Last One

Well... I'm not really sure what to write and I'll be seeing you all Wednesday anyway, but I'll see if I can think of something.

 

This week I've been with Elder Conger.  He's from Las Vegas.  That's the shortest I've ever been with a companion, one week, (the longest was Elder Barrera for like 4 and a half months) but it was a good week anyway.  He's a fun guy.

 

I think we are going to the Central Market today.  We are going to buy some Guatemala stuff to bring home, and then tonight I'll finish packing my bags.  Tuesday we will be with president and Wednesday I'll get to the airport super early and get home super late.

 

We had a pretty good week.  We found a new family.  It's going to have to be the new missionaries that teach them because we aren't going to be here, but they are an amazing family.

 

Are you still canning stuff?  Do I get to help can things?

 

I don't know what I'm going to do when I get back.  It's kind of crazy.  I guess I'll have time to think about it Wednesday.   Either way,  I'm sure it will all work out good.  Well I don't know what else to say and I don't have much time left.  I'll see you all Wednesday night then!

 

Bye

Elder Jarvie

Changes before changes

Well we had kind of a crazy week.  It started out pretty good.   Oh yeah I had my interview last Monday, that went well.  It wasn't really an interview, more of an advice for when you go home type of thing.  It was probably one of the calmest times I've ever been in the mission office.  Usually when you go there it's because someone did something wrong, not that I've been to the office that many times.  Usually it's for problems my companions have had.  It was raining so I got wet before getting on the bus and there was air conditioning, so I was super cold while I was there.

   

Anyway, so this week was kind of rough in the middle.  So the assistants came Friday while we were all in the chapel, and not in a very Christlike way.  I'm honestly not really sure what happened, but Elder Rodriguez isn't with me any more, which is too bad.  He was one of my favorite companions. I've been with an elder named Elder Conger for the last couple of days.  He is one of our zone leaders.  He goes home one change after I do, and is honestly probably trunkier than I am.  Which isn't super bad.  The baggiest I've ever been with is Elder Gonzalez, that was awful.

   

We've had lots of trouble trying to get people to come to church.  This week was stake conference and it was super good.  After the adult session they even gave us tamales, so that was cool.  It was a little different, they even showed videos.  They talked a lot about family

   

The whole not getting along with a companion thing is rough.  I've had a couple I really wanted to punch in the face.  I was even in a trio that wanted to punch each other in the face, that's even more fun.  There are some days where I think I have no idea what I'll do coming home, and other days the assistants storm your house and take your companion, and I think, yeah studying sounds like fun.

   

I don't remember if it was this week or last week, I think it was this week, but it hailed.  That was the first time I've seen hail in Guatemala.  Elder Rodriguez said it was the first time he had seen hail in his life.  It was raining pretty hard and the wind was going pretty hard too.  There was a hurricane that passed through part of Guatemala, I don't remember if I told you this, but one of the elders from Puerto Barrios was with me for a day because of that.  So that's fun.

   

That's too bad the pear picking ended.  I kind of wanted to pick pears.  I want to go swimming too. And eat all the garden.

   

Well I don't have much time left and I don't know what else to write.  I guess I'll see you all soon.

Bye

-Elder Jarvie

Skirt Burning

Today I have to finish writing and type up a list of goals and then take a bus to the mission office and talk with President Crapo.  My last interview is planned for today at 3p.  President says it usually lasts about 45 minutes.  He must have a lot of confidence in himself if he thinks he can get me to talk for 45 minutes... no I'm just kidding.  After talking to people all day for the last two years I've gotten a little better at that.  So, I have a long interview today, that should be fun.

So as you can see in the picture I sent you, my companion finished 18 months in the mission, and since that's the time sisters serve, he burnt a skirt to symbolize not being a sister anymore.  In Guatemala there are a bunch of little stores everywhere in the street, including some called "pacas" which are used clothes stores.  If you have time, here is probably the best place to find used clothes.  I found a pair of shorts for 3 quetzales.  Considering that every 8 quetzales is a dollar, that's a pretty good price.  I think I already told you about the shoes I bought for six bucks.  Anyway, funny part of the story was Elder Rodriguez was talking and joking a lot with the guy trying to get him to sell the skirt cheaper.  In the end, the guy told him he would sell it cheaper if he put it on. 

