Monday, July 27, 2015

July 27, 2015

This week was another fantastic, week as always. Nothing really crazy happened that I can think of off the top of my head. So Monday, we went to an area thats called Oratorio because the missionaries there have some hook ups at a pretty nice burger joint and they got us all burgers pretty cheap. Then we played soccer all day and it was super hot and I got super sweaty. We almost missed the last bus going back to our area and that would have been really bad because we were a long way from home, but luckily one more passed by to take us home and even though it was super cramped we made it without a problem. Tuesday was great, we had interviews with President which are always a blast. He pretty much just asked me about how I was doing as a new Zone leader and how I was doing with my companion. Then he started to tell me about how I'm a zone leader in the biggest zone in the mission and its time for Zone Cuilapa to step up and that's the reason he chose to send me here. No pressure right? I'm not to worried about it. He gave me some really good advise about how I can be a good leader and help the zone. He told me I was a quiet leader and that I was going to get spiritual promptings about things to share with the missionaries and things to do with them and that I had to follow them to complete my purpose. It was really cool to see how well President knows me and how much the spirit can tell him about me. More than anything, it was a huge testimony that God knows me and that President Caffaro is called of God. That day we did divisions which was really fun. We met a crazy guy who wanted to teach me english. Wednesday we had divisions again, and I went to Guazacapan. It's is super far away, like an hour and half in bus, but I was with Elder Gardner a missionary from my group which was really fun. We had a great day with an awesome lesson. We taught this lady who had a little downs syndrome kid who was just super cute and you guys know how much I love down syndrome kids. We were able to put a baptismal date with her and it was great. That night we stayed up super late sitting on the roof talking because it was super hot inside. Thursday my comp and I were together in our area and it was good day. Friday, I was with good old Elder Ogden from La Justo. We had an awesome day, all our lessons were really good and the spirit was super strong. That night we had a super spiritual lesson with Hermana Doni. She really wants to change her life and she's felt the spirit every time we've talked to her but she hasn't done anything about it. We taught lesson 1, the restoration, which is easily my favorite lesson and by the end of the lesson she was crying and it was awesome. That night we talked to one of our fechas named Daniel and figured out he's not smoking or drinking anymore, so he's all ready for baptism the 8. Saturday, we had the interview of another baptism for this weekend of a lady I've never even met that gets all the lessons in the offices of the mission and lives here so it counts as our baptism. Saturday, I got super sick with a super high fever and a really bad headache. I figured I got sick to help me love my comp. He took really really good care of me and I think it really helped us strengthen our relationship. One thing I've learned in my studies recently is a scripture in Helaman 15 :3 that says that God chastens us becauses he loves us. I found that really interesting that God sends us challenges and difficulties not because he wants to hurt us or make our lives hard but because he loves us and wants us to turn to him. That's something I've seen a ton in my mission, that the more we're humble ourselves before the Lord and accept his will, the smoother our lives go. I love you guys a ton and hope you have a great week. Love Connor  I forgot to tell you guys that Thursday morning I drank Rootbeer. It was so gooooood it was the first time I've even tasted anything rootbeer flavored in over a year. It was a can of A and W.


I finally got my scripture covers. They're pretty sweet and I'm super happy to finally have them.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

     Okay so nobody freak out or anything but exactly one year from today you guys will pick me up at the airport. Anyway its been another crazy fun week here in Guatemala. Monday we played soccer like usual but it was a lot hotter than I've been used to and I sweated soooo much but it was pretty darn fun. Tuesday was quite the adventure. We had divisions with the Assistants.  Luckily I got to head to Montufar, the area of the assistants which was a ton of fun. We got to eat Taco Bell and hang out with the secretaries a little then we went to work. Tuesday it rained so hard. It was the hardest I had ever seen it rain here and we were out walking for like 15 minutes to get to the area. I was totally soaked, my books that weren't in the bag got destroyed and it was an awesome day. While we were walking to the area, we came across a road that was a pure river but we didn't really care since we were already soaked right. But as we got to the other side all of a sudden we both fell. When we went back home, we saw that we had walked straight into a freaking storm drain. I was up to my waist in really nasty water. Wednesday we did divisions again with Elder Ceballos and Elder Martinez which was really fun. We had a really terrible lesson with this idiot that said that we didn't baptise right and was a turd but apart from that it was a really good day. Thursday was alright my comp has a little bit of diarrhea and he thinks he's dying but I'll talk more about that later. Friday we did divisions again with Elder Ortiz and Elder Rivera. I was with Elder Rivera which was crazy. He's got to be ADHD or something because he's got a ton of energy but he's always super happy and I loved being around him. Saturday we had a baptism, surprise. It was a little kid named Julian.  He's 9 but he's pretty awesome. It kind of came out of no where because we had to reactivate his mom which took some time.Our next baptism should be the 1 of Agost', because I have no clue how to spell that in English.  Its a lady I've never met and so ya. Sunday I was in a really good mood but my comp wasn't but I had a great day and a great time, because Ronald was with us and he's always happy and great. 

