HI EVERYONE!

Hey everyone,

Things down here are very hot just like usual. We have had a good week for the most part as a companionship. This week we contacted 612, which is the highest we have had, so we felt really good about that. Other than that this week has been pretty boring here in La Noria. Since this week was boring there may not be a lot to tell so this email may be short. 

We had 0 investigators in church this week which was hard on both me and Elder Diaz. Elder Diaz actually started to cry because he has been out 1 year and that has never happened to him. It just shows how hard of an area La Noria really is! Also to show how hard it is, we were looking at recent converts for the total zone and our area only has had 7 in the last year and everywhere else has had 20-40, so our area seems to be one of the hardest in the zone.

Since we haven't had any luck with our investigators, we have been working a lot with Inactive and we are actually seeing results. Last week we had 2 inactive people at church when they hadn't been for awhile so that makes me feel good, like we are helping. Also we talked to a guy named Ceraco who hasn't wanted anything to do with the church and he said he would like to start listening to lessons again and start going to church again. It is such a great blessing in the mission. Also, there is a young man named Otto who was baptized and was good for a bit then stopped coming to church and became inactive, but we have been teaching him and he has been doing great, listening, and keeping commitments. It is so awesome!

Also I want to tell about another area called La Nueva and the miracle there. They are in a district by the way. Well they had a baptism interview which Elder Diaz did and at the end found out she wasn't married to the guy she was going to have the baby with and was living with. So Elder Diaz said the baptism can't happen. Then Elder Cox and Marte started thinking and realized if they get married she can be baptized. So they called up the man and said she can be baptized but we need your help and the man said how. They said, we need you to get married and he just said okay, lets do it! So they planned it all for the next week and he moved into a different house and they were able to baptize her and get it all worked out and they get married this week! ITS A MIRACLE FOR THEM!

Also, we have been fasting every week to try and get people to keep commitments and to fast, so remember to keep us in your prayers and I love you all and thanks for your examples!

Love,

Elder Hummel

The pictures are: in my EA LAVALAVA, before and after hair cut,  a yellow lime, some food (and yes I cooked that rice myself!), an awesome stereo that looks like a car.

Love you all and thank you for everything!

Tay in his lavalava

In need of a haircut!

After his haircut

A yellow lime

Rice dinner he made himself

A new car stereo

ANOTHER WEEK BITES THE DUST!

Hey everyone,

How are things going in the Land of the Free? Things are going good down here but we still don't have any luck with investigators coming to church. Last week we had 1 so that was depressing. I have gotten use to it though, so we will have to work harder every day. I have a goal by the end of the month I want to have 10 coming every week. We had Divisions this week I was with Elder Cox but I will tell more about that later. 

Do you guys remember about the 12 year old boy I told you guys about named Brian, who is "pilas", that is like cool just so you know. He is great! We visited with him and he said he wants to be baptized but his parents do not like the church (even though the mom is a member), and it is frustrating. All I think about is Dad, because I imagine it would have been the same if Dad was younger when he found the church. He didn't even come to church on Sunday because his family wouldn't let him, so that makes things hard.

For the new year I started thinking a lot about goals and what can help me. So one of my goals is every change...every 6 weeks...I am going to read the Book of Mormon just so everyone knows. If you all want to do it with me that would be fantastic. You read the intro with the testimony of the 3 and 8 one day, then Joseph Smith and explanation of Book of Mormon another day, then it is 6 chapters a day. So that will be hard and a lot of reading but I think it will help me out so much! I have been challenging people to read the Book of Mormon and I haven't read the whole thing through in so long that I figured I better so that is how I will do it. Also, I am going to try to be more organized with my contacts and everything so I am way excited! We have been doing great contacting. Sunday we contacted 168 people and I got 85 so I was pretty happy that day.

We have been working hard talking with members trying to get new investigators and that has been hard because everyone says they don't have anyone we can talk to. I challenge every person who reads this to give the missionaries one person -- a friend, family member, someone -- because it helps a lot and is a huge blessing. I promise, as a servant of God, that you will receive so many blessings and feel happy for bringing someone to Christ.

My Spanish is slowly getting better. I gave a lesson on my own the other day at a Family Night and it seemed to go pretty well so I hope that means I am improving. Also I have been talking a lot more in lessons so I feel like I am really improving. I know it is hard and will keep getting hard but I know if I pray and ask for help I will receive it and many more blessings. I know you get tested and tried before you receive your blessings so I will keep working and waiting for those blessings. 

