Week 84...3/14/16...Xela, the power of the spirit, and La Pascua

Hey Mom! You should be pretty excited because well it's the first Monday that I've actually gotten time to write today since I've been in the office! Man, this week went by sooooo quick! Some other things you'll probably be really excited to know. . . I spent like 5 hours today cleaning the house. It desperately needed it but it got done. Now the challenge is keeping it that way, which is not easy living with 6 Elders and always having visitors that need to make trips to Guate. But it's a challenge accepted!

Life's really been great! I don't know why but right now I'm in a really good mood, it could be that Elder Elggren gave me the rest of his McFlurry. That was pretty good. Life is good and the Church is True.

So Last Monday we got up early and we and the nurses went up to Xela and San Marcos. We had to go pick up a missionary from San Marcos and we took my mini missionary to the Dermatologist.  Then the Enfermeras had to do a bunch of contracts with some Batres (or pharmacies) and that was our P-day. Hence, no time to write on P-days

The mountains looked just like the promised land when we were going up to Xzela!

Me, Julio, and Elder Ponce! Coming back from San Marcos.

In the overlook of San Marcos

Martes. We were planning on going to work in our area on Tuesday but, we got a call from the Hermana Assistants telling us they needed help with their conference. All of the Sisters in the mission came on Tuesday to have a special conference.  Man the Sisters are all so pilas. They had everything so planned out and organized. They put us in charge of the handprint banner and tying the little cards onto the little bags of cookies. They looked really good!

The sisters banner that they did.

Then we had to deal with some stuff that´s been going on in the mission. It was super sad to see 3 of the missionaries in the mission go home on Wednesday. I had gotten to know each of them pretty well and man it was sad to see missionaries with such great potential have to return home for the actions of one of their companions. I was feeling really heartsick on Wednesday, I wanted to know how it was possible that they could be going home. I knelt in prayer seeking to have my soul comforted and that comfort came. I felt peace and quiet. I knew that it was the Lord that had decided and that He was in control. I gained a stronger testimony that the Spirit is the Consolador, the Comforter. He can soothe any wound or anguish that we have if we ask with a sincere desire. 

Miercoles, We had to organize a bunch of changes. We had to close some areas and do a bunch of changes. We went to Coatepeque to bring Elder Bonilla to his new area and we picked up Elder Rock to get ready to bring him to San Marcos on Thursday. We found out that Elder Rock and I have the same birthday!!!! (June 26th for those of you that have forgotten ;)) 

Thursday. We talked to San Marcos and San Pedro. We took Elder Rock up to his new area and we had a bunch of changes in San Marcos!

When we dropped Elder Wilden off in San Pablo I Saw Hermana Marisol and her Daughters!
They all came up running super excited to see me.

Presidente Ruiz talked a lot about the Pascua or Passover/Easter.

I have been studying a talk by Todd B. Parker that is just amazing! It's called ´True doctrine understood changes attitude and behavior.´´  It's amazing! It talks about scripture study and the power that it has to change our lives. We have really been focusing on listening to The Book of Mormon instead of the same music over and over to try and learn something every time we drive. And it's been amazing! We've had some very spiritual experiences as we avoided 2-foot deep potholes and Chu-Cho's  (Dogs) that love to jump in front of moving vehicles. I translated this talk for my companion Elder Morataya this week and my favorite part is when he talked about how every part of the scriptures testify of Christ and that there are many types and symbols of Christ in the scriptures. Talking about Moses: Moses' first plague was turning water into blood.  Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine.  Moses´ last plague was the death of the firstborn.  Jesus´ last miracle was the resurrection of the firstborn.  Moses parted sea like Jesus parted the water and the earth.  There was also a separation of light and darkness as Jesus separated water and darkness in the creation. The Israelites were saved by water and by fire when we also need to be baptized by water and fire.  In the desert, they ate manna, and what is Manna? it's bread from heaven and who is the bread of life? It's Jesus! And where did he come from? Heaven! And where was he born in Bethlehem, what does Bethlehem mean? HOUSE OF BREAD! They drank water, Jesus is the living water, where did the water come from? The Rock.  Who is the Rock? It's Our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Man. This talk is amazing! GO LOOK IT UP!!!!! I don't want to copy it all because he says it a lot better! Plus the rest of the talk is amazing as well! But it really has helped me know about the real meaning of the Pascua. Hey, I just found the link! Here's the talk! https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/todd-b-parker_true-doctrine-understood-changes-attitudes-behavior/ 

Friday. We had the same meeting that we had in San Marcos only we had it in Malacatan! Then I went with Elder Bastian. Let me tell you Elder Bastian is A STALLION! He super dope! He's got a change more than I have and it was awesome working with him!

Standard Transport Guatemala.

We drove home and then on Saturday we had our weekly council as the office and then my companion and I went to our area with the mini missionary, Mosiah, and we went to help the Sister Assistants with their activity, it was basically bringing me back to my Party Hero Days doing a bunch of games for the ward. 

Elder Cano and I with la Primaria.

Me and Elder Taylor.

Me elder Taylor, Hermana Canales and Hermana Galand

Sunday we had miracles! Remember the Joven that we found last minute last Saturday that was a total miracle? Well, he showed up this week to church! We were just in sacrament meeting without having any investigators in church when Jose showed up all by himself! And better yet! He wasn't really by himself! He brought his girlfriend with him! And They both LOVED church! We have a time planned to go with them again this week but we're really excited for them! 

Hope all is going well! We're headed to work on a retake of the Iso Animo video! 

Love,

Elder Pugmire