Hello world! Elder LaPray here, from Guatemala City, Guatemala, Zone 1, from Aces Internet/e-learning. We've been having high temperatures for the season, people are calling it the "Canícula" of the summer. That's a two-three week hot streak in the middle of the Guatemalan winter. We've been sweating bullets under the hot Guatemala sun but it seems like rainy days are just ahead as the canícula comes to a close. We've got clouds all across the sky with looks of rain rain rain. I hope you've got your umbrellas ready! The Guatemalan wintry rains don't let up until about September.
This last week has been VERY eventful!! I wish I could mention it all, but it doesn't seem as though time will permit. We'll see. I've just received permission from my coworker, Elder Flores, that there is breaking news to share and that I have the authorization to tell, more on the breaking story to come. Now as for the news breaking title of this message, well, as with any good news report, that story has to wait until the end, I hope you can hold on for that long. We'll try to keep the uneventful news to a minimum.
Well, we've already got the news report up until last Tuesday so we're going to move on straight to Wednesday. Once again, not much to report. As is usual for Wednesdays here in Las Victorias Elder LaPray and Elder Flores dropped by Gilda and Marian before district meeting, but weren't able to share much of a message, but they need that spiritual visit and the knowledge of love and support they receive from the missionaries. However, on the upside, Gilda asked for and received her first priesthood blessing and strongly felt the Spirit. She described it has a "heat that passed through her whole body". I believe if she were speaking English she might have employed the word "warmth" as we do within the church. They also had a quick visit with Neri who actually continued through on his reading. On the downside they were not able to visit Neri during the rest of the week although they tried on several occasions.
Now Thursday was quite the eventful day, but as we mentioned earlier, ever news reel ends with the "juicy stuff". Moving right along to Friday we had a few good lessons, but nothing too noteworthy for the general public. If you're really interested you'll have to wait for the "hard-copy" in the Missionary Journal of Elder Andrew A. LaPray, written and dedicated for/to future descendants.
Saturday came around rather quickly this week, and held an interesting conversation about masonry. (For more on masonry see "Mormons and Masons"). As for this news reporter, he can't share too much information, but it was a rather interesting conversation from what I was able to gather in the quick report. In the swing of missionary work, Elders LaPray and Flores received 3 new investigators named Victor, Luisa, and Sharon on Saturday afternoon who seem very shy, but interested in learning more about the gospel. As the gospel interchange moved forward, they seemed to open up more and more, to the point where they were comfortable in asking questions. (No, Elder LaPray is actually NOT from Zacapa, Guatemala as he often claims, but it gets a good laugh out of several.) (For those who don't know, Zacapa has a reputation for people who are of a whiter complexion, lighter colored hair, and green and blue eyes, unlike the native Guatemalan with a darker skin, dark hair, and dark eyes). Elder LaPray and Elder Flores also got invited to lunch by new members in the ward who moved in from the Parroquia ward, always remaning within the Guatemalan Stake. Interestingly, in Guatemala, a lot of people live outside of their ward boundaries but continue to attend another ward because of people they got to know, or callings they have held. Not the best practice in the world, but definitely not unseen in the United States.
As for the Big Breaking News of Thursday. Elder LaPray and Elder Flores received a phone call around 9:00 a.m. to go to the hospital, not in the ER, in order to have an exam done on a mass, located on the back side of the jaw of Elder Flores. They ended up in the hospital for a total of 3+ hours of what was an expected 1. Elder Flores for the first time had to put on a hospital gown and asked his companion if he truly needed to remove all of his clothes. The funniest part of this whole story, still unknown to Elder Flores, is that Elder LaPray asked his parents that same question more than 8 years ago when he had an ingrown toenail surgery done in Nevis. An interesting tale for all to tell. Elder Flores has an absolute HORROR for needles, but was okay with the needle they placed for possible IV were he to have remained in the hospital. Rather than performing the anticipated biopsy, they performed a "tomografía" which I believe is similar to a CT scan, but am not really sure, as things get "Lost in Translation". (punny). It turns out that Elder Flores has a tumor blocking some sort of salivary gland behind his jaw. Once again, we are not 100% sure of the English translation of that gland. (Further news to come as Elder Flores and Elder LaPray have a doctors appointment today at 4:00 p.m. to talk about the pathology results).
