Week 40: Amos & Matthew

Well hello people!

First of all I wanna say I had a craving for grandmas mint truffles yesterday. I miss those things cuz they are good.

Secondly I found a tree that smells exactly like red crème soda.

Third I want you guys, for family home evening, to talk about why exactly this is the true church. Using scriptures like Amos 3:7. Matthew 10:1. The kids need to know that. Its very important. Especially if somebody asks about our religion and if the rest of our family is falling into the clutches of the “dark side.” Isaiah has something to say about Jehovah and who he is. Plus I'm not sure many young people born under the covenant know exactly why they are members.

Well this morning we did a district activity in my area. All of our district came and we made half descent pupusas. They weren’t perfect but they were still way good. But that is why I am late writing you guys today. But earlier before the activity the church door was open and a chicken came in the church. Well it went straight to my bed (my companion had just left the shower and was in a towel trying to get it to leave but it didn’t want to) and pooped on it. Stupid chicken! I'm thinking I'll buy a slingshot for it today! Hopefully my aim is better than when I was five with my last slingshot experience. Sorry dad.

Every car here has bumperstickers. Every single one. And the majority talk about religion. Like one that says “God's slow sometimes but never forgets.” Or a favorite “gift from God.” Or they have stickers of Jesus Christ bleeding and suffering on the cross. But every single car truck and tuk tuk has stickers. Even stickers that say "cowboy". I don’t understand it but that’s how it is. They are very funny sometimes. Youll see when you come down here.

This last week was fine. We ran into a couple problems with the paperwork for Imelda and Alfonso. Imelda supposedly only is 13 years old but she was born in 1978. So we may need to fix that. Alfonsos “fiancé” was married before. Well he went up to Peten to work and got squished by a tractor. So we have to find the paper that says that he died so that she can get married again. But the paper that says that is in Peten so we had to send for it. It may take a while to get here.

Zone conference was fine. A few talks were good. We talked about improving our areas and the Atonement. I liked those topics.

Interview went fine. President talked like I was his son. We talked about how special the Polochic is and how great of an author James E Talmage is. That’s about it. It was very relaxed too. His main theme this conferences was that we could all be “fleches” which means arrows. That we could all be incredibly obedient. Straight as an arrow to be exact. Don’t worry- I'm obedient.

Well, nothing else has happened this week. Will keep you posted on the baptisms. Still working on it. But I miss and love each and every one of you. I ll see if I can upload pictures. The internet is slow today.

I love you!

ELDER TAY

Week 39: Tapiscaring Season & Mansions Above

Hey everyone!

So first of all this last week was long and short at the same time. It consisted of lots of service. It is the tapiscaring season-li hoonal re li qolok-or its time to gather corn. So we helped. It's tough stuff. Here's what we do: first we take the corn out of the wrapper and throw it into a pile in the middle of the field. After we get it all out we then load it into big bags and they haul it on their heads. These are the same bags it takes three of them to lift. They weigh at least a hundred pounds. Well I gave it a shot. They are very unstable and being tall doesnt help! It fell within twenty feet haha! Poured out half the corn all over the ground. The people here are made for hauling stuff like that though. It's weird. They are pretty strong peoples! But we did service Wednesday and Saturday.

When we went to Rio Dulce-forgot to tell you this-I saw where all the bananas you guys eat come from. They come from huge plantations with miles and miles of banana trees. I'll see if I can send a pic next week. I forgot my cord today. It was quite a sight though.

This last week we worked with Samuel, Imelda and the local government place thing here to see what we needed to do to get them married. Imelda still is excited and incredibly humble and simple. She deserves a place in a mansion above. The charity of this family and their struggles sure hits me. Everytime we go there they buy us a drink. Usually a soda in a can. I specify in a can because thats Samuels job. He collects cans and sells them so his buying us a can is his hope that we will drink the most expensive part and leave him some leftover to feed his family with the sale of the can. It's very hard to accept food or drinks sometimes. These people, alot of times, have absolutely nothing. A couple skirts. A shirt and a half and some corn. Thats it.

Miguel came to church again. He is now an active member. We are also working to get his son in law married and baptized as well. It's strange how one can see the innocence and humility produced by ignorance and a simple lifestyle. And for that I righteousely covet the people here. Amazing examples on how to live your life. Except for the treatment of women ;) Thats gotta change haha.

But when we were working with the RENAP or the place where everyone gets registered and takes out their registration papers the people working there moved us right to the front and gave us top priority. We are sure receiving lots of help here right now.

Well this week is zone conference again. We'll see how that goes.

