Fasten your Seatbelts

Familia,

First things first, SHOUTOUT TO PO!!!!!  Happy Birthday to the coolest little brother in the world.  Even though you're not very little anymore :(  I love you to death.  Comin home in July, wait for me.

 

 

"If you think things are going well in your life right now, just you wait."

 

I was reading those blog entries mom sent me a few days ago and saw that quote by Elder Nelson but didn't think much of it.  Until the next day.. but let's just back up a few days because it's been quite a week.

 

A few days ago we decided to find out just how far our area goes, because it is huge.  We walked and walked and walked in the jungle and after an hour and a half we decided we had walked all the way to Polochic.  A few minutes later we found a road and a few houses and a bunch of guys working!  We ran up to them to ask where we were and found a member sitting there laughing at our confused faces haha.  Turns out Hermana Pape, a member who always leaves with us, lives there and hadn't had visits from the missionaries for about a year.  We ate lunch with her and turns out she had about 8 references for us of guys who work on the cars there with her husband.  We taught one and it was an amazing lesson and he really is going to progress!  It was such a blessing.  Coincidence?  I think not.

 

Later that night Bishop Coy called us and asked if we would go to a funeral of a woman in the ward, who also turns out to be our investigator's mother in law.  It was definitely a different experience.  We all entered this tiny room and waited for it to start.  Half of us were members and half weren't, including her children.  The funeral was bittersweet for the members and devastating for non members.  Or maybe more confusing for them... I can't imagine going to funerals of family members and friends without the knowledge of what happens next.  It would be like stopping a movie at the saddest part when things go wrong- you would never know how much better it gets.  There is a happier ending than we can imagine.  That night I saw a lot of reflecting in the eyes of the non members as members testified of the truthfulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  I think sometimes God presents us with desperate moments and humbling experiences to enable us to take a step back and think.  Reevaluate.  There was a heavy feeling there, but the Spirit, to me, was easily distinguishable from the dark as testimonies were born.  I hope our investigator was not only listening to the speakers, but to the Spirit there that night.

 

Friday: Road trip anyone????

Hello Salama!  We got on a bus for 2 hours to go to Salama because Hermana De la Rosa had to go to the doctor.  We got on the bus in the rain early in the morning and headed off!  As we drove it kept getting warmer and sunnier.  Salama is full of sun and palm trees and it is very different from Coban!  The clothes, people, climate, everything.  It was so refreshing.  Funniest parts of the day..

1. The pitstop along the way.  13 people crowded the little van door shouting all sorts of things that they were selling- gum, peanuts, cookies, limes, chili, and who knows what else.  I died laughing as they were all pushing, shoving, and yelling. 

2. The bus got stuck in muddy grass and we all had to get out so they could push it.  I think it's because I was sitting in the back.  And I'm fat.

3. The stares.  We got off the bus and walked straight into a market.  It felt like my first day again haha!  It was a nice refresher because all the weird things have become too normal.

As we were coming home on the bus late that night I pulled out those blog entries that you sent me mom.  About that young mom whose husband has cancer.  She is so inspiring and I loved reading her entries for the 5th time over.  That's when I read that quote that I started with,  "If you think things are going well in your life, just you wait."  She then talked about how we are given changes and trials in order to improve.  I just thought, Oh that's so true!  Ok cool.  Then moved on with my life.  I think it is a little ironic that I was so happy that day and at such peace with my life in Coban 3B. 

 

Nothing can change now, I thought........ then the next morning BAM.  I get a phone call from President.

"Hermana Yates!  Are you ready for changes?"

"No.."

"Well get ready and pack your bags because you have changes.  You're going to San Cristobal."

"Are you serious?"

"Haha yes I'm serious."

"Uhhh... okay..??  When?"

"Today."

"TODAY?!?!?!"

"We will be by to get you in an hour."