So people told me when I came to my area that it was a hard area and they were right! I was looking at records of recent converts over the past like year. We only have 8 of them and of those 8 only 3-4 come to church. We will have to work on that and get more baptisms. Please pray for me, I need all the help I can get.

We got to go on divisions this week. I was with Elder Cox. He and I stayed in La Noria, so it was cool to be the one who had to run the area and decide when and where we went. It was great to talk to him because he knows how difficult it is to learn the language and all. He has only been out 6 months and he is awesome! He is from Pleasant Grove, Utah, so we had a connection there, too. I am glad I got to do it and learn from others.

Also Sunday was fast Sunday and that is the hardest day of the month because we start fasting at 12 noon on Saturday and walk all day with no food or water, so I struggled. I mean I love food and water haha! Also I got up and bore my testimony in Spanish so that was such a cool experience and people seemed surprised I did it with how little Spanish I know!

I love you all and I want to thank you for all the prayers, emails, and blessings you have sent my way and I am sending them home too so I hope you all feel my love and know I am thinking of you!

Love you all!

Love,

Elder Hummel

P.S. The pics this week. We have some of the house; a pizza place that was delicious; one of me; one of me with Elder Diaz and Elder Hunt, because Elder Hunt trained Elder Diaz and Elder Diaz is training me so that is cool; also there are pictures of me and Elder Cox.

Bring on the Pizza!

Yummm! It looks like he has investigated the best pizza shop around!

One happy Elder!

  

Elder Cox (from Pleasant Grove, Utah) and Elder Hummel

Elder Cox, Tay's companion for a day

"Home Sweet Home"

Their beds look tiny! How does he fit in this bed?!
Glad to see them using their mosquito nets though!

Kitchen and study area

Bathroom

Elder Hunt, Elder Hummel and Elder Diaz

His six-week Book of Mormon reading schedule

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hey Everyone,

Christmas down here as you would imagine is different. They had a lot of fireworks and it was like the 4th of July, so I am wondering how big of a celebration it will be for New Years haha. Thank you everyone for writing me. I love having emails and seeing what is going on and also I love pictures so send more of those, even just random ones! 

This Sunday was a little disappointing because we had invited 33 people to church and they had all promised to come but we only had 4 there. One of the investigators there though was a little boy who is only like 12 and he walked 20 minutes just to come to church! His name is Bryan and he is a stud! Also some of you asked about Elder Nix. He was probably my best friend I had out here. But it's okay, things will get better and I will just have to work harder to find his people too.

Thank you everyone for the gifts and all the fun stuff that was sent. I have almost eaten all the candy already. Some I am saving for a day when I feel like I need it! I am sorry it is so expensive to send boxes down here. Mom and Bree you both should talk and maybe send the packages together to save some money...I think it would save some but I don't know. Christmas was good! We got to call home, then we went and ate at some members houses. One house is a member named Geronimo and they fed us tamales. I am sending pictures of those. Then as soon as we got done there, we went and ate at the Stake President's house, President Perdido. They fed us soup with chicken and I, being the lucky guy I am, got the chicken foot. YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT...THE FOOT! ha It was an interesting experience.

Also a little annoying this week was we had set up 8 baptisms and the people needed to come to church because they have to come for 3 weeks before they can be baptized. Not a single one came so it kind of bugged and ruined the day. We didn't really have that great of a Sunday because of that, but we are starting over and trying to get people to come to church so they can be baptized. They said my area is hard because no one wants to come to church and now I know what they mean. But I will just have to work even harder to get them to come.

Yesterday marked my 2-month mark in the mission. It is kinda weird to think I have been gone that long. I still remember the day I left and all that. I feel like it was just yesterday. Now I know what they mean when they say time flies. I still feel like I am never going to be able to learn Spanish though, but I will just have to work harder and keep my head up. Oh yeah, and you all better be praying for me!

We have been eating at President Perdido's house a lot lately, and it is really good, so we haven't been having to eat only ramen haha. Also I found out it is good to make a PB&J on tortillas, just so you all know. Also I tried star fruit the other day. It was amazing! I loved it. Also I ate a yellow lime...no it was not a lemon. The yellow lime is really sweet and delicious, I actually loved it.

