Changes!

Hey guys,

Well, it's transfer week and things are just as crazy as the last time.  We had 8 Elders and Sisters in our zone that had changes out of the zone and 4 that our going to be training and have to go to the capital to pick up their kids. So I have the same routine with the bus tickets, waking up at 2am and huge amounts of Elders sleeping in the house this week.  As crazy as it is, I really like it.  It might be the most exciting part of being zone leader in Coban (except for chasing the Elder through the streets and having to lock him in the house).  =)  All in all things are good. 

Our investigators are doing well.  Marvin and Mari were not able to go to church yesterday because their children were really sick.  They have a little 2 year old that was so malnourished that his belly was swelling up like those kids you see from Africa.  They were able to take him to the hospital and he seems to be doing better.  Now it just seems like their kids have all got the flu. Because of that, they didn't have too much time to listen this week either, but I'm not giving up hope.  They are still completing with reading assignments and praying.  Also, whenever we go over there they seem really glad to see us.  They said that for this Sunday they will definitely go to church.  We're just going to keep visiting with them and see how things go.  I definitely think they'll be good for the 26th though.

Guadalupe is as great as ever.  She went to church this Sunday without us even reminding her that morning.  We were in a lesson with her and she had one of her daughters there.  She interrupted what I was saying and said, Sorry, but I don't think my daughter knows I'm getting baptized the 26th.  I just wanted to make sure she knew.  She's awesome.  She's telling everybody about it and she's super excited.  The other day she and all her neighbors had their water cut because of not paying the bill so we went over and pulled water from a well with a rope and a bucket.  That was pretty fun, but man were my arms sore afterwards!  It was also cool to see that there is actually clean water naturally in at least one place in Guatemala.  =)  She's good for the 19th.

Densil, not so great.  He got a job at a carwash and he's been working from 7am to 7pm and it seems like he doesn't want to listen too much in the night time.  He also works on Sundays now so he can't go to church.  But, we're not giving up and will always keep passing by.  We're going to see if we can get him another job.  He's only making about 60 dollars a month as well which is very little.  We'll see. 

We have a lady named Alma Tigueros, the wife of our ward mission leader, that we started teaching more seriously this week.  She has actually gone to church a lot already but it has been hard because they live so far away in another area.  But we finally started going over and teaching her and were able to put a baptismal date with her as well.  She put the goal for the 19th as well and we'll be working hard this week. 

My companion has a change to the capital.  He is really bummed because he spent 18 months out of the capital and only had 3 months out of the capital before having to go back.  That place really is horrible.  It's like Soddom and Gomorrah down there.  Every Elder hopes and prays that he won't get sent back.  But, I really think it will be good for him.  With all the baptismal interviews we’ve had to do, we only had about 5 lessons with investigators.  Translated into layman’s terms, that's not a lot.  But I am trying to stay positive and hoping for the best. 

There is an Elder Ware from Polochic that has a change to Coban.  That's a really weird transfer because he is speaking all Kekchi in his area right now and would go to mostly Spanish with some Kekchi, unless he is going to be Zone Leader.  So I have a feeling he is going to be my companion.  If so, I am really excited.  He is one of the best Elders I have met in the mission.  He's awesome and one of my best buds in the mission.  He's got one transfer less than me in the mission but he's super chispas.  He also knows kekchi and would be able to teach me so I am pretty stoked to find out.  It's between him or Elder Dilworth, brother of Andre and Collin, two of the guys I worked with on the moving crew.  Slim chances to get him as my companion but that would be cool as well.  De todos modos, I know the Lord will send who this area needs.  I'm excited to get working again. 

Things in Coban are ridiculously hot!  I've never felt this kind of heat in Coban.  It's starting to feel like Peten.  =)  Any time I start to mentally whine, I remind myself that it was about 15 degrees hotter in Peten all the time.  It makes me laugh a little bit.  Rain or shine, Coban is still amazing.  I love it here.  Hope I can stay for a long while longer.  We shall see.  Love you all.  Have a great week. 

Love,

Elder Lloyd