Week 104 - My Last Letter

Family, I just want to mention some of the most precious tender mercies the Lord has given me in this last week. Do you remember I told you we wanted to find a baptism in 3 weeks, ever since I got the emergency change. Well... WE DID IT!!!! Linora Marleni Buenafé coc got baptized this Saturday!!!! She is the daughter of our amazing family of investigators!!! She is about 12 years old and has been to church a few times and well was ready. It was last Monday where we just started to pound in all the preparation and asking her if she wanted too, she accepted and on the 11th of February she got baptized! I will tell you how it happened.

It was Saturday, my companion and I were planning for the final week, like I mentioned before we didn't have possibilities that could've been baptized, so our hearts were down. However, I just couldn't put the number 0 in that box for baptismal goals, I told my companion, ''I don't know how, but we just have to put that number 1 there.'' My companion just shrugged his shoulders,but being as willing and a high faith missionary as he is, he agreed; and the Lord made it happen! I couldn't believe it. That was a busy week. We taught 22 lessons with investigators, we found 14 news investigators, and we found 4 new families. We taught 4 less actives and contacted 151 people in those 7 days.

On Thursday we took a hike to a Mountain, San Vicente which is located on top of these HUGE mountains, where these villagers have not seen missionaries. When we got there we started working and planting seeds, everyone was just asking, ''So, when will you build a church here??'' In fact, it was market that day, so while we took a little lunch break a guy comes up and asks, ''When will you build a church here, we want to join.'' I responded, ''We need some members here in order to build one.'' ''Well.... How many households do you guys need, we can get them?'' he quickly asked. I have to say, those people up there are different, they truly hunger for the truth, I know that a church will be built up there some day. Maybe not for a few years, however, they the Lord is preparing them all. After the conversation, a huge group of people start huddling around me and they are listening to me teach about the restoration. We had about a group of 40 listening to me preach about the first vision. A voice screams, ''When are you going to build a church here??'' I was just in awe seeing these people in a far village being prepared by the Lord.

During Saturday and during the baptismal service, our president of the branch stood up and just thanked us missionaries for our hard work, he thanked us for lifting and leading the branch, and he even said he follows our example. I was touched when he began crying and saying,''I have watched for these last weeks, these missionaries wake up and leave at 8 and come back at 9 to 9:30 at night, I follow these missionaries.'' He then personally thanked me in helping him spiritually. I was so moved by his words. Later my companion brought the ordinance to effect and baptized that special soul who made a covenant with our Heavenly Father. That was a precious meeting. It passes all my understanding, how God will just make his work happen. I am filled with so much joy.

Yesterday I had the privilege to confirm Dinora a member of the church. I knew that the spirit guided my words. All of them.

I consider this baptism as a gift that God is giving me just saying, '’Well done my young faithful servant.'' I still have a few more days
left to help His work progress in his vineyard. Like the goal says, ''Guatemala is better, because I was there.''--The slogan in the CCM in Guatemala. I can reflect and say that. I feel I have done my work faithfully - concentrating my time, my efforts and my thoughts to his work. I am grateful for this opportunity to progress in life. I will take the next steps with faith and complete the goals I have made.

Family I will spend more time with you. For I have my goals with you all. I want to get to know all of you more. I know I may have been that mysterious young fuss bucket, whiney kid a few years ago. I do think you all have learned who I am, and who I have become. I have changed, and hope to keep changing, for I can't take my steps backward. I have come this close to the Lord, why go back? I hope you all can help me spiritually still. I have many things I need to do better. I know you all will notice my weaknesses and I will apologize for such.

You all sound soooooooo good!!!! AHHH! I do look forward to seeing you.

I want to share with you all my goals as I go home. 1. On the way home I need to contact the person I sit next to on the plane and on my lay over!! YES!!!

I love you family and do look forward to seeing you all!! Ya pronto nos veremos. haye'k re tqil qib'.

Elder Fadel's Homecoming!

Jared's homecoming is on February 19th at 2:20 pm.  He will be speaking in the Heights Ward, located at:


33 S. Moss Hill Drive (1500 E.) Bountiful, UT 84010


We look forward to seeing you all!

