December 23, 2014

Feliz Navidad Everyone!

    I hope everyone is having a great time in this period of Christmas and enjoying their experiences. Right now I would give anything to listen to "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole but I am hanging in there just 2 more years! We have had many great experiences this week and we had a baptism! We have been working hard in this time and tomorrow we have been granted permission in the mission to be in the home of a member until 12:30 in the morning and we have several families that want to feed us tamales and punch and I have a feeling my stomach will hurt because they seem ready to feed us all! But I am pretty excited to share this experience with the people of Guatemala.

    I am going to be open with you all, until this week I didn't feel like I would have any struggles but this has by far been the hardest week of my mission! First of all we haven't had water in our house for 1 week! We have a sink in the back that drips water a little so we keep that going to keep water for us to take bucket baths! Que Bendicione! And last week after internet we realized that the keys were locked in the study room, entonces, we climbed on our house and into the back part to get inside and we had to break the lock on the back door. And Sunday morning I woke up at 2 sick and spent about an hour in the bathroom! But with trials comes great success right and I just tell myself I have stories to tell my future kids one day about my mission! With all the struggles I have actually enjoyed this week. 

     We had a baptism and this was our miracle for the week and it is a story to tell. Hmo Alejandro is the name of the young man we baptized and he is about 17 and 6 ft or so tall, keep that in mind. We planned to have the baptism at 7 in the morning before church so we woke up at 5 to go and fill the font because the night before there wasn't any water ( for the same reason as our house) but there wasn't any water still. So we decided to postpone the baptism until the next week. During classes someone came and informed us that there was water so we jumped on the opportunity and started filling the font! This was a miracle to have water running because there hadn't been any all week. But the water stopped when it was about knee high which was ok because we could still do a baptism in this! But the water went down a little because the plug wasn't tight so the water was now about mid calf but there was water and there was a son of God willing to enter into this covenant so a baptism happened. The Bishop kneeled in the water while Hmo Alejandro sat down and it took 4 times but the miracle happened and it was quite a memory to have for this young man and for me! 

    There are miracles in all of our lives every day we just need to look for them and there are even more so in this time. Remember who we celebrate this time of year for and remember that I love you all and you are in my prayers. The Church is true! My testimony and the miracles I see only testify more of this to me each day. Merry Christmas and for me you should all listen to "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole! But still I love me some silent night which is also a special song to my heart. 

Feliz Navidad!

December 16, 2014

Tis the Season for miracles! We had a great week and there is one experience we had that I want to share with you all! Our Miracle this week began with a lot of Stress. We had like 5 visits planned to fill 2 hours and a half and all of them fell so we were lost. We felt that we had contacted everywhere in this area and didn't know what to do. After a good 5 minutes of discussing we felt that we should knock doors down the linea even though we did that 1 week before but we followed a prompting! We didn't find anyone for the longest time and then one lady opened the door and we began to contact like usual.  She wanted to hear a lesson so like we learn we asked What church do you attend? She said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We were in shock because we had never seen her in church. Turns out she was inactive for many years but her son is a counselor to the bishop in our ward. We taught to her needs and she has had a lot of struggles which is why she didn't go to church. The lesson was great and we invited her to church and she accepted. Sunday came and my companion and I were asked to give a talk. Mine was o menos by the way but still good. Just before i got up she walked in and by the look on her sons face i don't think he was expecting it. It was a moment that was very special when she walked in and asked where her son was and helped me to learn my purpose more. Maybe I won't baptize all of Guatemala but I am here to help people find the joy that this message brings to all and especially to the family! I know families are forever and I could see the joy between this mother and son this Sunday and like my Mission President says A smiles is the message!
We have a great week ahead of us with a baptism lined up for Hmno Alejandro! He has a great desire for the message and I am excited to see all that happens with him in his future as a member! He's a future missionary for sure! And we are also working hard to spread this message of Christmas! I hope you are all having a great week and a wonderful time this holiday season. But remember the reason we celebrate this time is for our Savior Jesus Christ and all that he has done for us! I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Love,
Elder Daybell

    

December 9, 2014

     Yesterday we received news that we would not be changing! For now, on January 16 my companion will return to El Salvador so I will not be leaving Ville Canales! Yesterday for P-day I learned how to cook platanos and how to make tortillas! It is still so hard but with practice i can learn just like the language!  

