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. 

November 4, 2014

Hey everyone I just wanted to send you an update finally after 2 weeks! And my first area is (drumroll please) El Frutal! It's a little outside the city and a poorer area. Many of the houses are just yards with 1 small room made of tin for sleeping or cooking sometimes even. I am serving in the Villa Canales 1 ward here. The people are great and this place is awesome but it is definitely not america.

My trainer is Elder Garcia, he is from El Salvador and doesnt know much ingles. So today at our zone conference was the first time I talked to someone in english in an entire week! It's hard but I am learning much faster now that is for sure. I am also learning the culture and it is so awesome. The best tortillas are found in guatemala that is all I can say! I have never had a better tortilla. I have also tried 3 fruits I have never heard of in my life and could not repeat them to you but they are delicious, so no complaints about the food from me.

They use the word pilas here a lot and its a compliment if someone calls you it, but the exact translation is battery. Kind of cool, I have also learned a new snapping kind of thing where you hold your thumb and middle finger together and whack your pointer finger against them, everyone does that here when something good is said or happens.

This week has been awesome learning and the spirit has been so strong in all of our lessons. I don't say much but I do have some parts and I can't understand much yet either but I am learning little by little. The people here are so kind, everyone will listen to us its just hard getting them to do the things we ask or have a follow up visit.

 One thing I forgot to mention is the buses, They are the coolest things in the world because they aren't dull like buses in America. Sorry America. And everyday we do at least 2 bus contacts, you know where you stand at the front of the bus watch everyones eyes get big and then pretty much yell "Somos representantes de Jesucristo y testificamos que El vive" and then bear our testimony, It was nerve wracking at first but now it is my favorite!

One day we were teaching and it was raining so hard and I didn't have a long sleeved sweater. One of the less active members we were teaching then left and came back with a long sleeved sweater. We serve in a more poor area and so these people don't have much but this man was so kind to go and buy me a sweater it touched my heart and I owe these next two years to these people. I have felt the spirit in all of our lessons and although I can't understand much I am able to teach with the spirit and it helps direct me to know what to say. This writing time will probably be the last time I use English for a week but that is ok because I am learning faster.

The Lord certainly is helping me to find his sheep and bring them unto his fold again. I love you all things are great here! Mi y mi compañero somos representantes de Jesucristo y testificamos que El vive y Ha llamado profetas en la tierra ultro vez nos guian a saber como vivir con nuestro familias para siempre. 

Love Elder Daybell

October 21, 2014

I found a computer with an enter button that works! But here is my week in a nutshell.

Wednesday to Friday: I really wish I had a lot to write but mostly everything has been the same this week as it has always been, Alot of work and no sleep. i've been really tired this week but it has all been good.

Saturday: We did something new this day, we went and did real live street contacting! They opened the gates of the CCM and our district took some pamphlets and LDM and went and talked to real people on the street about the gospel. Everyone listens, we only had 1 guy not want to listen. We placed a Libro de Mormon with a lady who didn't want it at first because she thought we were selling it. After we gave it to her she said she didn't want to take lessons so we didn't get an address. We heard later from others in our district that she went and sat down and started reading the pamphlets as soon as we left. I hope she feels the spirit and wants that in her life because I love how much this gospel has blessed my life. All I can do now is pray and hope the best for her.

Sunday: I love Sundays here! They are nice and relaxing and full of devocionals that just get me pumped for the field. I only have a week left here, that is hard to believe but I am pretty excited.

Monday: It was a day back to work and these are always the longest because you just countdown until Martes which is Pday. We had some good conversations with our new roommates they are pretty cool and both of them are going to Central. One of them said we're going to be companions one day and I certainly hope so... after I learn Spanish.

Tuesday: We went to the temple, and this may be my last time going to the temple for 2 years it was pretty great. i'm gonna miss the temple, and now I am here writing. Not much has happened I know. these emails will be more interesting and full of stuff when not every single day is about the same. I may not have much to talk about but I have a testimony of this gospel, I was the happiest person in the world on Saturday when I got the chance to share that LDM and i know it is true. I am glad families are for eternity and I want everyone to know this. I love you all my next email will be when I am in the field.

Hasta Luego,

Elder Daybell

Elder Daybell and his MTC District at the Temple

Guatemala City Temple

October 14, 2014

Hey everyone! I can't believe it has been a month. Lots of good things have been happening here and I'm loving every moment here. It has been a rainy week. 

Wednesday: They brought skittles here for purchase and that was pretty awesome. I miss American candy so much. Wednesdays are always a little tough because it's the day after Pday but I'm usually really pumped to get back to work too! We had a great lesson this day without investigator Gabriel and he almost said yes to baptism again. He said he feels the spirit and knows what we say is true it's just different for him. 

Thursday: More work that is for sure. We had a lesson with Gilda and she accepted baptism! The spirit was there in that lesson and it was pretty cool. I began to realize I love teaching lessons because since I am forced to speak only Spanish I realize how much I have learned in 4 weeks. 

