebrate for me ;)

 

Isaac with my companion's
brother-in-law in Mexico City!!!

THE RUNDOWN:

-A man tried to kiss me this morning on the street.  Excuse me sir, I'm a missionary.

-I almost got eaten alive by 2 dogs this week

-I walked around this morning for an hour with the under lining layer of my dress completely up. I was on display for all of Coban.  In the words of my district leader: hey at least everyone knows you're temple worthy right?

-An hour ago all my photos got deleted.  ALL OF THEM! The first time I put my card in the computer it didn't read it.  The guy here said MY card had a virus and he took my card and cleaned it or whatever that means.  Afterwards my pictures worked.  I took my card out and now I just opened it to look at my pictures and nothing is there.  We are going to go back to se if they can do anything... Sorry mama..

-I'm feeling much better! My eyes...haha the advice the doctor gave was that my eyes are fine, it should go back to normal in a few months and that I should use sunscreen...haha what.?? but it's getting worse.  I have like 3 spots now.  She dilated my eyes and said something is out of place in the gel in my eye..??  I don't know but I have another appointment in October.

-Transfers are next week......freak I still can't teach or speak Spanish hahaha.

-Poor Luke!  I love that ugly dog so much.  Feed him peanut butter for me.

 

As you have probably guessed by now, it's a little crazy here.  Like my missionary brother, Isaac,  said a few weeks ago, sometimes it is a challenge to distinguish the still small voice from all of the noise.  In all of the hectic happenings in Guatemala, I have been so grateful for moments of perfect peace--

 

Looking up at the beautiful clouds in the hazy sunset and realizing, once again, that Heavenly Father is in charge of things much bigger than I can comprehend and that I can press on in faith in whatever challenges I am having.  He is aware of me and my situation.

 

Watching The Testaments for our ward mission activity and hearing the comments of our investigators' children,  "Wow, Jesus really loves us.  Jesus loves His children and He is going to come again."

 

Listening to Jeni's testimony just minutes after she was baptized and seeing a new light in her eyes.

 

Reading letters from my family in the "when you feel lonely" envelope this morning, and every letter being an answer to my prayer I offered just minutes before.

 

Where can I turn for peace?  He only One.  Tender mercies are everywhere.  My Savior is my source of peace.  Whether it is directly from the Spirit, through others, through the scriptures, I always know where to turn.  I am so grateful for this perfect gospel and our perfect Savior and Father.

 

No Empty Chairs

Morgan

Trust in God

Family!  How are you all??  Porter and Sophie, Barrett, Erin, Lily... I need letters asap.  This is unacceptable.

Well folks, there's not a whole lot to talk about right now about my area haha.  It's pretty!  We walk a lot!  That's about all that's happening for right now.  I am getting wake up calls about the real world.  Everyone has so many struggles with their marriages, family relationships, money, self worth, and everything in between.  I am here telling them that no matter what their trials are, they can find courage, answers, and comfort in the Lord.  I have been thinking, can I really tell them that?  My life has been such a walk in the park and I'm trying to figure out if I'm grateful for that or not haha.  I am just so much more blessed than I realized.   I have always delt with my problems, unsureties, and insecurities basically on my own.  If I had heaven's help it wasn't because I was asking for it or perhaps I was too selfish to notice it.  I'm striving to have a  testimony like Alma in the Book of Mormon, "I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day".  How can I help my investigators recognize His support in their trials and how can I recognize it better in my own life?

Lately, we have had activities in our district, zone, and even the MTC where we have paired off with different missionaries and taught each other.  No role playing, simply finding the need of that missionary and helping them.  Every time, my teacher has come to the conclusion that I need to trust more in the Lord.  I have begun to learn more about how much we truly rely on the Lord for everything; a new day, each breath, a chance to learn from our mistakes, repent, and try not to make those mistakes again, though we often do.  I am learning to trust more in the Lord, because really that's all we can do.  I am grateful to be here and to be learning as I do my best to help others learn a thing or two about God's love for them.  My heart is full of questions but I am grateful because my testimony is growing.

I love you all so much!  Grammy, you are in my prayers and I love you with all my heart.  No empty chairs <3

Morgan

My Dad

Familia,

Wait, I feel like I just wrote you all yesterday... time flies.

THE RUNDOWN:

-I went to the doctor finally... I have Giardia hahaha.  I have medicine though, so we're allll good (aka mom don't call the mission office)

-I'm going to the eye doctor tomorrow because my eyes are trippin

-My companion said I won't ever get married because my legs are ugly from bug bites

-I have the coolest dad in the world

It is said that "the most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home."  My dad has gone far and beyond the call to provide for our family.  Our family has been blessed beyond measure by his dedication, sacrifice, and love.  He somehow knows how to solve my every problem whether it's broken furniture or my testimony that needs repairing.  He accepts and loves his responsibilities to us as a family and to his Father in Heaven.  He is a man of strong testimony and love for his Savior.  He loves my mama and together they have given me more than I could have ever asked for, in the gospel and as far as worldly needs/wants go.  He is my hero.

