A Memorable Christmas

Hey mom! Sounds like you are doing well! Let me know how Jacob's birthday goes! What did he think of my letter?  I cant believe he is already 10! I feel like it was not that long ago when you were pregnant with him! It was way nice to talk to you guys! I called you back after to talk without everyone but know one answered! So I called Tori's and Jake answered and I talked to him for like 20 minutes.  Anyways I wasn't able to get my package yet.  I guess we have our mail come on the 8th and I know I have at least one package in there so maybe I will get it then. Yeah it is tough and frustrating at times! Sometimes I don't think I will ever learn the language but everyday I get a little better and before I know it I am sure I will be able to talk like a pro! 

So my Christmas was pretty good! We have a rule that we have to be in our house after 5 because it is a little dangerous! So we studied in the morning until 12 then went to lunch! Had lunch then we went and taught a lesson to a inactive family.  After that we went to get our clothes from one of our momittas.  On our way there we passed one of our mommittas and she asked us what we were doing for our Christmas and we told her that we had to be in our house and she started to cry!! haha she just loves us and felt bad for us! When we got back to our house Elder Bautista did what he loves the most and went to sleep so i just studied.  Got in some comfy clothes and my plan was to just study until bed time, but then we got a phone call at about 8 and this lady on her death bed needed a blessing. A member came and picked us up and we went to go give her a blessing.  When we got there she was in super bad shape! She did not really seem like she was going to make it through the night! All of the family was gathered around and when we walked in I could feel the sadness that they had and the hope they had in us! 

Well we went and gave her a blessing and and on the way back I was thinking to myself about the life after this life and all of that stuff and really death is just another part of Gods plan for us and it should almost be a happy time! We get to move on and become one step closer to living with our Heavenly Father. I was also thinking about how really, we are the exact same people after death. We will still have the same thoughts wants and desires! I like to compare it to how I felt during wrestling and how I always thought that if I could just be a state champ that some how I would be a different person and I would feel different and be different but when I won I didn't feel any different! But yet I was still a different person than the person I was when I started wrestling.  really I changed during the process. through all my matches and practices wins and loses is what made me the wrestler I was. And really it is the same with life! We have this time on earth to prepare ourselves to live with God and we cant expect to all the sudden be different or feel different after death or later.  We have to act now and be prepared now because we will be the same person with the same thoughts wants and desires!! So that was my Christmas! One that i will never forget. And btw the lady died the next day. Really I think she was in a lot of pain and I think it was for the best.  I know she is not experiencing that anymore.  

Well I have a new companion!! His name is Elder Aliaga! He is from Peru! He is 18 and he knows NO english! He is super cool and humble and I am excited to work with him! I think this is a good chance for me to really grow and I am excited! Elder Bautista is now the new zone leader and he was excited for that! I will let you know more about my new companion next week when I know more about him! He thinks it is crazy that I have ate buffalo and I eat the meat that I hunt! haha 

One other thing I wanted to write this week is that I love you mom!!! You are so awesome and I want you to know that I miss you too! I miss being able to call you and talking sometimes when I am bored and have nothing else to do! Im not sure what I would have done without you in my life! I honestly don't think that I would be here if it were not for you! Keep being awesome! You are like the coolest lady I know! And that is the truth! I love you mom! Cant wait to talk to you on mothers day! (We will have to talk without everyone else on that day)

Love Elder Guild

I am so blessed

I'm not sure how great this photo is but it was on the bus to quito.  and it is like this the whole 7 hour but ride! so at least we have a great view!

Thanks for the call mom! Next time I hope the video works.  Well I miss you guys but like I said in Dads email do not feel bad! I will be home before you know it! Be happy because really we only have reason to be happy! Really I just feel so blessed and my whole body just feels like overwhelmed with joy because I have been blessed with such a great family! I have the gospel in my life and I know Heavenly Father loves me! What more could I ask for! The funny thing is that even though I have been given so much even more than I deserve the Lord continues to bless me and I know that the mission is a blessing and that I am in the debt on my Heavenly Father and continue to grow more and more in the debt of him.  Remember that the only way to receive the mercy of the Lord is to  repent and use his atonement! Helamen 5:11 and D&C 18:10-13 love you guys! If you're not happy just stop and take a second to think about what is on your mind and it will probably be thinking about something of yourself.  If you are always thinking of others your lives will be happier! Love you! 

