Emergency Transfers, Thanksgiving Grub, and Teaching Gym Trainers

Well howdy. Sometimes......I forget that I am american so I need to say really american things like howdy and Y'all haha. 

Life is good! 

So I was in intercambios and we are about to eat dinner, at like 9:00 and I got a phone call from my companion. I was like... "why is he calling me?" and Elder Jensen answered the phone. Apparently Elder Chavez didn't realize that I wasn't the one talking to him and all of the sudden Elder Jensen's face got all serious and said..."oh fetch" haha I was like freaking out, "did somebody die!?!?!!". then he passed me the phone and Elder Chavez told me that Prez called him and that he has to be in the office the following morning at 10 because he has emergency changes. I was like, "whoa". so now my companion is Elder Frehner, from Panaca Nevada. He has 5 months in the mission and is still learning Spanish but is doing a great job:) He is really cool. 

Elder Frehner's mom is AWESOME! haha she sent him 2 things of mashed-pa-taters and stuffing and Turkey Jerky and so we made it all into a thanksgiving feast! haha I will attach pics.

We have been going to the gym in the mornings and we have become good friends with this guy named Herbert (just like I named all of Oscars action figures hahaha) and so we started teaching him and he is really positively interested in the church! He is Catholic but had a bunch of doubts about the catholic church and every time that we explain a subject or topic he understands and its like things "click" for him haha. He is really cool! 

pics! we also had a HUGE butterfly in the office and the gringo that is looking at the huge bug is my new comp. the food, and THERE IS PANDA EXPRESS IN XELA!!!!!!!!!!! and a shot from my hammock:)

Are you pregnant?

Hahahaha yep, I asked the question that I told myself that I would never ever EVER ask! hahaha. 

Okay, here is the story:

We were in a taxi going into Reu and this cute little lady was getting in. So, as a good young man/missionary in guatemala I opened the door and slid over. I noticed that she had a belly that was the PERFECT shape of a pregnant lady belly. You know what I mean. haha I started to contact/talk to her and I asked, "are you pregnant?". no, she responded.    FLIPP.  HAHAHAA I was sooo embarrassed. I was like, "I AM SO SORRY" and laughing at the same time. She explained to me that she just had a baby a little bit ago, but haha OOPS. That was so awkward. but she was really nice and didn't mind anything of it, i think/hope. 

Anyway, the REST of my week was good hahaha. Paty, Danilo, and Irma got baptized and confirmed this sunday. They couldn't get confirmed last sunday because we had a big conference and nobody got confirmed that week. We also are going to baptize the Father (also named Danilo) the 2nd of December! he is really really excited. 

My companion and I are getting along fine and enjoying the work together. Sometimes I want to "kick him in the head" but I would probably kill him because he is so skinny hahaha. Every now and then we dont like clash but he is really annoying hahaha. I feel terrible for saying it but its true. But we are working on it! 

Life is good! I am happy. I know that our Lord and Savior loves each and every one of us individually and that he knows us perfectly, our challenges and our weaknesses. Yet, he will never leave us along. Keep smiling this holiday season and remember that ye are children of God, he loves you and wants to help you. I love you all! thanks for the support and the emails! 

-Elder Darling   

me with a bag of water.Tamales de corn haha and guatemalan streets

Sweet Surprises

  Yummy, haha but different kind of sweetness. 

So these past weeks I was telling you all about some lady named Paty that got shot that we were teaching right??? Well, this past Saturday she got baptized! it was awesome! as well as it was the most awkward baptisms that I have ever seen. but it all turned out good:) It was awkward because she chose that my companion baptized her and he is super, SUPER skinny and she is.... haha not. So, when he went to lower her into the water, she resisted a little bit right, because she was a little scared. So she was like up to her ears in water, like half of her face, she could still breath and everything but her elbows were clearly sticking out. So, my comp was trying to get her to go down but haha he was like in a tug-of-war trying to get her in, it was..... weird to watch hahahahahahahahahaa.

Anyway, the second time went a little better and she was baptized haha. 

