IT RAINED EVERYSINGLE DAY! 10-17-2011

HOLA GUYS!

Let me just start out by saying that I got really wet this week! IT RAINED EVERYSINGLE DAY! and it is still raining as I speak. Apparently there was like a hurricane or tropical storm or something that passed by on the way to Mexico, but naturally as missionaries we always find stuff like that out after it has already happened. We are also running out of clean clothes because, the sister that washes our clothes drys our clothes outside on a clothes line, which is something that you can´t do when it is raining. I also figured out that those really cool boots that I got from missionary mall arent entirely waterproof either. But thats ok, it was a good experience to right in my journal.

On saturday it rained the hardest! and all of our appointments fell through as well. So we were knocking door after door in the rain hoping that someone would feel compassionate enough to let us in. After about 4 hours of doing that, when it was dark and raining harder than ever, a lady opened the door and I had one of the sweetest contacting moments ever. I put the biggest smile on that I could and said "its really rainging hard isnt it" ( I had to yell it because the rain was deafening) and then she said "si (yah)" and then Me and my companion just stood there smiling the best we could. And she made one of the most wonderfull observations in the world "it looks like your getting wet do you want to come inside?" How glorious were those words in my very wet ears! Fortunately her brother (who is older than 18 years) was home so we were able to enter. It was a pretty good lesson despite the fact that we couldnt hear anything because she has a tin roof and the rain was deafening. She doesnt have a church and is willing to listen. That was awesome. This past week we found 16 new investigadors!

Yesterday we also had a really good lesson with and investigador that we found last week. His name is Estuardo Soliz and he has about 24 years, yesterday we also found his Dad as well. It turns out that the missionaries tought them a couple of years ago. At the beggining of the lesson his dad told us that the other missionaries failed to convince him, and he told us that he was catholic and wasnt going to change. His son, estuardo, asked us about baptizing niños, and his dad asked us about hell and where it is located. We tought them bits and pieces of the plan of salvation and I really feel that we were being led by the spirit. The Spirit was really strong. At the end of the lesson, Estuardo´s dad said " well, it looks like you guys might just convince me after all." Victory! God wins! The spirit is so important in the lessons!

Well I have got to go but I love you guys and I hope you guys continue to stay dry up there in Washington. Could you guys said me the mission adresses to Peter and Nelson, I probably should send them a letter. This tuesday I am going to make a run at the post office, and I will try and send you guys a package.

I love you guys So much! and I love being a Missionary!

Elder West

Advice for Megan 10-10-2011

HI MUCHÁ!

(Muchá, is a slang term in guatemala for guys)This week I passed the 15th month mark, and am now in my seventh month herein peronia. I am going to be in this area about the same amount of time thatI had at BYU. Today everyone in the zone had our district meetings in thestake center because we are practicing a special musical number for zoneconferance. We are going to have 2 zone conferances in a row. We are goingto have one with President Brough on Wednesday and the following wednesdaywe are going to listen to Elder Martino (1st councilor in the areapresidency). On our way to the internet cafe we got really wet as we werewaiting outside for the bus to come. The rainDrops here are really reallyfat, they you can hear a small slapping sound when it smacks against yourskin. The spirit told me to put on my boots this morning but I didnt becausethere was not a cloud insight. I just finished drying out these shoes that Ihave on as well. My scriptures have gotten wet sooooooo much, they arereally wrinkly and they smell funny, and some of the pages have holes inthem, But I cant get rid of them because I have the whole book superhighlighted.

This week three of our baptismal date fell through, we still have 4baptismal date that are good however. One the dates that fell through is ayoung person called Esvin, he is 15 yearsold and has come to church forabout 2 months now. He really wants to get baptized but his parents wont lethim, because they want him to wait until he is bigger. The Other fecha waswith Brother Juan, the missionaries have been teaching him for about a yearand has been very close to baptism several times, we decided that we werentgoing to baptize him becauze he stopped reading, praying, and going tochurch. The other date was with Julia (the wife of Raul who is going to getbaptized in 2 weeks) but she didnt come to church, and we have rule that wecant baptize someone unless they have come to church 3 times.The other 4 fechas are awesome! Raul adn Yosselin, Alba and Caterine.

