'Twas the Week Before Christmas

What´s up? Guat is good. So this week, we had divisions with our ZLs. Twice. We had baptismal interviews that kinda got messed up a bit, so we ended up doing a division on Wednesday, and again on Friday. It was pretty good. I was in their area both times. I love their area. It´s really interesting, because part is super super rich (LIke lots of new cars... Those don't exist here), and right down the street is a super poor area. 

Hey! I saw my first dead dog a couple days ago! I don´t want to see another one. Cold, dead dog eyes looking up from the street is a scary/nasty sight. I didn´t take time to smell it. 

So all of the wards here have ¨Convivios,¨ which I´m pretty sure means ¨Feast.¨ Anyway, we had BBQ pork cooked in Budweiser (Yes, that Budweiser) BBQ sauce.  It was awesome. 

The Primary kids also did a Christmas thing. So stinkin´cute. ("The black cow is making a Macy face" - Fin)

Also, I took a picture with this piña. I haven´t chupa'd the piña in almost 5 months. 

We had a baptism on Sunday before church! It was great! Her name is Juana, and she speaks Quiche, and only a bit of Spanish, so it was hard to teach her, but with the spirit and her "boyfriend" translating, we were successful. Her "boyfriend" was a less active, and by teaching her, we also reactivated him, so that was awesome.

We had a Priest in our ward who´s preparing for a mission do the baptism, so that was really cool. He was thanking me and Elder Funes so much for the opportunity. 

This morning, we went to an Asilo (I think it´s like a rehab/old folks hospital), and sang Christmas songs and talked with the residents there. 

It was so cool to see their faces light up when they heard us.

Well, I can´t wait to TALK to you guys on Thursday. 

Love you :)

-Fin

Q & A Session:

1.  Why do you say the "boyfriend?"

The boyfriend is 30. The girl is 14. 

2.  Where did you get that blue tie?!

I got the tie in the Central Market.  It´s actually for Brennan, unless I decide I like it too much to give up. I get lots of compliments on it. 

3.  So, where are you going on Christmas Day?  Are you having lunch there, too?  I hope you get tamales!

For Christmas, we have a lesson at 10, then we´re going the 1st Counselor in the bishoprics after to Skype and have lunch.  I guess the big day to eat here is the 24th - like Thanksgiving and Fourth of July all in one - lots of food and fireworks.  I'm sure I will get tamales!

4.  The next transfers are right after Christmas, right?  You'll probably change companions...

Elder Funes will transfer.  He has 6 months here.  I'm a maybe.  He has been a fantastic trainer.  I have no doubt that he'll be a zone leader soon, and most likely an AP by the end of the mission.

5.  When are you going to the Central Market again?  I want you to look for a Nativity!

Probably next week....Yes, I will look for a Guat Nativity. I saw a cool one a couple weeks ago. I´m buying one for my future house with my smokin' hot wife and niños as well. 

A Light Unto the World

We had a fairly uneventful week this week, so my email won´t be all that long. Lo siento. Our baptisms/ wedding fell through because we ran into an unexpected problem with the paperwork, but we´ll have a baptism this week, and hopefully we can get everything sorted out to baptize the family in January. 

We had stake conference this week. A Seventy came and talked to us, and he shared a super awesome scripture- D&C 103:9. He challenged the members of the stake to focus in 2015 on helping to bring 2 people to Christ- 1 less active, and 1 nonmember. It was a super great talk. I´m at the point where I understand about 95% of what everybody is saying!! I love it. Hard work is paying off. 

So, for the past few weeks, Elder Funes and I have been playing the "Slug Bug" game, and the other day, we were waking side-by-side, about 4 feet apart, when we saw a bug at the same time, and went to punch the other, but ender up doing the coolest fist bump ever. It was awesome. 

The Christmas season is awesome because everybody wants to feed us. We had 2 lunches yesterday. Super fantastic. It sounds like I´m going to gain back all of the weight that I lost during Christmas week. 

Yesterday, we were at a member´s house, and I guess their cat got hit by a car, because it was only walking with it´s front legs, with the back 2 dragging behind it. I was fine until the image of Herbert´s dog from Family Guy popped into my mind. Kinda lost it. Whoops. 

Love you all! 

-Fin

D&C 103:9 reads "For they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men."

100 Days of Guat

How´s it going? 

First off, I loved the Christmas decorations. It feels like Christmas whenever we´re in our house.  Speaking of Christmas- The Christmas devotional was great last night. It was in spanish, but all of the songs were in english, so that was awesome. 

We get lunch every day at a little Comidor for Q13. The owner loves us. We go with a recent convert. He´s a pretty awesome dude. 

Last week I said that I wasn´t in the ward choir. Well... I spoke too soon. 

I had my first interview with the President this week! It was really cool. President and Sister Crapo are amazing people. I really lucked out. 

Oh, yesterday was the Day of the Devil. Why is that a day? I don´t know- It´s Guatemala. But basically, people just beat up devil piñatas to signify their beating out the bad in their lives. Also, lots of firecrackers. Good stuff. 

I wore my USA socks for Pearl Harbor Day (not pictured). Keeping the pride. 

I know this was a short email, but I´m working hard and learning a lot!

I love you all!

-Fin

P.S.  This week I´ll probably withdraw about $30. And a trip to Wendy´s/McDonald´s.

Okay, the Richard G. Scott talk- That was our district´s joke in the CCM. We watched a (prerecorded) devotional with that in it from 2009 on a Tuesday, and then a live devotional with the EXACT SAME TALK on Sunday. Then, we watched a video with that exact segment in it a few weeks later. Am I in a nicer part of the city...? I wish I knew haha. But it is true- The Guatemalans do sacrifice a lot to go to the temple, especially if they live way far away from the City. I did watch the Christmas Devotional! It was great. 

