IT. WAS. BIZARRE.

Well this week has been a little better. Well we got some new investigators this week and hopefully they will want to be baptized. Here is a story for this week. So we were going contacting and we hit this house that was watching bible cartoons. This older feller popped out and started preaching to us about papa Dios or daddy God in ingles . He starts talking about how he lost his job and stuff. He then started talking about how awesome we are for teaching the Gospel. That was cool. Then he made his 2 daughters, who are 10 and 6, come out and hug us because we are men of God. He told us all about how he married his wife when she was 14 and shes like 35 now and man it was weird. Then he gave us a hug and told us how great God is. He then went inside. IT. WAS. BIZARRE.

We taught a family last night. The mom is really nice but she doesn't really want to be baptized because she already has.  We taught her kids and they seemed really interested. We read a chapter with them and explained it verse by verse. I felt the spirit and I hope they did too.

Oh yeah I gave two blessings yesterday in Spanish. That is a completely new experience for me! I was super nervous and they weren't very long but that's okay I guess. My Spanish has grown a ton and it is better and better every day. I just wish I was fluent but that isn't gonna happen for a while. I'm understanding better and talking more which is great! In fact today I was able to spout off some stuff without thinking. Thank goodness for the gift of tongues and the power of God. I know for a fact that he is blessing me constantly and that is what helps me want to stay here even more.

It is crazy to think that I have been out for almost 3 months now. I got an email from Elder Trupp today and I cant believe he has been out for a month! It was really fun to hear about Cole. I think about those guys a lot and how different their missions are. I know  Ky and my mission are similar but like Daniel and Cole and Kelton and Braxton. It has got to be so much different. For one, they are speaking ingles. I sometimes envy that fact. I think it would be somewhat amazing to be able to speak your home language. Then there is the culture. I have to get used to a whole new culture and I'm loving it so far. Here everyone says hi and is always willing to help  you. That is something different than the states.

Oh ya now for a weird food story!!! Every Sunday we eat with the Bishop for lunch and last night we had tacos and guess what the meat was - COW UDDER!!!!! and it was actually really good.

Today I have started my goal of becoming friends with the narcos, or the drug lords. I was told by my teacher in the CCM to make friends with them because no one here hates the missionaries but in case you ever get in trouble, and they are around, they will come and help you always. Today I talked with some who are outside of a huge house They always have guns. You know they aren't security either because these guns are flashy. Today I sat down with one and asked him about his gun and we talked about it for like 5 minutes. It was white and black and pretty cool looking. He let me hold it. Then I gave him a high five and now we are pretty much bros haha.

We met a guy who lived in the U.S. for a while and he owns the Aqua Pura company here and from now on we get free water! I'm really pumped because that is just less money I have to spend on things necessary and more money for delicious tortas!!!! Well I love you all!! Please hit me up if you want in an e-mail. I have an hour of time now!!! que les vayan bien!!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

I'm Here!

Well here goes the big one. First off I'm overwhelmed.  I definitely do not know Spanish. haha But it's all good. This place is good and many of the members are quite strong members. That is something that I like to see. Well to start off my adventure, it is really hot down here and I sweat so so so so so so so so so so much. Such is life, I guess. I'm really grateful that the Lord called me here because I know that through the experiences and trials that I have here I will be a better and more efficient missionary and person. I don't know how many investigators we have because my comp has no idea either. That kinda kills me a tad bit. This is definitely a different world. I can't wait to see carpet again.

Well I figure I'll go over my daily activity. First off I wake up at six because the milk man drives by blasting music. Then I clean up my area, eat breakfast, shower, and then mop the bathroom and other areas that need mopped. It is only me and my companion in a little concrete box that we live in. It can get super hot. It was a mess when I got here but I'm changing that slowly but surely.  After awhile, we walk around wandering until my companion thinks of who to go visit because he doesn't like to contact people. When we do have a lesson he talks for about an hour then for another hour teaches and ya its just ridiculous. I'm a little worn down by it and I'm not really sure what to do. Tomorrow is a zone conference in San Marcos so I think I'll ask President there. That will be nice.

