Blasted Feria...and a call from the Jefe

September 30, 2013

Querida Familia,

I love you a whole bunch and want that they know the love that I have for you, that I appreciate the good words that find me every Monday. They help me very much and I want to express my appreciation to you.
The feria arrived and was in full swing. Food stands and gift stands and other stands everywhere!!! ALL week Long!!! With the Feria came a concert every night from 8-11pm and again from 4-6am. With huge fireworks that would wake me up. The concert was sooo loud and we were so close it sounded as if it was in our house. Needless to say we didn´t sleep that much. We tried contacting the sellers without much success. With the help of our investigators they helped us buy souvenirs. We told them what we wanted and they went and got it for a better price.

We were part of the parade as we went down to the church for our district meeting. Mid week we hiked to Tierra Colorada and found one lady that was positive. We also found some suspicious looking plants, and poisonous mushrooms. It was fun.

This week we had a special activity planned to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the voluntary firefighters. They came to the church and asked for a spiritual activity. So we planned for the 35 fireman and their spouses. We had two boxes and lots of pamphlets in the back of the chairs where the hymn books go. Only 11 showed up. But it was still "a good activity"

Thanks mom for the sticky bun recipe, we made them with a couple we are teaching. They turned out really well.

Saturday I got a call from President....He told me that Browning was leaving and I would be with Elder Hendrickson. He is from Illinois.

I have been strengthened by God. I have felt the love and support of Him in my challenging times.

Love you Tons,
Elder Wright

End of Blasted Feria!

Light at the End

September 23, 2013
Familia,
Adversity if handled correctly can be a blessing in our lives."
--Come what may and Love it by Joseph B Wirthlin.
We made sloppy joes for Pday as a zone unity activity. They turned out well. That night we visited with a gentleman who is coming back to church after 50 years of inactivity. He told us to be grateful and to remember that every soul is great in the sight of the Lord.
I have learned two lessons crystal clear among others. 1) I will never let alcohol touch my lips nor those of my children. 2) I must always be worthy of the Spirit and the priesthood.
Among other news we got a call that informed us that one of the elders that waited 7 months for his visa to Peru was leaving the next day, and as a result Elder Amaya had changes.
We taught a mother and daughter and had a few members accompany us. One of the members shared her testimony. She told us after that she doesn´t like talking but she was asking the Lord for help. It was answered because the Spirit helped her bear powerful testimony, and she said go forward with faith three times. She connected to them and made them feel like they were truly wanted in church. It also led us right into the next scripture we had prepared.  We asked them about being baptized. They both want to. The daughter was baptized on Saturday and the service was bonito. After the stress it truly was a light at the end of a tunnel.
We had the wonderful opportunity to eat cow intestine for lunch. It wasn´t half bad. The family did wash it really well, so hopefully I don´t get any new friends in my estomago.
We will keep battling for success. I know the Lord takes us to our limits. For there is no growth in the comfort zone nor is there comfort in the growth zone. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a missionary and have all the experiences to change and mold me.
Love,
Elder Wright

Emily's Baptism September 21, 2013

Making Sloppy Joe's

Building Zone Unity

Another Series of Unfortunate Events

September 16, 2013
Querida Familia,
The Lord sometimes pushes us and stretches us and pushes us until we get to the edge. Then He pushes us one more time and.....We Fly!!!

We gave a solid lesson to one of our investigator families giving them a triple combination. I shared Mosiah 5:15 telling them they must be strong and prepared even against the spiritual earthquakes.
This week rain drops keep falling on my head and soaking me daily.

We found a new investigator who has a nephew that has a hole in his heart and lung. I had a little bit of background in that with my nephew. So I taught them about faith, and having an understanding of the plan of salvation.

We were running a little late to do divisions with Chiyax. I saw a lady washing clothes and the Spirit told me to talk to her. I had prayed that morning to be more aware of the spiritual impressions, and to recognize those that God put in our path. Well, I kept walking and tried to tell myself we are late, and we can come back tomorrow. Elder Amaya around this time had found a micro SD card. I couldn't put it off and told them to stop and we went back. I began thinking what I was going to say and the thought came to ask about the SD card. It was theirs. We got a return visit out of it, and 3 free bananas. I am grateful I listened to the spirit.
Friday the 13th. I am not a superstitious guy but it brought some bad news. The bad new started as usual with a phone call.... One of our investigators had left and was out drinking. We passed by the street of His favorite bar. We decided to check. He came out just as we got to the door. He slapped his forehead like oh puchica!!!! (darn or crap) We were the last people he wanted to see. We went across the street to talk. He told us you guys really have power, God put you in my path. He had legitimately had a change take place. I told him our power came from love and obedience, and calling on the power of God. We convinced him to go home.

