Week 52: Harvest‏

In Doctrine and Covenants section four we read that "The field is white, all ready to harvest" and to be perfectly honest, for a while there, I wasn't quite sure that that promise applied to Montufar II. Elder Gil and I went through a pretty rough patch over these last few months that we had together...and there came a point when we weren't sure that we were going to be able to see any of the fruits of our labor while we were together.

...until this week.

This week was like the culmination of all the stuff we had gone through all just sort of coming to a head, like a climax. In both the office and in our area we were able to see a lot of blessings:

Saturday: Right after I finished my letter home, our new mission president and his wife burst-ed through the doors with all the "gung-ho" to put me in a startled sort of coma.

The Caffaros had arrived to the South Mission.

We got right down to business explaining to them everything that they needed to do on the financial front. It was overall an incredible conversation, I learned a lot from both president and sister Caffaro. They were very humble and ready to learn with us, and they brought a sense of excitement that completely floored me. It will be a great opportunity to get to know them better.

When we left the offices the sun was already hung low behind the Guatemalan clouds...and I just thought to myself about how glad I am to be able to be here. I have learned so much over the past year, about who I am and how I can better contribute to the human family. I am enamored by the culture and the lifestyle here in this country, every day seems like it's an adventure, that at the end of every day I can't wait to flip open my journal and write in the next chapter.

I am so happy to be a missionary.

Sunday: Today was a day that I will hold close to me for a very long time. Right after the regular 3-hour meetings, we held a baptism service for Walter and Ingrid Franco. I have grown to love this couple so much, they have a sincere desire to follow our Savior Jesus Christ and they have both come to knowledge of the truth through study and prayer.

They asked our Bishop to be the one who effectuated the ordinance for them, and to see them in the Baptismal Font was a sight I hope to never forget.

The entire service was an incredible experience, especially because President and Sister Caffaro and the Trapnells were able to come to see it. I felt like I was on top of the world! My testimony was fortified tenfold throughout the entire course of that Sunday Afternoon.

Walter and Ingrid did it!

Monday: Today went by pretty fast, we were in the area offices for a while with Sister Caffaro. It was definitely a fun day, she was very nice and asked me about million great questions about the mission and about the country of Guatemala. It was fun to get to know her better and see how excited she is to serve the Lord and help this mission.

That night we visited some less-active members and had some good lessons!

Tuesday: This morning we had interviews with the Caffaros (It was like the first week of school: 4 "getting to know you" days in a row) where we had a great conversation about how we have personal conversions to the Gospel of Jesus Christ during the course of our mission. Another great day...that afternoon Elder Gil and I taught a lot of lessons and did a lot of tracting...it was such a blessing to have a good day!

Wednesday: A lot of our appointments fell through today but we were able to teach one of our investigators: Ana Victoria. She's a youth that we taught about 4 months ago as a referral from a member, and thought that she was never going to progress...until one day when we went to a member's house only to find her there too, after a chat that we had she said that she has a goal to be Baptized and that she wants to go to church with the member family (the Pascuals). A little bit surprised we said that we would come back another day to teach her and left her a chapter in the Book of Mormon to read. 

When we came back she had read (and understood) the entire thing, and she had a list of questions for us (what is the difference between a Disciple and an Apostle? What is the Word of Wisdom? When can I be baptized?). Since then she has grown immensely on a spiritual scale and currently has a baptismal date set for August 2nd.

We'll see where that goes...

Thursday: Today was weekly planning, and Elder Gil and I had a great little chat about how we are doing as companions...and the truth is that neither of us can complain at all...we are both very content!

Friday: Yesterday we taught Manuela (who is also progressing VERY well)...she continues to receive answers to prayer through the dreams that she is having. I wish my dreams would have some sort of eternal significance like that...I mean, if I am supposed to be receiving messages from heaven through my dreams I feel like the major underlying message would be that I am a total nut case.

...Anyways, that was how my week went! I hope you are all well and I'll talk to you later!    

Mom's note:  Today our family was delighted to meet Pres. and Sis. Stay at their home ward, Cottonwood Heights 5th, homecoming talk.  It was wonderful to hear their stories of miracles both with those the missionaries teach and the miracles that happened within each of the missionaries.  They shared they had over 700 missionaries in 3 years and they have more missionaries at home then still in Guatemala.  We also met Pres. and Sis Nicholias from the CCM.  Both of these couples remember Elder Monson with love.  They say he is hard working, taught them a lot, helped them, was prepared and ready when he got there, they are not surprised he is doing so well and they LOVE him!  What a treat!!!

   

Week 51: Changing of the Guard‏

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!

        

       

Week 50: (Central) American Dreams‏

Dreams.

Why else do you think that we wish upon stars? When hopes are high and life worth living, we, as members of the human family, dream our dreams. They are not merely personal records that we set our to surpass, they are goals of faith! They not only require our attention or our focus, they force us to draw out the very best of ourselves, allowing us to move forward on a more excellent way.

