Update of the Lord's Work in Guatemala - January 28, 2013

I guess we know what these missionaries did on their P-Day.  Looks like another Zip Line.

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Zipline at Ahuehuetl park in Huehuetenango with the Zaculeu Zone. Elder Oborn and Elder Banks.

Sister Harvey, Elder Jerez, Elder Hales, Elder Hays, Elder Paniagua

Elder Ayala getting ready for the first leg.

Elder Oborn, Hales, and Hilton

Elder Oborn, Hales, and Hays (Oregon)

Hello family and friends!

Once again we have made it to P day, the holy day of the missionaries. Things are going really well, we keep going with a few investigators and keep finding. My companion is a really good guy, too. Just kinda tough to put up with sometimes. This week the most impressing day would probably be Sunday. What happened yesterday was really awesome and I will explain it a little further on in the email.

Last Monday, we went to an FHE of one of the families in the ward. It was really cool. They put on a little video from the church about our testimonies. A lot of youth from Las Vegas talked about how when we share our testimonies, the place we are at becomes a holy place. I really liked it. All the youth were participating in a little musical thing, I can't really describe it, but it was like a concert from the church. They talked about how growing up in Vegas is pretty tough, but they have the Gospel in their lives. Through everything, it really encouraged me to develop my musical talents. So, I have been practicing a little harmonica and we are using it now to help us teach and have the Spirit more in our lessons. It is really sweet. I like it a lot.

We have a few investigators that we are working with, as well. Diana is a like 16 years old or something like that, and she is really awesome. She hasn't been able to come to church because her mom doesn't let her. Her mom is evangelical... However, this Sunday Diana is going to come to church because she kinda talked to her mom and shared her testimony! It is such a miracle. I love visiting Diana because she always has questions about a lot of things and it makes us think about a lot of things as well. Also, I have learned a lot about the importance of being able to read. Everybody here can read and it really helps them to gain a testimony of everything that we are teaching because they can read the Book of Mormon! I love that book and continue studying and learning a ton from that book.

Amilcar didn't come to church this Sunday, they said that they had a problem come up.

Maricela didn't come to church yesterday, either. :( She said that a problem came up and wasn't able to come. She wants to get baptized and to be a mormon, but doesn't seem to be able to come to church.

Now, yesterday. A new investigator came to church yesterday and here we see the importance of the members! Missionary work almost doesn't progress without the help of the members. A member brought a friend to church yesterday, and he seems pretty positive. His name is Ronaldo and we have another visit with him this week. We talked about prophets and the Plan of Salvation in church and he seemed pretty receptive.

There is a member here whose name is Eduardo. He served a mission in El Salvador-Santa Ana/Beliz. He is really smart and knows a lot about the gospel and life. He gives us lunch on Sundays and after lunch we talked a while about the Plan of Salvation and we learned that we have a huge responsibility to teach so that people understand. He got me really pumped up about work. I love the guy. He used to be the ward mission leader, but is now released. He is a great guy.

Now the best part of the day came at the very end. There is a member that I had been wanting to visit whose name is Gustavo. We finally got to visit him on Sunday night and it was wonderful. He has been excommunicated for 17 years and yesterday they had the Disciplinary Council for him. And we knew nothing of it. So we passed by yesterday night and he told us that he was going to get baptized next Sunday. When he said it, I didn't understand what he had said. Then, a few moments later I realized the importance of what he had said. The Spirit rushed the room. I really loved it. I could feel the love of the Lord so strongly. It was a great reminder of His love. It was such a great visit. I was looking for a scripture to share with him and his family and was lead to Alma 8:15. There it talks about Alma and how he was reprended by an angel. Alma changed his life and became a great hero of the Book of Mormon. Gustavo was in a similar situation, and he chose to change it. He is now a huge hero of mine.

I know that this Church is true and that we are the only ones that have the authority to seal things in the earth and in the heavens. I am so grateful for that and for all the blessings and prayers. Love you all!

Love,

Elder Hilton

First Week in Huehuetenango, January 21, 2013

Dear family and friends!

After many days and bearing a child in Nahaula, I had transfers to a land called Huehuetenango (pronounced way-way-ta-nango)! Haha things are really good here in Huehue. My new companion's name is Elder Ayala from Tabasco, Mexico. He is really funny, and really fun to be around. The new area is really sweet. It's called Victoria. There are like 3 zones in all of Huehue, so it's pretty populated. I never thought that Spanish could be so beautiful! Here everybody speaks Spanish, but they speak a lot faster than the people in Nahuala. It has been kinda hard trying to understand what everybody is saying now, but I think that I am about used to it. Everybody here can read, that is a huge advantage. One lady read pretty slow, but she understood! The area is really nice, there are quite a few members with REALLY nice houses. I haven't gone in a single adobe house yet, but we'll see what time has in store for us. The food here is wonderful. I had the best meal in my mission this week! Things are really different here; it is a whole new world!

