October 26, 2016---CHANGES, FRIENDS, BAPTISM

October 26, 2016

Volcano Pacaya!!!

CHANGES
We had changes and I'm now in a place called Patzicia.  My areas are Zaragoza and Tecpan, which are in the mountains.  iI's pretty cold here especially because I am just arriving from the coast, haha.  Everyone says the missionaries in the mountains can't baptize.  But I know that my companion, Elder Quiros, from Costa Rica, and I are going to baptize and so will the whole district and zone. It's a lot different here.  People are a little more closed.  But I know that if we have pateince and love and if we pút our trust in God we will help a lot of people here.  We are opening an area here so it's a little crazy and hard right now, but I know that we are going to find lots of miracles.

Otra vez con Elder Lozano haha (again with Elder Lozano).

FRIENDS
The mission is special.  You make friends that you wouldn't have done in other places.  

Luis!!!

BAPTISM

This week was great.  We had a baptism my last Sunday.  He has been going to church ever since like the 3rd week I was in Jacarandas, so it felt good when he decided to be baptized. 

Zona Patzicia

Les Amo Mucho

Elder Sweat

October 11, 2016---THE FAST ALWAYS BRINGS MIRACLES, FASTING FOR A MIRACLE, ANIMALS IN A PEOPLE HOUSE, SHE REPEATED AND I UNDERSTOOD

October 11, 2016

 THE FAST ALWAYS BRINGS MIRACLES
 "Without the help of members, the work can't progress. It's a work of everybody putting the pieces together."  President Cook.  The fast always brings miracles.-excerpt from my letter to Presidente Markham.  

FASTING FOR A MIRACLE
This week was a little tough because we had a bunch of people that said they were going to go to church and we passed for all of them.  It was really frustrating and we were fasting and always hay un milgro cuando estamos ayunando (there is a miracle when we are fasting). A man came with a member and he was so prepared that he dreamed about a temple.   He went to church and was saying it's true and stuff.  So that was an awesome milagro (miracle) that we saw this week. I am definitely learning a lot in the mission about fasting and the priesthood, especially. 

ANIMALS IN  A PEOPLE HOUSE
We have had about every type of animal in our house haha.  Geckos, toads, rats, scorpions, ants, black wasps, spiders...just missing a snake and a bird, haha.  

SHE REPEATED AND I UNDERSTOOD
So we were eating lunch at a member's house and one of the guys in our district was sick so she (the member) asked if we wanted to sleep in the hammock for a couple minutes but I didn't listen well and thought she asked if we wanted more limonada (lemonade) so I raised the bucket that was empty like yeah,  we want some more, haha.  But she was like, no, and repeated and I understood, haha.  Had my mind focused on the drink, haha.

I pray for you guys everyday!

Love,

Elder Sweat

October 18, 2016---TRUST IN GOD, WITH GOD'S HELP, WEIRD RUMORS, A BAD SNAKE

 October 18, 2016

Excerpt from my letter to Presidente Markham---
"This week went by pretty fast. Time really is precious cuz a week can go by in like a flash of an eye. I have been thinking how am I doing, what have I've done and what am I going to do. I think self evaluations really help a lot to see how we can better ourselves. What I love about the mission is a lot of things, growth of knowledge/testimony, the people of Guatemala and the mission, the experiences. I think I like everything about ha because I'm really learning a lot about now but also for the future. The mission is a once in a lifetime and I'm glad I made this decision to serve and receive these blessings."

TRUST IN GOD
It was a pretty good week.  We have some people that can really progress. We were able to cerrar el acuerdo (close the deal) with one investigator this Sunday.  There is a scripture that says in Mark 16:16:  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  when my companion asked that question (to be baptized?) after reading that scripture, I felt the spirit very strong and I know everyone else did too. Then, he accepted.  What I'm trying to get better at is putting my trust in God more then in my own knowledge cuz it doesn't work the other way.  

WITH GOD'S HELP
"Those who are obedient to the Lord’s commandments and who faithfully observe the Word of Wisdom are promised particular blessings, among which are good health and added physical stamina." - President Thomas S. Monson, 2016, October General Conference
    
I like the quote cuz lots of people here have situations with the palabra de sabiduria (word of wisdom).  It's hard but they can do it.  With God's help we can overcome cualqier (any) addiction.

WEIRD RUMORS

We found a man that went to church and as we asked him about his experience in the church and stuff he said. "Well now I know that Joseph Smith isn't a black guy that eats humans," haha. Weird rumors always are going to be around haha.

 

A BAD SNAKE

Also, we had a bad snake in our house but luckily there was a member that drives taxi that brought the Zone leaders to our house, for divisions, that told us we needed to kill it now. So he went out side to his car as we were planning how to kill it.  He returned with his machete that he had in his trunk and chopped the snake good but couldn't cut off the head.  But, don't worry, it died haha.  Now the only thing that hasn't been in our house now is a bird haha. Amo la mision (I love the mission).

Les Amo un Monton!
Elder Sweat

WE HAVE TO SUFFER TO HAVE SUCCESS, THAT'S HOW WE DO IT OUT HERE, GENERAL CONFERENCE IS STRAIGHT REVELATION, INSPIRING PHOTOS FROM HOME, "A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, BUT 1 MILLION ON A MISSION, HA HA"

Divisions with Elder Stein!

Another photo with my companion, Elder Molina.

