Weddings and Baptisms on Baptisms

Hey erebody, 

Everything is going awesome here in Las Delicias!!! We had the baptism of Yoselin last week and that was awesome!! And on Saturday the 14th of April a.k.a my birthday we had a wedding of an awesome family! The Familia Avila!! they were so happy and excited! We were able to eat a really good lunch and a lot of cake! 

The next day on Sunday they were baptized and it was so amazing! They were able to share their testimonies at the end and you could really tell that they are going to be converts. Just from the way they understand the doctrine and how willing they were to accept everything we taught was a sure sign that they would be. It makes me so happy that in 1 year they'll be able to go to the temple and be able to be sealed to each other and their children for time and all eternity. This is one of the reasons I came here. To bring families like this to the restored gospel and help them make it back tot he fold of God. 

I love being here. I finished The Book of Mormon again this morning and again was able to recieve an answer that it is indeed true. There are so many things you can learn from this book but the thing that I really got from it this time was how much our Heavenly Father really loves us. He made sure that our ancestors kept a record so that we could learn from their mistakes and their successes. All of that because of his LOVE. He sent his Son here to suffer our sins and he accepted. I know The Book of Mormon is true, that Jesus Christ is my saviour and redeemer who gave everything he had for me and you to come back to Gods presence and be saved. I say that as a humble servant and representative of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you guys!! Share the Book!!!

Elder Whelan

Tender Mercies and Baptizing

Hey guys!! 

First of all I want to thank all of you for reading my emails and supporting me over here in Guatemala. It means a lot to me.

To start off we were supposed to have a baptism this last Saturday but it fell through. Her name is Yoselin Coxaj and she told us a day before her baptism that she wasn't getting baptized because she didn't feel ready. So after that I was feeling pretty let down and didn't feel like working because it sucks when that happens. 

But we continued to work and Sunday came around. It was fast Sunday and everyone was sharing their testimonies. We got to the end of the meeting and suddenly the kid that we just baptized got up and walked to the front. I thought, what is he doing? Does he feel obligated to do that or what haha? But he got up and shared one of the most sincere and spirit filled testimonies I've ever heard in my life. It was beautiful everything that he said. He thanked my companion and I for baptizing him and bringing his family to church. He's 15 and has so much courage. He said that we brought a lot of knowledge to him and now he understands why he has to follow the right paths. I honestly felt in this moment the biggest sense of satisfaction for what Im doing here. He brought the room to a hush and so many people came to us afterwards saying what a good job we did. It honestly wasn't anything we did, it was the spirit that converted him truly. He also said that some day he hopes to serve a mission like us one day. I love this kid haha and it was such a tender mercy to me when he got up and did that. Like it was God telling me that everything is still ok.

On another note we have three baptisms. Saolo and Marcela Avila and Yoselin Coxaj!!! She's getting baptized now!!! But something I want to share with you all. We had a visit with Marcela and her son Manuel last night and we taught the 10 commandments. We taught the lesson and I shared a little story about my life. And I don't remember how we got to this point but Marcela started talking and with tears in her eyes she said,"You left your house and everything you know, to put my house in order." And she said it with such sincerity that I started to tear up and I couldn't help but cry. She understood perfectly the reason that we are here and she feels grateful for it. Im so excited to baptize them on Sunday and I hope you can all pray for them!!! I love you guys!!!

Elder Whelan

 

Baptism!!!!

Hey ere´body! 

So we're doing good over here! Working hard as always! We had a baptism ON SUNDAY!! His name is Manuel and he's the son of Saolo and Marcela Avila. He's a super smart kid and he's 15 years old. His parents are going to get married on the 14th of this months and then will be baptized on the 15th. I'm so happy that this family is choosing the right path. They're showing their faith and really want to be right with God in all things. I love this family so stinkin' much, and I guess it goes to show how much you really start to love the people you teach. 

I have many friends here in Guatemala. Now they didn't all get baptized but that doesn't mean that they're bad people. They're all good people and they're better for listening to me and my companions. :)

On another note! We went to the temple with our branch and it was so cool!!! Three kids went through because they're going to go on missions and we were able to go through with them! It was such a cool experience and reminded me of when I went through for the first time. Anyway I included some pics I took from that trip!

Love all of you!!

Elder Whelan

(These pictures were from a previous email)

Let Downs and Miracles

Hey everyone!

Can you guys send me some scans of piano music? Like Music of the Night and stuff like that? Ive been practicing just a little bit of piano but I dont too many opportunities.
>
> What card games are there that we can play with just a deck of cards??? Please send me rules and how to play.

So this week was good and bad. Haha the bad part was that our investigators packed up and left to who knows where and nobody knows where they went to. They were so good but in the end Satan won them over which makes me feel deeply sad inside. They literally left salvation for the things of the world. I just hope that someday they make their way back to the truth and they can really feel that God loves them. I want to see them again and know that their lives are better. But I guess we will just have to see. I have faith that they will change some day.

