Jey que tal?

Hey ya'll. What's up? I'm doing fine, in fact I'm doing just fantastic. Today was a super fun p-day. We went to a cool museum and now here we are writing. It was quick, fast, and easy so I have no problem with it. Also, the mission life is good!

I have had a lot of learning this week, especially over what it truly means to be a member of the church.  I have learned that as members we promise to do so many things and, like a motor that doesn't work if it doesn't have all the parts, salvation doesn't work if we don't include all the parts. I learned how important it really is to be a member who shares the gospel. Now this doesn't mean that everyone we talk to gets converted or that no one even listens. It means that we will try. Really that is all that God asks of us. We always need to try. We aren't perfect and He knows that but if we try Christ's atonement makes up for the rest. So, that is my spiritual thought for the week. Sorry it is so scatter brained.

As far as the work here, the whole zone is having a rough time, especially getting people to church. Nobody can get their investigators to go. It stinks! But the Lord will help us find a way to fix that. The Lord gives us these challenges for a reason. For example, maybe in my life things won't go the way I want, in fact, they probably won't. So, the Lord is helping me to learn for the future. The Lord is helping me to become a better person. I came out here wanting to be a baptizing machine and though I work with all my might, mind, and strength, I'm simply not a baptizer. But, I have  learned that even in the face of hardship you just need to buckle down and get to work. And that's what I do and it has helped immensely. Other than that not a whole lot has happened this week. Well, it's time to go! Bye. Love you all!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Hanging out at the museum.

Elder Grant and Elder Ortega, District buddies

Elder Grant and Elder Saunders with their mustaches

Greetings Family

Hey family! well I'm writng you after a very fun pday. We went mini golfing and it was great! We had much fun and as you can see by the pictures I have flawless form. Also, I sent a picture of me and a little girl while im holding a tooth brush so its really funny! That's gross because her teeth are very icky.

To answer a few questions, we do not have rainbows here. They simply don't exist. Also, let Whitney know that she won't see her passport from the day she enters Quate. It all goes to the church office and then it is returned when you leave. Also let her know that it is really hot here but not in Quetz and drunks are funny. Let Uncle Wayne know that I am close to Mazatenango. It is pretty cool there. They have a Taco Bell! I met the Quatemala City Temple President once and he is cool. San Marcos rules because it is cold but Xela stinks because it isn't in my mission. Hahaha

I don't have too much to say this week except that I will tell you my miracle. We finally had a family at church that is so prepared. They want to know which church is true! Also I learned that as a leader I need to give more of myself and though sometimes I will feel as though my area will suffer, it will help others and that's what Christ did. He gave his whole life and incredible treasure so that everyone has an oporunity for a better life. As a representative of him I need to help the others in my district. Well, I would love to write more but thanks to some district issue and problems, I must leave. Well, love ya tons! Bye.

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Maybe he was teaching her to use a toothbrush. 

This must be where the golf pros sit.

Perfect form? Does that include the pen in his mouth?

Fasting Brings Blessings

Well, this week has been a whole lot of adventures! It was weird to not have the 24th of July but thats the last of all of them! Woot. This week has gone by very well and I have been able to gain a much better testimony of the power of fasting like for example how powerful it is. We fasted this last week, as a zone, for families and we all found families. It was awesome and many of them are positive. None of that would have happened if it weren't for the fast. Speaking of fast, the mission is shooting by super quickly as in I have less than 11 months until I go home. I know that thanks to good old Elder Yergensen in the office because, well, he likes to tell me these things.  Also this week we have had some fun with good old drunks.  Yesterday I got one to believe I'm from a country called Grinalicho which is in the middle of the ocean and we speak every language in the world. It was super funny but all the drunkenness is sad.

This week has been hard because of stupid substances like that. We had a family drop us because they use drugs and don't want to drop them. That was kind of hard because they were pretty positive which stinks ya know. But that's how life is. We found other people and that's just how life is here. Sometimes bad things happen and we can't  do anything to help it. Oh well.

Well things are going better with the training. I feel that he has been really down on himself and he was but is getting better. I just need to help him to realize that to study for your investigators is the best way to grow yourself. When you are looking for a way to help others, God helps you so much more in return. That's one of the many things that I absolutely love about missionary work because its so wonderful in that sense. Also I've never been closer to Christ - ever in my whole life. i wish i could always feel this way but I won't because I won't have his special mantle with me after the mission since I'll be released darn..... Oh well!  Well I gotta go. I hope all is well with ya'll and I love ya tons bye!!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Elder Grant and his District.

Happy for McDonalds.

That is some pretty short hair Elder Grant seems to have.

Another Week in the World of Guate

Pizza!!!!   

Hey! Well I just wanna write you all because I love ya guys! This week has been an adventure. We had to cross a river because the rock bridge got covered by the water. We had to go down to another part and cross the river and that was fun. We found a giant caterpillar and then we squished it and it exploded in a giant green icky ness. That was super fun as well. 

This week has been full of mâchéting people like my district. They have been super disobedient so I macheted them and it was great. Now they are more obedient. Not a whole lot else happened this week. We have some good progress with investigators. The only hard thing is getting them to church. I am super bummed about that. The Spirit has been leading us a ton and its been greatly great to have been able to listen more to the Spirit. It is definitely the best thing in the world to have the Sirit to guide you. 

