Everyone thinks my first name is Funk...that's neat.

Familia!

Thank you for all of your letters, I was laughing out loud and just felt really loved so thank you so much!
AS the title says, yes, yes it is true, the second coming is surely here! Would you like to know why? IT is because of this man right here! He is a real live Jewish person, directly from the lineage of Levi, and he was just baptized and confirmed this Sunday by the other hermanas that live with us. He read the book of Mormon in 2 days and 6 times in 2 weeks in 3 different languages and was truly converted.

Do you know what this means? When he gets his patriarchal blessing, if it says that he is from the lineage of Levi spiritually as well, he has to be called as a 70 in less than a year, and they have presiding authority.. cool huh? Ya, I know. I told him that I would like to be his friend if that was okay with him and he told me that yes indeed we could be friends and that maybe one time I could come to his house to see his Grammy award that he won, or maybe his records from when he was a spy in Israel or perhaps we could go over the 10 different languages he knows, just to name a few. He is so cool!

Well, in other news, Enio was confirmed and the bishop told us that he was the most popular kid at scout camp. WOOOT. Also, we took him to go visit personas with us, but we also made the mistake of inviting some of the young women... goollllly gee whiz. I felt like we were babysitting. Those girls love him! And he knows it, and he knows that we know it! I felt like a protective mother that didn't want any girl to talk to my little son. haha, but he was bien pilas at the lessons, at contacting and with everything so that was awesome!
We have another little girl that could be baptized this week so if you could ´please pray for Rosita. All we need is her moms permission and then she can be baptized! With the prayers and fasting, I know she will be.
We were so blessed to have 7 investigators at church Sunday! It was truly a miracle and half of them were the family of Enio that we are now teaching so that has been an awesome experience. I really just feel so so blessed.

Now funny moment of the week.

1. We were teaching a 80 or something year old women and I knew her sister had been sick, and so I asked her how her sister was doing. She told me something that I did not understand, and so I took it that her sister was feeling better. So I said, Oh, this is so great that your sister is getting better. My companion tapped me on the knee and said Hermana Funk... she told us her sister died. And then turned to the lady and said, I am sorry my companion is still learning spanish.... Well, shining moment number one, hermana funk.

I am doing well and only have three weeks left of training! I feel so blessed to have all of your support and love and I just love you all so much. My love grows each day for all of you!

Hermana Funk

Ps. everyone here thinks that my first name is funk. that is neat.

The Power of Prayers

Well, I can definitely tell you that all of your prayers paid off! Enio was baptized this week! And by the lick of a skim! I will recount the experience..

So we had the whole baptism planned, everything was great, he was so happy, all of this. Literally five minutes before the baptism, his aunt who is a non member came to the church and told him that his parents, who Enio does not even know, did not want him to be baptized and that he could do it. Literally five minutes before. WE went out there to see what was going on and just the look on his face told us everything. WE knew that we could not do anything about it except pray. So we went into the room that had the baptismal font and prayed. The second we came out Enio told his Aunt that it didn't matter to him, he wanted to be baptized and he was going to do it no matter what! And with that, he was baptized! The service was beautiful and right now he is at scout camp with all of the young men. It truly was a miracle. Truly, truly, truly.

The picture of his baptism I sent in the other message so I hope you guys enjoy that! And our little boy that we baptized last month was finally confirmed, and it was the primary program, so it was a great day.

Now the other pictures, that was my joys at MCDonalds two Pdays in a row... so that is really neat!
Our other investigator Jose doesn't want to talk to us anymore because his girlfriend doesn’t want us to talk to him, but we are not giving up on him so do not worry!

I had quite funny experiences this week, here they go!

1. We were coming out of a lesson and I saw and old man carrying an old lady who was probably 90 years old up the stairs. I asked if he needed help and he said of course, took her feet and gave me the whole rest of her body to carry up the stairs. And I am just saying, this lady was by no means skinny, and you know what.. it wasn't just one flight of stairs we had to walk up, it was six. And so with my arms completely numb and with this frail 90 year old body completely in my arms because he only had the part of her feet, we walked up 6 flights of stairs. My arms were numb for 45 minutes after that!

