Thanksgiving was fun......

Well, thanksgiving was fun because we wanted to make it somewhat US style. We had planning in the morning and then we began to prepare the food. I made peach pie, and we also made mashed potatoes (instant), canned corn, rolls, and beans. And I made homemade stuffing! just for me because Hermana Benavides doesn´t like stuffing. It was actually easy to make and tasted like Grandma´s stuffing, only not as crunchy. Basically I boiled a bit of water and margarine, then put in the bread crumbs and seasonings and then it was done. Ha ha... finding new ways to make food. I realized that most of my recipes I didn´t write down but I have them memorized, like the kitchenetics white bread, pie crust, oatmeal cookies... the ones I made often.

We contacted a man who said we can come and teach his family of 7. We also saw and talked to 1 of our investigators who has a fecha meta. We never can find him in his house. Then we saw military men and talked to one of them. There were a lot of them and at first it was a little unsettling, but it helped to remember that the armies of God can conquer any earthly army if needed be. And then Hermana Benavides had a crazy idea to contact in the front of the bus so we did without any visible success. Later we heard that the first lady (president of Guatemala´s wife) came to Comalapa and this was the reason that there were military.

Tonight both Christian G and Michelle Sitavi accompanied us to visit. Both appeared quiet and pensive. I tried to get them to smile by giving them a bright yellow post-it note and telling them it´s so the people can see them coming. They smiled but both were more-the-less serious as they put the post-its on themselves. This made everything even more comical.

 

To explain who these two are, Christian is the missionary leader of El Tejar. He works in Comalapa during the week and is in the Tejar on the weekends. He has family in Comalapa, one of these is Michelle, his cousin. 

 

On Sunday I gave a talk about the mission work. Maybe I will send a copy to you if I have time. Tonight we find out if we have changes. If we do, the changes are on Wednesday. I will have to let you know next week. Still we are learning Kaqchikel. I have been able to share parts of messages in Kaqchikel with people. It is really cool. I am so grateful to learn it. Rinwetaman ri Rochoch ri Jesucristo de los Ultimos Dias kitzij chuqa k´es Jesucristo. Roj oj rajk´ual ri ajaw. Majun oj ko solitos. Yiniwajo rin chuqa yinwetaman re´ tak´aslem siempre e tunul.

Love Destinee

Thanksgiving will be another normal day.

Responses to my email:

A mission is so worth the sacrifice. If someone doesn´t go, they will have doubts and regret the rest of their life. I sometimes wonder what would happen if I wasn´t here- if I didn´t choose to go on a mission. I think I would be pretty bored. Crazy things happen here all the time, and at home, I definitely wouldn´t progress as quickly. It is the best growing experience ever. A mission is really hard, but I have never been so happy.

And her email:

Okay, so this past friday we had three way divisions among Comalapa, Patizia, and Chimal 3. Hermana Garcia came here and Hermana Benavides went to Patizia. Earlier that morning we taught Walter Katu. After the lesson, he told us that he cannot receive us because he assists another church. Nothing could describe the sorrow I felt, but Elder Knight said that this is the feeling of when we have charity for these people.

So the first thing that happened during divisions was that we were walking to the family colaj and there was a drunk man that grabbed my hand, and tried pulling me toward him, but I stood my ground. He began crushing my thumb and I was thinking ´´ouch, that really hurts´´, so I did a martial arts hand maneuver and released myself. Hermana Garcia thought it was hilarious. 

Later, Hermano Emmanuel accompanied us for an hour, but nothing worked out. No one was at their house. Then the next hour to 8 in the night Hno Cesar accompanied us. At one point Hermana Garcia must of misheard because she thought that Cesar was preparing to go on his mission, although he´s been off the mission for 2-3 years. So all the night she thought that he was really preparing. Even his mom didn´t say anything when we went to teach her. Finally at the end of the night I told him in english that he doesn´t need to lie anymore. (She didn´t know either that he speaks english). The reaction of Hermana Garcia was funny. 

