Meetings meetings meetings‏

TO MANY MEETINGS!! Good thing they are awesome meetings hahaha!!!

So I have had 3 meetings this past week. First of all, the suprise meeting on Tuesday. My whole district had to go the capital for a meeting that was located in the South Mission. It was difficult to get there but we managed great. Turns out, the meeting was for a member of the presidency of the seventy. It was Elder Maynes. He was great! He talked to us all day and I learned a ton of stuff that will help me in my mission. What was also cool, was that ALL the missionaries from the Capital were invited. So we were there, North Mission and South Mission. I got to see Elder Johansen and a couple others from my CCM district. I also got ot see Porter!! Or I guess, Elder Urmston. :) It was awesome to talk to him and see how it was going in his mission. (pictures attached)

The other meeting was about the goals that we arre going to be setting for the mission these next few months and I am really excited about the goals that we are going to be completing. First, this month our goal is 130 baptisms, July is 204 baptisms, August is 110  and September............. 300!!!! We are going to baptise 300 people in September! How awesome! I'm so excited. So it will require a ton of work from our part but I know that your prayers also will help a lot too.

We met a woman this last week that is so positive! Her name is Marta and I contacted her on the street. It came out that she has already read the Book of Mormon and she has all the pamphlets that we hand out with the questions filled out in the back. She has had many problems in the past with smoking and drinking and it got worse when her husband left her. But she has a great desire to change and go to church. She is a little weird but who isn't nowadays right :) and it takes one to know one right? ;)

Also this past week, we bought a water heater!! I hadn't showered with warm water since before I went to the coast! The water here was FREEZING, like arctic freezing and so we finally found and bought a water heater and it's marvelous. It was one of the most exciting things that happened this week :) haha.

So this past week, I have learned a ton. Now its just time to put everything in practice. I love being a missionary and I am loving it more everyday. Thank you all for your support and love and prayers. Keep em coming please. I love you all so much and I can't wait to see you in just under a year. Don't blink because it might be over :) love you and talk to you sooooooooooon!!

Elder Yates

Elder Johansen and Elder Yates

Elder Maxfield and Elder Yates

Elder Urmstom and Elder Yates

Familia Hernandez

Elder Yates and Elder Steeter

Elder Yates and puppy

My District

the countdown starts!

Less than a year left!

I can't believe how fast time is going! How crazy! I passed the ''hump'' haha. It's going to go so fast. Just keep holding on and doing good and I'll be home before ya know it.

 

This week we had the baptism of Familia Hernandez! Hermano Jose Luis and his wife Victoria. They are so great. For serious. They were SOOO excited to get baptized. It was a little difficult because the chapel in my area doesn't have a baptismal font so we had to travel to Villa Canales and do it which is like a 45 minute bus ride down the mountain. We couldn't get ahold of any keys because it's not our chapel and a whole bunch of chaos but finally we got in. AND THEY GOT BAPTIZED! It's incredible, I've only known them for about 2 weeks but I feel like I've known them my whole life. They must feel the same way too because Hermano Jose chose me to baptize him! I was very honored. They are a fantastic family who is already preparing to go to the temple. How awesome they are.

So this week we are just trying to get the hang of things as a companionship. It's difficult because only Elder Streeter knows the area but he only has 6 weeks of being there so he has no experience in being the leader of the area. So he is learning that and I am trying to help him but I can't because I don't know where anybody lives yet. But we are getting there. After many trials come the blessings. I have faith that the blessings are just on the other side of this trial. But trials are good. They build character and like my mom always says, things that build character put hair on your chest. ;)

Sorry that I don't have any pictures. I am getting so forgetful right now and I totally forgot my cable to the computer. But next week. I promise. :)

 

The area is really cool. It is pretty cold so Iv'e been wearing my sweater more and more. so classy ;) It's so different than the coast. It rains so hard here! Actually the other day it thundered so loud that is made me jump and squeal like a little girl. I promise. I don't think my comp is going to let me forget that ahaha.

Well,  that's about it from this end of things. We have a suprise meeting today in the cap. They haven't told us more than that so I'll let you know whats going on next week! I love you all so much and I hope you are all doing fantastic! Keep praying and bearing your testimony when you can. It'll strengthen it I promise. I love you. I love the church. I love Guatemala.

Elder Yates

ok I know what you're all thinking...

Where in the world is Elder Yates? (sang to the carmen san diego music). the answer: A mountain!!! :)

Thats right ya'll. I'm on a mountain. My area is in the capital. Technically, it's in Villa Hermosa and it's called Santa Elena Barrillas. But its a weird part of the capital that is situated on a mountain. So, it's weird, there is like a random mountain in the middle of the city that takes about 30 minutes to climb. So, although it is IN the capital. It's not. ha. make sense? yeah me neither. haha

Well my new companion is Elder Streeter. He is from Tucson, Arizona. He has one change in the mission. So his Spanish is still coming along. But I am helping him. Many times during a lesson or a contact I have to translate for him what the other people said. But it is fun and we are getting along great. Just working hard and I am trying to learn the area.

So Elder Loayza received a brand spankin new missionary from Utah that doesn't know Spanish at all. What a great learning experience for him. And the poor missionary from Utah I'm sure is dying of heat stroke in the Puerta De Hierro. pobrecito. But the heat is great. I kinda miss it actually......

So we are going to have baptisms this next week! Its a family named the Familia Hernandez. They are an older couple that have been going to church and are ready to get baptized this next Saturday. They are so excited and I am too. They are a wonderful familia and I already love them even though I have only known them a short time. We are also working with a lot of other people so I'll keep ya all updated on them the more I interact and learn about them.