Week 103

My dear family,

I have to say I am very grateful to have this last area that has so much work to be done. If I didn't I am pretty sure I’d be thinking about you all a lot haha. I do think about you all, because I love you. I know that all of you are just doing great. I can see a dramatic growth in all of you. Even though you may not see as such. I will say personally I have felt your changes for the better. I am glad to hear the wonderful news about the dandy Macy!!! I am happy to hear about your experiences and your activities. I know that you all are excited for the family to be reunited again. I am too!! I was reflecting with my companion about it. He asked me, ''Are you excited to see your family?'' I responded, ''OF COURSE!!!!'' haha However it is bittersweet as you all can imagine. I will have to personally thank each and every one of you for your support. For taking just 5 minutes or 10 minutes of your time to write me, weekly or monthly. I will thank you. Those letters truly mean a lot to me.

Dad how is the business going on?? Mom what new fun activities are you doing?? Ryan School??? I know you will be in ever harder classes but, you'll have to hang out with me when you get the slightest break!!! Lindsey I know you’re sick, I pray that you'll feel better!!! I know you're having a blast with your nee ner daughter!!

This week has been crazy. Mauricio and Jorge's family still haven't received the answers to their prayers whether they should be baptized or not. AHHHHH!!! It was kind of hard haha, we are trying everything!! It is a trial of faith honestly. My companion and I made goals as I have written earlier that we want to baptize this change, on Saturday we were planning for my final week, when we just stared at the goal for baptisms. I just stared at it..... I remembered the goal of baptizing this final change and having 4 people getting ready for a baptism the next change.... well we have planned a person we want to be baptized, my goal is for her to be baptized this Saturday. She is the daughter of Jorge. I personally think her baptism will be the answer to the prayers of Jorge and his wife Herlinda. It didn't hit us until yesterday that we could probably baptize her. I just had to call and ask the ZLs if she could be baptized only having 4 times in church (it’s a rule we have in our mission, people under the age of 18 need to attend church at least times to be baptized, however the rules have changed with Pres. Watts) so the ZLs gave us permission. We are going to talk to her and the family TODAY!!!!! We pray that she'll be baptized this Saturday as my farewell gift.

Right now we taught a wonderful family, Maynor and his wife Floricelda. Floricelda is the daughter of an inactive family. However they wanted to listen to our messages, Saturday we taught them the plan of salvation and they just loved it. They understood it and well when we started talking about our purpose in life, we talked about following Christ and baptism. We then asked Maynor if he has been baptized, and he answered no. So then we invited him to be baptized and he happily accepted it. His wife comes in the room right after we make the invitation, (she ran in the kitchen really quick to flip the tortillas) then we asked her. She responded.....''I don’t know''....she ends up asking her husband if he accepted to be baptized, and he said'' yes, yes I did'', she then says '' ok, I will'' hahaha. That
was pretty funny, when we invited him, he really felt the spirit and wanted to accept it. We'll just have to help her feel the spirit more. We have their baptism planned for the 10 of March, due to the wedding we'll have to do for them. I am excited because the work is elevating here!!! To be honest a lot of elders talk bad about K'anlun, I can't tell you how many times I have heard complaints or jokes about K'anlun. We are changing that. This place does have its trials, that is true, but it has great potential that we are now seeing the progress to what it will soon become. We are preparing the branch to enter into the new chapel. The new chapel is sooooo beautiful for such a poor area, they used to just gather in houses and have the ordinances, which right now we are doing, but this week the chapel will be finished. We are praying that they will dedicate it soon so I can see it!! We are preparing the branch now so they can be really organized for the new building they will enter into.

The Relief Society is doing great, I just bought them all a reward for their visits that they are doing. I just bought them 2 huge 3 liter bottles of SUPER COLA that they will enjoy, I have completed another one my goals to have the relief society president teach. YES I DIDN'T teach RS!!! I MADE THE TEACHER TEACH!!! SUCCESS!! haha With that time I had, I went into the priesthood quorum and organized the visits for the brethren, they all got really excited and are going to do their visits this Saturday!!! We are creating more organization for these branches and it feels so good seeing the branch just feel happier and seeing the members more excited about church.