    So dad your questions. We do divisions like 3 times a week and we have to travel a ton. The people are a ton nicer and I love it. The food here is really good and really clean which is a huge blessing. Anyway Love you guys a ton and just wanted to remind you that your summer is almost over hahahahahahahaah.  Forgot to tell you guys about how I talked with Gringos this week. They were Canadians that worked in an Orphanage here for a couple years. really nice people and very weird to speak in English. Anyway Have A Great week Love Connor 

 Ronald Anavisca
Ronald Elder Cativo



                                                                 This is Con's zone.

Monday, July 13, 2015

I hate spiders

     Well just like you guys, my week has been pretty crazy. First off Happy Birthday Dad!!!!. You're really starting to get up there in years you know. Like I said last week, I sent you a letter but I think it will get there late because it took me forever to find a place to send it. So mom to answer your questions, yes its hard to remember them between reading and writing so I'll try to answer them at the first from now on. Yes, I got your package with all the pictures in it. I really liked too. I got your package with the Otter Pops too and that was amazing. 
     So like I said this week has been pretty crazy. Monday was normal I didn't really have anyone to say goodbye to so I just played soccer all day and said goodbye to a few people at night. Then Tuesday was the change meeting and you guys already know I got moved up to be a zone leader, which is fun but pretty stressful. Zone leader means I have to do divisions at least twice a week and sort out all the problems in the zone.  I get to go on divisions with the APs which is fun and that will happen tomorrowI'm in a town called Barberena outside the capital again, so I'm super happy, My zone is the biggest zone in the mission Cuilapa.  It has 20 Elders and sisters. Me and my comp both have 11 months and he only has 1 change as ZL so we're learning a lot together.  His name is Elder Cativo and he's from El Salvador.. So Wednesday, the adventure we had was that we went to this area they closed to help take all the stuff out of it. This area was for sisters but it was the most remote, rough area I had ever seen.  Any sister that has served there has my respect. We had to carry all the stuff down these two stupid hills because the truck couldn't make it up them. So fun things about Cuilapa or the zone where I'm at, is that there are these massive spiders everywhere and when I say everywhere I mean everywhere. Thursday was a pretty normal day.  Our area is huge so we do a lot of walking and bus riding. Thursday we got off the bus like 5 miles early and had to walk forever, wasted so much time. Friday we had the mission council which is where all the zone leaders meet up with President and the Assistants and we talk about new rules and the mission in general. It was really cool and I really liked it. Saturday we did the zone council which went really well. Its the only time I'm going to be able to see the entire zone together in one place because the zone is just huge. Sunday went really well. I got to know a little bit more of the members and share my testimony. The senior couple in the mission, the Dalys come to church with us so its fun to see them every week. So ya thats pretty much it for me this week. I forgot to tell you I'm doing good and I'm not too sick anymore so your fast payed off. They made a rule in Central America that we arent going to use suit coats for anything so I was wondering if I could just give my  suit to a member. I love you guys a ton and hope you have another fantastic week,  enjoying your summer Love you all a ton. Love Elder Wallace

 These are the people that cooked for us and the guy always left with us to go visit people and the dog is our other pet.


  Elder Williams Elder Gee Elder Grover Elder Stuart 

  And then some pictures of the huge spiders. That last one is of a spider that had a snake caught in his web thats right a freakin snake. 

                                          These are pictures of the really awesome view in my area. 