   

The area here is totally city.  Honestly, everything looks the same to me.  It's a good area though.  Just for some reason no one wants to come to church.  Everybody says they're going to come until Sunday and then they don't.  So that's rough, but I guess that's life.

   

About the whole souvenirs thing, I'm going to be with president today, so I'm going to ask him permission to go to Mercado Central (central market).  That's pretty close to our area and buy stuff there next Monday.  Well actually it might be next Tuesday, because we are going to the temple.  So if I don't write next Monday, that's why.

   

Well I'm out of time.  Thanks for everything.  I'll talk to you next week.

-Elder Jarvie

Service Projects

Does he think time stands still while you're on a mission?  Does he know he's actually 20 years old? 

Service Project

Making Flour Tortillas

Painting Service Project

We've been doing a lot of service projects.  That makes me happy.  I love doing stuff like that.  We've done several in the last few weeks.  I think we've had at least one every week or more.  Talking with people all day is nice too, but sometimes I feel like doing some other kind of work.

 

We found a great family this week too.  Like half of them are less actives and half are nonmembers. The mom's last name is Rodriguez (here they don't change your last name when you get married) so my companion, whose last name is also Rodriguez, always calls her "cousin."  They are a super great family, and on top of that, all of them came to church yesterday.  That was super cool.

 

We've been trying really hard to get the members in our ward to help us more.  That's probably one of the trickiest parts, though there are always a few people who are super great.

 

Looking through  my inbox I realized that they sent me the information on when my flight goes out and all that.  (August 24th at 10:37pm - All are welcome!)

 

I'm going to talk with president tomorrow.  There is a place pretty close to our area that sells souvenirs and stuff like that, so we were thinking about asking permission to go there.  They sell tons of stuff.   It's a pretty cool place.

 

Those lemon cucumbers look really good.   And hot water sounds really good too.

 

Well thanks for everything, and thanks for the pictures and everything else.  I'm almost out of time, so I'll talk to you all next week.

 

-Elder Jarvie

Happy Birthday Donavaghn!

The family reunion pictures look pretty cool (see below).  Mostly the Chinese shirts and the beach.  I really want to go swimming when I get back

   

To answer one of your questions, I've been in the city my whole mission, and the same city.  The Durazno was my only area that wasn't much city, it's like right outside the end of the city.  Esperanza was almost the edge too.  The difference is my area now is like downtown, zone 1, smack dab in the middle of the city.  The place where all the buses leave and a lot of the government buildings are pretty close to here.  There is a place here where you can find a bus going to any part of the city and most parts of the country.  Personally, I consider myself more of a country person, but it's nice to be in the city every once and a while.  The down side to being a missionary in the city is that you're not allowed to go anywhere in the city except for your little zone.

   

We had a pretty good week.  Things have gone pretty well with my new companion.  The area needs a little work, but I'm happy as long as I have a good companion.  There are a few great people in the area too.  There is an older lady we've visited a few times who speaks English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.  She's a super great lady and kind of funny sometimes too.

   

The long flight isn't a big surprise.  On the way here, if I remember right, I left pretty early in the afternoon, and left the airport at like 4 in the morning.  Last time I went to Salt Lake, then to LA and then Guatemala.

   

So... does the water heater in the house work well?  I ask because most of the houses I've lived in here don't have hot water in the showers, and I really like hot water.

   

We've got a few things planned for my birthday.  Today we are going to eat pizza and play soccer and tomorrow we are going to go with a few members and stuff like that.  There is another member in the ward who has the same birthday as me.