But, the sweet thing was that she has three kids right?!?!?! And two of them are over the age of eight. The boy, Danilo, wanted to be baptized but her daughter that has 15 years didn't really want to be baptized. So, when we did the interviews we had her interviewed too, to see why she didn't want to as well as put a date for her baptism, IT WORKED!!! haha. The plan was that she was going to watch the service of her mom and brother and get baptized the next Saturday.

But we went the next day and talked to her and told her that she should bring clothes and stuff "just in case" right, if she wanted to do it. So, Saturday rolls around and she showed up with the family and everything and I was on the phone with the Zone leaders and I asked her, Hey, "do you want to be baptized?" and she thought for a bit then said, "yeah" haha YES!!! it was awesome!

So we baptized the three as a family! it was awesome. We have also taught the Father of the family but he works Sundays and isn't home for weeks at a time but he wants to get baptized as well and will probably end up doing it with the little daughter. It is so great

So yeah, other than that I have been running around the mission dropping off housing stuff that people like don't even need psshhh like beds, and fridges... they are sooooooo picky hahaha. But life is great!!!!!!! 

Thanks for the emails! Love you all!!!!!!!   #ForeverAndAlways

-Elder Darling

-We took a picture with a nun today at the mall place, haha. I didn't touch her haha, she hugged me so i put my arm behind her but I didn't touch her I swear!!!!!  

-There's also a picture of a fruit, you eat the wormy slimy seed things, I forgot what its called hahaha

Heyyyyy Yaaaa!!! Heeeeeeey Ya!!!

Ohh you think you got it, boy you think you got. but I honestly I don't think I remember the sooooooooiiiioooiioooooong.... haha [Editor's note: we think Elder Dork is trying to sing an Outkast song. *insert head shake*]

Hello! How art thou? I have been swell:) this last week was full of crazy office things getting ready for changes. so we have been real busy, but at the same time we are going to baptize! Paty and her son are going to get baptized this Saturday!!! Yay!!! haha they are super awesome. 

I have had a lame time in the office at the same time because they changed Elder Rodriguez out of the office but he is still here in Reu area so thats good. but I don't get to see him hardly ever. Its a bummer. He has become one of my best friends in the whole flipping world. For example haha, yesterday we had p-day because changes happened on Monday and we were bored so we went to the Market! it was crazy, you like go in then you cant get out because it is huge! but we, at one point were looking at watches and I liked one, and had just taken out money of the bank so I had a little pisto in my pocket but I didn't want to spend it. 

Anyway, I was looking at a watch and I asked the price, Q140. I didn't want to spend that much so I waited with an uncertain look on my face and the guy dropped the price, Q100. I said, "ummm" then looked at it and thought, then offered him Q50. haha I went real cheep. he was like no, I can only do Q80. So I said, Q60? and he was like I can only do Q80. Then Elder Rodriguez said "look (taking off his watch) it needs to bend like this, moving the band on his watch. The guy at this time was like "Freak! They know that its fake!" haha (in his mind)

 I said thanks and started walking away. The guy was like Q75! "nah, thanks" 

Q60! 

I looked at him, "Q60?" ....."Q60" Okay:) I said haha and bought it and left. started at Q140, and we got it down to Q60.... #Teamwork haha Mom, I really hope that you are proud of me, because it was the scariest moment of my life bargaining with that dude. haha [Editor's note: 1 Guatemalan Quetzal = $0.14)

So on Monday, we had to take a bunch of stuff to an area called Mazate. President has put new rules on the cars that we cannot drive when its dark, so we had ended up sleeping the night in a house that is in an area called, La Maquina. It was awful! then in the morning we were on our way back and they had set up a manifestation blocking off the bridges, so we had to drive back to Mazate and leave the truck parked in a church then take buses back and walk the blocked bridges to then take a taxi to Reu. It was awful, and the morning of P-day. #Blessed hahahahaha

I got a new companion. He's from Guadalajara, Mexico. Been out for 4 months. 

So yeah, that is a little bit of my week, didn't do much else. but I did take pictures! I found Egg Nog!!!! that was amazing. Saw fireworks, a frog, and thats what in slept on in La Maquina. 

Love you all!!!

-Elder Darling

The enchiladas picture is for Elder Godfrey, Those are enchiladas haha ¡¡¡¡¡Vive la Guatemala!!!!!! 

