Hey family, friends, and friends of my mom,

This week was alright, pretty uneventful. One moment that was really incredible was with our investigator Beatriz. Last night as we were discussing some doubts about the plan of salvation, it just felt right to avoid the doubts she was having and change the topic to baptism. She has been hearing us for some time now and always has questions, not questions to fight, but she is sincerely concerned about what the true doctrine is. She´s awesome. Anyways, I told her that we could answer her questions a little later, but that I wanted to ask her something. I asked her if she believed this was the only true and living church of Christ on the earth today. She told us yes. I asked her to explain what the true church of Christ means for her. She went on to tell us that it was like she was in a neighborhood into which had moved her family, but she didn´t know in which house they lived. She said that in this neighborhood there were many good houses which had a lot of good people, but none of them were her family. She told us that it is as if she has finally found the house with her family, and she can now know how it is that she can have salvation.

Salvation is something incredibly important for her, and she reminds me that it is incredibly true that many are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it. It´s frustrating that she can´t attend church because her mom tells her she needs to watch the little store in the market because SHE is attending church at that time. We told her that we can talk with her mom, and she said she will do the same, but her parents are very opposed to their daughter being in another church. The other thing is that she and Alsidez aren´t married, but with how she reads and prays, I really don´t think any of this will be a problem. It might take a little more time, but I really believe she will be baptized sooner or later.

Something that you might find interesting, or something that I´ve been thinking about lately is the culture here in Guatemala. They are an extremely god-fearing people. Some missionaries take that and they use the extremely strong scriptures that say you will go to hell if you don´t do this, or that you´ll be cast out if you do this, etc. I´m not saying that we should never use strong scriptures, but scaring people into go to church is not the way I feel it should be done (see the verses about the sabbath in Numbers, many missionaries LOVE this scripture). I feel as if this is part of the reason retention can be a problem here. This is all my opinion mind you, maybe there has been an incredible conversion due to one of these scriptures, but from my experience I´ve seen that those who act out of their own desire to find the truth and do what is right are those who stay in the church. This goes for those who are baptized because the missionaries are their good buddies, they have a girlfriend in the church, etc. I´ve been thinking a lot lately about how important it is that these people have a desire to know, and then act because of that desire instead of coming in for social reasons. Just a thought and something that can be found often in Guatemala for anyone who is interested.

Anyway, changes are Wednesday, and they will let us know tonight. I´m trying not to guess, but we will see what happens and you will obviously know next week. I love you all! Thanks for the love and support you always give me, and I hope you got your little envelope Mom!

-Ben

No time!

So.... I was preoccupied with other emails so I have almost no time but I have the best keyboard that I have had yet in Guatemala here at this internet cafe so I´m going to fly. This also means my english will be even worse then usual. You have permission to make fun of me.

So this week was a bit strange. While I´m not going to say anymore about my companion because that doesn´t help anything just know that he is trying to completely leave me out of the work at this point. Very frustrating but I´m trying to deal with it without getting frustrated or mad, because I´m really trying to do everything I can. So I´m happy and hanging in there! Changes are next week so we´ll see what happens. Anyways the reason this week was weird was because there were 3 church records that were lost from about 10 years ago so we need to teach and baptize 3 teenagers again in the ward. We have new investigators with baptismal dates, and so it looks like we are having a lot success right now but in reality we´re just doing administrative business. The truth is we have been left with very little after the baptisms but have found a lot of potential investigators this week, with a few of them being families, so I hope that some of them progress.

The family of Beatriz and Alsidez (I think I told you about them if not let me know and I will tell you how we found them) told us this whole week that they were going to attend church. We went to their house in the morning and they had ¨gone to the market¨ in the morning which means they were in the house and didn´t want to come. I don´t understand because Beatriz has said that she knows this is true and wants to be a part of the true church, but doesn´t want to go to chruch. Alsidez is already a member if I didn´t mention that and has been inactive for years, but has said he wants to return so we´ll see. I think it might have to do with the fact that they are both very logical people and she said this was true before having prayed. She has yet to pray and just tells us when we ask her about her prayers that she already knows its true and tries to avoid the question. There is such a difference between knowing the church is true logically, and really feeling it, because a deep understanding of these things only comes from a witness, and this is when behavior changes.

Anyways, it was pretty uneventful, although Jorge is so amazing. He has been going out with us and always talks about a mission. He reads every day and has shared what he thought about the Joseph Smith History and the chapter he is in at the time. He really is a special person that was prepared for this gospel and I am so grateful to have been involved with his baoptism. I have to go but I love you all and will talk to you soon!

