Lake Atitlan 11/21/2011

HOLA GUYS!

This week was pretty good as well. We had like 4 days straight were we only had one lesson each day, which meant that we contacted a TON. We were able to find 14 new investigadors which is awesome. When you are in a mission without cellphones, without cars, without, bikes you tend to walk alot. But its ok though because it keeps me in good form. I figured out that everytime an appointment falls through that means that God doesnt want you to teach that person, he just wants you to be in that place to find someone even better. I have found tons of people that way.

We went to the mission office today for a "new kid" meeting. It takes us 2 and a half hours to get their on bus. My comp. finally got the guts to do his first contact on the bus by himself, atta boy. I felt proud. they gave us quiznos which was really good because they had ranch dip (Ranch does not exist here). As a district we also went to Lake Atitlan, which was really pretty! I have been in the capital (dirty, dangerous, smoggy, crowded, loud, gangs, annoying little motorcycles that make a ton of noise) for so long, I was never actually able to see how pretty guatemala is. By the side of the lake there is a tourist town called panahatchel that is really cool as well. I would totally visit here after my mission. Around the lake there are alot of people that dont speak spanish, they only speak mayan (quiche, tsutuil, mam, qak-chikel) which is really awesome, but it made contacting really difficult. I have pictures but I dont want to download them because I know that this computer has a virus because like every 5 minutes the anitvirus box kept popping up. But you guys should totally google some pictures because it is absolutly wonderful.

Well I am out of time again but I whish you all a happy week!

Love Elder West

"18 new investigators" 11-14-2011

HOLA GUYS!

Happy Birthday Kev-bot! Holy cow I can not believe how different kevinlooks, I was probably smiling for like 5 minute when I saw the pictures yousent me. I decided that I need to start waking up early to get moreexercizes in, because I have been getting a little bit flabby. I thinkKevin is going to be able to beat me up, haha. Time is gowing by soooooofast, I cannot believe it.This past week, me and my companion decided that we were going to talk witheverybody! we contacted sooooooo much. By the end of the week we had found18 new investigadors. We found alot of really interesting people. I had myfirst lesson sitting right next to a cow, which was kind of fun. We found afather with a drinking problem who is looking for help, and we foundseveral evangelicals who just wanted to bible bash. It was great. MYtestimony gets strengthened everytime that I get attacked. I can imaginethat right now in the States there has been alot of persecution against thechurch with all of the political stuff going on. But with the eternalperspective we have it doesnt make any difference. The gospel ofJesuschrist is unstoppable, and all of its persecuters are like flies onthe wall. I am amazed that there are some people who study the bible soooomuch (which is good) that it becomes a source of pride, 2 nephi 9, 28-29.MY new companion, elder corrigan is gaining more confidence in his languageskills. I remember exactly how he feels. It is a truly humbling experienceto have to learn a new language.Today I dont have very much time so I gotta go. Tommorow for p-day we aregoing to visti lake atitlan and I will take really good pictures, and Iwill try and buy some cool stuff for you guys.The Church is True!Love,Elder West

New area called Zaragoza 11-7-2011

HOLA GUYS!

I had Changes! So I arrived at the changes meeting expecting not to have aninterview (you have an interview if you are going to recieve a newcalling). But right before the meeting started President Brough called meinto his office and told me thatt I was also going to be opening and areain Solala (which is the zone in the mountains) My area is called Zaragoza,it is alot bigger than my other area and has a small branch of about 65people. He also told me that a few days ago the house we were going to bestaying in got broken into a few days ago, so he said that we would have toarrive and start looking for a new house immediately and move out the nextday. And then he told me that in this area they have had less then 4baptisms in 2 years and the branch members have been really dissapointedwith the missionaries that have been there, so he told me that I needed tochange that and baptize a bunch of folks. And ontop of all of that I wasgoing to be Training a new missionary! I kind of felt like a secret agentthat was being sent on a mission impossible. My companion is ElderCorrigan, he is from West Jordan Utah, and quite naturally he can not speakspanish at all. The only thing you can do in a situation like this is justput a smile on and put your trust in the lord.Well, we got to our new area alright. The elders that were in the areabefore us left us with absolutly nothing as far as investigadors areconcerned. They only had 2 investigadors. They were preparing them forbaptism, me and my companion just have to marry them. But they are superdoooper poor. There house is a shack that is made ouf of plastic and sheetsof metal, when we got there they told us that they were "fasting" but itwas really becuase they didnt have any food. There 7 seven year olddaughter has a skin disease on her face, there 6 month old baby has abroken arm, and the mom has a walking impediment. I have never been sohumbled in my life. Despite of all of the problems that they have, theystill seem like happy people, and they always have smiles on everytime wevisit them. We teach them outside on the ground because they dont havechairs. They came to church last sunday. There is a member in our branchthat comes with us to visit them, and she helps us bring them to church.We found a new apartment to live in as well, but the only thing is that isdoesnt have electricity, so we have ben living with candles for the pastfew days.We have ben working very closely with the members which has helped us alot.I have been able to see how much the lord has been able to help us. Ourfirst day, we just went out and starting walking and talking with peopleand asking them questions, and we found a ton of members in the process. Wetook our young mens president to knock the door of his Neighboor and itturns out that they are a golden family. In the first lesson they asked usif we baptized, and they wanted to know what a person has to do in order tobe baptized in our church! What a blessing.Let me just say that in these past 2 days my trust in the lord hasincreased soo much! I have so much to tell you guys but I ran out of time.I love you guys!Elder West

"We baptized Amanda Gomez!" 10-31-2011

HOLA GUYS!

We had another Baptism! this one was really a miracle. We baptized Amanda Gomez! Elder Lopez and I found her about 7 months ago, and she was ready to get baptized 7 months ago as well. The only thing is that her husband didnt want to get married to her, so it took us a while to convince her husband to get married with her or leave the house, and then it took forevor just to get all of their legal papers ready to get married. I seriously thought that I was never going to see her get baptized. But on Friday we finally got a hold of the last papers that we needed to baptize her. So we called the awesome lawyer that I know (who is a member) and we married and baptized her the next day! Wheeeew! Amanda is one of the best converts that i have ever seen, she was truly prepared by god to recieve this gospel in this time and I was priveliged to teach her for almost 7 months. Her husband is slowly but surely softening his heart and has been progessing poco a poco as well. Today at 4 oclock we have 2 more baptisms as well! We are going to baptize the Familia Tay Ramos. The Husband (Valentine) was baptized about 16 years ago and went inactive shortly after. So we are going to baptize his wife (Alva) and his Daughter (Catherine). I found them about 5 months ago. They wanted to have the baptism today because we have changes this week, and they really wanted me and my companion to baptize them.

So tonight they are going to let us know if i have changes or not. I think that I will, but I really have no idea. I dont want to leave this area because we have like 7 other people who are ready for baptism, I know these streets like the back of my hand, I have the trust of the members and the bishop, and I feel like we are working really efficiently. It is really cool because in the street, I feel famous because almost everyone knows me, I am always waving, haha.

I am sorry that I can´t explain more about my investigadors but i ran out of time. I didnt send pictures today because I know for a fact that this computer has a virus on it and I just bought a new memory card last p-day. But anyways I am really stoked for our baptism today and for the transfer that I might have.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Love,

Elder West