So I am going to start my email off with potentially the most exciting news of my mission! You know how the Apostle is coming this weekend to make Senahu a Stake and I was a little bummed I couldn't be there because of my transfer? Well, last week President Faundez called me on Tuesday night and asked "So how is your English?" and I was like "uhhh ok I guess haha." And he said "how is your Q'eqchi'?" and I said the same thing. And then he said "well, you better get practicing because you and Elder Nelson are going to translate for Elder Renlund when he comes next week." So yeah, I'm going to meet an Apostle, which is awesome. And then apparently translate from English to Q'eqchi', which is terrifying. I haven't been able to sleep since he called me. I'm glad Elder Nelson will be there because he knows it a lot better than me, so if I get stuck he can help me out. It isn't 100% sure, because I heard that the two guys that are in charge of Q'eqchi' translation for the church are coming down, so I don't know why they wouldn't translate. But I will at least get to meet Elder Renlund! It is pretty crazy stuff!
So now to answer your questions, Chisec is really really similar to Teleman. I don't have any pictures so I am really sorry. But it is hot, and has lots of Q'eqchi' which is awesome. It is pretty flat but if I go looking I can find some hills. The house has some pretty trashy weights but it gets the job done so I won't complain. I am excited to get to a real gym again, all of my weights here have been cement. We have water and light most of the time, but during the nights we lose both like every other day, so nothing out of the ordinary. We still just have cold water, which is kind of a relief in Chisec, but in Senahu it was pretty miserable. (Editor's note: it totally cracks me up that he told us about the condition of the weights before he told us about the water/electricity!) Chisec is a little more advanced than Teleman, it has some bigger stores and stuff so that is nice. We have a laundry lady, and there is a pretty cheap comedor, so it is a pretty good setup overall. Chisec is part of one of the zones in Coban, but we are kind of out on our own in the middle of nowhere, so it is pretty sweet.
Being a district leader isn't too different. At district meeting I just went over expectations for them and what their expectations are for me and we talked about our investigators.
Being a Group leader is pretty stressful, apparently there is a guy that comes from Coban sometimes that presides and stuff, but he didn't come this week. So I had to direct, teach Sunday school for the Q'eqchi's, and then give priesthood class. So it is a adjustment jaja. It is mostly Q'eqchi' here, but members talk Spanish, so I direct it in both. There were 25 people there, which is a lot less than normal from what I understand. So that was kind of a bummer. Heavenly Father definitely wanted to keep me working my last change.
Me and my companion, Elder Vega, get along just fine. He has been out about six months. He came in thinking he was speaking Spanish and got chucked in to Q'eqchi' so he really struggles with that. My goal before I go home is to help him out with that. We also did a lot of contacting and got rejected a lot, so no difference there. For investigators, we have a little girl whose parents don't really want her to get baptized, Santa is her name. Her older brother is an inactive member. She is 8 and goes to every activity and church meeting on her own, she is pilas (awesome.) And then we have a family that won't come to church so... there is work to do.
Right now I am in Coban. I have a choir practice at 2, which I know nothing about. It is just the missionaries I am pretty sure, I was confused because my zone leaders just called me last night and were like "you have choir practice at 2" and that was all haha. I think it is for Elder Renlund's visit. All my buddies who are ZLs are here because they have their meeting today, so that is nice. It is weird not having to go, but I definitely don't miss it. I am sitting right next to Elder Barney now. He is serving in Serviny Sayxche which is in Peten. This is his third change there, so he is ready to go home. It is a tough area, just super hot and there isn't any Q'eqchi', plus the area hasn't seen much success. It is a hard area to finish in. It's the same for all of us who served in the Polochic, it is hard to be anywhere else. Nobody wants to get taken out once they are in. It is amazing there.
The most spiritual/ best thing that happened this week was hearing I am going to see Elder Renlund. That was dope, because everyone kept telling me I should ask for permission to go see him, and something just told me not to, and then low and behold President called me.
The hardest thing was we got rejected a lot. It is like my fifth change in a row where there isn't much going in my area which is kind of a bummer. But we can work on that, and maybe we can just work on strengthening the members too.
Alright well this is the longest email I have written in awhile, so I will just close by saying that I feel so blessed to get to end my mission where I am, talking Q'eqchi'. And even if my Q'eqchi' isn't good enough to translate, I am just so happy to get to meet and be around an Apostle.
I love all of you!
Love, Elder Toolson
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