Christmas and Lots of Pics!!!

this is a family that we have been taught a few times.  really they are pretty much members.  they come to shurch every week and they have a testimony.  the only problem is they need to be married but he is from columbia and they need papers.  they are really awesome though!

this is the christmas dinner we had in quito

elder Bautista and his birthday cake! i ate so much food! 

More pictures of their Christmas!

Obedience and Elder Black

Hey mom!! 

I am doing really good! :) I love life here and everything is going well! This week was good! I always think we need to do better and Elder Bautista seems content with our numbers and everything but we are getting a long.  

So experiences for this week... well first of all I have to tell you of one of the days we had.  First of all I woke up and went through my daily routine and got to studying and everything and lets just say that things didn't go super awesome in companionship study! haha Nothing bad just didn't get the daily nourishment that we needed for that day.  Anyways we went out to work that day and everything seemed to go wrong! None of the people we went to visit were home and we didn't find anyone to teach and by the end of the day we found ourselves back at our house with nothing done.  I was a little frustrated but it just builds my testimony of how the Lord blesses us when are obedient! And when we are not obedient then we don't receive blessings that we would otherwise get! We didn't really have a study in the morning and among other things that didn't go well in the morning and then we had a bad day!

Also I want to tell you about Elder Black! haha He is our zone leader and he is from Utah, really big into video games and a little nerdy I guess you could say, but he is smart and a really good missionary.  Anyways I went on splits with his companion and I found out a lot more about him! It almost makes me feel a little awkward around him! Not really, but his companion told me how Elder Black talks about me all the time and how he is like trying to work out all the time so that he can get muscles like mine and just stuff like that.  haha It just makes me laugh.  

I am glad to here that Ammon is still doing well in the wrestling.  What weight is he at? I will have to see if I can get those videos to work.  Sounds like you guys will have a good Christmas break! I will most likely be calling on skype on the 24th!! So be ready for it! It is my next p-day but it is a Tuesday and I cant remember my user name so could you look that up for me? Thanks! ( for skype) you are the only one who wrote me so yell at the family for me! haha Thanks! Love you mom!

Elder Guild 

Bad Haircut!

Wow!! Dang that is so awesome Ammon took first at the Evanston invite!! haha I took third my junior year! Seriously when I read that I wanted to get up and cheer! haha That gets me so pumped! I told my companion and he didn't even make anything out of it! haha I need to calm down! That is way cool! Tell him I am proud of him! Sounds like Shalee is doing awesome too! I hate that I am missing all the action but you will have to save the video for me to watch! Yeah that gets me so pumped that they are both doing awesome! haha Yeah, I am glad I am not in that cold weather! It is really hot today and I have been sweating a ton!! I am glad that grandma is doing good too! Keep me updated on everything!

I am doing good this week! It is really crazy how much the Lord blesses us! Every night I write in my journal and every night I am amazed at how much we have been blessed! It is crazy! Our week this week was not quite as good as others but it was still good.  I got the worst hair cut i think i have ever had in my life last week... haha that is fun! I showed the guy a picture of me and told him I wanted my hair like that... well he did his best but lets just say it wasn't very close to the picture. Elder Bautista thinks it is pretty funny! I just am waiting for it to grow out! We didn't find as many people this week but we are really trying to figure out ways to use the members to help us and so we will see how that goes this week.  Talking to the members the Elders before us really were not that good and they had no confidence in the Elders so we have been working with them really hard and I think finally we are starting to get a good relationship with the members and think we can start getting some more support from them so that should be good. 

