Week One in the Field: I was assigned to labor in Gualan, Guatemala.

Hi everyone! I dont have a lot of time to write so this might have to be fast. 

I left the MTC on Tuesday and went to a stake center only about 20 minutes away to go the the Transfer Meeting thing. I talked to the Stake President and I was assigned to labor in Gualán, Guatemala.

Gualán is about 4 hours from the city by bus. Its home to like 50,000 people. Everyone here is really poor. The one person Ive met who has a car is our Branch President and hes a lawyer. Many adults are unable to read and none of the houses really have doors you kind of just yell at a gate and somebody comes.

Everone is willing to hear our message, no one has ever turned us down.

The first guy I asked to be baptized said yes. His name is Cristino Garcia. He is 50 years old and lives in a hut in a papaya orchard. He only has one shirt and one pair of pants. He doesnt have a job but his twelve year old son does so his son provides for the two of them. Teaching him is very humbling. He says he wants to be baptized because he was very sick and pleaded for God to heal him. He was healed and had a new found sense of faith and purpose and thats when he met the missionaries. He wants to be baptized because he knows that priesthood authority is important and he knows we have it. In my first lesson with him it was really spiritual and when he said the closing prayer his chicken flew on my head. I stayed calm and my companion wacked the chicken off my head for me.

My companion is Elder Rivera. He is from Honduras and he is a convert to the church. Weve become bros and he helps me out a lot in lessons. Hes been in this area like 3 months so he knows the people. This is his last transfer. When he goes home he wants to study english to be an english teacher in his country. He already knows some english which is helpful. We try to speak only English in the house because hes preparing for an English fluency test.

I have attached a picture of me and Hermano Wales. He is a convert of 7 years and he loves to come with us to teach lessons, such a great guy.

We typically have breakfast at our house and lunch and dinner in the field. We eat at restaurants. Things here are so cheap. A restaurant meal with a drink is like 2.50. We take taxi things called tuc tucs to get around the city when we need to get somewhere far quickly. A tuc tuc is like 50 cents to take across town. So chill. Sometimes we get food delived too which is like 2 dollars.

Our branch is small, we have 80 members.

We usually dont have running water. I usually have to shower with a bucket and a bowl. When we do have water its freeezing cold. When you go poop you put the toilet paper in the trash can.

Bugs are everywhere and Dengue fever is a huge problem here.

We are right next to the Rio Montagua and its been flooding so a lot of people have been worried about their homes. 

Spanish is coming along, I gave a ten minute talk at church. 

Love you all, sorry I couldnt say more!

Hermano Wales

What are your living conditions, where do you eat, how do you wash your clothes?

Ill try to send you pictures of our house. Its small and empty and theres a lot of bugs but its pretty outside and the beds are comfortable and we have room to study and exercise and stuff. We typically have bread or oatmeal mixed with water and sugar for breakfast (we have a microwave so I could make real oatmeal but we dont have many plates or utensils). The relief society president washes our clothes every week.

How long has your companion been out, where is he from? 

Almost two years. I will be his last companion. He is a convert to the church from Honduras.

Where do you use the computer (I hope you get to use a computer!)

At a little place where you can pay to rent a computer. Its like a dollar an hour. Keyboards stink and the internet is slow and theres like ten computers but it gets the job done.

Where will you shop for things?

They have markets here and theres like a store every 100 feet that sells food and other basic stuff.

Do you feel safe?

Yes were outside the city and its safe.

Where do you go to church?

A tiny little branch. 10 minute walk from out place. 80 members.

Are the people receptive to missionaries there, are you enjoying speaking Spanish?

Every single person will let you into their house but a lot of times you cant even get them to pray. Yeah, Spanish is going well.

Can I send you the conference Ensign or will you be able to get one there? 

I think I can get one.

Do you need leg medicine?

No they sell ALeve at every corner store. 

Do you have an actual address there we can mail you things?  Or do we send everything to the mission home?

No one in this town has an address as far as I can tell. So send it to the mission home.

What can I send you and your companion for Christmas?  What does he need?

He will be home before Christmas. Dont think i need anything.

How long are you typically with a companion?

6 weeks or so. Sometimes 3 months.

What are you going to spend your Pday doing?

Soccer, shopping, preparing for ward activities.

Will Monday be your P-day?

Yes

Elder Rivera