A Post To End It All

How to end this ... Well I guess I have been staring here at the screen for well over 20 minutes wondering what to write or how to explain how I feel. The truth is I really don't know what to say. Probably I have never felt more torn part in my life. I absolutely have loved my mission and though there have been rough times and good times, none have been for the negative. In fact, they have all helped me grow. I don't know, today has definitely been one of the harder days in my mission. I guess in all reality, the mission is over with now. Tomorrow I am off to a sealing and I'll be there all day. And to tell the truth I feel more nervous right now than I did when I left on the mission. It is just weird and I can't decide how I feel. But oh well. I guess it has to end. I kind of wish I had extended but now it is too late. Plus, I think it would have been a killer for my sisters. jaja

I'm so excited to see about going to the temple tomorrow to see that final goal of all baptisms is. 

As it comes to an end, I want to thank you all for the support and examples you have all given me!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

All Good Things Come to an End

The money transfer was a success. I love Jaime. He gave me the money and will pull it out tomorrow. He is a good member. Also, yes, I know the Hodgemans. They are my favorite old people ever. They are crazy! They let us watch the Hobbit 2. Not sure how that passed. Oh well. I love those guys!

Well, this is the second to last email that you will get from me. It is just weird thinking about. I do not like it at all ... but it has to happen. 

Today I went and visited the family from Malacatan to end it all. It was awesome. They gave me caldo de pollo and it was delicious. 

This week has been full finding out that the families we have been teaching were attacked by their pastors. So my comp and I had a Bible bash with these guys and owned them. Then their people called them liars because they told everyone we don't use the Bible but we knew it better than the pastors did. 

Well, I guess that's all I've got. Sorry my brain is just kind of mush.

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Not Much Happening

It is official. I am dying. The missionaries on my sides just reminded me of that. It doesn't mean I am not going to work. In fact, I have to keep working. I am going to have the best way ever to end the mission. I am going to go, the day before I go home, to see one of my families get sealed, I am so excited, teny have been my best friends here in Guate for over a year now. I am going to end the mission seeing them all in white with their three little girls getting sealed. Best wayl to die!

Other than that, this has been one of the hardest weeks of my mission. My companion and I have been working hard but nothing has happened. When my old companion, Elder Galvez, was dying, everything went perfectly but oh well. The Lord puts trials in our way to help us grow and learn. Still a fun experience.

Well, our really positive investigator, William, has puttered out right now. We had asked him before if he was married legally and he told us yes. We found out a few days ago he isn't married which stinks, he was going to get baptized this week. That is kind of a bummer, a huge bummer actually. We just need to keep going.

I'm not sure I am going to finish baptizing but at least I know I'm leaving the zone better than I found it. Other than that there isn't a whole lot going on. Got the package and so we are playing Nerf guns and machetes in the house for pday. Haha We have had nonstop fun with that little Nerf pistol. I have two machetes and we try to block the darts with the machetes. It is just freaking hilarious. Our neighbors are watching us like we are completely nuts.

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Good News and a Birthday

Well good news. This week that family that I worked with a lot last year said they are officially going to the temple now! So, the 24th, the day before changes, I'm going to be in the temple with them. I am really excited for that.

This week has been cold and wet. We are making progress here in they to mountains which is super important because President is expecting a lot out of us right now. Plus I want to end on a really good note. We are work eking so hard so everyone can end well, also, there are a lot of us leaving at the end of this change,

On the baggy side of things, I had my last interview with President. He said I'll probably be get married in 3 years. Jaja we'll see. It is all good here. It will be weird being home and President told me good luck. That was about it.

I am going to leave from Guatemala super late because that stinks - like 11:40. I'll be sitting around forever again, like when I came. 

William is doing well, the only thing we need to do with him is teach him out of the Priincipals of the Gospel. He said he is bored of missionary lessons. We are just going to keep going and see what is up.

Other than that, nothing has happened this week-except I am old!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Getting Old

Well on Saturday I will officially be old. So many hours have passed in my life and it has been so fast. Sometimes I get scared that my life is going be that fast after this but I still want to enjoy it a ton. Can't believe it. And in one month I will be home. Not quite sure what to think about that. 

This week was alright. I mean my wallet was stolen so that kinda stinks... It doesn't look like the wallet is coming back because I was in Reu. A lot of missionaries use Western Union for pisto and it is decent. I am sick again and I think it is Dengue again and Dengue is the worst. Must have gotten it at the coast. My entire body is achy and my head hurts. It hurts to breathe but whatever.

