My future is bright. I know who I am, what my purpose is, and where I am going.

 

I should be packing

or cleaning

but instead I am doing a lot of reflecting.

This envelope came towards the end of May bearing the name

Elder Jack Lauck Winn

and it sat on the mantle for what seemed like forever,

waiting for family and friends to assemble.

Opening this envelope began the 2 year 4 month adventure that is about to come

to it's conclusion.

There are no words to describe what I am feeling.

This last email from Elder Winn will always be one that I will treasure.

In it he bore a testimony gained through sacrifice, prayer and service.

It expresses beautifully what is in my heart as well.

Amen my son, amen.

this is a sad and a happy moment. 

Hey everyone!

            Well, this is the moment that we have been waiting for. With excitement, yet a little bit of sadness, i can tell you guys that this will be my very last email i send home as a missionary. =0 As you guys can imagine, i have many mixed emotions about ending my mission. I truly have loved these two years serving the Lord. I have learned so much about the Gospel, and about life in general.

            Well, this email is going to be different, because i am going to do Question Time first. Then, seeing how this is my last email, i will take a little bit of time to write my testimony.

So. Question time! Last one!

 

1.      The hotels we booked all have free internet. I really want to bring my laptop but I am just so afraid of everyone's warnings.I would leave it in the room which I would think would be fairly safe. Do you think that it is a bad idea?

Well, it would be safe in the hotel. I imagine it would be safe. I have never been robbed here. But then again, this country is dangerous. So i dunno. If you bring it, make sure it doesn't have any bank information, or files that you don't want to lose. I doubt someone will rob us though.

2. If you answered yes to that question then are there places that I can go to use the internet that we could stop at everyday so that I can keep in touch and download pictures?

Yes. There are Internet places everywhere.

3. You said that the family you are staying with in Peten has 5 children? Are there really two 15 year old boys or was that a typo?

NO, one of them is adopted.

4. What could I bring 15 year old boys? Would it be stupid to bring a tie or a white shirt? Is the family pretty poor or do they have the basic necessities?

I think that would be a good idea. The family isn't poor, but everyone likes a shirt and tie.

5. Do you have the number of a Mormon taxi driver that can drive us around on Thursday to the mission office and anywhere else you want to go that day?

Yes, i have a few numbers.

6. We get in at like 11:30 so we could go somewhere to visit that afternoon. Do you have an idea where you would like to go that day?

Yes. There are some people we can visit that day.

7. So are you going to the airport with your group when they fly out? Do  you have to wait around for us? Will you be alone?

Yeah, i will probably be there. I will probably go to the office, and wait until 11, and then go to the airport. It shouldn't be a problem.

8. Since it is conference weekend do you think that I might see Elder Smith to give him his box. Do the elders from the more outlying parts of the zone come in to Flores for conference. Will we be able to go listen somewhere and will it be in Spanish? (dumb question huh? lol)

Yes, you will see him. I think we will get to watch it in English too. That would be good for you guys. =)

9. Best/worst thing eaten.....next week we can answer that in person to each other. Why am I worried that there will be more worst things than best? Lol

The best thing i have eaten was pizza! We go together last Friday, because we were hitting 2 years that day. It was pretty fun. The worst thing i ate was a tamale. It was again, very gross.

10. Have you been practicing tell people that your awesome mother who is the best mother in the world is allergic pretty much to ALL type of food?

Lolol good luck when you come up here. =)

11. Any last requests on what to bring with us?

No, just pop-tarts. And a chicken biscuit

=)

 

Well, now i would like to share a little bit of my testimony that i have acquired here on the mission. I am reminded of how Alma gained his testimony. Even though he saw an angel, the way he describes his testimony gaining process was by fasting and prayer. That is how i have gained my testimony as well. I have been able to see miracles, and great wonders here on my mission, but the real way i was able to gain my testimony was through simple and fervent fasting and prayer.

            I know through personal revelation that God lives, and that He loves us. I know that He has a plan for each and every one of us, because we are His children. We have great potential, and I know that God is actively helping us become who we need to become. I know that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to this earth, to atone and suffer for the sins of the world. I know that only through Him can we ever have the hope of coming back to live with our Heavenly Father. His Atonement made repentance possible, something we all need to be cleansed from our sins. I know that through repentance we can have the pains that we carry healed. That thought makes me very happy.

            I also know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth. It is true, because the priesthood authority was restored almost 200 years ago by the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that he, at a young age, saw the Father and the Son, and that through him, the true Church of Christ was restored. That is something very important for me.

            I also know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I have been able to study it very well for the last two years. I have found many answers to my prayers through that book. I know that it has come unto us through the power of God, and that if we read it throughout our lives, the Lord will bless us, and we will be able to better understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

            I know that through the power of the priesthood, my family is sealed together for all eternity. What a reassuring and comforting truth. I know that only through the restored Gospel can we enjoy these blessings.

            Leaving my mission will be sad for me, but i know that there are great things that lie ahead of me. I have developed a great love for the people i have served here in Guatemala.  

My future is bright. I know who I am, what my purpose is, and where I am going.

            I love my Savior. I know that He lives, and loves me.

            I love my family. I know that they know that. I know that they love me as well.

And this, my last testimony as a missionary, i seal up, knowing full well that by it, at the last day, i will be judged. I have thrust my sickle with my might.

I say these things in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Love,

Elder Winn

Two years ago to the day

This is two years ago.
Exactly.
The last picture taken of Jack and I together.
We look happy and we are..
but there is fear too.
Fear of the unknown.
uncharted territories.
New lands.
A week from today.
Exactly.
I will take another picture with my son.
The first picture in two years.
I wonder what our eyes will look like then.
I think I know.
Reunion eyes.
No fear...just joy.
I can't wait.

Hey guys!

