Effective February 15, Missionaries can now message, chat, video chat, call, etc their families. It needs to be initiated by the missionary and only on their P-Days (preparation days). I'm sure that will be fabulous for missionaries with smartphones. Most missions now have smartphones because so many of the people they are working with communicate that way. Not so much in Guatemala. Steven did set up a chat group with immediate family members. I happened to catch him on there. However, since he doesn't even have a computer with a camera/microphone, I'm not sure it will be much different. We shall see. After the talk about the chat group creation, this is his message.
I don´t have much time today, so I'll just answer your question, which is actually something I wanted to share with you guys.
Elder Christofferson's visit was a great experience. He didn´t say anything super incredible or anything like that, but I was very impressed by the spirit that he brought, which I feel like is a result of his humility, and possibly his calling aswell. I am sure that if we want to become more like Christ we will be blessed if we use our church leaders as examples to follow. Always keeping in mind that they aren't perfect either of course!😀 That is something that I am trying to put in practice, cause I know it will help me a lot.
Anyway, I love you all, keep being awesome. Also if you have any questions feel free to ask me at any point in the week so that you don´t forget when Pday get´s here. and I will write when I can.
anyway
I love you all.
keep being awesome.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
13 February 2019
He asked me if I had noticed any blessings we have had that has resulted from his missionary service. I gave him a list.
That is really cool. it might be a good idea to keep looking for those blessings, I've noticed that when we strive to look for the blessings that we receive, it makes us even more grateful for them.
I was pretty sad that President and Sister Goodman had to go home early. They are really good people, and I am going to miss them. But at the same time, I know that it is the Lord's will. I know they will be blessed. I also know that the new mission president is called by revelation, and the Lord's work will continue just as it always has.
They had to go home because Sister Goodman was diagnosed with breast cancer, and had to go home to receive treatment, which I´d imagine is going to be quite dificult for them.
You might also like to know that I was transferred yesterday, my new companion is Elder Sanchez, from Nicaragua. He's, a pretty funny guy.
Tomorrow we are going to have a multi-mission conference with D Todd Christofferson, so I'm pretty excited to get to meet and be tought by an aposle, it's going to be awesome.
Anyway, I love you, keep being awesome.
That is really cool. it might be a good idea to keep looking for those blessings, I've noticed that when we strive to look for the blessings that we receive, it makes us even more grateful for them.
I was pretty sad that President and Sister Goodman had to go home early. They are really good people, and I am going to miss them. But at the same time, I know that it is the Lord's will. I know they will be blessed. I also know that the new mission president is called by revelation, and the Lord's work will continue just as it always has.
They had to go home because Sister Goodman was diagnosed with breast cancer, and had to go home to receive treatment, which I´d imagine is going to be quite dificult for them.
You might also like to know that I was transferred yesterday, my new companion is Elder Sanchez, from Nicaragua. He's, a pretty funny guy.
Tomorrow we are going to have a multi-mission conference with D Todd Christofferson, so I'm pretty excited to get to meet and be tought by an aposle, it's going to be awesome.
Anyway, I love you, keep being awesome.
Saturday, February 9, 2019
From the Mission President
2/9/2019
Dear Parents of Missionaries
With a mixture of emotions we inform you that due to a new cancer diagnosis of Sister Goodman, we are going to be finishing our mission a little early so that she can receive treatment at home in California. The prognosis is positive, but the treatment will last a few months. Due to this, an interim Mission President and Wife have been called and will arrive to the mission on Monday, February 11. They are President and Sister Carlos Arredondo from Guatemala, and have served before as Mission President and Wife in Nicaragua, and he currently serves as an Area 70. They are going to serve for approximately 2 months until the new Mission President and Wife, President and Sister Parker, arrive on the 1st of April.
Sister Goodman and I were able to meet with all the missionaries to say goodbye. It was a very nice experience and we could feel their support, love, and excitement to continue focused on the missionary work. We feel that the mission is going to continue without interruption. It has been a great honor to work with your sons and daughters during this time, and we are always going to keep them in our hearts. We love and appreciate all their dedication.
So we say goodbye to our beloved mission Guatemala, Retalhuleu.
President and Sister Matthew M. Goodman
Dear Parents of Missionaries
With a mixture of emotions we inform you that due to a new cancer diagnosis of Sister Goodman, we are going to be finishing our mission a little early so that she can receive treatment at home in California. The prognosis is positive, but the treatment will last a few months. Due to this, an interim Mission President and Wife have been called and will arrive to the mission on Monday, February 11. They are President and Sister Carlos Arredondo from Guatemala, and have served before as Mission President and Wife in Nicaragua, and he currently serves as an Area 70. They are going to serve for approximately 2 months until the new Mission President and Wife, President and Sister Parker, arrive on the 1st of April.
Sister Goodman and I were able to meet with all the missionaries to say goodbye. It was a very nice experience and we could feel their support, love, and excitement to continue focused on the missionary work. We feel that the mission is going to continue without interruption. It has been a great honor to work with your sons and daughters during this time, and we are always going to keep them in our hearts. We love and appreciate all their dedication.
So we say goodbye to our beloved mission Guatemala, Retalhuleu.
