My son has his first convert.

and its David!

 Hey everyone! How are you all doing?! I sure hope you are super good because I am super good. My companion and I have been getting up at 5 every morning to go work out. So I'm tired everyday haha. But, it's a good tired, a satisfied tired.

Speaking of working out, my arms got a work out this week at the baptism of David! He was super unsure last week if he was ready. We told him to just do the interview and if he didn't pass, we would wait, and if he did pass, then he was ready. He agreed and passed the interview! So he got baptized on Sunday. We were also really nervous because his family is really Catholic and we weren't sure how they were going to respond to his decision. But they supported him! They even came to the baptism! After, his dad gave him a really big hug and told him that he's proud of him. Everytime we go visit him now or go to work out with him, his mom always makes us something to drink like mush or atol. Sooooo delish. So that has been a really great blessing for us and for him. His parents are our next assignment :)

Other than that, nothing has really happened. just working hard. We had a lot of meetings last week. It was a great opportunity to contact on the buses. Actually, we got over 400 contacts last week. pilas pues. So that's a cool acheivement. I really hope to be able to stay with Elder Finch one more change because we have been killing it together. But we'll have to see what God says. He may have different plans. But I pray that we can stay together.

Anyways, sorry the letters have kind of come to a stop. I have many of them written, I just haven't sent them yet. But remember that patience is a virture. I'm not really sure specifically what that means because I don't really know what the word virture means, but I interpret it as a good thing :) haha. Remember that I love you and I am proud of you. Missionary work is the most important thing in this world and really, everything else in the church is based on missionary work and bringing the children of God into His fold. Remember to always do your callings with missionary work in mind and you will be blessed. Continue to smile and enjoy life and as my smart, beautiful mother always says, laugh everyday. I have a pretty great mom don't I? :) Have a great week!!

 

Elder Yates

a week of meetings....

is a boring week. Ok not really because we have meetings to learn and grow, so actually, meetings are great! Just a lot of traveling.

 Hay everyone! How is everyone doing today? Espero que bien. Things are going great here, except we will be out of our area everyday this week! So, that makes it kinda hard in some things because we won't have as much time to work but, these things ARE necessary. Yesterday we had zone conference and it was great! We talked about receiveing revelation and it was so great. I learned a ton.

As a mission we have some NEW norms that we have put into effect we now have to contact 35 people a day and have 27 lessons a week. BUT we are going to complete them! We have too. It's a commandment for us and commandments bring forth blessings. So, it's going to be fun!

We went to Antigua on Monday! It was so much fun! I got to show Elder Finch around for his first time there. We went and saw some ruins and got our shoes shined and even ate McDonalds, so it was great. I had a blast and I think he did too. We even bought some super cool stuff. So it was a fun day and while we were there, there was an earthquake, nothing too big but you could definitely feel it. haha. Is it weird that the earthquake was kinda fun?

So about David, he came to church last week too! all by himself! I think he really likes it and we are planning his baptism for this Sunday. He says he doesn't feel quite ready but we know that he is and that he will be sooo blessed after. So I hope that he sees the importance of it so that he can make convenets with our Heavenly Father and be blessed! He is still slowly recuperating his health and that is a big blessing that he desires. Also, we have been waking up at 5 every morning to go work out with him. It's been hard but it's been great. I have realized that I'm not as strong as I thought I was haha. But I am going to return home with a much needed (and even more desired) beach bod. Good thing I'm getting home during the summer! haha

Also, the rain has stopped! Now it shouldn't be back until next April or May. So I have some dry seasons coming up. hooray!! That should be a nice change, especially because I am going through umbrellas like pairs of underwear haha.

 

Well until next week my faithful friends. I just want to leave you with some advice. Be happy. yep. Bob Marley said it best. Just be happy and life will be better. Mine has definitely changed and yours can too! Until next week, I love you and want you to stay classy :)

 

Elder Yates

 

Elder Yates and Elder Finch

Just for Mom

Writing Letters!!

Our District

Elder Lagos Elder Finch and Elder Yates

Elder Yates

 

 

I have given birth.....again‏

to little missionary! His name is Elder Finch and he is from Mesa Arizona. He is the best!!