So, pretty much this will be my last email. I guess i will be writing next Monday, but i will be seeing you guys very soon afterward. I am getting really excited to see you guys. Leaving the mission will be hard though. I have learned so much here, and i have barely felt the time. What a strange experience it will be to be home again. To be honest, i feel in many ways, that this country is my home. I have lived here for two years, as the people do, and i have grown to love it. I have gone through so many character building experiences. Some of my saddest and happiest moments have happened here on the mission.

            Well, this week has been pretty good. This Tuesday Elder Dunkley, Pierce, and I wrote our final goals and experiences packet. That was an interesting experience. I have always watched my companions who were ending their missions write it, and it always felt like i would never be doing that. Then we had some tasty breakfast at Burger King.

            We were not able to teach Gabriel this week, because he was out of town working. We did talk to his family though. They invited us over to eat tamales, and even though i hate tamales, it was great to have the invitation. This week, being my last week, i am going to be eating with the members almost every day. There’s a lot of people who are going to give us cake too. That will be fun.

            Yesterday was an interesting day. It was very hot, as usual, and we had an extra meeting at the Church, which added a good 4 miles to the walking count. Anyways, almost all of our teaching appointments fell, which was a little discouraging. My companion and i sat on a rock to try and figure out what to do. I said a silent prayer, asking for the Spirit so that i could know where to go, and that the day could be a productive day. We got up and decided to go knocking doors. It didn't take more than two houses to find a man sitting on his porch. We contacted him and he let us in. We taught him about the purpose of live and then invited him to baptism. He accepted and seemed interested to learn more. After that visit we were prompted to visit a member in San Jose. Hours previously she had prayed to God, asking Him to help her know that she and her family were not alone. We were able to be the answer to her prayer.

            Experiences like that are many in my mission. I know that this is the work of the Lord, because not only have i received specific answers to my own prayers, but i have been able to see other have their sincere prayers answered. Learning about prayer has been a great experience for me on my mission.

            This Wednesday will be my last district meeting. I have really enjoyed the opportunity this last change to be a district leader. In a lot of ways i like it better than being zone leader. I feel like i have a more in depth influence on the missionaries in my district. I love preparing district meetings, because i find that i learn so much from it.

            Well, I think it is time for Question time. There’s a lot of them this week.

Lets start with Dad’s

You said you thought you would meet us at the airport.  Is that for certain?  I guess I was expecting that we would need to take a taxi to your mission office and pick you up there.  Will you please find out from President Torres where we should meet you?  And what time?

Yeah, that is pretty for certain. The mission office is very close to the airport. I can get there in like 5 minutes. I just think it would be pretty difficult for you guys to get a taxi and explain where the mission office is when you cant speak Spanish. Lol

I’ll get the details planned out.

If we need to take a cab to your mission office, what is the best way to pay the cab driver?  Will we need to get some U.S. dollars exchanged for Quets at the airport?  I assume so.  I doubt taxis are going to want to take U.S. dollars, right?  Do any stores take U.S. currency?

You guys will need quets. In the taxis, you don't pay until after, so i could pay him myself when i meet you there. The only thing is that he will probably charge you guys more than double. I am pretty sure i will be able to meet you guys there.

1. That would be great if you met us at the airport but when will you know for sure?

Um, this week. Basically it’s for sure.

2. Can we still go to the mission office so that I can bring a package to Elder Mays and take some pictures for his mother?

Yes. I imagine you guys are going to want to meet president Torres as well.

3. When you said "hallmark candles" does it matter what brand of candle? Does it need to be a Yankee Candle?

It just needs to be one of those candles that come in the glass thing. It definitely doesn't need to be fancy. Lol

4. Should I bring a couple of them for anyone else?

That would be a pretty good idea.

5. What are the ages of the children in the place you are living right now? Boys or girls?

Girl Year and a half

Girl 7

Girl 12

Boy 15

Boy 15

 

7. Do you have some taxi drivers that are LDS lined up and their phone numbers?

Kind of. There’s always the bus too. Lol

No don't worry about it, i will get some people.

 8. Are you going to buy a cell phone or two for us to use while we are there? How much money should I put in your account for that? Or do you want to wait until we get there?

There is a member that will let us borrow one for the week, so that’s taken care of.

10. Isn't your mom really prepared for this adventure and pretty awesome to boot?

Yes. So nerent to her

 11. Best thing/worst thing eaten?? yeah I will keep asking this to the bitter end.

Lol

Best would be the burger king cini minis. And the chocolate pie.

The worst would be tamales. Those are constantly gross.

12. HOW IS YOUR EYE???

GOOD: NERENT TO YOU!

13. Are you sure you don't need me to bring any clothes for you or anything?

No. Just a chick fil a chicken biscuit and pop tarts!

14. NERENT??

Yes!

Well, this has been a great week, and i know that next week will also be a great week. It will be my last week, but i will continue to work hard to help these people that i love so dearly.

Thanks for all the emails and you love.

Love,

Elder Winn

Life in the eye of the storm

I have written before that exactly two years ago we were cleaning up from a hurricane.
Hurricane Ike.
I really couldn't believe that something so devastating to our community was happening
right as I was preparing to send my son away for two years.
Everything had to be changed, rescheduled, or done a different way.
I worried and fretted about it,
but in the end it all worked out.
The irony is not lost on me that while I prepare for the trip to pick up my son
There is another storm approaching.
Tropical Storm Karl....at least for now
is heading for Guatemala and should make landfall by
tomorrow night.
Possible flash floods...
mostly in North Guatemala.
right where he is.
and after it finishes there it is headed my way...
of course.
But I am trying to remember the lessons learned
two years ago
in the eye of the storm.
Just have faith...
believe that it will all work out
and just
breathe.
See you soon son. :)

(Jack and his Dad cleaning up and surveying the damage from Hurricane Ike.)

Hey guys!

            Thanks for all the emails. It’s good to know that you guys are doing well.

