San Juan

Hola!!!!!

I am finally in the misison field. Sorry I could not write last week, we did not have a P-Day. I would tell you about my last week in the MTC but I feel like you would rather know about my first week in the field. As you can see from the Heading I am in San Juan. It is a town in the mountains in Guatemala. I like it because it is one of the coolest parts of my mission. I do not like the heat and this is almost the hottest time of the year here. They speak two languages here so it can be confusing, however right now I am only focusing on Spanish. Sometimes my companions will speak the other language and I will get super confused.  

Driving to My Area

Me and My Companions

 

View from our Apartment

So I am going to be honest with all of you and say that this has been one of the toughest weeks of my life. Guatemala is really different from the United States and so it takes time to adjust. I am in a Trio with Hermana Calero and Hermana Rodriguez. Hna. Calero is from Nicuragua and Hna. Rodriguez is from Guatemala. She is waiting on a VISA to go to Peru.  They do not really know English but that is good beacuse it helps me to speak more Spanish. My Spanish is actually not that bad. When I talk people understand. It is not perfect but I can at least teach which is good. My companions say I have the Spanish of a missionary that has been out for 7 months. I don`t agree but oh well. The members are really nice and they also say I have good spanish. The thing is that I am better at speaking than understanding. I think that is funny. 

 

The first two days in the field were some of the hardest but Heavenly Father blessed me with rain. I loved it and got totally soaked. I was wet but happy. My companions thought I was craz. They did not like the rain and wanted it to stop. It was helping me a lot though so I prayed out loud for more rain and it would rain harder. :)  

 

What I woke up to my first morning in the field

Being in the mountains we travel a lot. We travel by walking, riding buses and Taxi's ( Tuk Tuks)  We are always going places. I actually really like the buses because there are always a lot of people on them and they drive really fast. People do not really follow speed limits here.  I love teaching people and helping them. When we go to houses it is crazy. The houses are tiny and very dark. A lot have dirt floors and they are just so dirty. What is interesting is that the peoples cloths are usually clean.  There is trash everywhere in the street and dogs and cats running around. It is different but I am getting used to it and I know that I can help these people by  teaching them about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

 

One of the best things that happened this week was with our investigator. She is going through a rough time because her husband is leaving her. We had one lesson with her and set a baptism date for April 26th. She said that was too early and pushed it back to May 25th. Then we had a relief society conference at the Stake Center and she really felt the spirit. The next day in our lesson she told us that she wanted to get baptized sooner on the 26th of April. I am so happy for her. She is so ready for the gospel and it will bless her life. This Sunday was her first at church and she was participating and asking questions it was great. She says that we are her angels.  

 

We had other investigators come to church as well. They are progressing and they really seemed to like it. We are in a Branch. It is small but so great. I love the church becuase no matter where you are in the world it is the same. Another thing that is different here is that their addresses are really unorganized and they will just go ahead and feed their baby in the middle of the street or during a lesson. 

 

I love the families here especially the family where I go to eat food everyday. They are so kind and are sort of like my family right now along with my companions.  Oh, just so you know, the town that I am in is really safe. ninjas protect us. Well everynight people dress up as ninjas and protect the neighborhoods.  I love you all and I will write again next week. thank you for your love and support. Also Happy Birthday to Timothy and Grandma B.Nana. 

     Hermana Cailey Gurule

Goodbye CCM!!

Wow, I can not bellieve that this is my last week in the CCM.  To be honest I am not sad about that at all.  I am ready to go out into the field.  This week, like every two weeks, there are a lot of changes.  I am only companions with Hermana Coats now and Hermana Ison is in a Latino district. My district is now Amos and there are 3 of us from Isaias and then 8 new nortes. There were 30 new nortes that came last week.    A little sad news is that we did not get to teach our real investigator this week. We were going to but we were told that the missionaries in the area would do it.

That makes sense. I just hope that I will get to teach him or even see him again sometime when I am in the field.  The last week has gone by really fast.  We leave class to learn different grammer or lessons.  

It makes time fly and that is fine with me. If you can't tell I am just so excited to go out to the field.   I wasn't going to write this but it is really funny I think,  All of the Nortes here say that you are either constapated or you have the runs.  I usually do not have these problems but for all the other nortes is is a problem all the time.  

Temple Square 2010

 

 I love that since I am in the last two weeks before I go to my misison that there are Latinos from my mission as well.  I have made a lot of friends and I love them all.  Besides all of the new poeple this week has basically been like any other.  One really good and sad thing is that I finished reading the book of mormon again.  That book does contain the fullness of the gospel and I was sad because it was over, but I get to satrt reading it again.  I challenge everyone to read Moroni 7 this week.  It is an amazing chapter and I know you will all benefit from it.  I would also like to say how grateful I am for the early saints in the Church and the sacrifices they made.  This gospel is amazing and it changes people for the better.  One last thing is that I spoke Spanish all day yesterday and no English.  It was amazing and today when I spoke in English it is really weird.  I say the words in English but in my head I think of them in Spanish.  Well I love you all.  Thank you for all  you do.  Just so people know I got four letters this week, two from Shawn and two from Jared.   Well I will talk to you when I am in the field.  Adios!!!