 

Freak.  No.  Emergency transfers.  Once again, first thing I do is start crying hahaha.  I was so sad thinking about everyone here!  All the investigators progressing, my Marisol who we baptized, and all the recent converts and members here.  No!  I can't leave!  After a few more phone calls from President and Hermana Curtiss, I found out that I would be training again.  But PLOT TWIST!  She's from Utah.  Hahaha I just said, "Hermana Curtiss, she doesn't speak spanish does she...?"  "No, but you do Hermana Yates."  "Hermana Curtiss no I don't!!"  "Yes you do, and you can do this Hermana Yates.  Trust in the Lord!  Trust in Him with all your heart."  Oh okay, well I can't protest to that.  "Okay Hermana Curtiss, thank you."  A little while later I was off in a taxi.

 

Hermana Weicks was 4 weeks into her training with another sister who was really disobedient.  Things got really crazy in their area and that's why I got transfered so quickly because they had to get the sister and an elder away from each other as fast as possible haha.  So me and all my bags are now in San Cristobal and it is SO PRETTY.  Neither of us know the area so we have just been contacting a lot to find new investigators.  There is a pretty lake and not as many stairs.  It is way too freezing at night though, I sleep in my sweats, two socks, a shirt and jacket and I wake up colder than ice.  I think I'll be buying some more jackets  :)  and gloves.  and a hat......

 

I think things will go well in this area!  As long as I can understand the people haha.  Pray for me.

 

I love you all!

No Empty Chairs

Morgan

"Happy Birthday ya old fart"

Familia,

Soph, I know I'm an old fart now.  Thanks for reminding me...

Feliz cumpleaños a mi.......

 

We have changes in a week and I will be so sad if I have changes!  I love so many things about this area.  I want to help this area improve so badly.  Word on the street is that if the church continues to grow here, there will soon be a temple in Coban.  Downside:  Satan knows that too.  He is working harder than ever here in Coban, I think.  The whole mission is pretty discouraged, but we keep working hard.  President was talking about it in our zone conference.  He related it to the battles in the Book of Mormon.  Right now we aren't exactly winning the battle, but we aren't falling back either.  Right now we are retaining the line, but we have to come up with battle strategies in order to win.  We have all come up with new plans in order to accomplish 2x more, with our zone leaders and district leaders as our "Captain Moroni" and "Teancum."  We all hope to see this work improve, and I really hope to see the work improve in my area, Coban 3b!

 

Family thanks for celebrating for me.  While you ate my special birthday dinner, I ate dry Life cereal for dinner.  Livin large in Guatemala right??

Well don't be mad, but I don't have time to write anything else haha.  Love you all!

 

NEC

Morgan

I wanna be forever young :(

Familia,

 

Pues... ya soy vieja.  This is my last week to be a teenager.  Ever.  freak......

 

THE RUNDOWN:

-I HAVE PARASITES AGAIN WOOOOOO!   Is that breaking the mission rule of "no pets" again??

-Happy Birthday Lily!  Happy Birthday Grandpa!  Happy Birthday Steffeny!  I love you all!!

-Isaac.  You still can't get married.

-So word on the street is I'll be coming home the last week of July because there are no changes in August and we can't serve more than 18 months.  Porter...... wait for me.

 

Conference Sunday

Another week of learning here in good ol' Guatemala.

 

The other day we were walking down the street to a lesson.  A truck drove by us and the guy in the passenger seat threw water at us, leaving us pretty wet.  It's a good thing that I was pretty sick and had no voice, because I just started yelling but no sound came out haha.  Dripping and upset, we continued walking.  I just wanted to cry.  Luckily Heavenly Father was kind and helped me see how beautiful the day was and we had an amazing lesson with Lupita right after.  I was able to forget about my problems.  We taught Lupita how to pray correctly.  I was a little worried because people are often upset when we tell them they aren't praying right, or that their idea of God isn't right, but she took it all in stride and was willing to change.  When she prayed at the end, she was so focused on praying right.  When she would make a mistake, she would stop and correct it.  I was so happy!  It is amazing to see the faith and humility of these people who let us in their homes, let us teach them, and then seeing them accept our teachings and change their lives and habits is truly priceless.

Rain!