Now, as for the caption... "A Light in the Dark". Quoted straight from the Journal of Elder LaPray "WHile we were in the Celestial Room of the temple, the power went out and we lost all light. I know we're all adults and nothing to be afraid of, but no one said anything. Not a sound. I sat quietly and continued to feel the peace. Until now I am realizing that in this world, like in that room, we are surrounded by darkness. But that darkness doesn't matter with the light, knowledge, and peace we receive because of the Gospel in our lives and the endowment we had just remembered. It was a truly unique experience. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hilll cannot be hid... let your light so shine before men... and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
I know that this was a weird email, but sometimes it just gets so boring to write the same way. I hope you've enjoyed the "dorkiness" of Elder LaPray today :) Love,
Elder Andrew A. LaPray
This last week has been VERY eventful!! I wish I could mention it all, but it doesn't seem as though time will permit. We'll see. I've just received permission from my coworker, Elder Flores, that there is breaking news to share and that I have the authorization to tell, more on the breaking story to come. Now as for the news breaking title of this message, well, as with any good news report, that story has to wait until the end, I hope you can hold on for that long. We'll try to keep the uneventful news to a minimum.
Well, we've already got the news report up until last Tuesday so we're going to move on straight to Wednesday. Once again, not much to report. As is usual for Wednesdays here in Las Victorias Elder LaPray and Elder Flores dropped by Gilda and Marian before district meeting, but weren't able to share much of a message, but they need that spiritual visit and the knowledge of love and support they receive from the missionaries. However, on the upside, Gilda asked for and received her first priesthood blessing and strongly felt the Spirit. She described it has a "heat that passed through her whole body". I believe if she were speaking English she might have employed the word "warmth" as we do within the church. They also had a quick visit with Neri who actually continued through on his reading. On the downside they were not able to visit Neri during the rest of the week although they tried on several occasions.
Now Thursday was quite the eventful day, but as we mentioned earlier, ever news reel ends with the "juicy stuff". Moving right along to Friday we had a few good lessons, but nothing too noteworthy for the general public. If you're really interested you'll have to wait for the "hard-copy" in the Missionary Journal of Elder Andrew A. LaPray, written and dedicated for/to future descendants.
Saturday came around rather quickly this week, and held an interesting conversation about masonry. (For more on masonry see "Mormons and Masons"). As for this news reporter, he can't share too much information, but it was a rather interesting conversation from what I was able to gather in the quick report. In the swing of missionary work, Elders LaPray and Flores received 3 new investigators named Victor, Luisa, and Sharon on Saturday afternoon who seem very shy, but interested in learning more about the gospel. As the gospel interchange moved forward, they seemed to open up more and more, to the point where they were comfortable in asking questions. (No, Elder LaPray is actually NOT from Zacapa, Guatemala as he often claims, but it gets a good laugh out of several.) (For those who don't know, Zacapa has a reputation for people who are of a whiter complexion, lighter colored hair, and green and blue eyes, unlike the native Guatemalan with a darker skin, dark hair, and dark eyes). Elder LaPray and Elder Flores also got invited to lunch by new members in the ward who moved in from the Parroquia ward, always remaning within the Guatemalan Stake. Interestingly, in Guatemala, a lot of people live outside of their ward boundaries but continue to attend another ward because of people they got to know, or callings they have held. Not the best practice in the world, but definitely not unseen in the United States.
As for the Big Breaking News of Thursday. Elder LaPray and Elder Flores received a phone call around 9:00 a.m. to go to the hospital, not in the ER, in order to have an exam done on a mass, located on the back side of the jaw of Elder Flores. They ended up in the hospital for a total of 3+ hours of what was an expected 1. Elder Flores for the first time had to put on a hospital gown and asked his companion if he truly needed to remove all of his clothes. The funniest part of this whole story, still unknown to Elder Flores, is that Elder LaPray asked his parents that same question more than 8 years ago when he had an ingrown toenail surgery done in Nevis. An interesting tale for all to tell. Elder Flores has an absolute HORROR for needles, but was okay with the needle they placed for possible IV were he to have remained in the hospital. Rather than performing the anticipated biopsy, they performed a "tomografía" which I believe is similar to a CT scan, but am not really sure, as things get "Lost in Translation". (punny). It turns out that Elder Flores has a tumor blocking some sort of salivary gland behind his jaw. Once again, we are not 100% sure of the English translation of that gland. (Further news to come as Elder Flores and Elder LaPray have a doctors appointment today at 4:00 p.m. to talk about the pathology results).
Now, as for the caption... "A Light in the Dark". Quoted straight from the Journal of Elder LaPray "WHile we were in the Celestial Room of the temple, the power went out and we lost all light. I know we're all adults and nothing to be afraid of, but no one said anything. Not a sound. I sat quietly and continued to feel the peace. Until now I am realizing that in this world, like in that room, we are surrounded by darkness. But that darkness doesn't matter with the light, knowledge, and peace we receive because of the Gospel in our lives and the endowment we had just remembered. It was a truly unique experience. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hilll cannot be hid... let your light so shine before men... and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
I know that this was a weird email, but sometimes it just gets so boring to write the same way. I hope you've enjoyed the "dorkiness" of Elder LaPray today :) Love,
Elder Andrew A. LaPray
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