I'm Pretty Darn Content to Be Here

As I am sitting in the Guatemalan heat writing you from a yucky internet place, I contemplate if there is anywhere I'd rather be in the world and NOPE, I'm pretty darn content to be here! 

I just saw Hermana Ostler today. She was so excited to see me and at first I had no idea who she was. But it's alright, that is how life is. She is in Coatepeque which is kind of far away from where I am. In fact, I never ever go there. In fact, I have never been there. 

Today is super super super super busy because I have to get EVERYTHING READY FOR A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT AMADO. I AM FREAKING OUT!!! No, just kidding. He is going to destroy us with the Spirit. It's going to be so cool. Well, this week has been challenging in a few things. We almost didn't have a baptism because of lack of planning. But after hours, literally, of calling people and talking with lawyers, we got it done. Basically, it has been a very stess filled week. My companion and I have been running all over the place. 

Also this week we have put two fechas so in two weeks, if all goes well, we should have 2 baptisms. I'm excited! The lady is so cool. She used to be anti-Mormon but The Lord softened her heart and now she is changing so much. And, it is so cool to see how committed she is to change. She even had a visit this Sunday. When her visit came she told them to wait for her three hours because she was going to church. And, BAM, she went to church. How cool is that!!!! 

Well, I gotta go. I love you all tons!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

FYI - I am on Rabies Watch

So this week has been quite an adventure. Boy, oh boy! The week started out great and on Wednesday I got bit by a freaking dog, all because I was acting like Kung Fu Panda. Of course, the dog hasn't been vaccinated for rabies. The mission nurses freaked out but I'm okay. They are still watching me for signs of rabies, however. That was a really fun experience.

We also got to take a bunch of pictures today in classic Guatemalan clothes. That was really fun. Then I had to go to a meeting and so I lost some of my p-day. Oh well, that's life! 

This week has been good. We have found some really good people and in church we had a great number - 182! That is super bomb!!! We are just breaking records but now we need to break records with baptisms. We are still working hard to motivate and encourage the zone. It is still a little sluggish. 

If possible, can you send the game Rook and Pit for Christmas? My companion would really like one as a gift and I want Pit! jajaja

Thanks, everyone, for being so awesome! Love ya tons!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

I Have Never Been Happier in My Life Than I Am Right Now

Hey everyone! how are you all? I'm doing great! The emergency changes went quite well. In fact, they went great! Kinda at first I was really mad because it meant that I wasn't going to be able to go the temple but I got to go. In fact, I rode up to Quetz with President and it was really fun. Plus it is always such a rad experience to get to go to the temple. I always look forward to it because I learn great things from it. After that, I came to my area and it looks possible that I'm going to the temple this month again to see a family get sealed that my companion baptized and in December I get to go again to see another family that I baptized get sealed!!! It is soooo freaking cool!!!!!! 

Elder Grant with President and Sister Ruiz

Elder Grant at the Quetzeltenango Temple

While I was at the temple I had the opportunity to sit in the Sealing Room after my session and just think about the divine plan that God has created for us - that he gives us all families and has a plan for every single one of those families to be eternal. It was wonderful to just sit and think about that. 

Well about the changes ... I got moved back to the Zone Las Palmas and it is pretty great! I'm a Zone Leader now with Elder Quiroz which is great because he was my Zone Leader before, in this same zone, and I'm going to "kill him" (an expression meaning he goes home with the next changes). He's my dad and I'm his murderer. Wahoo!!  Being a zl is definitely a new experience. I have a cell phone and I have to talk to President aveces. Also, I'm very nervous because Elder Carlos H Amado is coming to our zone and I have to get everything ready for the conference. By the way, he is a Seventy. I'm freaking out a little bit. Like you said, Mom, The Lord puts us in places so we learn and that's what I'm doing right now. That is the word about changes.

He loves this Guatemala land.

The rat that he killed. Note from mom: "Disgusting!"

Our zone seems a bit beat up right now maybe because they have all been here forever. I mean, my child, Elder Saunders, is still here! That's a long time. It is his 4th change here. Woww! I was so excited to see him. I hope that I can help them realize that this is the best work of all time. Honestly, I have never been happier in my life than I am right now. Sure, I have had incredibly enjoyable moments before and I miss you all a ton, but just being in the pure service of our God make everything super cool! I just love being missionary!!

Here is what else I have done. We had a baptism which was really fun and we colored the water blue instead of green. It looks like we are going to be out of time but I just want to ask those who are sealed in the temple to send me how they felt when they got sealed to their husband/wife. It could really help me with a few families that we are teaching. 

Baptism in Mazetenango with Elder Pichardo

Baptism in Las Palmas with Elder Quiroz

Oh, I forgot to tell you all that it was The Day of the Dead and we ate fiambre or sea meat salad smothered in beat juice. It was definitely interesting and tasty. It filled me up so much and I'm really glad it's only a one day a year thing. 

Fiambre or Sea Meat Salad - "Interesting"

Elder Quiroz and Elder Grant about to eat their Fiambre

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Emergency!!!!

Hey all! I have titled this thing as emergency because I have emergency changes and to tell the truth I'm not so pumped about that. I love my zone and my district but there are always changes in our lives but it is whatever, I guess. I don't really care as long as I'm a missionary. I'm happy! Did you know that I have only 8 more months in the Lord's service?

Well, this week has been great. We had another baptism which was awesome and now the members look like they want to help us more, yes!!! Everything is going the way we need it to. I'm just a little ticked because with the changes, though it is an experience to grow, I probably won't be able to go to the temple and it probably means I don't get a gym which sticks. It really helps de-stress. Oh well.