That scripture I couldn't remember last week it D&C 130:20-21.  Its great! Usually through the week I write down some scriptures if I come across them and think you guys would like them and this is what I got this week.  Moroni 8:3, true to the faith page 65,  happiness in true to the faith.  Those are all great! I loved them and thought of you guys as I come across them!

So I will be able to skype you guys on Christmas!! :) I will let you know more as far as times and everything next week but I want you guys to think of questions for me and things that you want to tell me! Stories just anything awesome! i will do the same and it will make our talking a lot more productive and fullfilling! So will you tell that to the family mom? Thank!s

So the relief society president wants me to teach her how to make some snacks and I thought blt bites would be perfect! So could you send me the recepe for that?

I love you mom! You are the best!

Elder Guild

Challenge-Be more obedient.

Hey Mom!!

First of all, can I just say you are awesome? Haha I am really glad to hear that you bore your testimony in sacrament! Makes me smile really big! :) :)  I know you will be blessed for doing so and I'm sure other people gained from it so that is awesome! The power of a short sweet testimony is awesome! Sometimes, people think they need to have a big long story but really a short heartfelt testimony in my opinion is more powerful!

Another pic of the beach

It sounds like you guys had a good Thanksgiving! I am glad you guys got to see so many people! That is great! and I am glad to hear the dates went well! Dating is really fun when you do it right! Wow, I feel sorry for shalee! I hate puking! I hope she is better soon! Hmm.. maybe tell her to try and be patient! It is hard but I have found that it really helps me.  Patience is one of the attributes of Christ in preach my gospel and I have been trying to work on it because I need it soo bad! I am not patient with my companion and even more so myself a lot of time but I have found that I am a lot happier and feel the spirit stronger as I have been practicing patience!

This is the ward mission leader and his familyl! They are awesome! They are making corvishe! I think that is how you spell it! It is platanos mashed up with fish on the inside and then it is deep fried put some salad and sauce on it and bam! It is really good! I want to learn how to make it exactly! They told me they would teach me. The only thing is I don't know if they sell platanos in the U.S.

Okay, so  I make scrambled eggs a lot because I don't have veggies but I bought some veggies today.. I usually make french toast and I like that.  We have a little stove and that is it.  A blender and a microwave and a fridge and a toaster.  That is all our cooking supplies.  I just want something that is healthy that will give me a lot of energy for the day and is also good!  What some good breakfasts that I can make myself that are somewhat healthy and also filling and ya! thanks! Send me some breakfast recipes.

So this couple is not in our zone but the first night I was in Esmeraldas we went and taught these two the law of chastity! My very first real lesson! Haha.. all I really did was bare my testimony how my parents and family have been blessed by following the law of chastity and that they would receive the same blessings! They were finally able to get married and their missionaries were not able to make it so Elder Bautista and I went! They were baptized this last Saturday so that was cool! :)

My week was pretty good! Hmm.. I am having trouble remembering it! All the weeks seem the same! We had a better week this week.  We have been trying to be better with our studies and more or less just being more obedient and well, after lunch one day when Elder Bautista usually takes his afternoon nap instead he surprised me and came and studied with me and then after we went teaching and we found four new people that are new investigators and they are great! Every person we talked to was really awesome and I really think it was because we were being more obedient! So that was kinda cool! I can't remember where the scriptures is but it is in the Docrines and Convenents talking about how there is a law in heaven and whenever your are obedient to the law you receive blessings and all of our blessing are from when we show our obedients! So my challenge for you guys this week is to try and be more obedient to the commandments this week and I promise at the end of the week when you look back at the week you will see the blessing that the Lord has given you!!

Love you, Mom!

Elder Guild

Baptisms - Super cool!

Nov 18, 2013

Hey Mom!
I am doing really good and it sounds like the family is doing pretty good, tambien(also)! This week was pretty sweet! We had a meeting of verification so Elder Bautista and I went to Quito this week for that! I got to see Elder Bolton and all my friends from the MTC so that was kinda fun!

This is the district I started out with at the MTC! We were glad to see each other again and we are all doing well!

