Wednesday, July 30, 2014
7/29/2014 Guatemala CCM - Off Campus Housing
7/29/2014
Well this past week has gone by very fast. That is one thing that you will notice in the CCM is that the first week feels like a month and the rest go by fast.
My Spanish is picking up quite well. I can actually talk with the Latino missionaries somewhat and carry a conversation.
So my district is the first district ever in the CCM to live off of the CCM premises. We live in the temple apartments. These apartments are right next to the temple, so yeah it has the best view ever. The only downside is that there are a lot of cockroaches, spiders, and there is only one washer and dryer. But besides that it is a fantastic place and is definitely worth staying in. We have our own huge backyard, TV, parlor with ton of couches, and we get to leave the CCM every day. Which is a huge plus.
My district is already taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity of leaving the CCM every day and walking a block to our apartment. How are they? Well when we travel between places we see and talk to quite a few people that are just on the street. And one day two of the elders wanted to talk to this one guy and try to give him a Book of Mormon. And twenty minutes later they placed a Book of Mormon and got his contact information. It was really exciting!! All of our hours and hours of studying Spanish are really paying off. Vi una columna de luz, más brillante que el sol, directamente arribe de mi cabze; y esta luz gradualmente descendió hasta descansar sobré mi...Al reposar sobre mí la luz, vi en el aire arriba de mí a dos persones, cuyo filgor y gloria no admiten descripción. Uno de ellos me habló, llamándome pr mi nombre y dijo, señalando al otro: éste es mi Hijo amado: "Escúchalo!"
So now our district goal is to always leave a little bit earlier when we go to walk to the CCM earlier so we can have time, if the opportunity and Spirit directs us, to talk to someone about the Gospel and its wonderful message.
Also with living in the temple apartments, funny stories are created. So there is this metal door that is always locked and a door bell right outside of it. No one would push the button, but Elder Gibbons one night pushed the button, I may or may have not have had played a part in it. The next thing we know a giant blaring alarm is going off! Apparently that room is some kind of safe/panic room. The alarm only lasted for about a couple minutes and we had to explain that it was just a false alarm, as the guards are rushing in. So now we know that is not a door bell but and button for the alarm. Elder Gibbons was quite embarrassed.
But all is good here and I like to remember this scripture when I am feeling down- Alma 26:27.
-Elder Keller
7/22/2014 Guatemala CCM - Exelente Hands!
7/22/14
A funny story is that when my and Elder Gibbons were teaching a fake investigator we had him read on accident Mathew 12: 28-30 instead of Mathew 11. The best part was at the end we had rehearsed in Spanish that you may not understand the message all at once now but we promise that you will understand the message and we will answer your questions next time. Something along those lines. And we didn’t even realize that we read the wrong scripture and he is looking at us all weird and everything. It was really funny!! Now we joke with each other on new investigators that we will just bring some rope the next visit
-Elder Keller
Know that I am in excelente hands! (I mean seriously there are like five armed guards around the perimeter, it isn’t all that unusual considering everywhere there are guys standing outside gas stations, restaurants, banks, and other holding shotguns and carrying a sidearm. It’s pretty cool and a little unsettling. But they do wave and smile at you when you wave or say hi)
I cannot believe how fast my time here at the CCM has gone by! It’s already two weeks but at the same time it feels that I have been here for over a month. It’s definitely a weird feeling. Something I forgot to mention in my last email was that they made me the District Leader. It’s kinda fun, you go to several meetings and make sure that all of the Elders are doing what they are supposed to do.
Today for lunch we had potatoes, ribs, and handmade bread, it was delicious! On preparation days they always make good American food. Last week they made hamburgers and fries. It’s a nice contrast to the usual local food down here.
The feeling here in the CCM is great because everyone here loves each other. Even others, like when we go to the temple and we pass by random people, they always have smiles on their faces. In sports we have three options of either working out, playing basketball, or playing volleyball. Often the volleyball gets hit over the fence (30 ft tall) and then some really nice person hits it back for us. But some missionary hit the ball over the fence but this time it landed on the roof so now we can only play basketball.
I am not sure if I mentioned this last time but there is a building right outside my window that we Elders here call the Great and Spacious building because every Friday and Saturday night it blasts music and you can here partying. To add on top of that you can see TV screens playing futbol and other entertainment. It can be hard to go to sleep at times and some Elders have invested in some earplugs which they just pop in and go to sleep.
