Week 8 In the Field: I want you all to know I´m doing well and having fun here. I feel the Lord guiding my hand and my steps and my thoughts every day.

This week has gone by well. We are seeing progress in our investigators and our recent converts.

This week I´d like to share with you about a man named Virgilio Guales.

Brother Wales is in his sixties and has had polio since a young age. Yet, every Sunday, he carefully bends down on his wooden crutches, closes his eyes which can no longer read, and recites the sacrament prayer from memory. 

What a blessing it is to see examples of faith and sacrifice all around me.

I want you all to know I´m doing well and having fun here. I feel the Lord guiding my hand and my steps and my thoughts every day. 

It is a great experience to be a missionary, certainly a challenge but also a blessing beyond all others which I have experienced.

I love you all, have a great week!

Elder Dawson

Answers to Mom's questions:

Do you bless and pass the Sacrament in your branch?

Sometimes I pass but I never bless.

What kind of traditions do the Guatemalan's have for Christmas?

They eat Tamales and drink this delicious punch and have fireworks. Beyond that I don´t really know. They have all the normal lights and christmas trees and stuff here though.

What is the most interesting thing you have eaten?

Ayote, basically just roasted pumpkin in a bowl. Not very good. haha

Have you tried making any other recipes?

Yes I made peanut butter cookies the other day. Today we are going to make funeral potatoes.

I'm going to send you some cocoa powder so you can make real "Erik's Black Cookies."  I'm not suppose to send anything liquid in the mail, so I can't send vanilla. But, what else can I send you?

Thank you! No, I don´t think there´s anything else.

Have you gone anywhere or done anything else different on a P-Day yet?

No, we mostly just play soccer and eat.

Have you seen the Church's Christmas video "He is The Gift" yet?

Yes, we have a goal as missionaries to distribute 10 passalong cards a day about that video. We watch it all the time.

Is it cool at night in Gualan?

Nope, coolest it ever gets is like mid 70s.

Thanks for the email! I think I might be able to Skype on Christmas, what time would work well for the family? Love you!