Well it Looks Official ... I Am Old

Thank you for the birthday wishes. I felt like a normal person clicking on things that were not mission related. The birthday cards were fun! I can't believe I am 20. That is weird.

This week has been pretty good. We had an awesome talent show. I am sending pictures of our zone. It was such a cool activity. The ward freaked out and everyone was screaming and it was just super cool. We got our recent convert to dance in it, too, with her boyfriend. They we so embarrassed though. We danced a Hawaiian hula even though none of us are Hawaiian in the slightest. Our dance turned out well. I wish I could send the video but it is too big of a video. Darn! A few cute little girls sang. One of the little girls is the one we baptized. She sang a song by Christina Aguilera. It was pretty sick!

I can't even explain how awesome our talent was. We ran in doing a little chant and everyone was very confused. Then we started the dance and everyone went nuts. Now they just wnt us to teach them the dance. We were hoping it would raise the attendance and it did a bit, which is great, but now instead of helping us they just want to learn a dance. There is a great story about putting the counselor in the Bishopric in a garbage can and the ward was a riot. I have never seen so much animation from the ward. It was great!

Other than the activity, not a lot has happened this week. We have tried to get permission from a kid's father to baptize him but the dad went off on a rave. It was really dumb. When people are stuck in their ways it is really hard to change their minds. We have the boy reading the Book of Mormon right now. He likes it a lot but refuses to change religions because he is Catholic. Those traditions a hard to break from. Maybe someday he will get soaked instead of sprinkled. We are also teaching a lady who doesn't seem too positive but she is still willing to learn. She hasn't progressed yet but things are going well. At least she is nice. 

I met this little girl today. she and her family are visiting from the States. Her family is here studying Mayan Culture. It has been fun to talk to them. I did get to eat some super good food a few days ago. It was the best fried chicken I have ever had. It had bacon flavoring! Woot!!!"

Well have a great week. Peace!!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Happy in the Mountains

Hey everyone. How are y'all? I hope all is good. I am feeling much happier now that we have had a baptism. I am a lot more pumped because it has been a while.  This week has been pretty fun. I got to go to a beautiful place called Grandeza. It was a best. I took some awesome pictures! I also took some pictures of my area in a panoramic view. It shows the beautiful mountains that surround me. 

The other picture is with one of the kids of the sister who gives us dinner. This kid is hilarious. He punches me all the time.  

The internet is being really slow right now so I hope everything comes through. I was on splits and I found out that I work a lot better in those places - out of cities. I think it is just because it is more open. I am sending some pictures. We had fun making funny faces for pictures. (These pictures didn't come.) 

Well spiritual ness of this week has been incredible. I have been getting a lot better at following the Spirit and even though I didn't find a whole lot of newbies this week, we did find some people who are really positive. The is a guy who is just full of questions and he eats up all of our answers like a beast! It is really exciting. 

I have me tend how we have had trouble with the Stake President. Well this week we had Stqke Conference. It was so sad. It just demonstrated the the big changes that need to happen here. Conference started out with the First Counselor talking about how the stake hasn't made any improvements. Then he blamed it on the missionaries. Then the Stake President had a very unusual talk. Hmmmm the Area Seventy then cleared some things up from the pulpit, about the President's took. It was great! Afterward the Seventy talked to us and told us how awesome we have and in 20 words we we left feeling completely better. It was super bomb!!!

Anyways, I know the church is true and Christ is our Savior.

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Baptism Coming Up

Hey!!!! I have got some good news! We are gonna have a baptism this Saturday just as I complete 10 months. This girl is super pumped and so am I and she's got so much faith. Her parents are totally against it but she just basically told them that their "traditions will not keep me from gaining salvation!" I wish we all could be like that. It is really inspiring. I had been really down on myself for a while up here, with the lack of success. But, God is really helping me out on this one. She is a reference from her boyfriend who is a buddy of mine from over here. He is an ex-missionary and now he is just being a boss. Hopefully this will wake up the members here. They just see us as home-teachers with name tags. I'd love to bring all the menos activos to church but really the majority of them don't want a thing and so I get frustrated with that. I also get a little bit frustrated with the racism but its all good!


Well, changes went well. We got a new zone leader. I loved my old zl but he wasn't always obedient. The new zl is Elder Clyde. He's from Hebert and he is a stud! But, he is dying this change, which means he's going home. He is sup cool and looks like he is going to leave me with a super nice bag to use for packing instead of my medium suitcase. Woot!!! I love free stuff.

Today, for p-day, we had an awesome party! First we played American football and then we had STEAK!!! YES! Football was super fun. We were just running everybody over and it was a party. My kid didn't like it so much, however. But it was still fun and things are just getting better and better.

I am doing pretty well here in the wonderful land of Guate. I am a bunch happier which is nice. It makes it a whole lot easier to work when you're happy. And now that I a happy I am pumped. Well, I wish I had pictures for you all but my camera is all broken and stuff. But, my birthday is coming up and so if ya want to send candy and stuff that would be cool! Well, love ya!

Con amor,
Elder Çollin Grañt

Well This Week

I baptized! Sure it wasn't in my area but I have taught the family a few times, with my Zone Leaders. The little 12 year old girl asked for me to baptize her. I love this family! I still have that wonderful Grant baby face and you can see that I am happy. You can see, in the picture, that cute little girl, who's almost white, and in yellow, she calls me "Baby Face" in Elnglish because she picks up on English super quickly. She even sings in Eglish even though she doesn't have an idea what she is saying. She sings Adele! I can't say I am totally obedient because the rule book says no kisses but this little girl kisses us all the time, on the cheek, when we leave. She melts our hearts. It is so cute!!!

