It's So Green

Dear Family,

Well, I'm now in the incredibly green and humid country of Guatemala. First this place is beautiful.It has rained everyday since I got here and will probably keep raining. This ciudad (city) is so modern and
busy! The CCM is on a main road and there are always cars and I swear there are no traffic rules. There are a few buildings across the street that I really want to go to. The one I want to go to the most has got
to be Taco freakin' Bell! Gosh dang it I want to go so bad and the president built it and has forbade us from going. Oh well I guess its for the best.

So like I said it is really humid here but the Guatemaltecos say that it is super dry here and said that Reu is super humid and super hot ahhhhhhh!!!! I'm gonna die! But no really this place is beautiful. The temple is so pretty. We got to walk around it yesterday and in 2 and a half weeks we get to go to the market! I'm so pumped for that! A market came in yesterday but my classroom has no windows so we missed it. Hopefully I can find some laundry soap somewhere. That made me mad. My new companion is so cool. We get along great. SO the food is the best here. I love platanos fritas which is fried bananas. It's the best breakfast ever. Everything is so good. We are supposed to eat everything because wasting food is a big no-no.  One elder is super picky and hardly eats anything its really disrespectful and kinda sad. Hopefully the field will kick him into shape.

I will send pictures sometime when I can but unfortunately they took our cameras while we stay here. Pictures on computers are not allowed. We aren't even allowed on LDS.org. I don't understand it. The Latinos are so awesome, super nice and we are communicating more and more which is really nice but holy crap they speak fast!

It stunk leaving our new district. Two of the guys cried when I left. Oertel and Bonkemeyer are some really cool guys. Mom you should add Kyle Oertel and Dustin Bonkemeyer on Facebook for me. That would be
pretty cool. Well everyone I love you bye! Keep me informed on what's going on!

Love,
Collin

I Made It!!!

We were all able to talk to Collin at the airport yesterday before he flew out. He sounded happy and excited. We figured that he didn't arrive in Guatemala on schedule when we didn't receive an email last night. So, we anxiously awaited an email today. I must have checked the computer 10 times. Then, finally:

Hey, I'm just going to email you two today. I only have ten minutes so share this with everyone please and sorry for my lack of apostrophes but I can't, for the life of me, figure out everything on this Spanish keyboard! Oh well. I got a new comp. He is pretty cool but before that I need to tell you my story of how I got here to the CCM. SO we were supposed to leave at 11:45 am on the 31st but our flight got delayed. It ended up that we were at the SLC airport until about 9:05 for our flight to LAX. Oh ya and did I mention we were there at 9 in the morning!! So I was in a stupid airport for 12 horas!!!!! It's all good. Then we got on a flight to Guatemala there that went from 12:00 til 5:30 in the morning when we landed! And now I'm in the full swing of things here with being awake more than 24 hours and I have had no sleep yet!!!  I would have slept but the man sitting next to me had tons of questions about the church. I showed him the Book of Mormon and he seemed really interested. SO I showed him mormon.org so he can get a copy and other things and he really likes our church. He is amazed at missionary work. 

Guatemala is beautiful!! The city has so much. Driving from the airport was an adventure. All over the city there are these super decked out school buses with lift kits and stuff. It is getting cooler and cooler here. It isn't too hot. In fact it's only about 72 degrees. I had breakfast this morning. It was a corn tortilla bread thing with lots of fruit and fried bananas!!! They are delicious. Actually they are plantains but they were amazing. Everything here is so green. We didn't know how green it was because it was dark when we flew in but it's a beautiful city that is covered in trees. 

Well, I'm in good hands and I miss you. Love you. Time is out. Bye!!

Love,
Elder Grant

Preparing for Takeoff

Today I received a surprise e-mail from Collin. Since this blog will be printed at the conclusion of his mission, I have included it on the blog. It's the e-mail that every mom anticipates will arrive.

Hey I'm leaving tomorrow and I just wanted to say I love you Mom! Thanks for everything you have done for me. I always get a little emotional when I write you. I miss you so much. You are the best Mom in the world and I know that because you had to put up with me.  The package was delicious. Uunfortunately it may put me over luggage weight so I have been giving some away to all the kids in my zone. They are good and it's gonna be hard to leave them but I know what I am doing is right.

Well, it isn't my P-day. I'm just doing laundry for tomorrow.  I'll miss you like crazy but I'm gonna be on an adventure. Well I'm excited and nervous I leave tomorrow for Guat and it's feeling a little crazy but very good. It will be the best experience of my life - I'm sure of it! I miss you all.  Bye!!!!

Love,
Collin

Hey All!!! It was super good to hear from all of you! I've missed you all and it so nice to just read things that are going on back home. Mom, if you want you can have your sisters email me. I would also really like to hear from them. I love all you guys so freaking much!!!!

