I'm a Father!!

But not really. I am training and my kid's name is Elder Lopez, He is from San Salvador, and he is dope:) We have been working hard and being super obedient and its awesome. Being a trainer feels a little weird, like I have more time then I actually do but the 6 month mark is coming up soon, nope, I'm not baggie:) (or trunky or whatever they call it up there) I am just excited:) We have been doing the Cosechas 8contacting only by following the spirit) and we have been having a lot of success. We are also working with an Hma named Angela. She is not a member but she married a returned missionary. And he works her hard with the bible and she gets confused and frustrated and then talks to her father and gets more confused because he is super catolico. and she grew up in the catholic church too. But we are SO CLOSE to putting a date for baptism. Every time that we are with them the spirit is so strong and I love being in their house. It really is a beautiful feeling. 

I don't really remember what else happened this week, it went by fast and I didn't make a list of things to write about :/  I love you all, and thanks for the emails!!!!!

News from the Toilet... oh, Hi Presidente!

HEY yall!!!! This Is probably going to be short. haha

So, to explain the header, is something like this;

My comp and I went to a members house to use their bathroom real quick. So I was chatting with the Hermana and Elder Pineda was in the bathroom. Then the phone started ringing. 

Quick side note, the bathroom in a little hut thing outside of the house with sheets for the walls haha so i could hear the phone ringing.

Then my comp says, "Oh! Its Presidente!" haha. So I went to get the phone from him when I heal, "Hola Presidente, ¡como esta?" Then I was laughing because my comp was talking to our mission prez while on the toilet. (BUT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MOM!!!!!! Side quote for my Dad hehe) Then he said that the phone was for me. 

So When he called I looked at the date on my watch and we were one week away from changes which meant that Prez was assigning trainers, and I thought that My comp was going to be a trainer again. 

So I answered the phone and my heart starts racing haha. We were talking and then he asks, "Elder Darling, are you an obedient missionary?" "uhhhh haha yeah" I replied, "are you a misionero anomado?" "Yes" I said. "Elder Darling, Our señor Jesucristo e yo tenemos un llamamiento especial para usted. We want you to be a trainer for a new missionary." I was at a loss of words haha all I said was "Uhhhhhh haha yeah!! I would love to" haha WHAT!?!?!?!?! 

So Today is 5-22-2017 I finished my missionary training yesterday. And I become a trainer, I receive my "hijo" tomorrow hahahaha SO CRAZY!!!!!!

So thats all thats really happened this week, nothing super special or big hehe. 

here are some pics:) I saw Elder Cook from my CCM district during the trainers meeting this week. I made my agenda into a "dictionary" haha and my comp was packing his maleta wrong so I did it for him (how my mom showed me) and how happy I was when I got my package from the fam:)

I Just Saw a Face I Can't Forget, a Time...

...or place where we just met, its just the fam i need and I want all the world to see we've met....mmmmmm, mmmmm, mmmm, mm, mm , mm.. haha

HI! So I got to call home umm... yesterday, yeah. and it was pretty awesome! I only got to talk to Elder Whelan for like 2 minutes and he couldn't hear anything that I was saying but it was cool to get to see him! 

So, the plan for calling was that we were going to get settled at the church at 2 o'clock, and set everything up to call around three. We ended up getting to the church around three. Then my comp got on with his family within like 5 minutes, cool. There is his family, hi comps family! I tried for at least an hour and a half to call my family, nothing. The computer told me I had to download skype...I did it like ten times. Nothing. Piece of garbage! The computer wasn't about to let me call, so eventually my companion let me use the other (working) computer to call and he would try to use facebook to call. So I got on with my family and we chatted for a bit:) it was nice to see everybody and get to talk to them. Dalton showed me that he can do a double front flip on the trampoline, so GOOD JOB D!!!!! That was dope. But yeah! I love my family and I have been blessed with a super awesome family too:) 

So this weekend we had the baptism of Hermano Juan sabastian and it was super awesome! Just one year until the temple!!!!!! Its is going to be so awesome for those two, WHAT A BLESSING!!!!!! Goodness Hmo Juan and Hma Kenya are so awesome:)

Not much else happened this week that comes to my mind right now... so here are some pictures:)

Singing In The Rain

Hi! I am happy:)

Because this missionary work is beautiful, just like the flowers that are growing between the piles of trash. Just like the way that we can gain an eternal happiness with our families for ever in heaven. Just like the way a new baby smells with their chubby little bodies. Just like the roosters crow and the dogs bark in the streets of Brillantes, Guatemala. Just like a Temple lit up at night.