Well the zone I'm in is Malacatan but my area is San Isidro. It is really hot but pretty especially in a little town called Morales which is all trees and little huts. It rains every day here but I guess in a month that it will stop raining for almost six months which means it will just be hotter hahaha. Oh well thats ok. Um the food is tasty but my companion hates going anywhere so we usually only eat cereal because he feels meal time is apartment time. We do have a cook. Her name is Hermana Susy. She is a member and cooks well. We do usually go to her for lunch which is always a treat because her kids are a blast and her husband is really cool. He is a recent convert and next year they should be going to the temple.

For P-Day we played soccer for a while and it was nice to be with people who actually care about being missionaries. We had fun while my comp complained about how hard soccer is and how hot the air is and how he feels we should still do memorized lessons. O well that isn't important. It is nice to not have anyone watching over your shoulder constantly like in the CCM but that can be bad because you can end up like my comp. who doesn't even know that he is lazy.  I miss football here because I have no sports commonality with anyone.

I like how friendly people are. You can always count on people, during lessons, giving you food and drinks but yesterday was gross because in my orange juice I found an ant but I didn't want to be rude so I just drank it anyways.  hahaha.

President is super cool but doesn't speak English. He is way short. I'm not sure what else to write about. Oh wait. Yeah I do. We met a super cool guy yesterday - a new investigator - and he is really accepting. I loved it. It was probably the best lesson I have had yet. We need to get him baptized.

Well I love you all. I can't wait to hear from you. Dear elders still work here but we only get them every two weeks or so.  But I love you all and I love hearing about what is going on in your lives.

Con amor,
Elder Collin Grant

Part of San Isidro (we think)

Elder Grant in San Isidro. The bridge looks sturdy and safe.

The rain turns the streets into rivers.

Lots of green. This could be Morales.

Taxi anyone? I wonder if it is drier in there.

Just a normal rainy afternoon.

Farewell to Guatemala City

It's a Monday and I'm on email because they are letting us email you guys before we leave for the field. I'm so happy to leave. Today has been the worst though. We are stuck in another redundant class and the
class is great but we are ready to go and they are just saying the same things over and over again. Since today is my laundry day I'm getting that done. Well starting tomorrow I will hardly be speaking english for the remainder of 22 months which is crazy sick awesomesicktasticallicious!!!!!! Of coursedon't get me wrong, I'm super nervous too!

I figured that I should tell everyone some details that I missed in the last email. Well for starters I would like to tell vosotros (translation: you all) that yes everywhere we go outside there are guards with guns. Now they don't follow us or anything, they are just all over the place. When I get the chance I'll send pictures. I got one of a guy, at the gas station, just rocking a shotgun. We see him every time we go to the temple. We took pictures at the temple again today and it has been a beautiful day!!! I love it when
it is cloudy here with the sun poking through and that is about every day here!!!! I have been informed that Retalhuleu has the highest parasite infection rate of the missions here. That's okay because as long as I am careful I'll be fine.

I'm bummed out today a little bit. All my bros left today including my companion. Sad but it is a good thing. I'm sorry I'm rambling a bit I don't really have anything to go off of because I have  no return emails or dear elders which is fine because it isn't like I would receive them anyway, at least until next week. Oh ya about mole. It tastes good but I just got sick. Now it isn't a little nasty rat deal. Instead it is a spicy chocolate sauce. It is just so rich that it makes me un pocito infermo (translation: little bit sick) but I'll get used to it. I sure do miss good old americanized food though. uhhhhh....

Well last night we had a meeting in the apartment of President which is on the top floor and holy cow it is nice and comfy and there was a TV and he told us he has ESPN on there. LUCKY DOG!  I love President. He and his wife are awesome! They do so much for us and they try so hard to make the CCM a good experience and they all do a really good job.

Tonight is going to suck a little bit because its packing and I hate packing plus with the new stuff who knows if I can fit it all. I sure hope so.  Tomorrow we will get on a bus that is full of us going to Reu. We leave at 8 AM and unfortunately I'll be missing Ky by just a day. It will be nice to finally be like the rest of my friends and be in the field - like Braxton, Kelton, and all that jazz. I mean heck a week after I go out Cole will be out. Sometimes I get to thinking and realize I have spent one twelfth of my mission in the MTC process but I've grown from it and I know that it is what the Lord wanted. I'm excited to get out and actually meet the people. It will be so fun to talk to people. I've already had rejection in proselitismo and it isn't that bad. I mean it happens to everyone. It is just part of the work!

