Monday, January 28, 2013

A Close Encounter of The Baptism Kind

Hey hey hey!
So this week we were super focused on our investigator R, we set his baptism for this past saturday. He was all for it we just needed to get permission from his parents. His father is a big, scary man who when we would talk to him, he wouldnt even really listen, he´d just stand by the door and say ¨no, no, no¨, so we fasted and prayed a lot that he would change his heart, so the night we were fasting we went to their house and miraculously both parents were there and so was R, they were all there just watching tv together, they looked so cute, but then I guess it hit us that we really had to talk to this man about baptizing his son, and we freaked and ducked down behind their window and hid, hoping they hadnt seen us, I really dont know why we did this, but after about a second or 2 we realized that hiding was ridiculous...and R came outside and found, it was all good. We just laugh now. So we talked to the dad and after about an hour he was like yeah he can get baptized this saturday, but it has to be late so I can get off work. We were thrilled....but then his mother opened her mouth, and was like he needs 3 months to study the bible? WHAT? she came out of no where! So we talked to her a few times and she was like well you wouldnt marry anyone just after a month or so, things like this take time, I informed her that my parents did and theyve been happily married for 25 years now....thanks for that.So we had his interview, while his mother was still thinking about it. THat was an adventure. We told him to meet at the church, but after an hour we didnt show, we knew he was at an internet place doing hw, so we and the distirct leaders went to look for him, the DL told us we could just go back and wait at the church for them to return with R, because it was kind of a far walk. So we get to the church and R is there just playing the piano, like he has been there the whole time! But now we dont have the elders with us to do the interview, and we dont have a phone, so ew command R not to move and we run in our missionary shoes and skirts to try to catch up and find the Elders! It was quite the sight. We finally spot them and I yell to them and those stinkin Elders wouldnt turn around. Who else in this country would be yelling to you in english? But finally we got everyone together and he passed the interview! Woo hoo! So on Saturday morning we ask R if he talked to his mom about his baptism, for today, he said yes and she said that it was ok! and that we could come back and get her signiture when she was back home that afternoon! We rushed to get everything taken care of. And then we went to get the signiture his mom freaked out and was angry with us and was like ¨not today! I am busy! ¨ Then she ran away.....so we followed her into her house, but to our dismay she escaped. So sadly our baptism didnt happen this Saturday, but that boy will get baptized and Im taken his parents now, too. I think we are going to bring the mom flowers today and ¨apologize¨ for trying to save her son´s soul. We talked to R afterward and asked what happen, he says he has no idea! Im pretty sure she is just a bit crazy but whatever.
But yeah, thats my life, always fun and hectic, but I like it like that! I hope you are all well! I love you so much!
Em

Monday, January 21, 2013

Falls, Rats, Bats and Chickens!