So today, as a zone, we watched Monsters Univeristy together. It was hiarious and then the Stae President gave us hamburgers! But that movie is very funny. It is better than the first one, at least in my opinion. It made me a little baggie for the college life. But then I realized my life is better because I'm a missionary!!! 

I wish I had more to write and I wish I could send my pictures but for some darn reason the computer won't recognize my camera. I will try again later. Keep being awesome. Thanks and bye!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

An Incredible Week

Just thought I'd tell you all that this has been an incredible week and P-day made it even better! And, no way! Hermana Ostler is in our mission. That is soooo cool!

So first off this week we had a baptism of a lady who is super smart and it is great because she is from a partial family. The only weird thing is her husband is super old. She is 19 and he is 36 which seems really gross... I think they eloped or something...YUCK! But it is all good. The baptism was great. At first our Bishop wasn't happy, sometimes that happens. But in the end he was super happy and our Zone completed its goal. It looks like we are still going to keep doing great. We will probably be able to go to the Temple or if we are really lucky then we will be able to go to The Waters of Mormon!!! President would have to come with us. He played volleyball with us today which was sick!

Today P-day rocked. We played a ton of sports and ate hot dogs with the Mission President and it was super bomb!!! My legs are super dead. Today I went to the gym with Elder Uasike, from Tonga. He is huge!!! He is a beast - like super strong. He destroyed me with legs. But it is all good. 

I am loving the mission right now. Even though my companion is not always the most obedient in the world, he is a good guy. I learned a really good lesson this week. I learned I just need to accept the differences of people and love them for who they are. My companion is awesome. People just love him because he is so funny. He really is a good companion.

Looks like my time is up. I love you all. Keep on keeping on and all should work out. That's what I learned from the Liahona this week.

Con amor,

Elder Grant

This Week Has Been Pretty Bomb

So this week has been pretty bomb. We got a bunch of new investigators, first of all and that was great. Second of all, the members are so much more excited to work with us, after Conference. I mean we kinda received a machete from God on both sides of the work - the members and the missionaries. We just need to step it up. And here in Bario Oriente (the Ward) that's what we have done! This week we had six lessons accompanied by members!!! Wahoo! I'm so excited. It's time to change this Ward from a great one to an excellent one. 

Third of all, WE HAVE A BAPTISM OF A FAMILY THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And it looks like I won't have changes and so I'm really excited for that because this family is pretty cool. Our Zone just had 18 baptisms!

Today was a pretty fun P-Day. We got permission to do some pretty cool stuff including leaving the zone. We went to some place called Xulik!!! It is a toy museum and also we got to go paintballing. It has been pretty freaking epic! It was so fun and a great stress reliever. Basically I am just happy and I'm hungry. I haven't eaten yet but I'm happy! 

We are working hard. I kind of want to train again especially because a Tongan is coming in and I would love to train him. Oh ya, back to paint balling. It was 25 Quetz and it literally lasted five minutes and then we were done. But then we went to the museum and it was so cool. There were a bunch of Star Wars things and comic book things. Also I got to hug Jessica Alba from Fantastic 4. I sent a picture so you all can see it. Then we took pictures with a Superman cape and it was dope. I was totally nerding it out.

All suited up for paintballing

Super-Collin

Awe yes! Jessica Alba

Who knew The Hulk lives in Guatemala

No fighting!!!

And the evil Star Wars cast lives in Guatemala, too.

It is crazy that time goes bye so quickly. It seems like yesterday I was some really mad kid in the MTC that was trying to learn Spanish and now English is hard. Hahaha Christmas package? Maybe a new pair of pants and some socks. But Idaho spuds would definitely be appreciated and an MP3 player with headphones. I can't sleep well right now. It's been hard. Also candy and I'm good on everything else. Well, maybe some pics of friends and family would be really nice. Yes, that would be cool. Tell Kenna she can't go to the U of U. She has to go to Hawaii with me. That would be sick!!!

 

How are all of you? Good? I sure hope so. It's time to go but I love you all.

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Conference Was Incredible

Hey everyone. How are you all doing? I hope just well. So sorry about last week when I didn't get to email you all. It was because the internet died. Well, actually all the power went out in the whole city. haha So, I couldn't finish. 

So, how did you all like Conference? I thought it was incredible and a little different. I loved messages about finding balance in your life and the talk from Elder Holland about depression. I sometimes get really down on myself on the mission and even though he didn't really talk about that, the Spirit spoke to me and told me that I don't have it that bad and that God gives us challenges to make us stronger which has helped me a lot because this change has not been an easy one. It's not that the work here is hard but I realized that as a team both parts need to pull. I like the example they used about a yoke. If we don't work together then we fail. But if we do work we can have incredile things happen. 

I talked to my comp about that but I don't know what to do with him. We aren't finding a whole lot ofpeople  together and we need the help of the members. The General Authorities even talked about that. But, my comp says he doesn't need their help. He's mad because he's companion b, after a year and a half of being companion a. He is ticked at me. Other than that, all is well.

Yesterday we found a family that has an incredible story and we are hoping it is real and they aren't some freaky people. They got married a while ago and then they got kicked out of their house and now they are here. They seem interested. Supposedly the husband is a Mormon but we'll see.

Well, I guess I don't have too much to write this week. It's been very uneventful because it has been full of meetings and interviews. The District is doing well. I'm kind of bummed because changes are coming up and Elder Harumi, a missionary from Pocatello, is leaving. He's cool.

Thanks for all your support and keep praying for us to find new investigators. Byes!!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant