Dear Mom,
The New strength of youth pamphlet is the one that came out right after I finished mine, right? or did they make something new? Anyways, I think if we wanted to get a hold on them we could, but we dont so I havent asked, there really isnt any group of youth here in this Branch. Which reminds me, this next week is possibly my last week here in Panajachel, we have changes coming up on the 7th of March, how crazy is that? I feel like I just started this change here with Elder C and now we are ending it. Its possible that we could stay together another change, but its not likely, When I talked with President in my last interview he said he was pretty sure I would be leaving, but not positive yet. Really in the end it will be what the Lord wants so not too much to worry about there.
Sister S is your hometeacher? I hadnt realized that she could speak english, thats awesome, she is a super nice person, all of Williams family is really, I am glad that you have such a great visiting teacher. And thank you for working on the Newsletter idea, I just think it would be really cool to have a lot better of an idea with what is going on in the missions of my friends, maybe if they have any worries or concerns, or problems with an investigator that I might be able to help with. and vice versa, it would be nice.
I am not still companions with him, that was a really long time ago, wow... haha, all the way at the beginning, I am not sure on that, I will try to check with him, but I am pretty far away so it could be a while.
Dan is the branch president over there now? that is really cool, haha, so when I come back his spanish should be really good, we should be able to converse alot. The only thing is I will probably have to learn alot of different words, the spanish here can be a lot different than how other countries speak it, usually just the jargon of how you say something, but the Grammar is always the same.
Poor brayden, he has been sick for a pretty good time now... I feel bad for him, I wish I could help, but maybe he is at least enjoying the time away from school.
So anyways, this past week has been pretty nice, we have had a few interesting experiences. One is something that will probably make Dad laugh, So my companion and I went to teach a young couple, who usually have alot of questions, they study the scriptures alot. Anyways, They asked the question about why Jesus Cursed the Fig Tree in Matthew 21 and Mark 11, If he already knew that it wouldnt have fruit and such. So I explained to them how the tree was a representation of the House of Israel, and that it had leaves and when a fig tree has leaves, it means it has fruit as well. so the fact that it didnt, was a representation of how it was a hypocrite, because it had the outward appearance of goodliness, the leaves, but lacked the fruit. I was a little more in depth with them but its kind of hard to type out everything, anyways, so the funny part comes in here, when I say, "entonces, éste higuera tenía ojos" haha, so what I meant was to say that the tree had leaves, But the word for leaves in spanish is ojas, the word I used, Ojos, means eyes, so when I said this, I told them that the tree had eyes! hahahahaha, their faces went so strange for a few moments until my companion helped me to realize what I had said wrong, I corrected it of course and we kept on going on, but I just thought it was kind of funny, my spanish is really better than that, but we all make mistakes sometimes, I am actually kind of glad that I have a story like that to tell now.
But really not anything too interesting has happened this week, its been pretty normal. I am glad to hear that everything is going pretty well at home right now, by the way, the card is correct for right now, thanks for keeping me updated on that. I think I got all your questions, I hope everyone is doing well, know that I love and miss you all.
Love,
Christopher
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
2-21-12
Dear Mom,
Everyone is getting sick in the house? I am sorry, thats too bad, Its been a while since I got really sick, I think the last time I can remember truly being sick was when I had mono right before thanksgiving, that was absolutely terrible, I know how brayden feels with not being able to go to school or practice. I am glad that Molly has been staying out of the worst of it though, kind of ironic in a sense.
Whats the difference in a Baby sprinkle and a baby shower? Thats cool that you got to go, I dont know what baked ziti is, is it like rice? or meat? I am kind of picky with foods haha.
