Week 9: Maybe it’s cause I’m a missionary now and I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a normal person.

Well Navidad was lit. LITerally. Lol. In Guatemala everyone buys fireworks and lights them off at midnight. Like everyone. We set an alarm for five minutes before 12 but somehow we slept through it. There’s no way we could’ve slept through the show tho. It was insane. I thought we were getting bombed or something. We tried to get on our roof and watch but it was locked so we missed the climax but we just went in front of our house and it was still way cool. Our casa’s on a hill and the other side of the city is on a hill too so we had like a super good spot. It wouldve been perfect if we could go on the roof. We’re gonna ask our landlord to unlock it for new years cuz new years is even crazier.

We woke up and ran cuz my comps insane but Ive never seen so much trash in the street. Guatemala usually has tons of trash in the street but Navidad was worse. Then we went and had breakfast with the senior missionaries who are the biggest homies. Then we had lunch with a member which by then the holiday was kinda over. They really only celebrate on christmas eve and at midnight on Christmas. Apparently they also do tons of fireworks at noon on Christmas day, which makes no sense cuz you cant see them, but it was terrifying. Sounded like we were in a war zone.

The rest of the day wasn’t anything too fancy. It didnt really feel like Christmas at all except for when I opened my presents. That was lit. Even though can’t use a few of them, it was the thought that counted. Like the nativity scene was awesome but it’s probably gonna be hard to keep it in tact in my suitcase while traveling around Guatemala for the next year. I’ll do my best though. The slingshot, though very sick, is most definitely against the rules. The saddest one has to be the music. That was awesome. Exactly what I wanted and asked for (My mom hooked it up with an mp3 player with tons of piano songs and dope soundtracks). Too bad all the rules changed once I got here. Esta bien tho. I got tons of candy, like TONS of candy. Mi madre also sent me a little keyboard thingy that I can type stuff and send to a computer sooo thats what I’m using rn to type this. Its pretty litty. Def gonna save me a lot of time on pday. The best of all was the picture book and notes. I didnt bring like any pictures and everyone shows everyone pictures of their friends and family so it will be nice to finally be able to tambien. I almost cried when I saw the picture of goldie on the front. Vry cute. And letters are always nice to have, so that was cool..

So yesterday I had my last three hour church I’m not really nostalgic about it tbh. I just wonder how many people are actually gonna do what they’ve been asked to do. I think it’s a really good change. Personal study is my fav part of the day and I think it will be good for families to do it together. I think that it will def boost church activity for a few weeks haha even though thats not the point. I think this is meant to strengthen the people that are already strong. Just like how it’s hard for out of shape people to work out but body builders crave it. Before the mish i didn’t really care about inactives but now that I’m working with them it’s one of the most frustrating things. It’s even more frustrating in the states because everyone (at least everyone I know) isn’t a recent convert. I really like the parable of the sower and I know people that fit every description. I’ve come to realize that keeping a strong testimony is only accomplished by reading the Book of Mormon. Go figure. The prophet hasn’t ever said that. It’s true tho. Every single one of the nonactive members when we ask if they read the bom they say no and a lot of them haven’t even gotten out of first nephi. How do you believe in something you don’t know about?. It’s possible to keep a strong testimony without reading but I know its impossible to lose your testimony if you’re studying the scriptures everyday. Even if it’s every few days, the scriptures are the key. Idk maybe it’s cause I’m a missionary now and I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a normal person.

Anywayyyyy today is new years eve and we had a pretty good way to celebrate it. Today was our actividad de zona and I think we have one every 6 weeks. We left at 8 and took a bus to another area and went to the Guatemala Olympic training center. Its not as cool as it sounds haha. It’s in Guatemala so obviously it’s not the best quality but we played volleyball with everyone in our zone for like 3 hours. Then we went bowling and there was other zones doing their activity and so it was cool to meet up with them. Afterwards we went and ate at a restaurant. Thats about as crazy as it gets on the mish, but it was fun. We’re definitely gonna get on the roof tonight.

Well happy new year. Hopefully your resolutions last longer than a few days.

-Elder Severe

(btw nobody can pronounce my name here. Even when I say it in spanish, say-vay-ray, the can’t say it. Then I say like chevere which means hotdog and then they can magically say it but then they call me Elder Chevere and quiero matarme)