"It's Christmas Time in the City (of Guatemala)"

We ate our "Jewish dinner" on the floor,
and we ate cake on the 23rd for Joseph Smith's birthday
EDITOR'S NOTE: These are Garrett Christmas traditions and not a reflection of the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

All the missionaries in the zone

Week 66

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!! 

Wow! It is so hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone and that the year is almost over!! Well this week was a fun-filled crazy one! Here are some things that happened:

-On Monday we had FHE with some members and their non-member family members. We were able to sing lots of Christmas carols and it was very enjoyable!

-Tuesday we spent in different areas on divisions, and then in the evening we were able to visit some people in our other area! 

-On Wednesday we were given free Panda Express!! (Because we won a challenge (: )

-On Thursday we were able to work in our area and visit some new people! And well it was a great day! Here is my journal entry: 

22 December 2016

"SO TODAY, as we were walking to lunch with Hermana Lopez, we saw a TON of smoke coming from the Chacara. It gave us a real fright because it sure looked big and dangerous! Well after lunch we didn't see anything so we continued with our day, well later we were heading to visit Cinthia and we found her outside heading to see what she could do to help the people affected. Well we decided to go with her. We got there to find out that 6 houses were completely burned down. 40 people affected, and they were all staying in the refuge area by the park. Well when we found this out we started making phone calls to the bishop, stake president, etc. Well it was very sad, because nobody acted like they wanted to help. We were very saddened by this. So we just ended up calling president Crapo to ask for permission to give away some things we had in the house, and well after a while of talking with him, he told us to be as generous as we would like. That was the green light! :) So Sister Aleman drove us to our house, and we took all the blankets, pillows, extra towels, extra clothing, etc. that we had, our go-bags, food, everything and then we took it over to the shelter. We sang  to them and then we had to go because we were going to be staying in Acatan which is about 25-30 min (when the car can make it up the hills...) It was already getting late, past 8:30, but we couldn't stay in Asuncion anymore because we didn't have pillow or blankets!! So we get going and we are just talking to Hermana Aleman, and then we get to a giant hill, and start rolling backwards. AHHHH and so we get out to start pushing, and as we pushed, IT DIDN'T MOVE A HAIR!! So then she just went backwards until she got to the bottom, and then a man in a white truck stops on the other side of the road and yells and asks if we need a ride, he then came over in his truck and offered to help us. He hooked up a cable (which he just happened to have) and pulled the little old car up the hill! We started out running alongside, but then my companions got too tired to continue. But he brought us all the way up to the shopping centers! His name was Abel Lima. We kind of joked that he was one of the 3 Nephites, but he had his snapback and his sweatpants, so maybe he isn't... but he was an answer from a loving Father in Heaven."

-On Friday we were in Acatan and were able to visit some investigators with the Ward Mission Leader. Him and his wife are so great! They had made huge gift baskets for the investigators that we visited!

-Then on Saturday we were in our area (it was super crazy in the bus coming back!) and well we were able to skype our families, and then afterwards we went and visited a few investigators, and then in the evening we had a huge dinner with the Grijalva family! It was soooooo delicious! And they gave us perfumes! And I had to sing for them to be able to eat! :) And well the tradition here is to wait until 12 am and then they have a giant feast and set off fireworks, and give "Christmas Hugs" and then everyone goes to bed! Well we weren't able to leave our house, but we did go up to our rooftop and we could see so many fireworks! It was legit!!!

-On Sunday we had a double dosage of church because we went to our ward and then we went to Acatan and then we had another huge lunch and a big dinner!!!! And well the tradition is to set off fireworks at 12 pm and at 6 pm in the afternoon.... we kept on asking why, but nobody knows why! haha it is just another reason to celebrate! haha

-Well Hermana Martinez goes back to her area today and then it will just be the 2 of us again :)

Ponderizing: 2 Nephi 2:24 "But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." I love this and sometimes have to be reminded many times :)

Love you all!!!

-Hermana Garrett

Christmas Festivities (Temple, Divisions, and Food)

Week 65

Wow, this week was wonderful! Here are some highlights:

-We had divisions and were able to find a ton of new people that are awesome!

-We had our multi-zone conference and Christmas activity! That was super! We watched Iron Will and had a Christmas feast!

-We were able to go to the temple to be at the sealing of the branch president from Los Amates! THAT WAS WONDERFUL! 

-We are now in trio! And we are covering 2 areas... It sure keeps things fun, busy, and interesting!

-We had the stake Christmas devotional! It was a beautiful evening filled with all sorts of Christmas music! And all the missionaries in our stake sang!