            Today i am writing a little bit late because we went to Tikal a little bit last minute. It was fun, but i mostly spent the time talking with Elder Dunkley about our plans for after the mission. I didn't really take too much time to look around, because i figured that we would be seeing it in two weeks. I am very excited.

            This week has been pretty good as always. We had our training conference, which once again inspired me to become a better missionary. We had a lot of great lessons this week. One of the items that we focused on was using the Spirit to know how to begin teaching a lesson.

            We had two interesting lessons with two new investigators that we found. We were planning on teaching them both the same lesson, but the results turned out very differently. The first lesson we taught was to a man who was fairly skeptical about the Book of Mormon. At first his questions seemed like a sign of real interest and desire to learn, but we quickly learned otherwise. He began to attack the Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. His argument, of course, had no validity, but his obstinacy impeded him from really knowing the truth. We tried to explain for awhile, but then we noticed that he was blind, not wanting to see, and deaf, not wanting to hear.

            The other lesson we has was very different. We got to the house of a humble father with a true desire to be able to help his family find happiness. It was a very spiritual lesson, because he listened with an open heart, and we were all edified. He expressed the concerns of his heart, and we as missionaries followed the Spirit to be able to understand how best to address his needs through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All of us left the lesson happy.

            Those were two very different lessons that we had, and i thought a lot about the different outcomes. I think it is crucial for us to find the people who are really willing to open their hearts. I know that there are a lot of people out there for us to find.

            Well, on a different note, i think a flea bit me in the eye a week and a half ago, and its been bothering me somewhat. I’ll be glad to get away from all these fleas. IT gets old really quickly. Anyways, i talked to Hermana Torres and she told me to buy some antibiotic eye drops to put in my eyes for 5 days. Ive been doing so, but the horrible news is that i cant wear my contacts. I have been wearing glasses for 3 days now, and it drives me insane!! I hate glasses! I guess its a good thing that i have them though.

            Lets see, what else happened. We are having some trouble getting people to come to church. We are trying really hard, but it is far to walk, and the bus costs 3 quets. I am trying to get the people to have sufficient faith to pay the bus fare. I guess i could have members come with their cars to pic them up, but that's what i did last time i was here, and the members stopped doing it when i left, which caused inactivation. This new approach is more difficult, but i think it will be worth it.

            Oh, and that cool lesson we had, the mans name is Gabriel, and he is family of the lady we helped chop wood. That was the primary reason we were able to teach them. Service is great, and i love doing it. This week we went to clean a corn field, and to chop wood again. I always feel good when i serve. I want to have the opportunity to be able to serve when i get home as well.

            Well i think it is question time!!!

2. Are you good with flying? 0=

Yes! =)
3. Do the dates sound like it gives you enough time in Peten?
yes, that World be plenty of time

4. Do you know if you are going to meet us at the mission office or the airport?
  I'mprobably just going to take a taxi to the airport at 11 30 to meet you guys

5. Is there enough time in the capital to do all the visiting that you want?

I think. Theres alot to buy and see in the capital though.

6. Does you awesome mother sound both excited and scared? lol NERENT!
yes! Lol

7. Best thing/worst thing eaten this week....cmon only two more times to answer that one.

Best was definitely the burritos again, the worst was an egg that i cooked in a microwave. OH! You guys wont believe this one! The misión just got microwaves for everyone 2 weeks befote i leave!! Thats great.

8. Does President Torres have any directions or advice to give us about traveling with our missionary?

Not that i know of, i think we’re on our own. We will do just fine though =)

Well, i think that is all for today. It has been a great week, and i am still 100 percent dedicated to the service of the Lord. My time is running out, but i will serve these last two weeks with all the strength that i posses. Thanks for all the emails of encouragement and support. I love you guys very much, and pray for you daily.

Have a great week!

Love

Elder Winn

Oh Question Nine!

I would like a cheesecake. That is for sure

And i would like just a classic roast with mashed potatoes.

And a fancy fruit salad!

Or anything else is good too, because grandma is a good cook. =)

Thanks Grandma!

Surreal!

sur·re·al

1.

of, pertaining to, or characteristic of surrealism; surrealistic.

2.

having the disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream; unreal; fantastic. FROM THIS:

TO THIS:

In three weeks from TODAY.

I will be sitting with my son.

That is if I can stop hugging him long enough to sit.

It still seems like a dream, unreal, fantastic.

Fantastic!

Hey Family!

Thanks for the emails. As always I love hearing from you guys. This week has been a great week in the mission. As always I love being a missionary, and serving the Lord.

            Today we just got done with a training conference. It was the same that I went to last change, but I was able to learn more that will  help me with some of my investigators. The conference will continue until Wednesday. Of course, the food is also a great reason to be there, likewise the air conditioning, but being able to feel the Spirit with the some of the other missionaries in the zone is a great opportunity.

            This week we did a lot of service. Actually, all the weeks we are here we do a lot of service. There seems to be more service opportunities here in Peten. They do a lot of work with machete here, and my now 2 year old machete had served me well. It’s been well used, and it will be a really cool memory to take home with. I can now mow an entire lawn with a machete. It is a lot harder than using a lawnmower, but in some respects it’s more fun. This week we did a lot of chopping grass, and cutting wood, since many of the people here cook with firewood. We were walking down the street one day in the heat of the day, and we saw an old lady gathering some giant pieces of wood for her wood storage. It was a little impressive that she could carry that much wood, but we quickly went to help her. We managed to get a lot of wood, and then spent the next hour chopping it up. At first she was very reluctant, but after time she became very grateful. I always feel good helping people, and it helps them to be more receptive to listen to the Gospel. Before we served her she refused to hear anything from the missionaries, but after having helped her she is receptive.

            I continue to work with my converts. It is a hard task, and I have to fight the temptation to get discouraged. I had a really good lesson with Luki, who was originally unreceptive to our messages. We taught her about the importance of having an open heart. There’s a scripture that I really like in Ezequiel that talks about having a heart of flesh rather than a heart of stone. We talked a lot about that. At first she wasn’t paying much attention, but later I shared a personal experience, and it seemed to open her up a lot. At the end she shared that she had felt the Spirit, and that is had been awhile since she had felt that.

