Crazy Day!

Well I don`t  really have time to write because today has been super hectic and we have been going here and there and everywhere. I don`t have anything really crazy to report. I might be seeing some crazy things coming up here in the next couple of days or weeks. I`ll definitely keep you updated. They`ve swapped me to a different area where I`ll be working with Elder Nawahine and Elder Murphy. We`ll see how that goes. I`m super sad to leave my area right now but I know that all will be well and that the Lord has a plan. I am so super grateful for the people that I`ve gotten to meet in that area and hope to go back to visit them. I may have to come back to Guatemala when my mission is complete. Life is just so super crazy and I can`t believe that we`re already starting March. It`s honestly so crazy!

I love you all so much!!!!

Elder Lott

My View of Guatemala

I took lots of pictures so you could enjoy the fishing trip too.  It wasn't quite the fishing trip we were hoping for but it was pretty fun.  They fish a little different here. He just used a net and threw it in the water.

This green square pond is their idea of a swimming pool.... they invited us but unfortunately we can't.

I don't know how to explain what the fish tasted like but it seemed to stick in my throat and I didn't like it.... the fish is called Tilapia or something like that.

I STILL have this horrible cough. I've been trying to drink lots of orange juice and other concoctions that the members are giving to me.  Nothing seems to be working!  I am able to sleep though, really well actually.  Once I get all in bed and ready I don't seem to cough.... only during the day while I'm running around.

Hey we had stake conference this week and guess who came???  Elder Ochoa!  He is a member of our Area Presidency.  He talked to us on Saturday and on Sunday and the first day everyone kind of talked to the families and having like family councils and how important those things are for the family to solve problems and make big decisions.  Then on Sunday everyone talked about how we need to be examples to everyone not only just the investigators and nonmembers but the members as well. It was a great conference! All the elders were there from the zone and it was lots of fun.  It was super great. We were able to bring investigators too and everyone seemed to be spiritually uplifted.

Yes!  It’s hot here right now...the weather is usually like 80 degrees always.  Some days it rains though and gets pretty cold.  The weather is kind of all over the place right now...

Hey, but we gotta jet! I guess we're gonna go clean the house and everything before we head off to a family home evening.

Adiós!!!!

I love you guys!!!!!

Elder Lott

We're Going Fishing!

Ughhhhh, I've had a cough ALLLLLL week! I'm so sick of ittttttt but it's fine. I'm already feeling tons better. We made a concoction of honey and lemon and hot water… something they suggest here hahahaha. I should be better within like 2 days.   

My companion and I are doing alright I guess.  The relationship is getting better so that's always good.  He’s loosening up a little with me and we had a pretty good week.

Today we are going to do something super fun actually!!!  

WE'RE GOING FISHING!!!!!!!!

There's a family here that knows a place where there's a little pond so they're going to take me and my companion fishing and then we're going to come back and cook the fish afterwards...should be a pretty interesting pday!  I have no idea what kind of fish they are but I'll take lots of pictures because I charged my camera yesterday.

The young woman we have been teaching is progressing a ton.  She will probably be our next baptism.  One of the families we are teaching has a few problems but they're always coming to church and progressing a lot too.

Hey but just so you know I gotta go like right now.  My companion isn't a huge writer and he's anxious to go fishing.  Dad, I'll be thinking of you the whole time!!!

Love you all!
Elder Lott

Elder Rasband came to Guatemala!

I'm doing pretty good I think! I've been a tiny bit sick lately with like a sore throat and a week body but I've recovered tons over the last 2 days so that's good!! My new companion is Elder Reed. He's from California and he has like one month less than me in the mission. Look at my Zacapa pictures....we started there together. He's one with glasses!! (We looked through the Zacapa pictures but couldn’t make the connection.)

No, it wasn’t my new companion that had a special assignment. It was Elder Martinez that was going to receive a special assignment. He's going to be part of the bishopric in his new area.  

I have the funnest news ever!!! Even though I've been sick... guess what we got to do on Saturday??

The apostle Elder Rasband came to Guatemala for a visit!!!

And we got to go see him!!!!! It was SO awesome!!! We even got to shake his hand!! He has actually been feeling really sick as well and wasn't able to be with us for very long because he wanted to go get some rest but he did share an incredibly strong message and he said that he wanted to shake everyone's hands and make extra time to do that.

We weren't able to take pictures with him because they told us we couldn't but there was someone there taking pictures professionally so maybe some of those pictures will be in the Liahona or on the internet or something!

Well, my new companion is ready to go...already!  So, looks like I'm outta here.

Send everyone my love--

Elder Lott 

The Mission is the Best!

Wow!  We have had already had a busy day today getting ready for transfers....

When we talked to the assistants last night they said that there were only like 5 or 6 companionships in the whole mission that didn't have transfers and that's super crazy cause usually there aren't that many transfers (haha) but I will be receiving a new companion tomorrow morning and I'm super nervous about it but excited at the same time. It's always a new adventure and weird getting used to a new companion but we head off at like 7 tomorrow morning to get our new companions. They said my companion was going to have a special assignment too so I guess we'll see how everything works out!  We have lots of work to do and hopefully all will be well. I know it will!

Training is so much pressure though. There are so many things to focus on but it's all good. I'm ready. Me and him are gonna work hard and help lots of people.  I know the Lord will bless me and that he will be with me every step of the way.  I know that this is where I need to be right now and that my new companion needs to be here with me in this very moment. I have seen so many signs and had so many experiences that just say you're where you need to be and it's so cool.  The mission is the best.

The people that we have found and people that we have been teaching and people in the ward and everything have told me they really enjoy working with me and they have been attentive in lessons and I just see the Lord's hand and his plan for his children in every little detail and I know that the people that don't accept us right now will be prepared in another moment and the perfect missionaries will come along just for them.