Well I'll start out with my schedule. It is nuts. I wake up at 6 or 6:30 depending on if I feel like working out or not. Then I shower, change, go to breakfast, and then class for 3 horas. After class we have personal study time which I enjoy quite a bit. It really helps my testimony grow. Next is lunch, then more study time, this time with your comp. Then class for 3 more hours followed by just a bunch of stuff... It gets really tiring after a bit.

I leave for Guatemala this upcoming Tuesday at 8 en la morning. I'm nervous and super excited. So............. My comp and I .... now get along great. So no worries haha. He's the travel leader for the Guat. group and the poor kid is stressing out over it when in fact all he needs to do is worry about calling the church hq when we land. I had to re-do my typhoid cuz we didn't keep it in the fridge but that's all good now. I start packing for Guat. this Sunday and yes Mom I did get into the Guatemalan suitcase but only to grab a tie for a tie switch.

We went to the temple today and it was amazing except really sad cuz one elder in our district (who is like a band of brothers) doesn't want a whole lot to do with us and so he just sat in the lobby the whole time. I don't know how many times I can say this but I love my district. I doubt I'll ever have one as good as this again. We have a kid named K.O. who is ripped. He played for BYU-H and is a beast at soccer. I retired from volleyball and I decided to play soccer now because I don't get mad and I'm really gonna need it in Guat.

Well I'll bear my testimony in Spanish because it's really fun. Here goes: Yo se que Jesucristo es my salvador y mi hermano. Yo se que la iglesia y el evangelio es verdadero. Yo se que dios es amoroso y amo todos personas en el mundo. Yo se que nuestro vive con nuestros familias por eternidad. En el nombre de Jesucristo Amen. Well, time is up love you all!!!!!!!

 Love, Elder Grant

P-Day Number 1

Collin wrote letters to everyone today. Here are ours. We were so grateful to hear from him.

Dear Mom, Hey, doing my laundry right now so it's a perfect time to write you. I miss you guys so much. It's good to finally be able to write. I didn't get a p-day last week so this is my first and then next week will be my last p-day for 2 years as I'm in the U.S. I'm just chilling right. I do miss the family a lot. You guys are the best blessing in my life and I can't wait to meet up with you guys after these 2 awesome years!!! But I love it here. It is so fun to be with all these missionaries. It is great to be surrounded by people who love and want to work their best for the Lord. You are so great mom and sorry I haven't written much. We are only allowed to write on our p-days. But if you're sneaky and manage your time well you can get a few off. In fact I got 4 off today but I forgot to date them. OOOOPS!!!!

This district is awesome but learning spanish is very frustrating. They already have us teaching an investigator. He's a memeber but that's okay cuz he's going to be our teacher so he can give us pointers. I did get him, as our investigator, to be baptized which was super difficult cuz my companion doesn't speak any spanish. Oh, the Lord is teaching me patience well. I've got to fit a few e-mails for dad and the girls in. Love you!!!

Dear Dad,

I love you Dad. How is everything going? Could you send some hangers? There aren't any hangers here. I had to buy some but they are super junkie! Well the food's ok. I love my district there isn't a better group of guys to be surrounded by. My zone is super awesome!!!! Everything here is awesome!! I don't understand why people say they hate the MTC. It's so good here. I love feeling the spirit. Well I still gotta email the girls. Love you!!!! Bye!!!!

The First Few Days

Dear Familia,

I don't have a P-Day til next week. So instead you guys get my terrible handwriting. (He sent a letter. The handwriting was "readable".) I've got dos great companeros. 'Cuz I'm in a tri. Has it's ups and downs. I can put how I feel about the MTC in two words "estoy cansado" or I'm tired! But it is great to be surrounded by so many people. Especially when they love the gospel. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE!!!!! I love all of you.

P.S. My companions are Elder Jorgenson and Elder Campbell and they are going to my mission!

Love, Elder Grant!

I amazingly have some free time right now so I thought I should write you a little more. I love the MTC!! You are tired and the days are super long, but it's all worth it.  I'll send a copy of my first day schedule to you so you know how it was. I was immediately thrown into Spanish and I'm slowly learning. :) Yay!

The Adventure Begins

At 12:55 pm today, Collin began his mission service. He was ready, eager, and a bit nervous. After his last "American burger" at In and Out, we took some pictures near the MTC. Then he said, "Let's go drop me off." We entered and kicked him out at the curb. Actually, the curbside drop-off was much more relaxing and sweet than I thought it would be. Elder Bittner helped him lug his luggage away and off he went. Somewhere between Farmington and the MTC our boy became a man. That man - a prepared missionary - walked away without looking back. He is going to have such a fantastic adventure. He will be an amazing missionary.

Collin and his sisters. They miss him tons already.

With Grandma and Grandpa Grant as we walked out the door.

Waiting for the drop-off time. He is so handsome!

He is so excited. Go forth, Elder Grant!

Walking away. The adventure begins.