"If you labor all your days and bring one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy" D&C 18:15

Monday, September 29, 2014

This work is the most important thing we can be doing!

Hola Familia!

This week has gone by super fast, probably because there wasn't any protesting! This week we had a muli-zone meeting with the zones in Xela. Even the old Xela Central zone was there so it was great getting to see all of them! The talks in the multi-zone meeting helped to express a lot about President Smith's vision, which I think will really help the mission. President Smith has a vision of taking our converts to the temple and not just baptizing them, so he has prepared plans to help us complete his vision.

One of San Juan's members passed away this week. Solidad was her name. We went and gave her a blessing and we could feel that she was just days from passing away. It was definitely hard on the ward but happy for her because she was suffering. We were actually in charge of a lot of the funeral, so it filled up much of our week. It was very interesting to experience the culture of a funeral here. First they have the casket at the house and everyone meets there. Then they walk with the casket to the church and have a little meeting. After that, they walk the casket to the cemetary and put it in the tomb. Then they have a little lunch.

It was definitely a great chance to share the gospel with the friends and families of Hermana Solidad. We actually took 2 packages of the plan of salvation pamphlets. At first they weren't really interested, but one person took one and showed the rest, and then all of them came and asked us for them and we ran out!!!

We also met a man named Alvero who is 35 and has spent almost his whole life in the United States. He was at the funeral because his parents told him that she was his great aunt. He didn't even know her. We got talking to him, and found out that he has been prepared by the Lord to hear the gospel! First of all he has seen the mormon movie Charlie and other missionary movies haha! Second, he has friends from the states who are members. Third, he has a ton of questions! We have an appointment with him and his family this week! :)

Other than that, we confirmed an investigator that was baptized like 2 months ago, so that was good! All I can say is that when we are focused on this work the time flies! Really this work is the most important thing we can be doing! And there is no one or no power that can stop this work! #GODSARMY

Elder Corbett

Tortilla Total 1391

Elder Corbett and Elder Corbett!!

Elder Etcheto and Elder Corbett

Family picture

Monday, September 22, 2014

Protests and Potatoes

Hola Familia!

This week has actually been pretty interesting! It all started with a country wide protest that hit especially hard in San Juan. All the people here are farmers and are very angry that the government wants to change their corn seed. I just told them that they live in the promise land, and that you can grow everything here. But the people don't have the kind of faith to believe me haha!

The protesters made our trip to the multi-zone conference impossible, by blocking all of the major highways with flaming tires! Hmmmm........interesting! They protested Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and told all of the stores to close or they would burn them. So the spirit definitely told us not to go out during those days. (Which was good because we heard some pretty crazy stories that I probably shouldn't share haha!)

So after being bored in the house all day and studying, until we couldn't even think anymore, we got to go out and work! But not by preaching the gospel, but by working on a potato farm.

Now you can see by the pictures, that the people farm up in the mountains, so the fields are on hills!!! The only tools they used are hoes and machetes. We had to kill all of the weeds that were overtaking the soil and turn over the soil! Wow, I wish I had a tiller to do the work! It was fun though, they even told us if we went to help them that they would have time to come to church on Sunday so it was sooooo worth it!

Other than that, we walked around in corn fields to try and find references that the members gave us! Apparently, the protesters didn't get an answer from the government, so they are going to start protesting again tomorrow! Yeah.... NOT! But we went and got a ton of food to pig out on so we will be fine! :)

The Church is True... Always!

Elder Corbett

Tortilla Total: 1375

The potato field

Working hard in the potato field

Finishing up

Huipil

Hats

Flowers

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Zone Conference

Hola Familia!

This week has been a crazy fast week! It all started with Tuesday when we had a leader counsel meeting with the president and other leaders from Xela. We learned a lot of things to help our zones.

