"I can actually speak spanish" 12-13-2010

Hola Familia!

Its Almost Christmas! Oh and Happy Birthday MOM! This week was pretty good. I came to the realization this week that I can actually speak spanish. I really cannot believe it, I can pretty much understand just about everything. There are still alot of words I dont know but it is just coming alot easier now. I can pretty much say what ever I want to say now. On christmas you guys can call me if you want. Here is my number 011-4058-2698. I will give you guys more details next week and we can set up a time or something when you can call.

Another thing I realized is that I am getting fatter. I think its because I get fed breakfast lunch and dinner FOR FREE! man I still cannot get over that. but yah I am getting fatter, so I am not going to buy a mcflurry when we go to mcdonalds today. I also heard that people are going to start breaking out the tamales pretty soon so I am pretty excited for that. this morning I did somepushups so I think that helped alittle bit.

I am starting to learn my area alot better now. The names are alot harder to learn here because they are in cak´chiquel. I learned some new words good means UTZ and very good is UTZ PEEN PEEN. IT is an awesome language. I want to learn more but there are no books that exist that teach it I pretty sure. ANother thing I have noticed here is that during lessons my investigodaors will talk ALOT! which is good but at the same time it is really annoying. FOr example the other day I asked Hermano Chiroy Why is it important that we have prophets? THe next thing I know he is telling me about how he had a vision about some lights coming out of the sky and circuling around him. Its a challenge to keep control of the lessons, but its a good growing oportunity to learn how to control lessons. This week we set 2 baptismal dates for the 26 of December happy birthday Megan.

ME and my companion are pretty much like best buds now we make sometimes I think that we have too much fun while preaching but thats ok. all in all, all is well, the weather is beatuful and sunny and my belly is full. And I we are having success. Happy birthday mom I dont remember how old you are turning but its ok.

Adios familia!

Elder West

Zone CHimaltenango 12-8-2010

Hola Familia!

Well I had changes this week. I recieved a new area and a new companion. I am now in the Zone CHimaltenango, area San Andres Itzapa and my new companion is Elder Otuafi, he is of Tongan decent. I think at this point in my mision I may have had just as many tongan companions as Elder Spencer Hoffman has who is serving in tonga. He is a really funny guy and I am a really funny guy so we have had some pretty funny times togather thus far. This area is in the mountains and it is also a bit cold, but I know that to Kristen it would be like paradise because its like below freezing there. My new companion has 7 months in the mission and I have 5. WE are both still learning spanish so teaching is sometimes a challenge. In my area there is a second language caxiquel and its like some kind of clicky mayan language where they like make cliky sounds and stuff. I dont have to learn it though because everyone can speak spanish as well. When I first got to my area I learned that there has only been 3 baptism here for the entire year! Also they currently did not have any investigadors. We are basicaly starting over fresh. Another challenge in this area is that there are no directions, no house numbers, street names, and no signs. WE have to work completly off of famous landmarks and stuff. Despite these challenges me and my comp found 11 new investigadors in the past 4 days, and committed 2 people to baptism. You have only to acheive what you wish to believe, that ryhmes unintentional.

Good news! in this area I eat for Freeeeeeeeee! There are some really really nice members that give us breakfast lunch and dinner. I nearly cried when I learned this. ITs mainly just beans and eggs but thats all I want anyways. THis also means that I now have more money leftover to eat at Mcdolnads and stuff on p'days. We live really close to Antigua which is like one of the best tourist destinations in guatemala so there are alot of good restaruants there, and alot of tourists as well that we can look at. Most of the tourists are dirty hippy people that walk around with huge backpacks.

Ahhhh I dont have much time because I want to put on some pictures talk to you guys later!

Elder WEst