Week 30 In The Field: I am now in Zone 11, Mixco, Guatemala.

Hi everyone!

I am now in Zone 11, Mixco, Guatemala. Basically a suburb of Guatemala City.

My area is really safe and relatively rich. We have a lot of gated communities and it is illegal for us to contact there. We also live in a gated community with armed guards at the entrance.

This area is radically different from Gualan but it´s great. We have a Walmart, Little Caesars, Taco Bell, and a bunch of other places.

The people are harder to contact and people aren´t as friendly but the percentage of new investigators who actually progress is much higher.

We met a couple this week and they`re really great. The man is Eliseo and the woman is Jennifer. Eliseo is a guard for our residential complex and he asked us if we offered bible studies. We told him we could pass by and teach him our message. We taught him about the restoration and he was really excited. He asked about 5 times if we were going to come back, always saying "I hope this isn´t the last lesson we have". 

He confessed to us that sometimes he is abusive to his wife and he wants to know how he can learn to love his wife and control his temper. We were able to testify of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to fix the problems that we have.

We have 5 baptism dates, 9 progressing investigators, and had 28 lessons in total this week.

Brayan Rivera, my first companion in the mission who finished his mission after my first change lives in my area! I was able to do a division with him and it was awesome. Just like old times!

I´d like to share this quote from President David O. McKay to end my letter this week:

There is no one great thing that we can do to obtain eternal life, and...the great lesson to be learned...is to apply in the little acts and duties of life the glorious principles of the Gospel.

I´d invite you to fill your life with the words of eternal life so that in every moment you can be doing the little things that lead you to the Celestial Kingdom.

I love you all, have a great week!

Did you get to say any final goodbyes to people in Gualan?

Yes, I was able to say goodbye to the 13 converts we had and also a couple families in the branch.

Did all your things fit in your suitcase?

Yes, it wasn´t a problem.

What happens at the change meeting?

Everyone who has a change comes and they bring their luggage. We have a farewell for the missionaries who are finishing the mission, we hear a message from President Crapo, and we get taxis to take us to our new areas with our lunch and stuff.

Where actually are you?

Zone 11 de Mixco. It´s kind of part of the capital but it´s also kind of like a suburb. We`re in a relatively rich area (by Guatemalan standards). Lots of gated communities with guards (not super nice houses but people pay more to be safe) and it`s against the rules for us to contact there or they´ll kick us out. We work a lot more with references and stuff.

Where is your companion from?

Chaitén, Chile, in the southern part of the country.

How long has he been out?

3 months

Do you feel safe?

Yes

What is your apartment like?

Pretty nice actually. A lot bigger. Two bathrooms, room for closets, bedroom, study room, kitchen, and an extra room where we have an ironing board. We live in a gated community with guards.

 How is your ward/branch?

150 or so active members. They help us a lot with the work.

Any good places around to eat?

We ate at Little Caesars today. Taco Bell, Mcdonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Dominos are all here also and they all deliver for free. Bunch of other local places too.

How is the work going in your area? 

We have five baptism dates and had four investigators in Sacrament meeting with us. harder to find new people but when you do they actually read and come to church.