Training a Missionary from Guatemala

Hey everyone!

This week has been pretty eventful and stressful! So we had changes this last Tuesday and I am now back in Hidalgo but in the other side of the ward! So that was quite a shock at first I thought it was a joke because that like never happens but no here I am living in Hidalgo A! It was really cool to see all the members of the ward again they were pretty shocked! But man word travels like wildfire here because after the first lunch we went and visited a few of the other members of the ward and they already knew that I was here! Its a little hard because the missionaries that were here before didn't do anything! Like we have no records of anything that they did over the past two changes. All they left us was a whiteboard that said Ana and talk to hermanan Mantilla to know where she lives.... Oh and they left us a ton of trash.... So now a lot of the work is to try and get the trust back from the members and well basically start the area again. We have been doing a lot of walking and contacting but we have meet some really cool people this week! 

As for my new companion I am now training Elder Queij from Guatemala! Basically the news that I was returning to my old ward and that I was going to train a new elder kept me up all night long Tuesday! He is 18 years old and is pretty cool! He has a hard time understanding personal space... Its like he always has to be touching me. One more thing he cant walk straight. Like he runs into me a good 100 times everyday. It gets a litte on my nerves but we get along well. He is so excited to be out in the field working and we have been working like crazy!

In the first few days we didn't have anybody to teach so we have been contacting like crazy. We were basically on our feet the entire day and my comp got pretty tired! But with all the contacting we have found some really cool people! First we have been teaching Ana. Shes 15 and has been to church two times with the other elders. She loves the church so much and really wants to be baptized! Last Sunday she went with the young women to the temple to take pictures and she said that's where she got her answer to know if the church is true. Also this last Thursday she sang in the new beginnings for the young women and presented a valor! Theres only one problem because she is only 15 her mom has to sign the record for her baptism and her mom doesn't want her to be baptized again. We have visited with her one time and tomorrow we have a lesson with her to try and help her understand why she needs to be baptized again. When we talked with her before she seemed really nice so I think she will listen and hopefully she will want to be baptized too!

Its so weird to be homesick for your old area but I am. I miss being in the Fama ha ha. Its like you finally get to know the people and they change you again. But hey I really do like meeting new people and the mission sure is full of that! 

I hope all is well in the states! Tell me whats going on! 

Elder Ahlmer

Zack and new comp to train

New Old Area Hidalgo A

Elder Oaks

This week was way cool. Easily the biggest highlight was visiting with President Oaks! He came and talked with all the missionaries and I learned so much but what stuck out the most to me was when he started talking about your countenance. First I want to talk about his countenance. From the second he walking into the church could feel the spirit. I felt so calm and at peace. And when he spoke to us its evident that he truly is an Apostle of the Lord. He stared off talking about the countenance of Christ. He then talked to us a lot about our countenance how 10% of all converts of the church knew it was true just by seeing the missionaries and members. It's so important that we are always acting as Christ after all we take his name upon us every Sunday. The spirit of truth really does surround us. He talked to us about how blessed we are to know what we know. He told us the lord has given us every single thing that we need to be able to come back to him now its just a matter of following his words and helping others understand them. It brought to my mind the quote from President Eyring, "There will come a time when everyone in this life will know what we know, and they are going to know that we knew and will ask us why we didn't share what we know with them."

I have no doubt in my mind that this Gospel will bless the lives of everyone that tries to follow it. That this is the only way that we can find true eternal joy. Im so grateful that I have this opportunity to serve the lord and share this message with others. God loves us so much and he wants every single one of his children to be happy but he cant help us unless we come unto him and invite him in. He knows all and knows that only through following his commandments we can obtain this joy in our lives and in the life to come. 

Selene went to an activity with her mom this Thursday and they both loved it. It got me way excited and she was excited to go to church this Sunday but I guess over the two days we didn't see her she and she changed her mind. Her husband answered the door Sunday morning and told us that she went to the hospital and we said we would pass by later on that night. When we passed by she didn't want to come to the door so she sent her son to tell us she wasn't home again. We decided we are not going to visit her for a while and see what happens. Luckily tomorrow is a new change and a new start. 