We went to the panecillo which was super cool and got to see all of Quito!

High five! This is at panecillo! Super cool!

 

 

 

and this is Quito!

We also had two baptisms this Saturday which was pretty awesome as well! It was scheduled for 4 on Saturday and so Elder Bautista got up super early so that we could catch a bus out of Quito early to make it to Esmeraldas on time and we got to the bus station and the only bus we could catch was the 10:45 bus! It was a bummer because we had to miss our first baptism and so we waited there forever and then caught our bus to Esmeraldas and at about 4:30 we got a call from the mission leader of the ward and he said they didn't have any baptism clothes for the kids! So we got to Esmeraldas at 5 and raced to the church and got there just as their clothes got there! So we got to baptize them and it was super cool! I struggled with Alan's name and the words in Spanish but on the second time I got it!

I was able to baptize Alan! I gave him a mint once and that was a mistake! Now he is always trying to go through my backpack for more! They are so awesome!

 We also had changes this week but Elder Bautista and I are still companions so that is cool. 

This was in Quito at one of Elder Bautistas previous mamitas house.  She made us pastel de imposible! It was super good and I have the recipe so when I get home I will make it for you guys!

 Hmm... I went on splits with the only German in all of South America so that was awesome! He speaks English super well though so it was not a big deal!
 
Tell Ammon and Shalee to work hard! and Jacob to wear his glasses! I am glad to hear about the family sounds like they are doing super well! For Christmas we are not doing anything special.  We are actually going and doing missionary work! It says in our handbook that holidays are a good time for finding people so we will probably just being doing the same thing we always do.

I was wondering if you have any ideas for some breakfasts that I could make myself that are somewhat healthy and not to hard to make and maybe something that I could pre-make and then just warm up in the microwave.  I usually just have eggs but I am getting tired of them! Anyways, keep me up dated! love you!

Elder Guild

Nov 4 & Nov 11

Hey Dad!
Sounds like things are going pretty good.  I'm really glad you could help out that family.  That is way cool. 

The view from my zone.  We go running on the beach some morinngs.  It is hot here! I love it.  I am right by a place called Las Palmas.  You guys could look it up! The ward and the place I actually live is called Regocijo which means like rejoice! Kinda awesome! See if you can find it on google earth or something! Probably have better luck if you look up Las Palmas

I have realized how hard it is to get people to actually be baptized.  We have committed multiple people to baptism and then they seem to disappear.  It is kinda frustrating at times.  Thanks for your tip with the patience.  I need to really try to have more patience.  I feel like I am a child sometimes and it really bothers me.  Oh well. 

Day of the dead! The drink was super good! and they always have bread here that I love! Its like always homemade!

This week has been pretty good.  It seems like it was yesterday that I was writing you guys.  Time is going by pretty fast.  Yesterday in church I was enjoying the testimonies when I feel a tap on the shoulder and the ward mission leader motions for me to go up! My spanish is not very good at all yet and I was a little hesitant but I decided why not and I went up and bore a testimony.  It was short and sweet but that is how they should probably be.  Hmm...  not much else happened this week. We did not have as much success this week.  Elder Bautista's leg has a pretty bad infection so we have not been able to get around as quickly so that is what we blamed it on. 
Hmm.. IDK what I want for Christmas!! You guys could send me Insanity! That would be perfect.  I got my package this last Thursday and I loved it and the candy and pictures and everything.  My companion loves my flip flop and he says they are bonito so you could send some of those for him.  Just send anything you think I would like.  I don't really need anything.

Love you dad!

Elder Guild
Read 1 Nephi 15 - the end of the chapter.  I love it!


Hey Mom!

I talked to my companion and he said that we don't have changes until December 29 so he will most likely be my companion unless something crazy happens!