Sunday 15 Feliz Dia de Independencia Guatemala!!!

Through all these many challenging experiences I am coming closer to my Savior and trying to learn all that I can. I appreciate all of your prayers and love. Thank you so much.

Love,

Elder Wright

Making Decorations 

Overlook of Toto

Possible Earthquake Damage

Broken Hearts, Feeble Knees, Fallen Hands‏

September 9, 2012
Family,
We went to Xela for the leadership council it was a spiritual boost. President talked about the Atonement. He said we must be obedient to do miracles. But also have patience and faith. God waits before helping us so that we can learn and so we know we are saved only after all that we can do 2 Nephi 25:23. The Atonement is there to mend broken hearts, strengthen the feeble knees and lift the fallen hands. 
In Zone meeting I gave my talk on the Atonement. I focused on how the Atonement has an enabling power. There are many scriptural accounts. 1 Nephi 7:17; Mosiah 24:14-15; Alma 31:31,33,38; and Alma 14:26-28. They all teach us to ask for stronger shoulders and not for lighter burdens. Little did I know I was about to put that into practice.
One of our investigators called me and he had started drinking, I called his wife and tried to give her some pick me up advice but it didn´t help much. On the bright side we did have a good lesson that night with a new investigator and friend that is a member.
I went with Elder Cardona from Guatemala. He is in Juchanep and we did divisions.
We hooked back up iwth our investigator that had been drinking and his wife. We explained it was like teaching a kid to walk we don´t yell at them when they fall but encourage them to keep trying. I talked about learning to play the piano it doesn't sound good at first but little by little with practice it will. He started to lighten up a bit. We shared Mosiah 24:10-15 with them. I tried to remember a scripture I had read long ago and the spirit helped Mosiah 7:23,33. They were tearing up as they read in and when I testified of the atonement and plan or our Heavenly Father. 
We received a phone call to pick up our new comp. So we ate lunch and took a field trip coming back with Elder Amaya from Honduras. 
That night I did explain very simply the Atonement to our investigators and they really liked it. Even the daughter has been touched and they say she is the one that is always asking to go to church. That was a bright light in the week.
To add more excitement EARTHQUAKE!!!! in the middle of our lesson at 6:18pm Friday night a 6.5 temblor that lasted (37seconds according to my count) I was super excited because I was feeling my first earthquake or temblor. Then I texted the zone to see if they were ok. I received about 40 messages and 10 calls in about 30 minutes it was nuts but I couldn´t have expected anything less in such a crazy week with the landslide of emotions.
That was the end of the craziest week of my mission......or was it. The atonement is truly an enabling power and I am coming to love it more day by day.
Love,
Elder Wright

Cookies from the First Ward Mia Maids- "Um Delicious!"

Elder Wright and Elder Cardona

Elder Amaya, Elder Browning, Elder Wright

Facing Trials Head On

September 2, 2013
Family,
The feria is starting this month, it is like NASA trying to reach the goal of Kennedy to make it to the moon before this decade is out. Well like all things in life it isn´t worth as much unless we work for it. And battling a divorce and on upcoming feria it sure does feel like we are working against the current. But the Lord is strengthening us day after day and I am learning how to work in the face of challenges.
We must be as Ammon and when the trials come the sheep get scattered we must use it as an opportunity to show forth our power, or the power of God that is within us.
Sometimes the trials come to humble us and help us to rely on the atonement. So that is what I will do.
We had an activity of basketball. Lots of investigators came. It helped a lot.
President called to check up on us. He told us to read and apply Alma 17:2-5 one of my favorite chapters. From my favorite character Ammon. I crossed referenced it with Alma 8:10. Then shared it in the zone meeting. I offered a prayer for the zone faith filled and humble that we could get our goals. To help one of our investigators we went to RENAP to search the records, that is worse than the DMV. They couldn´t find the marriage papers at first then called us later that they had. We went back to RENAP to get the birth certificates for the 5 kids that we know the names. Well we found 4 of the 5 kids and the last one wasn´t on the computer so we took four 500 page books with 4 names per page of all the kids that were born in the year we thought it was....Needless to say about 45 minutes later we hadn't found it so who knows.Hope you all finished out the summer well. Here I don´t really pay much attention what season it is because it is different. Have a great week.I love you so much and hope all is well.
Love,
Elder Wright

Basketball Activity

Searching Records

Tierra Colorada in the Mountains