Elder Young is in Racana Guatemala

There's no way to describe this past week. I can't do it in English, I can't write my feelings in Spanish, and goodness knows I can't write my feelings in quiche (the language everyone speaks here). There are some things in this life that you just have to experience to know; I think that's why the atonement had to be experienced personally. The atonement of Jesus Christ wasn't just a book.No,Our Savior personally felt every last pain, emotion, and deepest depths of our lives and I'm every grateful for His atoning sacrifice. This is how my last week has been: If you can believe me.

We drive 5 hours into the mountains of Guatemala only to arrive at a remote church building in Quetzaltenango. We had interviews with the president and we were assigned companions and areas and released out the building. I was so absorbed I barely could hear my area! The last thing I heard someone say was ''Woah, you're assigned to Racana! Good luck Elder, the rest of your mission will be easy after that!''

I haphazardly followed my companion (an American named Elder Hawkins)  and boarded -with my three huge luggage bags- onto a strange looking, gray bus, and trusted that he knew what he was doing. People everywhere where yelling in Spanish, so I pulled out a Book of Mormon and gave it to a man sitting by me. We talked about it,and he said he would LOVE to read it and gave us his telephone number and direction. He said he would be baptized after he read it and prayed to know if it was true so the missionaries in his area are going to have a new member soon. 

We flew (they drive fast) down these narrow streets and through the mountains for another 2 hours all the while shaking from the turbulence. Finally, we made it to a place called Momostenango and then walked for 15 minutes to another place. I thought we had made it, but then my companion started talking to a guy in a truck and told me to hop on. We got on the back of a truck with about 12 other people and scurried across narrow strips through the mountain for another 40 minutes to a place where everyone wears colorful Ropa (clothes) and they all speak an ancient Mayan dialect. 

Then we put our luggage down at our small casa (house) by the local church and went tracting (like talking to random people) across the mountains to random houses. That was the first day. 

It's been a week here, and I've learned a lot. A lot about myself, about life, about the gospel, about stress, about the atonement, and about love. We filter all of our water through bottles because the water isn't safe to drink, and I shower in a little stream of lukewarm water. I carry rocks to fend of the grueling dogs (who seem to have an appetite for eating missionaries haha) as we walk about 6 miles to go our appointments with investigators (who most of the time aren't even there -we are lucky if we can teach more than 2 lessons in a day-.) The people here are really nice, but they don't really know a lot of Spanish... (I know more than most of the people here) The people are very traditional and rarely have gone to school.  Everyone here goes to church, but they don't understand much about the doctrine they are being taught. They sleep on dirt floors, speak dying Mayan dialects, fight off dogs, and farm to feed their families. I've been utterly humbled. I came here to teach the people what I know, but let me tell you that they are the ones who have been teaching me. These people are genuine, and because they have next to NOTHING, they were able to teach me almost EVERYTHING about the importance and quality of life. 

I thought I knew what life was. I thought I had everything figured out. But the more I learn about these different cultures, people, and ways of life, the more I've learned this one simple truth: I always have something to learn.

Brothers and sisters who are reading this post, probably sitting in the comfort of your house or scrolling on your iphones. There are worlds out there we can scarcely dream of. There are people who learn, live, labor, and die within the same 50 miles they were born. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I have to be in the comfort and luxury of the states, but let me bare this one solemn testimony. 

God lives. He does, and nobody can tell me otherwise. There was a man named Jesus Christ, and He took upon Him the sins, struggles and experience of mankind. I testify that the people here in Tocana are children of God just like we are. The grace of the atonement covers for their struggles as much as it does ours. God loves us, and His arms are continually outstretched, inviting all to repent and come unto Him. There is always hope, there is always a way, and there is always love. 

I'm lacking on time, so I don't have time to revise this letter or share another poem, but hopefully this will suffice for now. More experiences and stories are to come. 