Yesterday, we had church in darkness, there was no light in the house in which the meetings were held. So we had our meetings in a pitch black room haha. At the last hour, my companion says the closing prayer and right at the end of his prayer, the power comes back on and the light comes on in the house hahaha. That was a funny experience!

I was talking with my companion about what I should do for my last week. We started talking about sacrifices I should make my last week. We have planned to wake up early to go study and get out and work as soon as we could and only have half hour lunches and just pound the work in!!!

Elder Ware has taught me so many precious things about life, I have learned a lot from him, I truly know why God has put me with him these last 4 weeks. I am going to be eternally grateful for my time with him.

I am preparing myself to go home and going to my next stage in life. Sorry if I am weird in your eyes haha.

I love you all so much and thank you all for your wonderful letters!!!! RAWR!!!!!

Week 102

My dear family, I appreciate your nice emails I am thankful for your words of advice and the chance I have to give all I have to see people come unto Christ.

The plan that we made in the branch went very well!!!!! The sisters did the visiting teaching, and we gave talks and well this Sunday a member gave a talk too!!! I even brought ties for the branch presidency, (because they don't use ties,) that all changed I am glad we are lifting up K'anlun. We even began doing Sunday school, we used to just have 2 hours of church, but I felt they needed to change that, so I volunteered to teach Sunday school. After that I had to teach Relief Society again haha. The Relief Society president wasn't at church today so I was assigned to teach. I just taught about the benefit of the visiting teaching they do. I compared it with the 'growing snow toy' you gave me for Christmas, they all were amused and loved the object lesson. My talk in church was about The Book of Mormon, I did that because I knew there are many members who don't know a single thing about that book. I asked them directly, ''Do you even know what this book is??'' Then I compared it to what they hear from their neighbors, '' Do you ever hear from friends, family members,or neighbors, 'Oh that is the bible of the Mormons?' They all laughed because it is true they hear that. I gave them more examples how to defend their faith. It was, what I felt exactly what they needed.

We have seen a great increase in the branch with the organization, in just 2 weeks of preparation. The sad thing is all our great investigators DIDN'T SHOW UP TO CHURCH!!!!! That is a heart breaker!!! We have had great lessons and really have found out their problems even to explain the need to come to church, and they say ''WE'LL GO!! :)))'' With that said, I found myself in that church house without any investigators. Mauricio is learning so much about the restored gospel and loves reading the Book of Mormon, this week we changed him to be baptized, he accepted, until we told him the date in which we would have his service, he than doubted and had questions so we answered, at the end of that lesson he said, ''I will pray to know what God wants, and I will go to church.''
He really is the greatest guy, he has that heart to know the truth, he really wants to know, he truly does, when we passed by in the morning on Sunday he wasn't home, he went with his member brother Hipòlito somewhere, that hurt me to the soul.

We had a great lesson with a family. The family BF, they are struggling spiritually, and are in great need of reassurance that God lives, J, the father said that it is impossible for him to complete all the commandments of God, he said, ''I have giving and giving and giving to God in my church (another church) and I felt like I haven't received anything, my crops die, my cows die. I don't receive anything.'' We shared some precious truths with him about receiving blessings, and about trials. We promised him (due to our authority which soon I won't have any more :(( )) that the lord would abundantly bless him if he prayed and asked of God if He was there.

I have made my goals for after my mission. ! 1 year, 5 year and 10 year goals. I pray that I may complete them. For I know that I will be greatly blessed in doing so. Family don't be trunkey hahaahahahahaha I still have work to do haha. However I do keep to heart your kind and warming words. They really enrobe me with such great happiness knowing that all of you, each and every one of you, have been at my side this whole time. I pray that you have felt that I have been at yours. I know this work is the greatest work that is needed here on earth! I know my authority and calling is that of Apostles, like unto the Capitalized 'A' to a lower cased 'a', they have the same functions and the same power, and that is the truth in which we missionaries have. Our title is still the same ''ELDER'' or in this context the letter 'A' . The letter doesn't change in its shape in the words it is found in. I was taught this from our Area Presidency from the second Counselor Elder Amado, I am glad he had taught me that. I have learned my potential as a missionary I am praying I will end it saying, 'That is it, Lord, I have done it, I did my best, I don't have any regrets, nope, not one.'' I will cry that day............ I truly, truly will.

Like I have said before, it doesn't end here, I am His servant for life, my will is so wanting to be His will. It is His will.

Today we went to Rio Dulce a tourist sight, it was a wonderful place to be we went to an old castle and of course I just took sooooo many photos. I bought more stuff for the family. I have more stuff being hand made by some Mayan ladies in the Ch'ulak Mountains, I hope you all with like the nee ners I will bring you all.

Week 101

After all the great commotion going on here I finally settled in my last area. It is located in K'anlun in the Polochik valley where it is flat and there is nothing….just a small village where the church is very new. There is no place to get food, just little snacks at little houses that sell little snacks and bagged chips haha, so we need to buy in La Tinta or Teleman on Mondays. I am very grateful that I am here in K'anlun, because I can see the great weaknesses of the branch, it is a small branch and we only have two priesthood holders who have callings, the president and his counselor.. The branch president doesn't know how the church functions and doesn't show a lot of effort. However Elder Ware and I are giving our all to lift up the branch. Before explaining more about the branch I would like to talk about my wonderful companion.

Elder Ware is from Spanish Fork, he has 8 months in his mission and has 5 transfers. This is his 2nd change in the Polochik and is really pushing to learn Q'eqchi'. I know that I am here for a reason. More than just teach him all I can in 4 weeks. Rather I have a lot to learn from him, I know many other reasons why I am here. I love Elder Ware, I truly do. He is a spiritual giant and I just love being around him. I haven't seen anyone who has 8 months have such a great heart, and is so spiritually tuned. We get along just great we are such great friends and love getting up at 5:30 and studying. He wants to take advantage of learning the language too. We truly are pushing to the end. We are striving to baptize!!! Our goals are these: To baptize in 3 weeks remaining. To leave behind 4 baptisms in K'anlun by the time I leave, to make members more involved in the missionary work, to have members give talks in church, to make visiting teaching assignments and to create a mission plan for the branch. My goal for Elder Ware is to make him feel like the greatest missionary ever. I want him to excel and just work miracles. I want him to feel confident in teaching by himself in Q'eqchi'. I will show so much love toward him.

Some funny news…..some members invited us to eat alligator with them. So they served it on a plate and put sauce on it, I loved it!!!! It tasted like a muscly fish, like a salmon mixed with a cow. I loved the meat!!!

We taught many people this week, we got 14 new investigators and well, we taught, taught and worked. However none of them showed up..... :(((( I do want to mention the great thing about the week, we found Rojelio who is a wonderful person, he is pretty sad though, because his wife is sick, and he has trouble drinking. We taught him about the healing power of Christ, and promised him wonderful blessings. We asked him if he would like to follow Christ, and he said he would love too. Then we asked him, ''Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who holds his proper authority??'' He agreed with a great smile. He was crying during the lesson I assume do to the fact that he felt bad for his past transgressions. We showed him the hope and the promise and he accepted. We also found a wonderful person who is a brother of a recent convert of my good friend Elder Lusty. The convert named Ipòlito and the investigator M. M split from his wife due to some problems and he used to belong to another church. He was in search for the true church and I strongly feel that God sent us there to bring him the wonderful news. He heard us teach the restoration and understood it really well so we asked him to pray about it, he accepted it. The next time we asked how his prayer was and he mentions that it was great he felt great and even had a dream, he dreamt that someone was inviting him to a church and saying ''Come on in.'' So we talked more and he asked about being rebaptized. We than reviewed how Joseph received the authority as other churches don't have. He understood perfectly and said, ''I will pray about it''. We are very excited to see what happens!!!