Snow!? That sounds absolutely heavenly! It hasnt been as hot here, so thats been lovely. I mean don't get me wrong I still sweat a lot, but it is a bit cooler. Your life isnt boring, I love reading your emails! Im the one who does the same thing everyday! Thanks for the address!
Yeah we had changes this week, and so at the beginning, President told us that our trainers would be Nortes and then after that till the end of our missions we would have Latinas, well everyone did, except me! Im with another Norte! I am really excited, From what I have observed from the past few days I really like her. She is a really good missionary. She is from California and she graduated from BYU Hawaii in Pyschology. Both her parents are from Guatemala.
I'm sorry to hear about your toubles at work but Im sure itll all work out for the best. Danielle sent me some pics, you all look so happy! It makes me so happy!
OH MY GOODNESS! That is super generous of everyone! That is definitly a testament to paying tithing, just do it! I wish some of the people here better understood that princple...ok yeah I guess ill just have to try to teach that better.
Ok I will try to keep good details in my journal but I dont know if we have a book quite yet! I'm glad people still remember me! I got letters the other day from some people in the ward, like the Bishop and Elder Gomm and Sister Whalen.  If I sent return letter to you, could you give it to them please? Elder Gomm says you feed him lovely dinners! I also got delicious cookies from the Blackhams, they are all so sweet.
I'm glad to here Chad´s birthday was fun, except for the whole thing about Danielle´s arm! I hope it doesn't hurt too bad....she should just go stick her arm in the snow!
So every morning my comp and I would go run and so this Tuesday I am all running and then I fall and I fell hard, I dont know what happened, I guess I tripped on a rock or something, but I tore up my knees, elbow, and palms. It probably looked really funny! I walked home with blood going down my legs! I just find it funny, that after I usually run, the people here come up and are shocked and worry and say something about my face being red and that I am sweating, but when I have blood everywhere they just pass and look like they have no idea what to do, and just ignore it.
On the day we had changes, my comp could zip her suitcase because the zipper was broken, so I had the brillant Idea to duct tape it closed with my beautiful, colorful tape! Guess what! It worked! It took all my tape to do it, but it worked!
Last week we had FHE with a family and in the middle of it we heard this scratching noise above us and then all of a sudden a rat fell from their roof. Everyone was like oh a rat, but I couldn't contain myself, I started cracking up! I was laughing so hard, like what the heck? Where am I? But yeah it rains rats here sometimes while your discussing the gospel, or a chicken jumps on your lap, or a bat flies into your arm...yeah that all happened to me this week! It keeps life interesting!
But yeah thats about it! The work is good, we are hoping for a baptism this Saturday, we just need permision from the parents, it's finding them together is the problem. But we are maybe going to teach an english class to try to find investigators and we are planning an activity in our ward so thatll be fun!
I love you so much! Hope you have a good week.
Em
 
P.S. Mattison sent me candy and personalized Stationary so I dont have to write out my return address!

Monday, January 14, 2013

The latest from Guatemala

TO DADDY
No worries about last week, I know you guys are living your life, thats good! I dont think you are ignoring me. Knowing you and Mama, you two probably think of me too much! Well I am glad you try to remember my name, it is the thought that counts right? Im glad you like your braclet and its helped make you a little cooler...we all know you need help in that department.
I cant wait to hear your spiritual insight! That is so exciting about school! I hope you really enjoy your classes and that this will help you have job that you really love and can be content with! You can tell me you love me as much as you want! And that is really sweet of you to want to send something to a missionary who isnt receiving anything. I think I know someone, I´ll double check, but my district leader, Elder M, I'm not sure how much he receives, but I'll let you know for sure next week. But anything is great. The Thai stuff was alright, not my favorite though. The pumpkin bars were so good! Poptarts are good too! But anything is great! Ive started to get my appetite back so that is good. And maybe in the next couple months, if it isn't too too expensive, could you all maybe send me another pair of Tom's, they are so easy and comfortable, they are like all I wear. But yeah no hurry or rush on anything. Is there anything you are desiring from Guatemala? Let me know, so I can send you all or bring home some cool stuff! Like a cool tie, machete, jewelry, toys, whateves. You can have anything except for tortillas....you may not have those!