   

I found a bunch of square pieces of paper and was teaching my companion how to make origami.  There is one that you fit a bunch of pieces together and it makes block shapes.  So we bought colored paper and have made a few tetriz blocks.  We've only made three so far, we don't have all that much free time but they came out pretty cool.

   

Thanks for everything.  I'll talk to y'all next week I guess.

Love 

Elder Jarvie

 

All but 3 grand-kids - Donavaghn (serving a mission in Guatemala), Gordon Walker (serving a mission in Hong Kong) and Jeff Walker who just started a new job. The Chinese symbol on our shirts was the surname given to my dad when he served his first mission in Taiwan.

 

Service Project Part 2

My companion - Elder Rodriguez from Honduras

 

Elder Orellana

Roof Repair Service

Our mission president decided not to be as mean as the assistants and gave us 30 minutes to write.  So I'll be able to explain a little more about the week.  My new area is Las Victorias. It's in zone one, smack dab in the middle of the city.  I've seen buses pass by going to every area I know.  My new companion is Elder Rodriguez from Honduras, the third companion from Honduras I've had.  So that's cool, and he's one of the better companions I've had. (A mother's prayer answered.)

   

The bench looks super nice. I showed one of the pictures to some of the missionaries here, and they agree about the whole rich people thing.  Elder Lugo said you can adopt him if you want.  But seriously the house looks super nice. (Everything looks nicer when you've lived in a third world country for two years.)

 

Monday we did a service project. I think I explained yesterday that that is why we couldn't write.  We were helping a lady fix her roof and it took a lot longer than we thought it would.   And we couldn't leave her without a roof, especially because it's been raining a lot.   You can probably see how the roof is from one of the pictures.

   

For my birthday we have an investigator that makes super good pizza, so we are going to celebrate Monday with the zone and buy stuff, pay him and help him make a bunch of pizzas.  So it should be pretty cool.  After we will probably play soccer or something like that.

   

Last week they sent me a thing saying I had to make a bunch of goals for the next ten years and a bunch of other things: spiritual experiences, etc.

   

I sent some of the pictures from the service project we did Monday.  I'll send more pictures next Monday.  Maybe...

   

Ohh... I almost forgot... tell Dad and Spanky happy birthday for me! Well I'm out of time.  Thanks for everything.  I'll talk to y'all Monday.

 

-Elder Jarvie

Service Project

Hey sorry I couldn't write yesterday.  I really only have time to say I'm alright and I'll write you next week, sorry.  We had a service project yesterday and it took along time.

 

Elder Lugo wants you to adopt him.  Micheala always wanted a black kid, so it might work out.

See you next week then.

I love you all.

 

-Elder Jarvie

Changes Again

While we were contacting in our area we found a little bridge that crosses the dirty little creek that separates our area from the next.  We saw a house that we didn't know who lives there but it was obviously a Mormon.  After we knocked we knew who it was.  Carlos Lopez!

What we found at the bottom of the stairs

Well, sadly it turns out I have changes.  I'm kind of sad about that.  I kind of get attached to my areas pretty quick.  It's sad that I only got to be in my area a month and a half, and that in my new area I'll only be a month and a half too.  That's kind of gay, but I guess it will all work out.

To explain why only I have a blue shirt, (see previous post) it's because I'm the goalie.  No, not really, the guy who sold them offered them in those two colors and asked us all if we wanted white or blue.  I said blue and everyone else said white... but they realized their mistake when we got the shirts :) Honestly, the biggest reason why I chose blue is because I already had a white one.  It's a little different though.  We did it when I was in El Durazno.

The garden looks really nice.  Enjoy it while you can, because I plan on eating all of it when I come back.  Do you still have lemon cucumbers?  (an insane amount) How are the fruit trees doing?  The bench and fire pit look really nice.  The whole house looks really nice as always.  I still need that rich people emoticon.

So I guess we will see where I end up.  Thanks for everything, y'all are the bestest.  Talk to you next week.

-Elder Jarvie

Soccer Shirts & Stairs

They all bought the shirts the Guatemalan Soccer Team wears.