Beautiful.

So last time I talked about an Hermano that is going to be baptized this Saturday. And the reason why....Beautiful. He has felt the spirit manifest to him that he can have an eternal life with his Wife and his family. That, is beautiful. Why am I here? Yes, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." But more importantly, to make families eternal. I can't stop smiling. Every time we have a meeting with them I feel like I am at home. It is kind of a weird feeling, but it is beautiful. Thespirit is always so strong when we are with them. The two of them came to church this last sunday and they brought his son. We didn't know that he had a son haha. Turns out that he was married before and has two kids. But we have only seen the sonat this point. The son, wants to be baptized too. He was telling the primary teachers that he has a desire to be baptized, "where can I be baptized" he was asking! BEAUTIFUL. So that it one of our investigators right now that are on date for baptism. 

We had a miltizona meeting this last week and our prez. came up with something for us to do for two hours everyday called cosechas. In english it means harvest. What we do is basically contacting, but only where we are spiritually prompted to contact. So the day after we got up and got ready, studied, and went to do a cosecha. We followed the spirit down a street and to a family that was outside. We presented ourselves and shared a lesson. ¡PILAS!This family has the Mom, Grandpa, two sons and two daughters and an aunt. and they are on date for the 4th of june. WHAT!? I don't think that there is any way that somebody could read this and not know that this happened because of the spirit. We were spiritually guided to a family that is prepared to know the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to follow him into the waters of baptism. Then, to become an eternal family through the temple....beautiful. 

Ask me how my week was....."beautiful". 

So it starts raining around 4 o'clock here and...I hated the rain back home....HATED!!!!!! UGGHHH! But, there is something different about being soaking wet while doing the Lord's work...it makes you sing. haha. AHHH, it is....beautiful. 

Challenge of the week! haha At night, light a candle, pray, read some scriptures, then just watch the candle and think about the light of Christ. The one through whom we are all saved. The one that gave his life for us. Just ponder his light and then how we can make the world a little brighter by living in a manner of Christ. I love my Savior. I teach his gospel everyday and I get to see the changes that he makes in the lives of the people. But more closely, I know that change that he has made in my life. and That is a message that I will always want to share, That we have a Savior, He loves you. Yes sometimes the places we are in spiritually are really dark and scary, but through his light, We will see the way:) I love you guys. 

To all mothers and especially mine, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!!!!!!!

To Milo....HAPPPPPYYYYYY BBIIRRTTTHHHDDDDAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2!!!!!

**the pics are chicken and beans, pig skin soup thing that was an S. breakfast hehe, and jearseys that we made as a companionship. and a poem that I wrote:)

Ups and downs and all arounds and whatever

Hi:)

This week started out pretty normal, the usual missionary work, contacting, appointments, etc. Then friday came and my stomach was feeling weird, it didn't hurt. It was just...weird. We stoped at a members house because we didn't have much to eat for lunch and they gave us some mangos (AWESOME!!!! I LOVE MANGOS!!!!) And when we were full we said thank you and left, I have learned that if you are hungry here, stop somewhere to say hi and you will get food...sweet! haha. Anyway, we walked to another little town called Siglo uno where we had a family to visit, but they were gone. So we walked back. My comp had to go to the bathroom so we stopped by our house real quick and my body was hurting on the way back to the house, so weird! So when we got to the house I laid down with the fan on. THEN I WAS FREEZING!!!!! So I turned off the fan and wrapped up in a sheet. Then my comp asked if I wanted his blanket..."yes please" I answered. By this time My body temp was hotter than I have ever felt before, it was scary actually. I thought I was going to have brain damage because I started to stutter and It was hard to talk haha ahhhh!!!! At this point I asked my comp to call somebody to help be because here the locals have remedies for everything, so I thought that I would receive a magic drink or something from an hermana. Next thing I know Mama Rosa comes in and starts touching me and asking me questions, I stuttered my way through them. She is so awesome, she only refers to us as her kids (she is younger than my parents actually) (Whoa Whoa Whoa, I didn't mean it like that! Mom and Dad, You´re NOT OLD!) hehe. Next thing I know I am popping pills, ibuprofeno, and I have a gatorade.... oh, Thats not that special. But I am super grateful for her help:) Then I wake up a bit later she is back with Alan, her son in law and has soup. I ate half of the soup:) Then I was told that I needed to sweat it out. i knew that too, I am pretty sure that I had the Flu. It sucked! Next thing I know, I woke up in the middle of the night and my stomach turned, so I went to the bathroom.... Double Dragon #2! Yay haha (Tears). Anyway, I am better now:) haha. 