TO MAMA
I'm glad I can make you laugh. Sometimes I dont feel like I convey my feelings right always. Me and my comp are usually laughing, the people hear are so funny! and sometimes just awkward, so that makes us laugh too! I'm a little bit sad because my training is over and now they want me to be a grown up missionary, we have changes this week and they are most likely going to split up me and my comp. It is most common that the trainer leaves and I will stay in this area. That's what is expected to happen but we won't know for sure probably til tomorrow. Part me feels like I might leave but I dont know, I could be wrong. But I will have a Latin as my next companion, I'm a little nervous but it should be good. My spanish will probably get a whole lot better!
That is cool that you are listening to Little Women, I really should read that one day. I'm glad I always have a place with you and Daddy if I never get married. But hopefully I can just have my own house, but don't worry if I cant find a man in the states to marry me, maybe I'll just come back here and marry a little Guatemalan, they like me here cause I'm white with blue eyes and I speak english...haha jk. I'll live with you and daddy.
This week our zone leaders wanted to thank everyone for their hard work so that got all the hermanas roses and cookies and they got the other elders cookies and baby´s breath? idk but it was really nice!
This week we had a dinner with the ward council and it was so good! oh it was so fun! We challenged our family to baptism again and the wife is all for it, her only fear was that she didn't want us to drown her, but her husband, he says yeah I believe it, I know I need to get baptized, but I need more time. We asked what he was waiting for, and he couldn't tell us, so hopefully he will come around soon. Because they are so special! We have another investigator, who is just so willing to listen to us and go to church and he really just wants to be a good boy and so he says he wants to be baptized in 2 weeks. So now we just have to make sure it is okay with his dad. But I am excited!
Hey I have a favor, will you send Aunt Christina´s address, I was dumb and accidently threw it away. And could you maybe mail me a copy of my call letter por favor?
That was generous of Brooke and Chad! I love them! I haven't had a chance to go by the office and check on the package yet, but we are going by later today and I will look for it.
I love you and know that I am doing well! Have a good week!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Monday January 7, 2013

Sounds like you had a good week! Im glad you got to enjoy sometime with your sisters!
We've had a good week! We have light in our bathroom right now so that is really nice!
And we also had the oppurtunity to have a lesson in our Mission President´s house with the family we are teaching. It was so nice and the spirit was really strong. Our family still hasnt committed to a baptism date, they say it is a big decision and they need to think about it. I think they just need time. I dont doubt that they will eventually be baptized, I just hope I am here to have the privilage in seeing it happen.
I also helped in the assasination of a rooster this week! ME and my comp killed him and defeathered him. Then later we went back and ate him. It was good, he was old and so the meat was really tough, but good nonetheless. Killing a rooster was fine, but I dont think I want to take it up as a profession.
 
We had a leadership meeting last night. It talked about a plan from the area 70 on retaining and bringing back members. It was really good, Im excited to see it put into practice!
 
Ok can I just take a minute to thank you for teaching to love the Book of Mormon AND the Bible. There are some missionaries who talk about the Bible like it´s whatever. It relly hurts my heart. I know we mostly teach from the BOM because it is what makes us different, it is what our entire church is based on and it is perfect. But the Bible is scripture too and there is so much to learn from it! Isn´t Christ´s Minisrty is the Bible? and doesnt Christ tell us to study Isaiah? But anyway there is my little piece. I love the Bible and the BOM.
 
Anyways, What else have you all been up too? I just read my scriptures and teach everyday. Oh I was reading in the War chapters in the Book of Mormon and I had always just thought about why the Nephites wore armour, and what ¨armour¨ we wear and what not, but this time when reading it I thought more on the Lamanites side of things. Honestly they knew they were going to war, why were they so stupid as to not wear armour. Well I will tell you what I came up with....first and foremost, it was probably hot and cumbersome, and second they probably looked really dorkey. But then when do we sometimes not do things that protect us because they are bothersome ( or for me because it is hot ) or because itll make us look uncool? Who cares...at least youll live. Right?
But yeah! I love you and I hope you are all happy and healthy! I cant wait to see that game you all played, the Kung fu one! Sounds like a good time!
Have a good week!
Em
 
 