            The Ax family will be hard. I am finding that one of their main problems is the language barrier. They speak Spanish a little bit, but their native language is Kekchi, and sometimes I feel that they don’t understand us. Ive been thinking about that a lot lately. Many times the people we teach don’t seem to understand what we are telling them, not so much for the language barrier, but it seems that there are many people who refuse to see, and who refuse to hear. It make me think of 2 Nephi 9 31 and 32. There are a lot of people in this work who refuse to see, even when the truth is presented to them in a mast simple way. I think one of the greatest tasks of a missionary is to look for those people who really are willing to open their eyes, and listen with their heart.

            Then I started thinking about how that scripture applies to us as members. I think a lot of times we think that some of the scriptures like that only apply to people to who completely reject the Gospel. I think that’s one of the temptations that Satan gives us, so that we don’t try and become better people. I think that we are all in some way needful of opening our eyes and our hearts a little more. I have been thinking a lot about that scripture.

            I have been thinking a lot about the importance of meditating over the scriptures. I have learned that the scriptures are there to help us feel the Spirit, and we can more fully feel the Spirit when we dedicate a little bit of time to meditation. I have found that I have been specifically guided in time of meditation, and have receive personal revelation that would not have come if I didn’t take the time to really ponder over the scriptures. I have received many answers to prayer in my mission, and I have really learned how the Spirit is felt. This was something that I didn’t really understand so fully before my mission. I have learned a countless number of lessons on my mission, all of which will help my immensely when I get home, but when I really think of it, learning how to understand the Spirit has been one of the most important things I have learned. If I were to go home after having served the Lord two years, and only have learned how to recognize the Spirit, these two dedicated years would have been well worth it. And to think of all the other great lessons that I have learned, it makes me happy. I am so grateful for my mission.

            Well, I think it is time for….

QUESTION TIME!

1. Mud slides....ELABORATE!!  Are they happening where you are? Are they a possibility there?

I haven’t heard much about these mudslides, but they happened in the south mission. There are no mountains where I live, and no risk of mudslides.

2. What were the drunks saying about you or your religion? Are they still harassing you?

I don’t really remember. I didn’t listen to them, but it was pretty pathetic. I haven’t seen them recently, but we need to deal with them to get the Ramirez family married. We’ll see how that goes.

2. Did you figure out the name of the hotel in Peten?

Ummmmm, next week….=)

4. I bought a bum load of gems and church stuff to give as gifts. Any other requests?

Just temple recommend holders. I cant really think of anything else. There are two of my cooks that are particularly special for me, so something for them.

5. Elder Smiths mom gave me some packages to take to her son. Is he too far away from Peten for us to take them to him? Are we allowed to do that?

He is about 3 hours away from us, but we can drop the stuff off at the mission home, or at the ZL house here in Peten. It will get to him easily.

6. Aren't you glad your awesome mother landed safely in Houston?

Yes! What an exciting plane ride.

7. Any luck activating any of your converts?

  I'm working on it. It’s a hard task, but I think I am making some progress.

8. Best thing eaten?/worst?

Best would be the burritos in my area. The worst would be some mushroom stuff that someone gave us that they found it on a tree. It was pretty grossss.

Well, we have been working with the Ramirez family. Hugo has a lot of desires to be baptized, but his wife is a little less enthusiastic. She has small children and she doesn’t like bringing them to church. Keep them in your prayers, as well as Luki and Clara, so they can go to church again.

      Well, there isn't much time to write today, but it has been a great week, and I have really enjoyed my time here in San Jose.

Thanks for all of your love and support and prayers. I love you guys and hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Winn

 

An email posted a week late...my apologies.

I didn't post last weeks email because I was here.

Beautiful Park City.

This is a picture of Jack's favorite ski resort. 

He will ski these slopes during the next snowfall.

Incredible to think about.

Unbelievable at times.

I also spent time with some very lovely ladies (and their husbands)

We had a Guatemala North Missionary Mom Conference.
The first of it's kind I believe....
And we had a wonderful time.
I stood in back of the group obscured by everyone else in homage to my son who found the back of the pack in every picture the mission presidents wife took.

I finally met face to face my sister friends who have had my back during that last 6 months of this missionary mom experience. Don't they look like fun? Well they are and I love them.
I also had a tooth extracted.....bone grafts.....ate a lot of ice cream.....visited cemeteries.....went to Swiss Days......ate my moms fantastic cooking......visited relatives....talked......laughed  AND
cried.
After all this was a really a working vacation.
I dropped my last chick off at BYU.

Believe me when I say that dropping that beautiful face far away from home is hard work.
So you can see that I had my hands full.
So my apologies for the tardiness of this post.
Without further adieu here it is....

Hey everyone!

            Thanks for all the emails. I love hearing from you guys.

            Something that I missed here in Flores, well, kind of missed, was hearing all the weird European languages gibbering as I write you guys my emails. There’s a lot of tourists here. =)

            This week has been a busy, but very enjoyable week. It is such an interesting experience to be back here in my first area. Most all of the people that I taught recognize me, and its pretty cool that I can actually communicate with them this time. When I was here the first time, my Spanish wasn’t that great. I’ve received a lot of compliments recently about my Spanish. I know I have been greatly blessed by the Lord to be able to learn this language. I hope to be able to keep it going when I get home. I think my memorizing activity that I do every morning will help me. I can feel my memory getting better and better each day. It’s pretty fun.

            Well, a few interesting stories this week. First, after our district meeting we decided to enjoy some amazing burritos here in San Jose. When we got there, we were met by a couple of drunks, which happens sometimes here in this country. We ignored them of course, but they were pretty persistent in trying to bother us, and make fun of our religion. I have gained some great patience here in the mission. Anyways, the point of the story, is that a day later we finally figure out that it was the mayor of San Jose! I thought that was pretty ridiculous. Supposedly he is always drunk. Every once and a while we try and teach him. Alcohol is terrible.

