Monday, December 30, 2013

Almost 2014!

I am happy and thankful that i will be able to spend the whole year of 2014 in the mission field doing The Lord´s work.

This week was definitely an interesting one... lots of meetings and traveling to and from Jalapa to Monjas. Thanks for skypeing me fam! It was so great and so nice to talk with you:) I hope you enjoyed it, and sorry for crying at the end.. i dont know where that exactly came from.

Christmas eve is the main celebration day here in Guate.... we were able to visit a couple members who invited us over for dinner, and it was pretty fun. EVERYONE makes tamales for xmas, and drinks ponche. After visiting with the members Elder White and I went and delivered some gifts that we secretly made, and it was so hard to ditch on a doorstep without anyone noticing the two gringos. We were allowed to stay out til 12, and xmas is crazy here. EVERYONE lights fireworks at midnight for twenty minutes straight and it was crazy... we just watched them in all directions from our patio, it was pretty cool... lots of smoke. The next day the streets were absolutely covered with firework ash and burnt paper... it is so ridiculous.

XMAS wasnt too exciting of a day because no one wanted anything... so we just sort of wandered the streets talking with people. I felt as if life was in slo-mo.... the streets were basically evacuated and empty.

I sadly got hit with the flu this week... so that is always fun, but i am doing well!

On Saturday we went with the branch and our investigators to Jalapa to see a baptism. Fma Perez didnt really want to go... i dont know exaclty why, but we finally were able to convince them to go, and they loved it and the spirit that was there. Also the family Castro (owners of bar) came as well, they are such a great family.... we just arent able to get them to church yet. We are working hard and i know that The Spirit is working with them.

I probably will be leaving Monjas next Tuesday, so we have been trying to help fma Perez that they are ready to be baptized... and they are SO close! I think tonight we will be doing a Family Home Evening with them and a few members, so pray for them, and that the Spirit is with us, so they agree to baptism tonight!

Church was decent yesterday, even though we got a lousey 33 people there. Elder White and I both gave talks... I spoke on Charity and the pure love of Christ. The Branch Pres told me to choose the topic, and little did i know that that was the topic for Sunday School too. So my talk was aplicable in the second hour of church. I talked about how Christ loves us so much, that he literally suffered EVERYTHING we have gone thru, and are going to go through as well. He loves us and knows us perfectly. Alma 7:11-13 is an amazing scripture about our Saviors atoning sacrifice.

Thank you for all the xmas wishes and love. I love you all so much and miss you! Hope you have a great new year! Set goals for 2014, and keep them. My new years resolution is... I havent decided yet... next week i will tell you. ;)

love you all,
elder nathan russell walton


Monday, December 23, 2013

NAVIDAD!

So this last week went by SUPER fast. I am going to write a short email because i need to reply to lots of people today, plus i get to chat with you fam on Wednesday. We are planning on SKYPEing you at 2 in the afternoon, but i will probably call you xmas morning just to let you know when we will skype because things arent official yet. Glad you all made it safe down to ST GEORGE and tell GR i say hi and all:) This week was pretty good and went by super fast!

Eduardo and his family are doing so good. They are planning on being baptized on the 4th of January right before i most likely leave Monjas. They already feel like they are members, and they go to church and all the activities. Pray for the familia PEREZ.

We decided to change up our way of work this week and we taught a bunch of lessons. Lots of doors got opened to us and we found a couple cool families.

That familia that i mentioned about last week, those who have a bar, are AMAZING. We taught them twice this week and they are so willing to learn, and they are planning on changing their bar to a store pretty soon, because they know and realized they our hurting the lives of their brothers. The only problem with this family is they dont like going to church, so no, they didnt come yesterday... BUT please pray for their wife CARLA, she is the one holding them back with the church attending:)

We finally got a family to church yesterday, and explained the importance. The wife Maria Jose has had bad experiences in the churches and for that reason they havent come, but they came yesterday! and they loved it:) Pray for FAMILIA VALENZUELA. (good luck pronouncing that mom).

