week 49

Hey! Things this week were pretty sweet because we were able to baptize a girl named Mayra. She is 17, and is the friend of a recent convert. She lives with her uncle and apparently her parents were married in the temple but her dad ditched. I don't know what's up with her mom. Mayra can read and write and stuff, Senahu is more - I don't know, up to the times I guess you'd say? Still not even close to the states, but there is a lot more Spanish there than my other areas and there is a "college" (I put it in the little lines because its not really a college, just education for those older than high school age.) She is studying there. Also, she was Miss Senahu, so that is something!

So there is our first August baptism! We put four fechas with the Chikin Xol family, but none of them showed up to church so we will have to see what is up with that. A lady who has been investigating named Herylinda is getting married this week, and she should be baptized this Saturday so that should be good. Finally a guy named Henry will be getting married around the 20th and baptized the week after, so if everything goes perfect we might have seven baptisms this month which would be awesome! Other than that nothing too crazy. Next week we will just really focus on our fechas and making sure the marriage happens. Other than that we don't know what will happen. I have been doing a lot of divisions with Elder Helton because his area is like a five minute walk from mine and he is going home so he is super motivated to work. So that is awesome!

I am in Coban this week...again haha. But this time it is just for a meeting so don't worry, no serious sickness or anything. After we write, we will find somewhere good to eat. Then I'm actually not sure what we will do, it is kind of hard when you are in Coban without a schedule. The meeting is tomorrow. It is basically just my companion and me today. Elder Smart, my Zone Leader when I was in Canlun, and Elder Andersen, my AP for awhile, are here. But this is their area so they have things to do. My other buddies that were in Coban have gone home. Andersen is going home in 15 days and Smart in 11 weeks, so they will be gone too. I've told my buddies to come to Chelan for my homecoming. Elder Bos said he would take a road trip up there for the weekend with Elder Ellis, which would be sweet! I mean, not that I am ever going home haha, but if I do that would be cool!

Oh also if you see that I drew money out of my account, I'm sorry, I had to buy shoes this week. I bought the cheapest ones I could and they put me in a bit of money trouble, but I will try my best to budget. My old ones look the same as the last pair that wore out, just the sole comes off. The shoes I bought have been used by my companion for a bit and they hold together really well so I have higher hopes for them. I bought them for 300 qetz, but I'm pretty sure he payed like 250 or 200. He kept saying that he payed 350 for them but I don't believe it for a second. You can get nice ones in Coban, or take your chance in the market. I went with the ones from my companion because I didn't have the money to buy Coban shoes, I'm not high class enough haha. (Editors note: we are not in such dire straits that Joe can't buy shoes, not sure where this comes from, but it is a little picture of life in the mission field!)

It is really funny to watch the people here trying to figure out what is happening in the Olympics. I've only heard of one Guatemalan athlete, competing in gymnastics. There is a comedor (restaurant) we eat in pretty much daily that has a tv so we get to see a little of what's going on. Meals are different here. For breakfast I just kind of drink my protein, and then we go to a comedor that is super cheap for lunch, and then sometimes we eat dinner and sometimes we don't. But don't worry, I'm good really! I have what I need! Actually, if there was one thing you could send, it would be a pair of nicer pants. When I go to the zone meetings everyone has these nice pants that look they got them straight from H and M or something and I just have the ones I've been using in the mountains for a year haha. I had the new pair you sent for my birthday but I was wearing those when the dog bit me. They will still be fine for working in the mountains. I just need to set aside one good pair that will be just for meetings and interviews.

I'm not sure what this bug is, but it was massive. We found it while we were working out in the morning...

Sorry I haven't been doing good about pictures, I got discouraged because last week or so my memory got completely wiped and I lost all my photos since Canlun.

My spiritual thought this week is pretty much what I share every other week (I feel like I say that every email) and it is about humility. I was just studying in Alma and Helaman this week and it is pretty easy to see that the people who humbled themselves and asked for help from God always won. So we should probably do the same thing.

I love all of you and hope you have a good week!

Love, Elder Toolson