And This Is My JOY!

Steps: 52000 

Tortillas: 35 (I know I am kindof lacking, but I just found out we can buy some to eat at home, so this number will start to go up!)

Wow! Crazy week! On saturday afternoon we got a call that the next day I would be going to Guatemala City for my visa... So we cancelled all of our appoinments and the next morning we left for Guate. My comp stayed in Huehue with Elder Halls (An elder in my group) comp and Zone Leader and Elder Hall, Elder Pagan, and I headed for Xela. I thought that it was only us going, but it turned out that most of the guys from our group went! I found this out when near falling asleep on the bummpy bus to Xela is see Elder McVay enter the bus! I was so happy to see him. We then went to the Mission office in Xela and met up with the other guys and were off. Luckily, we got to ride in a nice bus from Xela to guate and not a Chicken Bus (Camineta). That night we arrived at about nine and slept in a super nice hotel. That night we ate Pizza Hut, and it was the greatest pizza that I have ever eaten! The next morning we woke up and headed of to the mission offices of Guatemala City. There we waited until we were taken to a government building. Here they took our picture and we signed a paper... All the way for that... After we went to taco Bell which is a real treat because we cant get it in Xela! It is in a mall and no one has permission. Then we made the long journey back! Monday night we stayed in Elder Pagan and Elder Barrios house, Zone leaders but not of my zone. This morning we rode another 3 hours and here we are! 

Bus ride from Xela to Guatemala City.
Finalizing the Visas! He is official! Gabe was so excited to see his friends from the CCM!  This is Gabe with Elder McVey

Guatemala City

Elder Maynes another life long friend from the CCM.  Gabe said it was the best reunion ever!  And he gets to see them all again for Thanksgiving!!!

The Super nice hotel!



This is the view from the hotel of the city.

Gabe said this picture was just for me, but I had to post it!  

This iguana was just hanging out on the hotel grounds.

We are still having difficuties with Familia SopChavez. This sunday a member told us that they did not show up... We are going to go visit them today, but I really hope we can help the father. The mom has so much faith and I dont want to lose them. We are also working a lot with a famliy that has less actives and non members. We call them the family of Hermana Juanita because Hra Juanita is the less active member of their family. It would be such a miracle if we can help them all come to church! Every day we continue to find people, and there is a lot of work to do with less active members. We are trying to find ways to strengthen the branch, so this week we will have a movie night at the church with one of the church movies, and telling people to bring their friends. We are also going to start doing English Classes, so hopefully that will help us strengthen and find. 

Mejor Milagro:

This week we found an amazing women named Avilia. What happened was we had an appointment, but when we went they were not there. Because appoinments always fall for a reason, we started looking for the why. This was in a small village named lop, and I thought of a lady that we had contatcted a couple weeks back that said she would be out of town but would love to hear from us. So, we go to visit her. When we got there, her mother was standing outside. We start talking to her, she says that her daughter but she wanted to learn why there are so many churches, so she invited us in. So, we taught the restoration and she was super receptive. As we taught she was quoting the bible alot and actually helping us out. So, we taught her that because of the great apostacy there are so many churches, that we have the restored church of Jesus Christ, and she can know through the Book of Mormon. So, we invited her to read and she said that she loves the bible so much and would love to try the Book of Mormon. Wow! She talked about how she has been going to the chruch of Centoamericana, but really wants to know the truth. So, we challenged her to read and to pray and she accepted! Also, at the same time her other daughter, Magdelena, was in the room listening and she also accepted. Wow! Also, we asked when we could come back, and they said that they are always here and we can come back whenever! So, we set an appointment for two days later. When we came back, Avilia was not there but her daughter was. So, we taught her daughter about the Plan of Salvation and she has been reading the Book of Mormon! So awesome! Down here we call people like that Super Pidlas! We have another lesson today, and I am so blessed that Heavenly Father puts people in our path to hear his gospel!

Testimony Time:

The title for this email comes from Alma 29:9, and I incourage you all to read it. It talks about how he receieved joy by preaching the gospel. I know that is so true! I have felt some of the most joy that I have ever felt bringing people unto Christ and as they accept his gospel. It is the most amazing feeling every. I love being an instrument in the hands of the Lord. I am so blessed for the opporturnity to be out here. I glory in the Lord and I know that everything comes from him. When we recognize this we will be so much happier. I am so grateful for the blessings that my Heavenly Father has already given me. I love him, I love Jesus Christ, and I love this gospel with every fiber of my being. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.  

Here are some answers to questions I asked Gabe;

 I asked Gabe if he realized Guatemala does not have daylight savings so now they are an hour ahead of Utah.

"Haha! I did not even realize that we are on a different schedule! We dont have daylight savings time here because the sun always comes up at 6 am and always goes down at 6 pm, sometimes later during the summer. I actually like it but it is weird because we dont have a lot of difference in seasons. It has not rained at all this week, except for today it is raining. I have not needed an umbrella, and the rain coat has only been used 3 or 4 times. I have worn my boots when I wear my jacket, but really I have not needed it. I am in the hottest area of the mission haha! 

Gabe was having tummy trouble because the bacteria we are used to in America is different in Guatemala, here is his response to be asking him if he is feeling better.

"I actually did not call the nurses and here is why. Dad told me to get a blessing, and so I got a blessing. After the blessing I have not had any more problems! If they arise again I will be sure to call then, but I have been doing just fine."

 In Gabes last email he refered to his area as the garden of the mission, I asked him why?

"The older couple that was here for 6 months, the Jones, call it the garden of the mission, and it is so true because we are in one of the most beautiful, vegitation full parts!