Pictures--don't forget to read the email following them

Christmas Jammies!

Wreath that Destinee made for Christmas

Cookies that Destinee made for Christmas

Comalapa

volcano visible from Comalapa

view of the volcano from Comalapa

Hermana Benavides standing in front of the school of tires. The people of Comalapa call it the school of the Gringos because there are a few North Americans that are working on it

Ducks for Dad (a family joke)

most of our last district- Elder Pearson and Elder Knight, Hermanas Garcia and Guaranda, And us (Hermana Benavides and Hermana Park)

Us with Hermano Juanito on Christmas Eve

A parade of Mascots on Christmas

short email--pictures coming.......

Yeah, I am. (Happy--I mentioned how happy she sounded in her phone call) I had bought pb from the office so I still had some, and I made cookies that we could take to give to people while we caroled. I will keep the jar you gave me as back up. 

I had a feeling that Kade would call not too long after me. (Elder Kade called while we were on the phone with Destinee and had to call back later--just like everything else with their missions--she is minutes ahead of him--lol) Ha ha.

I think I am coming down with something too, but I am not sure. It could be that I am just tired. I have had headaches every day for the past 5 days. That is really not fun.

Hey fog... I know that stuff. I see it often here. Luckily there is no rain though. 

Oh yeah, I don´t know if you sent the birthday package yet... more likely yes than no, but if not, I do have 1 request... dried apples. It is funny the things a person can miss. I can´t find dried apples here, or spinach, or cottage cheese. 

Oh, speaking of food I have had many tamales. I ate one while on divisions in Antigua, then last week for Christmas Eve we had tamales with the Xocop, on Christmas we received tamales and gifts from a family that we teach english to the kids... the kids are actually not very young, but we call them the family with the four kids because we recognize who we are talking to, like ¨la familia de los patojos.´´ The oldest is 22, the second 20, the third 17, and the fourth 15. Anyway they gave us tamales. Then we had black tamales with the family Rodriguez... yuck. Black tamales are much sweeter and are made with chocolate, but still have the meat and the same outside. Those are too sweet for me. Then we had red rice tamales last night. I think I don´t want any more tamales for some time... too many. I am sick of them already.

It´s fun to receive all of these mini letters. (I had her siblings write mini messages on the email this week) Thanks all. I am going to send more pictures this week and write less because I already told you basically all that happened the past week. Love you lots. Love Desty

email, and a journal entry--oh and pictures!

Well, this week was interesting. We found more of the inactive members and found out where others live. I think we are going to complete our goal of finding all of the inactive members this month. This past week on one of the days, we were studying and heard a knock at the door of the gate. I opened it and there were the Jehovah Witnesses. They gave us a flyer that I put in my journal. Now we have found their house, and they have found ours. Another day, in the night, Elder Black was telling us some words he had learned of a language called Pokoman or something like that. I said it sounded like Pokemon and this caused Elder Black and his comp Elder Manzano to begin laughing, and they laughed, and laughed and laughed. This morning on the bus we were listening to techno and there was a song that reminded us of Captain Hook and the crocodile. At the end of the song someone said, ´´I´m going to get you´´. This made it even more funny.

These are photos with 2 of the investigators, Katherine and William.

So we also had divisions for training meetings. Hermana Benavides went to the training in Patzicia and I went to San Pedro Antigua. It was so cool there. Here is my journal entry from that day. 

December 17, 2010

We had divisions so I went to a little colony of Antigua named San Pedro. It is a beautiful place, the temperature is nice, the people are friendly, and the house is huge and pretty. The elders were living there up until the last change- Spoiled they were. We went to a ward devotional tonight and I participated by singing in the choir. There was a RM from our mission who came to watch (Elder Aceituna). He said it was strange to go back to a normal lifetyle, to not be able to put on his plaque again.

It is so cool to live so close to the volcanoes. Although some people might think it scary, as I did before the mission, it really isn´t and is actually awesome to see an active volcano blowing smoke or causing huge flashes in the sky at night. 

Oh, so I´m with Hermana Gaitan here in Antigua speaking 100 percent spanish, but it´s okay. I occasionally think of when I have to leave to return back home, and I know I will miss it here. I love Guatemala.

Well, that was it for that. Of course I do miss it a bit to be at home, but I really do like it here. Spanish feels so natural and here feels like home. This week and last week there have and will be posadas, catholic processions in which they carry statues of Mary and Joseph and go from house to house seeking refuge. It is cool. I´ll send pics. Well, I am going to send pics right now, but as for my testimony, though you won´t be able to understand:

Yinwetaman re ri kolonel k´es chuqa xa kayew ta roma roj. Ajaw, katata´, yiruwajo roj. Roj oj rajkual ri ajaw. Joseph Smith e ko ach´el re q´ij, rub´i Thomas S. Monson. Ajaw ritzijoj kin roj. Yinwetaman re ri rochoch ri Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días kitzij. Yinwetaman re ri wuj richin ri mormon kitzij, chuqa ri ach´al´al k´es e tunul katzin. 