I imagine that there will be a lot of new different challenges, here. But, I am really excited to take em on.

There are a few people that we are working with. One is the father of a bunch of members. He name is Amilcar. He has a problem with his leg and it is kinda tough for him to walk. He says that he wants to get baptized, but wants to put the date. He says that he doesn't want to get baptized and then fall away. It is kinda the same story as with Salvador and his family from Nahualá. Maybe he is missing a real testimony, or faith to take the first step. He is the most positive investigador that we have right now, but I have gotta go. I am so grateful for all your prayers and love. Thank you for your support!

Love,

Elder Hilton

The Aggies' logo on a "super-strong" bag.

Salvador and family- Micaela, Salvador, Nikte, Luis, Elder Perez, Hector, and Waykan.

Tono and family

Cornelio's family

Tono's family

With Elder Ayala (Tabasco, Mexico)

Gregorio/Gollo and his tuctuc on the way out of Nahuala.

On top of our house in Zona 10, Huehuetenango.

The view from our rooftop in Huehuetenango.

Elder Ayala's Birthday.

Go Barcelona!

The Vasquez Family bought him a pinata and the zone leaders came over for lunch. Elder Ayala, Elder Oborn (California), Elder Gonzalez (Mexico)

The Vasquez Family dog, Gus.

Toni Vasquez helping out with the pinata with his mother, Rosana, in the background.

Toni, Claudia, and Elder Ayala

The first bite!

Gustavo and his little brother. Great member missionaries.

Moroni back in Nahuala.

January 14, 2013 - Transfers

Lots of dust on the road up to Quiacasiguan

Landfill

Salvador's cute little boy Waykan

Salvador's Family with Uncle Odaviano. [Odaviano (Salvador's brother), Luis/Wicho (Salvador's son), Micaela, Salvador, Hector, Waykan, Nikte, and Elder Perez.]

Hermano Francisco/Chico's Family

Investigators Francisco and Lucia. I love them so much.

Hermano Chico once again.

Chico, a little funny drunk man.

The Guarchaj family with Juan and Anderson

Telesforo's Family--Marta (Telesforo's wife), Telesforo

Manuel, Manuela, and Family

Manuela and her son

Victor's daughter's, Lizbeth, first birthday

Emiliana, Guillermo, and Jeffrey (paij)

The Guarchaj family (many families had the same name.) Victor and his wife___, Maria, the proud mother of all of the kids and us, Julio and his wife.

Victor's daughter, Lizbeth

Dinosaur Pinata!

My White Elephant gift from the zone.

Dear Family and Friends,

Things are always good, here. I have transfers tomorrow and my companion, Elder Perez, is going to train. I do not know where I am going to go, but I would like to go to Momostenango or Huehuetenango. However, we shall see with time. Last night, we said goodbye to many members, including our mom, here. She can't really speak spanish, but has a ton of kids. She has always washed our clothes and fed us, A LOT! It was really hard to say goodbye to them, I really love em. 

Now, for more update! On Tuesday, we found a new investigator named Santa (Claus). Her name really is Santa, but she has not been baptized and does not go to any church. It was kinda crazy. So we visited her on Wednesday and had the best lesson that I have had in the mission. We were seriously guided by the Spirit. I felt at times that there were things that I had to say, and I said them. There were also times that I felt like my tongue was tied and my comp spoke. I really loved it. However, there are a couple problems with her. Her husband lives in the states and has to ask his permission. Her whole family is evangelical (more difficult to convince than Catholics). We went back Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. They said that she wasn't there. Who knows if she really wasn't there? It is kinda tough because we know that it could help her a ton. She really loves her husband and wants to be with him forever, but it is just tough. A lot of people have a strong hold on the things of Satan. Hopefully my comp and his "kid" are able to baptize her.

We are working with some other people now as well. On Thursday, we found these people that we have been wanting to work with for a long time. I think we visited them one time in October, but never went back. We learned that they were positive and have been wanting to go back, but we couldn't find them in the house. Their mom, Ana, doesn't speak spanish and is usually the only one in the house. The people that we are working with are named Adalaida, her little brother Cornelio, and their cousin Mauricia. They are all really nice and really fun to be around. Cornelio and Adalaida are really positive and understand everything that we understand. It is kinda tough to find people that understand about apostasies and the church of Christ. On Saturday, we explained the Restauration and they understood! They are going to pray about everything, which is way awesome.

Things are going really well. I love the work and know that it is the great and marvelous work of the Lord. I love you all and thank you for your support!

Love,

Elder Hilton

P.S. the movie on dropbox from this week is of a little guy that came out of the faucet. NICE!!! It is a really good thing that we don't drink that water!