LATEST NEWS FROM THE GUATEMALA MTC!

Hello Everyone!   

Well it is my second week here and it has been interesting. 

We got new investigators and one is named Veronica. She is really coming along and I like teaching her. The other is named Gabriel. He is Catholic and everything we say to him he has a comment about which sucks! 

I am loving the mission. I will be honest, this week especially, I have been having a hard time and wondering if this was right for me and where I was suppose to be. Then Sunday night we got to watch the Joseph Smith Restoration video and it was amazing! In the scriptures it talks about a burning in your bosom and I truly felt it! I started crying and I knew, without a doubt, this was were I was supposed to be! Then I read all your emails and it confirmed it even more! I have been praying for all of you everyday and hope you feel them. I would love if you could all pray that I could learn this language. I know it isn't easy but it is worth it! 

I have a new candy for you all to try, it is called Minties and it is from New Zealand (haha). It is amazing! Also a candy called Flake Bar. Elder Fua had brought them and we ate them all in a couple days! Also Elder Fua brought 4 lavalavas and gave one to each of us in the room. It is so cool and quite comfortable! 

I love hearing from you all every week! Also you can write me handwritten letters. I get them in about 8 days. I found that out, thanks to Jacky! Today we got to go to a shop/market type thing. It is so cool and so different but I am going to love it! 

Sunday we had to give a lesson that we didn't know. We ended up taking 10 minutes to prepare it and I feel like it was one of the best lessons that day! Then again, I am kinda partial! I love the feeling of the Spirit here!

The food -- you all asked, it has been a little bit of everything and so delicious. I love it, but then again I eat anything! 

I love getting on and seeing emails from everyone. It is so comforting and great! Also an experience with Veronica is, the other day we had to go teach the lesson and during it I was speaking and saying things I didn't even know that I know the words for! I know it was the Spirit helping me! I want you all to go watch the Joseph Smith video. It is at the temple visitor centers and it is the one with the steamboat. I don't know how else to describe it! 

I hope everyone had an amazing Halloween and I wish I could have been able to be there and see all the cute costumes but I will in 2 years so it will be okay! 

It is awesome that it is an all Region 9 playoff again. Anybody who is able to, go with mom up to the games, it is so fun for her! 

This past 2 weeks have just been Non-Latino people, so we have all been having fun. haha Today we got the first set of Latino people. We will be getting a lot more tomorrow. I think a total of 70 come tomorrow!! 

You all are so amazing and such amazing examples. I love you all! Keep the pictures coming! Also has anyone been reading the Book of Mormon and praying like I said to do? I wanna hear how the progress is going! 

Everyone said you will speak only Spanish here. That is wrong. We speak about 25% Spanish and the rest in English. But, with Latinos coming, that is going to have to change! 

What has everyone been up to? Anything new and exciting going on in life? I am so happy to be here! The view from the computer is the top of the temple and I can see Angel Moroni, so that is cool! The sessions, when we go to the temple, are in English! So that is lucky! 

The next fast Sunday we have will be my last week here and we were all talking about how quick time is flying by before we are in the field. It is nerve racking but also very exciting. Sorry about not having any caps or being able to do paragraphs like last time. My computer is being weird and won't do "enter" at all and the shift is being weird too. haha So just bear with me, it should be better next week! Just so you all know, I think, while in the MTC, most of our p-days will be on Tuesday so aim for that, but I can't promise anything! 

We had a guy in our district start crying in class this week. He is a convert and has only been a member a little over a year. He is having a hard time because he doesn't remember a lot of the stuff and it was sad, but it was cool to be able to talk and comfort him. 

I know this church is true and that God is our Heavenly Father and will grant us blessings if we humble ourselves, get down on our knees, and ask for help. The more i have been here the more humble and fervent my prayers have been. I know we all made fun of my dad for how long his prayers always are but there have been times I get down and by the time I am done I have been kneeling for 20-25 minutes and have not felt better! 

For anyone curious, the money we use down here is called Quetalice or something spelled like that. The exchange rate is 7.50 Q for 1 dollar so it is pretty interesting going to buy stuff and a candy bar being 21 Q. It took some getting use to. 

We have to prepare talks to give in Sacrament Meeting because they just call you out on the spot and you have to get up and give a 5 minute talk. I have realized how hard it is to write talks when you know so few Spanish words haha! 

The weather here is pretty great. It rained 2 days last week but other than that it has been sunny and nice. We all, for the most part, sleep with the window open and we feel good without a blanket! 

I am sorry if this letter isn't very organized and just rambles. I just have had so much I wanna say and have been bouncing all over trying to make sure I get it all in! I have been writing some letters but I may wait to send them because they charge 1 dollar for a stamp and to send them all would be expensive. Also I NEED EVERYONE'S ADDRESS! PLEASE SEND THEM NEXT WEEK OR EVEN BETTER WRITE ME A HAND WRITTEN LETTER SO I HAVE THEM! 