WE HAVE TO SUFFER TO HAVE SUCCESS
We have been having some challenges but hay que sufrir to have exito (have to suffer to have success), so we are just going to plow along. 

THAT'S HOW WE DO IT OUT HERE
Story:  So my companion found a mouse in our house the nextt day we got him cornered in our house trying to kill it.   And a long story short, I stomped him and killed him, ha ha.  Reminded me of the farm, ha ha.  Thanks for showing me what's what, ha ha. That's how we do it out here, ha ha.  

GENERAL CONFERENCE IS STRAIGHT REVELATION
General Conference is straight revelation.  We should always bring questions that we want to have answered with us when we listen to or watch General Conference. 

Les Amo Mucho

Elder Sweat 

INSPIRING PHOTOS FROM HOME

A photo of some of the wildlife on the Ohlone Farm.  (left)













Dominican Ken Doll, if there was one.  Look, Ma, no mustache.  (below)

"A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, BUT 1 MILLION ON A MISSION, HA HA"
"A picture is worth a thousand words, but 1 million on a mission, ha ha."  (Referring to the photos we send weekly)  You can quote me if you want, ha ha.  Seeing that bee reminds me that we have black wasps inside our house and we have had some fun killing them, ha ha. Also got stung for the 1st time in my bendito (blessed) life by a little black wasp, when I was contacting, right in the web of my hand, ha ha.  But it's all good cuz I got him back, ha ha.  But he ain't breathing (anymore) ha ha.

Les Amo,

Elder Sweat

PHOTOS AND A QUICK STORY

PHOTOS AND A QUICK STORY

We are doing great!  My companion and I have some pretty good unity in our relationship and in our teaching, so that's great. 

Quick story-So some of our converts wanted, for different reasons, to stop going to church.  So we all visited with the Bishop yesterday and you could really feel the spirit and they decided to go again and are pumped for the priesthood session!  Super awesome!  The power in members and liderazgo (leadership).

Love to all the fam!

Les Amo

Elder Sweat

I LOVE THE MISSION!

I LOVE THE MISSION!

The sister we baptized is so great and so converted to the gospel. What I love is every time we visit she's telling us that she can wash our shirts or if we need food and this Sunday she was asking if she could pay her tithing now, ha ha. I was like for sure and she wanted take some tithing papers.  I was just like take all you want sister, ha ha she's awesome.

Elder Molina is great and teaches superb and likes to joke around.  This week was  little rough cuz we didn't have a house so we were looking for one but we are trying to find it by the spirit.

Love to all the family!

Les Amo

Elder Sweat

P.S.  Funny story.  So, we went a little late to leave one of our areas that only has buses at certain times but miraculously we found one and squeezed on and there were only women on this bus and like 2 guys but the rest women.  We were crammed in this tiny busito and we found out that they were a soccer team.  But they were yelling and screaming and laughing and it just felt like something out of a movie and it was pretty funny.  Elder Molina was like, "Hey!  Don't yell!"  And then they all started like yelling at him.  Not, like mad, but like dude, be cool ha ha ha, pretty fun.  Amo la mision (I love the mission).

A LITTLE CRAZY, BLESSINGS WHETHER WE LIVE IN A BOX OR A MANSION, FEAR IS OF THE DEVIL, WE ARE YOUNG ONES THAT ARE GOING TO CAST FIRE HERE

A LITTLE CRAZY

So, this week has been a little crazy, to say the very least, ha ha.  We were able to baptize a sister.  She is so awesome and has so much faith. I don't have a picture cuz my camera doesn't work but a sister in the barrio (ward) took a photo and is going to send it to me, I think.  Sorry, ha. 

BLESSINGS WHETHER WE LIVE IN A BOX OR A MANSION

We had a noche de hogar (home night) with an awesome family.  We visited with them and it was very spiritual and I kind of realized, in that moment, as we sat there, this is the reason for the mission. This family has been changing to be better.  We all could really feel the spirit of love.  I cherish this moment.  Sometimes, we don't take time to appreciate the gospel or the family, but we really need to cuz we have so many blessings.  We have these blessings whether we live in a mansion or in a box.  God loves us all and has given us his evangelio (gospel) to help us feel His love. 

FEAR IS OF THE DEVIL

Another testimony of the sacerdocio (priesthood).  We were able to give a blessing to a sister that asked for one.  She had like a random like paralysis attack.  After the blessing, she started to breathe normal and the next day she was fine.  The sacerdocio (priesthood) is so important and is a great blessing. We need to use it to bless others and not have fear to give blessings, etc. cuz fear is of the Devil.  

WE ARE YOUNG ONES THAT ARE GOING TO CAST FIRE HERE

We also had changes and I'm staying in Jacarandas.  So, I'm going to complete 11 months and a year here, ha ha.  Pretty crazy.  My new companion is named Elder Molina and he is from Ecuador.  He has one year in the mission so we will finish together. So, we're just some young ones that are going to eachar fuego aqui (cast fire here).  We have to find a house and stuff cuz they are opening another area in our area so we will have more time to focus on areas.  Two Brazilians, the only 2 in the mission, are opening it up.  Thought you might like to know, Dad, ha ha.

P.S  Elder Lozano is now my leader de zona (Zone Leader),  ha   ha.  

P.P.S.  Oh, yeah.  My 1st baptism got to go to the temple when Elder Lozano was still there.  Ha ha, it's so awesome!

Les Amo

Elder Sweat