I love you all, 

Elder Young

Elder young wrote two letters this week -

Weekly Letter - 29 Ago 2016

29 Ago 2016

Young, Blake Daniel

Hola, this week has been unprecedented. My companion and I, Elder Hawkins, hit the ground running by handing out book of Mormons on the bus. The second person I contacted was so excited to read the book and I asked him if he would be baptized after he read the book and he said that if it was true then he would. We gave his telephone number and contacts to the missionaries in his area. Racona is quite an interesting place. It takes a long time to walk and visit families, and they people usually aren't home, so we make sure to contact people on the way to make our trip worthwhile. We've kept our goal of talking with everyone we could and we've had over 100 contacts this week. It was easy to get discouraged, but we found 3 new families with new appointments. One of these families invited us to sit down and talk with them. We did, and we started teaching the first lesson when it started to pour. They invited us in their house to teach and they all tentatively listened, asking perfect questions like ''how can I know which church is true''. We explained how Joseph Smith had that same question and we recited the first vision. The spirit was strong, and the man invited us to return and teach him some more. We are praying for them to continue progressing. There have been other awesome experiences as well, such as when we were tracking in the mountains and a little girl invited us to her house, where we proceeded to give an introduction of the Book of Mormon; they asked us for one and told us to return another day. My companion is great and loves to work. Pretty soon we might run out of people to contact, but I know there are some people out there yet! We accept the "3 Familias - 4 Meses". We have 3 families, so hopefully they will accept. Adios

But yeah, we have our work cut out for us here. it's long and hard, but we are blessed and God is watching over us. 

Goodmorning- sacarick (saacareeek)

Good afternoon - baajeet

good night - shoccohop

there are- koleek

there arent- kotock

dog-  tsi

cat- mez

<thats how you pronounce the words that im speakig here 

So Blake's companion is Elder Hawkins and he says he loves to work, which is great and they get a long very well. He says his apartment is medium sized, but like a castle compared to the people's houses there.  He says he has water that is clean to drink(I guess after he filters it) and good food and all he needs.Please keep Blake in your prayers that all will go well and he will be safe and healthy!  

Elder Young's apartment

This must be in Tacana where he is serving.  He is as tall as the roof!

The mountains he is climbing each day

His apartment 

Elder Young's last week in the Guatemala CCM

Hola! What a week! This week has been a tremendous growing experience. I've learned so much about myself and my purpose in life. I love listening to the devotionals and I'm excited to get out into the field and start blessing the lives of others. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so transformative, and it definitely gives you an opportunity to grow.This week I read a talk about being a consecrated missionary, and that really moved me. The talk was about how we need to leave every ounce of our own will at the altar of the Lord and trust that he will guide us in His work. I've learned that I need to preach His gospel, not mine. I need to do things His way, not mine. When I've taken the steps to be obedient and serve God with all my heart, I've felt the sweet power of His spirit testify simple and loving truths to my heart. 

As I walk outside between the CCM and the Temple, I see many Guatemalans walking to their jobs. For whatever reason I feel such love for them! I know that God loves us. We are His children, and no matter what we are going through, He will guide us and lift us up. 

I can't believe that it's the last week in the CCM. The days feel so long but the weeks go by fast! Because of the way transfers work out, I was told that I am already 1/12 through my mission at the end of this next week. That's crazy to think about, so I choose not to. The routine here has been very difficult, but it has been very worth it. I know that my biggest and most important decision in my mission will be to lose myself and go to work. The Lord doesn't really need any more mediocre missionaries; He only asks for those who will humble themselves and get out of His way so that He can show forth His glory with power and authority. That's the missionary I hope to be. 

 

One last thing I want to testify about today is the Temple. There were temples in the old testament, and we have temples today. The same saving, sacred ordinances that were provided during those times are available today with the proper authority: the authority of Jesus Christ. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity I have to make covenants, and to repent when I fall short. We can see the atonement of Christ working powerfully and miraculously as every prodigal completes his homeward obit. 

Onto more miscellaneous things: I'm trying to hone in on my juggling skills so I bought 4 juggling balls for like 20 Quetzals (about 2.80$). I'm really liking the prices here, but unfortunately, haha they don't really have clothes that fit me! It seems like their XL is like our Medium sized shirts.Also, they have McDonalds and Wendy's here but its different: They are like really nice restaurants, and its kind of funny because they serve the exact same food,. Also,  I'm enjoying Spanish a lot, and now the Latinos are starting to teach me some jokes  like. 