By the way, thank you for the package again, it is so awesome! Absolutely love it! The drink things were genius!  and I loved the pictures! Send me more of stuff like maybe my car and just my life so i can show my companions! If you or anyone else would like to send me a letter that would be awesome. I love the letters! Keep me updated on how everyone is doing! Tell everyone I love them and tell Jacob to write me! Tell Cael that I like his picture and he is getting very good! Tell the Delgados I miss them and to choose the right! I love you mom and I try not to think about you guys very much but I think I probably do too much but I just want you guys to be happy and feel the joy that the gospel brings to peoples lives and I want you guys to feel joy and happiness and peace! If you don't, why not? What can you guys do better? Remember I love you guys but more importantly God loves you guys.  Don't ever forget that and keep a good relationship with him! Realize all of the blessings that you have received.  Compared to the people here we live like kings and queens! Read the BOM! It's so awesome! It is one of my favorite parts of the day! We have people to go teach so  I will write next week!

I am trying to remember a scripture... I can't but one that I really like is DC 98:1-3.  Just remember to always pray! and this week we have been trying really hard to work with the members so do missionary work also!! Just share the gospel and help out the cause!

Elder Guild

DC 18: 10, 15-16

I feel the spirit so strong at times!

Hey mom!

Things are going really well this week! We have taught a lot of people and commited people to baptism and things are going well! Living conditions are good! Our water is only on like never so we have a big barrel for when it is on that we fill up when the water is actually on so that we can shower in the mornings! And the power only works half the time, too.  You would like it!! ;)  It's really not bad.  It's bigger than what most families have here so I am not complaining.   

Ya... I know I am getting fat but I have started working our every morning and eating really healthy so hopefully things will go good!! My companion is really cool! He is really good at teaching and talking to people in Spanish and listening to the spirit!

Hmm... if I have time I will send some more pictures.  Sounds like the family is all doing great! The Art from the Heart will be worth it when it is over.  I am glad to here that you guys are committed to FHE!! Make sure you guys read the Book of Mormon, too!  There is so much power in the BOM. It's awesome and I absolutely love it!

"We learn more from our failures than from our successes.  It’s ok to fail because it’s a chance to learn."  I like that quote! Spanish is hard and I feel like I am failing all the time and it is kinda rough but I learn so much more when I actually try and when I say something wrong then I know and if I never talk I wouldn't know!!

Hmm.. something that was kinda cool that happened this week is yesterday at church the mission leader wanted a blessing for his health and he wanted me to give it!! I was like, "I can't in Spanish..." but he said it was okay so I gave him a blessing in English and it was pretty cool.  I feel the spirit so strong at times here.  It is a great feeling.  Later that same day we went to a member's house and gave them a spiritual thought. One guy there was not a member and he was having health problems so we offered to give a blessing and he wanted me to give it! I told him I couldn't do it in Spanish but he was okay with it in English and it was really cool.  I know that he felt the spirit in my blessing. I don't know how much he understood but at least he felt the spirit.  My companion told me he understood the whoole thing so that was kinda cool!

Service project!! and a pretty good view of Esmeraldas

Everything here is great! I love the people,  the ocean is beautiful and it is a good temperature... I am sweating non stop!!

Love you mom!!

Elder Guild

October 21, 2013

I'm not going to lie it is pretty tough! this week has definitely has its ups and downs.  The language is hard and sometimes I don't feel like I am improving at all! Everyone says after six months I will be speaking like a pro so I just have to be patient.  My companion is really cool though so that helps.

 It took so long because the road is all through mountains and it is really winding up and down and very slow! So, so, so, pretty though! Thanks for the prayers... I need to just chilax, I think. 

I love you mom! The mission work is tough but it sounds like you are working hard too! Keep on working hard! Don't worry about me I am doing good! I love it here! I wake up and see the ocean every day! It's pretty cool.  I don't have a lot of photos this week but I promise I will send some next week!