Other stories. I went on divisions to a place called San Antonio or aka Saint Anthony!!!! What ya!!! So the place is a huge area. We walked two hours up a mountain and then down and then we fell down a little and screamed. It was hilarious. The cita we went to wasn't there at all so we walked that way just to see some incredible views and to fall down a really steep path. The story on this is funny. This is what happened. We got to this big path through the jungle. It was super steep and only polvo. Then my companion pushed me and said "Run" because there were a bunch of dogs coming after us. So, I started running down a cliff. Suddenly I heard a thud behind me and saw my companion sliding down the path. Then he hit me and we tumbled to the bottom. We landed in a dust covered heap and we just cracked up! It was a great adventure. Then we walked the two hours up the cliff to get back. We died at a members house for dinner. Woot! That is my good story.

Well for pday we have done nothing but we are going to watch Madagascar 3. Yay! Movie day, woot!!! I love you all a ton.

Con amor,
Elder Grant

Another Update and a Better Mood

I would like to say that I do believe I am in a better mood. I have just had to come to the fact that I may not have baptisms h and that is ok. I can keep my head up because I have put everything into this place!

My little sister, Kenna, owned in Jr. Miss because she won the best prize, 1st Runner-Up, and lots of moola without further commitment. Heck to the ya!!! I am so soo sooo proud of her. All the missionaries in my zone have crushes in her. It is funny. They are always asking for pictures of her. I am also proud of those other two sisters. Be good sisters!

I am still training but my child, in the mission, is still having a hard time. He wants a rest because he has worked a month and deserves a couple days off. I won't let him and so he is mad at me. It is kind of funny. He is a little guy and will hit me then run away. Hahaha

This week the Temple President of Xela came and said "Hi" to us in church. He gave a really cool message that the members, hopefully, listened to because it was on missionary work. They are kind of deaf to missionary work. I've mentioned that before. But we keep on working. I sometimes wonder why it has to be so hard here.

It is crazy how fast the time goes here on the mission. I have been out for almost 10 months. It is insane!!! My Spanish is basically fluent which is so cool!!!

I love you all tons. Sorry there isn't much to write but I'm working on getting exciting experiences. I am going to get a Skype account today and you all should do one too so we can talk and you can see my fat face!!!

Con amor,
Elder Grant

I Am Hoping for a Hot Wife

Well, Conference was pretty much like the bomb! I loved it all and it was cool to hear Falabella speak. He's the old Area President here. Even cooler ... Presidente Maravilla is going to be a Seventy. Holy awesome!!! I am pumped to listen to him read a talk in English and mess up on a few words but still teach a ton. He is so cool.

Things didn't go too hot this week but we are continuing to push on. I mean there is nothing else to do but work super hard. There is no point in just giving up. That makes no sense to me. It seems we aren't doing a whole lot to help people but we are sure inviting but I feel it is not enough. On the bright side I have been treating my companion as my best friend and things are going better even though my lack of patience can get in the way. He really is a good kid. He just struggles so much with just about everything.

We did find one problem with the people. Many families hate us because past missionaries wouldn't give them money. Of course, we don't do that. They have gotten it in their minds that we are all bad in this zone. We have to overcome this issue. The mission isn't easy. I sure hope I get a hot wife out of this! Haha *wink* *wink* And I am pretty sure i will be in the mountains until I die. Just trying to be positive and less frustrated.

I heard from a couple mission buddies today. It amazing to think how much time thy have left. It is also awesome to see just how great they are. They are all a great group of kids.

I almost cried when I found out that the darn cat had died. In fact, I am sad. I will probably write that in my journal, first entry in weeks. Love you all tons. PEACE!!!

Con amor,
Elder Grant

I Have a New Kid

Well all is well this week and I haven't been in any crazy buses for a week. It was a great adventure, however. My old companion went to his mission in Gutierrez Tuxtla Mexico and I have a new kid, as in I am training again. Training is an adventure. It sometimes makes me laugh a lot. His Name is Elder Herrera and he is from Honduras. He uses a lot of hand signs and is too scared to talk in lessons. He is a sweet kid and he came out for the right reasons so the Lord will bless him.

I am building relationships with the members. I have told them that I am willing to help them with whatever they may need. I am glad to help. This seems to make things better. We found a very positive lady last night. Woot!!! We are going to work with the Bishop in a lesson. Lessons with members are the bomb! Especially the Bishop because he is super pilas!

I went on splits with the AP Elder Flores. He's pretty cool and I know his biggest secret. He speaks English and nobody knows that except me! It was great.

So I was just now thinking of Kreggic. He has made a decision that I am not sure I would have been able to make. I can't say that I am a very humble person and to make a decision like that requires a lot of humbling. I'm proud of him and in the end, even though the first will be a rough patch, that kid is going to become someone incredible. That is the beautiful thing about repentance. It always makes you better. And sure if you fall hard you have to work your tail off to get back up but then you are a whole heck of a lot stronger. That's what I love so much of this wonderful Gospel. You can always repent. I think of Peter. He denied Christ three times. But through repentance he became a man whose faith was so incredibly strong that when he passed, people flocked to him just in the hope that his shadow would touch him. How incredible is that. Just a rare little spiritual content from your missionary son there.

Today we played futbol and I totally owned straight up! I like that game a lot now. I used to hate it but man it is super fun. I even scored on my companion. Hahahaha

Well, I love you. Have a wonderful week. Oh yeah, I'm happy and healthy.

Con amor,
Elder Grant

The pictures are of Elder Herrera and Me, some incredible street art made with sand, and the stars I totally made. That all got destroyed like 20 minutes after because the parade walked right through it. Weird, right? I don't understand all this crazy Guatemala-ness!