            I also was able to teach one of my old investigators named Polita. She told us of her conversion story, even though she is not baptized yet. It was spiritually uplifting to be able to hear how the Hold Ghost touched her heart, and how she knows that the Gospel is true, even though she receives a fair amount of persecution from her friends. Her husband is a little opposed to her going to church, but we were going to try and work with him. He was a pastor of a church once, but it seems like almost everyone was a pastor of some church here in peten.

            I had a lesson with Clara, one of my converts that pretty much apostatized. It was an interesting lesson. I could tell that she didn’t really want to listen to us, but she did. We shared about the Atonement and repentance. I'm not sure how she received the teaching. It makes me sad to see her like that, because she once had a strong testimony of the Church. Keep her in your prayers.

            This week was a full moon. Here in peten you can see the stars very clearly, and every month there is a full moon, but it is one of the most beautiful things you can see here. The moon gets reddish, and huge, and it comes up like a sunrise over the lake at night. I have a few pictures. It is an amazing sight to see.

            We also had a lesson with a less active returned missionary named Chino. I taught him a few times when I was first here. Usually teaching inactive returned missionaries can be a frustrating task, but I really like this guy, and I want to be able to help him. He was very excited to see me again, and I think we will be able to reactivate him and his wife. Keep him in your prayers too.

            We also were walking down the main road in San Jose, when we were contacted by a man named Hugo. He said that he was visited by missionaries a while ago, and that he was going to be baptized, but at the last moment he didn’t go through with it. He said that he was studying the Book of Mormon recently, and that she feels that it is true. He seemed to know a lot about it as well, because when we got to his house he showed us the prophecy of the coming together of the Bible and the Book of Mormon in Ezequiel 37 16. He said that he found that scripture through his own personal study, and that impressed me. We taught him and his family. It is the Family Ramirez. Keep them in your prayers. He came to church yesterday.

Well, I think it is question time!

1. How are you inactives doing?

Well, one out of nine went to church this week. I guess that’s better than zero out of nine. I’m working on the rest. My first convert finally accepted a lesson, and when we were teaching her she acted like she had always been active. She didn’t go to church though. I am going to have to give these people some tough love I think. We’ll see how it goes this week.

2. Are you going to go to Tikal at all during this month with your zone?
I don’t think so, but we might.

3. Are you still going to want to go to Tikal with us?
Of course. Its one of the great things to see here in Guatemala. =)

4. Does it rain a lot there in Peten?

Right now it is the rainy season, and it is raining every day. The rain makes it even more hot, because it just rains for a short amount of time, then the sun comes out to evaporate all the water. It is very humid here.

5. Is there anything here in Mormon land that I should get for people there in Guatemala besides Oil vial key chains, pictures of the temple, CTR rings, gospel art books.

Not that I can think of. Maybe Temple Recommend holders. Everyone really likes the one I have.

6. Best thing/worst thing you have eaten. (only 4 more times to answer this one.)
Best thing was definitely the burritos that we got on Wednesday. They are almost as good as Cheap Hotel Burritos, but not quite. =) The worst was a type of fruit that someone gave me, telling me it was a cherry. It was not a cherry. It tasted like grass, but a lot worse. I almost threw it up.

7. What is your favorite thing about being back in Peten?

Well, I don’t know if I can pick a favorite, but the fruit is definitely one of the benefits. Each day I go around picking Guavas off the trees here. And limes, and passion fruit, and Guanabana, and a whole lot of other fruits. Like coconuts! Those are some of the tastiest things here.

8. This is not as much a question as it is a concern….I saw a picture of you riding in the back of a truck that looked like it was going really fast. Do you ride a lot in the back of trucks? That doesn’t seem too safe…..I am a little worried so nerent.

That isn’t a question! It is a concern! =)

9. Your mother is pretty great even though she worries sometimes….agreed?

Nerent to her! Lol =)

Are there any new families you are working with this week that you would like us to pray for?

Polita, Marilu, Family Rameriz, Family Ax, and Clara. Lots of people this week. =)

Is there anything you need?
No. I am good here. I only have about a month left! That’s still a long time though. I have a lot to to before that time goes up.

Tell us something new about your companion.
He speaks 3 languages. English, Spanish, and Dutch. He lived is Belgium for 10 years. We get along pretty well.

That was pretty cool that you were able to hike to the top of the mountain to see the sunrise last pday.  What are you doing tomorrow for pday?

      Today i think we are going to the zoo. We were going to walk around the whole lake, but it was raining, and we weren’t able to.

Well, my time is winding up. Oh, next week I have that training conference again, except this time here in Peten. I think it’s a little strange that I am going to go again, since it will be the same as the one I went to last change, but President specifically said that I had to come. I’m pretty excited, but I don’t know when I will be able to write. I think I will be able to email you guys Monday at around 3 or 4. but if you don’t get an email on Monday, or Tuesday, or all of those days, then you know what’s happening. I’m sure I will be able to write on Monday though. I will try my best.

      Well, it has been a great week here in Peten. I love this place and I love these people. I cant think of a better way to end my mission. I love you guys a lot, and I want you to know that I know that this Gospel is true. I know that God love us, and that Christ came to redeem us from our sins on the conditions of repentance. What a beautiful doctrine. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It has taught me to have  faith, and to trust in God. This is the True Church of Jesus Christ.