Then on Thursday we got to go to the temple!! It is always a great highlight and spiritual experience. After that, we went to a nearby chapel and ate lunch with the president and his wife. Then we had a zone conference! I gave a talk about setting goals and making plans to achieve these goals. We all know that we want to baptize and find new investigators, but if we dont have plans to do it, it will never get done. We have a lot of new missionaries in the zone so we need to teach more simple things like that, but I think it really helps them! Then my companion gave a talk about following the spirit and serving the Lord, and our mission president gave a cool talk about the temple. It went well!

On Saturday and Sunday we had to stay in the house because of all the partying for their independence day which is on the 15th of September (today). Just walking around San Juan today, we have seen so many drunk people. I couldn't even judge if there were more dogs sleeping on the side of the streets or drunk people!

Sunday was my first time going to church with the branch. There were 42 people that showed up! We taught sunday school and priesthood haha! It was fun. There is a lot of work to be done in the branch, but I can see so much potential there! We plan on making a calender of activities and even doctrine classes, or how to be a member of the church classes to help activate and excite the members! We think that the branch needs to have more unity to be more successful! I'm super excited for the chance I have to help the Lord with this little branch! I love San Juan!

Elder Corbett

Tortilla Total 1364

Elder Corbett and Elder Taque

Getting together with part of the zone

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

San Juan Ostuncalco

Hola Familia!

Well I made it to my new area which is called San Juan Ostuncalco. It's about 25 minutes away from Xela. Some missionaries say that it is one of the hardest areas in my mission, but I only take that as a challenge! Apparently, there are like 300 members but only 40-50 that actually go to church! The best part about this area is my companion, Elder Reinhold, from Draper. This will be his last change. About 2 months ago I told him that I was going to be his last companion as a joke, and look what happened! (The scriptures do say that when you are filled with the Holy Ghost you shall speak and it shall be the will of God.)

San Juan is a really big area, including 80 aldeas (villages) that we can travel to. The city itself is pretty cool. There are actually some really good restaurants, which will help a lot. The members here, don't feed the missionaries lunches, so we either have to eat out or cook.

President Smith told us that our assignment is to strengthen the members before we can do anything else. So our plan is to go teach every member a super simple lesson and to reactivate pretty much everyone! We also plan to hold more activities within the branch so more inactive members come! It will be fun!

One thing that we can learn from the scriptures, is that there are miracles through mission work. And mission work isn't always going to be easy. Actually if we talk about Alma the younger, The sons of Mosiah, and Ammon, who were some of the best missionaries, we know that missionary work can be hard and will be hard. But as we put our faith in the Lord, having patience and love for all of the people, the Lord will bless his servants with miracles! I am looking at San Juan with a positive attitude! This change will be awesome with my companion, our amazing zone and the members of the small branch of San Juan.

Elder Corbett

P.S. The Big Mac count will be discontinued until there is a McDonalds in my zone

Tortilla Total: 1358

Saying goodbye to the zone

All packed up and ready to go to San Juan

Making sweet pork burritos

Elder Corbett and Elder Reinhold

Monday, September 1, 2014

On to the next adventure

Hola Familia!

Well my time in Xela Central will be closing up here soon......like tomorrow! Wow, I'm totally surprised that I have changes, but I'll go where the Lord wants me to go!

Nothing too much has happened this week, other than house inspections. Yes, we had to go to every house in the zone with the secretarys, but it was super fun to get to see the whole zone. Especially, because I'm leaving. While we were doing the house inspections, we saw how much better all the houses were than ours! Hehe, but there was one house that was super dirty, so I hope they get that clean!

Also while we were doing the house inspections, we got a chance to get to know the Hargers. They are serving as a couple, and work in the office! But, wow, It would be fun to be serving a mission as a couple!

On Friday we got a call from America (Whichos mom) saying that Whicho had gotten better and that he was going to be able to come home! All I have to say is THANKS for your prayers, the priesthood, and a little bit of medicine!

Well this one is going be a short one because I have to go get packed and say goodbye to my converts and members. Stay tuned for next week, to see which part of Guatemala, the land of the Book of Mormon, Elder Corbett will preach the gospel in next.........With brand new adventures... HAHA!

Elder Corbett

Elder Corbett and Elder Rivera

The Zone

The Hargers

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