Today we met as a zone and played volleyball and talked about our goals as a zone. Our goal is to go to Semuc Champey. If so we'd be going to the place that shows up the most on the internet when someone types in Guatemala. That's the place that's way green with the super clear water. That should be pretty cool.

Found out my package got stuck in customs. I gotta send Elder Goodwin my permission to get it for me. So I probably wont get it for another change or so. It will probably come just in time as do all blessings.

Other than that nothing else has happened. Waiting on the baptisms and still working hard. My companion jumped out of a truck and didnt stick the landing. Which was absolutely hilarious haha. I think he did it cuz there was a girl watching ;) ha ha I sure did laugh and he did too so we had a good time. I love and miss every one of you. Keep me posted on everything. And if you can get a hold of Kelsey Hert let her know I did get her letters.

Love you!!

ELDER TAY

Week 38: My Metzew is Cau

Hey!

The Polochic is seriously a completely different place. Once you are here you never want to leave. Only until youre done with the mission. Then you wanna come visit. :)

Beth Legua, dad, says you rock for trying out at the PD. Apparently she wants to be a cop.

Bapa showing up with so many groceries sure hit me. Made my eyes water a little bit. I sure do love him. I was thinking about all the memories that HE created for us as little kids. I'll never forget going on Easter morning treasure hunts and seeing santas boot prints in the carpet. Including the time when he showed up to 205 11th with his santa suit on just for his grandchildren.

Today for Pday we went and looked for a cave here in La Tinta. Apparently the people here worship stuff like that and were doing a ritual there so we sat and watched it. It was very strange. It was like the guy was talking to the rock impression. And then they lit lots of candles then sprinkled honey I think on it and some other liquid then burned something. I was at a lack of details so I really have no idea what he did. That's just what I saw. But the cave wasn't really a cave just a depression in the rocks with nothing fun. Then we went back and thats where I took that picture where I'm on a rock.

This last week my companion was sick for two days. Apparently his head hurt pretty bad so I hooked him up with some pain killers haha. Don't worry it was all legal- just advil. Even though I complain about little things the bigger picture is what matters. I have honestly been friends with every one of my companions. Like good friends. People that I can actually say ARE my friends.

Maggie. Man that takes me straight back to the office on main street. And nanna spanking that dog with rolled up paper and me always wondering what that could possibly do if it doesnt hurt.

Speaking of hurt. I had a dream about Kelsie Hert. She has been writing me. If you have a way to contact her please apologize for my lack of responses. She's a good friend.

This last week I made toys for the little kids that live behind the church. I made little helicopters out of pop cans. They enjoyed it a ton! I just cut the can into a strip, folded it in half, taped a rock to it and folded the two "rotors" so it would spin as it fell. They were cool and the little kids enjoyed them. And no they didnt cut themselves. I cut the edges off.

Just so you know-everyone-dont ever say you cant. Unless you are physically unable. I dont wanna complain about anyone but just keep that in mind.

Yesterday, the old man I was telling you about (old man is cawachin in Qeqchi) bore his testimony in church. Qeqchis dont cry. But he did. It was very powerful and provided a great example for his young son in law. Who, btw, don't know if I already told you or not, has a baptismal date set for the 30 of this month. As for the other baptism-I have mixed feelings. She has to get married before she can be baptized which she wants to do. I'm all for helping them get all their paperwork done and everything. But yesterday, her husband came home drunk, hit her, and burned her corte, or her skirt which is very expensive. And she is a very special lady-very humble, very quiet, and idk....bashful maybe? It makes my heart ache to see someone who is doing the best she can to be a daughter of God be held back by somebody elses free agency. Her husband is a member by the way. We're going to have to teach a powerful lesson this next week.

The Qeqchis, when they harvest corn, put it in big bags that are probably four feet long. It takes three of them to lift one. But one of me. Haha- it's hilarious when I do it. They all freak out and say that my metzew is cau. That means they say I'm strong. It is funny.

Well internet is slow. I sent some pictures so thats why this message is a little short. The one with the waterfall is up in Actela. I was just finding a quiet place to study that was worthy of pictures.

Just so you know you guys are a peculiar people...

"It is peculiar to believe in and receive latter day revelation, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to abstain from tea, coffee, tobacco, and liquor, to have visions, to pay one tenth of ones interest annually as tithing, to marry for eternity, to go on missions, to serve in the ministry without financial pay and so on through all the beliefs and practices of the true saints."

Bruce R. McKonkie. Mormon Doctrine. (Don't know if thats how you spell his name.)

I love you and miss you all. Hang in there.

Love,

ELDER TAY