week 30

Hey! So we were able to find a new family this week, which was awesome! Their names are Anna and Carlos. The problem is that they have a really hard time understanding the gospel. So it is slow work. I'm going to share a part of our lesson on the trinity because it is actually pretty funny. First I will explain that we explained the trinity very simply: God is the Father of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is His Son and suffered for us, and the Holy Ghost is a Spirit that helps us make decisions. Ok, so here is how the conversation went...

 

Me: Ani li Yuwa´b´ej? (who is the Father)

Carlos: Laa´in (I am)

Me: Wha....ok... Ani li Kajolb´ej malaj li Jesukristo (Who is the Son or Jesus Christ?)

Carlos: Laa´o (we are)

Me: uhhh...no... Ani li Santil Musiq´ej (Who is the Holy Spirit?)

Carlos: (pointing to his three year old son) A´an...oyb´eni oyb´eni! Lix Yuwa´ li Yuwa´b´ej (He is....wait wait! The father of The Father)

 

Needless to say I think we need to revisit this next lesson haha.

 

So right now I am in El Estor for pday. As for changes, I am staying in Sepemak! My new companion is named Elder Vargas. He only has two changes left in his mission...I am pretty nervous, I am not too hyped to have another companion that is going home soon. I am really happy to stay in my area, I just wish I was with someone younger than me in the mission so I could speak Kekchi more. But I'm sure it will be fine! Elder McEntee has been in the same district with Elder Vargas for two changes, and he told me he was cool, so I have hope. Nobody else had a change so I still have Elders Helton and Gonsalez.

 

For Easter we had about a five hour meeting at church where they showed a video of Jesus Christ, and then gave out some bread. The video was pretty long, and the meeting was kind of like a testimony meeting with speakers planned to talk. Once you get a Kekchi person talking, it never ends haha. Everyone stayed the entire time, including a bunch of nonmembers. To a lot of people here church is church, whether in our church or theirs, so they don't really care. They heard there would be food, so that was that. Elder Quiroz and I talked a bit and led some music. I can do ok getting up and talking now, and I understand pretty well. My talk was about the Atonement.

 

So my spiritual thought this week is actually pretty dope so I am excited. Saturday when we started visiting, I started getting a fever and it was super hot. But I had promised Quiroz we would say goodbye to whoever he wanted, so we stayed out a lot later than usual trying to fit everyone in. I was dying. The next morning I had a bit of a fever but I was ok enough to go to most of church so that was good. Then we traveled down to Se´ococ to our District Leader´s house and that is where it hit me real bad. I just laid down and I couldn't hear very well, sometimes when I opened my eyes all I could see was red and blue. My throat hurt like a bear, like when I had my tonsils taken out. My District Leader touched me and he said he had to pull his hand back because I burned him and then Elder Quiroz touched me and basically said ¨what the heck!! My hand is still shaking because he is so hot!¨ I asked Elder Gonsalez to give me a blessing, and here comes the spiritual part. I didn't get better or anything but during the blessing I just felt super loved. I don't really know how else to say it. I just realized that even though I was, like, dying, Jesus Christ felt exactly what I felt, and so much more! Man am I grateful for Him.  

 

I am still pretty sick with a sore throat and headache, and my fever is in and out, but I'm better than yesterday. We are just taking it easy today. My throat literally feels like it did when I had my tonsils out, it hurts really flipping bad to swallow and to eat. Yesterday and last night was the sickest I remember being in my whole life. I just hope I get better soon so we can start off on a good foot this change with my new companion. (Editor's note - we were able to catch Joe on the computer for a minute this morning. They don't need prescriptions to get medication in Guatemala, so Kurt told Joe what to ask for in Spanish. He is going to a pharmacy today so he should be able to get going on some antibiotics, but all of your prayers for his health and new companion would be appreciated!)

 

I love all of you!

Love, Elder Toolson