President and Sister Matthew M. Goodman
 |
| "Our final mission conference on February 8, 2019. How we love our missionaries and how we will miss them! They are wonderful disciples of Christ. This farewell was so tender and so very special for us. We shall never forget this day." |
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
6 February 2019
We did have an earthquake. It lasted about less than 10 seconds. My companion and I were in the apartment, which is on the third floor so you can imagine how much it shook! But it was pretty fun for me, just sitting there as the house rocked back and forth and back and forth. Hahaha but no damage was done.
It may also interest you to know that I am now learning how to play the flute! There was a funny old man who makes wooden flutes selling them on the street one day. I guess he was having a hard time selling it, so he let me play with it a little bit. Then he said "buy it from me for 25 quetzales (more or less 3 dollars)! By that time he had got me to want to learn the flute cause it wasn´t that hard. But all I had on me was 10 quetzales. So I said " if I had 25 I´d buy it, but all I have is 10," and he said "15 then!" to which I replied, "I only have 10." Then he got mad and said "This flute is worth more than 10" and stormed off... Then after 6 minutes or so he returned to were my companion and I were standing and told me "take, it" so I gave him the 10 quetzales and now I have a nice little wooden flute, which I believe is in the key of c.
I did feel bad paying that little for it, but it really was all I had on me at the time.
I love you, keep being awesome.
It may also interest you to know that I am now learning how to play the flute! There was a funny old man who makes wooden flutes selling them on the street one day. I guess he was having a hard time selling it, so he let me play with it a little bit. Then he said "buy it from me for 25 quetzales (more or less 3 dollars)! By that time he had got me to want to learn the flute cause it wasn´t that hard. But all I had on me was 10 quetzales. So I said " if I had 25 I´d buy it, but all I have is 10," and he said "15 then!" to which I replied, "I only have 10." Then he got mad and said "This flute is worth more than 10" and stormed off... Then after 6 minutes or so he returned to were my companion and I were standing and told me "take, it" so I gave him the 10 quetzales and now I have a nice little wooden flute, which I believe is in the key of c.
I did feel bad paying that little for it, but it really was all I had on me at the time.
I love you, keep being awesome.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
30 January 2019
Hell, everyone, I hope you're doing well,
Life is pretty good here.
The other day I met an oldish guy, who was pretty funny. He is from Honduras, lived more than 10 years in the United States, and somehow ended up in Guatemala. His name is Oscar. He was telling us about his religious view, about how he believed in God, but didn´t know which of the many religions is the true church, or if there even is a true church. Then he mentioned that when he was young he attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints cause his girlfriend was a member of the church. and while he talked we were thinking "oh my goodness, this guy is for sure going to get baptized!" But then he said, "But anyway, this Friday I'm going to immigrate to the United States, and I'm never coming back!"
But anyway, I still hope he will get baptized. I don´t know how or where, but I sure hope it happens.
Anyway, I love you all very much,
Keep Being Awesome.
Life is pretty good here.
The other day I met an oldish guy, who was pretty funny. He is from Honduras, lived more than 10 years in the United States, and somehow ended up in Guatemala. His name is Oscar. He was telling us about his religious view, about how he believed in God, but didn´t know which of the many religions is the true church, or if there even is a true church. Then he mentioned that when he was young he attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints cause his girlfriend was a member of the church. and while he talked we were thinking "oh my goodness, this guy is for sure going to get baptized!" But then he said, "But anyway, this Friday I'm going to immigrate to the United States, and I'm never coming back!"
But anyway, I still hope he will get baptized. I don´t know how or where, but I sure hope it happens.
Anyway, I love you all very much,
Keep Being Awesome.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
23 January 2019
I love you all, very much! have a good week!
(sorry I just got an email from the Everett Mission asking for referrals, and I got a little carried away. jaja)
keep being awesome
(sorry I just got an email from the Everett Mission asking for referrals, and I got a little carried away. jaja)
keep being awesome
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
16 January 2018
I hope everyone is feeling better now.
We had the baptismal service last Saturday, and it turned out really well, there were even a few non-members who showed up, and now we are teaching a few of them, so hopefully, they will get baptized soon as well!
I am honestly really enjoying being a missionary, it´s pretty fun. So much so that I want to keep doing it after I finish the mission. So just so you all know, if the day ever comes in which I slow down, and stop giving referrals to the missionaries, and going out to visit with them, you can feel free to give me a good hard Gibbs slap.
Speaking of which, how are you guys doing with the Elder Johnson challenge? You know, the one where everyone gets to give a referral to the missionaries and be present in the lessons with them?
I love you all very much, keep being awesome.
We had the baptismal service last Saturday, and it turned out really well, there were even a few non-members who showed up, and now we are teaching a few of them, so hopefully, they will get baptized soon as well!
I am honestly really enjoying being a missionary, it´s pretty fun. So much so that I want to keep doing it after I finish the mission. So just so you all know, if the day ever comes in which I slow down, and stop giving referrals to the missionaries, and going out to visit with them, you can feel free to give me a good hard Gibbs slap.
Speaking of which, how are you guys doing with the Elder Johnson challenge? You know, the one where everyone gets to give a referral to the missionaries and be present in the lessons with them?
I love you all very much, keep being awesome.
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