Just know that everything is great and I love the area. Its a lot chillier then Escuintla but its great and it actually rains here! What a difference. Well. I love each and everyone of you very much and I cant wait to see you in a year. Keep working hard and doing great. I love you all and will see you sooooooooooooon!!! The church is true!

Elder Yates

Elder Porter's last day

Elder Yates in his new area

cambios‏

are tomorrow!! And I'm leaving!!! eeeek!!

Well Hey Everyone! How is everyone doing this week? Super good I hope. This week was good. I just finished up my last week in Puerta De Hierro. It has been so much fun here and I love this area with all my heart but I am a little ready to move on. I feel super comfortable in this area which is good, but in the mission it's kinda bad. So, it really is time to move on. As for other news, I am going to be training again. But because I'm leaving my area, I think I am only going to finish the training of another missionary who is being trained right now (because training last 2 changes). So he won't be my son but he will be my step son. A second companion is step father. So I will be his step father. Elder Loayza, he's getting a son too! A pure niño. haha. He's excited but really nervous, with reason because President Brough said he is most likely getting a gringo. So, he's a tad nervous for that. But it'll be great.

This week we have looked really hard for a house for Jose and Mery. We have found a few but nothing super positive. But the power of faith can move mountains so anything is possible. We just need to trust in God and in the Atonement of his son Jesus Christ and they will be blessed. Please continue to pray for them!

The Familia Estrada came to church this week again! They loved it and I love them. They really are one of my favorite families in the world. They are so humble and caring and the niño is the light of the family. I am super going to miss them! Elder Loayza is going to work really hard with them to get them baptized soon.

Elder Loayza completed 6 months this past week so we ordered pizza! The pizza was great.  Photos attached.

Well sorry this letter is short and kinda boring but really nothing has happened super eventful. Oh! A volcano (Volcán Pacaya) exploded this week! But I live really far away and it really didn't do anything. So that super eventful story was just rendered useless.

Well I love you all very much and I'm excited to write to you from my new area. I love you and can't wait to see you in a year!!!! Keep awesome!

Love,

Elder Yates

My favorite picture

Domino's!!!

Celebrating Ryan and Mom's Birthdays

Last day at beach with Elder Horrocks

Last day at beach

Last day at beach with Elder Loayza

Familia Estrada nino

Mayans

I got to experience a bit of their culture yesterday!

HEY EVERYONE! so this week was a great and bad. I'll explain. I have seen God's hand and Satan's hand this week. The day after Jose got baptized, he lost his job. Mery was sooooo worried because they didn't have any money to pay for the food. She was giving what they had left to the kids and they were going hungry. So obviously she was praying a lot for a miracle. Pedid y recibiréis (ask and ye shall receive) says the scriptures. On Thursday, the father of her kids called and said he was going to drop off money with her to pay for food for the kids (God), and some of the members decided to put a little care package together full of necessities they need like bread and flour and sugar (God). We visited her and her tears couldn't stay in. She was so grateful. That same day, Jose got a job (God)! Unfortunately, he had training for this job Saturday, Sunday and Monday so he couldn't go to church on Sunday to get confirmed (Satan). But at least he has a job. Then on Sunday, Mery shows up and tells us that Jose got in a fight with another member of the house where they are living. They are only renting a room of a house and he got in a fight with another member (because this member is a drunk 20 year old who comes home high everyday) and they kicked them out (Satan). They have only a couple days to find another house to move into. We are helping like crazy but haven't been able to find anything. So pray for them. I know God will provide but we need to be diligent and obedient so he can bless us. And your prays would certainly help.

As for other news, yesterday was P-day! And yesterday, as a Zone, we went to Tecpan. It is up high in the mountains of Guatemala. Mostly, native people live there and the most common language is Kakchikel. Everyone speaks Spanish too, but Kakchikel is more widely spoken and I don't understand a word! Ha! But we went to go see and explore old Mayan ruins. The place we went is called Iximché. It was very cool! There were even native people there doing a fire ritual and we wanted to take pictures but they said it was too sacred and they got mad at us. But it was still cool. We got to see how the Mayans lived. That experience was very awesome.

This week, we had a lesson with a new Hermana named Marta Julia. During the lesson, her father in law was sleeping in a hammock. He woke up half way through the lesson and we soon realized that he was drunk. He started singing and playing his guitar in the hammock during the lesson. Only that his ''guitar'' was a stick. but he was strumming it like a guitar and singing. Haha it was hilarious. Marta Julia was so embarrased. It was a fun lesson.

Also this week, we met with a less active member that is slowly reactivating himself. He was inactive when I got here but now he is going to church thanks to our support he said. His name is Vidal. Something that he told me that really hit me hard was that he felt that we had known each other in the pre-existence and that I had promised him that I would come and reactivate him in this life. I really thought was cool and I admired his faith. It was something that really stuck with me I feel the same of course :)

Well, that's about it here. This is the last week of this change so I'm going to finish it out HARD. :) Diligence and obedience, just like Peter and John in the Bible. Everyone read Acts 5:41 and 42. My new favorite scriptures. ''that they were considered worthy to suffer shame for His Name.'' I love it. I feel honored to suffer for my Savior Jesus Christ because he suffered for me more than I can imagine. The mission is pretty cool huh? I think so too. I love you all. Just remember the steps to success: read, ponder, pray, listen.

Elder Yates

Iximche

Iximche

Iximche

Iximche

Iximche

Elder Horrocks and Elder Yates at Iximche

Elder Yates and Elder Loayza at Iximche

My Zone at Iximche