     These last few weeks have been a little rough with finding people so we went to the heavens in prayer and pretty much literally! We have a large hill behind us with a village on the side of it so we decided to spend a day there! and it was beautiful to look down on our area and this pretty country! We had a few lessons there but nothing was set in stone so we haven't gone back but it was a cool experience! 

    My faith has been strengthened this week. We were teaching one investigator and she said she wanted to be baptized and loved our message! We had a lesson set up with her on Saturday and when we knocked on her door, she went out a different door to the other side of the house and left, we were informed by the kids. So we went to look and when we saw her... She Ran. No se porque! I said to my companion that I wasn't sure we would see her again and he said just have faith! The next day she came to church! And we have a date set with her for the 21st of this month!! The Lord helped my unbelief like he did with the man who had a son with a devil in him. I know that the lord helps us in our faith in small ways but if we look for them we can find them! 

     We watched the Christmas devotional and I loved the music. I miss Christmas music so much! But I am where I need to be! Remember Christ in this crazy time of Christmas because He is the reason we celebrate this day and He is the reason we have ALL! I love you all and wish you a great week! 

Love, 
Elder Daybell

December 2, 2014

            Wow it’s already December I can hardly believe it! We are doing some pretty great things here in Guatemala. There is this sweet video the church put out called “He is the Gift” and we are inviting everyone to watch this video because it is TAN BUENO! So if you haven’t seen it, Watch it! Good things have been happening and the challenges come but that’s just how life goes as a missionary right?

I hope you all remember the reason why we celebrate Christmas is for Christ and to remember him. The majority of people here are Evangelicos and they are Christian but they don't believe in Christmas as a Holiday because they feel it is too worldly. Most people who we give the cards for this video ask us why we celebrate Christmas because it isn't in the bible. It is hard to get them to understand sometimes but it has helped me remember that this Holiday is to remember our Savior Jesus Christ and his birth and all that He has done for us!

            It's been a bit of a struggle but we have still had many lessons that we believe could lead somewhere. The spirit is strong in all of our lessons and I certainly have help with the language from the spirit. Sometimes I get a little discouraged when someone just looks at me and when I ask them a question they continue to stare and then finally say No Entendi. But that's part of learning the language and that is starting to happen less often! The gift of Tongues is real but it doesn't happen overnight as I am beginning to learn! I may not be able to speak well but I can understand everything that others are saying now so I can tell that is part of the gift of tongues that has kicked in! 

            I learned one of the hardest things yet for me in this area yesterday. I learned how to tortillear! I didn't learn how to make the batter for tortillas that will be next week, this week I learned how to pat tortillas and I still do not have it perfected it is quite the art! Because you don't want to have a tortilla that breaks easy and it needs to be perfectly round! It was quite fun and I can't wait to show you all one day when I become a professional! 

            Yo Quiero que todos de Ustedes sepan que tengo un testimonio de este Evangelio. Tal Vez no hablo muy bien y este mensaje no es perfecto también. Pero se que Dios Nos ama y desea que tomemos de este mensaje  y perseveremos hasta el fin! Les Amo!

Elder Daybell

November 25, 2014

Hey everyone! 

    This week marks about 1 month in the field for me and it has been a pretty great week! We had splits 3 times this week and I learned a lot. 1. Guatemala is basically lawless when it comes to travel. We were on a bus during splits going to an interview. I was with the zone leader and one man climbed on TOP of the bus, while it was going. I also rode on a van, yes on and not in, we just stood in the door holding inside but our bodies were outside, it was quite the experience. The Zone Leader said you lose all fear of death here in Guatemala haha. I am being safe though don't worry mother!

     I am pretty sure that you all have thanksgiving this week but we are preparing for Christmas here! But it doesn't feel right because it is so HOT! There are Santa Clause Blow ups at the stores and Christmas trees in houses and in the street. They celebrate Christmas here with fireworks and we get permision on Christmas eve to be with members until 12 at night watching the fireworks and eating tamales. I am pretty excited, my companion loves Christmas here. And he has extended for 1 more month to be here another Christmas! 