Thats really awesome that you and Molly are going to go see wicked, I think I mentioned it lastweek but I really wish I had spent more time going and seeing things like that, the problem is really that I just spent so much time working, I didnt have too much time for other things like that, Sad, but I had a really good job too so I was fairly blessed. I would love to be able to have the oppurtunity to go and see some things like that when I come back, that would be great. I have actually thought a little bit about how I want to get things planned out when I come back, and I want to see if I can get a work schedule where I dont spend so much time on the weekends and nights.....I know I need to get back to college as fast as I can too, but Im not sure how to do that unless I go to work first, I really dont want to go into debt for my education if I can avoid it. But as I was saying its a little ways off so maybe I will just let it sit for now.
We havent been able to talk to the couple again, we have been passing by but they arent there, I am not sure what more we can do if they arent at the house when we have set up to come by, but we are going to do what we can. Actually a good majority of our week has been spent looking for less active members, thats kind of what we placed as our new focus here in this moment, there are over 300 inactive members here, and only 40 people assisting every week, so more or less that is why, almost all of these people have left because they were insulted in the church, and then they have gone and joined a different church. It is so crazy, we have had some interesting and saddening experiences, one of the people we found asked us to erase his name from the Church Records, But the worst one is a woman that we found, and we have talked with her a few times, putting emphasis on getting her to come to church, the last time we talked with her we invited her again, and she said she would come if it werent for one thing. Apparently one of the members in this Branch was a teacher of her son, and there was a problem of some sort in the school apparently, and this member blamed it all on the less active members son, and then told the mother that it was her fault her son was doing stuff like this, really, she basically and completely insulted her. And the truth is that this kid didnt have anything to do with what happened, I cant go into details, but really it frustrated me, because we have someone that isnt coming because of the actions of another member in the church. I think alot of times we dont realize as members just how much impact our actions have on other people, and how it can change the future, we truly have to be examples, or the people that are investigating the church, or are new members, will lose trust, and leave.
Something good though to change the subject, haha, in church this past week someone told me that my spanish was completely perfect and that I should be a teacher of spanish here in Guatemala, I thought that was kind of funny, I know my spanish isnt perfect, but I do know that I have progressed alot since the beginning, its kind of strange but it just seems normal to me now. Maybe even weirder is that I am not really sure why, but I just feel like I was born to learn and speak spanish, I feel like it has been surrounding me since I was a little kid, even in Preschool the only real memory I have is learning spanish from the teachers with those little word cards. I dont know, maybe its foolish of me, but I just feel like my whole life growing up The Lord has constantly been putting me in positions to be learning bits and pieces of spanish. I will never be perfect at speaking it, but I can feel comfortable with it.
Thank you Thank you Thank you for the information from Jacobs mom, that was awesome, I have been waiting to hear, haha, I have been worried about him since he started and wondering how he has been doing, hes almost done now with the MTC, kind of crazy. But that is so cool that he had a Devotional with David A. Bednar! because when I was there David A. Bednar spoke to us as well! haha, I think it is awesome that we had the same authority come and speak to us.
I didnt know that wesley was going to Long Beach, thats really cool, I didnt know that he had even gotten his call, but I got a letter from the Deans saying that he was putting his papers in, thank you for updating me, I think that it is so cool that hes going to get to go english speaking, its so much harder to preach the gospel in your own language, at least in my opinion.
Anyways, thats about all I have for now, I think I answered your questions, I love you a ton mom, thank you for writing me every week, it really means alot. let me know if there is anything I can do for you all!
Love,
Christopher
Everyone is getting sick in the house? I am sorry, thats too bad, Its been a while since I got really sick, I think the last time I can remember truly being sick was when I had mono right before thanksgiving, that was absolutely terrible, I know how brayden feels with not being able to go to school or practice. I am glad that Molly has been staying out of the worst of it though, kind of ironic in a sense.
Whats the difference in a Baby sprinkle and a baby shower? Thats cool that you got to go, I dont know what baked ziti is, is it like rice? or meat? I am kind of picky with foods haha.