Some advice for Megan with her school friends. If someone asks you adoctrinal question that you dont know how to answer just say that you dontknow, you dont need to try and explain something you don´t know. Second tellthem about Joseph smith and the Book of Mormon becuase if the book of mormonis true it means that all of the commandments and "rules" that we have aretrue as well, and we dont have to ask why. And then just bear yourtestimony, nobody can deny the strong testimony that we have. Then givetheir phone number the missionaries and tell the missionaries what doubtsthey have, and go with them to teach your friends.

About 2 weeks ago we knocked on a door and a family let us in, after about 5minutes of talking we realized that it was the basement of another church!ooooppps! They started bombarding us with doctrinal questions, but because Ihave studied the scriptures i was able to answer, but they managed to stumpme on one question. They wanted me to define the word Terestial, I told themthat is was level of glory that we will recieve, but that wasnt enough. Soall that we could do was testify of the book of mormon, and it worked. Inthe end I dont think they changed, but I know that they could not deny thepower of our testimonies.Anyways I have got to go change my socks,

Love Elder West

General Conference 10-3-2011

HOlA GUYS!

I cannot believe that another general conferance has passed by! Its hard to say if I have a favorite talk because there were so many good ones. Two of them that really stood out to me, was Elder Hollands talk, and the talk given by Elder Richardsen. Both of them talked alot about topics that relate really well with missionaries. Elder Hollands talk was mainly focused on the future missionaries but i was able to learn alot about what kind of missionaries the lord expects us to be. I just love his talks becuase he is so direct and clear about things. He talked about how there are only two sides in life, the side of the devil and the side of god. If we are afraid to open our mouths to talk with someone, than that means that we are letting the side of satan take over. It is really brutal, but it is absoluty true, we are either obedient, or disobedient, there is no grey area. I liked the anology he used about the lines that are drawn in sporting events, and how we can not play out of bounds when we are on gods team.

Elder Richardson explained really really well, the role that the holy ghost has in the conversion. This is something that I have been trying to develop more in these past months. In the MTC one of the main focuses they teach to the missionaries now is to teach people not lessons. ç

This week we set 3 more baptismal dates! we set the date for the 23 of october. This is a family that we found in the Area book that was tought almost 2 years ago. On their teaching record it said that they were not positive at all and that is why the missionaries left them. 2 years later we found them again, and they are very prepared by god. Our first lesson we were prompted to talk about the anology in alma 32 about the how faith is like a little seed, and they really were able to relate to that. We felt the spirit very strongly on friday when we tought them about the plan of salvation and they understood everything perfectly and they accepted the invitation to be baptized.

This week we spent alot of time getting our investigadors ready for conferance. We were able to help one of our families get some shirts and ties and dresses to wear. THey were all very excited to go but, for various reasons they could not. There was car problems, sickness, job opportunities, and etc.. Satan really did not want them to go to general conferance and he succeeded. But in the long run satan will always lose so me and my companion arent discouraged.

Love ,

Elder West

7 1/2 Months in Peronia 9-26-2011

HOLA GUYS!

Highlights for this week:

1. We have 4 baptismal Dates

• Juan Martinez (11 de Octubre)
• Familia Tay Ramos (15 de octubre)
• Eswin (15 de octubre)

1. (second, i cant figure out how to change that to a 2, its sad)
2. third, 8 investigadors came to church which included 2 families
3. I got invited to eat dinner (the first time in 4 months)
4. We are going to have 3 more fechas at the end of this next week
5. This week I lost my planner and a bag full of pamphlets in the street, and I magically found both them, haha, que suerte (how lucky).
6. I am officially in my 5th change here in Peronia so I will have 7 1/2 months in one of the most physically demanding areas in the mission ( I promise to send pictures of the never ending stairs)
7. I have more faith

The biggest lesson i learned this week is that I have to learn to Trust more in the Lord. I learned that if we stop finding ways to increase our faith, we cant progress and we will have the same results in life that we have always had. So this week i challeenged everysingle one of my investigadors to be baptized on a specific date. I have always challenged my investigadors to be baptized, in fact sometimes during personal contacts I challenge them to be baptize. But I realized that I was avoiding challenging them to a specific date. This week i tried it and we now have 4 baptismal dates. This month we have a goal to baptize 6 people and I know that we can do it.