Well, love you all. Hope all goes well this week to come. And say hi to Grandma and Grandpa for me. Tell them I love them much! 

Love Desty

Pictures of the murals of Comalapa, Campground Las Colinas, the jackolantern Hermana Benavides made..

New Investigators!!!

This past week we found two new investigators. One of these is named Walter. He likes to talk much, is 22 years old, and knows much about the Bible though he says he doesn´t. He´s the young man that ran in front of us and asked us to visit and teach him. He is going to be baptized and I am going to make sure of it because any person with as many doubts as he has definitely will be prepared to eventually be baptized. 

On Wednesday we had interviews with President Baldwin. That night we also had a Noche de Hermanamiento (not quite sure what it is in English) {Brotherhood Night-I looked it up}at the family Cate, who lives out in the Boonies without lights. Some interesting things from this night were: 1- They were going to dedicate and bless the house and hermano Cesar Sotz pulled out his Missionary Manual! After a few years or so of being home from his mission he still carries it with him. I am going to do this after my mission. 2- Upon leaving we wanted to call Emmanuel to ask him to accompany us to another cita. Hermana Benavides asked Hermano Cesar, ´´Tiene su cellular contigo?´´ Cesar replied, ´´Sí pero no es con TIGO´´ (Tigo is a cellular company). Then President Xocop pulled out his phone and said that his was with Tigo. It was funny. 3- On the way back, and walking with the group, Hermana B fell twice so hermana Xocop sent Cesar to accompany us because he had a light in his cell phone. I asked him if he understands what the music he listens to says because he listens to music in English. Then he replied in English and we discovered, to our astonishment, that he speaks and understands English because he learned it on his mission. It really surprised us because we did not know all of this time. 

There was another night when we went to visit Juanito and found him with a walking stick raised in the air, at the door of an Evangelical Church, talking to the greeter. We interferred because we didn´t want him to hurt anyone, but he was upset because this church always has their music really loud. After the visit with Hermano Juanito, we returned and talked to the greeter and I wrote a nice note to the people who control the volume. We didn´t want any more problems with them and Hermano Juanito, who can´t sleep with the music.

Stuff......

Some responses to my email to Destinee:

Here in Guatemala there are lots of dogs and cats that love attention. In the houses of the members, especially the family Xocop and Sitavi, their pets beg to be petted and have attention. Many people here have curly-haired, white chuchos (dogs) that are so loveable, but I miss cocker spaniels. 

We don´t have heat. Only blankets and jackets to keep us warm. I am sure it isn´t as cold as there in Utah, but it sure feels like it. I hope when I end my mission I am in the mountains so when I arrive to Utah it won´t be as bad. If I finish in the coast, I will need you all to bring me several coats and blankets. ha ha. 

I also have learned to be less picky. There is plenty of food here, but the people serve us strange things sometimes... atol being one of these. Luckily for me I can stand any atol but the white corn, which each time I try it I have to work hard to keep it down.

From the Guatemala City Central Mission blog

October 2010 Sister Activity

Destinee wrote last week that they made lasagna.  The blog also said they had a craft activity.  They made flower pins.  Destinee has hers in her hair.

(L to R) Hnas. Perez, Park, Benavides, Angel,
Rubio, President, Hnas. Ralph, Rio, Robles and Vicen

 

 

kiwajo juleychik.........Love one another

 So, we worked hard these last two weeks and had no visible success on Sunday. However, Angelina Sotz, mother of Cesar, came to church. She´s the only progressing investigator but hasn´t accepted a baptismal fecha. Last night, sunday, Cesar told her about why he was baptized because she and her husband did not hear about when the baptismal service was going to be (this was about 11 years ago) and so they didn´t see him get baptized. Finally we are moving forward with her.

 

Last tuesday we had zone conference and Elder James Martino spoke to us. He told us to have a vision of the work of the Lord and acheive higher goals by raising the bar. Sometimes we are pushed to higher limits to see our true potential. 

