December 27, 2010

I'm so grateful to have talked with you all this Christmas. It was such a blessing to hear your voices and to hear how you are doing. I love each and everyone of you and pray for you each day. The blessing of being a ForeverFamily is so amazing and I love knowing that no matter what happens in this life I wil be able to be with all of you for eternity.

It's great to hear of the fun you had on Christmas and the time you got to spend together. It's great that Kya was able to make it home and spend time with you all. It's cool that Mark was there too and that he translated my testimony. It was cool to talk to him for those few seconds cause it was kind of like a test to see how well my spanish has been coming along. It's hard to tell sometimes because you just speak it as much as you can and pick it up little by little but i know that the Lord is helping me so much in learning spanish.

Let Brother Sparks know that i say hi and tell the ward thank you for all the cards i got. It's great to have support from the home ward. That is so crazy to think that there are Elders there now because for the past few years there have been sisters. Hopefully they will work hard and do the will of the Lord. There is a reason they were sent to our ward/area, help them figure it out.

We have what is called a cocinera that we pay that cooks lunch for us almost every day of the week minus monday and tuesday but we don't really eat dinner because that is prime proselyting time and so we are out working then. The members usually offer us food tho whenever we go over there, usually morecaf (coffee of cereals) and bread.

It's weird to think that 2010 is almost over, but the good thing about it is that we are given the opportunity to evalute our past a little bit and work to improve from where we were at. If wetruly have a desire to be better than we can change and improve thru the help of the Lord. I know that if we all focus on trying to develop the attributes of Christ in our own lives we will be able to see the amazing blessings of the Lord and we will have a desire to be the best we can. The Lord knows what we need and if we try our best to become like Him He will give us the opportunities we need. Always remember to rely on the Lord and He will sustain you.

I'm so grateful to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ and to be a modern day strippling warrior fighting for the salvation of others. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that Joseph Smith was called as a prophet in this last dispensation to restore the gospel and church of Jesus Christ.

Elder Turner

Christmas Day 2010

We got to talk to Kasey this morning for about an hour. It was so awesome to hear his voice and see how he's doing. Last night, Mom had us write down a few questions we could ask him so that when the time came to talk to him, we would have things to talk about since his time was limited. We each got to talk to him for about 5 minutes.

Some of the questions we asked and answers we got:
What is the weather like? Right now it is cold and will get a little colder in the next few months. It doesn't rain very much.
Have you seen a banana tree? No banana trees, but there are avocado trees all over.
How many pounds of beans have you eaten? Well they are measured in kilos so at least 350 kilos of beans so far.
What is the weirdest thing you've eaten so far? I haven't eaten too many strange things yet but for Thanksgiving there was this dish that was absolutely disgusting. It was a mixture of everything you could think of: broccoli, hot dogs, chicken, cheese, and beets...the beets turn everything purple and it was the grossest thing I have ever eaten.
Is your mission a walking mission? Yes we don't have bikes or cars so we either walk everywhere or take the bus. Imagine a yellow school bus packed with over 300 people...the busses rule the roads so you have to be careful because the drivers drive crazy and don't look for people.
What is your area like right now? I am in a pretty poor area right now. I am in the mountains and the people live in tiny little shacks. In my last area, the people were pretty rich and my bishop had 6 cars!! In my neighborhood right now, 48 out of the 50 houses are member homes so we are usually somewhere other than our neighborhood during the day. There are inactive families though that we work with in our neighborhood.
How many times have you gotten sick? 2 times so far. I am trying to stay healthy!
How many companions have you had? 2 and my companion right now is Latino so I get a lot of spanish speaking time.
Are your neighbors scared of you? No because 48 out of the 50 neighbors are members.
How much weight have you gained? 10 lbs, that's why I asked for exercise bands and a jump rope!

Kasey is doing well. He is loving the area and the people. His spanish is getting so much better! He bore his testimony in spanish for us and Mark (Kya's boyfriend) was able to translate what he said. The spirit was really strong and even though we couldn't understand everything Kasey was saying, we could feel the love that Kasey has for the gospel. He is a great missionary!

From Monday December 20, 2010

Its great to hear that all is going well with the family and that everyone is enjoying the break. I love you all and pray for you every day. I know that the Lord is with you and that He will always sustain you if you put your trust in Him and do what He asks.

Its great to hear that the boys did well in their match and the tourny. 5-2 is not bad at all and hopefully they will start seeing more success the harder they work and the more they put their trust in Heavenly Father to strengthen them. I am jealous that they are having so much fun wrestling :) I miss it, but nothing compares to the work of the Lord. Wrestling truely helped prepare me for the mission and i'm grateful that i wrestled all thru high school.

That's great to hear that the ward is having a good time this Christmas season and that you were able to invite people to the activity, mom :) It makes me so happy to hear that you are putting your efforts into the work of the Lord and inviting others to come unto Christ. The vision that one day they will be members is great, mother :) We should all have the desire to share the blessings of the gospel with others. I miss the Christmas songs in english but they are good in spanish too :) this sunday the primary did their program and it was cool to see and hear all those righteous children sing. I loved the spirit i felt from those children.

