Elder Jake Asdel: April 2013

Monday, April 15, 2013

April 15, 2013

Well my last work is done and now just gotta work my way back to the USA.
This week was great I was able to work hard, put baptism dates, plant corn, and who knows what else haha. I was very happy with the work I was able to do this week and the dates I was able to put for 4 baptisms and a wedding. So who ever goes there has some work to do! We almost had a baptism this Sunday but I didn’t want to rush it and I figured it would be better to do next week even though it would have been cool to have another baptism but that’s not really important.
So yeah, I left Yalijux after church and then got all my stuff packed up in Senahu. And at 3am I hopped on the bus by myself to Coban. It was a very long dusty horrible ride, but when I got here I took a taxi to Elder Somers house and then we went and got McDonalds breakfast!
After that we just walked around here Coban and now we are using internet. We are going to a big mall after this.
So yeah going home sucks and at the same time its great. Leaving Yalijux yesterday wasn’t too hard because I knew I would be coming back to visit soon. I also know I worked hard this last change and did all I could do.
I’m very thankful for the time I have had as a missionary and all the people I was able to help and have fun with. I know this work is true and I also know that my Heavenly Father has helped me with a ton of things here in Guatemala. I’ve learned so many things I would have never learned if I were not here at this time and I’m happy with the choice I made to be here.
Elder Somers and I were talking today... and he and I baptized 2 kids who are preparing to go on their missions. We are super excited to see the work that they will do.
I’m sure you guys want to know what is going on these next few days. Today I left at 3am from Senahu to Coban. Tomorrow I will just be here in Coban getting ready to go to the capital. I’m going to repack my bags and get them airport ready...50 pounds each.
Wednesday at about 2am I will head off to the capital with Somers and other people going to the cap. And when I get there, there will be change conference and after that my group will go to lunch and the temple with the Watts. Then we will spend the night in the capital and then taxi off to the airport Thursday morning. So yeah there it is. I’ll see you soon and I’ll be able to do alot more explaining of things in person than over email.
Well I gotta get out of here I’m out of time at internet! Love you all and I'll see you guys Thursday!!

Pictures:

bracelets for a couple of little girls in Yalijux

Er-k- is there with the Santa Claus you sent me for the Christmas count down(she’s been asking for it for ever haha)

Leaving for the 2am bus ride to Coban

McDonalds Breakfast

Planting Corn

Working in the fields planting corn

A long day of planting

Mario the guy I gave my total pillow to

Hanging out with Elder Sommers haha

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

April 8, 2013

No time to rest... haha

So yeah my mission is basically over and if I wanted to slack off and do nothing this week I seriously couldn’t even if I wanted to. First off I still need to teach my comp the other branch we cover and where everybody lives. And we also have a ton of people to teach and put baptismal dates with.

Ok so here (actually only in the mountains) the normal is that when you want a wife you kinda just pick one and ask her to come to your house with you and she never goes back to her house. The old way was you bought her a bunch of nice stuff and whatnot and a cow for her parents, but the teens these days decided screw that I’m just gunna sneak her out. So this week, 1 member girl (14) was taken, and two member boys (18 and 19) grabbed their girls. And yes they go on their own free will so it is something they want. The girl was grabbed by a non member and the two guys grabbed non members. So now they are all living with their soon to be wives and husbands but they aren’t married yet. That’s where we come in... they probably wont get married for like 5 or 6 years unless we plan it... but... we don’t plan weddings unless some one is getting baptized out of the two. So we have the perfect opportunity to plan 3 weddings and 3 baptisms. So this week that will be my main focus.

Other than that we have another investigator that has been sick, and we have helped her out a ton. And she wants to come to church really bad when she isn’t sick. She can't leave her bed but I think this week she should recover by Sunday. I jokingly said just take your bed to general conference and ride down the mountain to Senahu with it and she said ok I’ll take my blanket too! She obviously wasn’t able to make it to general conference but we did have a ton of members there (105 from Yalijux).

This week was crazy with all the wedding stuff and also nobody knew that general conference was this Sunday. So I asked the Branch Pres for a list of all the families and he gave me a list of 30. My comp and I went and told everybody including a family that lives about 2 hours walking from Yalijux and everybody except one family I told came! It was super awesome seeing all of them at conference. So yeah that was basically my week. We were busy all week and this week looks to be just as busy! Haha this week I have no time to send pictures but I’ll get you some next week, maybe...

Yes, I was able to teach some of the wedding people.

I also enjoyed the area 70 from Guatemala, Elder Enrique R Falabella. Yeah I have met him a few times from before he was a 70, he came and did zone conferences with us.

Love you all and have a great week

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

April 1, 2013

Hey how’s it going? Right know everybody is sick with some cold. I didn’t really get it but I have no energy and sun is killing me and its soo hot in this internet place so I’m going to write quickly and get out of here.

But this week was good. I have been taking pictures with everybody before I leave so I can leave a picture with all the people here. Saturday we had a really good day we found a ton of new people to teach and they all don’t go to any church so that is like golden. I obviously won't be here for much of their progress but at least I can start teaching them before I leave. So yeah that was for sure the highlight of my week. uhhhhhhhhhhhh I feel like crappppppppppppp I’m gunna explain my pictures now.

Me with a family out in Yalijux. I’ve been taking pictures with everybody

Er-k- holding up kib. Its a plant that I had for the first time this week. It was really good.

Up in the mountains of my area in a lil place called Se Campania.

Drinking from the pure water that comes out of the mountain.

With the members that live the farthest from the church (about 2 hours) the girl that is on the farthest left is the one who makes the bags.

On the top of the top of the highest mountain, it was crazy up there.

The thick jungle required some chopping.

Dead money I found in the jungle (I’m pretty sure it fell from the tree)

Dead monkey and my name tag

I’ve been seeing snakes everywhere lately I think its cause the sun is out and they are warming up.

A bunch of my favorite kids doing my pose

Er-k- with my backpack.

Well that’s all I got I’m gunna end this up and get out of here soon cause I feeel like crapppppp

Love you all and have a great week

I forgot the questions mom asked so here they are

So is Easter celebrated in your area? Not really, in Guatemala the celebrate holy week and they just go to the lakes and swim and party kinda like 4th of July. In my area nothing happened.

How is this change going for you and Elder Mendez? Good! All is good.

Are you getting any opportunities to teach? Yes we found a ton of news this week!

How are you feeling about things finishing up? Bittersweet but I am ready to come home.