Yesterday when one of our investigators couldn't come to the house of our recent converts to have a lesson, we decided to come up with something to teach to our recent converts.  My companions looked at me and I opened my scriptures to find something haha.  I went to Alma 5 (alma sincho)  and found a scripture that I like to share.  I also kept looking in Moroni 7 and found a few scriptures about charity.  Thinking about what I would share, I noticed something that I haven't before.  Alma 5:14 asks an interesting question:Have ye received his image in your countenances?  I was thinking, how can I receive His image in my countenance?  Then reading the scriptures I found in Moroni, I saw verse 48: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray‍ unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, (charity) which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers‍ of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be‍ like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified‍ even as he is pure. Amen.

 

Bautizar y retener

Aka, if we have charity, we will have an attribute of Christ.  If Christ and His Father are one, we will also have an attribute of God.  We will become more like our Father and we will have His image in our countenances.  I realized that I was lacking in charity when that man threw his water at me in la libertad.  Instead of praying for him, I got upset.  REALITY CHECK haha.  Looks like I have something new to work on as always.  Once again, teaching that lesson taught me more than it taught our recent converts I think.

 

Well time to go!  Love you all!

NEC

Hermana Yates

It's Time to Begin

Familia,

Dang, I don't know where to start.  I guess I could start with the good ol' rundown..

 

THE RUNDOWN:

-We almost died again. haha we came back from the afternoon session of conference on saturday to plan for a few appointments that night. As we were sitting in our house it started pouring rain.  POURING.  A few seconds later there was a huge flash of light with a loud crashing sound that shook the house.  We screamed and ran away from the window to realize that lightning striked the wires outside our window.  2 feet away from me.  Haha it was pretty cool but then we didn't have light in the house..

-Being in trios has its ups and downs.  Downside:  we haven't had food for 3 days.  Upside: they can talk in spanish when I am sick and tired of spanish :)

-Only 6 months left until General Conference...

-I have started praying for God to help me find a good husband.  Thanks Tad R. Callister... haha

 

Conference was bombin.  I'm pretty bummed that it is over already.  I learned so much and found new drive.  I have seen more clearly my shortcomings and want to improve.  I don't have time to say much about it but I'll just share a few brief things that I learned and things that I already knew and had a testimony of, but that were strengthened.

 

>>A recurring theme that I noticed was that we are always advised to study and search the words of God through His prophets in the scriptures and those living today.  We are blessed beyond measure to be guided by a prophet and to know what the Lord desires for us, just as those guided by prophets in times of old.  I am thankful to my God for President Thomas S. Monson.

>>As we study and search the words of God and His prophets and truly seek to understand them, we will receive personal revelation.  We need personal revelation in our lives.  God wants to help us, guide us, and show us the way.  We can understand His desires if we ask sincerely what His desire is for each of us.  Asking spiritual questions leads to receiving spiritual answers, which are absolutely vital in order to learn, grow, and become better disciples of Christ.  We will learn the mysteries of God, know the way back to Him, and the way we should travel along that road.  He will guide our every footstep if we seek Him.

>>As we receive personal revelation, we will always be inclined to, and really required to, repent.  As we learn of God's desires and will, we will see how incredibly far we are from being one with Him.  We will repent and strive to better our lives and align our desires and will with His.  After all, if His plan is perfect, shouldn't we do everything we can to comply?  This is why the sacrament is so important.  Achieving eternal life and having hope for a better place with our Father would be utterly impossible without Jesus Christ, His atonement, and the sacrament in order to have a constant repentance.  This sacred blessing we have every Sunday is so much more important than I ever realized.  It is truly soul saving.

>>As I seek, ponder, pray, and act, I will be able to prepare for my future family.  I will be prepared to enter the temple.  I will be a better wife, mother, and daughter and servant of God if I am constantly seeking to do the Lord's will and put Him first.  The promises of my patriarchial blessing about my future family and husband will come to pass if I am true to my God, his counsels, and love Him before any other thing, place, or person.

>>Our trials are necessary for us to improve.  I will probably talk more about this next week because I have been doing a pretty heavy scripture study on this topic for the past 4 months.  But our trials are blessings.  We are here to progress in ways that we couldn't before when we lived with our Father in Heaven.  We could never progress without hard times to help us know how to lean on the Lord and walk a little bit of the path He walked for each and every one of us.