I will share my favorite word in español with you guys. I guess it's bufanda or scarf. I'll never use it but its fun to say. I got told today that I'm going to sweat everything off of me once I get to the field. It is (according to the Latinos) hottest part of Guatemala but I have heard the people are so willing to listen and they are so humble and just ready for the gospel. It is going to be amazing. I love you all. It's about time to go. I just want to share my testimony in español. Yo se que vive mi señor  y que Dios es nuestro padre celestial. Yo se que la familia es la mejor cosa en el mundo. Yo se que esta obra es la obra del señor y que mediante nuestro fe todos cosas estan posible y que nuestro profeta es un profeta
verdadera. En el nombre de Jesucristo amen.

Proselyting in the City Again

Well it looks that I leave this Tuesday at 8 AM so that is sweet. I'm nervous because for some dumb reason I feel that it is necessary for me to be fluent which isn't the case. This week has been horrid because I'm ready to leave. When I do leave I get a 5 hour bus ride to the mission home and then who knows from there.  I'm hoping and praying to go to the North part. That would be awesome. We are all starting to get ready to leave.

I guess I should talk about proselyting again. It was intense. It was really fun. We placed three Books of Mormon and had a great time. I bought some pop to sneak in jajajaja. Then my comp and I tought a nine year old kid and it was awesome. He wanted to learn about Jesus so he volunteered to go to the casa cre which is a teaching thing that is normally teaching missionaries with missionaries and its usually dumb. Anyways the kid wants to be baptized and we got him hooked up with some missionaries in his mission. That's so cool!!!!

Well I'm sorry if this is a shorter email.  I'm working on it but my brain is fried right now.  Haha sorry. I'll  work on getting pictures up asap.  I still need a snapfish account so we will se how that works out I guess.  I love everyone. We are getting kicked off early today. Todos que tengan un buen dia!!!! All have a good day. I love hearing from you. Bye!!!!

     Collin and his Provo MTC District. He grew to love these Elders. We found this picture on Elder Oertel's blog. Thank you!

Collin and Elder Oertel

Preparing for the Final Week at the CCM

Well here goes another week of anxiousness because currently I only have ten days until I'm out and trying to communicate in español. Umm!

Not too much has gone on here but we did get warned about Dengue Fever which was nifty. My companion Elder Hansen, who is pretty skinny, was sick for about two weeks. He lost 15 lbs which was bad. We found out he got a worm from the food here!!!! He killed it with pills which was
good and now he's back. I managed to shake the bug thank Buddha!  So we will see what happens when I get out.

I got some scripture cases for my Spanish scriptures. They say "HLJ", stands for "haz lo justo" which is along the lines of Choose the Right.  Spanish is coming along mejor cada dia which is better each day but still difficult. I need to memorize conjugations which are quite tough and I don't know when to use the different grammar but that's ok I guess. I'll figure it out. Heck I've only been learning for 7 weeks which is nuts. The Latinos are getting better but some are rude to the other kids. We started a workout program at night with some kids. It's just push-ups and sit-ups but it burns.

I enjoy everyone's letters so much. They are great and they always brighten up the week. Every week you start out with a high and you get shot down and only a few things boost you up like the temple and letters.
This week, in the temple, I may have the opportunity to do a session in Spanish. I'm so excited!!! The font here for baptisms is really pretty. I was able to see it this week. It's tiny but beautiful. We go proselyting on Monday which definitely is something I'm pumped for because this time it's my comp and me solo. We are going to buy some Coke and snacks for a final party next Sunday because we won't see each
other for 2 years! It's cool here!

Ky emailed me and told me he is super sad about not being able to see me. I will leave the day before he arrives. It bums me out too which stinks. Oh well Pres says he will give Ky a letter I'm writing him so that's good. Testimony meeting is this week which means time to pig out at lunch and dinner. Testimony meeting in Spanish is so cool. The Spirit is really strong and I love it.

Well I hope to get a bunch of dear elders this week because I want to win in who gets the most. So mom post my dear elder thing on Facebook today, por favor. I sent the password, I think, to you. Well love ya!