Monday, July 3, 2017

week 96: leaving home/ coming home

Whoa, I'm going home! It's weird though, I kind of feel like I am leaving home. Things here were awesome this week, we got Pedro and Maria baptized in a river! It was such a miracle, the Lord really helped us out. My companion was too nervous to confirm them so I ended up doing both parts. It was all dope and spiritual!






This week was just full of goodbyes and stuff, but I promised I would be back to visit so it was all good. My companion has a change as well, he is getting sent to Peten. So that is a bummer because he won't be here to help Pedro and Maria.




I just finished my last interview with President Faundez and it was awesome. It went really well, he said nice things and the Spirit was super strong and stuff. He talked a lot about the future which is scary haha. I got one final cincho from Hermana Faundez, she is going to give me pants to go home in because she doesn't like the ones I have. But I'm just going to wear those to the capital then use my pants.

Today I am going to write for a while and then we have our noche de hogar (family home evening) tonight. And that is it. A lot of people made the trip out to see me so it has been nice. I think we are sleeping at the APs house, they have a lot of extra beds so that is probably the most convenient place for us. I don't feel like I am leaving at all, I feel like it is just another p-day except every time I see a missionary they just tell me "ya te vas vos!" (like "your time to go!") Interview with President was the only thing that felt out of the ordinary, that part was weird, but after we went and got some subway and everything felt normal again.

There will be eight missionaries going home with me but only three of us are from the states. I think it is like four or five hours to the capital, I have no clue what we will be doing once we get there. The bus from Coban normally leaves around 11 or 12, right after the new missionaries come in. I think we will sleep in a hotel, and I am guessing I will have to be at the airport pretty early if my flight leaves at like 8. My suitcase mostly has souvenirs and books because I gave a lot of clothes away. I sold my camera to another missionary who didn't have one. I haven't had bedding for like 2 or 3 areas, I can't remember what I did with it haha. I've just used whatever I could find when I got to a new area.

Well, for my final spiritual thought, I'm not sure how to describe an entire mission in one email. I figure I will write about the one thing that I have learned the most about and cherish most, and that is my new testimony of our Older Brother Jesus Christ and his Atonement. 

Naq ninok chixk'oxlankil chirix lix tojb'al rix li qamaak li JesuKristo, nanujob'resiik incho'ool. Mas Ch´a'aj chiwu chixtawb'al iru chixjunil k'ar'u ke'xb'annu li yos ut li JesuKristo choq' we, choq' qe chiqajunilo. Naq nink'oxla chirix lix tojb'al rix li qamaak li JesuKristo, oxib'aq li aatin nachalk se' ink'auxl. Rahilal, li B'antioxink, ut Rahok. 
Relik chi yaal li JesuKristo kixnumsi chixjunil li qarahilal ut kixk'ul chixjunil sa' xb'een. Ink'a' ninruuk chixtawb'al iru a'an, ab'anan re xk'oxlankil naq kixk'ul sa' xb'een chixjunil li qarahilal sa' xb'een se' li rawimq, toj ki'elk xkik'el re xtib'el ut toj li yos kixtaqla jun li anjel re xkojob'ankil xch'ool, narahok inch'ool re xnawb'al naq xintzaqo sa' xrahilal, naq a'an kixnumsi inrahilal sa' ink'ab'a. Ut ink'a' kiraqek ayi, kijite, kipaq'iik chi ruq', kichuub'aak ut kisak'e' xb'aaneb' aj ka'pak'al-u, ut kixkuy chixjunil a'in chi ch'anch'o, chi tuulanob'resinb'il rib'. chirix a'an kik'ob'e chiru li krus, ut aran kikanaak se' rahilal toj xkamik.
Ink'a' naru chiwu ch'olob'ankil xiikil xnimal inb'antioxihom chiru li yos ut li JesuKristo ut k'aru' ke'xb'annu we. Xb'aan lix tojb'al rix li qamaak, nar ch'ajob'resinb'ilaqin, ut ninruuk chi wank rik'in injunkab'lal chi junelik q'e kutan, ut tinruuq chi sutq'iiq rik'in inchoxahil yuwa'. K'a'ajwi' xb'aan li JesuKristo, naru kuyb'ilaqeb' inmaak, chi maak'a raj li JesuKristo, maa'anihin raj.
Ink'a' nintaw iru k'ajo xnamal xrahom li yos li wan choq' qe. Naq kiwan xch'ool chixmayejinkil li ralal choq' qe, laa'o aj maak, maa'us aj winq, a'an ju li rahok tz'aqal re ru. Lix rahom li JesuKristo li wan choq' qe ut choq' re li qachoxahil yuwa' naxkuy chixjunil, ut maak'a xraqik. Ninraheb' inchoxahil yuwa' ut li was ut inlo'y li JesuKristo.
Maji' xikenaqin se' wochoch, ab'anan ak naab'al li rosob'tesihom li yos k'ulb'il sa' inb'een ut ink'a' ninjuuk chirajlankileb'. Ab'anan li wosob'tesinkil li mas naweek'a sa' inyu'am a'an xnawom inch'ool ut inlo'yil li ontaw rik'in aj tojol wix, li JesuKristo. Ninnaw naq yo'yo a'an, naxnaw lin ch'ool ut a'an nikinxra, ut laa'in ninra a'an. A'an jun innawom, ut maa'ani naru risinkil a'an. Ninb'antioxi chiruheb' li yos ut li JesuKristo wulaj wualj xb'aan li k'aru' ke'xb'aanu, ut toj neke'xb'aanu chow' we. Nanaw wi' nawoksi xtojb'al rix li qamaak li JesuKristo wulaj wualj, rajlal hoonal, tinwanq rik'in injukab'al, ut li qachoxahil yuwa', ut li qas li JesuKristo chi junelik q'e kutan

