This week was a rather reverent
change, different from the fast-paced felicity that is the work of the Lord.
For some reason, this week had another way to teach me to love the Lord than
the way I had been previously learning, like the difference between Sunday
School and a Seminary Class.
My feelings were tainted with a
sense of renewal and excitement, and stalked with the bitter sense of
uncertainty that grows when a change is expected.
The day to day events were focused
on preparations in the mission offices and in my area. With the change of our
Mission President and the baptism of the Franco family on the horizon, we had a
great many things to do.
Saturday: We had a great PDay.
After we played soccer in the church gym, we went to an incredible hamburger
joint on the other side of the capital. I was incredibly surprised, it was
great, the burgers tasted like they had been cooked on a BBQ at home (not like
those gross McDonald's patties that I have resorted to). That night we had
another lesson with the Francos just to recap everything that we had taught
them over the past three months (has it really been that much time?). Walter
and Ingrid are so prepared, they haven't just accepted the gospel, and they’ve
embraced it!
Sunday: Walter and Ingrid came to
church today along with Manuela and a few other people we've been teaching, in
total we had six investigators present in Sacrament Meeting! It was an awesome
feeling. That night, we passed over the Baptismal interview questions with
Walter and Ingrid and they shared their testimonies with us. Walter explained
that before he had taken the lessons, he had a thousand different ideas about
our church, (that we worship Joseph Smith, that we have a hundred wives, etc.)
but he said that when we first talked to him on his doorstep, what really
impacted him was the faith that we have in Jesus Christ, and how our entire
religion is centered around him.
I remember that lesson, and I
remember how it was completely focused on the Savior, we used a Book of Mormon
pass-along card that shows Jesus coming to the Americas, at the end of the
discussion we gave it to him.
Now he keeps has that card taped to
the wall in the entryway of the house.
My friends, the church is true.
Monday: I woke up this morning at 5
o'clock a.m. feeling my bed moving swaying back and forth beneath me. I was too
tired and groggy to realize that I was in the middle of an earthquake, and just
rolled over and went back to bed.
I'm not sure that was the best idea
in the world, but I don't hold myself accountable for my actions in the early
morning.
We enjoyed the very last office
meeting of President Stay. It was a solemn assembly, especially because the
opening hymn was "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." The whole
thing was just pretty emotional.
That night, the Zone Leaders from
Jalapa couldn't catch their bus to get back to their area in time, so the ended
up having to stay in the White House with us. I did a division with one of
them, Elder Cooper, from Toole Utah, so that Elder Gil and I could get to all
the appointments we had planned.
Overall it was a good day.
Tuesday: not much to report. The Internet
went down in the offices and we were kind of left hanging out to dry as
secretaries. We were stuck waiting for the area offices to fix things...but
nothing happened!
Turns out that everyone there was
too engrossed in the World Cup Germany vs. Brazil game that they forgot to pay
our internet bill (which doesn't make any sense at all...I mean, I heard that
the game ended up at 7-1 for Germany. That's not a soccer game! That's called
playground bullying!).
That night all of our appointments
fell through and the permanent retainer I have on my top front teeth popped out
on one side.
So...basically, today wasn't that
great.
Wednesday: Today was the Zone
Council for "La Zona Guatemala" ...but I couldn't make it to the
meeting because I had to go to the mission's dentist office in Zone 2 to get my
retainer fixed.
The actual visit took only 10
minutes...getting there however, was a little more complicated:
We left the house at about 8
o'clock and started walking to the Avenida Reforma (a really big, nice street
in Guatemala, it's where the Mission Offices are) to go and take a bus to Zone
Two. Approaching the street we saw a great hoard of people marching down on the
other side of the street. They carried banners and microphones and were all
shouting.
"Wow," I thought to
myself, "how fun, a parade!"
But upon, listening closer, Elder
Gil and I heard their cry through the megaphones: "Gringos! Fuera de
Guatemala!" (Translation: Americans! Get out of Guatemala!)
This wasn't a parade, it was an
Anti-American protest. A good amount of people were all swarming towards the
American Embassy like angry (but pacifistic) bees.
We were stopped dead in our tracks,
I looked at my companion and said, "I'm not about to cross the
street" so we both turned around and we ran in the other direction before
any of the members of the angry mob would see me.
We ended up having to wait a good
hour before it was safe to cross the street and take a bus... and we made it to
the Dental Clinic safely and without any problems, but it really started me
thinking: What would have happened if one of them would have seen me? There
were about 300 people, and none of them even noticed me!
We were definitely protected by the
Lord that day, as he always does...
Even though the mob was
non-violent, I wasn't about to be caught up in the midst of an international
conflict.
Thursday: I had the opportunity to
go on divisions with Elder Ampaza, from Bolivia, while Elder Layton went to
Montufar with Elder Gil to do an interview for Walter and Ingrid. Elder Ampaza
is a brand new missionary, he has been here for only three weeks and carries
this pure desire to share the gospel. He's a rather short Violin player who is
so excited to be a missionary that he really just shares this fire with
everyone he comes in contact with. I definitely learned a lot from him.
Friday: When Elder Ampaza and I
returned to the mission office this morning we were the only ones there. So we
talked until President Stay and all the others came. Today was the very last
day of the mission of President Stay, so to celebrate, he invited the Secretaries
and the Assistants to eat at "La Estancia" (a stake house! yum!) and
we had an incredible lunch at the offices (because we got take-out, they brought
it here so we didn't have to go anywhere). Then we ate and President said to us
"Well, do you have any questions for me?"
For your information, President
Stay is like the smartest person I think I have ever met. His knowledge is
incredibly extensive in regard to the doctrine of the Church, so basically the
next two hours were filled with open-fire, anything-goes, gospel questions.
Awesome. I don't think I've ever
had so many doubts cleared up in so short of time.
Then we took a picture and
President and Sister Stay said goodbye.
It was incredibly emotional.
The thought of crying hadn't even
crossed my mind until President gave me a big hug, and Sister Stay shook my
hand with tears streaming down her cheeks.
By the end, everyone in the office
was just a watery mess, as the two of them walked out of the office doors and
waved goodbye. Elder Walters, one of the assistants said to me "Seeing
your mission president walk away from a job well done is like watching your
family drive away from you in the MTC."
And just like that...he was gone.
I am still thinking about all the
things I learned from President Stay, how many ways he had helped me through
some of the most difficult times in my mission...he and his wife were always
there...and now it's time to welcome a new leader!
Now I'm here on Saturday morning,
waiting for President Caffaro to come so that we can train him financially...a
whole new adventure is starting; this is the beginning of the 2nd part of my
mission.
I'm sure it's going to be great!
Especially because tomorrow, the
Francos will be baptized!
Extra! Extra! Had a quick email with a picture of new Mission Pres and Sis. Caffaro with the office staff... Super great!
Extra! Extra! Had a quick email with a picture of new Mission Pres and Sis. Caffaro with the office staff... Super great!
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