I'm curious to hear the story of why he chose the blue version.

His district along with Elder Uribe

 

"You probably can't see the volcano all that good, but there is a little red spot.  One night after planning my companion looked out the window and saw that there was lava coming out of the volcano, so that was cool."

Well, I started writing a little late sending pictures and all that, hopefully y'all liked them.  One that is kind of fun is the stairs.  There are good sized neighborhoods that are all in a valley like that.  It's a pretty common thing here.  Every once in a while you can find stairway neighborhoods like that that go forever.  The three pictures I sent were from the same spot, one looking up, one down and one to the side.  And there is still a good chunk you can't see.  It's good leg exercise though.

     

You mentioned that I won't be in a trio anymore next change, Elder Marin hasn't been with me for like a week or two, just Elder Gonzalez, the trunky one.  He goes home next week, like 8 days.  It's a pain in the butt to get this kid moving.

   

 Oh, so my release date is August 24th, or so president told me, so there is the answer to your question.

   

Thanks a ton for the pictures.  Also, you are right, Guatemala doesn't celebrate the 4th of July (I was just joking with him), or Thanksgiving and a lot of other things, but they have a lot of other holidays. Speaking of holidays, the 30th of June they celebrated a neighborhood's birthday, weird right?  I was really confused.  There was a parade and everything.  And I had no idea why.

   

Well I'm out of time.  Thanks for everything!  Sorry it's a little shorter of a letter this time.

-Elder Jarvie

Soccer Withdrawals

Hey, sorry that I didn't write yesterday.  We went to the temple today and we got back a little late.  On the bright side, I took pictures this week, but because we came straight from the temple I don't have my adapter, so I'll have to wait until next week to send them.

   

On the way back from the temple the office missionaries called me to ask which airport I wanted to go to.  I told them Idaho, I hope that's all right. (My heart stopped.  He's going to Idaho for school two weeks after he gets home, but surely he knows he has to come home first...) No, I'm just kidding.  I said Medford.  That's what the airport is called right? (Whew...)  I haven't asked when my return date is but it should be around the 24th of July.  (He means the 24th of August)

   

I'll start looking to see if I can find some type of souvenirs or something.  There are a lot of places that sell Guatemalan bags.  I'm pretty good at fitting lots of things in my bags.  I want to find somewhere to buy a Guatemalan flag too.

   

We had a pretty good week.  We have a few investigators that are progressing a lot better now.  So far the closest is Cesia.  The only thing is that she's not married to the person she lives with.  His job schedule changes a lot so it's hard to plan the wedding.  Those are probably two of the most common problems with investigators here, work and not being married.

   

The picture you sent me (see end of letter if you're interested) reminds me about someone who was telling us about the craziest things they've heard people say about Mormon missionaries.  One of them was that we steal little kids.  Here in our area there is a kid who always walks up to us and asks if one of us is from the United States.  So naturally, I always point to my companion and say ¨he is.¨  There are some funny little Guatemalan kids here.

   

Sounds like you guys have been doing a lot of hiking.  I miss the forest.  When I get back we are going to have to go to Boulder Alley or something, or the river, I miss the river too.

 

Fun fact: in Spanish scriptures they sell quads now.   It's a new thing in Spanish.  They used to only sell them separately.  Now if only they sold them in smaller sizes.  That would be fantastic.  Scriptures can be heavy sometimes.  They're bigger in Spanish too.

   

I haven't played soccer in like a month.  We've done something else every p-day this change.  And now I really want to kick things.  I'm going to have to find people who will play soccer with me when I come home.  Maybe in Idaho.

   

Anyway, that's what's going on here.  Love you guys.  Sorry for forgetting my adapter.  I'll send pictures next Monday.  Bye.