Cuando yo pienso de el Expiación de JesuCristo se llena mi corazón. Es dificil para mi a comprender qué es lo que nuestro Padre Celestial y JesuCristo hicieron para mi y para todos nosotros. Cuando yo pienso en el Expiación las primeras tres palabras que viene a mi mente son sufrimiento, agradecimiento, y amor.
JesuCristo Sufrió literalmente todo. Eso no es algo que comprendo, pero a pensar que el sufrió en el Jardín de Getsemaní hasta que sangró de cada poro, y hasta que Dios mandó un Ángel a ayudarlo, me pongo tan triste que yo era un parte de su sufrimiento. Y no se terminó allí, fue acusado y golpeado, las personas lo escupieron y golpearon, y él guardó silencio durante todo eso. Hasta que lo clavaron a la cruz y allí quedó en agonía hasta su muerte.
No puedo expresar que tan agradecido estoy para este acto. Que por medio de el Expiación puedo ser limpo, y puedo estar con mi familia, y regresar con mi Padre Celestial, sé que solo por medio de JesuCristo puedo ser perdonado, sin el yo sería nadie.
El amor que el Padre tiene para nosotros es algo más que yo no puedo comprender. A sacrificar su hijo para nosotros, personas malas, pecadores, imperfectos, es un amor puro. El amor que JesuCristo tiene para nosotros y para nuestro PAdre Celestial es algo infinito. Yo amo a mi Padre Celestial y me hermano y amigo JesuCristo.
Todavía no he ido a mi casa, pero ya he recibido mas bendiciones de mi mision que puedo contar. Pero el bendicion que yo aprecio mas es mi nuevo relación y testimonio que tengo de mi redentor JesuCristo. Sé que él vive, él me ama y me conoce, y yo lo amo. Este es un conocimiento que yo tengo, y nadie lo puede quitar de mi, doy gracias a el y mi Padre Celestial cada día para lo que han hecho y siguen haciendo para mi. Sé que si yo aplico el Expiación cada día, voy a estar con mi familia, y con nuestro Padre Celestial, y nuestro hermano mayor JesuCristo para siempre.

When I start to think about the Atonement of Jesus Christ my heart is filled. It is hard for me to understand everything that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have done for me, and have done for all of us. When I think about the Atonement, three words come to mind, suffering, gratitude, and love. Jesus Christ literally suffered everything. This isn't something I understand, but to think that He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane until He bled from every pore and until God sent an angel to comfort Him, it makes me so sad to think that I was a part of His suffering. And it didn't finish there, He was accused and beaten, spit upon and hit, and He stayed silent in perfect humility. After He was nailed to the cross and there He stayed in agony until His death
I cannot express how grateful I am to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and this act. Through the Atonement I can be made clean, and I can be with my family and return to be with our Heavenly Father. I know that only through Jesus Christ can I be forgiven of my sins, without Him I would be nothing.
The love that our Father has for us is something I also can't comprehend. That He sacrificed His Son for us, people that are bad, and sinners, and imperfect, is a pure love. The love that Christ has for us and for our Heavenly Father is infinite and endures all things. I love my Heavenly Father, and my Brother and Friend Jesus Christ.
I still haven't gone home, but I have already received more blessings from my mission than I can count. But the blessing that I appreciate the most is my new relationship and testimony I have of my Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives, and He loves and knows me, and I love Him. This is a knowledge that I have, and it is something nobody can take from me. I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for that which He has done for me and keeps doing for me. I know if I apply the Atonement everyday I will be with my family forever and with our Heavenly Father and our Older Brother Jesus Christ forever.

I don't really know what more I can say. I'm really excited to see you and I will see you sooon! 

I love you!Love, Elder Toolson