Thats cool that everyone is going good in school and stuff. It must be really cool for Keving because he has alot of the same friends form Elementry school. I dont think that I had any of those teachers that megan has. Is megan going to get her Liscence soon. That cake looks really good as well. The cake here in Guatemala is really diefferent, they like to have their cake really wet. All of the cake that I have eaten here has been extremely most as if they had dumped water on it or somthing. Instead of frosting the cover it it whipped cream with a ton of fruit on top. Its actually pretty good and its probably heathier than the cake from the states.

Right now the climate in Guatemala is getting a little bit colder, but at 2 oclock in the afternoon it is really really hot! at night it is pretty chilly. It has been raining alot as well but not as much as last year. I heard that there is a new Joseph Smith movie that is out in theatres is that true?

Well I gotta go but I love you guys and I will write next week.

Love Elder West

Earthquake & Two Miracles 9-19-2011

HI guys!

There was just an earthquake right now! That was so cool, my companion got so scared, hahaha that was hilarious. It was actually a pretty decent sized earthquake.

Boy when I saw the pictures of Grant at home I got a little bit Baggy I’m not going to lie, but that’s ok, its really good motivation to see friends how have finished honorable full time missions.

This week was pretty interesting we had two miracles that were amazing.

The first one is with one of our investigadors whose name is Giovani Leonor. Some other missionaries found him almost one year ago and he is awesome, he is really smart and he speaks English to. He has read the book of Mormon from cover to cover and he knows that it is true and he has been converted. The only thing is that he doesn’t believe in the Sabbath day and hasn’t been baptized because works on Sundays. This past week my companion and me had a great lesson with him. All we did was read one verse with him (Jacob 4:10) and we did not even say a word. He talked the whole time, and it was interesting how he was able to convince himself, haha. But I am positive that this verse that we shared with him was exactly what he needed to hear, and the Holy Ghost was able to testify to him of what he needed to do. He told us that he was going to start looking for a new Job right away, so we fasted and prayed really hard so that he will be able to find one. And yesterday during PEC meeting our high council member Robert Harrison (yes, he is from the states) told us that he is hiring people, and the cool part is that it is the same kind of work that Giovani was doing! What a blessing, I have a strong testimony of fasting and prayer.

The second one is with Amanda Gomez, I found her like 5 months ago, and she was ready to be baptized 5 months ago! But she couldn’t get baptized because her husband doesn’t want to get married with her. Like 3 weeks ago we brought the bishop with us and convinced her husband to get married to her, and last week he changed his mind! We were a bit discouraged, but my companion and me knew that we were going to be able to baptize her. So we went and called repentance unto this man a second time and we fasted (we fasted for Amanda and Giovanni at the same time) and yesterday he decided that he actually was going to get married! wohoooo. We are hoping that we can baptize her this week!

It is amazing how the lord provides the way so that his children can keep his commandments and follow him. That is, if we are willing to work and use our faith.

I love being a missionary!

Love Elder West




"Protected" 9-12-2011

Hola Guys!

hahaha, we are teaching a guy who speaks english and he said that to us one time. Spanglish is sooooo funnn, I think Kristen understands. I have been with a spanish speaking companion for the past 8 months, and I think that I am forgetting how to speak and write in enlgish a little bit. I cannot believe that chelsea got married that is nuts. Thats also really cool that Grant gets home this week, the thought of coming home makes me both really excited and really sad at the same time.

This week was really cool, we found 3 new investigadors this week and we challenged 3 families to be bapitized and they accepted! None of them agreed on a specific time or day but they basically said that they all want to get baptized they just want to wait more time. ME and my companion can baptize all of them. During the start of my mission I had a ton of baptism but I probably baptized alot of people who didnt have testimonies, and now that I think about it I could have done alot better on that. I personally will not baptize anyone unless they meet with the requirements that Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 says. For a while I was more excited about getting baptisms, baptisms, baptisms, and I wasnt exactly thinking about the needs of my investigadors and helping the gain strong testimonies. One of the challenges that the church has is retaining converts (keeping them active) after baptisms. It involves a ton of work like working with the members to establish friendships, helping them go to the temple, and etc....In this area we have baptized alot of really good converts and for this reason we have almost 100% retention of our converts. retention is just as important as baptism. I think that this is the lesson I have learned in the past few months. My goal is still to baptize every living soul in this area, but we need to have a much larger eternal perspective that is bigger than the baptismal font.

