Week 18: A Gringo in Chilinko

Hi Everyone!

So this last week, as far as work goes, went pretty well. The family that I found with Elder Diaz hasn't been home all week, so I haven't even had a second visit with them. But we've been focusing on finding families, and we've been able to find a couple. They both are really positive and we're almost sure that one will baptize. There is also a referral we received of a girl who is engaged to a returned missionary and is not a member...they want to get married in the temple...so baptism is definitely her goal. But that one doesn't really count in my eyes. I'm more excited for the families, because it makes me happy that we were able to share the gospel with them.  

There is an aldea (small farming villages in the mountains outside of cities, that have mostly indigenous people, with indigenous dialects and practices) in the mountains above Chiantla, called Chilinko. I had the opportunity to attend church in a branch up there last Sunday. The people are really friendly, and love Elders. I went with Elder Diaz, so Elder Van wasn't with me. But a lot of the kids had never seen a gringo, so I was kind of a walking circus. They just met in a small shack with a tarp roof, and used folding chairs. There was an attendance of about 20. I helped teach the priesthood class. 

So Elder Van and I have had a running joke this last week about how someone must be playing Jumanji in our apartment. We had a bit of a fruitfly investation, followed by a spider infestation. We only have water for a few hours in the morning all of the sudden. And our showerhead blew up...so cold showers, as often as we can get them until we can figure this out. We made ceviche for lunch again today, It was really good.

Changes are next Tuesday, the 19th. There's not really a way to know if we'll be moved or not, so lots of suspense for me and Elder Van this week. We find out Sunday night.

I think I'll also make a shoutout to some members here that I am very grateful for. The Mauricio families. Leonel Mauricio is the 2nd Counselor. He has a sister, Emma Mauricio, who pretty much tries to be our mom out here. And another sister Jona Mauricio who is one of our best friends. I love all of them, they all do a ton of stuff for us all the time, and we can't possibly keep up returning the favors no matter how hard we try. I've just been very grateful for the members here this past week.

Today Jackson uploaded several pictures from the past two weeks: a few more from Easter, a scary long hanging bridge, watching the Saturday session of General Conference in English, divisions with Elder Diaz, and his second P-day trip to Mirador which includes some really great pictures of the scenery, the locals, and their livestock, plus a bonus of his menu at lunch. If you missed them here, go back and check them out on the posts from weeks 16 and 17. 

Week 13: Thankful for that trial

Hi Everyone!

I am feeling better! The double dragon lasted into Tuesday. I think it's the sickest I've been in my life. I'm glad it didn't last too long. I'm pretty thankful for that trial, I found out that not having to leave the apratment for a couple of days isn't all it's cracked up to be...I was wishing could go out and work the entire time.

Nothing much new this week. It is the end of the change (every six weeks). Everyone in our district is staying besides the district leader, Elder Ramos. We're sad to see him go, he was super tranquilo (chill). Lots of Elders like to ask me questions about working out (I don't mind, I love talking about it.)

Elder Van is from a very active family. His older brother got back from his mission in the Dominican Republic while Elder Van was in the MTC. He's from San Diego if I remember right. He was a basketball star in highschool, had tons of colleges looking at him, but he got acceped to BYU, so he's not going to play basketball in college. By the way...His grandpa lives in Provo, and went to the drugstore sometime last week, got the Gonburger, as advised by me throught Elder Van... He loved it. But the server there didn't know who I was!!! What THE FREAK!!! So no one knew that my comps grandpa came in last week I guess. He said that the ice cream counter was spectacular.

There's a hand woven traditional fabric they make here called corte. Every aldea, (small farm/village) and city has their own varieties/patterns. I bought my first Corte today. (It is pretty expensive.) I bought enough to make a couple of ties, which is what most elders do with it.

This week we have our six week meeting so I'm going back to Xela again, not really looking forward to the hours on a chicken bus again, to be honest. But all in all, everything is still going pretty well.

As far as missionary work goes, this is actually not really much of a baptising area. People love to let us in, and hear from us, but for them, it's like their own personal sermon in their house and that's pretty much it. No one seems to be interested in going to church, converting, or those who do seem interested, won't ever keep their commitments (simple things like read the introduction to the Book of Mormon.) But anyway, the members here think Elder Van and I are super Pilas (kind of means skilled) because we actually get investigators to come to church sometimes, which is nearly unheard of. But my comp and I are starting to make progress towards a couple of baptisms, which is pretty exciting.

No photos from this week, but he sent a picture of mailing instructions to pass along. :)

Packages are very expensive, and we were encouraged by the mission president to keep them to a minimum, so let us know if you want to include something in the next package we send. 

But I'm sure letters would be welcome. Address instructions are the same either way.
Or, as always, you can easily email him.  jackson.lee@myldsmail.net
If you read on a computer, these instructions are always on the sidebar of the blog. :)