Happy Mother's Day

Hey family,

¿Que tal les va la onda por allí?  =)  Things are great here in Coban.  I sure loved talking to you guys last night.  Sometimes it's nice to talk to some normal people in English.  Talking to other gringo missionaries is hard sometimes because half of our vocabulary is Spanish now and we just speak in what we think is "normal English."  Really though, it was a delight talking to you.  Although the homesickness is inevitable after you have talked to your family.  That's ok though, I just washed it down with some pudding and A and W Rootbeer that I had in the fridge.  =) 

Sounds like everybody is doing really well.  I have been blessed throughout my mission to have my family stay safe and in fairly good help (even though we could all afford to lose a few pounds.)  ;)  There are some elders in the mission that really have to worry about what's going on home. Some even worry about how active their parents and siblings are.  I have been blessed.  I have also seen the blessings that have come to you guys as I have been serving.  The Lord has been answering my prayers.  I feel that as I am serving here, you have all grown spiritually.  I hope you guys keep it up.  I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty proud when I tell people that my parents are temple workers. 

Things are good here.  Today was a great, calm p-day.  We were able to play some soccer.  I honestly haven't liked soccer my whole mission but today was actually the first time I have liked it.  I haven't been playing for the past 2 months but today played for the first time.  Not to brag or anything, but I did make 5 goals.  I think I'm Messi's long lost twin.  We then were able to go eat a triple bacon burguesa from McDonald's.  That was awesome because they gave me a large drink and fries without even charging me.  Then we went and bought cereal and now we're using internet.  Pretty exciting.  Elder Proctor was able to find some Ecco shoes in a paca for 50 quetz, so that was awesome.  His shoes were getting worn out so we had to find some new ones today.  We prayed before we went out that we might be able to find some good ones.  What do you know, just his size in a paca for 6 dollars.  It's just like all the car windshields say here in Guatemala, "Regalito de Dios." 

We are getting excited for this weekend for the baptism of Guadalupe.  She is for sure going to be baptized.  Yesterday we were able to plan all the details with her and she was really excited.  She's going to be baptized Saturday at 6pm.  We'll send you the pictures. 

As for that, we are just looking for new investigators like crazy.  Sometimes you look and can't find.  That's hard but we know they're there.  We just gotta work hard and the Lord will provide.  We have been fasting a lot too.  We shall see what this next week brings. 

We have a conference with President Watts this Thursday.  We are pretty exited for that.  We have 9 new Elders in the zone out of the 20, so it will be really good to get everybody settled and excited to work.  Our zone has been struggling with the work.  We only have 7 baptismal dates placed in the entire zone so we are putting a goal of having 2 new dates in each area this week with a totally of 18 new baptismal dates in the zone.  With faith, we know it's possible.  Talking a lot with my companion, we have figured out what the problem is with the zone.  We were wondering why we aren't having success.  We figured out that sometimes missionaries are sometimes so busy being missionaries that they forget the purpose of being a missionary, inviting to come unto Christ through baptism.  Baptism is the gate of the path to eternal life.  Without inviting people to be baptized, we are just standing in front of the gate being a cool distraction.  If we present the Book of Mormon, testify, and invite, people will get baptized.  It's gonna happen.

By the way, I wanted to let you know my companion has a blog.  His name is Kyle Brady Proctor.  You should look him up.  Last night his parents found my blog and were looking at my pictures.  Haha. 

Well, don't have much to say this week because of the phone call.  Thanks again for all the love and support.  Hope you have a good week.  Just wanted to share this last scripture

2 Nephi 28:24.  Think about it.

Love,

Elder Lloyd

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

The Work Goes Forward (Fast)!

Hey,

How's it going?  Hope things are great.  Things this week were fantastic.  I finally feel like a missionary again.  We actually had success! 

