The sounds of a dying missionary.

Date:  April 27, 2015
Area:  Sacshua, Guatemala
Companion:  Elder Menjivar
Week:  70

If you´re wondering what a dying missionary actually sounds like it´s not a terror filled sound that would make fingernails on a chalkboard seem like a kitten purr but it´s actually the sound of expectation and packing things and some complaining that there are too many things to fit in two suitcases. My companion Elder Menjivar has gone the way of the earth and is on his way back home, granted he will actually get on the bus to El Salvador on Thursday but you all can go along with it.

What does that mean for me? It means that I am garunteed to get a new companion, which for me isn´t the most exciting event in the world due to my shyish demeanor, but then I got unexpected and frankly exciting news, I have a transfer to a new area. This is surprising because it means two new missionaries go into Sacsuha which can be a little hard on them and it´s surprising because I didn´t have that much time in Sacsuha, only two transfers.

So, my next adventure is to be founded in the area Tanchi which is closer to Cobán. I am actually going to have all of my p-days in Cobán and technically I´m out of the Polochic but I am still in a Q´eqchi´ speaking area. My new companion is Elder Kortson, I´m finally getting another Northamerican companion that I´ve met before in the mission, so that´s got me a little bit more excited.

One of the good news that I get by being closer to Cobán is that it is much easier for me to send and receive letters and I will certainly be trying to make use of that availability that I lacked down in the valley.

Our last Saturday in Sacsuha brought exciting news as we had a baptism, the baptism of Floricelda that I´ve been talking about for a while. The baptism was delayed because the whole district was doing an activity the same day and they needed the use of the chapel for a little bit and after it needed to be cleaned, but that´s alright, a cleaner baptism is certainly what everyone wants. Besides that the baptism went really smoothly without any troubles.

The rest of our Saturday and then Sunday after church was really busy as we were invited to birthday parties and we said farewell to all of the members and some of the investigators that lived nearby and packing during the night. Surprisingly I got all of my stuff packed faster than Elder Menjivar and he knew that he was going home before I knew I was getting transfered out. I guess I´m really good at packing things and fitting different shaped things in a box like shape.... Tetris anyone?

As for the rest of the week, it went by normally, we did find a very good possibility and I was excited to teach Jorge and his family but that priveledge will have to go to the Elder Perez and Elder Murdock (MUUUUUUUURRRRRDOOOOOCKKKK)

I did get some mail today, three letters from Grandma Mary all of them from March, confusingly they had Christmas themed pictures, but the content was very awesome and fun to read.

I hope you all had as good a week as I did.

Elder Norte

The sun, it burns!

Date:  April 20, 2015

Area:  Sacshua, Guatemala

Companion:  Elder Menjivar

Week:  69

This week has been stupid hot, so hot that we don`t want to go out in the streets to contact or to do anything, but what has to been done has to be done. They say it`s because they`re burning the cane sugar fields as well which does make sense, it pushes all the heat towards our end of the valley in combination with the normal heat and humidity that we enjoy here..... I miss snow, thanks for the cooling pictures this week from Mom.

This week I recieved some mail, one from Mom and one from Grandma Mary, letters are always amazing to get and I love them. Keep them coming.

We`ve been going around this week making sure that Juan and Irene are still on point for baptism, they do actually need to have the DPI physically in order to get married and this pushes back thier date a month but it will happen and you all will hear about it when it does, with pictures of course.

We`ve also been working a lot with Floricelda, sometimes she wasn`t home and that`s a little bit frustrating when her baptism date is getting every day closer, but she`ll be ready for next week!

Planning has been working and getting us out and ready for the day, a good start to a day really makes the rest of the day go better. So.... Yeah.

I love you all,

Elder Norte

Interview week to pump things up a bit.

Date:  April 13, 2015

Area:  Sacshua, Guatemala

Companion:  Elder Menjivar

Week:  68

As the title says we had some interviews with our awesome president of mission Presidente Curtiss, we had these on Wednesday and I always go into them a little nervous yet excited because I always come out pumped up and ready to work, and plus the slight nervousness goes away as soon as the interview actually starts, this time around we talked about planning and how that can springboard the missionaries into all of their activities for the day and the week as we plan everyday and once a week we plan for the next week, if you do it right it really helps more, if you´re lazy about it I´ve found out that you kind of go into the next day with a feeling of "what next?" because I am sure that every missionary has had those days where they just don´t plan that efficiently, I know I have. Or.... Havn´t. Anyway, in the interviews we also get an assignment by hermana Curtiss, last time we had interviews our assignment was about the atonement, this time around we are learning more about the priesthood and it´s keys. So if you have any fun things you find then tell me.

We also had divisions this week as well, I went to La Tinta the land of my birth with Elder Lagunes and he showed me around the side of La Tinta I wasn´t at when I was there, so that was actually a pretty fun experience, I got to meet with some old investigators, converts and members and meet new people as well so it was all a fun blast.

Aside from that we now have someone else on date for baptism, her name is Floricelda, she is ten years old and her parents are members and they actually live really close to us yet we actually didn´t know that she wasn´t baptized untill now, so that actually is pretty cool, it´s getting the whole family more interested in the church yet again and they are doing wonderful.

It´s been a fantastic week and I´m looking forward to two more weeks with my companion Elder Menjivar as he only has two weeks left in his mission, he´s getting baggy (known as trunky in some places) but he´s still going strong.

I´m out untill next week,

Elder North

General Conference weekend

Date:  April 6, 2015

Area:  Sacshua, Guatemala

Companion:  Elder Menjivar

Week:  67

General Conference has finally come and then it went away just as quickly, but it was a good time of two days filled with wonderful talks, Conference weekend is kind of like the vacation weekend for the missionaries, we relax a little more just to listen to talks and we don`t have to walk as much, but obviously we still work and we help others have a wonderful experience.

I spent most of the conference watching in Sacsuha, I spent a session in La Tinta with the others, while in Sacsuha I was alone watching in English. Which was a wonderful experience because it felt really personal.

The Saturday sessions certainly were all focused on the family and how important it is and preparing to have a family and family, family, family. That is a very awesome topic, family is important.

Sunday had it`s focus on the Savior and His sacrifice for us, a very appropriate topic as for Easter, the most sacred day of the year. I was able to really relate to many of the talks and I found an answer to a really deep personal doubt, that`s what the spirit does. I hope that many of you found counsel and comfort or any other sort of awesomeness while watching and listening to these wonderful messages about our beloved Lord Jesus Christ.

If you didn't get a chance to watch or listen you can check out the talks here:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2015/04?lang=eng

We had many investigators at the conference, and Irene and Juan are progressing really well, we will be visiting the municipal office in La Tinta to further their process along to getting married.

I love you all!
Elder North