 

Tell grandma and grandpa thanks for the card they sent me. 

 

As of last week the back door won´t unlock. The bathroom is outside so to reach it we have to go out the front door and around the house. 

 

Wednesday was our pday. It rained most of the afternoon. We also ran out of gas for the stove so for a while we have been cooking food in the microwave. It´s been getting colder. At night we pile on jackets and blankets. 

 

We also learned how to sing ´´Love one another´´ in kaqchikel. Now I know it in 4 languages.

´´Achel yixinwajo yin, kiwajo juleychik

  Jun kakan tzij, kiwajo juleychik

  Roma re xtiwetamaj chi yiniwojk´aj

  Xiniwajo iwi jun ki junchik.´´

 

On Sunday, we were doing visits with Hermano Emanuel and we passed by his younger brother and sister (both teeagers) and their cousin buying food from one of the vendors so we stood right by them so they´d feel guilty. It really was a funny experience. 

 

Tell everyone I love them, especially Kiana because I ran out of time to right her. Tell Tyler to be good. 

 

And finally,

Rin wetaman chi re samaj ri ajaw kitzij. Ri rochoch chin Jesucristo chin los Santos de los Ultimos Días kitzij. Roj oj rajk´ual ri ajaw. Ri ru kajol ri ajaw kés chuqa rija ka kolonel.  Ri Wuj richin ri Mormon kitzij chuqa ru ch´ab´el. Rinin oyon roma tacoxela ri ajaw chuqa ruma Jesucristo chin nib´ij ru ch´ab´el. Ach´alal k´es para siempre. Les quiero!

Love Hermana Destinee Park 

 

And from one of her journal entries, 

November 6, 2010

Our day was filled with not much success. Those we had set appointments with were not home those we contacted were not interested in hearing. We didn´t have lessons with members either. On top of all this it was cold because the winter months are here, or rather the summer months which are only summer months because there´s no rain. However, as we were walking home, suddenly a young man ran in front of us and stopped us.

´´Which area are you from?´´ or ´´De donde son?´´ he asked us, to which we replied, Comalapa.

He then explained how he was friends with the elders before, where he lives now, and that he wanted the missionaries to visit him. After he left, Hermana Benavides and I were overjoyed because all week long we had worked hard with little success and then someone comes who WANTS to hear. What a miracle. 

 

Another interesting story from Hermana Park:  Sometimes when we have Hermano Emanuel accompany us people ask me if he´s my brother because the family Rodriguez is originally from the capital (guate) so they are more canchito- lighter.

Look what came a couple of hours after my email today!

Destinee's sink

 Hermana Park in the purple, Hermana Benavides next to her in brown, Hermana Garcia in green

 In answer to my email:

Here it is getting colder. They say the cold months are from November to February. Here we celebrated Halloween on our own. They don´t celebrate it in most areas of Guatemala although it is recognized, but I have heard that in Xela they celebrate it by dressing up in costumes to scare people and having parties. For our Halloween we made carmel, chocolate-covered apples and we bought a ayote... it is basically a green pumpkin. We have that type of squash in Utah, I believe. It´s insides are like spaghetti squash. Hermana Benavides was excited to carve a face in the squash, and I was excited because I have more vegetables I can eat. We haven´t had many, but first I found the corn out back ready, then we decided to cook the Wiski (this is kind of like a potato, like a turnip when cooked, and is green when raw), and finally I had the excuse to buy squash. Yay! Today is Day of the Saints, but it isn´t like a halloween or anything. They just celebrate the saints. 

For the corn they plant it in april and it is ready in december or something... not sure. I don´t know much about how long it takes. I just know how to check because that´s how dad and grandpa park taught me. Don´t know much more.