Love

Elder Winn

The Future Is Always Bright For The Faithful

Pretty spectacular.
Sunrise in San Jose Peten Guatemala
It is amazing to me that I can receive a picture of a
sunrise that my son watched this morning
from a small city
in a jungle region
of a different country.
Isn't technology something?
My mom reminds me that all she got was a letter that would take two or three weeks to get
to her with news that was long since past.
And by the time her answers to that letter were sent a month would have gone by.
I'm sure she thinks I'm spoiled.
Well I am.
And I am grateful for every megabyte of technology
I receive.
I am a thankful missionary mom.
I only wonder what Jack's son will have access to in the future.
What amazing things will help the work
and connect our hearts.
I hope that I can call him spoiled and talk about how hard it was for me
with only emails and pictures
in the good ole days.

Hey guys! 
Thanks for your emails. It looks like we’re all moving on to different chapters of our lives. It can be sad at times, but it’s also exciting. I know that the end of my mission is coming up, even though i don't think about it that often. Even though its coming, and even though it’s sad, it’s also exciting to be able to move on. The future is always bright for the faithful.

                Well, this morning we woke up early, when it was still dark, quickly got dressed, and made the small hike to a cliff that overlooks Lake Itza so see the sunrise. Of course this was all done in my new area in the beautiful town of San Jose Peten! What an amazing place to be in. After having been in the capital for 14 months it makes this place look even more amazing. I don't know why i love this place so much, but i do. I started my mission here, and now i get to end my mission here. The sunrise was absolutely beautiful.

                We left Wednesday at about 2, and got to peten pretty late in the night. We went in a bus, and it was not bad at all. It was air conditioned, and it had comfortable seats, and it was a charter bus. It costs 20 dollars a person, and i was able to sleep. I bet if we went in a bus we would be able to sleep, and we would save alot of money. The bus wasn't even very full either, and there's alot of gringos that go on them.

                Thursday morning we packed our bags in the micro bus that goes to San Andres, and we got there in about 45 minutes. I remember every bit of the ride there. Once I got to San Jose I was flooded with memories. I was here about 19 months ago, and it was such a great experience for me.

                I’ve visited all the members that i knew, and they couldn't believe that i was back in San Jose. They were all very excited to see me and i was very excited to see them. Being here again is probably one of the strangest experiences that i have been through in my mission. I have so many great memories of this place. We visited alot of the people that i taught.

                We also visited my old converts. That has been a happy and sad experience. They are inactive. I hope to be able to take some time here to help them out. I love them all, and to see them fallen away from the Church is a sad thing for me. It’s almost difficult for me to teach them, now as inactive members, but i am trying to stay happy when i am teaching them. They are not as happy as they were when they accepted the Gospel. My converts here were the following/  Luki, Juanita, Edwin, Clara, Seidel, and the Ax Family.  Some of them are more receptive than others. Some of them ignore me. Others have fallen bitterly away from the church. There will be some challenges, but i am here to do all that i can.

                There’s so many cool stories to tell, and so little time to tell them in these emails. The good news is that you guys will be able to see what this place is like when you come here in a little more than 5 weeks. =)

                Well, Question time! And Schedule planning time!

What is your companion's name? 

Elder Rivera

Where is he from? 
El Salvador.

How long has he been on his mission?
This is his second change. He is pretty new on the mission. We get along very well, and its fun to be with a new missionary because it reminds me of when i first came here. He speaks English fluently, and we go in and out of talking English and Spanish during the day.

Describe your living conditions there?  Are you living in a member's home, or in an apartment?

We’re living in a members home. The living conditions have notably dropped compared to the capital. First, it is WAY WAY HOT HERE! I’m drinking about 3.5 liters of water a day, and i sweat it all out. The house is made of cement, and is 1 room, including the bathroom. I am used to it though because its the same house i was living in when i first got here. There is no hot water, but there isn't a need for hot water anyways. There's actually a need for a water cooler. The water comes out pretty hot because of the sun.

Is there a lot of walking in your area, or are there buses for transportation?

There is alot of walking. Theoretically the border of Mexico is in my area, but i don't think we will be able to make it up there. Yesterday we talked about 15 kilometers. We walk alot.

Are there fast food restaurants there, or are you on your own for all of your cooking now?

In my area no. In Flores there is burger king, and pizza hut. We are going to eat pizza after this. =)

Who are you teaching?  Tell us a little about them.

Other than all my less active converts, we are teaching a family. Their names are Alfredo and Candy. They like the message but don't want to go to church. We also are teaching a mother names Marili, who has been going to church, but says she isn't ready for baptism. I'm still pretty new to the area, so i am getting to know all the people that the other missionaries were teaching.

8. What about the proposed schedule I just wrote?

 Sounds great! I think it will work

9. Best food/worst food? (as if I wouldn't ask that!! nerent)

Best food wassssss Taco Bell!! Big surprise. Worst food. Some rice we made. It came out hard and gross.

10. What words of advice and counsel can you give your favorite mother?

Other than nerent! I would say that you should pursue some of your interests, because you have alot of talent, like in photography. You would make a very good photographer. =)

Well, My time went out very quickly today! I have alot more to write, but i will have to write it next week. I am recording all my experiences in my journal. =) Thanks for all the emails and love. Stay happy, even when there are changes. We kids love you guys alot, and just because we aren't living in the house anymore, doesn'tisn't our home. It will always be. =) mean that 8110 myrtle lane
I love you guys very much, and am very happy to be in Peten again.
I have a strong testimony of the Gospel. I know it is true.

Love,
Elder Winn

So we started to sing hymns.

The final 6 weeks..
The last change.
On my good days I dreamed about and planned for it.
On my bad days it seemed as if it would never come.
And ironically and beautifully it will end where it began.
With people that Jack has reserved a special place for in his heart.
When a beloved family in our ward who are from Guatemala and own land in Peten
went there this month, they were introduced  as
a family  from Elder Winn's home ward in the United States.
Our friends told the bishop that Elder Winn's mom and dad would be coming to visit them.
They said they are very excited to meet us.
I can't tell you how excited I am to meet them.
To meet the people who Jack has grown to care so much about.
I cannot believe that it will really happen in just 6 short weeks.
And they do seem short now.
I never thought that I would EVER say that.