2. We met a french guy last night who is here trying to learn spanish. HE started talking to us and everything was going great, and then all of a sudden he said, Well, to tell you the truth you two probably won’t be proseliting tonight, and if you do it will not be with me... Well... isn't that nice.
I am very happy with my new companion. We just get along great and have some of the funniest experiences together!

Many have asked me what the living conditions are like, and I would take pictures, but my camera would be stolen if I did. Most the people live in a one roomed tin roofed house with 1 or 2 mattresses, where the whole family sleeps and if they are lucky they have a stove or a fridge, but most have a fire pit outside of their house. If they live by other families, they usually share one bathroom with them. So humble, but at the same time, they do not really need more. It has just made me so grateful and amazed at all we have at home.

Our living conditions are great, except we have fleas in our beds and I wake up with at least 6 new bites every morning, so that is really fun! And we have to hang our laundry on the roof to dry and 3 pieces of my garments are currently on the neighbors roof... apparently the wind in pretty strong..

I am praying for those missionaries in the Philippines, how scary! But if they are obedient, they will not be harmed!

I love you all and thank you for all of your prayers!!

Ame

Week of Miracles

WELL. I have a new companion! Her name is.... Hermana Satterthwaite and GUESS WHAT! she is from  Hunstsville, UTAH! What a blessing, huh? Oh, I just love her! WE get along really well, and even though she speaks english too.. we have a goal to only speak spanish when we are outside of the house, and so far it has worked out pretty well, but really she is so awesome and I feel so blessed to have her!

WE have seen a lot of miracles this week. One in particular with Enio, our baptismal font proposal! HE IS SO GREAT! We had been working so hard with him all week, and then on Saturday he decided to go on the temple trip with all the young men and young women and had an awesome experience! But then on Sunday, we were waiting for him at church.. and waiting.. and waiting.. and he wasnt coming. And we were praying so hard becuase if he didnt come, he couldnt be baptised tihs sunday.

But then when they opened the doors after the Sacrament, he came in! All by himself! He had walked the whole way without his aunt or anyone to come to church! AND THEN! he bore his testimony in Sacrament meeting, and it was absolutely beautiful. Man, it was so awesome. And he has his baptismal date for this Sunday! So please pray that he will be able to be baptised this sunday. He is so great.. and he is 17... Em, I am just saying... he even took out his earrings for church and doesnt wear his white wife beater very often anymore... just saying em, just saying!

We also have another 17 year old boy named Jose that is a son of an inactive member in our ward! He really has a desire to change his life and we have been teaching him and it has been going great. But we didnt know that he has a 3 month year old baby... ya this might be good information to know.. BUT he has talked to his girlfriend and we are teaching him the law of chastity today, so we might see a miracle baptism with him this next week! With all of your prayers I know that this will happen!

Speaking of the law of chastity, my companion and I love to contact people using the law of chastity. We go into the parks at night and of couse there are probably about 27 couples making out in the park and we just go right up to them, try our best to get their attention and start teaching them the law of chastity. and I mean everything about the law of chastity. Their reactions are hilarious! But we actually got an appointment with a couple, so I am just saying, this thing works.

We had a pretty funny experience this week! Our Zone leader sent us a message that told us that he had a reference for us of a person who for sure would be bpatized and he was so stoked about it and told us that we had to contact him! So with that, we called this reference right away. His name was Jeff and he was a north american living in Guatemala. We started talking to him and told him how he had talked to the elders and all of this and asked him when we could visit him. He told us that they had church services at four on sunday and that would be just fine.

We were confused and asked him what he meant. He said that he had a list of 67 questions that he needed us to come answer in front of a group of 500 people from his church. The questions consisted of things like this, Why did Joseph Smith say that a man could live on the moon for 1000 years and not die?¨ Well, okay. And so with that,  we told him that we didn't think we could make it. hahaha I was dying!

Life here truly is hilarious. Especially now with 2 north Americans... well.. we stop traffic. Literally, because we have to contact the people. But really, it is yes a little scary sometimes and we have to be a little more careful, but for the most part, it is just fine!

To celebrate halloween, which no one really does here... how sad I know! But we bought fake chocolate at the little sotre next to our house and said happy halloween to each other as we choked it down. What a neat halloween, huh?