Hermana William is progressing quite a bit but I am really mad at myself right now. We had a great lesson with him last night and it was really spiritual. But then his drunk boss came in and was being stupid. After about 20 minutes, I couldn't take it anymore so I chewed him out. The boss got mad and started yelling. I hope it doesn't affect William. He told his boss that he was a Mormon so that is a good sign. Please pray for him so he will be alright. I am also praying for more patience.

That is really all I have to say because I don't want to focus too much on home in the last leg of the mission. Love ya all!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Last Changes and a New (and Last) Companion

So this week had been a little bit lame ... The first half anyway. I was with my baggy, baggy, baggy companion. We didn't do much work. But then on Wednesday we had changes and that was probably one of the weirdest experiences of my life. I have been to tons of those meetings and these last nine months, as a zone leader, I have been to every one. It stinks to see all my buddies leaving. We were sitting there listening to all the testimonies and then up stepped Elder Dalton. I couldn't believe it. My first companion was now going home. And, he only has one more change than me. Then it hit me that I am in the last leg of my mission. I need to pick things up. So, I got a new companion, Elder Hernandez from Peru. He is cool! I thought I was going to get Elder Locke, from Idaho, but that didn't happen. My companion is a really good kid. We work well together because I don't want to die in my mission as a slacker missionary.

So good news! The girl we baptized last year is still going strong and wants to go to the temple now. And because the guy that baptized her felt the spirit, he wants to go to the temple now!!! I am so excited because I am going to go see them get sealed!!! What a great way to end the mission.

In other good news, looks like we have two more baptisms coming up. The partial family we are teaching is progressing a ton. I love the gospel. It just makes people happy and that is what is happening with him. He just keeps getting happier. He believes in the sacerdocio and now asks for blessings. I am super excited. He should be baptized on my birthday - May 31st. That's probably the best birthday present ever. So I am really excited. And more success means more animos to work! I am glad I have got a good comp to die with who won't let me die lamely.

So funny story. My companion went to chest bump me last night, after we finished the day, because that is what we normally do when we get done for the day. But, he is super tiny - like 135 pounds and I'm a 185 fatty. I sent the poor kid flying into the wall and he hit his head. Hahaha he is okay.

This week is going to be sick. Presidente Duncan is coming to the mission so we are going to see what's up with him and then after I'm staying in Reu again. I LOVE Reu! That's about it for this week. Love you guys!!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

A Baptism and Mother's Day Call

Hey Happy Mother's Day to all you moms, aunts, and grandmas out there!

Good news! We had a baptism last week. I would send pics but my comp isn't here, my camera is dead. He left to San Marcos to do something. I have another companion for the day. My comp goes home tomorrow.

On the cool news, I got to talk to my family!!! That was awesome. They all seem happy but it was weird because I am dying soon. Well, not soon but it is there on the list. But, no worries, we are finitely going to keep working! HARD!!!! I am happy. And, I am happy about the baptism. It is a cool story.

This girl named Wendy is working for a family of members and she lives there with them. Well the wife took her to the temple and she felt the spirit super strongly. So, we went to teach her and asked her if she wanted to be baptize. She said, "Yes!" And there you have it. She went to church, has progressed, and got dunked. And we are happy. Then the previous Stake President's daughter got married to a nonmember and he is really positive. I am so pumped! He will be baptized either the 24th or the 31st. 

(This is info from our phone call, Skype, with Collin. We loved talking to him. He will be home in 6 weeks. So this was a bit of a different call than the others. It was more of a preparation for the return type of call. He did have some new info. He told us about the fleas and how he is being eaten alive. He said the sprays aren't as effective as we would like to think they are. He has lots of holes in his shoes but can make it to the end. He is loving his zone - full of Elders. He is healthy and happy. He is feeling a bit "baggy" and feels very frustrated with that. He doesn't want to think about coming home but it just happens. His current companion had extended and was very baggy. He went home this last Wednesday. That has made it more difficult to ignore the fact that he is now in his last transfer. He had many questions about home and we talked about what he eats and the "cold" temperatures. Poor kid will freeze when he gets home.

He said that their p-day would be spent traveling to Reu for a day of fun at the President's home. They were going to eat and play tennis. In order to get there from San Pedro, they had to leave at 5:30 a.m. and travel to Quetzeltenango where they would catch a bus to Reu. The ride would be three hours from Quetz to Reu. If they traveled from San Pedro then it would be about 5 1/2 hours. They had earned this p-day by exceeding the goals that were set for the zone. Collin was pretty excited! We received this picture that was taken inside President Ruiz's home.)

Sorry I didn't write yesterday, we were having a pday at President's house. It was really tired. We were up at 4:30 and then travel and playing in the hot sun. Then we had four hours of travel back. I fell asleep at 9:30. I haven't been to bed that early since before my mission. 

Well, time is up. I love you guys a tons!

Con amor,

Elder Grant