About the branch, right now this branch is fairly new, they used to have meetings in the homes of members because there was not a chapel, or a building, years later they built one but really small, now they tore that one down and are building a bigger one. We are currently having our church meetings in the house of a citizen in K'anlun, it is pretty tight and hot!!! Haha The branch doesn't have structure, the meetings are just the counselor speaking and the president giving everyone a happy heart (as said in Q'eqchi') However as Elder Ware told me that, I knew changes had to be made, so we had our mission coordination with the President Juan of the branch and his counselor and created goals and assignments. We offered to give talks Sunday (yesterday) and to give that example to the members so they will be able to do so in the future, more like next week hahah. We also talked about making a list where the members will do visiting teaching. Well during the meetings in church the relief society president goes to the branch president and says, ''I don't want to teach, all the sisters make fun of me and don't want to listen to me.'' So the president just turns and looks at me, and comes walking and says,''Could you teach the class''. I happily accepted and took it as a chance to teach the RS President how to teach the class. So I just talked to the sisters and asked them, ''Well what does relief mean??'' They just started talking and giving their thoughts, and we talked about helping others and helping their needs, in the meeting I created a list of widows and sick people, less actives in actives, members wives, and even investigators, whom these women will visit this Thursday. We made this list so that the branch gets involved in the work of the Lord instead of just listening and sitting and doing nothing else. We missionaries really run this branch. As I have mentioned before there is no structure. However the Lord is creating something great out of it. I can see it, I see the vision and we will bring it to pass. I have great goals, I am just all about goals. I love the mission. If you want to know if I am doing my best. I truly feel it. I am glad that my last companion is one to push and strive even further so we can find the elect. We want to baptize!! I know that the Lord is everything in this work. I am nothing, truly nothing, I just know that our Father in heaven possess all that we have, our time our money, our belongings I learned something great, that is that He already has everything that we have, and everything we possess has its origin in Him, except ONE thing he doesn’t have, and it is up to us to either give it or withhold it. The only thing that He doesn't have is our Heart, our will. That truly does impact me. I see that as the thing that makes or breaks the mission or our personal progression. We must submit our heart and will to his. In and only by that can he make us what he wants us to become. I have learned that throughout these 2 beautiful and indescribable years, I get choked up thinking about how great a debt I owe Him. Each mission is meant for that specific person. I know why I was located in each area, at those times and with those people.

Family you all sound so great. How great is that…finally there is snow!!! Well I will go from the oven to the freezer soon!!

Love you all!! I will talk to you all soon! Have the greatest week ever!!! Lindsey, thank you so much for the blog you have been doing. You have blessed the lives of many who are in the field who want to know how the mission is. That is a thank you from my companion.

Week 100!

I told you all about the wonderful new change with Elder Cheney, well that is now coming to an end. On Saturday night I received a call from the zone leaders that I have an emergency transfer and Tuesday I am to leave to the new area. Without telling me where I was going they just said, ''Pack your stuff and Tuesday we'll tell you where you'll go.'' The great thing they told me is that I will be staying in the Polochik and they are opening a new area....When I received that call, I was really sad. I have to say I was excited with La Tinta and with my companion and to only have to pack one last time. However, the Lord has a brighter picture and knows what I will do in the next area I go to. He knows what potential I have with my new companion and he knows the blessings that will be brought upon the people I will work with. I was calmed in knowing that I have a special assignment to attend and I know that I will give my all!! In the Polochik there were 4 Elders who got emergency changes. So there are 3 areas open in which I may go to, Canlun which is in the valley or Yalijux which is the furthest area in mountains and it is really cold there. Or I could open up the new area in Sajomte in Ch'ulak which is probably the prettiest place I have been to in the Polochik. I would be happy where ever! I am just excited to tell you all where I will go and with who!