We got a solid 44 at church yesterday again, even with strong members on vacation. Monjas and the branch is growing so well and solidly. I am really happy with the work right now, and i fell the spirit guiding us more and more everyday.

So that is all i have to say this week. Hope you all traveled, or travel safe this week! Love you and and read ALMA 8, because if it wasnt for Amulek, alma the younger wouldnt of had his success ba?

Love you all and MERRRRRRY CHRISTMAS! cant wait to talk with you Mom, Dad, Court, Sean, and GR!

love, elder nathan russell walton

Monday, December 16, 2013

It Doesn't Feel Like December

Sometimes it never feels like time changes... because the weather is always the same. Maybe that is why time is going so fast. I completed 6 months in the mission on Thursday, and i cant believe i am a quarter of the way through... it is kinda sad.

This week was interesting... we had some cool activities. A ward from Jalapa came with their youth and did a mini mission in Monjas. They loved it, and i worked them pretty hard. We encountered some crazy people though, and they just ripped on the church the whole time. I feel bad that the youth had to experience that, but i know it just made them realize that they need to find their own testimony, and how blessed they are to be members of this church. They were all super nervous to contact people, but i did the first few and showed them how. Then we went and started knocking doors, and i made them do it. After the first bad contact, they got rid of the nerves and the Spirit took over and they had the desire to contact everyone. The 3 youth i was with started knocking doors on their own, and I was so blessed and humbled to see that.

We also had an xmas branch activity, which turned out way good, because we planned terribly. I think 50+ people came which is crazy. Our church attendence is sky-rocketing too because we have pulled 40s for almost 4 weeks now. I am happy with the branch and where it is at, but our investigators are doing their part...

We found some solid families this week. I had the impression to contact in a certain part of town, and ended finding a family chillin on a curb and resting. I went up and starting talking with them, and they invitied me to sit. Later my comp came over, and we got to know them a bit. They are super willing to learn, and a great family. The only problem is that they own a bar.... so we will see how this goes! They are great, and i know the Spirit guided us to their porch.

Eduardo didnt get baptized on Saturday. We are still working with him and his family. He has come to church 6 times and his fam has come twice. They are so prepared, just the word baptism scares them. We are working towards this Saturday or the next with Eduardo, he just needs to recognize the answer that i know he has already received.

It was a decent week, and i am thankful for all your prayers. Remember to help those in need, and go find the less actives in our ward!!! I wish i knew then, what i know now. I never wouldve gone to church without going and knocking on the door of a less active family. Go and DO IT. Members are now responsible for the ward, not just the missionaries. We are all called by God. Love you all and have a great xmas season. It is soon to be here. Cant wait to talk with you fam on the 25th!

Love, elder nathan russell walton

Monday, December 9, 2013

Xmas is Coming

This has a been a very interesting week. It started off on Monday night with a really good investigator family telling us that they wont be coming to church anymore because they dont believe in polygamy. We explained the whole story and that we dont practice polygamy, butttt they wouldnt budge. They saw a program online i guess, and that they dont believe in that kind of stuff. I was super disappointing, but i was comforted that we are doing our job, and sometimes Satan is able to get the weak. It was just comforting to know that we werent the reason for them not joining the church, we did our part.

This week we had our zone conference for xmas, and it was great. It was a multizone conference and us (jalapa) joined with cuilapa and got to hear from Presidente Stay. The coolest part is that Elder Soriano AND Elder Tingey both happened to be in the Cuilapa zona, so i got to see all my companions. I took a photo of us all together, so i will be sure to send it:) During the conference was watched that new movie "Ephraims Rescue" and is was amazing. The saints suffered and gave up everything for the church. I know that the first saints must be the strongest out of ALL the children of God. One quote that i loved from the movie is, "You got to lose life to find it".  I think we can apply and interpret that however we want, and it just hit me really hard.