Another cool thing was we had a zone P-day together where all the zone got together and we played soccer and watched "The Testaments". It was so great! Also yesterday I got to give Elder Diaz a blessing of comfort and it was so cool to feel the Spirit as I gave it.

I want to thank everyone for the wonderful examples they have been in my life and for all the things that have been done for me. I honestly could not have made it out here without you all!

Love you all!

Love,

Elder Hummel

PS: the pictures are of the house, Christmas tree, the area in front of the house, how I clean my garments, the road we walk down to go to other towns and hitchhike on, a drawn out map of our towns in our area, our desk, my foot, the jammies Bree sent me, tamales, our shower and just a cool picture I saw haha. Love you all!

"Home Away From Home"

We assume this is a pic of the back of his house

Christmas Decorations!

These five pictures are all of the area around his house

And this is his washing machine!

This must be the "spin cycle"!

And this is the "clothes dryer"!
(Judging from this photo, we're a bit concerned about his washing technique!)

The long road they walk on to get to other towns.
They have found hitchhiking gets them there faster!

A drawn out map of his area.  As you can see, it is a long
walk to get anywhere!
(No wonder he has lost 20 lbs!)

Desk and study area

A result of all the walking . . . a blister, within a blister, within a blister!

Christmas jammies from Bree! Ninja Turtles . . . YES!

Tamales 

Where he takes his nice "cold" showers!

Christmas gift he received from a member

"The Armor of God"

CHRISTMAS DAY!

We had a wonderful visit with Elder Hummel on Christmas Day!  We are so grateful for the technology we have today that allowed us to be able to Skype with him.  We put him on our TV so all of us could see him as we talked.  For the family members that weren't able to be here we used Facetime on our phones so they could be included.  It worked out great!  He sounded so happy and he looked so good!  He's still worried about his Spanish, but says he's working hard on it. The Spanish speakers in our family say he's doing amazing with the language.  He's looking thinner -- has already lost about 20 pounds in the two weeks he's been in the field!  The only problem was just how fast that 40 minutes went, but we will gladly take what we can get!  Best Christmas present ever!

"WE WALK AND WALK AND WALK...FAST!"

Hey everyone!

How are things going on the home front? Things here have been busy as normal haha but what can I expect when i am hastening the work? I have had a little but of a difficult time this week. First our baptism didn't work out so that sucked and I have been just thinking about home a lot, but I know this is where I am suppose to be. Also we had invited and confirmed 21 people coming to church Sunday and we had a total of 1 so that really sucked, but it's okay. 

So our area is pretty big in my mind. We were in a town called Champas and had to walk back to La Noria...I found out it takes an hour and a half walking straight, non-stop, to get there and it was hot like normal...now i see why they say this is the area where people lose the most weight because it is hot and you walk all day every day. Also I have become an expert at hitchhiking, so that is fun. We just get the car to pull over, climb in and contact the person while we drive so it is an interesting thing. I was a little sketched out the first time but it worked out great. Also I did not know I was physically able to move as fast as I am and still be technically walking! So it is pretty impressive.

Yesterday I had splits and went out with an Elder Hunt from Georgia. It was awesome to have an American companion for a bit. I didn't realize how much I missed white people haha. The lessons were great. We met this guy who looks and acted like Mr. Miyagi. Everyone calls him Hermano Maestro. He is so nice and cool. Also I have started eating things I didn't think I would. The other day I pulled a star fruit off a tree and started eating it, it was so good! Also I have been eating oranges and green melons, they were just so good. 

Another thing that was hard this week for me is my good friend in the mission, Elder Nix, had to go home and won't be coming back out, so that really put a damper on my day but I am going to stay in contact with him and hang out when I get home. He is from Fruita, Colorado so I am not too far away from him. Also we haven't had a lot of luck with our investigators keeping commitments and that gets annoying, but I know things will work out. Me and my companion are working great together and so that is always good, haha. He is a great guy!

The food here has been pretty good so far. We have eaten a lot of pupusus and we also have had a lot of Top Ramen. We get up early, work out, get ready, eat quesidilla or Top Ramen, then we study and go out and walk all day, stopping to buy chips and stuff, then walk some more and when we get back to the house at 9 or 9:30 we eat some more Top Ramen and then we go to sleep. It is a great day, haha! Also, I eat a lot of peanut butter just with my finger, plain peanut butter. Things have been good and fun. We have had tamales 1 time and we will have some more on Christmas Eve. Also pupusus are tortillas stuffed with cheese basically. 

