Hello Family!
 
                Como les van? How’s everybody doing? Our week here was a very full and good week. We had a trip to the temple and also the chance to have interviews with president, we are going to be baptizing on Friday, and president told me what is going to happen in the changes that are coming up at the beginning of next week.
 
                First off, the temple. This last Friday we had the opportunity to go to the temple as a zone. I really liked the changes that were made. Both just in the way that the video was but also there were some interesting changes to the words and other things also. While we were in the Celestial room I was reading in the Old Testament and found something really interesting in Leviticus chapter 1 verse 3 when I was reading about the burnt offerings that they use to do. It says, “If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before of the Lord.” The part of this that I really like is the part that says that the sacrifice that is given is one that is done voluntarily and not forced. This made me think about what more can I put on the table of sacrifice to be able to be a more refined machine. :) But really though.
 
On Monday we had interviews with president that went great. We talked about the changes that are coming up and he told me what he is going to do for the changes. I’m sure there is a chance that these could change, but he was talking like it was something already set in stone. That Elder Jones will be leaving to another area. That sisters would be coming to Oratorio 1, and I, with somebody else, would be going to Las Cabezas to open up Oratorio 2. I feel at peace with the changes that will probably happen. At first I was thinking that I wanted to leave this area, but after talking with president I am seeing that this next change in Las Cabezas could prove to be a very successful one.
 
This weekend we are going to be baptizing the kid named Maynor, who I think I told you guys about. I had never said too much about him because, although he has gone to church for a long time, he was not able to progress because his mom was inactive, but now she is active so we are able to move forward with the baptism this Friday. Ruben still is awesome but still does not have permission. There were a couple of investigators that went to church for the first time last week that have a lot of potential. The first one is Jose, he is the adopted brother of a member who is now living with the members, he is 25. The wife and granddaughter of a member also went to church for the first time last week, their names are Maria and Delmi. Those people also live in Las Cabezas so if I actually get changed to there I will already know people who we will be teaching.
 
That is sad about Buddy but I think it was a good decision to make. His life was a great one. I’m sure he had lots of really happy memories being with the family and going to the lake to swim and do the floppy dog thing. It would have been cool to be there to say goodbye but I think the best decision was made to let him go in the timing that it was. Thank you for filling me in on that big change, and also for the pictures, he truly was a great friend for everybody. Maybe before to long it will be the time to get an Irish Wolfhound and a Great Dane. :)
 
             I hope that you all have an amazing week and that you feel the Spirit guiding your actions and your thoughts. Just a reminder for everybody also is that I will be home at the end of this year, which really is not that far away so if there are goals or other things now is the time to get crack-a-lackin. ;) Something as a family that I have always liked is that when we put our mind to something we do it. The motor that drives our actions are our thoughts! Now is the time to make the decision once and for all! I love you all so much and each and every one of you are constantly in my prayers.
 
With love, your brother and son,
Elder Marks

Hey Family,
 
Not a lot exciting happened this week… but it was good. :) We have been teaching a kid who is 10 years old whose mom is being re-activated. He has been going to church for such a long time that he just needs to get all of the lessons and he is good to go. He should be baptized this next Saturday, if all goes well.
 
So this new announcement from the first presidency and the 12 is kinda weird [allowed to call home on p-days]. Honestly, when I first heard about the rule I was not sure how I felt but now that a couple of days have passed I think it is a cool and a good change. Here in Oratorio there really are not any computers that have cameras to be able to do a video chat, so I was thinking to just use the good hangouts option to be able to do the phone call. I’m not sure what ideas you guys have?
 
Elder Jones and I gave talks in church this last week. They went well… like always. :) I used the talk from Elder Oaks and talked about the importance of doing the small things. By small and simple things great things are bought to past. Mom, that is great timing that we gave talks the same week! I would love to get a copy of yours to read and learn from. 
 
That is super nice that William was able to come home for a few days! It is always nice to be able to see somebody after they are away for a while. I hope that dinner was as tasty as it looked. I bet it was even better actually eating it!
 
Cutting this short so we can chat!
 
Love ya!
Elder Marks

Hey Family!
 