Ame

Baptismal Font Proposal

Familia!

COMMMO ESTANN! Man, I feel so important every time I get on the computer and have an email from each of the people that I just love so much in my life. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I hope you know that this is what keeps me going throughout my week and I am just so grateful for all of you. Really, thank you so much.

1. My companion is leaving me tomorrow... how rude. and my district leader.. emily's future husband. So basically my world is crumbling down tomorrow. You know what this means? It means that a new trainer is coming into my area with me and I have to remember where every single person lives and what bus to take to where and just the whole 9 yards, so you know what this means? WE are going to be finding a whole bunch of new investigators if you know what I mean! But I think it will be good for me to have to take the initiative and do these things for myself! I will give you all the deets next semana.

2. Now, we have had some FUNNY experiences this week, and so I think I will just tell you all about them. They hil'hair'ious.

1. The PORK. Now, it is a rule in this mission that we cannot eat pork. I am not sure why, but it is just a rule. a big rule. Anyway, we were teaching this  new family who makes tortillas in their house. and while we were teaching, they were making tortillas the whole time. Anywayyyy, after we were done, the husband insisted that we eat tortillas, I kindly obliged. Anyway, they gave us tortillas, tomatoes and some sort of meat that looked like chicken. Hma. Marroquin asked what it was and they told us oh, do not worry it is food. Well, okay. So I started eating and I chewed for a second and I was like... ohhhh dear. This is not chicken. This is pork. I did not know what to do and so I thought it was a good idea to stick the chunk of meat that I had on my plate in my backpack.. very slyly.. without offending the family. Anyway, my chunk o meat was hidden away when I noticed that my comp was still just enjoying hers more than ever. She got to her last bite and asked again what kind of meat it was. The lady replied, pork. I have never seen someone make the face that my comp made at this moment. it was to die for. After, we ran out of the house and threw my chunk o meat to a dog and called our DL to repent. What a day, what a day.

2. Now for the romantic part of my week. WE were at the church waiting for a member to come with us for a couple of visits. Well, she didn't come and it started raining.. well nothing new there, but ya know. Anyway, one of the other ward members came because she had to do something in the church. She had her nephew with her who is not a member and we talked to them and asked if we could teach him a short lesson inside. We went in the room where the baptismal font is and we gave him the first lesson, which is a really awesome lesson. Anywho, WE decided to give him a tour of the church and start with the baptismal font. We were standing by the baptismal font and I knew I had to ask him to be baptized, I was to nervous, but I did it anyway. AND GUESS WHAT! HE SAID YES! WE will be baptised on 10 de noviembre. SOunds like an engagement story huh? ya, romantic. But really, please pray for him! His name is Enio and he is bien pilas. Pray pray pray.

3. This week we had 27 new investigators! That was just great! And even though we did not have any baptisms, I feel great because I know we are giving our all to this work!

Well, I love you all and pray for you constantly, thank you for all of your prayers!!!

Hna Funk

Miraamy makes an appearance

FAMILIA!

So A lot of you have been saying, Miraamy, please so us what it is like to have Hermana Marroquin as your companion, so I am going to tell you! But she might only be my companion for one more week because we have cambios next month... which means I am half way done with my training hoooorayyyy!

Now Hermana Marroquin, she is from El Salvador and is a very intense person. She loves loves loves to talk and for this reason our lessons are almost an hour every time. She knows how to teach and she knows how to talk. She is a really good missionary and we have the same desires for our investigators. She has helped me alot and we get along. Sometimes she is a little intense for me, and lacks a little faith, but I just talk to her, we work through it and then everything is just fine. She comes from a family of non members and doesn’t know he dad, but she is very close to her grandma and her brother. She is a really good missionary who knows her stuff!

Today though, I have divisions with the leader of training. I am so scared, especially because she just told me that they have really really important appointments today, well isnt that comforting, let me just speak with my incredible Spanish and wow the crowd. I am a little scared, but at the same time, I have faith that I can do this!