Hello friends and family,

So this week was mas o menos as said in Spanish (the topic of combining languages in fresh on my mind as I just has a very long conversation with my friend Elder Tebbs about how we dislike the mixing of 2 languages, lets keep spanish spanish and english english) and I don´t have many notable things to write. First off I want to say that I laughed out loud at the mic-check that I heard as I passed by an evangelical church yesterday. He wasn't saying ¨check 1 2¨ or anything even close, what he was saying as he was tuning his electric guitar was ¨ Aleluya, aleluya, Dios poderoso, Dios poderoso¨ poderoso means powerful. The thing is though he was saying as casually as any other mic check in a concert. Churches here are nuts. Before singing a hymn with a new investigator the other day he asked us, ¨Oh you sing hymns sitting down?¨ As he lowered himself back down into the chair (yes he had started to get up when we said we were going to sing a hymn). People trust their pastors so much it´s crazy. Some people say, ¨I would like to read your Book but I have to ask my pastor first.¨ Generally I´m almost positive that the pastor won´t have anything good to say about it.

Anyways I promised a little of Dorian´s conversion story. He was what they call an ayudante (helper) for the buses which is the person who hangs out the bus door yelling the destination when the bus is traveling down the road at 50 miles an hour. I love to think about how many laws the buses here would break in America. Anyways in his job as an ayudante, he met his current girlfriend Ledy Gonzalez, who little by little introduced him to the church. He had always read and loved the bible but had never joined with any church, and become very interested in the church, very unusual for someone in his job and his lifestyle (the schedule of an aydante is crazy and it´s not a very good atmosphere). He started to want to go to church but couldn´t because of his job. At this time he also lived with some people very strong in their evangelical church which made it hard to be openely interested in our church. He started to pray to find a new job and be able to find a new house to live in. This is all before we started talking to him.

The grandpa of Ledy soon after offered Dorian a job, and he was able to find a better house for less money. This is where we entered and within 3 lessons he had committed to baptism. He quickly caught interest with the temple and baptisms for the dead, because as we later found out, both his parents in Nicaragua had died and he came to Guatemala just to get away from everything. He wants as soon as possible to do the work for his parents in the temple and is really becoming quickly an impressive member of the church. It really is interesting to see how he has changed from the life he had before and always reminds me of why were here. It also reminds me that most the success we have happens with people have experience with the church before they talk to the missionaries. The Lord works in incredible ways and stories like this always motivate me to keep going.

Other than that, I´m doing well. Things with my companion are still hard, he has told me he refuses to change and that he is just waiting for a new companion at this point, but I´ve really been able to get to the point of feeling a peace in all of this, knowing that I´m trying my hardest, and I obviously I can always improve, but I really feel as if I´m trying my best. He just has a hard time trusting or listening to anybody, and decides for himself what is right instead of listening to the counsel of our leaders. He´s a good kid that comes from a rough background, and so I´m trying, but I´m not seeing progress. We´ll see what happens.

I love you all and I´m trying to do my best. Thank you for all your prayers and support. It was so good to hear from the Finks and Katie. You guys rock and will be recieving letters soon.

-Ben

2 Baptisms!

Hey everyone! First off I got Brad and Michelle's package. Thank you so much you two, I loved all of it. Thank you Dan and the Bomb Squad as well. I'm sorry that I speak the english of an 8 year old, but don't worry I'm sure it will only get worse. So Mom, quickly yes the meeting was in Guatemala City and we always travel in buses, it's about an hour and a half to the city. Also that is nuts that Kory is in your ward! Tell him I say hi. He wasn't a good friend but he's a good kid, but has a hard time getting out of his shell, he told us he didn't have very many friends growing up. Just talk to him and he'll open up a little. Also I'm fine on everything, except the next time you send anything (it isn't urgent at all) I would love a bleach pen.
Okay so I'm going to fly, and once again sorry for no pictures I'm burning a disc right now to send. So yes! Dorian and Jorge were baptized and it was incredible but I'm going to start with Saturday. Saturday we had the two interviews with our district leader, and Dorian and Jorge were SO nervous. They both did great though and said that while they were both nervous they both felt ready. Jorge requested that I baptize him and Dorian wanted the member that introduced us to him, Hermano Carlos, to baptize him. So, anyways after that, we went to fill up the font, and of course (why would everything go right? that would make too much sense) there was no water because a pipe was being fixes and maitenance had used all the water to clean the chapel the day before. So, we called the bishop and asked him what we could do. He told us he would make some calls and see if he could get someone to bring water from another place in a truck. We waited a few hours and called him back. The driver of the company that could have brought it had already left for his house because he got off early. We had no idea what to do. We went and talked to the two people that were fixing the pipe on a hill above the church and they said that there would be water at 5 in the morning Sunday, so we thought everything was good and went on with our day.
We arrived at 7 in the morning on Sunday to see if there was water, and there was none. Now we really had no idea what to do. I was praying so hard that we could find a solution to this problem that seemed so stupid, but actually was very significant. The bishop made a bunch of calls to see fi there was any other options. Time kept going and we finally had to start church. I was feeling pretty bummed but 15 minutes into Sacrement Meeting my prayer was answered. The bishops wife came into sacrament meeting and told her husband the firemen had agreed to fill the tank of the church and that they would come in half an hour. And so, with two hours to go, everything was resolved, we were able to fill the font and have the baptisms according to plan. Oh except for one thing. Hermano Carlos told us that he couldn't do the baptism because he had to watch his mentally handicapped son and there was no one else to do it, so my companion was going to do it. The thing is during sacrament meeting a kid took his baptismal clothes that were in the bathroom and threw them in the toilet filled number 2 as Mom would say. So it ended up that I had to baptize the both of them.
It is always an incredible humbling experience to be the person performing an ordinance as important as baptism. The spirit was so strong, as they entered and left the water, and while they left a little colder than they entered, they were competely happy and content. Jorge has now expressed a desire to serve a mission and the both of them were asking Sunday if they needed to pay their tithing the day of their baptism. They are awesome. I was glad to hear a burning testimony of Dorian, because we were never really able to have a good discussion with him about what he felt, because of the rushed date. But, he really has a cool story that you need to remind me to write next week. They both have potential to be great leaders in the church, and the drive and desire they have to do what's right really is an example to me. They have incredible faith and I can't wait to see what happens in their future. I have a goal to keep contact with them for all of their progress in the church.
It just reaffirmed to me that this Gospel changes lives. It takes people and makes them better. It challenges them to be something more. I know it's true. I love this Gospel, and want to share it with more people. I have to go bye!