We had an activity in Monjas on Thursday, and a inactive family that we found came and they loved it. my comp and elder Buckley visited them on Friday and they are such a great family (we were doing splits, i was in jalapa). On Saturday we passed by and invited them to a baptism that the sisters in Monjas had (the convert is a niece of a member, and basically converted herself just by going to church, missionaries hardly met with her). On Satuday that inactive family showed up to go to the baptism in Jalapa, and there was 10 of them because they brought their kids who live away in a small pueblo. SO CRAZY. They loved it, and hopefully they can start coming to church again.

So we have been meeting with Eduardo (18 yrold) a lot lately, and with his family too. He finally feels ready for baptism, is preparing to be baptized this next saturday. PLEASE pray for him, and he preparation. He is an amazing kid, and is so humble. We just need to make sure he can get to that font before Satan pulls out his special tricks. PLEASE PRAY.

The xmas devotional last night was amazing, and it just love how amazing the xmas spirit is. It is 100% completely different here in Monjas, but I am trying to enjoy the culture difference:) One quote that i loved from last night was, "He prayed for inspiration, and prayed AGAIN."

Thank you all for your prayers and love. The mission is great and we are working hard. The Lord is definitely blessing us a lot lately, and I never have had so much patience in my life. I love and miss you all, and hope you are enjoying the holiday season. LOVE YOU.

elder nathan russell walton



Monday, December 2, 2013

COLD

So this week has been really weird. It is SUPER cold here in Monjas... and I dont know what happened. Me and Elder White wore long-sleeve shirts all week, and when i got dark we put on jackets. With the changes, the unsuccessful work, and the bad weather; we had a really bad week. We tried super hard to work it out, and shake off the bagginess, and eventually through our faith, and hope, we ended with a good sunday. I have never had such a bad week in the mission, but I am not going to complain all email. I just want to share a couple experiences or cool stories this email, that might not have to do with the week completely.

First of all, family, I opened the Xmas package because i couldnt wait. Thanks for all the candy, and food, and hopefully I am not too lazy to make the mashed pototoes. Also, BTW the shirt does not fit at all.... idk if you forgot that i have gained weight, and that I am size XL not L, but either way it is going to be a nice gift for a teenager in the branch:) Also thank you for the pants, they.... fit alright. But they were needed so thank you!

One night we were knocking on doors at 7ish and it was freezing. MY comp takes one side of the road, and i the other. And we just contact individually because it saves time and is more productive. No one was answering their doors because of the cold and i was just sort of pondering. It was about 48 degrees with wind is my guess, all i had was my placa, agenda, a backpack full of scriptures, and a heart full of hope. Nothing else. I was sort of frustrated with the work, and i felt like i wasnt living up to my potential in the mission field. But then i had this overwhelming feeling come over me, and i knew that i was doing that which the Lord has asked for me, and it isnt my fault that no one is accepting us.

So a cool story about Monjas is that there is a member in the branch who is mute. He cant talk or hear, but he has a strong testimony. He was there 45 minutes early and helped set up chairs, and then he passed the sacrement. He gives me hope everytime i see him.

So yesterday we finally got familia Perez to come to church. It is the family of the 18 yr old Eduardo who has come to church the last month. We are so close to helping them realize the importance of baptism, and if there is one thing i am set on doing before i leave Monjas, it is getting them to the baptismal font.

So i have been studying the biblia a little recently, and the story of Peter walking on water towards has hit me so hard lately. He was Jesus´s main man, always there on His side during all the miracles, trials, and healings that he did and went through. Peter was the one who was always supporting Christ. We he took a step on the water, how much faith did he have? He was so faithful, but even the number 1 apostle of Jesus Christ lacked faith, and started to sink. Why? He had seen the miracles, he had seen EVERYTHING, yet, he lacked faith. "Oh hombre de poca fe, por que dudaste?" (idk the scripture in english). That story has helped me realize we are all human.

This next week is going to be better and thank you for all the love and support.
Alma 22:15 (King Lamoni had so much faith and desire to change he was willing to give all).

love you all, and hope you had a great thanksgiving! We didnt celebrate it here:) haha

Elder Nathan Russell Walton

ps. sorry my grammar is so bad lately... spanish problems.

Elder Walton with a cat that is almost as cool as Oreo