Can We Serve You?

(4/21/13 - 4/28/13)

 

Hola!!!

 

I am so happy right now. I think it is because I am in Guatemala serving the Lord. I really love being a missionary. I have been serving in the field now for as long as I was in the CCM. I think out of everything that I get to do in my mission , the thing I love the most is to do service for people. It is the best way to start talking to them and also it is a way we can show love for them. We are here to help bring people unto Christ and what better way to do that than through example.

 

This week was so great! On Monday, I went and played basketball with the young women in the ward. A lot of them did not know the rules but it was still a lot of fun. Then in the evening we had FHE with a family in the branch. It was about the importance of scriptures and so I planned an activity that would help them liken the scriptures unto themselves and really learn to love the scriptures. There really is so much in them that can help us in our life. Reading the scriptures is a great way to receive revelation and learn of the things that we need to do. I Especially enjoy reading and sharing the book of Mormon because it was written for our day and contains the fullness of the gospel.

 

Tuesday was a very busy day because it was my trainers birthday. She turned 23 years old. We started out the day going to a members house to do service. when we got there she didnt have anything for us to do but she had a nice breakfast for us. I still found ways to serve her especially by listening to her. she is my favorite person in Guatemala. She is 72 years old and lives alone. She has been a convert for 9 years.  Even though she lives the fartherst from the church she is always the first one there and is always serving others. As I left her house she said goodbye to my companions and then gave me a huge hug and told me she loved me. I really do love her too. When I am older I want to be as strong  a member as she is.  The rest of the day members had a lot of nice treats for my companion. Everyone here really is so caring.

 

Wednesday, we started what I like to call my favorite form of contacting. We came to a house and asked if we could serve them in some way. We helped by doing laundry and then swept their floor in their house which is outside. I am not sure how much good it did but I felt good doing it. The rest of the week I would look for more opportunities to serve and help poeple. It is a lot easier for me to talk to them when I am also doing something to help them. This week we did service of carrying wood, laundery, cleaning, bagging rocks, getting water from a well etc. Service is just so much fun. Oh another service I do is help  in the bakery. I made a deal that I would work there for free and all he had to do is give me a little bit of food everyday. That is in the house we go to for food everyday anyway.

 

Friday, we had a reunion with the new misisonaries from my group. I loved seeing Elder Farr who was the other Norte that came in with me. Both of us have been learning Spanish very fast.  We think it is a blessing because we went straight to the CCM and not to the MTC in Provo. We had less time to focus on Spanish but Heavenly Father really is blessing us. At the reunion I also loved seeing all of my friends I had made there. The Hermanas commented on how much happier I seemed because the last time I saw them was in my first week here.  On the bus on the way back to our area all of the missionaries in my zone got on the same bus. There were 8 of us and we all lined the bus from the front to the back. It was really cool.   People here wear a lot of interesting shirts. I am not sure where they get them but most of the time they do not know what they say. For example I saw a man on the bus with a shirt that said Future Throphy Wife. It makes me smile though.

 

We were also riding in a little bus that day and talking to the people there. They found out I had only been in Guatemala for a short time and wondered how I knew spanish. My companion said it was by the spirit. "By the Spirit !!!" The people were really impresssed by that. It is true though, without the spirit I do not think I would be able to speak spanish the way I do. That day as well we were planning and we heard a crash. There was an accident right outside our house. The people were okay but I am not really sure how safe Tuk Tuk`s are now.

 

Oh so one thing that is exciting is that our shower stopped working this week. No water comes out so everyday I have been showering with cold water. It is not my favorite thing but I am hoping our shower will be fixed soon. I try to exercise really hard so that the cold water feels nice. By the way I can touch my toes  which is something I haven`t done since High School my freshman year. It is amazing what a little exercise will do.  Tomorrow we have cambios(changes) and my trainer is leaving. I am not sure who will be in my area but tomorrow I will know. Also I found out that when different people, missionaries and members talk about me they say that I am really sincere. I am really glad to hear that they think that because I try to be.  Well I hope you all have a great week. Thank you for you love and support. ¡Adios!