QUESTIONS:

1.  Are you warm enough at night?  Can you buy sweaters/scarfs/mittens, etc. at the market?   Is it warm during the day and sunny?  Are you in the dry time of year?  

Yes, yes, and Yes...

2.  Did you get your investigators married and baptized?  Love the pic you sent of your baptism last week.  She looks small, but fierce.

We have a marriage and a baptism this Friday!  We're baptizing 4 people!

3.  I have listened to more and more Christmas music each day.  Do you hear it?

Sometimes.  I walk a little slower in the streets when I hear Christmas music.

4.  What kinds of recipes do you want me to send?  Dinner?  Cookies?

Everything that I'd need a recipe for, I'd also need an oven for...sadly, this mission is lacking in the oven department.

5. When's your next adventure as a zone?  What are you going to do/see?

I think we are going Christmas caroling in a couple weeks.

6.  Did you set up the Christmas decor?  Hope you enjoyed the treats that were in the box, too!

I did!  And I loved them!

7.  What aspect of your testimony has grown the most so far?

Prayer. Maybe it´s because I actually pray all the time now, but I have been able to see the miracles and blessings that happen because of prayers of faith. 

Dia de Accion de Gracias, Bautismo y Servicio

Alright! Eventful week. Well, Thanksgiving was a bit different this year. I spent the day teaching instead of lounging around eating orange rolls. 

We found a guy on the street and started talking to him, then we went into his house to bless his home and family and teach him a bit. It was going well, and then his wife came in (She was SUPER Evangelical) and was talking with us a bunch. We asked if we could end with a prayer, and the husband and wife just looked at each other and gave a litte "Aight" nod. They both started praying (People here don´t just listen to the person giving the prayer) and out of nowhere the wife just starts waving her hands over our heards and just have the most fervent "¡Bendice tu siervos! En el nombre de Jesucristo bendice ellos!" (translated:  Bless your servants ! In the name of Jesus Christ bless them!) and a bunch of other things. No joke, she prayed for a good 7 minutes. I had my sweater in my mouth so I wouldn´t bust up laughing. This lady was a good 4´11", and it was just hilarious to listen to her. 

For dinner, I celebrated in the most American way I could think of: McDonald´s. I was able to find a pie too. Fantastic stuff. I do miss pumpkin pie though. 

We had a baptism this week! Hermana Jesus. We found her about 5 weeks ago, and have actually been calling her "Jesusa" the whole time. Whoops. But I was actually able to baptize her! 

It was super awesome! I walked out of the font just beaming. It was so cool to finally baptize somebody myself. 

We did a service project in the area of our zone leaders. Pretty much the Favela. But I took some cool pictures with a dog there. 

 I hope you all had a super good week! Love you and miss you!

-Elder Konold

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Questions for this week from Mom:

1.  Have you had to bless or pass the sacrament?  Have you had to sing in the choir?!  

Nope.  We don't have a choir.  And we always have sufficient priests to bless and pass.

2.  Would you like us to send you some syrup or can you get the fake stuff there?  Any thing else you want me to send that you can't get there?  

I can buy fake stuff.  We have a bunch in the house, but we have yet to use it.

3.  When are you allowed to call on Christmas?  Do you have a members home or the bishops home to go to to call/Skype?  Do you want to look for a calling card just in case the Skype doesn't work?  We can put more money on your debit card.  I don't like keeping a high balance on there in case it gets stolen. I'm sure you can find them at a convenience store or Walmart.  

Christmas Eve!!! I think we're going to go to either our Stake President's house (he's in our ward) or our ward mission leader's.

4.  Does the Guatemala temple/ CCM have lights for the holiday and a nativity?

I honestly have no idea, but the temple is in the South mission, so I doubt I´d see it anyway. 

5. Have you heard of any Guat holiday traditions?  Are you getting together with your zone on Christmas?

I have not heard of any traditions yet, but I´m sure I will soon. Yes, I think a few zones all get together and have a Christmas party type thing. 

6.  How are your investigators?  And the members in your ward?  Who's your favorite?  Do you draw them in sacrament in your journal?

Investigators are good. We´re working on growing our investigator pool right now, but we have 7 people with a baptismal date. My favorite member in our ward is a priest named Jonathan. He´s the stake president´s son and he´s actually getting ready to receive his call and go out on a mission, so he goes out with us a lot. He´s a pretty cool kid. 

Glad to hear Colby and Paul had great talks. Has dad been able to talk with Colby in Portuguese yet?

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Answers for the week from Dad:

Thanksgiving looked awesome. Definitely missed the orange rolls and turkey. I am going to Skype Christmas Eve. I´m not sure what time yet, but I imagine that it will be sometime midday. I´ll probably know for sure in a couple weeks. We email at the family history center in the stake center. Sometimes we go to an internet cafe in the mall, but not very often. I haven´t watched the church video yet, but I´m sure I will soon. Right now we´re working on getting investigators married. Once they do, we´ll be able to baptize them. Their baptismal date is Sunday, but I think we can get it done. 

My spanish is coming along. I understand just about everything that is said in our lesons. I work every day on trying to speak like a Latino. I haven´t had to give a talk yet, but I hopped up last fast Sunday and bore my testimony. I can´t wait to hear Macy speaking. 

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Today I received the following message from another missionary mom:  Chessa, here are some photos of your son! Elder Lewis said he, your son and Elder Flake are the only gringos in his new Zone. Zona Central - Zona 7 in the city.

The dark photo is eating a "thank you meal" prepared by a recent convert after they helped pull down and put up a wall on their home as a zone service project. The photo of our two hijos is after they went on splits. Elder Lewis said your son is a GREAT missionary!