And Destinee's email for today:

We now have a goal to contact at least 10 people each day. Although it appears low, it is difficult to do when running to the next cita. (from her journal: We helped with an attack of area in Parramos, where we contacted and received 7 references for the elders there. It was awesome) 

Last pday we went to the mission home and had an activity with the sisters and Hermana Baldwin. We made lasagna and had lunch. This all will sound choppy, tal vez, sorry about that. Also last week we were talking one night with one of the sisters of the rama, Melissa Xocop. A truck came toward us and one of her sons, Pablo, cried out ´Vamos a morir!´´ (We are going to die) We had a good laugh that night. 

Oh yeah, we celebrated halloween friday night because saturday was a zone fast and sunday we had divisions. 

Hermana Garcia came with me to Comalapa. We had much fun because not only did we work hard, but we also had Hermano Emanuel accompany us and the three of us discovered a new area of Comalapa. Also hermana Garcia wanted help with her pronunciation so it was fun to hear her say words and have the corrections, if needed, from Emanuel. 

Okay, running out of time. Did you receive the photo of Hermano Juanito? I´ll probably send it again. Also, sad news, but the familia Ramirez is going to move! wah. Yuri Ramirez usually accompanies us to the citas. Their family is great, but sadness now. 

So one day I will be able to have this memorized and know enough kaqchikel to share all of my testimony in it, but this will suffice for now.

Rinin tacoxela chin ri ru kajol ri ajaw, Jesucristo. Rinin oyon roma ri chin nib´ij ru ch´ab´el. Roj oj kajol ri ajaw. Rin wetaman chi ri rochoch ajaw chin Jesucristo ri los Santos de los Ultimos Dias ja rija kitzij. Jesucristo vive y es nuestro salvador. Pa ru wi ri a kajol Jesucristo, amen.

Love you. Bye

Something cool from a journal entry she sent: 

´´Oh that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with a voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.´´

This is from Alma 29:1-3. I think this is the desire of every missionary. Alma continues,  ´´I am a man, and do sin in my wish for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.´´

Instead of looking to that which we do not have- that which we lack, we have the responsibility to use what we have and make something with it.

While we are waiting, a lesson in the Keqchikel language

Destinee sends emails to her sister with Keqchikel translations.  (not all of it´s spelled right)  Here are a few:

Xqaq´i (pronounced shkak i)- means good afternoon

Xoqaqa (shokaka)- means good night

 

Good morning- (Sekershka)

Adios- kad´ik´a

It is lost- sach

careful- nichketnein

don´t fall- ni´atz zak

 

K´na una oracion (kahnah ooh nah orah sion)- We are going to pray

Ki xam´p (key shampay)- Come

Nek (nack)- no

at´ta (aht tah)- Father

Matioxi chave at´ta (mahtee oshee chahvay aht tah)- We thank thee, father

Dios ka tu kuan (deeos kah too kwan)- God go with you

Utz a wach (ootz a vech)- how are you?

Utz matiosh (ootz mahtee osh)- good, thank you

xin (sheen)- corn

cotun (coh tune)- food

ch`at (chaht)- bed

 

Rochoch ajaw (raw choch ahaf) - Church

Wochoch (Vachoch) - My house

Rochoch (Rachoch) - house, specific

jay (hi) - house, general

ajaw (ahaf) - God

multiox (mah tee ohsh) - thank you

tab´ana utzil chuwe (tahb ahna ootzeel choovey) - do me a favor

takoyu nu maq (taco you new mahk) - please

aq (ack) - pig.

 

I come from the North- Rin pajotol in petenek (reen pahotoal een peteneck).

What is your name?- Achike a b´i rat (acheekay ah bee raht)

 

To say ´spirit´ is Ux lab´ixel (oosh lahb ee shell).

Rin nu b´i´ (reen noo b ee)- my name is

Jun (hoon) - one

ka´i´ (kah ee)- two

oxi´ (oshee)- three

kaji´ (kahee)- four

wo´o´ (boh oh)- five

waqi´ (bahkee)- six

waqxaqi´ (bahk shahk kee)- seven

wuqu´ (bookoo)- eight

b´eleje´ (behleyhey)- nine

lajuj (lahoo)- ten