Thats really awesome that you and Molly are going to go see wicked, I think I mentioned it lastweek but I really wish I had spent more time going and seeing things like that, the problem is really that I just spent so much time working, I didnt have too much time for other things like that, Sad, but I had a really good job too so I was fairly blessed. I would love to be able to have the oppurtunity to go and see some things like that when I come back, that would be great. I have actually thought a little bit about how I want to get things planned out when I come back, and I want to see if I can get a work schedule where I dont spend so much time on the weekends and nights.....I know I need to get back to college as fast as I can too, but Im not sure how to do that unless I go to work first, I really dont want to go into debt for my education if I can avoid it. But as I was saying its a little ways off so maybe I will just let it sit for now.
We havent been able to talk to the couple again, we have been passing by but they arent there, I am not sure what more we can do if they arent at the house when we have set up to come by, but we are going to do what we can. Actually a good majority of our week has been spent looking for less active members, thats kind of what we placed as our new focus here in this moment, there are over 300 inactive members here, and only 40 people assisting every week, so more or less that is why, almost all of these people have left because they were insulted in the church, and then they have gone and joined a different church. It is so crazy, we have had some interesting and saddening experiences, one of the people we found asked us to erase his name from the Church Records, But the worst one is a woman that we found, and we have talked with her a few times, putting emphasis on getting her to come to church, the last time we talked with her we invited her again, and she said she would come if it werent for one thing. Apparently one of the members in this Branch was a teacher of her son, and there was a problem of some sort in the school apparently, and this member blamed it all on the less active members son, and then told the mother that it was her fault her son was doing stuff like this, really, she basically and completely insulted her. And the truth is that this kid didnt have anything to do with what happened, I cant go into details, but really it frustrated me, because we have someone that isnt coming because of the actions of another member in the church. I think alot of times we dont realize as members just how much impact our actions have on other people, and how it can change the future, we truly have to be examples, or the people that are investigating the church, or are new members, will lose trust, and leave.
Something good though to change the subject, haha, in church this past week someone told me that my spanish was completely perfect and that I should be a teacher of spanish here in Guatemala, I thought that was kind of funny, I know my spanish isnt perfect, but I do know that I have progressed alot since the beginning, its kind of strange but it just seems normal to me now. Maybe even weirder is that I am not really sure why, but I just feel like I was born to learn and speak spanish, I feel like it has been surrounding me since I was a little kid, even in Preschool the only real memory I have is learning spanish from the teachers with those little word cards. I dont know, maybe its foolish of me, but I just feel like my whole life growing up The Lord has constantly been putting me in positions to be learning bits and pieces of spanish. I will never be perfect at speaking it, but I can feel comfortable with it.
Thank you Thank you Thank you for the information from Jacobs mom, that was awesome, I have been waiting to hear, haha, I have been worried about him since he started and wondering how he has been doing, hes almost done now with the MTC, kind of crazy. But that is so cool that he had a Devotional with David A. Bednar! because when I was there David A. Bednar spoke to us as well! haha, I think it is awesome that we had the same authority come and speak to us.
I didnt know that wesley was going to Long Beach, thats really cool, I didnt know that he had even gotten his call, but I got a letter from the Deans saying that he was putting his papers in, thank you for updating me, I think that it is so cool that hes going to get to go english speaking, its so much harder to preach the gospel in your own language, at least in my opinion.
Anyways, thats about all I have for now, I think I answered your questions, I love you a ton mom, thank you for writing me every week, it really means alot. let me know if there is anything I can do for you all!
Love,
Christopher
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
2-14-12
Dear Mom,
So we have had a pretty good week here in the mission, everything is just going along at a rapid pace. Jacob is in the mtc now, Do you know what day he has P day? thats when he will be writing his family in email, I have been reading my journal from my first days in the MTC, haha, it helps me to remember what it was like, and I had forgotten some things.
Anyways, so that is a really interesting story about molly and the Dog, I am glad that she was able to have the experience of caring for a dog before actually getting one, its alot harder than she thought haha. But its good for her, the best way to learn is through experience.
