Christmas Songs

I had an interesting week....well my companion was sick. Her tooth had some problems coming out. They had to break up the roots because it was fused to the bone. So she had a lot of pain this week. It's still healing up. Then after days in the house she got a cold with fever. So the poor girl was sick and tired. She wanted to go home this week. It was really rough because she's in the last of her time here in the mission and she's sick. We only left one day to work, and with that only 2 houses. It wasn't a great week for her. I tried to enjoy my time in the house cooking, cleaning, studying, yeah pretty much anything that I could do so that I didn't die of boredom haha. It wasn't too bad though. The first two days I was glad because I could sleep a little because I didn't sleep anything in the bus.

We had a baptism this week though haha. We started teaching this investigator because he came to visit his aunt and said that he was going to go back to the capital so we started teaching and hoped that he could find the missionaries when he went back. But then the elders visited them one day and they started teaching and basically stole the investigator. It was all good though because they could relate better with him because of his age and everything. But in the end the ZL said that it was our investigator because he lives in our area so we got a free baptism haha! His name is Welser.

Osbin kind of fell through a little because we couldn't visit this week but we're going to put a new date with him to get married and to get baptized.

I'm looking forward to celebrating this next year with you. This sunday we started singing Christmas songs in church haha! That's one way to get into the holiday spirit!  And I found the stocking from last year so I'm going to put it up this week!

Well this is the last week of the transfer. So this Saturday or Sunday I'll find out what's going to happen. The good thing is that I already know that my companion has a transfer haha.

Yep we got the root beer but with my companion sick I think we're going to enjoy it today!

Well I hope that you all have a great week and that I have a better week as well! Love you all!!!!!!

 

My companion and Nilza. She's leaving on the mission at the end of January for Mexico. She goes with us to visit people.

Happy Thanksgiving

This week went well. We were able to meet with Hugo and his family, Odet and Jonathan. They're doing well. This week we won't be able to see them because they have to go to the capital but hopefully they'll make it to church. Max and is family are doing alright. The son isn't getting better. The hospital kicked him out because they said that they can't do anything more for him so he's not in there anymore. It's really sad because he's really not doing well. We're thinking that most likely he's going to die... We talked with the family about the Plan of Salvation and they felt a little better but there's really not anything that us or them can do. It's up to God now as to what happens with him.

Osbin is doing great. They're getting excited to get married so that he can get baptized.

We get our investigators here by contacting and by reference. Poptún is huge!!!!! We have a branch and there's four of us missionaries. The district leader, Elder Child, and his companion, Elder Gamez, and us. But the area is huge. To get to Machaquilá where Hugo and Max live we have to take a bus or tuktuk (a tuktuk is like a mini carriage. I don't know how to describe it. It's got three wheels and reminds me of a motorcycle but it's got the seat in front and then seats behind and it's covered. That's the normal transport here. I'll get a picture of it to show you.) and it's like 20-30 minutes away. When we walk to church on Sundays it's like half an hour walking. So it's pretty big but I love it!! It's like a pueblo. Most of the streets are dirt and it's really different from the capital. In the capital the houses are connected and they don't have front yards or back yards. The houses here and more spread out a little like farm area but smaller. There's a ton of trees and there's more humidity here. I'm loving loving loving it. We had interviews this week with the president and I told him that I never want to go back haha!

Wow sounds like Dan had a great time!

We had a slight problem this week. For the last like two weeks the last of the wisdom teeth or Hermana Garambel, and the only that they didn't pull, decided that it wants to come out. But it's giving her a ton of pain like there's something that isn't quite right. So Sunday night we headed into the capital where we are right now. She'll be going in for her appointment in a few hours and hopefully everything goes well so that we can work these last two weeks. I just really hope that she feels better because she's had a rough last few days. And then we'll be going back tonight about at 9pm.

I hope that you all enjoy Thanksgiving. I really wouldn't have known Thanksgiving was this week but the elders asked if I was going to do something. I said no. But because I came to capital they all wanted rootbeer so I bought a bunch so that we can celebrate. Maybe I can find some ice cream somewhere as well..... But I hope that things go well. Enjoy your pies and all the food!

 

Love you all and hope you have a great week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a picture of my district after the interviews.  we were trying to get jalón (hitchhike).

Left to right it's Elder Rojas, Elder Córdova, Elder Child, Elder Lowe, Elder Gamez, and Hermana Garambel. And the one sitting down is Elder Mijangos. That's my district!!

Didn't Feel the Earthquake

Things are going great here! I love Peten!!!!!!! Today we had another great P-day in.....Tikal!!!! It was awesome and definitely worth it!!!!! And after that we ate in Pizza Hut which is awesome. There isn't fast food in Poptun. Different from the capital but the food is better than fast food. But one always misses the fast food haha.

 We did not feel the earthquake. Peten didn't receive anything so there's no need to worry. We're doing great here. I called and talked to Hermana Ramos. She said that it was awesome. They had gone to the temple for their p-day (it's not open on Mondays so they went Tuesday) and she said it was great! So the capital didn't get it too bad either but I'm sure that down by the coast they got hit pretty bad.

The missionary work is going well here. We found some new investigators. Last week when we got a free ride up to Santa Elena to go to Yaxha we talked to the guy and he lives in our area, Hugo Flores, and he said that he lived in the US for like 15 years so we visited him and his family. His son really appreciates it because he's interested in this stuff and he enjoys talking a little in English. He's lived here for like 2 years now but it's still a little hard for him. There's also another family, the dad is Maxamiliano, or Max, and their son's sick so we were able to bring the elders to the hospital to give the son a blessing so we're hoping that turns out well.

We have someone with a date to get baptized. His name's Osbin and he's going to get married the same day. They had a date to get married and him baptized but it fell through so we put a new one for the 1st of December. We're really going to work with the ward so that they can complete this date. They seem excited though so it should go through. Hermana Garambel told me that the last time they weren't as excited so we'll see what happens.

Yeah I'm working hard on learning the area so that I can take over when she leaves. It should be good though. It's bigger than I'm used to but it's not too confusing.

Love you all and hope that you have a great week!

(Don't know what the white spot is... just a camera glitch or something)

 

 

Sights of Peten

I'm glad that Jacob got off well. I thought about him that day and I've been telling everyone that he left in the mission haha! We had a good Halloween. We were going to have an activity but it got canceled and also they called and said that we needed to enter early that night into our houses. So we were there at 7pm.

 The ward here is really good and there's a girl that's helping us. Her name's Nilza and she's leaving for the mission at the end of January. She's going to be a great missionary!

I'm loving it here in Poptun! It's amazing. I think the only downer is that there aren't as many stores here to buy stuff because it's a little far but everything else is better here!!!

My companion is Hermana Garambel. She's from Peru and it's her last transfer. We get along great!! I'm really happy that she can finish her mission well.

Today we had a great p-day again. We went to some ruins called Yaxha. They were awesome! It's a possible site where Christ may have visited but of course we don't know for sure. The best part is that to go to Santa Elena to meet up with the zone and to come back, it's two hours, we get to ask for jalòn! Hitch hike! The people here are super nice and we can always find a pickup truck that willing to take us where they're going. We got lucky that it didn't rain too much either. I have a great district and we all get a long really well so I'm happy here.

I'm glad that you're Halloween went well. Sorry I don't have much for investigators right now because we're looking for new ones but we've found some possibilities. I'll let you know next week!

Hope you have a great week! Love you tons!!!!!!!

 

 

The sights of Peten