Okay cool! For Christmas, I wouldn't mind some chocolate and almonds!
Love,
Elder Guild

 

This was at the airport in Columbia. We were really tired... haha we had like two hours of sleep.  Sorry,  I don't have very many pictures.  I need to send more  and take more.  I will send more next week.  Love you guys... keep keeping the commandments and look for opportunities to share the gospel and just anything with the gospel is awesome and I promise you will feel God's love and more happiness and less STRESS!! :)

New in Esperalda-Oct 13

Sounds like the family is doing well! My companion is really cool! He is from here and speaks like no English at all! So speaking is a little hard but I am learning a lot and he is really good with being patient and everything.  I am pretty sure I will be his last companion before he goes home so that is kinda cool, I guess.  We are serving in Esmeralda! We actually just got here like an hour ago! We got stuck in Quito for the weekend because it is a holiday and there were no buses! So we went with a companionship there and it was pretty cool! It actually gets a little chilly in the evening and I need a sweatshirt but during the day it is perfect! I won't need one here in Esmeralda though! It is super hot and very humid! We are right next to the ocean! Oh, it's not normal for that many missionaries.  I'm actually missing the cold a little bit. 
Ya, a testimony is so crucial! It reminds me of that chapter in Alma I think it is 36 or 37 where it talks about gaining a testimony! You should read it it is great! Ya, I think our whole family could do a little better with really being member missionaries and ya, everyone has room to improve! I just read Ether 12 and Moroni 7 and they are super clutch! You guys should read them as a family! Also the testaments is a great movie!
The bus ride over here was like 8 hours! and it was mountains the whole way! so so so so so pretty! It was a jungle the whole time and I now know why they think our mountains are not a big deal at all! BTW, my companion's name is Elder Boutista! He is super cool and I am so so so grateful to have him as my companion!
I have been thinkng about my life lately and I am just so grateful for everything that we have and what I have grown up with.  Our family is truly blessed and it just blows my mind how Heavenly Father has truly poured out his blessing upon us!

love you mom

Elder Guild

Elder Guild has arrived in Ecuador

We wanted to let you know that we are delighted to have met and spent the last three days with Elder Guild.  We assure you that we will do everything possible to help him have a positive experience here in the Ecuador Quito North Mission

Elder Guild and President Brian and Hermana Susan Richardson

 
The theme of our mission is translated “The Center of the World; Centered on Christ,” and we have a wonderful group of 28 missionaries that arrived with him. 

He will be serving with one of our best trainers, Elder Bautista from Ecuador.   

We know you’re already planning on it, but we want to remind you to write your son a weekly letter.  His preparation day will be on Mondays.

Sincerely,

President Brian and Hermana Susan Richardson
Misión Ecuador, Quito Norte

4th week-Love CCM but ready to do it for real!

Oct 3, 2013
The temple was sweet! I will send you some pictures! It is hard to understand very much but I can pick out bits and pieces.  I can understand a ton more than the first time that we went to the temple so that is pretty sweet!  I love the temple! It is so peacful and the spirit there is so strong!

 (MEXICO CITY TEMPLE)
(from left to right:  Elder Kuhn, Elder Young, Hermana Henderson, Hermana Wright, Hermana Collier, Hermana Lindhart, Elder Bolton, Me, and Elder Brown)

 I can't believe that I am leaving this next week! The time has gone by so so so fast! I love the ccm but I am ready to get out and do it for real!

(Just a cool view of Mexico City!)

We had our last class yesterday and we combined with another district that our teachers teach.  We got a "referral" and had to prepare to teach people! The referral was for another companionship in the other district and we were told that they didn't really act happy and they didn't have much confidence and they didn't really teach from their heart! So Elder Bolton and I got ready and we pretty much gave them the bomb lesson.  It was actually perfect because I feel like we were kinda the same way when we started to teach and then we changed a lot of things about our teaching and our lessons went so much better! We pretty much just told them how we changed and testified to them, but it was sick.

(ELDER BOLTON AND ELDER GUILD)
(these are our tienda (store) ties! only 30 pesos)

So there are some elders here who are going to Pocatello, Idaho and Star Valley is in their mission so I told them that you guys would be glad to have them over for dinner if they are ever in town! They are all so awesome! A little immature but they are still good guys! hmm... make sure you are still reading your Book of Mormon everyday and having family home evening and everything! Also, I leave probably on Tuesday and I get to call home so if you want me to do that let me know everything and I will let you know the time!