We were able to put 4 baptismal dates.  Yes!  The first was with Densil.  He is the young guy that lived in Houston for 8 years and who knows perfect English.  We had a baptismal date planned with him already for this Saturday but he wasn't progressing enough.  We had a great lesson with him and finally just talked seriously with him about what he wants.  Sometimes investigators just need a knock in the head to help them understand eternal concepts.  We started asking some of the questions from Alma 5 and really seeing how he felt about the plan of salvation.  He knows it's all true.  He's just scared of change.  We were able to watch finding faith in Christ and that really helped him to think a little more about the importance of the Church and baptism.  So we committed him for the 19th of may and are really going to work to get him there.   We're going to pass by every day if we need to. 

Another one is Guadalupe.  She has 3 daughters that have been members for a really long time.  Also all her relatives are members.  The only thing was that her husband was really stubborn and didn't like the Church.  But, he died 2 weeks ago.  So, thanks to the plan of salvation and the scriptures, after asking her the question, What do you think you need to do to make it back to your Heavenly Father again, Hermana?  She said, well, I should probably start out being baptised in the true church.  Well, bada bing bada boom, 19th of May.  She's awesome and she came to church for the first time yesterday.  She's for sure going to be baptized. 

We also found an amazing family!  They are Mari, Marvin, and their 4 little boys.  I told about them last week, the ones that read the pamphlet and seemed really awesome.  Well, they are the most amazing family spiritually I have had in my mission.  They are super poor.   The other night we got there and the kids were only eating tortillas and margarine for their dinner.  I may or may not have given a member money to buy them beans, eggs, and tortillas and went without eating for a day.  We were teaching them and I challenged them to baptism.  Marvin said that, since they had started listening, they knew it was true and couldn't deny it, so there was no way they could avoid getting baptized.  Yup 26th of May.  They also all came to church yesterday and stayed all three hours.  They loved it. 

Well, my  letters short, but I have to catch a bus for the capital in 15 minutes for our zone leader meeting with President.  Hna Watts is making Lasagna tomorrow.  =)  I'm excited.  I know this church is true and know that there are children of Him waiting for us to open the door to His kingdom.  As we share the gospel, we give them salvation.  Have a great week.  Love you all!
Love,
Elder Lloyd

Great Week!

Hey fam,

This week was a great week. 

We were actually able to work again and we had some great success.  My companion has started feeling better and seems to be ready to get going again.  We have had some great lessons and found some great new investigators. 

We were able to put a baptismal date with one of the investigators we have.  His name is Densil and he actually lived in Houston for 8 years.  He's 24 and knows perfect English.  He has had a rough life and it actually wouldn't surprise me if he was part of a gang while he was in the US.  But, we have really been talking about the repentance and how he can change.  He really has changed too.  Every investigator needs their own testimony and their own lesson that changes their life and his was the plan of salvation.  To know that we can live with our Heavenly father again really gave him hope.  We are really working with him for the 28th of April.  Hopefully he will make it.  I know he can.  We'll see how it goes this week.

I was able to go to Carcha, an area in our zone, on divisions this Thursday. That was awesome.  It is so beautiful.  That is the pictures I sent of me on the hill with the book of Mormon in my hand.  It is huge and the Elders there have a lot of work to do.  What happened is that there used to be 3 pairs of Elders out there and 3 areas, but we were short on missionaries and we had to close 2 of the areas there and made it one giant area.  It's crazy!  The best part is that there are a lot of little villages all over the place and a lot of Kekchi speaking people.  It was a great division.  We were able to have a lot of lessons and find 6 new investigators.  Then at night, there was a nice sky full of stars and the fireflies were out by the thousands.  It was one of the most beautiful moments in my mission.  It's times like those that really make me feel grateful that I am here in Guatemala.  The only thing that wasn't so great about the division is that the Elder that I went with is pretty new and has not been working hard enough trying to learn Spanish.  Wow, it was rough.  I felt so bad for him.  He couldn't help me teach at all.  But, we were able to talk about it and set some goals for his study and how he can improve.  I think he's a little more excited now to be able to learn.  We'll see.  Anyways, great area out there and I had a lot of fun. 