I am glad to hear that everything went well with your Choir performance, I know you enjoy doing it so it is good to hear that things are going along well there. Its too bad it conflicted with Dads tough mudder event though, but I am sure that you will have an opportunity to go to another one, if not for him I know that I want to go do one when I come home so theres that haha.
What show did Hoover highschool put on this year? Did Molly enjoy it? Something I really want to do when I get home is try and go see some musicals, I am not sure why I want to but it just seems like something I could enjoy doing.
That is so cool that Bishop May is your new hometeacher, he is so great, I miss being able to go out and hometeach with him, I really learned alot from him the times that we went. I am glad that he urged you all to have family prayer and Family home evening, I never realized until now, just how important Family home evening is in keeping all the members in a family active in the Church, when we have families that are having problems the first thing we will check on is to see if they are having Family home evening, and prayer together, so its important.
Everyone is Buying stuff to make dinner? I can already tell you what I would be making if I were there, I would just buy a Stouffers lasagna, its not so much that it is easy to make, its more that I just really love it and I havent had it in forever. Well really if I didnt do lasagna it would probably be some kind of Pasta, I am not sure why it is just my favorite kind of food. Have you guys had any Bakers pizza lately?
As far as food here, Just the normal. Beans, we dont always have meat, but I really enjoy when we do, and some sort of vegetable usually too. I think my new favorite fruit might be mangos. They are delicious! the only problem is that they are really messy to eat and so I cant really do it when we are out and I want a quick snack, just in the house.
So the most interesting lesson we had this past week was on Sunday night. We went to this family that we have talked to about 3 times now, they are a young couple, 22 and 21, so not too much older than us. Anyways, When we came in everything was all calm and quiet, and we sat down and had a little small talk and then the husband makes a remark that they have been fighting all day, but he said it in a way that made me think he was joking and I laughed a little bit, but then I looked at him and asked him if he really meant it and he said yes. I was so surprised, and I felt terrible for having laughed. It kind of shows the importance of even the smallest of our actions and how it can make other people view us. Anyways, to put things shortly, the reason they are fighting is that the wife thinks that her husband is cheating on her. We explained to them that we really have no experience in helping people who are married but that we would do our best. Anyways, So I explained to them that they needed to have a singular purpose that united them, and was strong enough to unite them over any other thing, because that is what the prophet and the Apostles always talk about, and I agree, that as long as two people have the same goal, if the goal is great enough, as in the gospel with Eternal life, than it is stronger than any other problems that might show up. However, things started getting worse in this lesson, my companion asked them to share an attribute with each other that they saw in the other that they admired or attracted them to each other, and we started with the Husband, the only thing he said was that she was beautiful and then he said he didnt think she had any others. I felt so terrible for the wife because she said alot of nice things about him and he couldnt find anything nice to say about her, there is alot more to this story but it is really hard to describe in an email. The point is that I feel like I learned a lesson about something I should watch out for when I have my own marriage.
Anyways, I think I answered all your questions, I hope everything is going alright at home, if I missed anything please tell me, I love you all a ton, take care!
Love,
Christopher
So we have had a pretty good week here in the mission, everything is just going along at a rapid pace. Jacob is in the mtc now, Do you know what day he has P day? thats when he will be writing his family in email, I have been reading my journal from my first days in the MTC, haha, it helps me to remember what it was like, and I had forgotten some things.
Anyways, so that is a really interesting story about molly and the Dog, I am glad that she was able to have the experience of caring for a dog before actually getting one, its alot harder than she thought haha. But its good for her, the best way to learn is through experience.
I am glad to hear that everything went well with your Choir performance, I know you enjoy doing it so it is good to hear that things are going along well there. Its too bad it conflicted with Dads tough mudder event though, but I am sure that you will have an opportunity to go to another one, if not for him I know that I want to go do one when I come home so theres that haha.
What show did Hoover highschool put on this year? Did Molly enjoy it? Something I really want to do when I get home is try and go see some musicals, I am not sure why I want to but it just seems like something I could enjoy doing.