Now the miracle. So we were feeling bad for what happened with that family and we were walking to a converts house when the second counselor calls us to visit with us. He had a reference for us and we went to the house to visit La Familia Avila. Saolo, Marcela, Manuel, and Diana. They are so cool! They are super prepared for the gospel and we had a very spiritual lesson with them. I invited them to baptism for the 1st of April and they accepted but said that they would pray to God first to know if everything is true. I just hope they get there answers!!! 

Anyway not much else to say because I don't have much time left so I gotta go! I love you all! God loves you all and knows each and everyone of you. Talk to him and feel his love for you, hes waiting. 

Elder Whelan

Choked a dog, Butt spews, Investigators

So let me just start out with the funny story. So one night we were going to visit a convert. My comp and I sit down next to the door and I knock on the door. Nestor (convert) has a huge rotweiler and it always wants to kill us. So theres a little hole in the door and it always looks out of it and barks at us. So it barked at us for about 15 minutes straight while we were talking. Then it goes quiet and we don't notice it until 5 mins later. At the time I was drinking some water and 5 mins later I hear BARK super loud in my ear! So I turn around and squirt my water at the dog and it stops barking. Little did I know that I shot the water straight down its throat and 10 seconds later I hear a choking noise. I choked the dog! As soon as we heard that we died laughing it was so funny!! 

Other funny story, my comp (Elder Butt) and I were at lunch the other day. My comp puts on some chili powder on his food. He goes to eat some potato with it and it burned his throat  so he goes to take a drink and as he's taking a drink, the powder goes into his throat and he spews all of the drink out on me. I was like WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?!?! Hahahaha it was pretty funny.

We have two investigators that were hoping will get baptized this week, they have a ton of faith and want to be baptized, if they don't this week then next week. But they'll get baptized I know it. 

The mission is great! I was definitely dying last week and even my comp told me I looked like I was dying. But yeah, I'm all good now. My body hurts a little just from being in the mission, but other than that...all good. I miss those little boys a ton as well haha. 

My city is huge and there are a bunch of shopping areas. My shoes are trashed again. I destroy them haha. And Elder Butt is super cool. 

Other than that not too much else to say!! 

I LOVE ALL OF YOU!!!!

Seeing Elder Cook... and I almost died...

Hey guys!! So I dont have much time to write today but we were able to see Elder Cook this last week. I'll tell you more about what he said next week because I don't have much time to write about it haha. 

On another note I almost died last week!! So the day after the conference we got home from working and I was super sick. I was told to take pepto bismol and I started to puke while I was talking on the phone with the nurse haha. I started puking up blood and I passed out about 5 to 6 times. I had a terrible double dragon experience and my companion said I looked like a dead person. I literally could not left myself up off the floor. 

I'm so grateful for this experience because it helped me really reflect on how I was doing as a missionary and what I was doing to help other people. I felt like I was going to die. And it's crazy the things that go through your head when you feel that way. Most of all I felt gratitude to my Father. I when through so much pain that day and I reflected on how Jesus Christ could have suffered more pain than I was going through at that moment. Its humbling to know that He was willing to do that for ME. 

I love my savior and am so grateful for this gospel. 

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!

Elder Whelan

Ooooiiiii!!

Hey guys!! 

So Oi means hey down here. Im not sure if it means the same thing in other places but thats what it means here. This week I was talking to my companion about speaking Spanish. I was thinking that its so cool to be fluent in another language and that I'm going to have opportunities to talk to other people in Spanish when i get home as well. 

But I realized that I wouldn't be able to speak Spanish if I hadn't asked for help with the gift of tongues from my Father in Heaven. I wouldn't have anything without his help. So that was kind of a humbling moment for me. I realized that I needed to let go of my pride and realize that all of the blessings that I have received so far in my life are from a Father in Heaven who loves me and wants me to progress in life. 

The only thing that he wants in turn is someone who is grateful and will use those blessings to help others. I'm coming up on 14 months in the mission and thats super weird to me. Never thought I would get to this point but here I am, right? Now I just gotta finish strong! 

My week was good, it was kind of slow but we're getting there. My comp is doing good and we always get along. We're a little sad though, because were about to have transfers on the 13th. I would say that we're in the 80s right now and we'll get into the 90s. Not sure on that one though haha. I haven't gotten my package yet. I'll probably get it on the 13th.

Other than that, nothing much happened this week, except we do have three potential baptisms for this Sunday and we're hoping to "close the deal"😄 with them today! 

Also shout out to my sis, Ty! She's turning 18 this Saturday! Happy Birthday!!!

I love you all!!! 

Elder Whelan