Almost everyone in the zone had changes but Elder Brubaker and Elder Moore didn’t have transfers!

That is Elder Brubaker up on that fence.  That day we got the whole zone together to play soccer and then go eat lunch after in a nice mall but the problem was that we didn't have keys to get into the church so we all had to jump the fence (hahahaha).

We worked on this car for like 6 hours one day.  We had to change the clutch and we were following YouTube videos.  It was a challenge and it was like 4 days later that my hands were finally clean too. It was a good adventure for sure and it was fun!  We were serving a less active family and after that long service project they made it to church yesterday and said they were going to go this next Sunday!  Service does wonders.

Our investigators are doing well. We have a ton that are progressing and hopefully with my new companion we'll be able to have several baptisms.

 

Elder Martinez turns 21 on the 12th of February so we celebrated a little bit with our recent converts. When we went to celebrate my companions birthday, they thanked us for coming and sharing the message of the gospel with them because it had changed their life completely. They shared their testimony and we were all just crying really. The family was really struggling when we got there. There were lots of challenges and problems but they have been able to overcome all these problems and have really felt the Saviour's love and it was so incredible.  It was like a happy birthday and a going away party so they thanked us and it was such a neat experience!

But the bad news is that I have to go... my companion still needs to finish packing his bags and we gotta say goodbye to a few more families...

Until next week…

Love,

Elder Lott

A Solid Week!

It was a pretty solid week. We had divisions with the assistants on Tuesday, worldwide conference for missionaries on Wednesday and then on Thursday we had a small service project and then worked all day so it was kind of a crazy week but it was super fun and super busy!!

I enjoy being with the assistants. They're super good missionaries that have a real desire to help the missionaries make it to their true potential.  It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot!  One thing I learned from the assistants was how our attitude makes the biggest difference. When we're happy and excited to share our message, it's a whole different lesson but when it becomes a habit or a routine to be sharing the lessons then it's a whole different message. Also, I learned that when we make our invitations more direct, it makes the compromise more direct if that makes sense. We had several lessons where we invited people to change something specific in their lives like read the scriptures more or pray more and we had some super awesome lessons.

For the worldwide missionary conference, we got together with 2 other zones and President Crapo came with us too! It was basically just a change in everything. They told us that we basically have the option to choose our schedule. That we know our areas and everything and we know what we need to do and when so that was super cool. Lots of training and counsels. It was fun to hear them.

It was a super busy week but I like having busy weeks cause that way we're not looking for things to do or trying to fill the time. It's all just laid out for us you know? The service project was good!! We are pros at little service projects now hahaha!  My companion and I helped a member clear out the house to repaint everything and painted the house and then moved everything back inside. Painting here is so much different then painting there.... over here you just kind of slap it on hahaha!

Our missionaries are doing good though.  Some are getting ready to have changes and I'm kind nervous about it all honestly.  I should have transfer information next week.

I'm so glad to hear that Paul’s family is doing alright.  I know that Paul is needed in another place but he will always be a special friend.  Heavenly Father's plan for us is perfect though and I know that everything is alright.

Our investigators are progressing.  Many came to church again yesterday and seem to really enjoy it and learn a lot.  The members are so welcoming!  We are looking forward to baptism dates in no time!

The new apartment is fantastic.  Hot water is the secret to good missionary life hahaha! We finally got our phone and we can call and check up on everyone now.

All is well in Guatemala!

Love to you all—

Elder Lott

Hard Work and Dedication Pay Off

It has been a good week!! We have done lots of traveling and lots of walking and lots of visits! We have been traveling all over our area without stopping.  We have been working with members and we have like 12 investigators that have their baptism as a goal.  

I was so sad to hear about the passing of one of our fellow lacrosse brothers, Paul Evans.  It seems so weird to lose a classmate and a teammate…someone that you have so many memories with and such a good friendship with.  I loved that kid!  I wish I could have seen him one more time before his passing.  I know I’ll see him again but it sure is rough to hear those things. 

All is well here though. We just received news today that our phone is with our neighboring elders here. We just have to go and pick it up!

The haircut is finally at a point where I feel comfortable taking pictures so I'll try and get a few your way.  Sorry about that.

We are working super hard.  We're getting everything ready for when my companion goes so I can pick it right up with my new companion and baptize lots.  In two weeks they tell us about transfers but I imagine that Elder Martinez is outta here because he has 6 months here already. I'm good to stay though. I like the area and the members have really helped me out and love me so I'm good to stay a little while longer.  I learn so much from all the members and investigators in every area. I love the mission!

A moment in my week that stands out...I think what stood out to me is just how hard work and dedicated work pay off. We went and visited a less active family and invited them to come to church and they accepted and then told us to go and visit a family member of theirs that lived just up the street.... well... mountain.  So, we went and visited her and left the same invitation. We also found out that the daughter of this family member hasn't been baptized and has the desire. The Lord has prepared these people for baptism.  It's so crazy. I LOVE to see the Lord's hand in his work and I see it literally like every single day.

I'm super healthy. We are getting up and running like every day or every other day and I'm feeling super good. Oh, but yesterday we went and ate lunch with a member and forgot we had made a lunch appointment with another family so when they called to confirm the appointment we had to go and eat a 2nd time and I wasn't feeling too good yesterday.... I ate wayyyyyyyy too much!  It's impossible to say no to the people here.... I think that's why missionaries gain weight 

The missionaries in our zone and doing good! Staying busy!! We're trying to plan a fun service activity as a zone for next week.  We want to do a community cleaning project and paint the curbs and plant trees and clean the streets and everything but we have to talk to the like city government or something like that...  Gotta run…

Love you all!

Elder Lott