Flipped like a coin.

Date:  March 2, 2015

Area:  Sacshua, Guatemala

Companion:  Elder Menjivar

This week was a little bit more exciting than the last week, we found more people and we really put more time into going out to the farther areas and getting to know the members that live a little farther from home base, (our house) through these efforts we were able to find a couple of investigators and a couple of potential investigators in an area called the parcelas. It`s pretty much cornfields over there.

As we were walking back home from the parcelas we were called by three guys chilling on their porch having a conversation, as we went over and had a conversation with them we found out that they were interesting guys named Juan, Julio and Sergio. We didn`t talk about the gospel in detail in this occasion as we got to know them and they got to know more about us, because they asked a couple of questions about our rules, apparently Juan`s son was attending he church when he was here in Sacsuha, now he`s in the capital doing stuff there. We`ll meet with them soon and see how interested they are in making commitments to come to church and learn more about it. As we were walking that day we burned our buns off as well it was so hot.

The rest of the week went by fairly quickly, Hyberson is preparing for his baptism on Mikel`s birthday in two weeks and he is learning quickly that we`ve just had a few lessons just reviewing what he`s already been taught.

We were not able to meet with Marcos and his friends because they were either busy studying or working, but we`ll get them next week and challenge them to baptism again and see if they accept.

This P-day, or... Today! Was a very interesting day for me, we had the opportunity to go to a giant waterfall, the one that I visited near the start of my mission and got attacked by lamanites, except this time I didn`t get attacked by lamanites because we brought with us a member and he was our pass key.

Now I also got bad news today, the North family is lamenting the loss of Adam Johnson of the Johnson family, close family friends and cousins to us. I was informed of his passing by a phone call from my mission presidente who counciled me on the power of prayer for me and for the Johnson`s and any others affected by the loss of such a wonderful boy.

This was like flipping a coin to the news I received last week about my older brother Deven`s engagement, but as we in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know. there is a life after this life, that there is hope, that Adam is happy and that through the power of the Atonement wounds will be healed, and weaknesses will become strengths.

I`ve been assigned to study more about the Atonement of Christ and I realized something this week. I finally understand the `enabling power` of the Atonement, or `perfecting power` as I call it. We find ourselves in a fallen state and a fallen world due to Adam`s fall and through Christ we a redeemed from this fallen state and we are able to repent of our wrongs, but not only that, the atonement makes it possible for our fallen bodies, our fallen minds, our weaknesses and so forth to return to perfection. Through that one act of the Atonement Christ made it possible for us to become perfect as we follow him and his commandments, if it weren`t for the atonement we would not only be fallen in sin, but we would be stuck in a fallen state of mind and body and so on. It`s still a study in progress.

I love you all, and I give a special love this week to the Johnson family as they go through this trial. I give a special thanks to Adam Johnson, I know he`s there with his family helping them and comforting them and when they are stronger and need comfort less he will still be there helping them in any way he can or helping others.

Elder North