Well this week was a really good week. Monday we went to Cayala to go to an exhibition that they had there called "Body Worlds" where you could see what it looks like inside of the body and learn more about it. We also got Starbucks for lunch and it was the exact same as in the states. I walked in and thought I was back in the U.S. and then stepped back out and realized I was still in Guatemala.
On Tuesday I went to the immigration offices and got my residency. Wednesday we had divisions with the zone leaders. Friday we had interviews for the first time with President Shumway and he just renewed my temple recommend. Well that was my week. If all goes well we should have a wedding and a baptism this Saturday. It all depends on if the family gets permission from their job to only work a half day (fingers crossed). -- Having the best day of his life, Elder Gruber Well to start things off this week I will let everyone know that I do not have parasites or bacteria and that Monday night I was back to normal. On Tuesday I had my last interview with president Caffaro and said goodbye to him. Friday we got to meet President Shumway who seems like he will be a great mission president. He is similar to President Caffaro but at the same time very different. Other than that the week was just a fairly normal week. I am having the best day of my life and I can not believe how fast the time is passing.
-- Having the best day of his life, Elder Gruber Well this week was a great week. On Wednesday we had our very last conference with President and Sister Caffaro and said goodbye to them. I will see President Caffaro again tomorrow though for my last interview with him.
Thursday I had divisions in Montufar with Elder Davis. We had contacted all afternoon with no success and in the night Elder Davis did not know what we should do as he still did not know the area very well. He did not know any of the members or investigators so we were just kind of walking around helplessly. I had been on divisions in Montufar a couple of times so I kind of knew the area but not really. I told Elder Davis that there was one thing we had not yet done. We found a quiet place where not a lot of people were walking by and we offered a prayer asking the Lord to guide us to someone that needed a visit from us. We asked him to make us instruments in his hands. As we finished the prayer I thought of someone that I had visited once on divisions with Elder Svedberg. I only kind of remembered where they lived but we went out to look for them being guided by the spirit. I found the street which they lived on but I could not remember what house it was. I felt prompted to knock on a door so I did, unsure who was going to open or what I was going to say. It turns out the door I knocked on was a member family. We explained that we were looking for someone on the street the missionaries were teaching before but they did not know who it could be so we asked if we could share a message with them and get to know them a little. They gladly let us in. We shared a short message and at the end of the visit the Mom of the family expressed how they had been passing through some hard times and that our visit had been an answer to her prayers and had brought her great peace and joy. I am glad that I was willing and worthy to be able to receive revelation from the Lord, to be an instrument in his hands and to be an answer to someones prayer. On Saturday we had a baptism which went really well and on Sunday I had the opportunity to confirm her a member of the church and give her the gift of the holy ghost. I also woke up at 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning throwing up with major stomach pains. All day I was a little sick and had awful diarrhea. I do not feel nauseous anymore and have been able to eat but i still have a little stomach pain and major diarrhea. All through the night I would wake up running to the bathroom. Who knows, I might just have a parasite or some bacteria... we will have to wait and see. I am doing great though and enjoying every moment. I am truly having the best day of my life! -- Having the best day of his life, Elder Gruber Well this week has been a good week. On Monday I went around saying goodbye to everyone in Jalapa.
Tuesday I got to my new area, Las Lomas, in Zone 16 of Guatemala and got to know some of the members and the area. It is about 20 minutes from the temple and not dangerous at all. The area is really small and we have already contacted all of it. My comp and I are getting along really well and he is a lot different than I thought he was going to be. He is actually really cool. On Wednesday we had our district council in the mission offices and that brought back a lot of memories from one year ago. Friday we got drenched in the pouring rain and it was freezing outside too. No one let us into their house so we walked around all day knocking doors in the pouring rain. Sunday I passed the majority of the day in bed slowly dying. I had food poisoning yesterday but it was so bad. I had a fever, major stomach pain, I did not eat anything all day as I just threw it back up, it was just a miserable day. The good news though is that today I am much better. Probably 90% normal. I hope to buy new shoes today and eat at panda express for lunch. I love being back in the city!!! -- Having the best day of his life, Elder Gruber Well this week went really fast. On Tuesday we had our multi-mission conference with Elder Renlund. The Guatemala mission east, central, and south were all in attendance along with the MTC. It was a really great conference focused on how we and our mission presidents were called by revelation and how we have a right and a duty to ask God and receive a confirmation of these things. He also told us that Jesus Christ is thankful for our service.