That is so cool that Bishop May is your new hometeacher, he is so great, I miss being able to go out and hometeach with him, I really learned alot from him the times that we went. I am glad that he urged you all to have family prayer and Family home evening, I never realized until now, just how important Family home evening is in keeping all the members in a family active in the Church, when we have families that are having problems the first thing we will check on is to see if they are having Family home evening, and prayer together, so its important.
Everyone is Buying stuff to make dinner? I can already tell you what I would be making if I were there, I would just buy a Stouffers lasagna, its not so much that it is easy to make, its more that I just really love it and I havent had it in forever. Well really if I didnt do lasagna it would probably be some kind of Pasta, I am not sure why it is just my favorite kind of food. Have you guys had any Bakers pizza lately?
As far as food here, Just the normal. Beans, we dont always have meat, but I really enjoy when we do, and some sort of vegetable usually too. I think my new favorite fruit might be mangos. They are delicious! the only problem is that they are really messy to eat and so I cant really do it when we are out and I want a quick snack, just in the house.
So the most interesting lesson we had this past week was on Sunday night. We went to this family that we have talked to about 3 times now, they are a young couple, 22 and 21, so not too much older than us. Anyways, When we came in everything was all calm and quiet, and we sat down and had a little small talk and then the husband makes a remark that they have been fighting all day, but he said it in a way that made me think he was joking and I laughed a little bit, but then I looked at him and asked him if he really meant it and he said yes. I was so surprised, and I felt terrible for having laughed. It kind of shows the importance of even the smallest of our actions and how it can make other people view us. Anyways, to put things shortly, the reason they are fighting is that the wife thinks that her husband is cheating on her. We explained to them that we really have no experience in helping people who are married but that we would do our best. Anyways, So I explained to them that they needed to have a singular purpose that united them, and was strong enough to unite them over any other thing, because that is what the prophet and the Apostles always talk about, and I agree, that as long as two people have the same goal, if the goal is great enough, as in the gospel with Eternal life, than it is stronger than any other problems that might show up. However, things started getting worse in this lesson, my companion asked them to share an attribute with each other that they saw in the other that they admired or attracted them to each other, and we started with the Husband, the only thing he said was that she was beautiful and then he said he didnt think she had any others. I felt so terrible for the wife because she said alot of nice things about him and he couldnt find anything nice to say about her, there is alot more to this story but it is really hard to describe in an email. The point is that I feel like I learned a lesson about something I should watch out for when I have my own marriage.
Anyways, I think I answered all your questions, I hope everything is going alright at home, if I missed anything please tell me, I love you all a ton, take care!
Love,
Christopher
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
2-7-12
Dear Mom,
I cant believe that Jacob is going into the MTC tomorrow, it is so crazy for me. It feels like Yesterday I was getting all the shopping done with Grandma Linda and going into the MTC myself, but it was 8 months ago now. How crazy is that? I hope the transition goes well for him, but I will be honest, he is probably going to want to get out really fast. At least I know I did when I was there. I am not quite sure what happens for missionaries who go on english speaking missions, his MTC experience is probably going to be completely different from mine, I feel like they probably focus a whole lot more on the actual language if you are going foreign speaking, and then for the native speakers they go over all the stuff that I kind of learned in a whirlwind when I got out here in the field, like the Area book, working with members, all the other details. We went over it briefly, but it was always in Spanish so I never really understood the big picture. I am really interested to hear how things are going along in his mission, do you know if his mom is planning on doing a blog thing like you are doing for me? I would love to be able to read any of the stuff he says.
So molly had a tooth out? that sounds like it was probably interesting, did she get to miss school for it? I bet if she did she was super excited about that.I am glad that she started feeling better almost immediately and was able to eat.