>>We are a peculiar people.  We fast at least once a month.  We don't buy things or work on Sundays.  We dress modestly.  We pay tithing.  Our youth leave their homes, schools, novios, and work for 2 years to preach the gospel.  We wake up at 5 in the morning to go to early morning seminary.  We gather with a whole bunch of other mormons all across the globe every 6 months to listen to people speak.  Why?  Because in order to serve our Lord in the way that He requires, we need to be separate from the world.  Know it, live it, love it.

 

I have come to the understanding once again that we need to rise up as true disciples of Christ-- We have a divine potential that we don't yet understand.  We need to realize that God is a just God with demands.  We don't set the bar, but we are still expected to rise up to it.  Whether we like the rules or not, we are still expected to comply.  We need to have a constant repentance process.  We need to be converted; personally and absolutely converted to this Restored gospel.  It's a lifelong process, so we should probably get started then, right? :)

 

We are a peculiar people.  But as our recent convert stated in her testimony in church last week, "If being Mormon is weird, then I want to be weird for the rest of my life."

 

I know this church is true and I know God knows me.  I will cherish the chance I have to truly seek Him and be His daughter.

 

No Empty Chairs

Morgan

Hi stress

Waterfall Chilasco

Well I have about 5 minutes to write.  We just got back from a super sweet zone activity.  We went hiking all day long in rain and mud to see a waterfall!  A few of us almost died, myself included, but it was a blast.  So I will be brief even though I have so crazy much I want to say.

 

-Changes are tomorrow.  I will be in a trio with h. fernandez and h. de la rosa.  Yikes.  But hey, who knows, it could be great!!  

-We had interviews with President and it was great.  Hermana Curtiss got mad at me because I am not drinking water, but I'm getting better.

-I think I have parasites again

-I'M SO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE AHHHHHHHHH

-I'm about to hit 7 months what.....

-I got to watch the womens' session in spanish and it was wonderful :)

 

 I literally have no time haha so sorry.  I am learning so much, growing, and appreciating my Savior more and more every day.  I love being here.

Mud sliding--the best part
is the girls falling in the back.
I face planted so many times.

Gotta go, love you all so so so so so so much. 

Love the ward and miss everyone there.

Love the grandparents and i am so sorry i don't have time to write them.

Tell Britt congrats!

Tell everyone i love them and hug every single one of them for me.  Im expecting pictures of you hugging them in my place.

Adioooooooos

NEC

Hermana Yates

Coming back ha ha ha.  I'm broken
and almost lost my shoe.

So dirty

Making elite.  So good.

I'm on top of the world

Familia,

 

Like Imagine Dragons once said.. I'm on top of the world HEY!

 

THE RUNDOWN:

-No one died outside our house this week.

-Remember how in the movie The Notebook the happy couple dies together holding each other all cute?  I saw the same thing the other day but this couple was passed out drunk in the street... funniest thing ever but not quite as cute...

-We are celebrating Christmas in September.  The other day we had to answer every single phone call by saying "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?"  We had a lot of our investigators and members hanging up thinking they called the wrong number. Hahaha

-There was a power out the other night when we were working in the most dangerous part of our area.. I have never been in such complete darkness!  It was pretty scary but super fun too haha.  We just climbed the mountain stairs in the rain until we found our investigators house and eventually the lights went back on

-I'm getting really good at hand washing clothes.  I think I will continue that when I get home.

  

Bye bye Hermana Lopez

I have a new companion :)  We received a phone call on tuesday morning during our companionship study saying that my companion would be headed home on a plane on wednesday.  Ok we still have a day then right?  Well she was headed to Guatemala City in a few hours.  She should probably start packing.  Yeah it was an interesting day.  I went with the senior couple in the offices to take her to the bus stop, and there she went!  I spent the rest of the day with them and then the next few days I was in a trio with my sister leaders.

 

Luckily President called me on Saturday morning and said I would be getting a companion that night!  They were going to have me stay with my leaders until changes next week but my area is just about dead now.. so they split up a trio and now my companion is Hermana Fernandez.  She is from Mexico City and she is a sweetheart.  Super nice, 4 months on the mission, and happy to be here.  She talks a whole lot and I can't really understand her but yanno, I have a companion so I'm good!!