On sunday, all of the guatemalans voted for a new president, and this was part of the problem why alot of our investigadors didnt come to church this week. last week we had 10 people come to church, and yesterday we had only 4. But these 4 people are going to get baptized for sure. We are planning to baptize Amanda gomez this saturday if she can get married with her husband before than! we found her like 4 months ago and she is one of the most spiritual prepared investigaodrs I have ever seen. WE baptized her children in July.

Me and my companion had a close call experience with the spirit yesterday as well. At about 5 oclock me and my companion were going to go pick up a member to come with us to an appointment, when we entered into his street we noticed a trail of blood on the ground and me and my companio stopped and we noticed a drunk with and injured arm walking in our direction, so we decided to take the long route and avoid this potentially messy situation. We entered into the same street on the opposite end and walked toward the members house. We saw the drunk man and he was a few house down the road. Me and my companion suddenly felt this urgent feeling to get inside of the house of this member, we knocked on the door and got in as fast as we could. about 3 minutes later we hear 3 gun shots. That drunk guy was killed two house down from where we were. Me and my companion were kind of freaked out and we decided to wait a while before we left the house. I dont know what would have happened if we had stayed outside and I dont want to know. I am so glad that we had the spirit with us, and I know that god has protecting us. i feel safe in this area, because I know that If I am obedient God will protect us, and I am obedient so there is no problem. I just thought that I would share that experience with you guys because its a testiment of the power of the gift of the holy ghost that we have.

anyways I have to go, I love you guys and I am doing fantastic, and ELder Pineda and I are going going to baptize this week! and tommorow I will try and send a package out to you guys.

Love

Elder West

"Best Lifestyle Anyone Can Ever Live" 9-5-2011

HI Guys!

I would like to start off my letter by saying thanks for sending pictures! I loved looking at the pictures that you guys took in virginia. I apoligize for not sending pictures but its not my fault. My memory card has a virus and my area is too dangerous to have a camera in public. Violence has been increasing because Guatemala has presidential elections this sunday, and we have been hearing roomers of civil war and stuff if this one guy wins, But I dont really believe that people always everexagerate things like this.I have been in this are for 5 months now and I will be here for 2 more months because I have to finish training my son ( Elder Pineda). Time seems like it is just going by faster and faster! I cannot believe it. My next area could veryeasily be my last area. Feeling my time come to a close has given me even more motivation to work even harder. 2 years really is not that long at all.

WE had a miracle this week! 10 people came to chruch, 2 families, and half of another family. I dont think the bishop knew what to do it was kind of funny. 7 of the 10 investigators showed up late right before the sacrament was going to start. hahahaha, and the bishop stood up and starting giving instruction over the pulpit to the members. "brother omar go and sit next to the new family and show them how to read the hymnbook, Sister Leslie can you bring find the other new family a seat in front please!" It was kind of embarrasing. In PEC meeting we talked to all of the priesthood leaders and told them that we were expecting to have alot of people to come to church to day and we gave them assignments of which member family was going to sit by this investigator family and etc...but they were not excpecting them to come in late and it was kind of crazy because. The 2 families showed up about 15 minutes late at the exact same time and the people who had been given asignments didnt know what to do. But it worked out alright, this ward is the best ward that I have had so far in my mission.

That is really interesting to hear about the media campaign that the church is doing in washington, I would love to participate in that. I seriously think that it will work as well. I learned in psychology one time that are minds can pick up messages subconsciously. And that is what media experts try to do in their advertisements. People will hear and read the name of the church everywhere and there perspective towards the church will change. I think that alot of seed will be planted in the hearts of poeple this way, I love this idea.

I am guessing that megan and kevin are getting really excited to go back to school. When do they start? These next 10 months will go by so fast! I love being a missionary soooooo muuuuucccchhhhhhh it is the best lifestyle that anyone can everlive. The skills that I am learning, and have learned, will help me in everysingle aspect of my life after my mission. I am better at studying, I am better at organizing my time and planning, I have bette people skills, and I have gained the eternal perspective that I need to return to live with my father in heaven someday. Well I have to go but I love you guys, and thanks for the little package with medicine and stuff!

Love,

Elder West