So anyways, Patzicia was a pretty good time. I was there with an two other Elders, one named Elder B., and one named Elder O.. I entered the mission with Elder O. and have known him since my first day in the MTC so it was pretty cool to be able to go out and work with him, we have both come a long way in all aspects, its pretty crazy. But the weather in patzicia was really cold, I didnt enjoy that, here in Panajachel it is always so warm, I guess its because we have the sun reflecting off of the water all day long. But yes, we stayed at their house overnight, I wouldnt really call them apartments, there isnt exactly such a thing up here in the mountains, but it was nice.
My health is pretty good, but yes, we do have a ton of rules about what to eat and what not to eat haha, but its not very hard to follow the rules about eating, just no street food, no fruit like strawberries because you cant wash them and whatnot, things like that. I dont get sick too often, I mean over the course of the whole mission I have been sick, like I couldnt leave the house, maybe 3 times, not too much, it goes away pretty fast usually. And yes, I did get the pictures you sent through the Email, thank you so much that was awesome. Actually, if I could have one of the Whole family that year too, like all of the aunts and uncles and grandparents that would be great too. And also I dont know if this would be easy to find because we never really took any, but if you could find a picture of me with jacob that would be awesome too haha.
so for the most part the week has gone by pretty well, I have been enjoying the mission and just trying to keep working. The weirdest thing that has happened this week though, was two things really. so on sunday in our small branch we are coming to church and we walk in the Gates and we see a car, which is unusual because there really isnt anyone here who owns a car, except for the North American family who lives here. Anyways, out of the Car comes Elder Martino with his wife, he is one of the presiding seventy here in Central america, it was really cool to have him come show up at our small branch. But to add to this, in the middle of sunday school a member comes up to me and says that they need my help and then lead me outside, and there is this north american who doesnt speak a lick of spanish haha, but he starts asking me these questions about the Book of Mormon, his name is Marcos A., and he is From Houston Texas. So I am trying to explain a little of all this to him, but I have to do it in English, so its really different, and as weird as it sounds, it made me nervous to do it in English. I am so used to speaking in Spanish that it just doesnt seem natural. Anyways, so after a small talk, we ended up getting his number, and we set up a time to go visit him yesterday at 5. But I was super worried because I have only really ever taught a lesson in English like 7 times when we started at the MTC, and because my companion is Latino he cant really help me, he understands bits and pieces but he isnt fluent. Anyways so we went, and somehow everything went really well, I taught all of lesson one in English by myself, and at the end he was crying. it was one of the most different experiences I have ever had in my mission, and I am not really doing a good job of describing it because I am still kind of absorbing the experience myself, but it was a crazy lesson. I dont know any other way to say it than that I was being guided by the Spirit, I could tell what his needs were, and I know that the spirit was there testifying to him, I even told him I knew it was telling him this was all true. At the end I committed him to being baptized, but the only thing is that he is only going to be here in Guatemala for 4 weeks, and then he is back to the States, so we wouldnt be baptizing him ourselves, but I think it is so cool to be a person who started the process for another to finish in Texas when he goes home. Who knows what would have happened if I hadnt been here to talk to him? it just makes you think. In any case, even if he werent baptized, it was a highly spiritual experience for me, and my companion. And I think I was supposed to learn something from it. So that is my story for the week, it was a really crazy and awesome time all at the same time.
Anyways, I hope that everything is going well for you and the family in Alabama, I miss you all and love you, I hope brayden isnt going to crazy with that permit of his.
Love,
Christophe
I cant believe that Jacob is going into the MTC tomorrow, it is so crazy for me. It feels like Yesterday I was getting all the shopping done with Grandma Linda and going into the MTC myself, but it was 8 months ago now. How crazy is that? I hope the transition goes well for him, but I will be honest, he is probably going to want to get out really fast. At least I know I did when I was there. I am not quite sure what happens for missionaries who go on english speaking missions, his MTC experience is probably going to be completely different from mine, I feel like they probably focus a whole lot more on the actual language if you are going foreign speaking, and then for the native speakers they go over all the stuff that I kind of learned in a whirlwind when I got out here in the field, like the Area book, working with members, all the other details. We went over it briefly, but it was always in Spanish so I never really understood the big picture. I am really interested to hear how things are going along in his mission, do you know if his mom is planning on doing a blog thing like you are doing for me? I would love to be able to read any of the stuff he says.