And in a lot of ways, America has been a land of things like that. People like Columbus, George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., Lehi and the Brother of Jared have all seen this land in which we live as a place of promise and of potential. Sure, it has it's kinks, nobody's perfect, but at the end of the day, America is a place where dreams come true.

Take this week for example:

Sunday: The Francos came to church again! It was an incredible opportunity to see them in the congregation, ready and involved in everything! They participated and loved every minute of the services! the part that was even better was the fact that when we visited them that night, Walter and Ingrid set their own date to be baptized. "I don't know if we'll be able to do it on the 12th, because I have to work," Hermano Walter started, "but would it be all right if we hold the baptismal service on the 13th after church?" 

On the outside I was like, "Yeah, for sure, whatever works for you guys works for us. " but on the inside I was all like, "YES! With Pleasure! FINALLY! WOO HOO!" 

It was a great lesson.

Monday: After the incredible miracle the night before Monday kind of paled in comparison. We held our office meeting; talked about what things we need to do in order to prepare for the coming of President Caffaro on the 11th. I never really realized how much work goes into an event like this...so we'll have to see how it goes! Today was national Bankers day...so, naturally all the banks were closed (how's that for irony). Essentially that meant that we, as Financial Secretaries couldn't do anything but go to Zone 1 and Taco Bell with the Assistants in search of a man who may or may not have robbed us (it's a long story).

Tuesday: Not much to report for today, we had a rather normal day, we worked in the offices, we worked in the mission field and I ate a wonderful lunch...but I can't really remember what I ate, all I know was that it was wonderful.

Wednesday: Today we went on divisions with our esteemed district leader, Elder Layton. He's from Oregon and was my Zone Leader in Jutiapa, so I already know him well. The whole day we got along like two peas in a pod, birds of a feather, like peaches in cream, I'm telling you, it's been a while since I have had the opportunity to geek out with someone else. We talked all day about some of the most nerdy stuff ever, from Pokemon to the end of the world, the day turned out to be an epic success. We found new investigators, contacted everyone and their dog and then committed a less-active member to come back to church.

Mission Accomplished.

Thursday: When we got back to the White House after divisions there were construction workers fixing a leak in the roof and making a lot of noise. I mean, it was a good thing that they were there, because every time it rains, our house gets flooded and stuff gets ruined....but the downside was that we couldn't leave until they were done.

5 hours later Elder Gil and I had some serious cabin fever. So while he slept, I started writing an epic novel on some napkins that I didn't use (total JK Rowling Style).

Finally, 4:25 rolled around and we were able to boot the construction workers out of our house and get to the offices. Waiting for us was President Stay and the Trapnells, and we had a jovial conversation...it was awkward, but they understood why we weren't able to make it on time.

And then Elder Gil and I jumped into the Truck and drove to Costco to buy muffins and Sunny D for the Mission Council the next day (all of it was imported, which made me laugh).

Then there was traffic and we barely made it home in time to get to an appointment with the Bate Family and Balthazar. It was really just to see how they were doing, they still don't really feel like progressing, but I suppose God has his own timetable for them.

Friday: We had an awesome day yesterday, we were able to make it to the Mission Council on time and set everything up and give out reimbursements and then run to drop off President Stay's Car at the Toyota Dealership so that it could be inspected.

That night we talked to Ingrid Franco in the doorway and had an awesome chat, she is so fantastic, she says that she has been praying so that her children can now find their way to the church too! 

And I know that our Heavenly Father answers the prayers of righteous parents, I mean...look at Alma. We are going to start trying to help the kids, but I think that'll be a huge challenge in and off itself, they have two daughters and a son who are all kind of...rebellious.

We'll see.

Then that night, we had a lesson with Manuela, and we talked about Enos and the ways that God answered his prayer of faith. And at the end she asked us about some odd dreams that she had had the previous two nights:

In the first, she found herself on a road, in a great hurry to get to an uncertain destiny when she passed by a great party. The party was filled with people, dancing all types of dances, with multicolored lights streaming from all around her. She said that it would be easy to loose herself in this party and dance forever, but her conscious wouldn't let her, that she was too worried about getting to the end of this road, to her destination, that she left and kept moving forward.

When she asked us for the interpretation, I surprised myself as I felt the words slip out of my mouth, "The party represents the things of the world, how we can be so easily distracted on our way through this life by thing that have little value. You were so focused on the things that lied ahead that you weren't at all affected by such things. Now that you have been listening to us and searching for this truth you have been given an eternal perspective and your focus has been turned to the things of God, and your eternal destiny."

Once again, another incredible lesson.

Everybody has a dream, and if our Heavenly Father's way of answering the prayers of Manuela is through them...then so be it!

I love you all and I hope you have an awesome week!

-Elder Monson