True Guatemalteco

This week was the best week I have had in the CCM.  Sorry if this is shorter I tried sending pictures. I will explain what they are another day. Presedente gave me permission.  A lot has gone on this week.  It all satred in the begining of the week when I fell down the stairs and bruised my ankle and my leg. Do not worry though it feels much better now. I am just glad I did not break anything. Before I forget, please send all of my mail from now on to my mission home.  The mail takes 2 weeks to get here so if you send it to the CCM I will be gone.

 

This week was so amazing because I got to go and contact with people. It was only across the street at the Temple but it was an amazing experience. We talked to a man and his daughter. Now we have an appointment to meet with him on Thursday.  You could not do that in the Provo MTC.  One of the coolest things that I think will help is that he was born in Jerusalem, moved to Guatemala most of his life and for college he went to New York.  Do you know what that means?  He knows English!!!  I am super excited to teach him.

 

Here we are! Courtesy of the wonderful Sister Brinton :) - Hermanas Ison, Gurule y Coats (left to right) We love you lots!!!!!

This week it was about 60 degrees so the Latinos were very cold. All of them were wearing scarves hats gloves and winter jackets. It was funny. My district keeps gettting smaller and smaller. Right now we have 2 Hermanas and one Elder. This week they are going to put us in a Latino district or put us with the new Nortes coming in.  I hope we will go with the Latinos so I do not know who my companion will be.  Today we got to leave the CCM again and go on a city tour and to the market.  It was cool and I bought a bunch of things for about $3.  After the market we went to this square and talked to people. I love contacting. We talked to this man, I gave him a book of mormon and got his informatiuon because he wants to know more. The people down here are amazing and very humble.

Group Photo of all Missionaries at the CCM

I love it!!!  Oh and also today when we talked to this one man he was convinced I was a native and my companions were from the USA. I guess the few things I said in spanish were correct. It was funny. Well I have to go.  Love you all lots. Hermana Gurule

The Trio

Guatemala Temple

Hello again!!!!! Another week has gone by in the CCM and I am not yet half way done.  It is crazy to think that I have been here for 3 whole weeks. I know that three weeks is not a long time but when you are a missionary and your days are always full, it seems like a week is forever and just a blink of an eye at the same time.  This week I got two new companions. Hermana Coats and Hermana Ison. They were in my district before and we are now a trio.   Hermana Coats is going to Nicaragua and Hermana Ison is going to Retalhuleu in Guatemala.  Aside with getting all new companions this week, I also got all new teachers as well.  Everything happens for a reason and I know that it is for the best.  Sometimes we have a lot of different changes in our lives and we may not like it at first but it really helps us grow together.   I say this because at the begining of the week my companionship had a lot of contention between us.  There were some misunderstandings and it is difficult to teach and do everything 24/7 with three very different people.  I have learned a lot this week about compromising and understanding where people are coming from.  I really love companionship inventories because they allow us to express how we are feeling and build up our companions as well.  It is amazing how much we have grown as a compaionship from not really working together at the begining of the week to all working in unison helping one another supporting each others ideas.  I just love it!!!  One of my favoirite experiences this week was teaching in CRE(TRC) we taught this old lady and it was really funny because if we were trying to say something in Spanish she would help us but say something different than what we were going to say.  It was funny but we just went with it. The members in Gautemala are so kind and strong in the Church.  All of the people are humble and I can not wait until I am in the field.  I am not sure if any of you in the states heard about this, but last week they announced 58 new missions in the world. One of them is in Guatemala.

The boundries for Guatemala City South, Cental and North will all  be changed.  That means that in July I could potentially be assigned to a new misison.  I love how missionary work in the world is growing.

Guatemala City Temple at Night

Heavenly Father does have a plan for us(His Children).  It is really exciting to be a missionary becuase the work is hastening and more people are gaining the knowledge about the truth of the gosple.  For all of my family and firends, I am inviting you to take advantage of this time.  Meet with the missionaries in your area.  If you do not know how, go to mormon.org and there is a link to meet with the missionaries.  Learn for yourself whether the Church of Jesus Chist of Latter Day Saints is the True Church on the earth. Learn whether or not the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored on the eartrh and that God has callled a modern day prophet to help show us all the way back to Him. Learn whether or not families can be together forever.  I know that all of these things are true.  That is why I am on a mission to help other people come to this knowledge by themselves.  I am a tool in the Lord's hands.  Each and every person needs to gain a testimony of this themselves through reading the Book of Mormon, study and Prayer.  The Holy Ghost will testify to you that it is true. Try it, I dare you (Especially if you do not believe me).  I love this gospel with every part of me.  I love my family so much and I know that they love me too.

