March 17, 2012
Mom, it's ironic you asked about my health haha! I got hit with the flu or a cold or I dunno what this week. I'm better now, but it was a good one! Now Elder Munns and Elder Cortez are getting it. I think half the world down here is sick.
Today we were coming back to Coatepeque from Colomba after hiking to a waterfall (awesome P-day activity) and the bus driver was listening to an evangelical pastor on the radio. Out of nowhere the pastor bashed the mormons. We were in shorts and t-shirts because of the hike, so nobody recognized us as the mormon missionaries haha. I waited for one of the other missionaries to open there mouth and correct the pastor. After five minutes, I opened my mouth and testified to everyone in the little bus about our beliefs and explained that the pastor was dead wrong. I felt better after that, but it still makes me cringe to think that if I hadn't said anything, would any of those other missionaries said anything? ???
Ahh hahaha sorry I'm frustrated.
Anyways, boundary changes in the ward!! That's interesting, Mom, let me know how that goes! And good luck with starting up the busy routine this week! Speaking of being alone, I wonder what it will be like not having a companion 24/7. Kind of weirds me out. I can't relate to being home alone, but that does not sound fun at all. At least you've got the beastly watch dog to protect you!
Dad, your experience with the electronics adapter was pretty funny. Reminds me of some experiences we've had here. My Spanish is sufficient to carry on a conversation with just about any Guatemalteco, but sometimes I meet people who look at me and can't understand me at all. They see my white skin and green eyes and assume I can't speak a lick of Spanish. When I speak, their mouth just hangs open and they nod. They don't understand me! hahaha it cracks me up, but I feel weird when that happens. I ask them a question and they just nod. What's your name? Head nod..
I love the idea of not telling anyone that I'm leaving till the last night. I try doing that, I just tell people I have a little over a year in the mission when they ask me. But whatever missionary I'm with somehow knows that I have 19 months and laughs and says, 'no, tell em the truth!' Haha I can't keep a secret that isn't a secret i guess.
Brock, that's sad what you mentioned. Really sad.
Sounds like Aubrey's gonna be way busy soon! She'll do great though. That will be tough, but way cool. Glad to hear you guys are doing so well.
Haha your little baggy comments about backpacking and what not are awesome.
HALEY!
Sounds like you had a mix between my first and second times to DisneyWorld. Write down all the cool stuff that happened. Sorry you got sick!
Yes, the animals on Splash Mountain are the funniest. And yeah the night parade was way cool with all the lighted floats and stuff. Did you ride Space Mountain? Good to hear you loved rockin rollercoaster and tower of terror.
Sounds like Invisible Children is just exploding. That's awesome! Oh, and tips as far as sharing the Gospel with friends... Just do it. Pray about who you should talk to and set goals. For example: this week I am going to present a Book of Mormon to so and so. Or for the rest of the school year I am going to invite one new person every week to church. Do it! Just invite. If they say no, who cares. It won't be that awkward. And if it is, then who cares. There's a quote by Elder Eyring that says this about our nonmember friends and neighbors....
One day they will know what you know now. They will also know that you knew it now and will ask why you didn't share it with them when you were together.
It's something like that. But in the grand scheme of things it's so worth the effort to open our mouths and share the good news of the Gospel. Just invite. Invite and invite. There are so many activities in the church that are so good for that. 'Have you ever wondered what a Mormon baptism is like? No? Oh, well would you like to go to one? There's gonna be food and it'll be a really cool experience that you won't find anywhere else!' Haha! Perfect. Not perfect, but good enough. Gosh, why didn't I do that in high school?
So I've had a few testimony builders lately. A recent convert, who I've mentioned before, David, was talking to us the other night. We were teaching his son. He said that he had been unemployed for about a year when we started teaching him. He said a couple weeks after his baptism, a company came to him to offer him a job. This is after he had diligently searched for a year! This is a company that has it's future clients go to the capital to interview, but they did an interview here in Coatepeque just for him! And they hired him a week later! That doesn't happen in Guatemala, especially in the current economic crisis. That just doesn't happen he said. That is a blessing from God that came in response to my faith and obedience. I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ. So cool.
There's another lady who I've also mentioned, Maria Elena. She is a member, but was inactive. Her husband took off for the States a few months ago. She lives pretty far away from the church and made the effort to go to church one Sunday. We started to visit her, her kids got baptized and she kept coming. She used to sell tamales and tacos every night (door to door on foot and carrying her baby on her back). She would get home at 10 oclock at night, wake up at 6 to go to the market to buy supplies for the next day's sale, make the food, clean the house, make food for the kids, and go sell again. The same thing every day. But she gave up the sale on Sundays so she could go to church. One day an acquaintance of hers told her she had a bunch of boxes of good quality women's shoes from Mexico and she wanted to give them to Maria Elena to sell them. Then with the profit she could buy more shoes and start that as a business. The other night we saw her selling her shoes, wearing her own shoes, but also wearing nice pants with a fancy blouse and vest. She now has time to care for her family and get things done around the house. That also never happens here. People here kill for such opportunities. She got it 'for free and out of nowhere', but she knows that they are all blessings of obedience.
I love these people so much. They have so much faith amid such a filthy environment. This place is a dump of wickedness and trash. But here and there we find people of such faith and love for the Lord. It really is remarkable. The Lord prepares them and sends us to find them and help them find the truth. So cool.
Well I gotta go. I love you guys so much. Thanks for writing so diligently. Have an awesome week.
Lots of love,
Elder Austin Tyler