So i am assuming that all will be there Saturday on Christmas. I'm sorry mom but im not gonna have any time to precall or anything this week because im gonna be super busy. Tomorrow we are having a super p-day with half the mission so i won't have time tomorrow and the rest of this week we are going to be out contacting and teaching. I'm just gonna call around 11 am Guate time Saturday the 25th. I hope all can be there. :) I'm excited to talk to you all. The missionary handbook says 40 min max so i need your help to follow that rule. I will call you first and then you call me back on that number.

This week was an interesting one and i think i only slept at my house 4 of the 7 days this week because i was on divisions 4 days. On wednesday i was with Elder Forbush, one of my companions from the MTC and that was sweet. We worked hard and i got to lead my area for the first time alone :) it was interesting, but thankfully we didnt get lost. On Thursday i was with one of the Zone Leaders Elder Gonzales and that was cool to be able to work with him and get help from him on how i can be a better missionary. Then on Friday and some of Saturday i was with 2 other elders in San Lucas Toliman which is right near the lake Atitlam, the supposed waters of mormon. It was such a cool place and i got to see some cool views. Oh and i turned 4 months old this week too. That was this week. another great week in the service of the Lord.

Elder Turner

Lots of info this week :) it's great to hear of all that great things going on in the family. The Lord is truly blessing you as you are obedient to His commandments. It's so true that our obedience shows our love for the Savior, and like you said mom its not about getting as close to the edge, but walking right down the middle and being exactly obedient. Im grateful for all the mission rules because when I obey them the Lord gives me success. That is how all rules and commandments are, when we obey them the Lord is obligated to bless us.

That's so great to hear that you talked to Elder Hatch. I really have learned, in these 2 weeks not being his companion, how great of a missionary he was. I feel like I took everything I could out of him that would help me in my mission and im so greatful for his example and love for me. My new companion is different but still a good missionary and there is stuff that i can learn from him too. Here in Patzicia there is work to be done. Im excited to work and have the fire to work hard and serve the Lord. The people can be pretty stubborn but I just have to press forward with a love for them and the Lord will bless me with His words to soften their hearts.

It's cold here and its gonna keep getting colder till about mid January or beginning of Feb and then it will get a little warmer. I have a jacket and gloves so that keeps me kinda warm and i bought a blanket for at night so im dealing with the weather as far as that goes :) I always just think that it could be worse and that keeps a smile on my face :)

It's great to hear that the kids are staying busy and active with sports. It makes me miss wrestling hearing of all the boys' experiences but i love hearing about them. It's crazy that the kids are already coming up on break!! Time is flying by faster than ever for me and it's not slowing down one bit. I kinda like it like that because i miss everyone but at the same time it's sad because i have already lost 4 months of serving the Lord that I can't get back. That makes me work hard everyday knowing that i will never get this time back.

Well i just wanted to let you know that i got my first case of the mission's famous sickness last pday. It was quite a bummer throwing up but all is well now :)

Be examples of the believers in all things. I know this gospel is the way to salvation and eternal life and it is the only way to true happiness on this earth.

Elder Turner

Tis the Season in Guatemala

Hello :)

I cant believe it is December and as i look thru my agenda this month is going to fly by just as fast as the others have. It is great when time goes by fast because that means that you're working hard and staying busy and thats how i like to feel! I love working hard for my Savior.

Im in Patzicia in a little colony called Zarahemla. The people who live here are mostly members of the church and they believe that it is Zarahemla from the Book of Mormon. Its pretty cool. I am about 45 min away from lake Atitlan which are to be believed as the waters of mormon. Its is cold here because im up in the mountains. Its about 50 degrees during the day with some wind, and at night it gets to be almost freezing. Its nice but sometimes too cold with the wind. My companion is Elder Calona and he is from Honduras. He has been on his mission for a year and is a District Leader. He has been in Patzicia for about 6 months and by the time we finish this change, 7 and a half months. Im pretty sure that he will be leaving the area after this change but we will see. On Thursdays and Friday we have classes of Kaqchikel and wow it is rough! haha it is like nothing i have ever heard in my life! The words sound like ebonics and im amazed that people can understand it. I will learn patience with the language, thats for sure. :) The good thing is, its not mandatory to learn and most people speak spanish also.

Thats sad to hear of the losses for the boys but in our times of trial is when we learn the most. That will be a good way to refocus and work on what counts and what works. Always look for the positive in everything and have gratitude in your heart because there is always something to be grateful for :)

Oh man how great was that Divocional Navideño!? I loved it and was so happy that i got to go. We had an investigator that came so we were able to go. It was hard to understand all of it because it was in spanish but i felt the Spirit very strong. Usually they have a room set up to listen to the devotionals and conference in english, but they didnt this time :( The great thing is, is that it is the same message in english and spanish or any other language because its the spirit that speakes and He speaks to the understand of men and to their hearts. I love the Christmas season and have developed a newfound love for the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Not only did He die for us, but He was born for us also.

