Hey family!
Sorry Mom. I’m sorry to say but I do not think that those are close to where we are. We are in zone Mixco. The other elders are saying that if you type this into Google maps, it should bring up our area. When we have lessons that fall through or are not teaching we tract. The people here are really receptive so far, so that is nice.
I hope things are going well, especially with the wedding! I’m so excited for William and Mariam. I really wish I could be there, maybe they could wait for a couple years? No, just kidding, it should be a really happy day for everyone. Dad, I was thinking yesterday, Shocker right... and I know that you can do civil weddings as bishop but can you do temple weddings? I would love to get some pictures next week of family outside the temple.
I forgot to tell you guys this last P-day, but on last Tuesday we got to go into the city and listen to Elder Cook speak in person. It was really awesome, he talked about the urgency of the missionary work. Especially how lately they have been feeling the urgency more and more. He also talked about how lucky we are to be called to this part of the world where the people are overall more receptive to this message, and the fact that they are the literal descendants of Father Lehi. At the end he talked about how people do not really share really spiritual experiences because of how special they are. He then bore really strong testimony of his knowledge of the voice and the face of the Savior. Overall, a really good day.
As far as investigators go this week. We taught Alfredo again this week. We have been teaching a guy named Danni, he has listed to the missionaries before and has a sister serving a mission right now. He has some issues with the Word of Wisdom and has quite a few questions. I think he likes what we are teaching but I do not know if he really has a desire to change yet. We have a baptism scheduled for Saturday the 24th for a teenager named Carlos. He has attended church with us and is wanting to be baptized, but we have the rest of the lessons that have to be taught before baptism. We taught Maria Luiza again this week. She says that she thinks the Book of Mormon is true. But she also thinks that all churches are the Catholic church! Kinda funny, she also keeps asking us what she owes us for the BOM and the pamphlets. Now we just need to get her to attend church with us.
Ok, I keep forgetting to tell you where I am emailing from. It is just this little hole in the wall area with four computers and a TV for people to play video games. It is only 10 quetzals for an hour of use on the computer, so about a dollar forty. It is really weird writing on computers here because when I write in English every single word is underlined in red lines. Couple of things here you guys would appreciate. Like that almost every person here wears crocks or the Guatemalen equivalent. I want to get pictures but I do not think that would be appropriate in the middle of a lesson. I really need some of Kylie’s glasses where when I blink it takes a picture for me. :) Also, people have some amazing speaker systems. We will be sitting in a house that really stinks and the people just do not have much. And then there will be a really really nice full speaker system. Subwoofer and everything. It is always kinda nice to be walking and hear some American music.
This is the last week where our P-day is on Monday, starting next week the P-day is going to be on Wednesday. I’m not really sure why, but that is just the new norm in the Guatemala South Mission. I was a little sick for a couple days this last week. Nothing too bad, threw up a couple of times and lets just say I am grateful for toilet paper! We still went out and did good full days of work. And I am feeling a lot better now, so that is nice.
I am really grateful for the family prayer that we had all growing up. I think it is one of the things that I miss most from home. We were teaching the Golinda family, which is a part member family. The dad is a non-member, but are working on him. We were teaching them about the importance of the family and challenged them to say family prayer together. It just made me all the more grateful for the strong family ties that we have. I love you all so much!
Your son and brother,
Elder Marks.
P.S When it is clear enough for the stars to be visible and we get home, Orion is directly above us. Orion always has been my favorite. Thanks for the pictures!
Sorry Mom. I’m sorry to say but I do not think that those are close to where we are. We are in zone Mixco. The other elders are saying that if you type this into Google maps, it should bring up our area. When we have lessons that fall through or are not teaching we tract. The people here are really receptive so far, so that is nice.
I hope things are going well, especially with the wedding! I’m so excited for William and Mariam. I really wish I could be there, maybe they could wait for a couple years? No, just kidding, it should be a really happy day for everyone. Dad, I was thinking yesterday, Shocker right... and I know that you can do civil weddings as bishop but can you do temple weddings? I would love to get some pictures next week of family outside the temple.
I forgot to tell you guys this last P-day, but on last Tuesday we got to go into the city and listen to Elder Cook speak in person. It was really awesome, he talked about the urgency of the missionary work. Especially how lately they have been feeling the urgency more and more. He also talked about how lucky we are to be called to this part of the world where the people are overall more receptive to this message, and the fact that they are the literal descendants of Father Lehi. At the end he talked about how people do not really share really spiritual experiences because of how special they are. He then bore really strong testimony of his knowledge of the voice and the face of the Savior. Overall, a really good day.
As far as investigators go this week. We taught Alfredo again this week. We have been teaching a guy named Danni, he has listed to the missionaries before and has a sister serving a mission right now. He has some issues with the Word of Wisdom and has quite a few questions. I think he likes what we are teaching but I do not know if he really has a desire to change yet. We have a baptism scheduled for Saturday the 24th for a teenager named Carlos. He has attended church with us and is wanting to be baptized, but we have the rest of the lessons that have to be taught before baptism. We taught Maria Luiza again this week. She says that she thinks the Book of Mormon is true. But she also thinks that all churches are the Catholic church! Kinda funny, she also keeps asking us what she owes us for the BOM and the pamphlets. Now we just need to get her to attend church with us.
Ok, I keep forgetting to tell you where I am emailing from. It is just this little hole in the wall area with four computers and a TV for people to play video games. It is only 10 quetzals for an hour of use on the computer, so about a dollar forty. It is really weird writing on computers here because when I write in English every single word is underlined in red lines. Couple of things here you guys would appreciate. Like that almost every person here wears crocks or the Guatemalen equivalent. I want to get pictures but I do not think that would be appropriate in the middle of a lesson. I really need some of Kylie’s glasses where when I blink it takes a picture for me. :) Also, people have some amazing speaker systems. We will be sitting in a house that really stinks and the people just do not have much. And then there will be a really really nice full speaker system. Subwoofer and everything. It is always kinda nice to be walking and hear some American music.
This is the last week where our P-day is on Monday, starting next week the P-day is going to be on Wednesday. I’m not really sure why, but that is just the new norm in the Guatemala South Mission. I was a little sick for a couple days this last week. Nothing too bad, threw up a couple of times and lets just say I am grateful for toilet paper! We still went out and did good full days of work. And I am feeling a lot better now, so that is nice.
I am really grateful for the family prayer that we had all growing up. I think it is one of the things that I miss most from home. We were teaching the Golinda family, which is a part member family. The dad is a non-member, but are working on him. We were teaching them about the importance of the family and challenged them to say family prayer together. It just made me all the more grateful for the strong family ties that we have. I love you all so much!
Your son and brother,
Elder Marks.
P.S When it is clear enough for the stars to be visible and we get home, Orion is directly above us. Orion always has been my favorite. Thanks for the pictures!