I'm a little nervous for tonight when we get our call for the changes. It always puts the missionaries in an awkward position because we never know who will be changing and we don't want to say bye to the people if we don't end up leaving so thats about what I'm feeling right now! 

I hope all is going well up north! 

Elder Ahlmer

Freeze & Sweat

Hey everyone! 

This week was pretty good! As always the weather was out of control! Tuesday and Wednesday I thought I was going to freeze to death and then Thursday until today I have been dying of heat! We never know if we should turn on the AC or the heater in the night anymore! 

Miriam went to church this week and she is so excited to be baptized now we just have to wait for two more weeks! Its a little crummy because we have changes in a week so I dont know if Ill be here to see it! She really loves how much the church brings the family together and it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life to teacher her about the plan of salvation. I dont think Ill ever forget that feeling as she started to understand how much our father in heaven loves us. 

We are still searching for a house and we were supposed to have one before last Saturday... Hopefully we can find one soon! 

This Saturday Elder Oaks is coming to visit us and I am so excited to meet him! 

I hope all is well!

Elder Ahlmer

Duck Dynasty - Willie going green 

His Companions

Up in Chipinque

Chipinque Hike - Heavy Load

New Ride

President's Wife Sister Swapp

Just had a little time to converse with your son tonight.  He and Elder Estrada had an investigator and her small family to the baptism of a mother and daughter by the other missionaries.  Both families are beautiful and you son was so sweet with the young boys during the meeting trying to keep them under control.  He is a fine young man and a wonderful missionary.  We do love him and as we visited he shared a photo of your family and said how close you are and how much support he has from you.  You support and love gives him the freedom and confidence to do the Lord´s work with his whole heart for this time in his life.  Thank you for sharing your son with the people of Monterrey.  He is blessing the lives of many including ours.

Love Sister Swapp

Baby Blessings

So these past few days have been really good! Today we went to hike Chapinque with our Zone Mitras! It was so much fun but we couldnt see much becuase the top was covered in a cloud! But after we all went to a huge mall here and I felt crazy weird to be in normal clothes in a mall. It was really fun to just leave the city and see something green for the first time in too long! At the top there are a bunch of slides and the slides in Monterrey are just smooth cement so you cant really move too well but we had fun anyways! 

This Sunday was really cool to start the day off we watched 8 baby blessings! Like only two people could give their testimony! One of our investigators Angelica came and we have been working with her forever but she and her husband finally quit smoking and drinking.

Her husband is a member and she wants him to baptize her so we have to wait to hear what the bishop says to be able to baptize her but she has already gone to church a ton of times so it could be way soon! 

Well I dont have much time bvut I hope you all have a great week! 

Elder Ahlmer

Slug Bug and Cloudia

Hey everyone!

So this week has been pretty eventful! We got a call the other day telling us that we have to search for a new house for another two missionaries that are going to split our area. So now there is going to be 6 missionaries in our ward I still dont know how I feel about that, i guess well see how it goes!

So this week my comp put Vaseline in his hair thinking he could use it for gel or something... I dont think Ill ever let him forget that! I wish I would have got a picture! We started playing the slug bug game here and that wasnt the smartest idea. They used to use bugs for taxis here so just about every 10 seconds we are punching each other! So when I first met him he told me he was afraid of the dark and I thought it was a joke but no he was pretty serious. Like not just the dark but afraid of anything that isnt well lit.. Like every house we go into he has to turn the lights on even when its daytime. Its not too bad until he puts on this light for his alarm clock that changes colors. But it doesn't change colors slowly and calmly no it changes colors like were in a party ha ha. Its like a little strobe light and makes things a little difficult to sleep! 

We have meet some really cool families this week that are progressing well. We met a girl named Cloudia last Tuesday and shes been really interested but had a commitment with her sister this sunday so she couldnt come. She had been living with her husband for 16 years without being married so another family we have to try and help get married. Its so weird that people here live together for a good 30 years before making the decision to get married! 

I hope all is going well in the states! This are getting pretty cold down here!

Elder Ahlmer