Hey everyone!

            Well, this should be my last email from the capital! I say should, because you never know about the changes thing. Sometimes President says something, and then changes it, so I have kind of been preparing myself for that. I think I will be going though, after all, he did tell me.

            The thought of going to Peten again makes me very happy, but almost a little nervous. I have so many memories from that place, and so many people that I love very dearly, but have inactivated from the church. That makes me a little sad, so I think it will be a very interesting experience to see them again, and to work with them again. My goal is to have them all active before I leave.

            Well, this was my last week in Llano Largo. I have officially been there for 6 months. I’m not going to lie, they have been a challenging 6 months, but I have learned a lot, and am very grateful for all the experiences that I have had here. I have had some great companions and some great lessons with our investigators.

            This week we contacted a lot by the church, even though it isn’t in our area. We figured that if people have a hard time going to church, why not contact the people who live right next to it? We found a few people that were mildly interested. This week we’re going to try and teach them while the whole family is there.

            This week my companion has been pretty sick. I think he has parasites, because he has the same symptoms that I had when I was in Coban. Remember that? I sure do. That was a fun experience. Today he is feeling better.            

            Yesterday we had an interesting experience. We were teaching a new family that was a reference of the Gonzalez family. The mother recently got hit by a bus, and broke many of her bones. They halfway operated her, and then put her on hold for a few months, until they find time to finish. Anyways, she is in a lot of pain. Well, yesterday we were teaching, and she began to have a lot of pain, and began to panic. We tried to explain that she needed to keep calm, or it would just be more painful, but she didn’t really listen. I said a silent prayer, as well as my companion, and he turned to me and said. ´´you know what we should do right now?´´   and I said ´´yes, we should sing her some hymns.´´ That was the same idea that my companion had. So we started to sing hymns. We sang a lot! And as we started singing she was able to calm down. We didn’t get to teach much, but the Spirit was felt.

            My scripture memorizing activity is going well. I am now up to 51 scriptures.

            This morning I spent some time packing. I am going to leave a lot of my stuff with Sister Cristy. That way I don’t have to bring soo much stuff up with me to peten. This week I made her lunch. I cooked chicken and rice, or at least I tried to. I think it came out pretty well. She really liked it. She gives us meals almost twice a week, and they are always very tasty. Last Sunday she gave us a steak lunch, for my farewell Sunday. She is a nice lady.

            Well I think it is question time.

Is it still raining down there?  I heard from Brother Stone, who was down there a few weeks ago and from the Vanegas's who were there last week, that it has been raining like crazy in Guatemala.  Is the rainy season coming to an end?
            It is still raining, and will rain untill the end of September. I think. It rains a lot here.

Is there danger of mudslides or flooding during the rainy season?
            Yes, but not too much. The ground is used to all the moisture. Only when there are tropical storms.

Did you have any particularly spiritual teaching moments this week?  Tell me about it
            We had an interesting experience with my convert Esperanza. She had accepted work on Sunday, and was not going to be able to go to church for quite some time. We talked about sacrifice, and putting our trust in God. She listened attentively, but didn’t commit to leaving her work. However, to my surprise, we saw her walk in to church yesterday. I think that lesson really helped her to put the important things first in her life. That made me happy.

When will you be leaving for Peten?

Wednesday night, like at 8 or 9.

I assume you will be traveling by bus on the 8 hour ride there.  Do you ever have to travel by yourself during transfers?  Or are you always with another missionary?

We always travel with another missionary. There´s always more than one leaving for peten.

I soccer the most popular sport in that country?  Do you see kids playing soccer a lot?

Yes, it is. All people play here is soccer. You guys should have been here when it was the World Cup. The country went crazy.

Do you know of any LDS taxi drivers who we can arrange to pick us up at the airport and drive us to the mission home?  or do you think we'll be just as well to pick a random taxi driver at the airport?
             Well, I might be at the airport to meet you guys. Ill have to ask and see how that works.

As we go around the capital with you, we were thinking we could just go by taxi.  Maybe if you know someone who we could hire, you can get his phone number, and let him know we will be calling him after we pick you up.  Just try to get his phone number before you leave the area.  What do you think of that?  Or shall we just call any random taxi driver?

              I know a few guys that can take us. To rent a taxi driver for the whole day is very expensive.

2. Can you get much sleep on the bus ride or is it pretty uncomfortable?
I can sleep pretty well. It’s a double decker charter bus, and I think there’s even a first class. I can look into that. Because 15 dollars each is a lot cheaper than 600. =0

2.       How long should we plan on staying in Peten?

Good question. You should send me a revised travel plan.

4. Final vote!! Bus or Plane to Peten?
I think a plane would be cool. But 600 is a lot. It all depends on if you guys think you can sleep on a charter bus.

5. What is something that you missed about being in Peten that you did not get in the capital?
All the nature, and the people, and the lack of crime, and… well the list goes on. =)

6. DID YOU GET YOUR DEBIT CARD???

Yes!

7. Best food/worst food....had to ask it...HAD TO! nerent
The best would be the steak dinner, and the worst would be a juice that I bought today for 12 quets. Its supposed to be grapefruit juice, but it tastes like baking soda. Bad purchase.

8. Did you know that your awesome mother is so proud of you that it is nauseating?

Nerent to her!
9. What will you miss most about Llano Largo?

Well, there's a lot of people here that I love, and the buses are incredibly cheap.

Well, it looks like time is almost up.

Thanks for the emails! I love you guys, and cant wait to be in Peten.