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Happy New Year's Eve

Your week sounds like so much fun! The pictures were wonderful! Im glad you got all the supplies you needed for next year! Is Rach making a dress?
I cant wait to watch it(Les Miserables) with you!!!!! I want to see it so bad! Im glad they did a good job on it!
It has been a good week here too. On Christmas, my comp got some fake moustaches in a package so we went caroling to the members and a family we are teaching in them! They think we are so funny! They loved it! They also liked that we sang in English. the family we are teaching, when we were there earlier this week we taught them how to build gingerbread houses and they asked us to sing our hymn in english. They are fun. During that appointment though I started not feeling well and so I told my comp I thought it best if we left, we said the closing prayer and I ran out the door and puked all on their front lawn, it was great. Then after I had finished my business I drunk man asked if I was feeling better and if me and my comp wanted a ride on his motorcyle. Hahaha yes I feel like that is probably what would make me feel a whole lot better! But after that I was all good, I dont know what happened. I hadnt eaten anything different, but I find it rather amusing.
So last week our zone did a gift exchange and the zone leaders had this kid from their ward with them and he didnt have a gift or anything so I quickly ran and grabbed him some candy that I happened to have in my bag, it wasnt much, but it was something. And this week he gave me earrings and a necklace that his sister made, all for a box of candy. He is so sweet!
So this week I may have broken part of our window in our apartment, but listen I was just hanging my clothes up to dry on the line in our front room and the line was attached to the window and after months of nothing it breaks! But it was fine, we got all the glass up!
I got a letter from the Tripps today, they all look like they are doing well! And I got a package from Aunt Christina and from Mattison! They are so sweet!
Im sorry Daddy has been sick! I hope he is feeling better! And Your lessons sound awesome, you should come teach here!
I love you all so much! You all are so pretty! And Clean! And have all your teeth! I love you so much!


Christmas Eve

Hey Daddy! I will tell you on the phone tomorrow how they say my name. im excited to talk to you tomorrow! Woo hoo! And dont worry most of the time I will talking to you, mom, Danielle and Rachel most of the time, so you better have more to say than ¨hello¨!
How it works here is that we are assigned a certain area and we take care of the less active members and recent converts in the wards area, then we contact in that area and teach the people there. The investigator gets to choose who will baptize them, it can be an elder or if things are ideal they have a friend in the ward who will do it. If you teach them and they are in your area you get the ¨´credit¨.
Good luck with Seminary,
Haha when you said you were glad I chose to come to our family I was like ¨who said I got to choose?¨ but ha that was the next sentence. I dont know how it worked but I am glad I got to be apart of our family and I have parents that I can be proud of! Thank you for who you and mama are!
I love you too! I cant wait to talk to you
 
Perfect! We are going to get gifts for a gift exchange, then watch a movie, probably the grinch, and then have tamales with a family in our ward, then do gift exchanges in our zone.
I havent gotten mail yet today, and I overheard thepost office is closed, but hopefully itll open later
 
This was to Mom
So I just wrote you a whole letter and then the computer just erased it so I will bullet point my thoughts
  • That is sweet of them to send a care package!
  • THat is very scrooge like! My mission is super chill!
  • I know Rach is Hot but the kid is dumb to tell daddy, and as if he would have a chance with her! I have yet to meet someone good enough for her hotness
  • THat is awesome that that girl got some lessons in! That is impressive! How much time did she have left?
  • Im jealous of the good food! Take lots of pics of tonight! Your packages of treats make me and my comp so happy!
  • We had divisions this week, so it is the first time without my trainer. Since we were in my area, I was more in charge because I knew everyone and the area. it was fun! And it went really well!
  • We had a grand chorus last night. It was fun, we are hoping that we got some new investigators out of it!
  • Thats awesome that Katie Soh is loving her mission!
  • WE had a Ward Activity this week but we didnt really get to participate because they start everything an hour late here and the sisters now have to be in even earlier because of the kidnapping. But they were super cute with all their decorations and such.
  • WE have been watching lots of fireworks and I anticipate eating a lot of tamales because thats what they do here. It feels more like 4th of July than Christmas!
  • WE are teaching a family and we are pretty sure they know they church is true but they are scared to change churches because the dad has his job in the other church and if they switch he will lose his job and they already struggle to feed their family. It is just a trial of their faith, I hope they overcome it, they are wonderful! We love them so much!
  • I cant wait to talk to you tomorrow! I love you sooooo much!