So YES! I'm training! And I have the best son in the whole mission. He contacted the whole bus on the way home from changes! Fijense en eso! The whole bus!! And I contacted my first bus like just a couple months ago. Pilas pues. haha.

So how did you love conference?! I LOVED IT! It was the best! I especially loved the talk from Elder Uchtdorf on Saturday morning. Life is not a race, it's a journey. Live life EVERDAY!! and love it too. His talk was great. I also LOVED the talk from Jeffrey R Holland about being followers of Jesus Christ, what a great conference. I hope that everyone could watch it and enjoy it and could learn something new. A theme of conference was CHANGE. The worlds standards are getting worse and we as members of the church of Jesus Christ must be better than the world! Let me know what your favorite talk was please :)

 

On other good news, our investigator David was able to go to conference and he also loved it. Hooray! And what do you guys think about the age changes? I think its great! We are going to get sooooo many more missionaries now! Especially sister missionaries, and sisters missionaries, are the best. Take my word for it.

 

So thank you parents for the new shoes. Now EVERYONE wants to be my friend. :) I'm sooooo stylish ya know ;)

 

Also, thank you Grandmother for the Halloween stuff. YOU'RE THE BEST: now my desk is super spooky :) thanks Grandma!

As for my friends, well, I am writing letters. They are slow but they are gettin written. (such good english huh? gettin written? ha!) but patience is a virtue. :) I love you and I am so proud of you alllll. BYU is awesome, I love Jimmer, and I'm still a red head, those are just some things that will never change. I love you and challenge you to laugh everyday and always follow that still small voice. Have a great week!

 

Elder Yates

The result at the end of September...

was 314 baptisms!! and as a zone of Villa Hermosa, we had 64 baptisms!! What a blessing!!!

YES! 314 baptisms. Who would have thought it possible? Oh. WE DID of course! haha. What a blessing from God. Really. We have seen and witnessed enough miracles this month to last a lifetime. The mission record BEFORE President Brough got to the mission was 141 baptisms in the month of Feb of 2011. And now that record is 314. haha! How cool is that? Pretty cool huh? Now President Brough is talking about 350 baptisms and says that he wants to put 400 before his mission ends. I don't think I will be in the mission to see that goal realized, but I will help my junior companions NOW so they have the faith when that time comes. The most important is that our Junior comps always be better than us, that way, we CAN have goals like that and they don't seem impossible.

 

So this last weekend Jorge was confirmed and even given the priesthood! So in 2 weeks he is going to bless the sacrament! I love that family so much and I will never be able to forget them. And I will be part of their lives forever and ever as well. What a blessing. Like in D&C "how great shall be your joy if you even bring one soul to repentence." I testify that scripture is true.

 

So right now we are teaching a man named David Lopez. He is a 30 year old single man who loves to work out and used to drink a lot. He even took the discussions many years ago but he drank too much and was never able to get baptized. Well, a couple months ago, he was working out like crazy and drinking a lot and well, almost died. He collapsed and almost didn't wake up. But, he promised God that he would go to church (Catholic church) everyday if he saved him. He was saved and now goes to the catholic church. He LOVES what we are teaching him and has the desire to change. But he is really scared because he believes in the promise that he made to God. So please pray for him. We really want him to go to church on Sunday!

 

This last Pday, we went on a hike as a district! Behind the area of Villa Canales, there is actually a natural park. So we decided to go and it was sooooo much fun! We saw some beautiful things, some gorgeous sites of Guatemala, and had a great time as a district. It was a great time and it was nice to get out in normal clothes and just have some fun. I'll attach fotos for your viewing pleasure.

 

So that was my week. Its been raining quite a bit lately. But I bought a new umbrella and its a beast. I think it's a womans umbrella but who cares if it keeps me dry right? haha. The mission is great and you are great too. Thanks for the support. I love each and everyone of you. Have a great week, watch general conference, and laugh everyday.

Elder Yates

 

Ok yeah no. I think my memory card got a bug. It is not letting me access my pictures. So I am going to try and have a member fix it this week. I still have the extra memory card in the house so I pray that I have good news next week. This may be wrong but please pray that my pictures survive.