Love,

Elder Winn

I will be a witness (and I have a stomach of steel)

This is one of the first pictures I received from Elder Winn on his mission.
It was taken in his first area of the Peten.
He looks so young and so fresh and clean.
A contrast to the scenery behind him.
It meant so much to me to see this picture...
To see where my son was visually and to see that he looked eager and happy.
It is still one of my all time favorite pictures of his mission.
(Don't you love the dog all curled up and looking at him in the background. It actually looks a little like his beloved dog Sadie who I am trying to keep alive until he comes home)
Jack was so excited to email today..
to tell us that he is going back to his favorite place.
Peten..
He has been asking the mission president for this for awhile now.
In his sweet gentle Jack-like way.
I am happy for him.
I hope he will take a picture standing in that exact spot.
A picture to show the changes I know have occured.
A dingy shirt, sunburned skin, tattered tie and worn out shoes,
And the smile of two years worth of spiritual experience.
(and maybe the dog will be there too.)

Hey everyone!

                Thanks for all your emails. Like always I love hearing from you guys. Yesterday I didn’t write because we had interviews with President, and we also went to the Temple today, which makes today our p day. Today we had to get up at 3 50 to be able to make it to the first session. I am a little tired, but I love going to the Temple. Somehow being here in this country makes going to the Temple more special for me, considering the danger and evil that often prevails here. The Temple is a very literal refuge from the world here, and I feel most at home when I am able to go there.

                Well, are you ready for some exciting news? Yesterday in my interview I learned that my last area will be San Jose Peten! That was my first, and by far, my favorite area. I don’t know why, but I am really attached to that place. President asked me last change where I wanted to end my mission, and I explained that I wanted to go to San Jose to activate some of my converts there, and to and baptize some of my older investigators. Yesterday he told me that I would be ending my mission there, and that I had much to do there before I left. I am ecstatic. I can’t wait to get up there. I will be there next Wednesday.

                This week in Llano Largo was challenging! A lot of our appointments fell, and some of our investigators told us not to come by anymore, and we were limited in our working time, because we had ZL council and zone conference. I’m enduring to the end here in Llano Largo. I like the area, but it is really hard. It’s been my hardest area, and I have worked very  hard here. All i can say is that alot of people have had the chance to accept the only true and everlasting Gospel here, but have denied themselves the opportunity to be saved in the Kingdom of God, and I will be a witness. I know that I have been here for a reason, and that may have been a reason. I have 2 converts here, Esperanza and Jasmin. They are still active, even though they have been going through some financial problems lately. Esperanza started working Sundays and wasn’t able to go to church for awhile, but we taught her, and helped her understand the commandments again, and last Sunday she decided to come to church instead of going to work. That made me happy. I care a lot for my investigators.

                It´s raining right now. It rains all the time here. Ive gotten wet many times.

                Let’s see, what else can I write about. The highlight of my week was knowing that I am going to Petén to finish my mission.

                Well, lets do Question Time as I think.

Are you teaching any new families this week?

We had a hard time finding families this week, because we didn’t have too much time to work. We keep trying though.

What is your favorite lesson to teach?
                That´s a hard question. I really like teaching the Plan of Salvation, but I also like teaching the Restoration. Both are really good lessons.

Is there a particular lesson that you find seems to touch the hearts of people any more than the others?
                I find that some of our most effective lessons are reading in chapters of the Book of Mormon with our investigators. That seems to help them a lot, and you can feel the Spirit very strongly.

Do you teach English lessons to people?  Seems like that might be a way to get in the door with some people.
                We were doing that for awhile, but there was very little attendance, so we had to stop. Sometimes it works though. It depends on where you are, and how close the Church is to people.

Are you still running each morning?  Does Elder Vasquez like to do that?
                Elder Vasquez isn’t much of a runner, so I run stairs in the morning along with my sit-ups and push-ups. That’s my normal routine.

You have about 7 more weeks in your mission.  What's your gut feeling about where you will serve in your last area?  Stay in the Guatemala City?  Are you still hoping to go back to Peten to finish up?

Peten!!! =)

How's your goal of memorizing 1 scripture per day coming along?  How do you select the scriptures?

                It’s going quite well. I really enjoy doing it and I have a system to help me. Right now I have over 40 verses memorized, and even though I am memorizing them in English, it helps me when I teach, because I have the reference in my mind, and I can pull out scriptures much faster. The goals of the activity are to learn more about the scriptures, and to be able to have a better memory, which will really help me as I study, and I plan on studying for quite some time.

1.       Is it change week this coming Saturday?

Wednesday is change day now. That’s the reason they extended my mission. I’m serving for almost 2 years and 1 week now.

2. When will you be told? Do ZL's know sooner than everybody?
I only know my change. We figure out the changes about 5 minutes before everyone else. =) what a privilege

.

2.       How do you feel about this being your last change?
In some ways strange, and in some ways I feel the same. Sometimes it makes me very happy to know that I will be home soon, and in other ways it makes me very sad that I will be leaving this country that I love so much. There are lots of mixed feelings.

3.        

4.       I need a name of a hotel in Peten. I don't want to wait until we are there. Remember Muleshoe?
I stayed at a really cheap one once. Lol I don’t think you guys would like it. =)

5. Do you and the other Elders talk about or know about all of the Guatemala North Moms blogs?
Nope. =)

6. Is there anything that you need?
Not really. I’ll be home soon. =0

7. Did you know that Rick Stone was on business in Guatemala last week? He said it rained the whole time he was there. Do I need a rain poncho or a bunch of those disposable rain baggie things. Can I just buy an umbrella there?
Well, we can probably buy umbrellas there. The rain season wraps up right when you guys get up here.

8. Is your awesome mom possibly excited at the prospect of seeing her son?
Prolly. =)

9. FOOD!! Best/worst?
Best food was Carnitas, wich is a Guatemalan dish here. Its basically chuncks of fried pork meat. Its really good. The worst was… Some meat we had in our refrigerator that I think went bad. Lol.  I didn’t get sick though. I have a stomach of steel.

10. Knowing that I ask that question every week, does it make you try to eat something great or bad so you can answer that?
Lol, sometimes. =)

Well, it looks like my time is running out. I’ll still be in the capital for my next email. But soon enough I will be in Peten! I hope you guys have a great week!

Love,

Elder Winn