Love you all. Adios

This week......

I don´t know the details of the (Christmas) call other than it is usually on the 24 or 25 

Just to think of it, Christ is actually walking with us here! He has helped us contact and teach and protects us from all the creepy people that might want to hurt us. He points out those who need attention from us- like the little kids that only want to say hi. It is so worth it... 

We too are prepping for Christmas.  Sorry I won´t have much to write about this week, well at least in long form. So...

 

There were plenty of funny experiences this week. For example, one day in the church we were about to leave and Hermana Benavides said, ´´Gracias Presidente´´. He replied, ´´Baya, Presid...´´ and then all of us began to laugh. Christian G accompanied us wednesday and was in a good mood and wanted us to walk fast. Well, we took him to meet the family Son Otzoy and the two girls like him, but some events happened that Hermana Benavides doesn´t want me to tell until after the mission so I will have to keep them.

 

Thursday I had to call the branch counsel to repentance because all began talking about how the church building will not be built because no one´s coming to church, there have been no baptisms, and the members aren´t doing anything. All were discouraged. Alma 26:27 entered my mind and I shared it with them and told them not to be discouraged because one day the church will grow in Comalapa. This changed their attitude. And on Sunday we had 59 people and 2 investigators that came to church, a number that has been higher than the last 4 weeks.

 

December 11

Really it is difficult to be on a mission. Not only do we have all the different sufferings, but also each missionary takes upon his or herself the willingness of condemnation. All those we teach have agency to accept or reject the gospel message. If we teach well with the Spirit and do all we can, and they reject it, it is to their condemnation. If we didn´t teach well and they reject it, i is to our condemnation. 

 

Sorry, that was only part of the entry, but got to go. I love you all. Adios

Mission President's tour of the Mission with Elder Martino

Guess which Hermana is Destinee?  Hard to tell, isn't it?

Staying in Comalapa!

Tidbits:

I am writing today because they made yesterday a normal day. Ok, I´ll say. I am staying in Comalapa with Hma Benavides for another change.

Today is warmer here too. For the last few nights and mornings it´s been freezing.  

I still have bites, yeah, but I am getting used to it all.

From Journal entries: 

December 1, 2010

Wow, all that happened today. First was day of cambios but we didn´t have them. Entonces... I played a joke on the family Sotz. We went early about 9, and they let us in- really it was just Hermano Cesar and his mom. I told them we came so I could tell them goodbye, we shared a message, and then left. As we were leaving I gave them a bag of cookies and a note that said, ¨Yo voy a quedar.¨ Much later when we saw Cesar he told me in English, ´´No more lies´´. I said I wouldn´t again. I don´t think I will because I felt really guilty after visiting with the Sotz. 

 

Another experience we had today: We were paused in between, or rather at the cross or intersection of an alley and a street and I told Hna Benavides of a family that lives at the end of the alley. As we were stopped there eating cinnamon rolls, I saw the Jehovah witnesses couple of Comalapa coming up the street contacting doors. As I realized that they were moving toward us I remembered a quote dad sent me that Satan will leave no stone unturned in disrupting the work of the Lord, so I said to Hna Benavides, ´´Maybe we should contact that family before they do.´´ So we stopped eating and hurried to the door where we found the father of a family. 

 

When we visited Blanca Salazar and her children she gave me a deer made of pinewood.

 

Part of December 3, 2010

I´ve been thinking... Many people here put their trust in dreams as revelation. At first I was critical of this and thought to myself ´´there are more common ways of revelation.´´ A few nights ago, Christian Guaran told us that dreams are a form of revelation. I began to change my thinking because I have personally received revelation through dreams so I know it´s possible. It may be that the people here are more open to this form of revelation, while most in other places would esteem a dream as naught.


Well, those are the journal entries.

Also, yesterday we had some cool experiences. We went to find an investigator, she told us she didn´t want to receive us anymore, so with much determination to fight against Satan and defy him, I decided that I would talk to the first adult that came our way. It happened to be a woman pushing a wheelbarrow. I offered to help, she let me, and so we walked with her to the house. When we reached the house I pushed the wheelbarrow to her yard and her husband was outside working. He appeared confused as I greeted him, then I bid them farewell and left. As we were leaving the area, I could see her husband standing in the dirt road just looking, still really confused as if thinking ´´who are these people?´´ It made me laugh and I felt really good. 

 
Also, sunday morning we were walking away from gathering people for church and passed Walter Katu. He asked us why we are always so happy. We didn´t know exactly what to say at first, but then I told him it is because we are living completely the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for these experiences that I have here in the mission. I know this church is the true church of Jesus Christ, that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today and can receive revelation for the world. I know that Christ lives and that we have a Father in Heaven that loves us. The Book of Mormon really is true, written by prophets of old. I love you all and wish you well this week to come. Adios. Love Desty