-Monica and Fernanda: We found them one day contacting, we actually talked to their daughters, and then they led us to the house, and then we were able to teach them! They were very nice to us, and then we started to teach and Monica told us that she doesn't believe in God. We were like, WHAT?! And then she explained that before she went to an Evangelist church, but that many things started to happen in her life, and she lost her faith in God. It was very sad to hear, but as we talked to her, she expressed that she has a desire to believe again in God. We were happy to hear that. And now we continue working with her, a little at a time.  

Ponderizing: Mosiah 3:17

LOVE YOU ALL. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!!!

Christmas Quotes

Gift, Painting Bishop's House, and FIREWORKS

Week 64

HELLLOOOOO!!!!!

This week FLEWWWWWW by!! Here are the highlights:

-Ivan: We had FHE with him and the members that he is living with. We had planned to teach the Book of Mormon, and we had even downloaded a video to show him, and then when we were heading to his house we realized that we didn't have a copy of the Book of Mormon to give to him, and we were like.. okay we will teach him something else. Well we get to the house, sit down and start talking and when we started the lesson, he asked us what the Book of Mormon was. IT WAS A GIANT SLAP IN THE FACE! We had been guided to plan to teach about the Book of Mormon, we had a video, and then in the moment we had thought that we would teach something else... Well CLEARLY we were supposed to teach about the Book of Mormon, and well the family ended up having an extra copy in the house that they gave to him, and well since he has been reading a TON! He also accepted to get baptized in January!

-luces de campero (fireworks): Last night there was a huge firework show! EVERYONE was outside watching! It was super impressive! And lasted 30 min!

-egg nog: So on Saturday my companion had a stomach ache and didn't feel too good, but it was cold, and hey, I am already in the Christmas spirit, and so I said that I was going to pray that someone would give us hot chocolate, and my companion was like, NOOO My stomach hurts, but I will pray that they only have enough to give you a cup! We laughed and kept working. Well later in the evening we passed by to visit some less actives. And it was one of the best lessons we have had with them in a while!! Well as we were getting ready to leave, they asked if we wanted egg nog, but that they only had enough for one cup. It was a tender mercy, AND BETTER THAN HOT CHOCOLATE!!! :) It reminded me that God really does love us, and he gives us the desires of our hearts, and sometimes he gives us something BETTER than we had asked for!! 

-Last Monday we painted the bishop's house! AND MAN was I sore afterwards!!! 

-We are in the stake Christmas choir

-Santa came early!! The office elders bought us a blender! And the taxi guy went to pick it up, and his wife wrapped it for us! It's the little things!

-Wendy and Hermano Anibal: So on Thursday we went to visit Wendy, and well the hermano and his girlfriend that married them went with us and after talking with her, they decided to go to the store and buy her food and other things that she needed. It reminded me that there are many good people in the world!

Ponderizing: Mark 1:35 "And in the morning, rising up a great while before the day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there he prayed." I like this because

1. we should wake up early

2. we should make sure that when we pray we create an atmosphere that allows the Spirit to speak to us.

Love you all!! Hope you have a wonderful week!

Hermana Garrett

Gifts and Fruits

I believe this is passion fruit (commonly known in Latin America as maracuyá)

Service Project

Week 63

Hola!!

Well this week FLEW by! AGAIN! Here is the run-down:

-Monday: we had an FHE with some members, and we showed the Christmas video of Light the World (see mormon.org)

-Tuesday: an Hermana made us lasagna! That was wonderful! And well we found our new family, Byron and Ana Maria! Byron had an accident a few years ago that left him unable to walk. He is just now starting to walk a little more. His wife is great to just take care of him. They live very humbly, and it has really helped me to see that you don't need a  lot of "things" in life. I was able to see a lot of humble houses outside of the capital, but it has been a few months since then.

-Wednesday: we had to get everything ready for our service project on Thursday! It went surprisingly well! We were really worried that we wouldn't have many people there, and that we would't have enough food, etc. But we ended up having about 45 people that came! We cleaned up the cemetery that is down the street from our house. THAT PLACE IS HUGE!! But it was great, some of our investigators, and less actives came! 

-Friday: we taught a new investigator, Ivan. He is living with some members and has come to church 2 times. So we went to teach him, and he is super great! Super open and understands a lot!! We have a lot of hope for him!!

-Saturday: SO IT IS BASICALLY ALREADY CHRISTMAS!!!! On Saturday we got a call from some less actives, and they told us to come over, and they gave us Christmas pillows!!!! And then later our ward mission leader gave us some scarfs!!! It was pretty great!

-Sunday: One of the less actives that we have been working with came to church!!!! And the devotional was wonderful!!!! I loved how they talked about gifts and peace. 

Ponderizing: Moroni 7:12-13, All good things come from God!

Love you all!

-Hermana Garrett