Week 13 February 12, 2020

I baptized the largest man in Guatemala!
Hey so we had another baptism. We were supposed to 2 but the lady to work but she's going to get baptized this week!! We also have 2 more fechas!! Ian, the son a Stepanie my first convert, and Dulce. She's a little crazy but she has the right desires so yeah. Other than that things are going really well. Were hoping to baptize a lot of people before Elder Calapp leaves and I have the faith that we can and everyone is progressing super well.

The most important thing I learned this week was God has a plan for us and prepares people to come unto the Gospel of Christ. I talked with René (our recent baptism aka the largest man in Guatemala) right after he was baptized. I asked him how he came to know the church was true. He spoke to me (in perfect english) and told me that for his whole life he had looked for peace. Now René isn't your average dude. He is one of the most morally strong dudes and one of the best men I have ever met. He told me how he wanted to be a lawyer so he could help those who were in the right. He found out that as a lawyer that's not always how it works, so he instead became a police officer. He said he did it because he wanted to save people. He wanted to be a hero, like Superman and stop bullets with his chest, but instead he found himself surrounded by corruption. René spent his whole life living the best life he could. He has never drank a drop of alcohol, he has never broken a law or done anything to hurt someone, but no matter where he looked or how hard he worked, he never once felt peace. He then told me about his first time going to church in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints. He said that instantly he felt something different. For the first time in his 24 year old life, he finally felt the peace he had always been looking for. 

From that moment on He knew he had to do whatever it took to be a member of this church, and that is exactly what he did. I have never met anyone more prepared or more willing to accept this gospel than him. Sometimes it felt like we didn't even have to speak to him. That the spirit would just manifest our thoughts directly to him. He never once questioned, never once doubted, and followed ever commandment the second we told him.

After he told me this story he told me two things. One, thanked me for bringing the most important thing in his life, The True Gospel of Jesus Christ. And two, that once we make a decision, the actions that follow are easy. He felt the peace from the Holy Ghost, He knew it was true, and he knew he would do whatever it took to be a part of it.

Brothers, Sisters and Fellow Elders, I promise you that this gospel is the true gospel and there is no other way that we can feel true peace. I know that God prepares a way for us, and that once we feel that something is true just as René did, we need to run to it and do whatever it takes to be part of it. I know this church is true, I know that Christ lives and that God has prepared a way for us. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Also people here are really small so he i mean he is big but not actually that big

Week 12 February 5, 2020

Hey i had my first baptism which was super awesome. Her name is Stefany and were going to be baptizing her son in 2 weeks. Also we set another fecha for this week. His name is René and that dude is the easiest person to teach. We taught him only 3 times and her was able to understand all of the lessons perfectly in just the 3 times. Also he is fluent in English so if I don't know a word he tells me haha. Were also going to be baptizing another person this week. Her name is Merlyn and she is going to be baptized on her birthday. 

Also I got sick from eating longanizas (intestine sausages). Here is a picture of a lemon... and the baptism

Week 11 January 29, 2020

Hey guys, this week was really good. We were able to set 3 baptism dates. One for this weekend and one for next and the 22. Im super excited and feel very blessed. The first one is Stephanie, shes the one that lives above us. The next is Merlyn, her sister is a convert of Elder Calapp and shes gonna get baptized on her birthday right before church which is going to be awesome. After the next is Ian. hes the 9 year old son of Stepanie and he is suuuper pilas. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he reads it all the time and loves the lessons. He just has to get 3 church attendances then he can be baptized.

My spiritual that for this week is to be humble, patient, trusting, brave, and to understand that you don't have to be perfect now, you just have to strive for it. My biggest problem has been talking to people. I get nervous to talk with some people because my spanish is little and because of that I cant share the gospel through the spirit and I end up saying close to nothing in a lesson. Really the only times I can speak spanish is when I trust in the Lord and receive the Gift of Tongues. And at times when I am able to have a good conversation, sometimes I am slow to thank the Lord and the next lesson doesn't go well. Because of this I get really frustrated with myself. I want to be a great missionary, and at times I feel like I can be, but that's definitely not all the time. This week I learned to be humble and always thank the Lord for the blessing He gives me. To be patient. I'm only a couple weeks in and I have months to improve. To trust. If God can bring seas to be parted, He can help me talk to people and give me words to speak. To be brave. If I want miracles to happen I need to take a leap of faith. And last is the most important. I'm striving to be perfect. I'm striving to walk as He did, and thats gonna take a while, and that's ok. The important thing is that I try. 

I love my mission and I love the opportunity I have to grow closer to my Savior. I know it is truth Him that I can overcome everything.

My scriptures for this week are 2 Nefi 4:19-29

19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have ^atrusted  

20 My God hath been my ^asupport; he hath led me through mine ^bafflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

21 He hath filled me with his ^alove, even unto the ^bconsuming of my flesh.

22 He hath confounded mine ^aenemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me ^aknowledge by ^bvisions in the night-time.

24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty ^aprayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been ^acarried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath ^avisited men in so much ^bmercy, ^cwhy should my ^dheart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

27 And why should I ^ayield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to ^btemptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my ^cpeace and afflict my soul? Why am I ^dangry because of mine enemy?