I really had the best 2 weeks with Elder Cheney! HE IS THE MAN!! Truly is the 4th missionary, he had picked up a lot in only two weeks learning the language! He has that gift to learn and help these precious people! Regarding my feelings on these last two weeks. I truly feel like I did the best I could and I feel like I fulfilled my purpose there. Elder Cheney and I received 11 references from the members and we have seen fruits from them. We had one who lived 2 hours by car up a mountain to a place called San Antonio 1 and we found a family and our reference Carlos coc ichich. He loved our message and his wife and children did too. In fact this Sunday he came to church on a rainy day, by himself probably on the back of a pickup just hitch hiking. He had exercised his faith!! Carlos is a special soul and his family is too. We received another reference that lives in Santo Domingo about an hour up in the other mountains that face Senahu. There used to be missionaries in Santo Domingo but there are not enough missionaries in the mission right now to open that area. So we decided to work there because we received that reference. We found the reference who is a wife of a member however not married. We talked about baptism and marriage, and they said, ''Well we don't have money and maybe we can do it in 6 months.'' We felt the spirit to persuade them to repent now, so we followed it and explained the importance of marriage, and taking away the sin ASAP, we talked about doing the wedding and baptism the same day. The husband thought for a minute in silence, and then said, ''Alright, we'll do it!!'' We asked his wife if she wanted it and she happily agreed! That was exciting!! We saw great success there this last week. I felt like I fulfilled my purpose in waking up at 5:30 and dedicating my time to help my great friend Elder Cheney learn Q'eqchi'. We are both really sad to leave each other. I just know however that I have work to do in another area!!

I just barely got my suit that I will use when I go home. I got a straight black suit. Right now I have my blue with pin stripes that I have had for a really long time and my grey suit which I got here and now I have my black suit. It is pretty nice.

So speaking about the visionary Q'eqchi' people, once again we have an investigator who dreamt a crazy dream and had us interpret the dream. She was sitting at home and three people come and visit her and her husband, one of the three visitors gives her two books (hymn book and Holy Bible). As she looks at her husband he had a bag of chili in his hands. One of the three visitors said ''This is the last time!'' She said when she woke up she was really happy and didn't have any worry; she couldn't really describe her feelings. When we came to visit this family we were with a member, (3 people) and so that was interesting, the member interpreted the dream. She enjoyed the interpretation. We shared a small message. However, her husband didn't want to accept our message but she did….which in the interpretation meant that the husband had chili which is hot and satisfying for a little moment as to the 2 books in her hands she was left happy and full.

I have seen this branch get lifted up just a little bit higher with the work Elder Cheney and I did, in these short 2 weeks. I am excited to hear what miracles he does in the rest of his time here in the mission.

Just so you know that dog still lives next to our house. I am worried about the new elder…he'll think we are breaking the rule by having a pet. I get nervous of that, because it's not ours!!

Family I got some stuff and some souvenirs, (who knows how this word is spelled) for you all. I still am trying to get some for Ryan and for the ladies. I have got some great stuff!! Handmade stuff from the poorest parts of Guatemala!! You’ll love it!!!! I am loving my mission and I am looking forward to still being a missionary even after my time. I can't tell you how I feel about my mission. I am in debt to the Lord I truly am.


These last 4 weeks I am just going to pound in the work!!!!!!

It is so great to hear from you all I know that you all are just doing fantastic. Thank you all for the letters you have sent me. I am truly grateful for them. I wish I could just describe the joy it gives me to hear how you all are doing. I know I am not a great person to write
to, because I don't respond. I truly need to be better. Sorry.

I have made even more goals - for the rest of my mission and for after, both temporal and spiritual.

I love you all and I am grateful for the love you all send me. Thank you for encouraging me and enlightening me with your counsels. Thank you for sharing great thoughtful words that are acknowledged coming from your hearts. I truly feel your love as if you were with me. I hold to heart these words from all of you. I send my prayers and blessings to all of you.