 (STRIPLING WARRIORS AND THEIR MOM)

 (LEHI)

(MORMON &MORONI)?

Sounds like Jacob is doing awesome! You should get him an email so he can write me! I would love to hear from him!

I am really proud of Ammon.   I love him so much.  I think about him every day.

 (AMMON TEACHING KING LAMONI)

I am glad Shalee is doing good! She is awesome! I'm glad the family is supporting her.
I am so stoked for general conference! When you listen to it have something to write with and a lot of people take like really detailed notes about the talks but instead of doing that listen closely not only to the speaker but to the spirit and write down what the spirit is telling you and how the docrine and principles in the talks are meant specifically for you! You might not have as much written down but you will learn a ton more! I have more pics.   I will send them and I will label them this time!

 (TEANCUM)

(OUR TEANCUM)

love ya,

Elder Guild

3rd week-So good looking!

September 19, 2013

I am doing really well this week! I am starting to really like the ccm! It is pretty legit!  We went to the temple today and that is always a good experience!

So we were playing a game in class to learn Spanish and we were all sitting in a circle and we had to ask someone next to us a questino in Spanish and then the person they asked had to ask someone else a question and if you paused or stuttered then you were out so it was pretty hard and you didn't really know what you were asking because you had to just say the first thing that came to your head! Well, this Hermana was sitting next to me and she turned to me to ask me a question and said "por que usted muy guapo?!" haha.. that means why are you so good looking! She was really embarrassed but it was really funny!

Is it the same heart thing for grandma that happened to her when i was wrestling at Evanston my senoir year? I'm glad she is doing okay, though.  You should tell her to use dearelder.com  or someone should because everyone in my district is getting letters and packages except for me! I just want one! :) I am so jeolous Jacob gets to shoot archery! and I am glad he is having fun!

I think that the vision thing is a good idea! people work a lot harder when they have purpose.  haha.. and sounds like you are busy! make sure to save time for spiritual stuff everyday though!

Please send me some pics from home! Just on email is fine but I definitely want some pictures in the mail! Tell grandma to write me! love you! Oh and I guess there is a hurricane somewhere by here so that is awesome! It rains like non stop so no biggie! love you all! Keep me updated and please keep writing! i would love something in the mail! did you get my letter yet?



Do you guys want me to send letters home? I will if you want.  I need some stamps though.  And I guess in the airport when we leave we can call home so be ready for that! I think I leave on the 8th of October!

here is the address for the mtc here

Carr. Tenayuca-Chalmita No. 828,
Col. Zona Escolar, Deleg.  G.A. Madero,
C.P. 07230, Mexico, D.F.;MExico

love you!

Elder Guild

Games on Pday

2nd week-Zone pictures

Sept 12, 2013
Hey Mom!

ya, I am doing a lot better this week. The Spanish is coming a long well.  I think about Ammon a lot and he has so much potential it's crazy!    Its good to know that Shalee is doing well in the high school life.  I am so  happy to hear Jacob is loving football! He is actually a way good throw and I know he doesn't want to be quarter back but he would do a pretty good job at it.  I know that! It's good to hear you are working out! I have not really done our workouts this week because we have not had enough time which makes me a little sad!

I sent you a letter last week so hopefully you will get that soon.  I don't know the address off the top of my head.  We really haven't seen much. We went to the temple last week and that is about all we have really seen.

We are really in our own little world here at the MTC.

I just saw Conner Robinson yesterday and I have seen DJ Simms a few times.  Ashley Hall just left and I got a picture with her before.  Also there is this kid I know from college that I just saw this morning at breakfast! The food here is awesome! I love the fruit and they always have salsa! The one day they had salsa that tasted the exact same as the kind we make except for it was a lot hotter!

This week has been really good! the spirit is so strong all the time and the Spanish is still coming. Sometimes I feel like I won't ever get it but everyday I get a little better.