SO this place is a roller coaster, and last week again was on the down hill part of the roller coaster. Our investigator Oscar, who quit his work for this church and is completing all of his commitments and has a testimony, told us that he does not feel that he should be baptized  He has been assisting another church, because he has a ¨friend¨ who invited him... okay his girlfriend and he says that he feels the spirit the same. We had one of the most powerful lessons with him Friday night and we were sure that he would tell us Saturday that he wanted to be baptized. We had fasted 3 times that week for him and prayed our hearts out every day. We went on Saturday and he told us that he needed more time. 

I was completely devastated. I really have never felt so sad before. And it was not for me, but for him. He had given up so much an didn't recognize his testimony. But at the same time, I felt peace. I felt peace because I knew that we had given our all to this and that it was not in vain. That he would come around and that he would be baptized, maybe not now, but I have no doubt in my mind about later. I am not giving up on him!

And about Christina, well, she did not come to church and this means that she cant be baptized on Sunday, which breaks my heart too, but we are going to visit her today and I know that she will come around.

IT is kind of hard because they focus on numbers a lot here. And this week that was all my mind was focused on. Because we have a goal as a zone to have 27 baptisms this month and we had not been contributing and I just felt really bad. But then I realized something. IF we are focused on the numbers, we are only desiring the praising of man. But when we truly focus on wanting a true convert, even if it is just one, we are focused on the praises of God. This has helped me a lot this week. I know that I am being obedient and that it after times of trial that we will see miracles. I am praying for miracles! Thank you for all your prayers for our investigators and I KNOW that they are going to help them , and it will be this week!

Now for some funny moments of the week...

So remember how I am famous for sleep talking? well, every single night this past week I have woken up in the middle of the night, sitting up, giving a lesson in Spanish. Do not ask me why and do not ask me how but I do it, every single night. Ya know, my mind just doesn't need a rest I guess. It really is hilarious!

Also this week contacting has been hilarious. I am not sure why, but I really think it is the funniest thing this world has to offer. we were contacting this family and the guy told me well, you can come... but I will not pay one speck of attention. Well, alright Mr. honesty.  Also, people just love to touch you on the shoulder as if you are some Holy being that will bless them by touch. I is really neat especially when the old men do it.. hmm.. ya. 

In the package that I got I received the PICTURES! I have been showing them to every ward member, and just anyone who will look at them. Man, have I received some compliments on our family. I love showing you all off!!

Thank you for your letters, packages, prayers, and everything. I could not do this without you all. I know things have to go down before they can come back up and I pray every night that Grandpa can witness to my investigators the truthfulness of this message!

I love you all!

Ame

     

Heyyy Babbby

Familia!

 I promised I would send pictures, so here is one of me and my companion and then Amy´s creeper photo of the week, I hope you enjoy them... and I am so glad to hear that Grandpas funeral was so beautiful, I was thinking about that all week long and how I could not be there, but I could truly feel the spirit of grandpa with me and I just had to plead with the Lord to be there for me because I couldn't.

I had to go on divisions with a girl from our ward, ALL BY MYSELF. With no trainer, in an area that I did not know my way around... I literally thought that I was going to die. But I did it! I did it! and I got 4 new investigators and I taught 4 lessons, I did it all with the help of the Lord. But the girl I was with is 18, but she looks like she is probably 12 and so man..... the men in this area called San felipe.. man. There were a lot of drunks and they just really love people from different countries. I was walking and there was this one and kept calling, ¨HEYYyyyyyyy babbbbay!¨´ and I just put my head down and ran. And then one those same divisions I contacted the same lady 3 times without knowing it.. and so that was just real neat.

I had to give a lesson in english this week to this family who knows spanish but foer some reasons wanted it in english.. do not ask me why. Oh my goodness, you would have thought that I have never spoken english in my whole life. I struggled to find words for so long and it was hilarious. I literally could not give the lessons in english! And at the end, I was saying goodbye to the family and I shook the hand of the 24 year old son and before I could do anything, he pulled me in so fast and kissed me on the cheek. I ran out of the house and just could not even breathe. It was not funny at the time, but now that I look back.. hmm.. weird things happen in this place.