 

Narda and Daniela

While I was with the hermanas I had to be with them in their area unless I had a member to work with in my area.  I was super scared at first to do divisions with just me and a member because I still don't trust my spanish very well, but I had awesome members to leave with.  Elder Wixom will understand because I left with Narda and Daniela :)  They're my freaking favorites.  (p.s. mom accept them on facebook, they're getting impatient haha)  I have realized throughout these past few weeks training and then leaving with the members that I actually do know more spanish than I thought.  I can do more than I thought, and my investigators can understand my accent if I say the question enough times haha :)  Wow, I really can talk to them and joke around with them!

 

My new comp Hermana Fernandez

After 5 pretty crappy days, my week ended with a solid Saturday and a solid Sunday.  I don't even know why but I was so happy.  I was smiling like crazy, saying buenas tardes to everyone in the street and not caring if they didn't want to say anything back, and I have found a new excitement for the work.  I am developing strong relationships with the members who had bad experiences with a former companion.  We are seeing miraculous changes in our recent converts.  One gave a talk in church yesterday and I started crying I was so happy.  This man used to get in fights all the time, hates white shirts and ties, has tattoos, and a temper.  Seeing him up on the stand with his white shirt ironed and his tie tied perfect, talking about Faith was one of the coolest experiences of my mission.  We also talked to another recent convert yesterday, Regina.  She stopped going to church for a while because she was offended.  Talking to her was so awesome because she has a newfound desire to worship every Sunday, no matter who is there.  She knows why she goes to church, and Who she goes to church for.  She has a lot of problems in her life but she sees the hand of the Lord working miracles in her life and in the life of her husband and in their marriage.  The church has saved their marriage and they are working to get to the temple.

 

Yo freaking amo este evangelio.

Y mi familia :)  [I freaking love this gospel. And my family]

Be safe, be happy, take pictures, send them to me, eat salad because I can't.

 

Peace and blessins

NEC

Hermana jets....?  it just gets weirder and weirder

Fresh Outlooks

Familia,

Happy Independence Day!
last night...

Happy Independence Day Guatemala!!  Woooooo I can't hear because everyone is obsessed with bombs here woooo!!!

I am still with my companion but I am pretty sure she is headed home tomorrow.  I hope so, for her sake, as well as the salvation of our investigators hahaha.  We have had to abandon a lot of our investigators because she can't go to their houses without having a whole lot of problems.  It's frustrating but it's okay.

A little over a year ago someone special to me mailed me a notebook.  They wrote on the first page that the notebook was for me to write down happy moments, spiritual experiences, things that make me laugh, and pretty much anything positive so when things get tough I will have a bunch of blessings on paper to read.  Yesterday I was writing down some blessings and I'll share what I wrote.

Jessica - my favorite little girl

This is the most precious lady ever...

"Today I am grateful for new perspectives.  Fresh outlooks.  I just passed my 6 month mark in my mission.  I have seen the powerful effect of positivity and new beginnings, in my life and in the lives of many others.  Time and time again, I have found myself losing motivation.  Some days I just want to be at home with my family, and the weight of that longing is heavy on my heart.  As I have prayerfully sought for help, I have been so grateful for days that don't feel so heavy.  For days when I am okay being here instead of at home.  For renewed motivation, even if it is just for a few hours.  The little tender mercies have big effects."

Outside the church with Marta,
recent convert

"I have also seen how important fresh outlooks are in the lives of people here in Guatemala, especially with recent converts.  People are carrying heavy loads and have had every sort of trial.  I am touched by the extreme gratitude they have found to know that there are better things ahead and that they can keep their heads up in times of difficulty.  There are always blessings.  There is always hope.  There are always good days and there is always Someone Who will help us find a better view."

I love you all and I hope you will keep your faces to the sunshine.

No Empty Chairs

Mo

Painting a kitchen, E Lopez, E Clark,
H Fought, H Allen, me, H Lopez