So I got sick on my third day here. Go figure right. Also to reiterate, these computers are dang hard to type with. Anyway, this past week has been crazy! But like crazy awesome! So our flight to the CCM was delayed by about two hours and then there was a lady with difficulties so we had to make an emercency landing in Mexico City for like another 2 hours. I could feel Zachy Snyder's presence there though. Guatemala is super cool. Actually it doesnt even feel like another country to be honest. If I dont think about it I can literally believe that I am still in LA. It is humid like everyday but not unbearably so. the weather is actually really nice. not capitalizing any more cuz it takes too long. so we showed up late to the ccm on Wednesday and just hopped right into things with little instruction really. after my email home i got all my hair cut off like ten minutes later. i was real sad about it. brianna is a liar because she told me my hair wasnt too long. they straight buzzed me down too. now im not beautiful. or at least i watched my chance to be beautiful as it fell amongst the hair of 30 other missionaries. anyway. i dont remember much of what went on Wednesday cuz it was nuts. Thursday was pretty great as well, our first full day. my teachers are hermana cuque en la mañana and hermano bahan en la tarde. they are both so enthusiastic, loving, and helpful. our district is super cool and we are all progressing really quickly. i can already recite the missionary purpose, baptismal invitation, and first vision in spanish. its crazy. deportes (sports) is fun but our only options really are to play basketball and volleyball, the two sports that i really am not profficient at. but its a good time. so Saturday i woke up with a slight tickle in my throat which turned into a full blown cold by that night. Sunday was really tough. i went from having a terrible sore throat to a massive headache and then to having a fever. all day yesterday my nose was runnin and whatevs but today i am much better. even though Sunday was extremely miserable and difficult, it was a really great day. we had nothing but lessons and devotionals all day. the best was our devotional from president cox. he taught about the mission and how capable we all are. it was so spiritual and inspiring to be in there. Tonight we get to hear from a general authority too! itll be sweet. so my companion is elder ostler. he just graduated this year and is from washington. he and elder macfarland (our district leader) are probably the two best spanish speakers out of all the new nortes so its great having him as my companion. we really work well together. our experiences totally help each other with any issues that have come up. and whenever he needs to know something in spanish im able to help and vice versa. so i have only met one latino that is also twenty and another latino that is 21 so im pretty much the oldest one here. most of the time it doesnt really make a difference but every once in a while i realize just how young these other missionaries are. im trying not to sound self righteous when i tell people about my experiences at byu because i really wanna help them learn something through what ive done and i know that i can even learn from their own distinct experiences. we all come from various places (well mostly utah) and we are able to use tht to help each other. this morning we got to go to the temple and president cox was uh the guy in charge. i cant think of what thats called at the moment sorry (maybe fix that). it was super cool though. i really love goin to the temple. i think there is such a different spirit to be felt and so much more to be gained when youre doing work for another person. i forgot to bring in the names that mother gave me but i have 5 more weeks to do that. and time in the field too.
so spanish is super fun! you should all learn it! its great being able to talk to someone in another language and know that what you said made sense. its awesome. we have an investigator (its our teacher acting as an actual investigator he had) and we have so far taught three lessons. the first was a little rough because we are dumb and didnt know spanish. the second was great and i even invited him to be baptized and he said yes! and yesterday went well too but we are starting to have a few concerns about him and need to work on a few things in our teaching and language. but those things will come im sure. the food here is super good too. almost always. the breakfasts sometimes are a little too fake for me. ive never been much of a breakfast guy anyway. sorry this email is so long and random but im just trying to think of all the things i wanna tell you guys! i'll try to have a plan for next week. well im not out of time but i do wanna email some people personally ya feel? so i will talk to you all again soon! pray! read the scriptures! go to the temple! go on a mission! get married in the temple! all these good things! Les quiero mucho! Nos vemos!
-Elder Abilez
Added in a follow-up email:
the ccm doesnt allow us to have our cameras because sometimes missionaries can be dumb. so no pictures for 6 weeks! but i promise to take pictures when i can in the field. So from the airport we all piled (there were like 40 missionaries on my flight to guatemala, totally cool) onto two buses with all our stuff packed in the back. the airport is only like 15 minutes away from the ccm so it wasnt bad at all. if youre wondering how sketchy guatemala is its not that bad. not anything worse than LA. the traffic here is a little questionable but thats not anything new. the temple is literally right next to the ccm (well the other side of like a gas station) so thats super nice to be able to see the temple almost all the time. there is also this bar on the other side of the ccm that plays loud music at night. sometimes i listen in in my room shhhhh....but who can resist stealing a quick listen from enrique iglesias am i right? Oh and in case you havent noticed my p day will be on tuesday. so everyone be on their computers at this time if you wanna talk to me! but also realize i dont have much time anyway so just do whatever you want. except drugs. dont do drugs. do only those things which are pleasing to the Lord.
And his testimony:
Yo se que Jesucristo es el Salvador. Yo se que el Libro de Mormón es verdadero y inspirado. Podemos orar a Dios por ayuda y fortaleza. Dios nos ama mucho y quiere que podemos regresar a vivir con El y Su Hijo. La Expiación de Jesucristo es más importante. La quiero la iglesia y el Evangelio. Yo se todas estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.
(Its annoying because i cant make an e with an accent but i can make all other things. these keyboards are whack)
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