We also were coming to give a family a lesson on sacrifice, and share a video with them on sacrifice. The girls of the family were outside playing with a group of kids and so we told them to come in so we could share a message with them. We had to go and get a member to come with us and when we came back, we walked in the houise and all 11 children were in their awaiting the lesson. It was so funny! They all wanted to pray, they clapped and clapped when the movie about sacrifice was over and just loved it. And when it was over they all chanted, ¨otra! otra! otra!¨ so we might have 11 baptisms of children here pretty soon...

So our investigador Oscar is doing well, but he has a lot of doubts and it does not help that his girlfriend is evangelico and invites him every sunday. He has a testimony, but his friend is also giving him anti mormon literature, which is not helping either. WE have a goal to baptize him this sunday, and I know with your prayers that we and the Lord can answer his doubts and he will be baptized this week!

We also have a girl named Crisitna who is 17 years old and comes from a really rough family. But she has the desire to change and be baptized. So we need your prayers that we can find her family in order to get the papers signed and she can be baaptized on the 27 of October.

I know that with your prayers and help we can do this, and now especially with the help of Grandpa, there is nothing that we cannot do! Thank you and I miss you all more than words can say. HOnestly and truly. I love you all!

Ame

As I promised, a creeper Amy picture

Still alive and still running...everywhere

Family!

I have made it another week! I have done it. This has been a crazy and busy week, but I have done it. It is true that this time is like the longest weeks of your l;life, but I am trying my best and trying to keep my head up! Your emails and advice help me more than you guys know. Every day I pray for each one of you and I know without a doubt that your prayers are helping me so much! So thank you!

Like the pictures said, I had my first baptism! It was a really neat experience! But I had an ever better experience this week! I will tell you about it! Oscar is a friend of a man who recently came back to the church. Oscar is 28 years old, and lives with his family here in Antigua Guatemala. Never in my life have I met a man with more faith then Oscar. We have had several lessons with him, one of which was about sacrifice. The sacrifice of Abraham and how sometimes in our lives we are required to give sacrifices ourselves. The spirit was very strong, but little did we know the impression the spirit had made on Oscar's heart.  Oscar has a job that has committed him to work every Sunday during the hours that we have church. He has attended one time, and had the desire to be baptized, but did not think it was possible because with his work he cannot attend.

This past Saturday night we called him and asked if he thought it was possible that he could come to church that next day. He said there was absolutely no way, and that he would try to come the week after.
Sunday, we decided to pray and fast for Oscar and for his work to change. At the beginning of Sacrament Meeting, Oscar walked in! We were amazed! We were overjoyed that somehow he had gotten off work to come to church. At the end of the meeting, we talked with Oscar and he told us that his work schedule did not change, he decided to quit his job. he said that God was more important then money, and that he needed to sacrifice this for the Lord. Never have I met someone with such great faith. barbecue of his decision and faith, Oscar will be baptized this Sunday.

This has taught me something this week, this time is a sacrifice, and if I am not willing to make sacrifices for this work, there is not way that Heavenly Father is going to help my investigators to make sacrifices. The thing that has been most difficult for me has definitely been sleep. Because we normally wake up and 5 or 5 30 and it is truly really hard. but I made Heavenly Father a promise this past week that sleep was something of the world and I was willing to give it up. I just prayed for the strength and the health that I need. But I realize that when we make sacrifices, we are blessed and out investigators are blessed.
SOOOO news from this week.

Let me see, OH we moved houses. Thank goodness because we were literally living in an apartment for 2 and we had 5 girls in there. But here is the fun part. WE live up a really really steep hill and we had to carry all of our beds, closets, and everything else... so that was really fun and also it is really fun when the hermanos from your ward say they are going to come help you and no one shows up.. good thing I am really strong though, huh!

The men here... they just really like notre americano chicas.. and it is quite hilarious. Especially on the buses because after you contact the whole bus, you have to pass through seat through to obtain their address and so the men think that you just really love them and want to sit by them, and so they always give me their address, which is great but I think they think I am using it for something else other then preaching the gospel.. so that is just really fun!

I am still alive, I am still running... everywhere, still contacting 40 personas a day, still have the goal for 3 baptisms, still wet all the time, but for the most part I am happy! Which is a great thing! I love you all and am so grateful for each of you!!!

Amy

My first baptism! 

This picture speaks for itself...

I had my first baptism this week! This photo is of the family of the little boy who was baptized! It was a great experience!