     With all the exchanges I have had the chance to learn more and grow more in how to be a missionary. I have also learned more Spanish which I will always need and how to bring the spirit more. We had a baptism this week! I don't have pictures only my companion and we aren't in them. But it was awesome and the spirit was strong. She is bien pilas! Hmna Flor has sadly had even more struggles that she didn't commit to baptism this week. We are teaching her tonight and I just want everything in her life to go well again and have her find the happiness that the gospel brought into her life 2 weeks ago!

     Yesterday we taught a family that attended church 2 weeks ago. We just taught the restoration but after the Father said something like: We have had preachers come and teach us but they always left and we were still confused but this all makes sense. They are bien pilas too! They have a desire to follow the right path they said and I can just see that the Lord has prepared us to teach them right now! This gospel is wonderful!

 

 Elder Daybell and his Companion Elder Garcia

Traditional Day of the Dead Dish

Max's study desk

A Lake and a Volcano in Max's Area

November 18, 2014

Hey everyone!

    I hit 2 months on the mission yesterday! pretty crazy right! It's been a week of ups and downs for sure and I have seen the influence of Satan trying to stop our investigators from progressing! One of our investigators that is preparng for baptism this week was in the hospital for a few days and her son is being pretty rebellious. She has broken down crying in about all of our lessons but she still wants to be baptized. She is a bien pila as we say here! Our other investigator that is preparing for baptism this week her parents are against her decision and won't welcome her in their home for this decision but she said she knows it's right and desires to be baptized still. Take that Satan!

    Yesterday we went on splits with the traveling assistants to the president! That helped me a lot to have more excitement. Before for contacts I would just say we are missionaries and want to share a message, it was kind of boring. This elder that I went with taught me it's ok to be kind of weird and it makes people laugh and more interested in what you have to say. So I opened up I was waving my arms around saying hello to everyone and I even used my donald duck voice in spanish to some kids because I could hear they were watching a disney show with Donald duck. Yesterday was a blessing, I learned a lot and have built my excitement for this mission too. 

     Even though we have had our struggles the Lord continues to bless us and helps us to do this work. We have a mission goal of baptizing 400 people this month in our entire mission, to do this we have to have 4 baptisms as a companionship and we were only going to have the 2 this week. But this Sunday a family of 4 showed up to church and they have a member friend! They loved everything about the church and we are going to start teaching them and they have a desire to be baptized on the 30th! This is a month of miracles! The Lord truly does help us when we put forth our effort. The church is true brothers and sisters! I love you all!

Hasta luego

Elder Daybell

November 11, 2014

Hey everyone how is everything going?

   This week has been crazy. I can understand for the most part what people are saying but communicating back is a little difficult for me. But that will come. They are preparing for Christmas here with decorations but it's hard to believe because it's so warm! I imagine it's around 85 degrees today and it doesn't seem like it's going to get much colder. My companion complains that it's so cold here during these months but I can't feel it.

    Teaching has been awesome! We have 3 baptisms that we are almost certain will go through on the 23rd of this month and 1 more for the 30th. I am able to teach more and my trainer sometimes to get me to teach more closes his eyes so he can't see me look at him when I don't know what to do. It makes me really nervous but it also helps me to focus on the spirit to know what to do next and oh that spirit has helped me so much this week! 

    I don't know if I ever mentioned the walking in this mission. I had to buy a backpack because we walk at about the pace of a sprinter, or so it feels like. I never thought it was humanly possible to walk this fast but we do every day. 

    We had one lesson the other day with Hermana Flor and her Son Mardoqueo where he spirit was so strong. We challenged them to baptism and they accepted and I can't explain the happiness I felt after, it is the best feeling in the world to know you have helped God's children to come back into his arms. One lesson we challenged the investigator to baptism and their only question was what time for the day we challenged. They were so ready for this and this testified to me that the Lord is preparing his children to hear the Gospel.

This has been an awesome experience and I can only imagine what this next bit will be like. I know I will see miracles because I already have with the fact that I can understand what people are saying and how the gospel has blessed so many lives. 

Love you all, Elder Daybell 

Elder Daybell and his Companion Elder Garcia.