The latest from Elder Davis

The mission now only allows us to write for 30 minutes, and that is not counting the time used to write President and send in data, and read what I receive! So... Get used to REALLY short letters. I will try to send more fotos to compensate.

This week came and went like a flash, we found some positive people and had some great experiences with them. Marcos has been reading the Book of Mormon every night and is always able to tall me what he has read and what it teaches about the gospel... I keep telling him that he has to put it in action and get baptized. He wants to but his family is really negative. They now don't even let us in the house to teach him. The good thing is that we have written permission...

A man told us the other day that the pastors have told their congregetions that its a sin to talk to us... explains a lot.

On Thursday Elder Alonzo, a seventy, came and had an awesome conference with us. I will send the pics next week. 

The Church is true and resilience pays off if you do it with faith and good cheer. I love you all.

-Elder Davis

This week from Elder Davis

Family and Friends,

The mission is flying by as you all have heard it does once the year mark is hit. I wish that wasn't the case but all I can do is take advantage of the little time I have left In this part if the Lord's vineyard. This week was one full of rejection and and pushing along lethargic members. In any mission the most effective way to work is with the members. I have come to realize that truth time and time again in the mission; mostly due to the lack of success I have had when the members haven't been supportive. Right now the members of Palo Gordo are very careless and the few references we have been given haven't been very positive. Therefore we did lots of contacting this week which didn't give much fruits. Nonetheless I will have some good rejection stories to tell. I was having a pretty tough time blaming myself for the lack of success, yet when I read in PMG that no teaching experience, be it fruitful or not is appreciated by the Lord. I also read about the sons of Mosiah that at times had little to no success but were faithful even so. And after having persevered for a time they were blessed with abounding success! It is all about diligence, which is a synonym of CONSTANCY and the key to learning the lessons we need to and have the success that we all yearn for. Only if we diligently do as the lord asks of us will we learn and grow in the way that He knows we need to. Our loving Heavenly Father knows what is the very best for His children and diligent obedience is how we do just that. The Church is true and faith is prosperity! -Elder Davis

PS. Please pray for Marcos

Una Mision Muy Enferma...

With Elder Figueroa

An average Guatemalan Dog... that somehow got into our house

The past week was full of trips and sickness for the mission. Here in San Marcos we had to go to Malacatan for a multi-zone conference, and the leaders had to go to Reu as well. The conference was on Wednesday and was very inspiring. We were also fed a delicious lunch ...which made EVERYONE present sick. The best part was that 2 other elders and I had to travel 4 hours on a bumpy road in a crowded bus the next day, and we all had severe diarrhea. It was honestly miserable, nonetheless I managed to return to San Marcos with the same pair of pants! There is the week for you all. Yet, in spite of all of that I was able to learn a lot in the reuniones that were had.

An interesting experience was had as well this week. We were chopping wood for a lady in the Branch, when I heard a man yell, "¿Esta ser Tu Casa?, in a thick British accent. I turned around to see who had spoken and saw, standing in the street bare-foot, a tall skinny blonde man. I walked over to greet him and he told me that he had been in Central America for several year teaching the people that you can purify water with love alone... He actually did have some interesting evidence, but it was weird nonetheless. We later walked to the market where we parted ways. I had offered him a pair of shoes that were left by some past missionary in our house, but he told us that he didn't like to wear shoes.

Marcos should finally be getting baptized soon, he already has attended church 6 times and is planning on going to the temple on Saturday with the youth. The hard thing is that his family members don't receive us. Satan is also working hard to make sure he doesn't feel the spirit, whether it be horror movies, arguing parents, or obnoxios youth members, there is also ways something that distracts him when we are trying to teach him. Yet he is pilas and has the desire; he will do it by the end of the month.

Thanks for your love and support, Sigan brillando aun mas! - Elder Davis

Una Nueva Mision

The mission is taking some drastic changes. Just about every aspect of missionary life has been affected. We can't even listen to classical music now; I am really missing my Bach cello suites... The interviews don't seem to end either, luckily, I haven't had another but every day I hear about elders and sisters that go to Reu. We are all walking on thin ice. Beyond that almost every companionship has had changes, including my own. My new companion is Elder Figeroa from Utah, thus far we get along really well, however, I have come to dislike speaking English, as weird as that may sound. Yet I know that we will work hard together and there is something I must learn from him, I simply won't be making much headway in my spanish.

With the start of the new transfer I was called to be District Leader... I honestly feel a bit unprepared, although the Lord prepares the way and the means. I am looking forward to the many unique and new experiences that I will have in the new position.

Estoy brillando y disfrutando de las ricas bendiciones del Señor! La Iglesia es Verdadera y no existe nada que puede estorbar los fines de nuestro Dios! Les amo a todas y espero que puedan ver la mano del señor que seguramente se ve en sus vidas también. -Elder Davis

PS. If anyone has leadership advice for me it would be much apreciated

This Week from Elder Davis

Family and friends,

Marcos didn't end up getting baptized this week to to the fact that those that live with him told him that he wasn't prepared the night before the service... he will still be baptized this month. Sometimes I feel like we push a lot but the the demand to achieve our monthly goals is high in the mission. However I strive to be patient with my investigators and really treat them in an inspired manner. Our previous mission president focused A LOT on numbers and sheer output and the mission ended up being very disobedient, but high-baptizing. The sad part s that the majority haven't stayed in the church. President Goodman has really been tightening the bolts on the mission and I feel that it will improve drastically, but its really hard on those that are disobedient. Several missionaries that have been leaders or have a lot of time in the mission are now minor companions... Y murmuraron en extremo... I have even been interviewed twice, likely because of the lies that my second-to-last comp told to the mission president. Notwithstanding I predict that there will be lots of good changes in the near future.

Tomorrow there will be transfers once again and many friends that I have made in the Zone will likely leave. My comp could even have changes. I am a bit worried about the changes that might be made because I like the zone the way it is, we are all very united. Well I am just about out of time the leaders are really strict on writing time, but the Church is true and the spirit can show us ALL of the things that we must do. I love you guys. -Elder Davis

The Gang, 

Im really looking forward to the upcoming baptism of Marcos and praying my guts out that nothing goes wrong! He is an incredibly special person and a very strong spirit. A part from him we also have the three young girls I told you about last week. Unfortunately they weren't able to make it to church this Sunday, but nonetheless they are reading, praying and showing a lot of desire. What we are really lacking right now is support from the members. The other night the Branch President told us that he wants to be released, and when asked to make some visits with us the Young Women's President told us it wasn't her responsibility... it was/is very frustrating but we are working through it; doing what we can to motivate them as lovingly as possible.

We are working with a lot of youth, which is a ton of fun, however I am still yearning to baptize a FAMILY! Its something I want to see so bad. The hard thing is that it is almost impossible without the members. My district leaders area has the most dedicated members and help the missionaries find and baptize people every month, and this month they have got an amazing family getting baptized! In life, if we are not careful, its very easy to miss the graceful miracles in our lives watching only those in the lives of others. We are all beloved children of God and, as any good father does, gives us graces and trials alike. Gratitude has been an escape from despair and negativity experienced in my life and has allowed me to see the hand of my Father. I know and testify that he does the same in all of your lives and that if you can but take a moment to think you will see it as well. The church is true. I LOVE you all. -Elder Davis