Something that picked me un into the heavens this week happened on Sunday. (It is super spiritual but I have to explain it fast because I have to go:/) So we went to our lunch after church with this hermana. During lunch she told us that there is only one member of her family that isn't a member of the church and she made a promise to her daughter that she would someday bring the missionaries to talk to him. He was born a catholic and catholic his whole life and then married a mormon. So Sunday, we went and had a quick visit with them. At the end of the lesson I gave him the invitation for baptism. He said yes. DOPE! My comp looks up and asks again. Yes. Haha It was exactly like the Best 2 years with the doctor during their first lesson. Anyway, he was super prepared by his wife and wants to live with her forever so he is getting baptized the 13th. It was so spiritual! 

I have to go:/ SORRY! Pics next week!

Hola Vaca...OH!

​Hiiii:)

The story behind the headliner is quick and AWESOME! Where we live , in the mornings there are a few cows that are tied to some trees (vaca means cow....and hola means Hello) haha. Anyway. We were leaving our house for the day and the cows were there, one of them is big and white and closest to the path that we take and often we greet it and tell it goodnight haha (weird missionaries right?!) We were walking past the cow and my comp says, "Hola vaca.." right then the cow starts peeing! "OH!" he says. HAHAHA I died!!! It was awesome. So that´s my spiritual thought for the week;) catch you later!

psych! I´m not done. This week was pretty cool. 

Something that really hit me this week happened when I was thinking about my brother, Elder Whelan. We had a district meeting and we were sharing our stories from when we opened our call. Mine when something like this, " So I have done everything with my brother, sports, girls, school, work, everything. And we sent in our papers at the same time. One day while we were working we got a text that our papers where at home waiting for us. when we got home, we showered and our friends showed up and we opened them. He went first. Guatemala ciudad central mission. clapping, whoohoo! and so on. Then I opened mine, REU, Guatemala. WHAT!?!?!?! We both said! We are both going to Guatemala!!!" Something like that. I miss that guy, a lot. He meant a lot to me. He still does. But I know that right now he is doing the Lord's work so I am okay being away from him. But I miss him. There are times that I want to talk to him and share stories, but he isnt here. but haha we are in freaking central america and still only a few hours away, how freaking crazy right!? I love that dude and I cant wait to converse with him in 21 months in spanish and swap stories, It will be awesome:) Also my other two of the "older kids" in the family. Having four teenagers grow up together has been really cool. Getting to play lacrosse with Dalton and Kollin both was awesome and watching dalton and ty play tennis was fun:) Dalton and Ty are at home now and I know that they are prepping to serve and I miss them bunches too! I cant wait to give them hugs at the airport haha (I am not being trunky or baggie or whatever they call it there, here its baggie) But I sure do miss those two. But I know that they are doing awesome and Living it up! Having four of us was like a gang in the family and at church too haha. The Darling/Whelans....watch out! haha

haha. So, music is something that has always been a part of me, everywhere I go i am singing or listening to my tunes. And here I have been writing whenever i am waiting for something or whatever. There is a member here Alan, and he asked me to write a song, Querido Juan. (Dear John) haha So that´s been my little project and its pretty tight! he wants like half in english and half in spanish so thats going to become something after the mission for sure. 

If there is something that has been a big focus this week it is that Families CAN Be together FOREVER. I know they can. I have been blessed with a family that has this special gift, and I know that i will be with them and my future family for evvvver! Cool Right! We had a family home evening with a part member family of Mama Rosa this week. Her kids are members (she has three daughters, youngest is 15 and other two are married and have kids. one lives in the capital but Karina and Alan are still here and live with her. She isn't married to her boyfriend, so she hasn't been baptized) arrrgh haha. But she's our Mama here haha. anyway, we had the family home evening and we shared the first vision videos and then some other ones... spirit strong. We had a super awesome discussion about families and how they can be together forever through baptism and sealing in the temple. it was awesome and we are so close to a date for her wedding! I can taste the cake!! haha. 

