May 23, 2011
Hey!
Dad, thank you for the pictures. Haha and Haley looks like a natural as 'La Presidenta' and I'm so excited to see how that goes for her. Dad, can you put those pictures up on shutterfly? It makes it easier to find them in the future. Haha Ginger looks so fat compared to all the dogs her. That and she doesn't have STDs bulging out of her rear haha!
Dad, thank you for all the news. The election stuff is really interesting. The election here is in September and it's been kinda crazy.
Also, thanks for the updates on my friends, sounds like everyone is doing really well. I just got an email from Derek Dimartino and it sounds like he's doing great. Tell the Clark family I say hi the next time you see them.
Dad, I loved that message from President Monson about the phrase 'Come forth.' I love how everything in the gospel can be related to us. We really can apply everything.
Mom, don't stress over the package, no rush. I will definitely read those scriptures from Doctrine and Covenants 6 when I get the chance. And thank you for keeping Menchu in your prayers. He is still 100% sober! The thing is, he's working nonstop! He got a job and it working hard and that's really helped him. But it's also made it impossible to teach him. He moved to a new house and we haven't found it yet. We will continue to look for him, but even if we don't get to teach him more (he works till about 9 PM every day) I still feel so happy that I was able to see him change so much. What a blessing to witness that.
Haley, sounds like you nailed your speech! I wish I could've seen it. I feel like you're going to be so much different than you were. You are amazing. Nuff said. But finish strong with finals!
Brock, how is calculus? I hope you're hanging in there. The accelerated class does not sound fun.
Aubrey, you look great and happy in the picture that Dad sent!
So, I experienced a true Guatemala rainstorm on Saturday. It was unbelievable. The sky turned green as it rolled in and the lightning was so big. We still had two more visits by the time it hit, so we were out in the street when it started to rain. We stopped by an old lady's home to teach her son. He was out in the sea fishing that night (hope he's alright). But she was so funny. She gave us hugs as we walked in and showed us pictures of her family. Then she gave me an umbrella and thanked us for our visit. She gave us hugs again and laughed. Haha she was really spunky and really old. So we left the house and the rain was coming down so hard. Within 10 seconds we were soaked through (despite the umbrellas). The street flooded within five minutes. So crazy. We decided to skip the last appointment and visit them in the morning because it was a little too dangerous to be out in the street. Large objects started to fall down ha. As we walked home, everyone was huddled inside shops and houses just staring at us. We were all smiles (after a long, hot day, the rain is a wonderful change haha). There was one other guy in the street riding his bike yelling 'Thank the Heavens the end of the world has finally come!' Definitely crazy. People were just giving us weird looks from inside their shops muttering things like 'dumb gringos.' Haha it was a chaotic moment, but really weird. And then we got to the house and realized our windows were open. Rookie mistake.
Yesterday we left the house at 7 AM to go invite/bring people to church. we made 15 stops and invited over 30 people. We were sweaty by the time we got to church. 3 of those people we visited actually showed up. The attendance dropped from the week before. On top of that, the Stake Presidency was visiting. They came down hard on the branch members for various things. It was a very hard day. I find joy in working hard all week, but when Sunday comes with no results, it's so disheartening.
On top of that, President had to change his schedule again and couldn't come for interviews. His wife had an accident and had to get surgery. I guess she's okay, but sounds like it was a chaotic week for them.
Something I'm trying to figure out is how to wake up earlier. Elder Lillywhite and I both want more time in the mornings, but we're always so tired. Any tips on sleeping less? Haha it's a weird question, but sleep takes up sooo much time.
Also, any advice as to how I can understand my patriarchal blessing a bit more? I read it almost every week, but I want to understand it better. Any suggestions?
Last thing. Yesterday we walking back from an appointment that failed (nobody was home) and we felt impressed to visit a family. We changed course and on the way we saw Don Carlos Robles walking down a side street. I think he saw us and tried to hide even though he was in an open street. He felt ashamed that he wasn't at church. I asked him how he was and he said, 'bad.' He's about 80 years old, lives alone, and has such great faith. He explained that he had been really sick. I asked him why he didn't call us to which he replied that he couldn't see, hear, or speak. He was alone and couldn't do anything. He felt bad for not coming to church and we told him not to worry. We accompanied him to his house, which is a 12x12 foot room full of trash and old food, rats, cockroaches, and a small bed. On the walls he had pasted a bunch of pictures and paintings from church magazines. By his bed were his scriptures. He had left the house to buy some bread after having not eaten anything for a few days. Even though we felt prompted to visit that particular family, we both felt that the real purpose was so that we could find this man. It was such a wonderful visit and it made me so happy that we could help this little old man. It's heart'wrenching to see how some people live, but it continues to make me realize how blessed I really am. How blessed we are to have family and friends, work, food, clothing, clean water, an education, and good health. But the thing I really learned is that as we talked to this old man, we could see his face light up as he told us what he had read in the Bible as he had been sick. He told us various stories about his life as a member of the church. He was happy, despite his afflictions. How few have the ability to be truly happy! How blessed we are to have the light of the gospel. I couldn't stop thinking about him all day. His faith was so powerful, despite his short, skinny, weathered stature. What a blessing it was to visit him.
It was a great boost after a difficult Sunday morning.
Things have been hard, but good. I think that's the best and simplest way to describe it. We haven't had any baptisms, but we are working hard. Sometimes we get disheartened, sometimes we don't understand why things happen the way they do. But I know this is the Lord's work and that I was called here for a reason. Things will work out.
Thank you for everything.
I love you guys so much. Seriously.
Love,
Elder Austin Tyler
