Hi
Mom, Dad & Fam!
My
first week here was the most amazing experience I have had in my life!!!!!! So I wasn`t able to email on Tuesday because the
day went way different than I thought it would have. I thought we would have a
bus 5-hour bus ride (which we did) but then I thought we would be taken to the
Mission Home and stay the night there, but that’s not what happened at all!!!
Instead,
we were taken to a church building in central Quetzaltenango, where we met the
President and his wife there. We were there from about 10:30 until about 5 at
night. We had a meeting type thing that they told us what to expect when we got
out to the field, and different things about food, health, water. All these
different things, which to be honest, was pretty boring to sit there all day.
Then, at the end, they said “Alright, you are going to meet your companions now
and go get settled in at your house.”
They brought
our new comps in and we talked for a little bit more, and then they just took
us away. That day was the first day I had in the field. We went back to the
house where I unpacked and got settled in a little, and then the first thing my
companion said was that we were going to do was to go out and contact!!! I
thought he was kidding at first, but we got up and went out on the streets and
started knocking doors. I have never been so scared in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was so scary. I had no idea what people were saying to me, I had no idea
what to say to them because I was so scared, but I got through it.
My companion is amazing!!! His name is Elder Foster and he went to Woods Cross High. He has been out for 15 months and speaks awesome Spanish. He has helped me so much this last week!!!! Just what I wanted in my first companion, prayers really have been answered!!!!!! I really think I have learned more this past week than the past 6 weeks in the MTC? I don`t really have the butterflies in my stomach when I walk out our door anymore, which is very nice, and I am starting to know the area a little bit.
Our
home is pretty great. By the way, I don`t think Mom would approve of it hahahaha!
But I love it! it`s a cool little place!!!! The shower is crazy though!! There
is a breaker switch on the wall with 2 wires coming out of it, they run up the
wall, to the ceiling, and then down to the shower head, and the heater is in
the head, and if it gets too hot, the switch breaks, and there is no more ¨hot¨
water. It`s never hot, just somewhat warm. But when that heater doesn`t work,
it`s freezing!!!! Don`t worry about me though, I`m fine. I`m under the best
protection there is, the loving, watchful eye of our Heavenly Father!!!
After
contacting we met some of the investigators they have had in the area and I was
able to introduce myself to them, which was nerve wracking too. Overall, it was
so freaking scary!!!!! It has gotten better each and every day with
understanding. Speaking is still somewhat difficult, but it`s coming slowly but
surely. It`s now getting to the point where I will say something and not really
care how it sounds, just so I can start speaking more.
Our investigators we are
teaching are so awesome!!!! There is Paty, Brenda, Indyra, Edna, Estuardo, along
with some others here and there. Paty and Brenda are so close to being
baptized! They both have both said they believe it`s true, they just want to
receive an answer before they jump into anything. Indyra is the sister to Paty,
and Edna is their best friend. Paty is the boss pretty much, so she sets the
example for the other two. If Paty gets baptized, it shouldn`t be too long
before they do too. The same goes for Estaurdo. He is a 14-year old kid, and
good friends with Indyra`s daughter. He has been being taught by us and really
wants to be baptized too!!! So who knows, we might be looking at 5 baptisms
here in my first area!!!!!!!!!
The people honestly
aren`t as welcoming as I thought they would be, but that`s mainly because they
are catholic. They see us and get super
mad! It`s pretty funny, but it kind-a sucks. We don`t really find anyone to
teach when we contact. I have learned to love contacting. It is one of the best
ways to practice my Spanish. It makes time pass so fast. It`s really fun, but
it`s crazy to think that I am now a full time missionary, out on the streets of
Guatemala, actually knocking on doors asking to share a message with people
about our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a surreal feeling!!!!
Prayer really is
amazing!!! In one of our lessons with Paty, we started teaching The Word of
Wisdom. I really didn`t understand what was going on, so I said a really quick
prayer to asking for help to understand something they were saying, as well as
to help me say something without choking on my words. Within about 2 minutes, I
started picking out words that they were saying that helped me piece together
what they were saying. Then I was able to talk about why I think we can`t partake
of alcohol or coffee or tea or drugs, how they form addictions, and when we
have addictions we focus on those things more than the spirit, and we
eventually lose the spirit and don`t know how to get it back. I said this all in Spanish, without stumbling
or anything. It was so crazy!!! Definitely a huge testimony builder!!!!!
The area I am in isn`t
far from where they dropped us off at that first day in the field - maybe 5
minutes. It
is so different here than the USA. There is no order to how they put buildings
up, the streets are crazy with cars, motorcycles, bikes, buses. It`s nuts! It`s
kind-a scary sometimes to cross the streets, but I`m getting the hang of it. We are in central Quetzaltenango, and it`s a
really cool area. Talk about culture shock though!!!! Almost all the streets
are cobblestone, not paved. The sidewalks are trash, and the buildings are all
concrete, just put anywhere. The houses, oh man the houses!!! If I didn`t have
my companion at first, I wouldn`t have known they were houses. They are just metal
doors all along the concrete buildings and then they open up into big
courtyards, when then have different rooms, and are in different parts of the
courtyard. It`s kind of hard to explain, and I don`t have good enough pictures
to show you because I don`t want to take pictures in their house. But it`s
crazy.
I love it here! I wish
you could all see it too. I really love it here, and it`s something else when
we start teaching the investigators and the spirit that is there is amazing! I am not even close to being fluent yet. It
is so hard sometimes, because people will ask me things, or just start talking
to me, and I have no idea what they are saying. I was so scared the first day
but it`s getting better. I am starting to understand a little bit more, but I
still have a long way to go!!!!!
I love this area so
much! It takes a little bit to get used to, and I`m almost there, but it`s
awesome!
You have nothing to
worry about I promise!!!!! I hope you all are doing good back at home!!!! I
love you all so much!!
That is amazing to hear
about Peighton and making it to the playoffs, and Gunner with his new job!!!
Finally!!!!! That is a lot of surgery if they all are going to need it!!! (Mom here: all three younger kiddo's will be having surgery the same day, in 2 weeks to correct sinus' problems and tonsils removed. Yeah for Mom & Dad! Also, older sister just had emergency appendectomy 3 weeks ago! Yup, life has not been dull since our son left.)
One thing I just realized, 2 months and 15 days until Christmas,
that`s all!!! Has it started snowing at home yet? It`s still really warm down
here!!!!
I hope your shoulder
keeps getting better!! Be careful with it. If you play, play it safe for a
little bit or else you might do permanent damage!!!!!!
I love you so much! I hope you have an amazing week!!!!!
Love Elder Harward
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