Friday: I feel bad I don't have much to write but the mornings are mostly filled with study and language practice and the afternoons are the interesting parts where the teaching happens and stuff like that. We went to teach Gabriel, but he dropped us at the door. It was sad because we saw things improving in his life and could feel the change in our lessons. It was a sad rest of the night until planning. Our teacher walked in the room while we were planning and we all saw it in his hands. 3 dear elders and a handwritten letter, the first ones anyone had seen in our district! He taunted us with them for a half an hour and just before he left he handed them out and I was so happy when the letter was for me. That made my night so much better and gave me more hope for the rest of the week with Gabriel dropping us. 

Saturday: We taught Gilda again and things went well but she isn't progressing much because she isn't doing anything we ask her too. It's frustrating but I want to help. 

Sunday: We had a great Sacrament meeting and had many great devotionals. My favorite devotionals to watch are of Elder Holland because he always says "No one has been affected more from a mission than me" He is such a powerful speaker. This devotional he said as a missionary you should convert yourself first before you teach that is the most important. The thing he hates most is when a missionary serves for 2 years and then becomes inactive. He said if that's any of you Elders you better hope you don't see me in any dark alleys you're walking in. Our Latino roommates learned a new game that we all played this night and it was fun. We played Ninja strike it was awesome. 

Monday: Mondays are so hard because I just can't wait for Tuesday. We had a surprise though, our new investigator is Gabriel. The first missionaries before helped him and this is us teaching him again 2 years later. It was pretty good but weird at the same time. He committed to baptism the 1st lesson which just had me in awe. 

Tuesday: This morning I woke up at 5 to say goodbye and good luck to our Latino roommates because they are leaving from the airport to their missions which are in Nicaragua. As I said good luck Elder Miranda said In Spanish: I will see you in heaven again. I may never see those guys in this life but I know we will have the chance to discuss our missions in the eternities. I said Hasta Luego to him instead of Adios because Hasta Luego means: Until Later. We went to the temple this morning and after this we are going to the small market just down the street. This is like a small supermarket for us to buy treats and things we feel we need for the mission field which is 2 weeks away! crazy huh.

Well I want you all to know that I know this church is true. Everything just makes sense that this is for eternity it's wonderful! I love you all.

Love Elder Daybell

October 7, 2014

 

Elder Daybell and his District. Max was recently called as the District Leader 

I am here to report on my 3rd week in the CCM. 

Tuesday: My day of culture shock. We actually went outside the CCM to the market which was awesome! And we got Wendy's which was a bendicione (blessing)At the market I bought a guatemala soccer jersey and some small knickknacks. The market was more colorful than anything I have ever imagined. One interesting thing about the guatemalans is they love Minions from despicable me! There are tons of small toys and shirts with the minions on them. I may have to buy one in the field. As we drove back from the market we passed the poorest spot in the city and it was just a hillside of shacks stacked on top of each other, I was filled with a lot of sadness when I saw that but I know that they may not have all the things of the world, but they do have the full love of God as does each and every one of us. 

Wednesday: We hit the books hard and got 2 new roommates. One of our roommates is from Bolivia and the other from Salvador. They both have quite the backstory with one of them being a gangster in the drug cartel and the other inactive for 6 of the 3 years he was a member. They are an example to me of how anyone can change and God will always love you the same. One of them said (in spanish and I understood it by the way, the gift of tongues is real) That because of all Christ has done for him he sees his mission as his debt owed to Christ because of His Atonement. That roommate is 26 by the way. They are both great at helping us with our Language practice and just laugh if we don't understand.

Thursday: We had a great day of learning the language and working hard this day. We had our lesson with our investigador Gilda. She's tough because she never does what we commit her to do but the lesson went great! 

Friday: We had a ton of success with our investigador Gabriel this day. He always said no to taking the book of Mormon or even praying the way we do, but we taught him about the plan of salvation and how he could live with his Mom again and he gratefully accepted and was eager to read this time and he almost said yes to baptism after thinking about it for 2 minutes! 

Saturday and Sunday: Some of my favorite days so far because of the General conference. Conference was amazing and all the talks I felt I could apply to me. Funny how amazing these talks are filled with the spirit and you can apply to your life if you stay awake :) My favorite talk was Elder Hollands talk because I have seen a lot of poor here and am so excited to serve these people and give them all that I have, which the best thing being the complete gospel of Jesus Christ on this earth. Yo tengo un tesimonio que la iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos De Los Ultimos Dias contanas la cumplir del evangelio de Jesucristo y que todos personas pueden vivir con Dios y Cristo ultro ves. 

Monday: We got right back to work but it was a little longer because we were all a little anxious to write our Families. I had a nice conversation in Spanish with a Latino named Elder Santos and it was crazy to see how much I could communicate with someone only 3 weeks after starting to learn the language. I know where he is from, his mission his plans after his mission and the fact that he has a girlfriend serving in the same country he will be serving in. I thought it was amazing that I could say so much and understand so much only 3 weeks in! Its funny hearing the Latinos try to copy our English but i'm sure that is how we sound speaking Spanish! haha.

I love you all and I miss you all too! But I know I have been called of a prophet of God to serve these people and I already love the Guatemalans so much and I haven't even been out of the CCM. I love you all and I testify that I know that God loves you all more than I possibly could.

Love, Elder Daybell