 

-Elder Jarvie 

mis compañeros y yo

From closest to farthest

1) Me

2) Elder Marin

3) Elder Gonzalez

How's it going everybody?  We had another slightly uneventful week.  It's cool to hear that you've got the classes all ready.  World Religions sounds super cool, and of course the art classes.  I kind of miss having the time to do art stuff.  And now once again I'll be doing art until my wrists hurt.  I miss dancing too.  I've never understood the whole reading class thing, no idea what that would be, but I'm sure it will be good too.

You asked about my birthday too.  Honestly it's going to be like a month before I come home, so you might as well just wait and buy me school supplies for my birthday present.

 

We had to go to the mission office and stuff a few times this week.  When we went to the office that was pretty much our day.  There is a lot of traffic in Guatemala City and we have to go in buses.  We will probably be seeing the mission president again soon, so I can ask him about the whole return date and all that, when that happens.  Pretty much my entire district is leaving like July 12th.

 

I'll try to take more pictures this week.  I had a problem with my camera.  All the computers in Guatemala have viruses.  That kind of stinks.  You have to be really careful with all the pictures.

 

Anyway, things are going pretty good here.  It's a work in progress as always.  Well thanks for everything.  I really loved the pictures.  bye

 

-Elder Jarvie

 

No Math Please

The pictures of the house look super nice.  Thanks a ton for all the pictures, you really did send a lot this time, thanks.

   

It's crazy to think it's already time to sign up for classes.  For the last class, math and English are both things I need to improve in but right now I think I would rather take English.  I haven't done math in a long time.

   

Things here are going well, still struggling a little with my companions.  For some reason president must always think it's a good idea to put me with all the problem missionaries.  Elder Gonzalez is going home in July and both the sisters in my district are too.  Elder Marin is kind of childish and him and Elder Gonzalez don't get along at all.  All that would be alright if they weren't both so lazy.

    

This Wednesday we are going to have a multi-zone conference, so that should be fun.  It's going to be here, so we don't have to go very far.

    

Sunday we had kind of a ward activity visiting people who are less active and/or not signed up for seminary.  My group was the stake president and his counselor and I, so that was fun.  Every once and a while it's nice to be with people who are a little more serious.

   

I honestly can't think of anything else to write.  It hasn't been all that eventful of a week, just trying to get my companions to work.  Hopefully, next week I'll have a little more to say.  I only have like five minutes more anyway.

   

Thanks for everything.

-Elder Jarvie

Trio Trunky Time

Sorry this is going to be a little shorter of a letter, I had to write a ton of people.  But I'll do my best to make it good with the little time I've got.  I ended up in Cipresales Zona 6 in Molino Stake, close to El Durazno.  It's a pretty cool area.  There are some gangster filled areas here.  It's kind of cool actually.  There are streets that are more like stairways strait down a mountain with lots of dodgy people and houses packed really close together.  A lot of the members know me from when I was in the Durazno.  They would play soccer with us.  I don't even have a week here and they are already calling me Woody.

   

I ended up in a trio with Elder Marin (from Nicaragua) and Elder Gonzalez (from El Salvador).  So now I've had companions from almost every country in Central America.  Elder Gonzales is going home in July and is super trunky.  Elder Marin is kind of like a kid but at least he works happily.  One day we did divisions with a member to cover more ground, honestly it was so Elder Marin and I could contact in peace.

   

One of these days I'm going to have to visit El Durazno too.  I think I'm going to have to wait until next week to send pictures.  I only have a little over five minutes, not that I took any pictures.

   

Speaking of trunky people, the other missionaries in our district are two sisters who are going home the same time as me, also trunky, but nobody beats Elder Gonzales.

   

Thanks for everything, you guys are the best.

-Elder Jarvie

Moving On

Godinez Family

Lindsay Godinez Baptism

Shoes I bought for six bucks

Ariel Godinez with a wig

Well everything here has been going good.  Yesterday they told us that I have changes, which I kind of expected.  I've been here a while.  This is the third area in a row where I've stayed six months. Hopefully my next area and companion will be good.  Tomorrow they are going to tell me where I go.