I keep on forgetting to tell you stuff but there is this website called dearelder.com or something like that and i can get letters in like a day if you use it! Look it up! Send me one! Tell grandma and grandpa to use it! I would love to hear from them!


I will have more picture next week! It has been really fun! and when you send me a package remember to include some pictures! Like our family ones and and some others ones. Maybe of my car and some photos of Star Valley so i can show my companions.  I guess it takes 2 and a half weeks for letters to get here so ya... thanks i love you!

love ya mom!

Elder Guild

 Warrior Time!

 Our Zone

1st week! Huh?

Sept 5, 2013

holy! Dad didn't go hunting! I am so very disappointed in him! I would love to be hunting right now except for I love it here so very much! It is kinda crazy the first day felt like it was about five weeks long and I was like crap it is going to be a long stay here in the MTC but it is starting to go a lot faster.  We have one teacher and he is from Preston, Idaho and he just got off his mission less than a year ago! He is was awesome though! Hermano Wolfe is his name! The first day I just sat in my seat and stared at him because I had no idea what he was saying! But it has only been a week and I can understand a few words he says and at least kinda get an idea of what he wants me to do! On the third day here we  had to teach an investigator!Iit was totally nuts!

My companion is named elder Bolton and he is from Ceder City, just graduated high school and he took three years of German! So he knows even less than me!

(our new haircuts last week! I didn't know enough Spanish to actually tell them how I wanted it but it didn't turn out too bad huh? what do you think?)

But believe it or not I did pretty good talking to our investigator and the spirit was there and I felt like I had just conquered the world after!  Then the next day we had to teach her again and it all was horrible and the spirit was not there and I felt like crap! It is so frustrating sometimes trying to teach someone and just sitting there because you can't think of the words in Spanish and can't really understand what they are saying!  But I am learning and I can say a prayer, bear my testimony great sometimes and that is about it.  I can understand most stuff if they talk slow but only key words. I'm glad I have five more weeks!  It's a little frustrating having a companion so young.  He doesn't really seem sure of himself. I think part of it is because most people already know at least a little Spanish and he knows none! But he works hard and he is easy to get a long with so it will turn out okay.  haha so I make him do the workouts with me that Blake gave us and he can't even do like five pull ups but he will get there! He probably hates me! The food here is awesome! The fruit is way good! I swear they put sugar on it! Sounds like Zack and Hyrum are doing pretty good!   If you could maybe send me some envelopes and some stamps that would be awesome! hmm.. oh and I need a charger for my camera! Just one that plugs into the wall and has a usb thing on it.  I have a cord that will fit on it. an iphone one will work.  We went to the temple today and it was awesome! It is soo pretty! maybe in a week when I remember to bring my cord I will send you some pictures! anyways, thanks! I love you all! Pass this email to whoever! and edit it if you want. 


The other day we taught our fourth lesson to our investigator and it was sooo horrible.  The spirit was not there and I felt like I couldn't speak the whole time and my companion is a little young and a little not too confident so it was tough.  I felt like it is my responsibility to make the lesson good and kinda lead everything and I just feel like I failed and it was tough.  I felt so bad all day and I couldn't shake it.  I needed one of dads pep talks! I sure do miss you guys but being here is awesome! I know I am doing the right thing and am in the right place.  I will send you a letter so you know my mtc address. I really can't wait to get out of here so I can actually start loving the people of Ecuador and teach some actually real lessons.  idk if i am too hard on myself but that lesson really did me over.  I know I am just learning but i feel like I not only failed myself but my companion, my heavenly father, you guys and myself.  I feel like I don't know the gospel as well as I should and there is just soo much that I have to learn and it seems like there is never enough time to study enough.  I hope you guys are making goals and reading the scriptures and loving people working to become like Christ! I think that is one thing our family needs to work on is loving other people and really being more in tuned with the spirit! Next week it would be awesome if everyone were to like send me some goals that they were working towards! You can get so much more done if you are have a purpose and a vision!

love you guys, miss ya
Elder Guild