Everyday its get up play sports, personal study, eat breakfast, more personal study, language study, grammar class, some other classes, lunch with ice cream, teach an investigator, more personal study, and then more classes. Companionship study, more classes, cena, teach an investigator, more study then nightly planning and finally bed. There is no time to waste here which is great. I need and everyone else just needs to remember that this isn’t our time, this is the Lord's time and we cannot waste His time.
I memorized another thing and that is the second baptismal challenge:
Siguirá el ejemple de JesuCristo al ser baptizado por alguin que posea la altividad del sacerdocio de Dios?
I can’t wait to use that challenge in the field!! Here at the CCM it can be very overwhelming but just remember to take it at a bit at a time and pray. Because through the Lord we can do all things.
-Elder Keller
No Pictures this week L
A funny story is that when my and Elder Gibbons were teaching a fake investigator we had him read on accident Mathew 12: 28-30 instead of Mathew 11. The best part was at the end we had rehearsed in Spanish that you may not understand the message all at once now but we promise that you will understand the message and we will answer your questions next time. Something along those lines. And we didn’t even realize that we read the wrong scripture and he is looking at us all weird and everything. It was really funny!! Now we joke with each other on new investigators that we will just bring some rope the next visit
-Elder Keller
Know that I am in excelente hands! (I mean seriously there are like five armed guards around the perimeter, it isn’t all that unusual considering everywhere there are guys standing outside gas stations, restaurants, banks, and other holding shotguns and carrying a sidearm. It’s pretty cool and a little unsettling. But they do wave and smile at you when you wave or say hi)
I cannot believe how fast my time here at the CCM has gone by! It’s already two weeks but at the same time it feels that I have been here for over a month. It’s definitely a weird feeling. Something I forgot to mention in my last email was that they made me the District Leader. It’s kinda fun, you go to several meetings and make sure that all of the Elders are doing what they are supposed to do.
Today for lunch we had potatoes, ribs, and handmade bread, it was delicious! On preparation days they always make good American food. Last week they made hamburgers and fries. It’s a nice contrast to the usual local food down here.
The feeling here in the CCM is great because everyone here loves each other. Even others, like when we go to the temple and we pass by random people, they always have smiles on their faces. In sports we have three options of either working out, playing basketball, or playing volleyball. Often the volleyball gets hit over the fence (30 ft tall) and then some really nice person hits it back for us. But some missionary hit the ball over the fence but this time it landed on the roof so now we can only play basketball.
I am not sure if I mentioned this last time but there is a building right outside my window that we Elders here call the Great and Spacious building because every Friday and Saturday night it blasts music and you can here partying. To add on top of that you can see TV screens playing futbol and other entertainment. It can be hard to go to sleep at times and some Elders have invested in some earplugs which they just pop in and go to sleep.
Everyday its get up play sports, personal study, eat breakfast, more personal study, language study, grammar class, some other classes, lunch with ice cream, teach an investigator, more personal study, and then more classes. Companionship study, more classes, cena, teach an investigator, more study then nightly planning and finally bed. There is no time to waste here which is great. I need and everyone else just needs to remember that this isn’t our time, this is the Lord's time and we cannot waste His time.
I memorized another thing and that is the second baptismal challenge:
Siguirá el ejemple de JesuCristo al ser baptizado por alguin que posea la altividad del sacerdocio de Dios?
I can’t wait to use that challenge in the field!! Here at the CCM it can be very overwhelming but just remember to take it at a bit at a time and pray. Because through the Lord we can do all things.
-Elder Keller
No Pictures this week L
7/16/2014 Guatemala CCM - Arrival & El baño
7/16/2014 Guatemala CCM
The CCM, or the MTC, is fantastisco!
I arrived here around 6 am and right away went to work. Well before we actually started working they allowed us to take a quick 2 hour nap. Now let me tell you, that nap was one of the best naps that I have ever taken.
Right afterwards they dropped us in the deep end... of the ocean. It is ridiculous, but also great. We have back to back classes with personal study, language study, grammar study, and more. All of the new elders that came with me all thought it sucked a lot and that they were over worked by the end of the day. But to be honest I thought it was great and I loved it. And you probably guessed right, those elders were straight from high school and only 18. Fortunately for them they got over it and now they like it, they are mucho happy. I can definitely see the advantages of going to college for a year first, Soy muy agradicido.