Happy Father's Day Daddy!  Thank you for always seeing me for who I can become and helping me realize my potential as your daughter and as a daughter of God.  I love you!!!

NEC

Hermana Yates

Good Old Guatemala

Family,

I love you!  Crazy experience, I was walking through the market in my area this morning and it is chaotic.  We were trying to get through to get to the bus to go to Coban like we do every pday and a woman stopped me.  "Hermana Gringa!!"  We get talking.. turns out she is Andres Morales' aunt!!  haha!  She wants us to come visit her one of these pdays in Coban! 

So this week flew by and I have a lot to say, and at the same time nothing to say haha.  I'll try not to be too scattered.

THE RUNDOWN:

-I was in an earthquake.  We were watching the best two years last p-day and everything just started swaying and shaking haha.  It was only about 10 seconds though but still cool!

-New shoutout from guys on their bikes:  "AYY MI AMORRRRR!!!"

How I feel about taking cold, bucket showers
 and leaving the house like this

-I understand a whole lot of spanish... next task: speaking

-I used to love showing people pictures of my family, but now I dread it because every time, they either tell me I'm a lot fatter here, or I used to be a lot fatter.  Haha they ask, "Why are you more ugly here?"  Good question my friend.....

-We were doing service for a less active member and she wouldn't let me work because she wanted my hands to stay pretty.  Also she is always talking about how I need to find a good husband because I am very talented and "linda" hahaha

-Apparently I talk and make my bed in my sleep...

Sometimes I feel like Joseph Smith must have felt with all of the churches preaching all around.  There is a church on every corner of every street here haha.  There are often explosions going off inside, kekchi ladies screaming prayers, all of them blast music so loud you can hear it from miles away, and they all have opinions about mormons.  People here say the craziest things about mormons!  Along with a lot of rumors, they tell the people how evil we are and not to talk to us.  So we spend the days greeting everyone and calling "buenas tardes"  outside of every home, to no avail.  Yesterday, was a long day in the rain.  We were tired of being the bad guys in Chamelco, people not answering when we can clearly hear them in their houses, sending their kids out to say "my mom says she's not here", running and hiding, and yelling at us.  As we were soaked and wondering what to do, we came to a house and a woman immediately opened her door and said, "Come in, come in quickly!  You're all wet!"  We had a wonderful lesson with her and she was so nice.  She was so grateful for us and said that we are fulfilling our duty that we promised to fulfill long ago.  Tender mercies are everywhere :)  The hard times just make us that much more grateful for the good times.

I love you all with my whole heart and it is so fun to hear what is going on at home!  Have so much fun on all of your vacations and take lots of pictures!

No Empty Chairs

Hermana Yates

Take a minute

SOPHIE YOU WON!!!!!!  AHHHH I'M SO CRAZY HAPPY FOR YOU!  You will absolutely love being in student gov. at Brighton.  I miss it so much!  Congrats sis :)

Porter I'm so jealous of your prep time you're getting with dad for your mission.  Treasure every minute of it.  Also I got a kick of mom telling me about your experience cleaning out your room and finding old treasures.  We were weird little kids...

Isaac I finally figured out what frito means.  Frito elders indeed!

Barrett Erin and Lily have so much fun on your road trip!!!  Enjoy the paved roads for me.

Mom you are my hero.  Thank you for sharing your missionary experience with me.  If the members here were anything like you we would have so much more success in bringing others to the gospel.

Dad, it IS wonderful.  I love being a missionary.

 

So my area is huge.  Lots of little villages that take a long time in a bus to get to if you don't want to walk for hours to get there.  My companion and I decided to see how an old investigator was doing and it takes about 35 minutes to walk to her house.  We set off for the day and I found myself frustrated for very insignificant reasons.  I had just eaten, yet I was still hungry.  My hair was more frizzy than usual.  My socks kept slipping off my heel, my mosquito bites were bothering me, and my spanish/english dictionary seemed to weigh more than usual.  I was watching the ground as I walked, wishing the dirt road weren't so muddy from the constant rain and had less rocks so that I didn't twist my ankle every few steps.

 

As I was pathetically feeling bad for myself, I looked up and realized that I was walking in a beautiful place.  Layers and layers of Guatemalan mountains ahead of me, beautiful, bright yellow wildflowers to my right, a winding river to my left, the earthy smell of the jungle, and the sun casting a pretty light on the wet, colorful houses.  As I was looking down and feeling down, I was missing the beauty around me.  Family, you know me.  I'm the kid who stops every 5 feet to admire the flowers, stops to take a picture of a tree that really isn't all that pretty, and I could gaze at the clouds for hours.  I laughed at myself, wondering how I could have forgotten to look up and appreciate my surroundings.  My advice for this week is to take a minute and really look around.  We are so blessed and I don't think we really take the time to show our gratitude.  Today I am grateful for the mud on my shoes because it means I am working to bring others the blessings that I have as a member of La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Días.

 

I love you all :)

No Empty Chairs.

Hermana Yates