 How many stars are in the sky? Sin cuenta!

I didn't have much time to write poetry this week, but I'll still write down some of my thoughts:

Thoughts:

The God whose hands 

Designed the plans

For billions upon billions of stars

Has to held you 

Within his view

Engraven in His scars

And as we, his sheep

Lie asleep

Our shepherd stays awake

Humming lullabies with watchful eyes

That cause the Earth to quake

From man's first breath to final death

He has atoned for all

He who stood when nobody could

And yet, for us, he chose to fall

Yes when I feeling broken

Who alone can make me whole

But the finisher of my salvation

And the Shepherd of my soul

Me gusta terminar con un poco español. Tengo un testimonio de la expiación de JesuCristo. Yo sé que a través de su expiación podemos ser limpios de nuestros pecados. Yo sé que está iglesia es verdadera, y que El Libro de Mormón es la palabra de Dios. 

I love you all, 

Elder Young

Week 4 in Guatemala -A Mission is Incredible!

A mission is incredible. I cannot even put my experiences into words. It's going to be, hands down, one of the hardest things I think I'll ever do in my life, but I know that with Christ, all things are possible. This week I was moved from district leader to zone leader. Now I'm responsible for half the elders at the MTC, and it's a very interesting experience. As the zone leader, I had the opportunity to bless an elder who severely twisted his ankle playing basketball at deportes (sports). Me and my companion gave him a blessing that he would be healed, and today we saw him in the temple, walking without even using his crutches. I'm thankful for that opportunity we had to exercise faith. 

The old Americans left and new ones came in. Now our group is the older, more experienced group of missionaries. It was revelatory for me to see that so many young men, with different situations and stories, come together to serve the Lord. I can't believe it has already been 4 weeks. Holy cow! The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. 

My Spanish has progressed very well. You may find however, that there is an inverse correlation between my ability to speak Spanish and my ability to write in English haha. I've given over 20 lessons all in Spanish, and now I am getting to the point where I can translate the Latinos language for the gringos (unless they are from the Dominican republic because those guys speak way fast).

I'm gaining new perspectives on life every day. I've already figured out so much about myself, and what I want to do with my life. I can't believe I spent time doing things that don't matter like watching TV and whatnot. If you are reading this, then unless you speak three languages, play 10 instruments, can juggle, know Morse code and can whistle the alphabet backwards, then you have better things to do than being idle haha. My point is this: life is too short to waste on Netlfix. Rest assured, I'm going to be extremely active when I get home. 

My district is amazing, Last night we had a devotional and the spirit was so strong. We all bore powerful testimonies about the divinity of Jesus Christ and the reality of His church on the Earth today. Additionally, we had the opportunity to proselyte on the plaza. My companion and I practiced conversations the night before until we knew them like the back of our hands. And guess what! The people of this area are so ready to hear the Gospel, it's crazy. We only had time to talk to 6 families/people and 5 of them wanted to learn more about the gospel and read the Book of Mormon. Why not! One man even came up and told us that he had acquired a Book of Mormon, read it, and now asked for missionaries to just come and teach him! Are you serious! In thirty minutes, we passed out 5 book of Mormons and got one referral (and my companion and I hardly speak the language) my guess is that he will be baptized soon. So I'm glad my companion and I had that experience. 

Well, I keep singing all I can. I'm trying to lose myself in the work and serve people as Christ would. I've learned that the world is big enough for all of God's children, insomuch as we don't have puffed up egos and pride. I love the people here, everyone here. We are all children of God, and we should treat everyone, everywhere with the respect and love that their divine design deserves. 

I don't have a poem to end with because I forgot to bring my cuaderno (notebook), but I would like to end with a little positive message: Your life has a purpose. You are here for a reason. God exists; you are loved. 

I cherish the few minutes at the end of the day wherein I can peacefully reflect and receive inspiration about my own life. I have the opportunity  (apagar la luz) to turn off the lights at night, and as I walk with my companion through the quiet CCM halls, my mind marvels at the magnitude of my calling. Here I'm in Guatemala. Colossal, jungle green mountains beset me. Pure, white clouds roll over the deep azure sky. I open the CCM door and see the marble, white temple. I gaze its golden spire, outstretched to the endless skies. And in my pensive, musing state I stand speechless, unable to discern where the sky begins and the spire ends. 