All of the food here is basically handmade here at the CCM by an amazing staff of cooks. We get three meals a day with a lot of fresh fruit. Unfortunately i did not keep in moderation of the fruit y fruit juice intake. And I developed a bad case of the runs for about 3 days. I am over it now but my companions, yes companions i will get to that later, didn’t like it so much because I had to go to el baño several several times a day. But they were really cool with it.
My preparation days will switch from Tuesday to Wednesdays, they switch back and forth.
No missionaries were with me on the flight to LAX but once I got there, there was like 20 plus missionaries.
I do several hours of spanish about 6. The weather is awesome here. It’s great playing volleyball in. The latinos missionaries here really like it. They are awesome and loving. I may not be able to communicate with them well yet but I can feel their love and great spirit to serve her as well. The spirit here is fantastic, it can be felt everywhere as we all are here for one purpose.
Invitar a las personas a vivir a Cristo ayurdarlas que a reciben Evangelio Restoraudo mediante el fe en JesuCristo y Su Epiacion, el arrepentimiento, el bautismo, el repicion del don del Esprirtu Santo y a perservar hasta el fin.
-- Elder Keller
.jpg)
.jpg)
Right afterwards they dropped us in the deep end... of the ocean. It is ridiculous, but also great. We have back to back classes with personal study, language study, grammar study, and more. All of the new elders that came with me all thought it sucked a lot and that they were over worked by the end of the day. But to be honest I thought it was great and I loved it. And you probably guessed right, those elders were straight from high school and only 18. Fortunately for them they got over it and now they like it, they are mucho happy. I can definitely see the advantages of going to college for a year first, Soy muy agradicido.
All of the food here is basically handmade here at the CCM by an amazing staff of cooks. We get three meals a day with a lot of fresh fruit. Unfortunately i did not keep in moderation of the fruit y fruit juice intake. And I developed a bad case of the runs for about 3 days. I am over it now but my companions, yes companions i will get to that later, didn’t like it so much because I had to go to el baño several several times a day. But they were really cool with it.
My preparation days will switch from Tuesday to Wednesdays, they switch back and forth.
No missionaries were with me on the flight to LAX but once I got there, there was like 20 plus missionaries.
I do several hours of spanish about 6. The weather is awesome here. It’s great playing volleyball in. The latinos missionaries here really like it. They are awesome and loving. I may not be able to communicate with them well yet but I can feel their love and great spirit to serve her as well. The spirit here is fantastic, it can be felt everywhere as we all are here for one purpose.
Invitar a las personas a vivir a Cristo ayurdarlas que a reciben Evangelio Restoraudo mediante el fe en JesuCristo y Su Epiacion, el arrepentimiento, el bautismo, el repicion del don del Esprirtu Santo y a perservar hasta el fin.
-- Elder Keller
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Here at the CCM [7/9/2014]
Hey everyone,
I only have a short time on the email, so don't expect a long letter. Well I made it all the way here in Guatemala City! Don't worry my luggage held up just fine with no complications. [Mary here: I bought his luggage at the Costco Discount Store and checked them over really well. When he went to put it in the car on the way to the airport the handle was broken. I wanted to take it back on our way up and Eric said it would be fine. I fretted the whole way to the airport] Its great here, they feed well and in large portions. My first companion here at the CCM is Elder Gibbons from Virginia. He is awesome and straight out of high school. The spirit can be felt here and can't wait for the next six weeks!
Love,
Elder Keller
I only have a short time on the email, so don't expect a long letter. Well I made it all the way here in Guatemala City! Don't worry my luggage held up just fine with no complications. [Mary here: I bought his luggage at the Costco Discount Store and checked them over really well. When he went to put it in the car on the way to the airport the handle was broken. I wanted to take it back on our way up and Eric said it would be fine. I fretted the whole way to the airport] Its great here, they feed well and in large portions. My first companion here at the CCM is Elder Gibbons from Virginia. He is awesome and straight out of high school. The spirit can be felt here and can't wait for the next six weeks!
Love,
Elder Keller
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)