I love you all and thank you so much for writing me! I love the examples each and every one of you have given to me and also thank you all for all the help you have given me!

Love, 
Elder Hummel      

P.S. Everyone has made comments about how much I whistle here. haha Thought you all might enjoy that! Love you all and I will write you in a week! Love you!!!

(NOTE: Mom had to do a little editing on this post for him -- it used to be all one big paragraph! We have to remember he types on Spanish keyboards and he has to type fast since he doesn't have much time!)

FIRST LETTER FROM GUATEMALA!!

Hello everyone!

My first week here has felt like it has gone on forever. I am slowly learning my Spanish language but it is a lot more difficult then it was in high school. They speak Spanish most of the time in class and we just have to learn it, so it is interesting. We have learned how to say the invite to be baptized in Spanish and also how to say the Spanish baptism prayer, which is cool. This Sunday was fast Sunday, like most of you know, and it was awesome! The spirit was so strong and so amazing.  My district i am in is called "Mateo", which in English is Matthew. We are basically the best district! On Sunday, after only being here for 4 days, we ALL got up and bore our testimonies. Oh ya, they were all in Spanish as well. They said that is the first time they have seen that in years! I know the Lord is helping me learn the language, but it is still hard so keep me in your prayers!

We have started teaching an "investigator". It is actually our teacher in costume but it is all in Spanish! His name is Jaime. We have taught him the 10 Commandments, the Word of Wisdom and about the temple and families. The coolest experience is my companion and I went in and were planning on only teaching him about the Word of Wisdom and families but when we got in we showed him pictures of our families. He started looking through my picture book and saw the temple picture mom took on the back page. He asked if that was the Church and I told him no it was the temple and he asked what was so special about it, so we started telling him about it and about how through the temple families can live together forever and he said he wants that for his family. The Spirit was so strong in there. Some of the words I said I had no idea that I knew. I know the lord was helping me. We committed him to get baptized on November 28, 2014. It is so spiritual.

A lot of you asked about my schedule, so here it is

6:30    Wake up shower and get ready

7:30    Breakfast

8:00    Personal study

9:00    Language study

10:00  Coaching study
11:00  Grammar

12:00  Lunch

1:00    TALL (computer work stuff)

1:30    Lessons

2:30    Grammar

3:15    Sports and shower

5:00    Dinner

5:45    Teach Investigator or companion study

7:30    Snack

8:00    Teach investigator or companion study

9:00    Companion planning

9:30    Write in journal

10:15  Be in bed

10:30  Lights out

So as you can tell it is a jam-packed day! haha  My companion's name is Elder Hales from North Carolina. He is a little guy but very good at learning the language. He doesn't eat a lot which is good for me 'cause i get to finish his food! Also in our room we have Elder Chandler from California and Elder Fua from New Zealand. He and I get along great, we both love rugby and are big guys.

The food here is great I am loving it!

We got to go through the temple today and it was so cool. It is smaller than the St. George Temple but it is so cool and the spirit is so strong!

I am nervous 'cause I feel like I am not picking up the language as fast as I should be able to, but I know I will if I work, trust in the Lord and pray!

Yo se que jesucristo es el salvador y Thomas s monson is un profeta y el libro de mormon is verdadero. Este conocimiento me ayuda a vivir feliz, y superar desafios.

Translation: I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and the Book of Mormon is true. This knowledge helps me to live happily and to overcome challenges!

I know that any trial i have if I pray and love then I will be able to get through it. I love you all and thank you for writing me!

Love,

Elder Hummel

P.S. I can't send pictures because they take our cd players and cameras when we come in. I will get them back when I go into the field in 6 weeks. Send me pictures though, I can view them on these computers. Also, we can receive packages in the MTC. It takes 2-3 weeks to get here they said. I love you all and am so thankful for all the prayers and help!

P.S.S. I hope you all are cheering for the Jazz and Broncos for me. I have worn my Bronco shorts and Jazz shirt and everyone talks to me about them! I love you all and hope everything is going well! PRAY FOR ME AND WRITE ME FOR NEXT WEEK.

AND SO IT BEGINS ...

I am in Guatemala! I am safe and it is cool! I am safe and had a good
flight! We will be writing next Tuesday or something, so write me on
Sunday so I for sure get your letter! 

Love,
Elder Hummel

He just got set apart as a missionary!
Cole, McCall, Dad John, Mom Sheila, McKayla & Bree

Cole, McCall and McKayla

At the airport - the other half of the family couldn't be here

Mom and Dad are going to miss this boy!!

We all love Tay's big bear hugs!

Taylor and the Hansen Family
Shelly, Chase, Colby, Bree, Hunter and Kris

Taylor and Bree

Uncle Tay and Cole

One last bear hug for his little sis!

And he's off!