Something awesome this week happened during lunch. One of the hermanas that was feeding us lunch brought us our plates. grilled chicken and rice or noodles.... i forgot. Anyway It was looking good. My comp says... haha, "oh". I look over to his plate and there is a little heart. Yep, chicken heart. haha. " I don´t want this" he says. HAHAHA. Okay. I thought for a minute. Pass it over, I will eat it. And so I had a chicken heart (check that off the list). I have also eaten Cow tongue and snout, and intestine (which is really chewwy). 

We also had english class this week, found some teeth (not sure to what... haha and today we went on a hike! enjoy the pics!

Over all good week! I love you all!

-Elder Darling​

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

​Hello.

Man these weeks are just flying by! but this week was pretty neat!

So I take notes throughout the week about the things that I want to write about and it makes life both easier and hard because sometimes i forget why I wrote it... BUT! Here we go haha

Somethings that make me smile here are really simple and usually my comp thinks i am a weirdo but I don't care haha, But the Butterflies. are. beautiful. There are some awesome butterflies here. Some have a blue body and the tips of their wings are white and when they fly away from you you see white lins like sparklers on the 4th of july being drawn in the air WHAT!? SO COOL!!! haha Also the fireflies still make me smile and dance around like a little kid. Also the animals are cool, sometimes. We were walking home and there was a little white calf following us haha, it was sooo CUTE! 

So something that i find super funny is when people wear shirts that have english writing and they have no idea what it says. Sometimes I will say "hey, I like your shirt", and they are always like "what does it say?" haha I saw a RUN DMC shirt yesterday, the kid's in our ward and he was like, "what is it?" WHAT?! WHAT'S RUN DMC?!?!?! AHHHHHH hahaha YOU'RE KILLIN ME SMALLS! but its all good haha. Also We were walking away from a lesson and we passed a couple, but the guy was wearing pink flip-flops and his nails were painted pink😂 people here are awesome, 

Sunday we went to our lunch appointment after church at a members house where tenemos un poco pena because we got food poisoning before. But, we go because she took up every sunday on our schedule haha (darn it haha). She didn't have it ready because she didn't know if we would show up because last sunday we weren't able to make it because we had to go to another area for a meeting. Anyway, we were waiting and helping her get the food ready (she had to heat it up) And I am in the doorway of the kitchen and my comp looks down at the plate, then points to his head. BRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is what I am thinking now, and there are little dark balls on the plate in the sauce with the brains. GREAT! I am about to eat brains and eyeballs!!!!!!!!!! 😂 freakin scared me. It was just chicken and raisens in a red sauce and spaghetti on the side. BRUH! Don't do that to me!!!!! It wasn't brains or eyeballs, and we aren't sick, so it's all good. 

So here they celebrate what's called Semana Santa, which is the last week of Christ's life through resurrection sunday, and it is really cool because the mind set here for the whole week is all about Christ's life. I love it!! They also have foods that they make specifically for each day, but I forgot what they are called. haha oops. This week, I have learned a big lesson on following the Spirit. (The spirit is a guide that we receive after we are baptized with the authority of Christ called the Priesthood, The spirit whispers to us through a "still small voice" about things that we should do, avoid, etc.) And I was feeling (during planning) that we should visit an area that I haven't been to called Petencito. Then my comp said "yeah, and the Colonia" So we planned our day around that. Then while we were their we found ten new investigators that are interested in the church. When we receive promptings from the spirit, it's extremely important that we follow them. This could be to  write a letter to a friend, hold the door for a stranger, smile, hug somebody, anything. The important part is that we act. Because had we not gone to that place on that day, who knows what would have happened. But I know that through the Holy Ghost (or the Spirit) We can change lives and especially here in the mission that we will change lives, we will bring people to their savior and help them to find the true gospel that is here in the earth ready for them to accept and use in their lives. I know this Church is true, and I know that The Savior loves each one of us, and he wants us to be happy. I also know that because he wants us to be happy, he gave us a way to live with our families forever through his gospel. I know that the restored gospel is here on the earth and I know also that through the Prophet Joseph Smith, we have both the restored gospel and the Priesthood here for us to have and to use.

I love you all!

pics of haircut before and after, videos of the beach and my comp singing in the shower haha my comps Corona swim trunks😂 ​