Week 22

Sorry, today I dont have much time to write. I only have about 15 min and I really wish I could read your emails but I took photos of them to read later.

I received a letter from you mom this week and recieved a letter from grandpa last week. I really love the letters and I'm sorry I haven't sent one in a while. I have been really busy praying for help in my area and trying to look through our area book for really good investigators and menos activos.

But this week was really good but then sunday went back to normal. This week we had a lot of really good lessons with our investigators but on sunday they didn't go to church. I feel frustrated and I know its not going to be easy but it's been like this for 5 or 6 weeks. It's been a long tough challenge.

Also, this week our president and the zone leaders changed a rule! we can have coke now! YAAAAAAY! It's amazing that we can have coke now!

I also found out this morning that the patriots won the super bowl! and they were replaying it in the place that we ate lunch, but to bad we can't watch television. So we moved to a different table where we couldn't watch tv. Also, this week we focused on a lesson that we call raise your sails. We used the photo in the ensign that had a pic of the ship and it says embark. We used the saying "that we can't move out of the way of the storms in our life unless we first raise our sails and obey the commandments and do all that is on the sails". Then we will move towards the places that the lord has prepared for us.

Bye, love you!

Elder Flygare

Week 21

Well really this week has been hard too, but it has been a week of progress! We have found new investigators and we had a date for one person to be baptized on the 14th of Febuary but he didn't come to church... the thing that sucked was that we called him at 8:15 to see if he would come and he said he was preparing to come to church but he didn't end up coming... maybe some thing happened so he couldn't attend because he is really cool! We found this guy on friday, Luis, he is about 31 years old, and at first he was really only interested in listening to our message for a little bit, but me and elder guymon were really guided by the spirit on what we should say and within 5 minutes, he asked what the word mormon meant so we gave him a Book of Mormon and left a pamphlet with him and by the end he accepted a date to be baptized. he was super cool and if it wasn't for the spirit then he wouldn't have softened his heart to our message and to accept to be baptized once he knows that it is true, but he will know that it is true. I have faith and relying on the lord after I have done all I can.

One quote that I have heard and that I really like is, "You should pray like everything depends on him, then get up and work like everything depends on you".

Well I really didnt have to much time to write but I hope that this will do. Love you guys!

Elder Flygare

Week 20

Well this week has been hard too, but also alot of fun and some success. We have some pretty cool investigators and some pretty cool people that know that the book of mormon is true but don't want to be baptized again... she said its because she has been baptized two different times... and we explain over and over again that we are the only church that has the authority of God to baptize but she doesn't completely understand.

Also, our fecha (date) for last saturday fell when he didn't attend church and we couldn't find him this whole week...I hope that satan hasn't already hardened his heart again and I hope he doesn't go back to smoking and drinking. He is a super cool guy and really wants to change his life. Well other than those two people we don't have any one that we have visited enough to see their real desires. I hope we start finding the people that are ready to be baptized. I have been praying so much so we can find the people that are ready to hear our message.

Also, we bought those 20 ties for 10 quetzales! That means each tie was about 6 or 7 cents!

So one story I have happened yesterday. So we were walking down this little hill and all of a sudden I felt like this burden just came off my back... then I realized my side bag broke and fell off. It felt really weird because for the rest of the night I had to carry it around Zacapa and to our lessons.

but it's crazy how cheap some things are. I bought this back pack which is HUGE for a little under 40 bucks. 

Well love you guys! hope you guys have a better week!

Love Elder Flygare

Week 19

Well this Tuesday I got a new companion and his name is Elder Merrill, he's from Utah and has 17 months in the mission. I feel like I get along better with him becuase he can help me more and we can talk all the time in Spanish and in English if he doesn't understand all my Spanish. haha! He's awesome and is a super cool companion. He's a hard worker especially with the menos (less) actives and recent converts. This week has been one of the hardest weeks with us not being able to find new investigators and even talk to our investigators that we have right now...this week has been alot of walking because no one wants to be at their house when we schedule a visit with them. This week has really been the hardest week of my mission because I feel like I am trying my hardest but nothing is working. I have been praying like crazy this week for help to find new investigators and to prepare Wilder for a baptism this week but he hasn't been home this whole week when we try to visit. I feel like a failure sometimes when I try my best and all we do is walk and knock on doors and no one wants anything. It's even harder when my new comp doesn't know anyone here and I have to help him get to know everyone and also I dont want him to feel like I am not a hard worker with having almost 0 investigators because they want to not answer the door and don't want anything...