Monday, July 6, 2015

July 6, 2015

Man, your guys emails are getting shorter and shorter every week. So first off big news is that I have changes again. I know I just barely got to this area but to be honest with y'all I'm pretty happy I'm leaving. I loved the area and all but I'm pretty sure it was the food that was killing me. The hermana that washes the clothes was staining my shirts every week and I'm ready for a change.  So ya I'll be in a new area next week figuring everything out and just having a blast. Everyone in my district says I'm going to go up and be a zone leader here with Elder Curi whcih I really hope doesn't happen but where ever the Lord needs me is where I'll go. So anyway the week. Monday it rained a ton. I don't know why it only rains on Mondays and then its super hot and sunny the rest of the week. But regardless of that we played soccer and got super wet. My stomach did not permit me to run that day so I spent the entire day playing goalie and let me tell you, there are people that can shoot the ball really hard and it really hurts to stop it but you know me, I'm competitive and I couldn't let a single one pass so I took a lot of hits  Tuesday was pretty great. I got to do a baptismal interview for the sister which was awesome. It was a great interview and she was a super pilas investigator. We got back pretty late and after that I wasn't feeling well at all. By seven o'clock I had cramps in my stomach so bad I couldn't walk or even sit so we went home and I had to lie down for awhile. Wednesday was a good day. I felt alright and we were able to have quite a bit of success that day. Thursday I went on divisions with Elder Searle and you guys know how I love to go on divisions with Elder Searle. It's so great to be able to talk with a normal person and we're super alike so we get along really well. The only down side is that Elder Searle will probably be married by the time I get home.  Friday  we had a good day but I got feeling super bad again and we had to go home again. That day Im pretty sure I dropped like 5 pounds into the toilet at once which was not fun but I felt much better afterwards. Saturday I went and took some more tests and all that. We had a cool experience when we went to take the test. We were walking through this strip mall when a lady in one of the stores called us in and told us she had a nephew that wanted to talk to the missionaries and go to church but didn't know where it was or how to get in touch with the missionarie. We were able to help her out which was great and all that jazz. After that we had a really good day. We had some really awesome lessons and had the spirit with us all day. Sunday we got Zairy confirmed and that was great and ate cake for the 4th of July which was really good too. Right now I'm feeling pretty good and I should know what to take this week. So dad I sent your birthday letter last week but I'm worried it will get there late, sorry but it took forever to find a place to send it. Yes Im still writing in my journal every night and the hardest thing this week was being patient with my comp. Sounds like you guys had a really great week and I hope you keep enjoying your summer. Love you all a ton. Love Connor 

I forgot to tell you guys about how this was bug week. The giant slug I found in the bathroom one night when I was barfing  which was pretty gross. And the other thing was a giant bug with about a million legs.   We saw that thing and went running around the house screaming for a while and then drenched the thing in bug killer. It was really scary..





June 29, 2015

Well this week was pretty great. Like I said last week I was put on drugs and they helped a lot until about Saturday night when I got super sick again, but I think that may very well be because I ate two handfuls of Mini Spooners that I found at my house before I realized that they had expired in January and so I'm pretty sure thats what made me sick. Monday was alright I was feeling okay so I went and ate a footlong at Subway which was really really yummy and then we went and played soccer for awhile but this pday had a twist too. We played hockey after we played soccer, which was really fun and we only broke a couple of things. We play with sticks and then a roll of tape. Nobody got hurt but everytime after I ran I thought I was going to barf so I think I'll take it a little bit slower this pday. Tuesday we had the district meeting as always it went pretty well but I'm kind of sick of planning them so hopefully I won't have to be district leader after this change. Tuesday I also did divisions with the Zone Leaders. I was with Elder Curi from Peru. He  is very serious and strict.  He didnt really talk to me at all the entire day but we were with members all day so I was able to talk with them. The reason Elder Curi came was to do a baptismal interview of Zairy. She's 16 and got baptised forever ago but her papers got lost and she had to get baptised again. Shes pretty slow so it was kind of hard to teach her but we got it done and she passed the interview. Wednesday I was pretty happy to see my comp again which was good and we were able to work super hard.   This week we were super blessed and had a ton of lessons and all that jazz. Dad normaly we teach between 20 and 30 lessons a week but this week we had 37 which was awesome and found like 23 new investigators. Thursday I did divisions with Elder Alegria which was fun. He's new so he hasn't really come out of his shell yet so he didn't talk much but it was a good day and we had a lot of fun. Friday was normal, I don't think anything really great happened but it hasn't rained here for like 2 weeks and its been super sunny, so Ive gotten pretty sunburned this week. Saturday we did an area attack which means that all the missionaries of our district came and worked in our zone for 2 hours which helped us a ton. Like I said the baptism was on Saturday and it went really well. She wasn't able to get confirmed on Sunday because of a family emergency but I'm not that worried about it. It sounds like you guys had a great week, and that you're enjoying your summer. Keep having fun and enjoying your freetime. Love you all, Love Connor

Something very important I forgot. On Saturday our pet dog was killed.  His name was Manchas and he was run over by a really big beer truck. It was a very sad day because he went everywhere with us and now he's gone. 
Anyway thats it. Love Connor 


                                       The hockey

                                                                  Elder Moreno




                             Their apartment after a member family cleaned it for them