I do more laughing than shopping here... we buy our clothes in a place called the Megapacka, it is essentially a Good Will. It is nearly impossible to find clothes in your size, because the store's goods are all comprised of the stuff that nobody wants in the states... as a consequence the clothes are all huge! The decent stuff is expensive... but if you really dig you can find good stuff.

This has been a bad week for finding people but we have got 3 families being baptized on the 10th! Im really excited, my comp has been pretty baggy though, he is leaving in two days and has made a lot of friends in San Pablo.

I am going to miss a lot of people from my zone that are leaving, from what I hear, I've got a really good zone for my first change. My ZL especially, he is awesome and we have really hit it off.

Its' not every day that you find out that your sister is getting hitched... but, it wasn't that big of a surprise and it is about time... I think they are making the right decision and I am so proud of them. I am excited to here how it all goes! I love you Jenna... Chris is pretty cool too. You guys will make a good eternal companionship.

Well, I am running out of time, but things are still going good, spanish is picking up even faster now. Right now I am just praying for a good comp... I love you all! - Elder Davis

P.S. most of the keys aren't marked on this computer , and the keys are different on Spanish computers... so be grateful for what I got down...

The Latest from Elder Davis

Anona Fruit

The sky... Its a lie....

I have completely forsaken the habit of trying to judge what the day's weather will be like by the sky... It changes in a heartbeat. Rain, rain, rain, and thunder that makes your ears bleed! However, I really enjoy it. Almost all of our investigators have corrugated metal roofs over their homes and when it rains it gets really loud. This is difficult in lessons, but nothing fatal.

I have gotten to the point where I can have a lot of fun with my Spanish. I feel that because of this my relationships with ward members and investigators are improving. I have running jokes with  some and talk crap on others... its good. I am still being careful not to be too loose though, I don't want to be the missionary that wastes all of his time buddying with members. Whereas there are many of those in the mission from what I hear. I have a lot of fun with the kids and youth here, one has discovered that I  am a doodle bug and asks me to draw him characters in Sacrament Meeting. I hope he doesn't spread the word around too much...

My investigators are coming along, but only one came to church this last Sunday... super frustrating. Some of them show so much positivity until they have to do something... I am not quite sure how to get them to understand that without action faith doesn't mean anything. Unfortunately there is a firmly established culture here that following Christ is just thinking nice things about him. Partly because most of the churches here are comprised of happy spiritual comments and singing really loud. I am by no means a master of the scriptures, but it amazes me how little even the pastors know of the scriptures... or how corrupted there doctrinal knowledge has become by there own thoughts and feelings. From them and their congregation alike we get a lot of Bible bashing. All you can do is bear your testimony, and leave with the spirit. Occasionally we machete the pastors pretty hard, but they always just make silly comments about how you can't take it literally or that we have changed the Bible by the power of the devil. That last one has yet to happen with me, but it has been heard by my companion on more than one occasion... but seriously, you get some really funky (Christian) beliefs from people out here.

We have changes coming up in a few days... I will likely lose my comp whereas he is being made district leader, it is possible that he could stay, but highly unlikely. I am going to miss him, but what can I do. So, with that in mind, I ask that you all would pray that I get a good comp this coming change. I feel my companions patience waning thin from all of my Spanish questions... which come at at a steady pace throughout the day. In the beginning he encouraged questions, telling me that it would help me out a lot, but I am a very curious person and unanswered questions eat at me... so its probably getting old for him. Yet, I think that all of my questions are helping his English as well.

I tried some really good fruit this week, its called anona, the locals call it by there own name here.... its really good. I look forward to January, because that is the beginning of mango season! Anyways, all is well over here, luckily I still haven't gotten sick... Try not to miss me too much. Love you all!

This Week from Elder Davis

Another late email on dysfunctional computers...

To start I have to apologize for the late and consequently small email last week. I am already terrible with computers, the temper-mentality of the computers here doesn't help at all...

Elder Cancino and I have 2 complete families progressing and 2 almost families as well. Almost as in several kids but one of the parents is separated or dead... They are all really positive and engaged in what we are teaching them. Unfortunately I lose Elder Cancino in 2 weeks, so I will baptize them with someone else. This is if they dont suddenly drop on us, or get turned away by a freaking pastor... which happens allot. The pastors always tell them that they can't play with God, making them feel guilty and doubtful. The pastors are the most wealthy people here, and are frankly pretty corrupt.

One man we contacted yesterday has lost his wife recently and has 3 daughters. He is really sad but still has to work hard in order to provide. He recently stopped smoking and drinking... this guy is ready for the gospel. He has even attended the church before, and liked it but his pastor told him he couldn't get baptized... but now he doesn't attend that church. At the end of our message last night he told us that he wants to get baptized, which means his two older daughters probably will as well. We contacted him last night really just through luck and the spirit. we had talked to his 4 year old daughter before, and didn't think much of it because those kids are always running amuck -- but, just as we were deciding to head home and call it a night we decided to hit the house of that little girl, it just felt right as we saw the house... I am really excited to work with him. It was weird, because I remember a really powerful feeling of doubt come over me as we approached the house. For some reason I couldn't stop thinking that he wouldn't want to listen because it was late and not to mention yesterday was Guatemalan independence. The devil works really hard on you sometimes out here. Yet, I have seen that if you push through it, The really good stuff comes right after. Some really weird random crap happens in lessons at the most spiritual parts... man, He is real

The last two days were spent in Reu at meetings. We had to take 3 buses all the 5 hours there. A lot of time I was pretty much sitting on top of people. You get used to that really quick here. they can fit over 20 people in and on top of a normal van. We had a really interesting run in with a beggar that spoke a bit of English on one of the buses. I would tell the story over email wouldn't do it justice, so I will tell you when I get home... Anyway, at the meeting I saw my buddy Elder Fairbanks from the CCM and had a good time. The mission president macheted us pretty hard at that meeting. Unfortunately there are a lot of really disobedient missionaries...

Well, as always I am running out of time... but, things are good. I am healthy, my Spanish is improving, and I have been eating some dang good fruit... I love you all, thanks.    -Elder Davis 

Thats me holding a bottle of weed... yup

PILAS!!!...

This has been a good week for contacts! We have almost 4 complete families agreed to baptism! Now, you can't get to excited because commitments are slippery here... Yet two of theses families I am certain will be baptized. I can just tell by how actively engaged they are in the lessons and their diligence in keeping commitments. Its fairly easy to get into peoples houses here, but most don't really care and ask for money at the end of the message... Also many are not genuine, constantly beating around the bush. Yet, I can't help but love them anyway. This I why I am so excited about these two families, they are engaged and forthright. Also, they don't hold their doubts back, and my companion is a wizard that can put to rest just about any doubt. Although, then again, I am extremely naive when it comes to the mission... I wrote a lot more but the Internet cut out, and didn't' save my draft and I am out of time... but know that I am healthy and happy. Spanish is hard but it is coming along.