The Pink meal is called Fiambre, is a traditional Guatemalan dish that is prepared and eaten yearly to celebrate the Day of the Dead and usually has over 50 ingredients in it (its like a salad of meat that they eat once a year. Its super expensive to buy because it has so many different meats in it. its all soaked in a beet sauce (kill me) its got like a tangy vinaigrette taste to it. it has ham, chicken, pork, beef, eggs, sausage, and somethings else but i don't remember

It is the strangest meal that I have eaten in my life. That red and white star thing on top is a radish....I don't really like radishes haha but we eat them here as a snack sometimes... gross. haha 

Soccer, My Son, & My Bro

​So, the Missionary that I trained ("my son") just went home this last week for some problems that he had, but I "raised" him correctly so it's not my fault haha. I have no idea why he went home early, but what happens happens right? 

I am doing swell :) I finally got the chance to write with my brother Elder Whelan so I am a little happier today haha. I missed talking to that guy. We both happened to be online together so we emailed back and forth a bit. 

We have a few families that are preparing to be baptized in these weeks that are coming up, exciting! 

I don't think I am going to have changes in this transfer and I think that i will finish my time in the office after 6 months of being here. It's a long time, but i flipping love working in the office and being really close to Prez and Hermana Goodman, they are super awesome. 

Yesterday we got to play a fútbol for like two hours and it was amazing! we also made playeras and they turned out super cool!

Editor's note: We apologize for Braeden and his hiney thrusting. Apparently some aspects (no pun intended) of our boys will never change. 

Mosiah 2:41

41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

This scripture is amazing. I read it with President in spanish and then he told me to translate it, I did a pretty good job haha. But this scripture is amazing. President was explaining that in the Book of Mormon it says a bunch of times that as we keep the commandments of God, we shall prosper in the land. The land not only refers to here on earth but in heaven where we will be able to live with our eternal families in a state of happiness and joy. What a blessing. When we obey the commandments of God we will receive blessings both spiritual and temporal (as stated above). Wow! We will be blessed in our homes, as families, in schooling, work, hobbies, anything that is good. Because Good things are of God. 

The reason that we are here in the earth is to prepare to stand in front of God in the judgment day, Alma 34: 32 "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."

As humans we are here with a purpose, to prepare. That's pretty cool if you ask me. We are here to prepare so that we can live eternally with our families in this "happy state", also so that we can receive all...ALL of the blessings that God is ready and so happy to give us. 

Life is good:)

We have a family (Paty) that is going to get baptized the in November, that was supposed to get baptized this week but they didn't go to church this last Sunday :/ And some more but not exactly sure on the date, but I know that it will be in November, November should be a great month:) haha. 

Anyway, I love you all and thanks for the emails:) Have a great week!

-Elder Darling 💪😎

"I Don't Adore a Dead God"

We were sitting in sacrament meeting and one of the members went up to bear his testimony and that's what he started with. "I don't adore a dead God". and it hit me. 

Life is full of a whole lot of roller-coaster ups and downs, right? Yep. Sometimes, life is hard and everything, absolutely EVERYTHING is going wrong. Yet, He is there. 

I DON'T ADORE A DEAD GOD. 

My life has been shaped by lots of factors. I am who I am because of what has happened to me, things that I have experienced, lived through, as well as heard about. But I know that there is and was a reason for every single one of these experiences; The people I know, such as my Mom, friends, wards, schools, hobbies and sports, bike crashes, brain surgeries, sufferings, joy, pain, fun. Everything that has taken place in my life is bacause I have a God in heaven and a Savior that live and love and care for me. I dont adore a dead God. 

In the mission, everything happens in God's time, we see it everyday. For example as we meet people, they explain to us that we had come in just the right moment, or we arrive after something aweful had happened to them and they can feel and know that First, God's not dead, and Second is that he loves them. 

La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días, is the only true and authorized church in the whole entire world. I love this work, I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father. I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are the holy and sacred scriptures that help us to understand the desires of God for his children. I know that Families can be together for ever and ever and ever. I know that God lives, and he loves each one of us and knows us personally. 

if you dont know or understand these things, humble yourself before God and ask him personally. He will answer you. 

I love you all! thanks for the emails and support (and all that good stuff:) 

Have a great week!!!

-Elder Darling