   

Today we are going to say bye to a lot of people and a sister in our district is going to make pupusas, a food from El Salvador.  I don't know how knowledgeable y'all are in Central American food.  I bet Remington knows, he has spent a little more time with that type of people.  That's going to be fun though.  And as always, we are going to play soccer too. 

 

You wrote that I would probably get sent to another town.  The funny thing is I'll probably get sent to the same town, because Guatemala City is freaking huge.  More than half the areas in our mission are in the same city, and that's with other missions taking parts of the city too.  I've pretty much been in the same city my whole mission.  But who knows, maybe I'll go out into the country.

    

I can't think of anything else to write.  It wasn't all that eventful of a week.  We had a lot of people who didn't want to talk to us.  Last week I bought another new pair of tennis shoes because mine have a big hole in the bottom and I was wearing out my socks too fast.  Oh and happy anniversary!

   

It's been kind of hot here too, but not too bad.  It will probably be on fire over there when I get back. At least it will be good weather to go swimming.  I miss swimming.

   

The pictures you've sent of the house look amazing, especially the grass.  You don't see lawns like that much over here.  The rest looks awesome too.

   

I have way too many little things and I'm going to have to find a way to fit all of them in my suit cases.  Luckily, we do believe in miracles, so I'm sure it will fit somehow.  I'm going to get rid of a lot of things too.  

 

Thanks for everything.  I'll talk to you guys next week and tell you where and with who I ended up.

 

-Elder Jarvie

Family History

Hey everybody! Things have been going alright. Lindsay got baptized this week.  I'll try to send pictures but this computer is slower than dirt so I'm not promising anything.

   

We've got more than half the Godinez family being baptized active members of the church now.  Just the parents are left.  Sadly, I probably won't be around here when they get baptized.  (Changes are in a week and I've been here six months already.)  They are an amazing family.  The three main things that have slowed them down from getting baptized is that they're not married, Jorge works most Sundays (because he's a police man) and Elsa is pregnant and they want to wait until the baby is born to get baptized.

   

The house looks super amazing.  I remember when it was more like a crappy shed and we were still bashing walls down.  When I left I think we were putting windows in and I don't think we had even started to put siding on.  It looks great and with the grass it's like a whole other level.

   

I printed off some of the pictures you sent me for my family history booklet.  I've got almost everything in it.  It's fun to use teaching about the temple and all that good stuff.  I would love it if you could send me pictures for the rest of them.  I only have Grandma and Grandpa Walker's side. Family history is something I'll have to do when I come home and have a little more time, and permission to use computers.

   

Any way things here are going good.  Changes are next week so we will see what happens.  Love you guys.  Talk to you next week.

-Elder Jarvie

Deportation Threats

Well I'm going to start with the questions you wrote, because I'm kind of half annoyed with my companion and it's hard to think like that.

   

Elder Hockett was in my district in my first area.  He started his mission one change after me and then we were in the same zone for three changes when I was in Durazno.  There is a picture I sent a while ago when I was in Durazno where an elder was holding up three of us.  We were all on top of Elder Hockett.  I'm pretty sure I've sent other pictures with him in it too.

   

I've been doing pretty good with journal writing too.  I don't know if I told you but I finished my journal in December and I'm a little more than half way through the one I'm writing in now.  I try to write every night but it doesn't always happen.

 

The reason I'm kind of frustrated with my companion is because I let him use my USB right now, because he said real quick, and it's been 45 minutes and he still won't give it back.  He's not the worst companion I've ever had, but I'm not sure if he just doesn't think things through or what.

   

Things here have been going well.  Lindsay's baptism is going to be this week so that's awesome.  We have another investigator named Abigail who might get baptized this week or the next too.

   

Today we are going to climb a mountain and then play soccer.  Oh! Funny story.  We help a quadriplegic guy in our ward a lot.  We are pretty good friends with him.  Sometimes we tease him that we are going to buy Chinese food and eat it without him.  Sometimes he says he's going to call immigration and have me deported.  It's pretty funny.  It's not everyday a quadriplegic threatens to get you deported.  We might bring him with us to play soccer today.  He's going to be the goalie.