Thank you all for your love and support. I did get a few letters this week. If you are wondering I think it takes about two weeks to come from the states -even packages and three or four weeks from other countries.  I will write you again next week.  Hermana Cailey Gurule

 

Off to Panama

Hola!   This week has been amazing.  I am sorry if I am rushed again

in writing this week, but we do not have very much time and we are going to the temple in 30 minutes for the first time.  I am really excited to go becuase the temple has been closed for the last two weeks.  This week I really became close with all of the Latinas. It is funny that I can understand most of what they were saying when only two weeks ago I had no clue about anything they said. The days in the CCM are usually the same. WE wake up in the morning and go play sports, then we have personal study and eat breakfast. The food is really good, we usually have meat, fruit and bread. Yummy!!! Thursday was Valentine's Day or Dia de Carino. I hope that you know that I love you all so much.  Spanish really does do weird things to me. Last week, a Hermana in my district started talking to me and I told her I didn't understand.  It turns out she was speaking in English but I guess I was thinkig in Espanol.  I have 2 new investigators this week one being my new teacher who was also my first investigator. I love it here and I have learned so much.

Today we went to a stake center about
20 minutes away to play sports. We then went to Walmart and a Mall.
Oddly enough I feel like I am in California not Guatemala. It is really nice here. 

So the biggest thing that happened this week is that my companion, Hermana Lesher found out that she would be leaving this week. She left this morning to Panama. I will miss her a lot but Heavenly Father knows what is best and she was needed there right now.

She is fluent in Spanish so she will be fine. That means I do not have a companion right now but that will change tomorrow.  Every two weeks the CCM is emptied as people go to their mission and the Nortes get to go on a field trip. I am doing great and I love you all so much. One request that I have is to send letters. I have not received one yet but I might today. Mail comes on Tuesday and Thursday at about 9pm.  Oh, I almost forgot this week in Church I gave my very first talk as a Missionary and in Spanish.  People were crying so I hope I had the spirit because my Spanish is not that great. I also taught in Sunday School and sang in Church. It was a busy Sabbath day. I love the way the Latinos sing. They are not the best singers but they sing loud and with all their heart. Well, I have to go. I will write agian next week. Hermana Gurule

Hola!  This week has been absolutely amazing. There are so many miracles.  Sorry if This is weird. The keyboards are different.

Guatemala really is beautiful. The weather is perfect and this time of year in the city there are no mosquitos.  When I first got here they had us move a lot because the capacity for the CCM is 95 people and there are 160 missionaries here. Out of those missionaries 29 are Nortes or from the USA. We are the minority. I live with all of the Norte Hermanas in Casa 6 which is actually outside of the CCM (MTC in Spanish). This is the first time they have had people live out side of the CCM but I like it becuase we get to walk by the temple each day.  My district is Isaias.  There  are two Elders and four Hermanas. Two of the Hermanas including my companion is fluent in Spanish.  My campanion is Hermana Lecsher. She is from Aurora Colorado and she is truly amazing.  We are the perfect team because I know the gospel and she knows spanish.  The food here is super good but we do have to eat it all so we do not offend the cooks. The only thing I have had that I do not like is passion fruit. I think it tastes like puke.  The oreos are amazing unlike how the are in the states now they actually get soft. If you dont believe me , try it. I love being a missionary. Days are really busy but they are great. The other day people by the Temple saw me and my companions. They were so excited. It rememinded me of myself and I loved it. I am amazed at how much Spanish I can speak already. The gift of tongues is real especially if you are doing the Lords work.  The other day in a lesson my companion was speaking in Spanish, I had no clue what was going on and then I just felt like I should say something so I did and it was perfect Spanish and excatly what needed to be said. t That has happened several times. In one week, I have gone from knowing nothing to understanding about 60%.  Spanish can make me a little crazy though because I sometimes have to do charades.  One thing I really like is Sunday exchanges.  We get paired up with a Latina for the day and it really helps with the Spanish. We also only speak Spanish unless we have permission to speak English- so I can speak alot more because of this. I am always impressed with what I can say. There are no pictures this week because we can only have our camera on the last p-day. The picture attached is a picture of the Guatemala MTC.  I will send some pictures when I am out in the field. I only have 30 minutes to write so if this does not make sense that is why. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and I am excited to learn Spanish and do the Lord's work. The Church is true and I see miracles all around me every day. I love you all so much.  Hermana Gurule

 

 

Cailey has arrived safely in Guatemala. Here is the email that she wrote home today.

Hola Familia,    I am doing great in Guatemala and I made it here
safely. They are only letting us use the computer for a couple of minutes to write home and let you know we made it here safely.  The weather is perfect. Not humid and there are no bugs since it is the dry season. I love it here. My companion is Hermana Lesher.  Just for your information, please tell everyone if they send a package or letter to write Hermana Cailey Gurule.  That is the way it will get to me safely.   The food is amazing.  Everything is great and very clean here. We have waterbottles that filter the water and the filter is high tech .

  I have not gotten sick from anything yet- we have fresh fruit, fish and fruit juice at every meal that they perpare for us.  I will write on my pday which is Tuesday. If you have any questions about the MTC or anything let me know before that and I will answer them. Spanish is coming along. I am not that great but words I thought I forgot I remember. Plus I am learning really fast. I will write you Tuesday.

                Love, Hermana Gurule