A visit from Elder Ballard!

Hello family. Guess what. Elder Ballard came to our mission and we were able to have a conference with him this week. It was incredible. I will talk about that later in the email but first, Mom´s questions as always. First off we rarely eat with members but we refaccionar with them a lot. That means we ¨snack¨ with them. Just go with it. This means eggs and beans, rolls with beans in it (I know that sounds weird but it´s pretty good), a sandwich which is a piece of ham with mayonaise and ketchup on it with another piece of bread (gross but bearable), and a lot of morcaf (a cereal coffee as it is called which is completely natural and void of caffiene, approved by President Baldwin) with sweet bread. I think it would be called sweet bread I´m not sure. Also the members are mixed. THe members of generations have many sad situations, because since the church wasn´t that strong as they we´re growing up most of them have a small part or more that are inactive, but those that are active are incredible, such as the Gonzalez family. Other than that there are a lot of converts which are really helping the ward grow in our area. THe ward is making a lot of changes that are exciting and the attendance is increasing a lot lately, I have a lot hope for the future of this ward.

Anyways, about Elder Ballard! He was amazing of course and I want to write about a few of his thoughts. He said that in our missions and in our lives, we need to CONSTANTLY have the thought in the back of our mind about how precious one soul is. This just made so much sense to me and would solve so many problems of missionaries who don´t use their time effectively. THis is a constant reminder of what are purpose is, and he told us to be thinking this in member lessons, while tracting, and after our missions while in our daily routines. I think it´s a good reminder of the missionaries we all need to be. He also shared an incredible story of the firm testimony and faithfulness of Hyrum Smith who is a direct ancestor of Elder Ballard. When Joseph and Hyrum were going to a dangerous situation I can´t remember what, Joseph told Hyrum to stay back because he knew that the mob was going to try and kill them. Hyrum responded quite frankly, ¨Joseph, I will not leave you.¨ I don´t really remember the point of the story for Elder Ballard but it reminded me of the close relationships that the gospel provides and made me extremely grateful for the family I have that I know would do the same.

Other than that he gave some incredible advice on how we need to be master teachers and always prepared, and if we´re not ready, then fix that! If the ward is working right, fix it! If something in the area is wrong, fix it! I left that meeting feeling an incredible spirit that I really had heard an apostle of the Lord. THey are so humble yet so smart and down to earth.

So with Jorge and now Dorian (yes he is going to be baptized as well) they are now going to be baptized this Sunday. I feel as if it´s a little fast considering the material we have to cover with both of them, but I can´t really do much about that. We are flying through the teaching and it feels a little uninspired to me, but they understand everything. I just hope they have firm enough testimonies to always be progressing in this gospel. Jorge I´m not worried about but as good as Dorian is he has his girlfriend in the church, so we still have to have a frank discussion with him about the hypothetical situation of if his girlfriend broke up with him, would he still have a desire to stay true to his covenants that he made at baptism. Nevertheless I´m extremely excited for what is going to happen in the end of this week. To answer your question Mom, the dad of Jorge is going to be out of town this Sunday unfortunately, but I really don´t have much control over the date of the baptism as I said because everyone (my companion, district leader, zone leaders) are pushing that they get baptized in this month. I feel as if another week of preparation would be good but I think everything will work out just fine. The gospel is incredible and I hope I am able to see Jorge serve a mission and Dorian still in the church in 3 or 4 years.

Also could someone please send me Ryan Bogg´s address at school? I would love to write that man. I say man because calling him a boy would just be an insult to the true level of his manliness.

Sorry I´m not very funny anymore. I have a hilarious story to tell you from the funniest kid in the world, Elder Richards, but I don´t have time, and the other things are probably more important. It´s hard to be funny with a smug faced companion that doesn´t like to talk. I´m just kidding he´s a good kid, but it´s just hard to laugh about things haha. I love you all and thank for your support always!

-Ben

PS Brad I should get your package this Wednesday at Zone Conference. Also sorry about no pictures, someone borrowed my cable and lost it but I´m going to be sending another CD soon.