HoLa FaMiLiA!
Thank you for all of your letters! I actually just got dad´s like two min ago.. jaja. Whoa, Primary teacher.. good luck pops! So how´s everything going??? From the sound of it, everything is going great! Things getting back to normal... sounds like anyway... yeah, grandma is awesome. She wrote me this week! So that was pretty cool... hopefully I have time to write her back, because I wasted a lot of time sending fotos.
Also, this week was Elder Coy´s birthday! It was pretty awesome. I think that we had like 4 parties for him with different members and stuff. It was really fun! I bought him a tie for his birthday. I bought the same one for me. I think I sent a picture of that... but yeah! it was awesome. The cake maybe wasn´t the greatest, but its all good! So I am at 170 lbs. I´ve never been this heavy, but I´m not getting fat, I think its because I´m working out my arms, chest, and abs a lot more than doing cardio. My arms chest and abs have never been stronger or bigger. I´m getting huge!....jaja. It wouldn't be because of all the donuts! :)
Also, I sent a package home this week. So that should be coming soon. I hope you like the things I got you. So you know how everyone says that I sound like dad when I talk and all that? Well when I answer the phone here, its the same response! They always think that I sound like Elder Coy, my papá in the mission. How weird. I guess I shouldn´t be too surprised, right? So I guess I kinda have a Guatemalan accent.. cool! That's kinda cool because I like the Guatemalan accent more than El Salvador's. ja Accents are funny. Our zone leader had a Chilean trainer so he talks with a Chile accent. Its pretty cool sounding. The only accent that I don't like is...... wait for it.................. the Argentinean.... sorry Hunter....jajaja.
Every morning, we have hot chocolate. Its really good. but they give it to you in a bag inside a cup. So when you are ready to drink it, you take the bag out and pour it in the cup. I was sitting on the couch in our cook´s house and spilled boiling hot chocolate all down the front of me. I´ve never felt that kind of pain before in my life! I thought that I would have blisters and all that. I could only think of when it happened to Brynn so long ago. It hurt like a mother bear. When we got back to the house, I expected to find large ugly blisters... because this stuff is insanely hot. Its like boiling in the cup when they give it to you. But when I examined, there was just a small red spot. After an hour, it didn´t even hurt. I thought, holy crap, garments work! I should have been seriously burned bad... but wow. Testimony builder!Also, transfers are this week. I dunno if I´ll go or not. Part of me wants to leave but part of me wants to stay.. we´ll see what happens on Wednesday!
We had divisions this week. I went to go sleep in the house of the missionaries who work in the office. They have a super nice big house. WITH......wait for it.........................................A HOT SHOWER! I had my first hot shower of my mission. Probably one of the only ones... but that's OK! The cold ones aren´t so bad... jaja.
So last week, when we were fasting, one night we were contacting someone on the street who didn´t seem really interested, but a good looking girl walked by and said hi to us, like they always do (culebras), and kept walking. We finished our conversation and went on our way. She was waiting for us at the corner and came up to us and asked what she needed to do to come to church with us. We asked for her contact information and all that and then she said, You´re Elder Coy right? And he said yeah, how did you know? She then proceeded to tell a story about when he gave her an umbrella when it was raining really really hard. I was not in the mission field yet, but Elder Coy taught me something that day, people remember you and the things you do. Elder Coy was a true example of Christ and she wanted to know more about us. Oh, the power of fasting.