28 Awake, my soul! No longer ^adroop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the ^benemy of my soul.

29 Do not ^aanger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.

Here is a picture of a giant plantane with a normal banana

Week 10 January 22, 2020

Hey so i got super sick this week and but I'm good now. I have no time to write but this week was good. The gospel is true amen.

I got a sweet custom scripture case

Week 9 January 15, 2020

This was another good week. We have 4 investigators that are progressing and are all hoping to get baptized here in the next few weeks. They all just need to receive a couple more lessons and stop drinking coffee than they're good. We also had a really good lesson with a person of interest named Barron. He's a big dude (by Guatemala standards really he's like 5 7) and an ex-con. he's super dope. He's been wanting to change for a while but doesn't follow through on anything but we finally got somewhere with him. He loves speaking Ingles and wants us teach to teach him in English so that'll be cool.

This week was a little bit harder. It can get pretty discouraging when your job is to talk to people in spanish but you don't know how to talk in spanish... But anyways i found the solution to be to simply forget myself and focus on others. I love being able to build this awesome relationships and share what I love with people I grow to love. This gospel is awesome. Also that reminds me of another cool story.

We got a call from Wilbur, a member who is dating a person of interest named Stefany who is hard to get a hold of, saying they needed to find a new house by tonight for 800 quetzales a month. In US dollars that's like 120... so it's near impossible task. So we said a prayer asking the Lord for help. And went out looking. After about 20 minutes with no luck I had a feeling Elder Calapp should call our land lord and ask her. Long story short Stefany and her son Ian, who is 9, live above us and they can't escape us now! Also were they want to get baptized... soooooo waaahhooooo!!

I know that when we call upon our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for strength to benefit others they will deliver us, we simply just have to keep His commandments.

2 Nefi 22:2/Isaiah 12:2

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will ^atrust, and not be afraid; for the Lord ^bJehovah is my ^cstrength and my ^dsong; he also has become my salvation.  

2 He aquí, Dios es mi salvación; ^aconfiaré y no temeré, porque el Señor ^bJehová es mi fortaleza y mi canción; y también ha llegado a ser salvación para mí.  

Pictures of me and Elder Marchant on divisions meaning we switch companions for a day. Hes also new, Elder Calapp though it would be funny, but amazingly we were able to make it through the day on the little spanish we knew.

The other is another cool sunset.

Week 8 January 8, 2020

Hey guys this week was killer and I've seen many miracles! We had 8 investigators and many of them new and they're all super awesome!  The other day Elder Calapp had a feeling to call one of his old investigators that he had had to drop because she wasn't progressing.

He called her, we met up that night, and she committed to baptism!!! So that's awesome and really exciting to see. Another one, his name is René, moved up his wedding day a month so he could be baptized sooner, and I'm sooo happyyyy for him!!! Later that day another old investigator called Elder Calapp and we taught her and her 9 year old son the plan of Salvation and it went super well. The spirit was super strong and now her and her son want to get baptized. The other 4 live up in our other area and they've all progressed very well. All this has been such a huge testimony to me. I've had countless prayers answered and I've witnessed miracles on the daily. I owe every part of this to my Savior and Father in Heaven. In times when its been hard, I've felt the help of my Savior pushing me along and taking my burden upon His shoulders. This gospel is amazing, and when we put our trust in Christ, great things are brought to pass. I love my Savior, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me through His gospel. I know this is the true gospel, I know Christ lives, I know Our Father in Heaven loves each of us, and I and cant wait to see the countless miracles in the life ahead of me. I love this mission, I love these people, and I love being able to bring what I love to those I love. My mission isn't just these next two years, It will extend into the rest of my life and to eternity. I thank my God everyday for the many blessings that He has given me, but most of all I thank Him for the gospel that has truly blessed my life. Nothing has ever brought me so much joy and I can't wait to one day in that far future, stand blameless before my maker with Christ as my advocate knowing that through Him I have been made clean. This gospel is true, and I won't ever think otherwise. I have seen the hand of Christ in my life and the Spirit of the Lord has made it known unto me the truthfulness of this gospel. I have said it many times before and I will say it countless times after. This gospel is true. En el nombre de Jesucristo. amén.

Matthew 11: 28-30

28 ¶ aCome unto me, all ye that blabour and are heavy laden, and I will give you crest.

29 Take my ayoke upon you, and blearn of me; for I am cmeek and dlowly in eheart: and ye shall find frest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is aeasy, and my burden is light.

We went to the temple this week with La Laguna Seca Branch

This is Elias and his wife Miria

And this is Mía, who drew pictures of all the missionaries in Cuilapa

Week 7 January 1, 2020

Hey so this week flew by but it was super awesome. We have 2 baptisms set up. A 14 year old named Angel and a mid aged man named René. We just have to have a couple more interviews with Angel and René has to get married to his girlfriend before we can baptize them and i'm super pumped for them. I went on divisions with a member this week. His name is Elias and his super awesome. We have a lot of good works going and im excited to see where it goes.

Also I may or may not have accidentally dropped the baby lizard twice on accident and it may or may not have died in the process.

My spiritual thought for this week is to do 3 things everyday. Read, pray and share. If you do these things great things will come.

The pictures:

me and my papa Elder Calapp

Us and a member family. we look like giants

Me and Elias

a sick view