Some days are good, some days are worse, some days you get kicked by a drunk.

Date:  April 28

One of the natives

, 2014

Area:  La Tinta, Guatemala

Companion:  Elder Cummings from Idaho

Week 19

The title of today`s email comes from just the week in general, some days were good, meaning that we had a normal day of walking out in the sun and finding new people to teach, and then other days are worse where all, and I do mean all, of our appointments fall through, but don`t get down on oneself, because life and the work moves on.

So, in more detail, we found a lot of new people that I`m getting pretty excited to teach as one, named Wilson, said that he had a lot of questions and we only left him the pamphlet about the restoration and he doesn`t have a Book of Mormon yet, but when we went for the appointment he wasn`t there. That was a bummer.
Another one of our new investigators really likes saying yes, after everything we say he says something to the effect of yes, and then we ask a question and he says yes, we then repeat the question so that he knows that it`s actually a question and that he needs to respond instead of just listening, but he is understanding some of the things we teach and not simply answering without listening.

Another native

Two days this week all of our appointments feel, we filled the time by then visiting some members or finding new people, but it was very depressing for me. I`ve been feeling the more weight of this out of having to plan and do more of the responsiblities, but we`re doing great and we keep going, things will move to be better and tomorrow`s always a new day with new opprotunities and we can say we did what we could, we just need to try again.

Now about getting kicked by a drunk, yesterday, Sunday, one of our members organized nearly half of our branch to visit with one of our investigators to encourage him and support him, so I believe he`s going to be progressing a little bit more, it`s nice because I can feel that the spirit is working on this man.
Anyway, after one of our members bought some soda to share with us and this drunk came down from his house and saw the bottle of soda, he apparently didn`t like it and tried to hit it out the hands of brother Hernesto, his sons I believe came down and started dragging him away and he kicked out hitting me in the leg, not hard though.

That`s a problem here, drinking, one can encounter a drunk wherever and whenever. We don`t have many people smoking though, so I`ve had an encounter with a drunk almost everyday this week, they just like talking to us for some reason spouting out the limited knowledge they know of religion. Because although drunk, everyone knows a bit about God or religion. They`re not a problem, we just listen for a little to not offend them and walk away.

And a few more

Today I did get some letters, from Mom, Jessy, Grandma Mary and Julie Barnson, all I believe were from late March.

We did get some good news Satuday, one of our investigators Estefany, formally known in my mind as Stephanie may be thinking of getting baptized, she`s been ready for a while, but has only needed to make the decision to get dunked, we`ll see if we can put a date for her Wednesday as we didn`t get the chance to talk to her Sunday because she stayed home sick, I did call her to see how she was doing, and besides being sick, she`s doing well.

As for my Kekchi, it`s progressing a bit faster than before because I need to do all the talking in Kekchi and although I can`t say too much past greetings, introductions and other small bits I am focused more on studying as I need to start talking about more with these people.

Beautiful area - This is a Catholic Church on the hill

The weather here is still hot, but in mid May people say that the rain should be starting and that it should be getting colder, the bugs aren`t too bad, just a few mosquitos, we did see a scorpion this week as we were walking.

No interesting meals this week.

These pictures are from a Branch Family Home Evening that we had at a members house.

My daily exercise consists of sit ups, push ups, leg lefts, bicep curls and other arm workouts that take about 20 to 30 minutes, and companionship study is going well.  We play soccer a lot too.

Elder Perez

Elder Barker

Elder Champagne

I love you all, and I look forward to more news and such, we have it heard that Elder Ochoa is going to come visit us on May 8th.

Nekexinra,

Laj Saqi Noq`

Elder Norte

Elder North LOVES mail, it takes a while to get to him but he so enjoys it so pick up a pen and jot him a note today.  You can also use Dearelder.com.

Putting my reese peanut butter cups to good use

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

It costs $1.15 to mail a letter to him. You can use regular envelops and stamps just make sure they equal $1.15. If it weights more than a regular letter you should take it to the post office to have it weighed.

OR

Use Dear Elder (www.dearelder.com)

its Free to my mission. Just got to

dearelder.com, create an account

and it will track the letters you send

so you can go back and view them.

On the drop down menu just put in

Guatemala Cobán Mission and then

address it to Elder Jered North.

They get mailed out once a week.

This will be the best way to contact

me since I don't have that much

time on e-mail each week.