   

The Godinez family came back Sunday afternoon.  They had been out of town.  So as tradition goes they gave us more food than we are used to eating, including some things I've never eaten before.  We ate masapan chopped up and fried.  They taste like potato chips.  I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of potato chips were made out of this thing and not potatoes.

   

Well have fun laying grass.  I wish I was there to help. 

   

Oh! Cool thing happened.  I found a legit pair of shoes, slightly used for 50 quets.  That's like 6 bucks.  They're like a wear to church type of shoe, but I like them.  Maybe I'll send a picture next week.

   

Well I'm out of time.  Love you all, bye.

-Elder Jarvie

Bag of Water

Second to the left is Elder Barrera, we were all his companions.

Elder Hockett

Multi-Zone Conference

So I started today out with pretty bad luck.  We were walking down the street to go to the internet cafe to write and I felt something hit me on the top of the head.  I touched my hair and it was a fat gob of bird crap.  So I had to buy a bag of water and wash my head off in the street.

   

I think you're right about the roommate thing.  After some of the companions I've had I think I could take living in the same house with just about anyone.  Oh, speaking of roommates, I've written Dominic a few times.  The funny thing is he says Taylor Hart (who lived a few houses down from us) is in the same mission as him, and they're in the same ward too.  Dominic is coming home in like 6 months now. 

   

Tell Remington he has to wait until I get back to get married.  He can get married the day I get back if he wants.  When I was with Elder Nawahine he told me his brother was dating a girl and planned on proposing in December.  I'm not an expert at this, but I would think if you were really going to get married you wouldn't wait like ten months to propose.  That seems like a long time.  So tell Remington to propose whenever he wants but wait until August or September to get married.

    

The pictures of the house definitely deserve a rich people sign, but sadly it's not part of the English alphabet.  Emerson's drifting event looks like fun.  I'm going to have to learn more about fixing cars when I get home.  The other thing I was thinking about learning was to play the piano.  I think two good life goals are playing an instrument and speaking a second language.  I've got Spanish down, so I think an instrument is next on the list.

   

Some of these cars Emerson has deserve a rich people sign too.  That kid must know what he's doing. When you told me about Emerson drifting and said something about guess what happened next, the way you said it made me think he crashed it and was in the hospital or something.  It's too bad it had a problem, but on the bright side he's still alive.

    

Sunday we got the Liahona.  I got two in English so I'm happy.  Reading in Spanish is almost the same, it's kind of like driving your own car, or using your own bathroom.  Other people's cars, bathrooms, and languages work just fine, but every once in a while you just feel more comfortable using yours.

   

Thanks for everything guys.  It was great talking to you yesterday.  I'll be back soon and I'll make sure you don't end up with hundreds of lemon cucumbers again.  We need to make homemade hamburgers too, fast food is just not the same.  And anything cooked in an oven, very few people here have ovens and those who do don't use them.

    

Well my time is up, love you guys, bye!

-Elder Jarvie

Temple Trip

We had a good week.  We went to the temple today.  That's why I didn't write Monday.  And they just told us Friday, so I didn't have the chance to tell you.  It was great though.  The temple is amazing.  It's also one of the only places in Guatemala where the sinks have hot water.

   

Before I forget I'm going to answer a few of your questions.  I haven't talked with president, but I do know I'm coming back in August, so I'll have at least a week or two.  From what I've heard Meganne is doing pretty good, you really can't expect less from someone serving in the best state ever.  She's been out for like ten months now.  Weird I thought you sent more questions than that, I only found two. 

   

The pictures all look amazing.  You guys put down a ton of cement. It looks really nice, with a bridge and everything.  I bet when you get grass there it will look amazing.  One thing was kind of funny. Looking at dirt sounds like the lamest date ever, just saying.  No, I'm just kidding.  Just not something a lot of people do, and it kind of made me laugh when I read it. (In our defense, we also looked at bark dust and gravel.)