Drunks are the best in Guatemala. They also always have the best English. :) This last week we were sitting in Las Cabezas eating some lunch when a really drunk guy came up to us and started talking with us. Then it just got really funny, I wish I could have taken a video of him but it wasn´t really possible. Lets just say that it ended up with him giving us a bunch of green mangos and him telling the ice cream lady to give us free ice cream. Then he started to get mad about how his pants don’t have a button and that his zipper does not work. Then he started to tell us about all of the things that he has and yelling, "Im prideful!" Then he said goodbye to us by kissing our hands. I just love interactions with bolos (drunks)!
 
This last week we got some tough news from Ruben. His parents gave him the last answer and said that they would not give permission for him to be baptized. And that if he waits for another year till he turns 18 to get baptized, he would not be considered part of the family anymore. That they would not answer his calls, that he can’t return home to get things out of the house, and that if they see him in the street they would not even recognize him as being there. How sickening is that! Honestly, when he told us that I felt a mixed range of emotions, some of them being sadness, anger, but also faith. Faith that in the end it will all still workout. We had a great lesson with him in which we shared the Mormon message called The Will of God from Elder Christofferson. Ruben, although he is young, is super faithful and is very humble. He said that he still wants to get baptized and that he is willing to do whatever the Lord wants him to do. We still have faith that he can be baptized, we are also still trying to finish the Book of Mormon by this Sunday. 2 Nephi 27 23 says, "For behold I am God, and I am a God of miracles, and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today and forever, and that I work not among the children of them save it be according to their faith." With the faith all things are possible. 
 
Also, had my first run in with a scorpion last night. Let’s just leave it at! We were both screaming like a couple of little girls when it fell off the wall and started running around. It was about three inches long and a dark brown. We eventually killed it and got it’s spread out of the house, then we sprayed insecticide all over the house. Gotta love liven in Oratorio, Guatemala. 
 
This week, more than anything, I have an invitation for everybody, that is, in a spirit of prayer, to read and study your Patriarchal blessing again. And then reflect on the promises that each one of us have there that are special to each one of us. I know you have studied them before, but they are blessings for our whole life, not just to a certain point. From doing this activity I have seen new ways that my personal blessing can apply to my life and have also felt re-motivated to all that I can do to make sure that these blessings come to pass. God loves each and every one of us so much more that we can imagine and he wants to bless us. We all can set goals, spiritual and physical, and then include God in the process of accomplishing these goals. Remember that He cares about all aspects of His children lives and not just some parts. With help we can do all things that strengthen us in every aspect of life. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Through an all powerful loving God and Father in Heaven we can also be an extremely powerful being during this life. I love you all so much and pray that this week will be an amazing one! 
 
Love, your brother and son,
Elder Marks

Hey Family!
 
How’s all y’all doin’? Well, we had the baptism for Hermana Orbalina this last Saturday. Everything went great and we had great support from the branch. It was also kinda cool because President Shumway and his wife were close by, so they actually came to the baptism.
 
In this area we are also working a lot with inactive and people who are not paying their tithing. There is such a big push in being able to make this branch into a ward. I think we will be able to do it before too much longer.
 
Ruben is still awesome and has been progressing really well. The only problem is that his parents are born, raised, and ready to die Catholic. His mom actually supports him and has given permission, but his dad is being a bit of a stinker and wants him to wait for a bunch of time before he is baptized. As part of trying to get his dad to give permission, we challenged Ruben to read the whole Book of Mormon before the 17th of this month. Elder Jones and I are also reading it with him. We are hoping and praying that his dad will feel the spirit of what Ruben is trying to do and won’t hold him back from progressing. We went to the temple with Ruben yesterday and had a great experience. It helped grow his faith so much and make him even firmer in being resilient in talking with his dad. I will make sure I attach the picture down below of when we were at the temple.
 
Something that I have noticed this last week, that just kinda drives me crazy, is how much power people give to Satan! There are so many people who feel like they can’t go to church or read the scriptures because, "Satan never sleeps". Whenever people say that Satan never sleeps that first things that I ask is, "do you think that God sleeps?" We, as sons and daughters of God, have so much more power than Satan. I love the story from Moses when Satan tempts Moses and it ends with Moses rebuking him saying that he is a son of God and has more power than him and that he will never worship Satan. In this moment Moses, although a prophet, is just a man and when he commanded Satan to depart, he departed. One scripture that I like is in James 2 verse 19 that says, "Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well, the devils also believe and tremble." The enemy of our soul only has power if we give him power. 
 
Be strong in all of your goals! I love you all tons! 

Love, 
Elder Marks