unforgettable experience that Elder Yates is talking about? Hold your
horses. I`m getting there. But first I would like to mention a few
other things that happened this week. First, we had the marriage and
baptisms of Kevin and Rosario!!!! IT WENT SO GREAT!! Everything was
perfect. The branch was there to support them and a bunch of the
family of the lovely couple was there too. It was great. Kevin
even asked ME to baptize him. It wasn't hard to convince me. :) So, I
gladly did it while Elder Porter baptized Rosario, what a spiritual
experience. There were soooo many people there to support them
which was the best ever!! This happened on Sunday the 15th, so enjoy
those pictures.
Then yesterday, the 16th, we went to Antigua!!! It was so awesome!! I
freaking loved it. It was nice and cool and the climate was super
refreshing and there were so many touristy things there. The best
part was, unlike all the OTHER gringos that were there, I could
bargain with the store owners because I know Spanish! YAY!
Ok so its time. My companion wanted to take me to this place that cuts
and sells pieces of jade, a very rare, very beautiful, and very
expensive mineral here. I was a little hesitant a first because I
really wasn't that interested. But, he told me he knew a place that
nobody else knew about that was a kind of a hole in the wall sort of
jade place that told the story of jade. They even told some of the ways
jade was used in Ancient Guatemala (and people think it was used in
the Book of Mormon). So, I caved and we went. We were just planning on
looking around, but when we arrived, the lady in the entrance asked us
if we were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We said yes. She told us the tour was just starting and we were
welcome to join. We were going to say no, but she was pretty
persistent. So to not offend her, we said alright and followed her to
the back of the building, on the way back, she mentioned that others
from our church were already here starting the tour. We were a bit
confused but just thought maybe a Guatemalan stake was here or maybe
Antigua was doing a youth activity or something. But we go into the
room and see a bunch of people in suits, so we just sit in the back.
Then Elder Porter leans over and tells me that President Falabela of
the Seventy was there. I looked up and sure enough, he was! And
President Amado of the Seventy. How cool! They were taking the tour!
Then one of the workers came up and asked us if we knew that President
Russell M Nelson of the 12 Apostles was there. We looked up, and HE
WAS THERE TOO!!!!! WE WERE IN THE SAME ROOM AS RUSSELL M NELSON!!!!!
and also, L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy was
there too, so were all of their wives. My heart started beating so
fast I couldn't breathe. When the tour guide decided to take the tour
to another room, everyone stood up and they all saw us and were like
¨look real life missionaries!¨ and they all came over to us and meet
us! Their wives too (their wives were SO nice haha). I got to
shake Russell M Nelsons hand and introduce myself! AHHHHHHH!!! It was
the most spiritual experience EVER!!! And so they continued the tour
and the pushy lady from the front insisted that we finished it too! So
we followed these Four Men of God through a tour of this Jade place
and then at the end, Elder Nelson approached Elder Porter and I and
started talking to us! Just like a chat. He told us how lucky we were
to be missionaries here in this beautiful country with beautiful
people and that our best tool is the Book of Mormon. It was so
awesome!! We talked for like and 10 mintues, then we even got a
picture with him! And with Elder Clayton.
Oh my heck, the best 2 days of my life. We went back and told the rest of
our zone and they didn't believe us. Heck, I wouldn't have believed me
either! But we had picture proof and they were soooo jealous. How
lucky were WE???? We went to the exact same Jade place as Elder
Nelson, on the same day, in the same country, at the EXACT TIME!?!
What a blessing, for serious. I am so blessed and thankful for that
experience we had. It was incredible. I promise. Anyway, I was so
excited to share that with you guys. I met and talked to an Apostle of
Jesus Christ. What an amazing experience. One that I will never
forget, and with the baptism of Rosario and Kevin, it made this
weekend probably the best of my life. Wow.
Other than that, nothing TOO exciting happened. So I will just leave
my letter there. How incredible my luck. Just know that Elder Nelson,
Elder Clayton, Elder Falabela, and Elder Amado carried the spirit
soooooo strong with them. They really are men called of God. I can
testify of that. Sooo awesome. I still am in shock. Ok well I love you
all and can't wait to talk to you all next week!!!! Stay awesome!!!
Elder Yates
A little visitor in our house. I may (or may not) have screamed when I saw him. I can't be sure.
Elder Porter, Elder Nelson and Elder Yates
Kevin and Rosario's Baptism
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