Conference Week

Waiting for conference to start.

Date:  April 7, 2014

Area:  La Tinta, Guatemala

Companion:  Elder Aguero from Peru

Week: 16

After reading Amber`s email home I kind of feel like I could write about every day of my week, but then think that that`s a little too much for me so I`m good on how much I write, but this week maybe....

So Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty normal days, I don`t really have much to report on them, we visited members, investigators and actually didn`t get too much done sadly, but on Wednesday we had a lesson with the very smart Stephanie and all in all she ended up teaching me a lesson instead of the other way around, at the end Elder Aguero and I kind of were thinking, why isn`t she baptized? So we invited her again to, as my good friend Elder Strong puts it, get dunked. AND GUESS WHAT! She still didn`t say yes.... She`s conflicted with something and she knows that it`s her own self stopping herself, but she doesn`t quite know why. We will continue visiting her and we know that once she makes the decision then she will get baptized.

Thursday was a bit more exciting, we had Zone meeting and I got two letters, one from Grandma Mary and one from Mom that was sent with Dear Elder, it got here first, but barely. All the other Elders were so excited because Elder North finally didn`t get five plus letters. Oh the torture, hehe.

So I went on divisions with Elder Ancco this day and we got some work done and contacted a family, the family of Juan, who actually his father is a missionary for another church, that`ll be interesting. We also got some cool pictures with a dead pig.

Today I recieved nine letters and a package, so I totally still win in getting the most letters, thank you all! Totally didn`t expect that one.
Letters are from,

Mom, plus package from her

All the Holdens

Jesse Salas

Sister Rowan Barnson
Grandma (2)

Now conference, I could spend a while talking about it I think, and it went by so quickly. I`ve read some things about what other people were impressed on and I did see these themes while I took notes, but the big theme that has lead me to serious reflection is that of our divine potential.

We all have a divine potential in this life and I put it into missionary context, I have a divine potential as a missionary. A lot of the other themes in the conference also point to this topic, for me. 

For example, agency, we have the power to choose, we can either be agents as we are meant to be and act or we can be objects to be acted upon, but many people said that we have to make the choice.

Another, Standing up for the faith, when we stand up for what`s right, we`re making the decision to stand up for what`s right because it`s right and all this requires obedience. Obedience to what? Well, we have Christ as our example and we must follow it.

Watching conference in a little room at the church

Another that builds on this divine potential that was talked about. God cares about us and we are his children. I know that he cares for everyone of us, I have a strong testimony in this and I know that he puts us in situations that if we make the right decision will help us achieve our divine potential that he knows we can be.

All this gives me a strong desire to be more obedient, be more Christ like and in order to reach my greatest potential on this earth and be able to ensure that I will achieve my divine potential after this life.

And remember, share the gospel with people, and I suggest to all the women out there that they listen to the first talk of Priesthood session because he talked about what the priesthood is, not only for men, but also for women.

I love you all and please keep supporting the missionaries, we appreciate everything.

With great love,
Elder North

Elder Barker

Elder Felix and Elder Griffins

Elder Hill

Elder North with a dead pig.

Elder Ancco and the pig

 The pig was shot by members to eat.  About 23 pounds of meat for the family.  We just happened to be going by when they had just shot it so we stopped for a photo shoot.

The following pictures were tagged as, "Having fun with camera effects."  

Thank you for your love and support of Jered.  I know with some missionaries lots of mail makes them homesick but with Jered it helps him.  It helps him to be ok with being away from everything familar and devoting his life to service.  So keep up the good work of supporting him he very much appreciates it.  Remember it costs $1.15 to mail a letter go Guatemala or you can use dearelder.com and it will be sent free.  He seems to get both pretty reliably right now.

Elder Jered North
Guatemala Cobán Mission
Apartado Postal #34
3ra Calle 2-02, Zona 3
Cobán AV 16001
Guatemala, Central America