Week 99

Family and closest friends.. well I am going to be dying here in the Polochik!!!!!! WOWW!!! I am here in La Tinta, it is in the valley about an hour away from Telemàn and there is Spanish in the town area of La Tinta and there are mostly Q'eqchi' speakers here. I am with Elder Cheney. Elder Austin Cheney from Boise Idaho who currently lives in Farmington (that is where his parents live.) He is soooooooooooo humble too. He told me to just correct him in any speaking error I can find. He is a football player and played for Southern Virginia!!! I love waking up and doing work outs with him every day. We just ripped up those Perfect Push-ups that you sent me!!!! Right now he has 10 months in his mission. I have done many divisions with him when I was his DL before in Senahu and as his ZL. Now when we got the call to be companions I was soooooooooooooo excited!!!! We were just bouncing off the walls (more like doing flips) Parkour and all that haha. Immediately we began making goals and planning when we got together. We couldn't believe that we were going to be companions!! The goals are to baptize 4 people for sure this transfer and lift up the members and get them involved in the work. Baptize families. Another goal is what we have been doing really great at is the idea that Elder Cheney thought of, that is that we wake up at 5:30 every morning and study an hour of Q'eqchi' grammar and then the normal schedule and another hour of language study. The goal is that I feed him as much Q'eqchi' as I can in one change, in these 6 weeks. He is learning fast. I know exactly what he needs to know. I am training him like crazy. The best part is that he is sooooooooooo humble!! He just loves being corrected, because he understands that it helps him. I have been doing my goal in just speaking Q'eqchi' with him so he has to pick up hearing it. I am trying to show him all the tricks and the secret stuff that are not really known to missionaries. He is picking it up really fast.

The branch is a great functioning branch. A lot better than Telemàn. I have to say I was impressed by all the testimonies of the people here. Especially the Q'eqchi' people!!! I love this place!!! We have the meeting in both Spanish and Q'eqchi'. They just translate what they say into both languages. I have to say that I am stoked to die here in La Tinta and with one of the best elders too!!! I am going to teach Elder Cheney as much as I truly can!!!!

To begin the week, we had to move houses. So we moved to a bigger house and then began working by visiting members and giving them assignments to open their mouths (like I did in Telemàn) and bring their friends to church. Everyone accepted and is excited to work in this great work! Sunday comes around and we have inactives coming and less actives who are now coming to church. We rewarded the members who brought their friends or loved ones who are not members or just inactive. It was great seeing the fruits of the first week. At the end of the week we obtained 5 references. We plan on contacting them all this week, and baptizing. I have to explain our mission. In order to baptize, the investigator needs to have attended church at least 3 times. So that can show how our process is in the work. That just means we have to push really hard these first weeks finding and bringing to church!!! We are going to the members to find, because that truly is the best way to find those chosen sheep. I have received great news. The very first day I get to La Tinta I get a call from Elder Escalante (my last comp) and he said that they put a baptismal date with Brother Turibio and Sister Tomasa, who are strong Catholics and are investigators that he and I found. I have to say, that is how my mission has been, I don't get bitter, because they are not MY baptisms. They are however the Lord's children now going back to Him. I was glad I could talk about the true form of baptism with that family and invite them to accept it. I am just grateful for the most spiritual lessons I have had with them. That is sufficient for me. (I sent a picture of me with them.)

Right now it is hot here!! haha

Wow Macy looks so cute!!!!! Thank you for sending those photos!! Thank you all for your letters too!! Just so you all know I am just loving life and am pushing to the end!!! Plus one of my best friends in the mission just returned back to the Polochik after being ZL in the capital for a long time Elder Lusty. He is going home with me. He is such a great friend, I love him.

You all sound happy. As for me I am healthy and happy and spiritually filled!! I am glad I have never slowed down in the work in my mission. I never had that thought come across me. I am glad I will be able to look back and say that I never slowed down!!! I reflect back and know I have done a lot of good. I am now looking forward and thinking, ''What more good will I do with Elder Cheney in these next 6 weeks?!'' We are getting along great. We make jokes and just seem like we were best friends before the mission. I know that I am here for a reason and pray that we may complete our goals.

So last night I was scared to death, because at night I went to go to our bathroom and across the way outside our house there is a kitchen that we can use. Well that door was open and pitch black and I wanted to go to the bathroom nearby. In that creepy kitchen I hear weird noises and a chain moving, I thought it was a human sleeping in there, I was scared. When I look closer I saw a black shadow move closer to me and a silhouette of the thing inside!!! I was scared but I found out it was a pit bull hahaha in our house! Our landlord’s dog!!