I love you all!

Elder Young

Elder Young's District

Elder Young is in the top row on the very left end with a blue tie

Week 3 of Blake in the Guatemala City CCM

Hola! This week has been all sorts of different things. I've changed so much in such a short amount of time, and I´d like to share some transformative moments and experiences I've had this week. First of all, I've developed a strong witness of fervent, personal prayer. I know that we are children of God and we have the amazing opportunity to pray and receive personal revelation for our lives. From now on, my goal is to always pray with the deepest questions, intents and desires of my soul. As I've done this, I've been spiritually strengthened and I've received the answers I need. 

Second of all, I've developed an almost undeniable testimony of the restoration of the Gospel. If you are reading this blog, then that means that you, in some way or another, are aware of my decision to spend two years of my life in the service of God: preaching His gospel and building His kingdom. This isn't a small decision, and I am not the type of person that makes big decisions without first taking deliberate caution and analysing -in depth- the implications of my decisions. And yet, here I am. I testify with all the credibility that I've posses, that the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored and that the Book of Mormon is true. Everything I am doing here, everything the thousands of missionaries around the world are doing, in fact, everything that the I believe hinges upon the validity of that book. The Book of Mormon gives me hope. It's proof that God loves us enough to once again reveal His truth to the world. It means that the cannon of revelation is not closed and that God is still the God of miracles. It has already changed the course of my life into more exalted routes and I know that that book is true. There is a way to know if it is true. It's simple: Read it; pray about it. 

Lastly, this week I´ve gained insights that have changed my life. As I watched the restoration movie, I was moved with a feeling of purpose and ínspiration. I've made a goal that I think I will keep the rest of my life: 

Everything I will do in my short time here on Earth, I will do 100%.

If it's Spanish, I'm going to study as hard as I can. If I have a desire to play guitar, I'm going to study every free second. If it's poetry, I'll memorize a poem a day. If it's growing my relationship with God, I'm going to dedicate my two years of service by completely losing myself in the work. If it's real-estate, I'm going to search everything I can about it. Rest assured, I'm not going to be watching TV or idly use my time anymore. There are so many things in this world and such a short amount of time to do them. Our purpose on Earth is to experience and overcome, and that is my goal for my life. 

On to the more secular parts of the week haha. It has been wonderful. I can speak in Spanish fairly well (I memorize 50 words, 20 phrases, and 1 spanish, 1 english scripture everyday) and I've already mastered all the required material (including D&C 4....) My plan is to continue this habit for the rest of my mission. This might sound strange, but I've really taken an enjoyment to talking to people. I genuinely enjoy learning other people's perspectives and experiences about life. I've learned that everyone is my superior in one way or another, and if I'm not learning anything from others, then it's my own fault. 

The latinos are really starting to open up. I can tell because now they like to sing songs with me in the hallways. We make up songs in Spanish as we wash our hands in the bathroom: it's pretty hilarious! 

I've had hardly any time to write poems except for a window of about five to ten minutes a day. It's not much time for a quality poem, but It's enough to get my thoughts on paper. Here's one from yesterday. 

The Tone Deaf Singer

I sat deep in meditation 

In my class at the CCM

When I heard a grumbling something

That sort of sounded like a hymn

Perking up my ears

I located the source of the tune

And realized that the choir

Was singing in the adjacent room

With my attention fully captured

I tried to focus on the words

Amidst the undulating tempo

And accidental minor thirds

In that moment of condescension

As their tritones proudly rang

I almost doubted whether God

Would approve of how they sang

But I was humbled short after

When the spirit whispered to my soul

It's not about how well you sing

It's about what you're singing for

After all, if we are God's children

And he designed our vocal chords by choice

How easy would it be to bless all

With a Godly, angelic voice

But in all of God's Heavenly courts

I'm sure the voices he lets linger

Have much less to do with the tempo and pitch

As they do with the heart of the singer. 

I love you all, 

Elder Young