7.17.12
Well as you know, I had changes and I'm in a new area with a new responsibility and a new companion.  I'm in Escuintla in a branch called Golondrinas. My area is considered coast and it is pretty hot here. The rain is also a lot more intense here than it is in the capital, so if you're not wet from the rain you're wet from sweat. My companion is Elder Varela. He is from Honduras and he 24 yrs old. He is a great companion and we get along great. He is a very hard worker and he loves being a missionary. We get along great, he's like a brother to me. The Lord knows why he does everything and even when we don't know understand why the Lord will bless us as we do what He says. The area is known to be a baptizing area and we have been working with a few people to prepare them for baptism and we are focusing on finding many more people to be baptised here in August. I know that if I apply the things that I have learned in my mission here in these last 6 weeks I will be able to see many fruits. The field is white already to harvest and I will be thrusting in the sickle to bring these people to Christ. 

That's great to hear about the activites that you all are doing. It's so nice to have summer vacation and to be able to relax a bit, but in some things there just can't be rest. I love being a missionary. How many more weeks until school starts? Are the boys doing any wrestling camps? How is work going for you mom? 

Something that was kinda funny this week happened last Thursday when my companion and I were knocking doors. Remember that my new area is hot and the people don't have the luxury of A/C and many of the houses have roofs made of sheet metal which makes a house of brick turn into an oven so many people go around with their shirts off and many others wear just the necessary clothing. We knocked the door and a lady came to the door and we began talking to her and then a few seconds later 2 little bald boys came running to the door butt naked. I just tried to hold my laugh in.

Love,
Elder Turner

7.16.12
Dear family of Elder Kasey Marshall Turner,

It is with appreciation that I inform you that Elder Turner, has been called to serve as a Zone Leader in the Guatemala Guatemala City Central Mission.  This comes as a result of revelation from the Lord. He has demonstrated diligence, hard work, faith, love and has obtained the respect of the rest of the missionaries.

As a Zone Leader, I will work closely with him to motivate and influence the rest of the missionaries in his zone. At the same time, Elder Turner will be expected to lead and exemplify every aspect of missionary work.

I appreciate having Elder Turner as a servant of God here in the mission field. I truly know that he is a special son of God.

Yours faithfully,
Mission President

7.10.12

This week was a great week and I have to say that the Lord has blessed me tremendously. I can honestly say that I have given it my all over the last 12 weeks and when I thought that I wouldn't see the fruits of my efforts, the Lord opened up my eyes and blessed me. On Saturday a young man entered into the waters of baptism and tonight we will be completing a family with the baptism of the wife. I'm so glad that I have been able to be sent to "tough" areas in the mission because that is what has shaped me into the person that the Lord wants me to become. I can't express what it feels like to help someone come to the waters of baptism especially someone who the missionaries have been fighting for months and years to help them make the decision to follow the Spirit. Tomorrow is change day and I will be leaving Panorama. My last 6 weeks will be in another area. At first I was a little bummed out because I won't be so close with the people in my new area, but at the same it helps me to focus on my purpose and to work hard so the the last 6 weeks will be the best 6 weeks. I'm excited to get out and go work in another area because that's where the Lord needs me to be. It may only be a few weeks, but I know that I will be the means of bringing God's children home to Him. 

We are continually working with Max to help him progress towards baptism, but we are working hard to help him overcome some of his habits so that he can live in accordance to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. He is coming along well and I know that he will accept the restored gospel and be baptized by the proper authority, I wish I could be there for it. We are working with a few other families here in Panorama that very well can get baptized in this month we just have to get some legal papers in order so that they can get married. The gospel is so great, it is all about the families and the joy that we receive being in the bonds of an eternal family. 

I got an email from one of my companions who got home in March and he told me that he is getting married in December. I feel like the whole world is gonna be married when I get home! haha I'm glad that everyone is finding their match. I'm super excited for Andrew although at first it was rough for me because I wanted to hang out with him when I get home, but he's helping me more by getting married because that will help me focus on marriage once I'm home :)

Life is great. I'm glad to hear about your experiences with your family in Utah. Like I said, the gospel is all about families. I know that our family is eternal and that we will be able to enjoy eternal happiness in the world to come if we are obedient to the commandments. I love the gospel and I love the Savior. Let us put on the whole armor of God and be protected as we are among the temptations of the world. I love you Mom and I thank you for your support over the last 22 months. I'm going harder than I ever have because this is over time and as my Father continues to work I will too.

Love, 

Elder Turner 

7.3.12

The gospel is real and God loves us so much. I have learned throughout my life and especially here on the mission that like you said commandments can become either stepping stones or stumbling blocks depending on how we use our agency and act accordingly. I love the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Savior.

I'm so glad that I'm from the United States. I have grown to love Guatemala for the people but the country just isn't the same as home. A few weeks  ago I was with my companion talking to people in the street and in the bus stop and I saw 2  military officers standing as security and I thought to myself how normal that is here but if I were in the states and saw that I would think that something seriously bad is going on. Like I said, I love guatemala. The people here are so special and each day I learn to love them even more. I love talking with them in the streets, in their houses, and wherever I find them :) I'm working hard and I know that for that same reason I will continue to have challenges, but I am armed with the strength of the Lord. I'm doing what I need to be doing and no matter what happens the Lord will always provide. I'm glad that I have been able to have challenges that make me feel out of my comfort zone because as I look to the Lord for comfort He strengthens me against the challenges I must face. 

The rain is great. If I weren't a missionary I'd probably hate it. On Saturday when my companion and I left the house to work it was nice and sunny, but at noon the clouds came in. It started raining while we were with Max and it didn't really stop raining till 7pm. Because it was sunny I didn't bring my umbrella and Max lives kinda far from our house but we had to leave because we had another visit to do. Within 10 seconds of being outside I was soaked from head to toe and remained that way almost all day until we had time to go home and get my umbrella. Life's great. I love having the experiences I'm having here in Guatemala :)

I  know the gospel is true and I know that the Book of Mormon is true.

Love,

Elder Turner