So yes, we did have some baptisms this weekend. They were a wonderful experience. We baptized Rosa and Veronica (mother and daughter) and Hermana Miriam whose husband baptized her. It was a fantastic experience. I baptized Rosa and confirmed Veronica. I cannot tell you how great a feeling it is to bring someone to the gospel! So that family that we were going to baptize... We have been working with that family for the whole time I've been here in Zacamil. We found them on my first p-day here. We have been working so hard and praying so hard with them. Its the same family that we taught while we were out with Elder Martino. Finally they were ready and agreed to be baptized on friday. I dont think I've ever been more excited. All of the hard work, and everything was coming together! The next day, we had the powerful baptisms of Rosa and Veronica. Then, this family was going to be baptised on Sunday. That night, I went with the DL to do their interviews. The husband said that they would not be getting baptized. He said he'd been reading on the internet about polygamy in Joseph Smith's time. We explained everything, but he wouldn't change his mind . Unfortunately, the wife wasn´t there to help because she has a strong testimony. She has two jobs and provides for the family and when she gets home late at night, reads the Book of Mormon. She is a great example. I couldn´t have been more heart broken. All of our hard work, thrown out the window. The husband has always been hard to convince... I thought that I was going to cry! Sunday morning was Hermana Miriams baptism. Although I was really excited about that, the sister missionaries said that whole morning I never smiled with my eyes. I cannot begin to tell you how much that hurt. I was so sad. I still am a little... I´d rather dip my jewels in honey and go on a bear watch than go through that...oh wait, that kinda already happened..ja. but These lyrics for some reason came to my mind when all this was happening:
I descended a dusty gravel ridge
Beneath the Bixby Canyon Bridge
Until I eventually arrived
At the place where your soul had died
Barefoot in the shallow creek
I grab some stones from underneath
And waited for you to speak to me
In the silence it became so very clear
That you had long ago disappeared
And I cursed myself for being surprised
That this didn't play like it did in my mind
All the way from San Francisco
As I chased the end of your rope
'Cause I've still got miles to go
And I want to know my fate
If I keep up this way
And it's hard to want to stay
Awake
When everyone you meet
They all seem to be asleep
And you wonder if you're missing your dream
You can't see your dream
You can't see your dream
You just can't see your dream
A dream
And then it started getting dark
And I trudged back to where the car was parked
No closer to any kind of truth
As I must assume was the case with you
I never thought of this song in disappointed way before. Its always been one that I liked...But anyway, our converts together are absolutely amazing. Veronica came up to us after church and said that the blessing I gave her was amazing and she bore her testimony in church and came up to us and said that we were angels that were sent to her. She said that she didn´t know what she was missing until she got what we have. After that, I was OK. I finally perked up a little and thought, Its for the better.. I don't want to baptize inactives. But what she said to me was just what I needed.
Mum, thank you so much for all that you do for me. You have no idea. That mormon.org site is awesome! I loved watching the videos in the MTC and stuff. I think that would be a great idea to have the family make a profile. That would be legit. Also, I have a daunting request....Can you make me a facebook? Something so that I don't forget the families and friends that I have made here. But here would be the deal, you cannot accept anyone as a friend unless they are from El Salvador or served with me here... what do you think? Something that would be easy to find me for the people here? like a name like Elder Tanner Tod Thornton? I really don't know how facebook works... still hate it... but want one for my home dogs here. I love you mum!
Dad, congrats on your new calling! just remember, the Lord brings us down low so he can lift us higher. You are going to learn a lot teaching them and it will be hard, but it is where you´re supposed to be. The Lord needs you there for some reason or another. But just have a good attitude about it and realize that they are just little kids.. they are going to be a little disrespectful... But you´ll do great! Other than that, things sound good! Are you getting back on the bike yet? Any races coming up? anyway, I love you dad. Ecl 4:9 & 10. I don't remember what it says, I just have priesthood written next to it..
Austin, Whats up lady? Hows everything going? So you got asked to winter formal already? So are you stoked? Hows football going? I hope every things going good brotha. You´re my hero. "To the world you may only be a one person, but to one person, you may be the world." A nice quote for you there... also 1 Tim 4:12. Its a good one. mentioned a lot during conference. jaja. Love you brotha!
Ellie, Actually, Elder Martino is a seventy member and the area president here. Cool right? He gave the closing prayer in the Sunday morning session. But it sounds like things are going great! read 1 Tim 4:12 also, Its good. And stay away from those boys! Love ya!
Brynn, I´m so proud that you got up and bore your testimony. I´m glad that you are so sensitive to the spirit and can receive answers easily. That is a huge gift. 1 Tim 4:12 would be a good one for you as well. Love ya Brynn!
I love you all and tell grandma thank you and that I love her and I´m sorry, I don't have much time because I sent like 40 fotos... but I´ll write next week!
ELDER TTT
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