Elder Young Week 36: Great Moments in Totonicapan

This week has been filled with little bursts of great moments and general happiness and comfort in knowing that the church is true. I know that. It's been proven a thousand times and I'm just happy that I know that now and that when we keep the commandments we just receive more and more blessings.

I've had great moments in lessons with investigators. We found Susanna and Victor. At first it was kind of awkward because they let us in to their house and we had little to talk about at first and there were some weird pauses haha. But then we started talking and I felt more and more love and longing for them to feel the atonement in their lives. I felt desirous for them to develop and come unto Christ. They asked a question that I didn't know what to say to and I knew that even by responding to the question wouldn't' help their spiritual growth. So I found myself able to say

''While I honestly don't know exactly what the best way to respond to your question is, I know that I love you, and that I want you to be able to be cleansed through the atonement of Jesus Christ, and this is the best way I know how to help you.''

I meant it with all my heart and they nodded their heads. It felt so special in that room. 

We are going to have a couple more baptisms coming up, but more than anything. I just like testifying of Christ. He forgives people. It's amazing to think about. I also have found happiness in feeling the spirit slowly testify and soften peoples hearts. I have felt some great degrees of happiness as I've talked about God. That's made all the hard work, even when we don't see results. Happy. 

Week 35:Elder Young sent home some great ties for his brothers that Elder and Sister Child's delivered and had a great week in Totonicapan

Some highlights of this week was in church  I felt like I should invite a less active to church, so I sent him a text out of the blue and he came and said thanks for the invitation! That's the first time he's come in months. Also, Ana  and her grandson came as well. They are sweet and have a baptism coming up soon.We are trying to get more and more people to come to church. We have a lot of people to teach, and we are starting English class this week which will be fun. 

Sergio is doing good and progressing well, Olga is hard to find I don't know why. We placed more fechas and right now we have 9 more people who have committed to baptism and we achieved a goal to find 25 people this week (that means teaching all of them and setting a day to come back) 

Totonicapan

We had a super sweet visit from Elder and Sister Child's from Elder Young's mission.  They just recently returned home from Quetzaltenango and they delivered some awesome ties from Elder Young for his brothers and dad. We gave the Child's big hugs as they just saw Elder Young a couple of weeks ago. They told us about the mission and Elder Young.  They are great examples to Elder Young and we are so grateful for them.

Visit with the Childs

The Young brothers wearing awesome ties made in Totonicapan Guatemala        

Week 34:A refreshing week for Elder Young in Totonicapan

There had just been a Holy week procession parade you can see back in the distance

The baptism of Maria and Feliz  -They call Elder Young and Elder Linares their angels

Elder Young's brothers liked this picture 

Well this week has been refreshing. I'm currently writing in an Internet cafe and a lady next to me is singing out loud with her headphones in. She doesn't have the best voice in the world, but I like that. Sometimes, metaphorically speaking, when life gets crazy stressful, it's a good idea to put the headphones in and sing. 

Well we baptized Feliz and Maria two days ago! They are so adorable. They keep saying that we are angels and when they found out that we don't receive tithing, but that tithing goes directly to the church and to building up God's kingdom they were shocked that we would be doing such a good work without getting paid. But, honestly, hearing that they both were willing to pay tithing in the humble circumstances was payment enough for 2 years. 

Giving the gift of the holy ghost was one of the most special experiences I've ever had spiritually speaking. 

We have found some awesome people to teaching including Sergio a 17 year old kid who has amazing desires. We found him at the right place at the right time at his door. He agreed to be baptized the 8th of April. 

Also we found Olga Razerriegos. The first lesson she agreed to be baptized and at 55 years old she was looking for something more in her life. We'll see about their progression. Right now we have 6 baptisms planned for the next month.

We get fed lunch almost every day and one of the ladies that feeds us has a challenge that if anyone can drink a jug of horchata in ten minutes, she'll give them a beautiful real of wepil (homemade corte dress material) I took the challenge and finished the jug in five minutes as horchata is one of my favorite Guatemala drinks. Ill get my wepil this week :)

We've been happy to have baptized two weeks in a row, but now we are off to the drawing boards to find more people to teach and baptize. I think one of my strongest testimonies of the gospel lies in the power of a priesthood blessing, and priesthood ordinances. I know that those who give them can be guided in what to say and I've learned this important lesson about giving them.

Focus on what God would have you say and what the person should hear the most you can, and let the words come out of your mouth. Confirming Maria in Spanish was a great experience as I really felt completely guided in what to say. She was crying when I finished and I felt as if I had really said what I should have. It was a great experience.

Elder Young Week 33: Miracles in Totonicapan

This week has been full of little miracles. We put 4 new baptismal dates with new contacts and we are going to baptize Feliz and Maria tomorrow. They were found in Chota one day and have been taking discussions for a while now. The father is amazing. He has completely changed his life. We taught him the word of wisdom and asked if he would live it. He said I already made that decision. He stressed that he would do anything that God wants him to do, and he has kept his promised thus far. He even didn't want to change his baptismal date even though it was right in the middle of his work day and struggling to pay his needs because he knew that God will provide and if he wanted him to get baptized that day then the extra money and job stability can wait. 

He loves to talk for hours and is quite frankly hilarious. They always, like almost everyone here does, feed us bread and beverage. We eat almost every lunch with members. 

Maria is also a saint. She struggles, or so it apparently seems, with some sort of mental depression and the gospel has lightened her life up. She has some times where she gets really sad or upset, but she has turned her life around as well. 

The family has been changed by the gospel. There marriage has been strengthened and they have found a new family in the ward.

Its been fun to be a district leader. I love planning lessons and doing my best to make the missionaries in this area happier, prepared and lighten there burdens. Our district is doing extremely well and so has this companionship. Elder LInares is such a blessing to have .He helps me with Spanish, sings a lot, and is very kind. I'm extremely grateful to have him as a companion. We have been contacting like crazy. We teach lessons like crazy and we have been working until 9 every day. We find about 16 new investigators every week and we are doing are best to challenge everyone we meet to baptism the first lesson. We have 9 baptismal dates right now and we are looking for more. 

The baptism of Celeste happened last week also which was very nice. 

Over all, I've learned a whole bunch of things. And Ill probably be able to tell you more on Monday. 

Celeste's Baptism

Elder Young in Totonicapan

It looks like Elder Young has Sardines in that bag!

Elder Young's first time in the temple since the MTC

A wonderful day at the Guatemala City Temple

Elder Young and his companion, Elder Linares

Blake really likes Elder Linares -he says he is a great missionary and he works hard and they have fun.  He is from Mexico so Blake has been grateful to learn Spanish from him.  Blake has mainly been speaking Quiche the last six  months and then when he was transferred to a new area he is speaking Spanish more and some Quiche.
They had a great day at the temple!