I am so excited to open the presents I have on Christmas! It is going to be so fun and great. I have been so tempted to open them early but I know you all would shoot me for that! Also I loved all the cards and everything I got, they made me so happy and made my day that much better! Christmas will be hard without everyone but I know in 2 years it will be a great experience to be home, maybe even only talking spanish to throw everyone off! But all in all the mission is going good.

Another cool experience I had is we were out contacting and I went to a little store to buy water and they sell water in bags and I bought two, then I went to pay and the guy said "no, it is free for missionaries."  Also I had a drunk guy buy me a soda yesterday which was great haha. I also had to say the opening prayer and the bread sacrament prayer in church, both in spanish, so that was an interesting experience, but I loved it at the same time.

Thank you everyone for writing me and for everything you do for me. I really wouldn't be able to be out here if it wasn't for each and everyone of you guys.

Love,

Elder Hummel

Thank you all for everything and hope all is going well at home and excited to write you!

"I'M SWEATING BUT IT IS AWESOME!"

Hello everyone!

  

I kind of have a lot to talk about since I haven't written in 2 weeks! WOW it feels like a long time. Things are going great in the field. My companion is named Elder Diaz from Ecuador and he is the District leader as well. My zone is called Tiquisate and my area is called La Noria. It is in the coast area and it is hot and humid. Everyone says it is where you lose the most weight at so I am going to be looking slim soon...maybe. Before we went out to the area I served with an Elder Roney in another area for a couple of hours and oh boy it was tough, my legs and body was so sore. I also met an elder from St. George named Elder Thompson. He looks way familiar but not sure if I know him.

My area is hot and most houses are little cinder block or cement houses with dirt floors and stuff so it is a big change also. It is humid and I sweat and sweat and sweat but it is awesome. I have a video and stuff of my apartment I am going to try to send so you can see what it looks like. Cross your fingers it works. Also there are a lot of stray dogs (Even one named Keiser, thought someone could tell Zac haha). They usually keep to themselves though so it is fine. The church in the area is a little building that is maybe 13 feet by 20 feet with a 7x7 office inside for the bishop. It is really small!

The first week was weird but I am doing great now. I have a list of numbers of people I contacted and I am quite proud of it. Here it is: day 1, 23 people and 6 families; day 2, 25 people and 5 families; day 3, 50 people and 10 families; day 4, 12 people 5 families and Monday 12 people and 5 families. It is awesome. I am picking up the language but it still takes a lot of time. A contact is when you either knock on a door or walk up to someone on the street and start talking to them. I am hoping I can send all the photos and I will have to try to explain them.

We have 1 lady who already agreed to a baptism date for the 21st so let's hope that works cause that would be amazing. We would have one the first month I was out. The other night we were out in an area we hadn't been before and there was a complete power outage and we were lost. We started walking and we were able to find the area by our house. When we got there we decided to try to contact someone in the dark and we ended up teaching these 2 girls the entire first lesson. It was such a blessing, I know the Lord helped us.

Another fun thing is I blessed the bread in church and only had to repeat it 1 time so I was extremely happy and proud of myself! Also, I got my first mission blister and it hurts. It is right in the middle of my foot by where my toes connect and every time I step I feel it. My trainer said that every blister is a baptism though so I guess by the end of the mission my feet will be nothing but blisters haha, I hope. Also I tried a drink called atol which is basically a runny oatmeal thing. It wasn't bad though. Also they have really good fresh bread here. At church there were a whopping 49 people which was good but I hope it gets more people.

I am extremely excited to get to SKYPE home this next week. I will skype on the 25th and it will be at 12 I believe and thats 12 my time and we don't have daylight savings time so it is an hour different. They sent an email and said you have to have a skype account so maybe someone could help mom and dad figure it out. I miss you all and love you so much! Now I will try to figure out the photos and send them haha! Wish me luck! Love you all and hope you have an awesome week! 

Love,

Elder Hummel

I am going to have to lower the camera resolution so I can send more at once hehe. Also I would say send letters to the mission home cause I never received an address for here. My mom has that address so ask her for it.

Here are the first photos, I will send more in other emails.

Elder Hummel at the MTC

View of the LDS Temple from the MTC

Arriving in Guatemala -- view of some of the volcanoes