So molly had a tooth out? that sounds like it was probably interesting, did she get to miss school for it? I bet if she did she was super excited about that.I am glad that she started feeling better almost immediately and was able to eat.
So anyways, Patzicia was a pretty good time. I was there with an two other Elders, one named Elder B., and one named Elder O.. I entered the mission with Elder O. and have known him since my first day in the MTC so it was pretty cool to be able to go out and work with him, we have both come a long way in all aspects, its pretty crazy. But the weather in patzicia was really cold, I didnt enjoy that, here in Panajachel it is always so warm, I guess its because we have the sun reflecting off of the water all day long. But yes, we stayed at their house overnight, I wouldnt really call them apartments, there isnt exactly such a thing up here in the mountains, but it was nice.
My health is pretty good, but yes, we do have a ton of rules about what to eat and what not to eat haha, but its not very hard to follow the rules about eating, just no street food, no fruit like strawberries because you cant wash them and whatnot, things like that. I dont get sick too often, I mean over the course of the whole mission I have been sick, like I couldnt leave the house, maybe 3 times, not too much, it goes away pretty fast usually. And yes, I did get the pictures you sent through the Email, thank you so much that was awesome. Actually, if I could have one of the Whole family that year too, like all of the aunts and uncles and grandparents that would be great too. And also I dont know if this would be easy to find because we never really took any, but if you could find a picture of me with jacob that would be awesome too haha.
so for the most part the week has gone by pretty well, I have been enjoying the mission and just trying to keep working. The weirdest thing that has happened this week though, was two things really. so on sunday in our small branch we are coming to church and we walk in the Gates and we see a car, which is unusual because there really isnt anyone here who owns a car, except for the North American family who lives here. Anyways, out of the Car comes Elder Martino with his wife, he is one of the presiding seventy here in Central america, it was really cool to have him come show up at our small branch. But to add to this, in the middle of sunday school a member comes up to me and says that they need my help and then lead me outside, and there is this north american who doesnt speak a lick of spanish haha, but he starts asking me these questions about the Book of Mormon, his name is Marcos A., and he is From Houston Texas. So I am trying to explain a little of all this to him, but I have to do it in English, so its really different, and as weird as it sounds, it made me nervous to do it in English. I am so used to speaking in Spanish that it just doesnt seem natural. Anyways, so after a small talk, we ended up getting his number, and we set up a time to go visit him yesterday at 5. But I was super worried because I have only really ever taught a lesson in English like 7 times when we started at the MTC, and because my companion is Latino he cant really help me, he understands bits and pieces but he isnt fluent. Anyways so we went, and somehow everything went really well, I taught all of lesson one in English by myself, and at the end he was crying. it was one of the most different experiences I have ever had in my mission, and I am not really doing a good job of describing it because I am still kind of absorbing the experience myself, but it was a crazy lesson. I dont know any other way to say it than that I was being guided by the Spirit, I could tell what his needs were, and I know that the spirit was there testifying to him, I even told him I knew it was telling him this was all true. At the end I committed him to being baptized, but the only thing is that he is only going to be here in Guatemala for 4 weeks, and then he is back to the States, so we wouldnt be baptizing him ourselves, but I think it is so cool to be a person who started the process for another to finish in Texas when he goes home. Who knows what would have happened if I hadnt been here to talk to him? it just makes you think. In any case, even if he werent baptized, it was a highly spiritual experience for me, and my companion. And I think I was supposed to learn something from it. So that is my story for the week, it was a really crazy and awesome time all at the same time.
Anyways, I hope that everything is going well for you and the family in Alabama, I miss you all and love you, I hope brayden isnt going to crazy with that permit of his.
Love,
Christophe
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