Sometimes it feels like the lord doesnt answer my prayers but I know that he has a plan. I know that he won't give me a challenge that I cant handle. Also, thanks mom for your email this week. It has helped me so much today with only reading it and feeling peace in this work and also thanks dad for your scripture. That is definetely how I felt this week, not that I wasn't humble but that he has a plan to make me stronger, to endure more, and also to always, always, ALWAYS rely on him.

Ether 12:27. And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

I know that it's easy to get distracted and think that "you" need to find someone to feel successful or you need to have the best numbers (data). but this is the lord's work, he does with us for our OWN benefit.

Obediencia trae bendiciones, y obediencia con exactitud trae milagros. (hna. wendy nelson) (Translation: Obedience brings blessings, and exact obedience brings miracles.)

I love you all and I defintely know that my family loves me to. I'm doing great here and hope for the same for you. Weather is hot and is only going to get hotter. haha!

Love, Elder Flygare

 foto 1: elder guymon, elder dille, elder flygare (yo), y elder merrill! also I bought a tie that has chickens on it for animal tie friday! haha 

foto 2: elder flygare y elder merrill antes correo electro

Week 18

Hola Familia,

So let's start with new years. It's so different here in Guatemala, I mean it doesn't even feel like a new year because I am still sweating my butt off everyday and we never have a day that is cold. I hear how the capital of Guatemala is so cold right now and sometimes I want to get a change just to experience the cold. haha!

Well today is a day of changes. This change I am staying in Zacapa and my comp is leaving. He is going to the capital but we don't know who our companions are yet. It's kinda weird that I am going to be experiencing my first change with a new companion and I have to help him learn the area. I am finally not going to be in training any more! ya!!! I can't wait for what the Lord has in store for me with this chance and new companion. Also, we are getting a new zone leader and district leader. Elder Huband who was one of the zone leaders is going to the capital and so is my comp who was district leader. Then we have Elder Jepson leaving to the capital, Elder Rodriguez who is going home after serving for 2 years and an additional change and also Hermana Black but she will be staying outside of the capital. I hope to hear from the others in my group from the CCM and see how we have grown and what changes we have in our mission.

Also, this week felt pretty fast because of new year's holiday and we had 23 new investigators this week! Our goal every week is 12 and we almost doubled it. One family of 7 is really cool and they want to listen to our message and hear what we have to say. Especially the dad of the family, which is kinda strange because he is a pastor of a different church... haha but if we baptize him then we will have alot of success with the family, and with his "church" haha, so lets just pray that they wont harden their hearts!

Also, we have a baptism date for the 17th but we think it will get pushed back a week because he has to quit smoking for 2 weeks before being baptized, but he is a super cool dude! and all ready he is noticing blessings in his life.

I cant express how happy I am with the opportunity to be here on a mission and I would like to share my testimony with you guys in Spanish:

Yo se que esta iglesia es verdadera, yo se que esta evangelio puede bendice todos personas y todos familias, yo se que el don de lenguas es verdadero, y dios contestara nuestros oraciones si nosotros pedimos con fe. El quiere bendice nuestras vidas y cuando nosotros obedecemos los mandamientos, nosotros recibiremos bendiciones en nuestras familias. Yo se que el libro de mormon es la palabra de dios. Yo se que mi decision a servir un mission es no para yo a recibir bendiciones, pero por yo bendice las vidas de estas personas en Guatemala.  (You can google translate it if you don't know Spanish)

I love you guys so much and am grateful for your support and love. I'm grateful for my christmas package and for the opportunity to share the love of Christ with these people of Guatemala.

Elder Flygare

Week 17

Hola familia y amigos,

Well this week was christmas! I got to talk to my family and also give gifts to a ton of little kids that dont have pants half the time.  Me and my companion went and gave around 250 ballon animals to kids and also candy to the members.

   Also we were filled with delicious food like duck tamales and molletes, and paunche. I am especially grateful for the opportunity to talk to my family. It was hard to find English words to say. I am also greatful for the opportunity to talk to my brother, even though it was for only 15 min.

Well this is short so sorry, but also we had a baptism! Well not our baptism but a baptism of the hermanas in our ward and Miguel wanted me to baptize him. Some people say it's because I'm a gringo because I only talked to him 2 times for 2 min. but its alright, I like being a gringo! Also, we went to a volcano today! One of more than a handful in Guatemala. This one is covered with water so its not active and the water isn't super cold either! It was cool to be next to the water again but to bad I couldn't go swimming.

I'm loving it in Guatemala and can't wait til I can speak perfectly!;)

Love Elder Flygare