Today was P-day and we got to do a great trip.  We went to the Rey Marcos caves in Chamelco in our zone.  It was about a 30 minute drive and some seriously awesome caves and waterfalls.  In the pictures are all the Elders and Sisters in our zone.  It was a great time and I am really glad we got to go.  It reminded me a lot of the caves we got to go in in Ecuador.  The only difference was that we didn't have to swim.  The Hermanas were all scared and hyperventilating.  But, everybody survived and we really enjoyed.  The waterfalls were also really cool.  It was also only about 4 dollars to get in and for all the equipment.  Pretty cool. 

Well, things are really good.  I love you guys.  This week we have a zone conference.  That should be fun.  Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Lloyd

Sickness

Hey family,

Well, things are good in Coban.  I'm happy and healthy.  Sounds like Mom and Dad had the best 2 weeks ever!  I'm not going to lie, I found it quite funny that you two gringos got put as the witness couple in the middle of all the little Ecuadorians.  I'm jealous you got to go to them temple.  It's been 8 months since I've gone to the temple.  Awesome that you guys got to stay in that hotel looking over the temple as well.  Wow!  You guys have the best luck ever.  Have you ever stayed at a hotel and not gotten an upgrade to your room?  Awesome.  I also really enjoyed the sunsets in Montanita.  It brought back good memories. 

This week started out in the capital with concilio.  That was awesome.  I always enjoy going and being around some of the best Elders in the mission.  Also, President and Hermana Watts always make us feel like a million bucks.  By the way, Hna Watts makes some great food.  I also had my first chocolate chip cookie in a year.  It brought vanilla ice cream and caramel on top too.  MMMMMM!  Those meetings are always really good because we get to talk about the zones of the mission and how they can improve.  Also, President Watts always does a good job and getting us excited to go out and conquer the mission field.  I also like those days because I get to go on the bus rides with Elder Dillworth, the brother of Collin and Andre, two of the guys on the BYU moving crew.  He's an awesome Elder.  He's also been in Polochic his entire mission and is about to finish.  Overall, that was a great time.  Oh ya, I got to give a talk in concilio in front of everyone.  That was a little nerve racking, but it turned out fine.  I talked on how to raise the attendance of sacrament meetings in our zone. 

After we got back, my companion woke up Wednesday morning with "gripe."  Well that gripe made it so that we didn't work the entire week.  I felt bad for Elder Navas.  It was rough because we went another week without doing anything.  But, it did kind of give me some good thinking time.  I really had time to reevaluate how I am doing in the mission and things I can do better with.  I also enjoyed the extra time yesterday to study about Christ and his ministry and atonement.  I really was actually feeling a bit down yesterday after being in the house for 5 days, and I prayed to ask what I could do.  I felt like I should read a Liahona so I went over and grabbed one.  We have a stack of over 100 in the house.  I randomly got one that was the April 2009 copy.  Wow, what a great answer to my prayer.  And what a great Liahona.  I would highly recommend it.  In particular there was a talk by Cecil O Samuelson that talked about the atonement of Jesus Christ.  It was exactly the right talk in exactly the right time for me in my mission.  I know God was listening to me and that he loves me, because he knew exactly how to help me at that time.  But wow, did I study a lot this week.  I read just about the entire New Testament, over 10 Liahonas, a lot of Jesus the Christ, 1 Nephi and a lot of 2 Nephi, and learned a bit of Kekchi.  Oh well, things happen.

My companion started feeling better this morning and was even ready to play soccer with the zone.

Then we were able to go eat McDonalds and shop and use internet.  Oh ya, I also found 5 ties from Nordstrom and other brands for the equivalent of 50 cents each. That was a great find.  Now we are going to go home and see what visits we can make before the evening ends. 

Well, love you guys.  You're in my prayers every day.  Know that the church is true and that Jesus Christ is the very Savior of our souls.  I love Him.  He knows us and offers us all we need and want.  I challenge everyone to take some time to think of exactly what he has done in your life.  I promise that as you do, you'll feel him a bit closer in your life.  Love ya.

Elder Lloyd