   

I don't think I've ever been anywhere near a tornado.  That sounds like fun.   (Referring to my trip to Kansas.)

 

You mentioned that I've had good heath so far, which is mostly true.  Mostly just stomach problems, that happens a lot here.  But I haven't gotten chikungunya or anything like that.  Somebody gave me mango juice last week and I didn't realize.  I felt awful for like a day and a half.  (Interesting fact - Remington learned that he was allergic to mangos when he was on his mission.)

   

Sorry that this one is going to be a little short.  On the bright side we get to Skype in a few days!  Well I'm almost out of time.  Thanks for the pictures and for writing.

 

-Elder Jarvie

New Companion

Things have been going pretty well.  I was worried about the whole changes thing but luckily I got stuck with a pretty good companion.  (I'm sure he meant "stuck" in the nicest way possible)  He was in my district when I was in Esperanza.  The one thing I can't stand is a lazy companion, and I didn't get one, so that made my week.

Things are still going good with the Godinez family.  Dominique and Arlette are on fire and Lindsay wants to get baptized too.  Their mom and dad do too but there are a few things that are going to take a little longer for them.

The concrete looks amazing.  It looks like you all poured a ton.  People always make jokes about my family being rich because we're from the US, but I'm starting to think it's true.  That is a nice house.

That's so cool that you guys went to Adam-ondi-Ahman and all those places.  I was just talking to my companion Saturday night about Adam-ondi-Ahman, because somebody had asked a question about the second coming.  We read a bunch of scriptures too.  The scriptures about Adam-ondi-Ahman are super interesting.  And it's one of the names I'll never forget because my seminary teacher talked about it a ton, but it is pretty inportant and not too many people know much about it.

Oh! My new companion is Elder Gaibor.  He is from Equador.  I'll try to take some pictures this week.  We were in the same district when I was with Elder Bonilla.  That was a while ago.  Time goes by so fast.  I'm coming up on like 20 months now.  That's almost hard to believe.

There are way too many stairs in the Cerrito.  That place really kills you.  Our area here is pretty small, but parts are like strait up and strait down.

Thanks for the letter and all the pictures.  You're the best.

-Elder Jarvie

Bautismo de Arlette y Dominique

With his zone leaders and Jorge

Taken at the Godinez family's house, with the zone leaders ("dorkiest guys ever")  when they went for baptism interviews.  Hopefully, that's not what they were wearing when they interviewed Arlette & Dominique!

Jorge is a policeman.  Two of his kids were baptized last week.

They haul dirt a little differently in Guatemala.

The Godinez Perez Family

Dominique and Arlette

Hey guys! Sadly, we have changes and my companion is leaving the area.  That's too bad.  I really got along well with him.

 

Dominique and Arlette got baptized this week though, that's the happy note.  Normally it's good if they're friends with members and they can baptize them, but in the end it's really their choice.  My companion baptized Dominique and I baptized Arlette.  It all went super well and there was a lot of support from the ward.  The rest of their family wants to get baptized too.  With the parents it's going to take a little longer, but they're all amazing.  The only hard thing with them is when Jorge's home it's hard to get out of their house.  He likes to talk a lot.  He's a funny guy.  One time he said he's going to visit us and when he comes to Oregon he's going to fight a bear.  He said something like, "I think I could take a bear."  His nickname is "Jorge the bear fighter" now.

 

I've gotten pretty attached to this area, or to the people here.  Everybody thought I was going to leave this change.

 

We did a little more of our service project, hauling dirt up the mountain.  I remember a movie we watched about a mountain that wasn't a mountain so they hauled dirt up to the top.  (The Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain.)   Those bags are heavy, and even worse going up hill. My back hurt all that day.  It's not very often we get the chance to do stuff like that though, I love it.

 

I hope you all enjoy the pictures.  We got some good ones this week.

Love you guys.

-Elder Jarvie