Date: October 27, 2014
Area: Canlun, Guatemala
Companion: Elder Santisteban
Week: 45
Alright, I`ll just start with the biggest event of this week, the most terrible event of all my mission that left me very sad that night and tired as I didn`t get to bed until midnight, I`m talking about `The Flood`.
We were having a normal day really and at about six in the evening we were having a lesson in the house of the family Cuc-ac, a combination of two families really living in the same house, the rain started to pour a lot, lightning and such and the family was telling us of a time when water entered their house, they live next to the river, a few minutes later a puddle started forming at the door as water began to enter as the river was rising a little, but the rain kept coming down and now the water began to rise higher so that it covered the whole floor, this isn`t normal, a little is fine considering the pounding rain, but more? No.
We started to save things that were on the ground, panic mode had not started yet as there did not seem to be much danger at the moment, but the water kept rising, a minute later the mentioned panic started set it. The water got high enough to enter my boots (very large boots) when we evacuated the house, the water kept rising steadily and we battled our way up the street right outside as it had converted into a river up to my thighs almost. The water was running hard and we got off of that street and heading away from the river where we saw that the water was still rising a little bit and found ourselves in the middle of Canlun in a shop, at this shop the water was only enough to enter the house and cover the floor, higher than any time that the residence knows.
People were already there as a sort of refuge, we stopped there to gather our wits and to pray, I was asking our God why this was happening and why we were not warned of it before hand, we had no warning, spiritual or not. I then made a decision, the decision to stop questioning God and to trust his judgement and help others and to learn and have faith. I shall never forget this night nor will I forget the crying of the family Cuc-ac and thier little child of 3 years old as I carried him crying in my arms as we walked the two more blocks to the church. Water still present, but not lowering instead of rising.
The church and our house were two of the few houses that were not affected by water entering in. After doing what we could to help that night we slept unsoundly and got up in the morning to provide service, After a nights rest and some good reflection on the events I realized that sometimes the Spirit will not warn us of danger, not that he likes to see us suffer, but that we are already in the place that we need to be. If we were not with the Cuc-ac family that night some of them may have lost their lives.
The damage was great, but many things were saved and only a few houses were affected majorly, but everyone had a whole lot of mud that we helped clear out, water damage isn`t as severe of a thing here and the houses are made of sticks and most of the things people use are made of wood or something actually easily rebuilt so right now Canlun is almost back to normal, but the effects and lessons we learned will not go away so easily.
So, a trial of faith, but my faith has increased from events this week and I have grown in ways that I probabl would not have if not going through something like that. Going through the `refiner`s fire` as we call it.
So... That`s the big news this week, in other news I am leaving Canlun, I have recieved a transfer and I am going to the mountains to an area called Coral Pek with Elder Vargus from Nicaragua. I`m very excited for this new chapter and adventure in my mission, and I will always keep in my heart Canlun.
No mail this week, I know, disappointing for those who want to hear that their letters have made it safely, but that`s how things are here, we don`t get mail often.
I love you all,
Elder North
Please write him, he loves mail.
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.
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