On Wednesday I went to Porvenir with Elder Clarke and we had a great day. On Friday I went to Sanarate with Elder Mattiaccio and did a baptismal interview (she passed and was baptized on Saturday). The other days of the week were just normal but we saw a lot of success and had 10 investigators in church again. Sunday night we got the change call and I will being going to "las Lomas" in the Guatemala Zone (an area that was closed for a year because it was "too dangerous." it has been open now for only 3 months). I will be going there to reopen the area. My new Companion is Elder Correa from Mexico. I fear it will be long change with him. I got to know him a little in the Florida zone. He is known for being a little lazy and disobedient so we will see how it goes. I am excited though to have changes and get to walk some different streets and change up the routine. Things are going great! -- Having the best day of his life, Elder Gruber This week was another good week. Wednesday we had divisions with Sanarate and Thursday we had house inspections and as always our house is "very clean." On Friday we had mission council so we woke up at 2:30 A.M. and were on a bus leaving Jalapa at 3 A.M. At 6 A.M. we were at Centro Norte in a taxi leaving for Montufar. Then the tire popped. The taxi driver pulled over and we hopped out of the car to help him change the car tire as he was struggling to do so. After we got the tire changed we got to Montufar for mission council. Mission council went really well, it is the Caffaros last one and was a little sad because at the same time it was a little goodbye.
On Sunday we had 10 investigators in church and I just had a really awesome day. Today we will be going to the "white house" to stay with the executive secretaries as tomorrow we will have a multi-mission conference with Elder Renuld (Quorum of the 12), 3 Missions and the MTC will be there. It will be in Montufar (the area of the executive secretaries) so we are staying there with them so we do not have to get up at 1 A.M. to be there on time! It should be a great conference. Other than that the week was fairly normal. I am doing great and making the most of every moment. -- Having the best day of his life, Elder Gruber Well life in Jalapa has become a routine. There's nothing new or exciting just same old same old. Contacting, teaching, finding, bringing people to church, family home evenings, visiting converts and members, getting soaked in the rain, fellowship nights, divisions with other missionaries, waking up at 6:30 and going to bed at 10:30, etc. Life is great and I am still learning and growing a lot. Do not think however that it is boring because it is not, I just do not know what to write. I am kind of hoping that here in 2 weeks I will have changes to change things up a little. I would like to finish my mission in the capital but we will see what happens.
We set up a competition between the organizations to see who can bring the most less actives or investigators to the fellowship nights or to church and we set up a point system and everything. The organization with the most points will get a prize at the end of the month. The area has picked up and we are seeing a lot of success too. Yesterday we saw a miracle. Yesterday the bishop was in charge of giving us lunch and to our disappointment he gave us two tamales each and some bread to bring home and heat up. Why were we disappointed you might ask. Well it is because tamales and bread are not very filling. After about an hour we were hungry again with no food in the house and being Sunday we could not go out and buy food. We were hoping and praying that someone would give us food later in the day. Then out of nowhere during our studies the phone rang and a member called us to invite us to dinner, something that NEVER happens here nor has happened to me in my entire mission. We were saved!!! At 7:30 we had an amazing dinner of beans, eggs, cream, cheese and bread. I testify that God does hear and answer our prayers and does care about the little things in our life! -- Having the best day of his life, Elder Gruber Well this week was another normal week. We have seen a lot of success in the area and it is really turning around. We found a lot of new investigators and had a lot of people come to church which was really exciting. On Thursday we had divisions with the assistants and that was about it for the week. Things with my companion are also going really well. I am still healthy and going strong. Not much else to report... Today we are going to a place called "Pino Dulce" for P-day so next week I will send photos and we will see how it goes.
-- Having the best day of his life, Elder Gruber |