Love
Elder Turner

Every Day is a New Adventure

Hello!! :)

Well i have to be honest, i shouldnt know my change but i do because of the connections my companion has. I guess its just all about who you know :) normally we would find out the monday night before changes (tonight), but my companion called the assitants and found out. They are putting sisters back in the area, and Im headed up to the mountains to a place called Solola and my area is Patzicia. Ill be learning Cachikel, a native language. Thats about all i know and im still in San Cristóbal for now, so thats where i need to stay focused.

Its kinda sad to know that you are leaving an area especially when you are just falling in love with the people. My companion said that thats pretty much the mission life. Right when you are finding success and feeling comfortable, the Lord in His wisdom makes a change. Pres Stiemle in the CCM said that when you are comfortable, you're not progressing, and i feel that he is very correct. When we are comfortable, often times we become complacent and that is a way that satan works on us, thru compacency. If we arent moving forward, there is only one other way we can go and thats backwards. We must always put our shoulder to the wheel and press along.

Kort thats great to hear about your successful match. Im proud of you, but like i just said if your not moving forward, your falling back. Always keep trying to do better and keep working hard. Zack, sometimes forfeits are nice but dont float on it. Move forward and work hard. You have to always work to the best of your ability because in the end you're the one looking back in the mirror and you cant lie to yourself, let alone youre Father in Heaven. He expects the most out of us in everything we do. Zackary, listen to your mother. She knows!! Trust me i've been there and girls are trouble. Get your grades up boy!!!

Thats great to hear that Kya and Mark are doing good and its good that he got to know the family, and that dad was in a good mood :) Its good to hear that Kirsten is getting married too cuz i dont want Gpa Bench counting on me for great grandkids like he said! There's plenty before me!!

We have been blessed in this area and yes we are having success getting some people to church. Yesterday we ahd 3 families :) How awesome! I love to see families in church because that is where happiness is found, when the whole family is working together in a great cause. We're still working with a family, moreso the father of the family, because he hasnt come to church yet. Its very hard for him to make the decision between work and church, because if he doesnt work, his family doesnt eat. The circumstances for some people here are very hard. Imagine working for 12 hours a day and earning maybe 2 dollars for the entire day. Thats how hard it is here. In my area i see both ends of the spectrum tho and that makes it even harder.

Well theses Chapines (thats what Guatemalan people are called) sure know how to party!! Yesterday we went to a party for an investigators child who was turning 1, and let me just say, it was crazy! The piñata was the best part because they have a piñata for the kids and a piñata for the adults :) they made us hit it. When the little kids where hitting the piñata, there was a mom who was near breastfeeding her baby and when the piñata broke open she was the first one getting the candy. It was probably one of the funniest things i have ever seen.

Well this week has been great and we are seeing success, but of course i have to leave the area. I have began to fall in love and now my hearts going to break, but thats the cycle of a missionary. Im so grateful for you all and i love you all.

Elder Turner

Coming Unto Christ

I have to admit it made me a little sad when you talked about the boys wrestling. I really miss it. This is the first year in 8 years that I wont be on a wrestling mat and it really bumbs me out. Especially cuz im getting chubby!! One of the sisters that was in my district in the CCM told me that I am looking a little gordo. I couldnt tell until she told me but now that i notice it i gotta start working out more!! Anyways, enough of my chubbiness.

I was thinking about it this past week and thats right that Angus is going out soon. Angus goes in i think the day that my companion goes out. Thank you for that quote from President Eyring mom. I am trying each day to really focus on the importance of my calling and the power i have to change lives. Its so true that as missionaries we have been called of God to be a mouthpiece, to declare His word and be a light to the world. I dont say this to boast but I know that the Lord has placed His trust in me and now it is up to me to do with it all I can. I made it a goal to make my mission mean EVERYTHING to me and as i serve diligently, the Lord is blessing me with the feeling to know that my mission is becoming everything to me. Thank you for being an amazing mother who has taught me the truth. Thank you for having faith in me and praying for me when I steered myself from the path because I have now tasted of the sweetness of the Tree of Life and desire that everyone must taste the same! Jeus Christ is the way and He will ALWAYS be standing there with open arms to recieve His lost sheep even until the last one comes. He is calling us, all we need to do is follow His voice.

Our investigators are doing good and progressing but the challenge is getting them to come to church. The two familes that are progressing are pretty humble so the dads are usually working on Sundays so they will be able to buy food. Thats the biggest challenge is getting them to come to church. Our other challenge is just finding families. I guess this is my taste of what it might be like to serve in the states because everyone in this area drives so its hard to contact people when they are driving by you. But the great thing is that no matter how hard it might be to contact people, the Lord blesses us with members who are willing to support us and give us references, and in fact one of these references just got baptized yesterday :) The first baptism :) Its so great to see people come to Christ.

Kort and Zack i need you to do me a favor. When you step on that mat tomorrow you be relentless. Like you have been coached, become a machine.

Love
Elder Turner