I am glad you are having fun in Oregon, I just googled Devils Churn. That looks like a fun place to not fall in! Our new Pres. is incredible and so awesome. He wants to come to work with us in our area. Woot!

Well other than that I am done. Love ya tons! Oh wait, the district and zone are kicking butt. Also, one of my best friends, Elder Aoki, is now leaving the mission which stinks. Bye!

Con Amor,

Elder Grant

Wadoop!!

Thanks for letting me know that you got last week's emails. I had gotten a ton of emails that said they didn't send today and I was really worried but they did make it out. I just finished emailing President Ruiz and hopefully this letter will make it to all of you. If not I will feel bad. I like to include you all in my adventures! 

I hope all is well with you because I am doing well. My poor companion is having a little bit of a breakdown. I don't think he thought the mission was going to be this tough but it's tough and he will adjust because he is a tough kid. Well, way tough because he is like freakin' huge. He was a linebacker at Dixie State. He is pretty much my bodyguard and occasionally he scares some people because he is so much bigger than they are and they don't want to talk to us which is kind of funny. He is getting frustrated with how no one wants to come to church because the chapel is an hours walk from where the majority of the people live. It is hard to get people there. But, that is alright because God will provide a way. I know he will and Elder Saunders will be okay. 

My companion and I have been working super hard and our District is doing quite well. We have had six baptisms with two families so I am really excited. It looks like we can get three more with a family in my area. One of the problems there is that a member makes the family's dad work on Sundays which stinks. I am going to machete him a little so he lets the guy go to church so he can be baptized. Woot!!! I am really excited. 

I have also realized that being the DL isn't too bad because I have a lot of spiritual experiences in interviews. I get to feel the Spirit from those who really want to be better people. It is incredible to see the changes in them. 

Well, time is up so I had better go, I hope that all is well and you are all happy. Bye and love you al, tons!!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

P.S.  send me candy ya know...like if you want to show me you love me :)

Wassup!!

How are you all? I hope you are all doing just fabulous. Well this week has been pretty bomb. We had a family baptized and looks like we have another family of five with another dude and another family of two and two other people this week. I'm super pumped with the District. They are all working hard and I am super excited. 

This week, my awesome companion and I walked all over the place and we are still finding a lot of people. I'm really excited that we are earning the trust of the members. My companion is so bomb! All the time we are laughing and just enjoying life. It is going to be hard letting him go. It is super fun when Elder Saunders and I get to nerding out about Lilo and Stitch or Star Wars - my personal favorite. We work hard too.

I have met the new President, Presidente Ruiz, and he is insanely awesome. He's super chill and it is kinda funny to watch the lack of formality that he has. President Maravilla was quite formal. But Pres. Ruiz is kind of a little bit of a party. Also, he lives like literally four minutes walking from my house. I have to make sure that we never do anything stupid but don't worry, we sure won't

This week I made a cup out of a plant that was cool but I forgot my camera to show you. Darn! Crazy note, in three days I'm gonna have a year. That is kind of nuts! Wow time flies here on the mission and I don't like it because everyday goes by so fast and I love every moment here. But, all good things must come to an end. At least I still have 11 months! Woot! Heck yes!!!

I love you all and just want to invite you all to try and get the missionaries to talk to a friend or to someone who isn't active. That would be cool ya know! Peace out and bye!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Blessings of Obedience

Hey everyone! How are you all doing? I hope all is well. Did you all get to see that awesome training meeting because if not you should look it up. It was freaking incredible! And before I tell you about my life, I want to invite you all to share the gospel with anyone. Sometimes it's hard but like the video shows, it can be simple, too, just by simply helping someone.

Well this week has been pretty cool. We walked a ton. My area is huge and it is like a mile between each little sector of houses. So yesterday we walked like five hours. It was super tiring haha. But it is going great here. We are trying to be super obedient and it is helping a ton. We are seeing a lot of miracles in our lives. We found so many people and so many families this week. We found two really positive families and it is incredible. I know that without the Spirit we would never have found all of these people. I am so happy about it.

Well I found some cool stuff out about my area. There is a huge piece of land that is like 30 hectares. It is massive!!! The area has guard towers with dudes that have AK47s. I was thinking this was weird for guarding corn. Turns out that inside there is a little town where people make cocaine and harvest marijuana. That certainly explains the towers. And we saw this dude that has no eyes because he went on the land. Needless to say we aren't going to go on that land. Ummm...also they have an airstrip which is cool. I have been wondering why I heard planes at like 3:00 in the morning. Weird and sketchy stuff!!! You have got to love Guate. This place rules!!

We also got a new mission president. I don't know him yet but I bet he is cool. I could go get to know him if I wanted. He lives five walking minutes from my house but I feel he wouldn't like that. I feel he would get mad. But maybe someday...when I know him better.

Well, love you all. Bye!!!

Con amor,

Elder Grant

Here are some pictures:

Absolutely beautiful! I love this country!

Havin' some fun in the terrible heat.

Lots of walking. 

Delicious, ripe mango.

Tie collecting.

This is how I brush my teeth.