Finishing Up in Chiquilaja.

Our baptism this week.


Hi everyone,

Well this week was good. All worked out and the Lord permitted that we could baptize Martha and her family unto repentance. We had many trials Friday. First we could not find the keys, then the power went out so that we could not fill the font, and then just 2 hours before the baptism we still did not have baptismal clothes. Then after the baptism we found out that it had been a really difficult day for M-- and her family. Some really serious things happened and it was an act of faith that they still came to the baptism.  Satan was working against the blessings that were about to come forth. I baptized M-- and her daughter A-- and my companion baptized M-- and C--. Because I have changes tomorrow, we passed by their house yesterday to say goodbye. They were all crying and thanking me and my comp for bringing the gospel into their lives. I am sad to be leaving Chiquilaja but I am also happy to get a new fresh ward. 


The quote for the week is honestly one of my favorites that I have found in the mission. "The future of this world has long been declared. The final outcome between good and evil is already known. There is absolutely no question as to who wins because the victory has already been posted on the scoreboard. The only really strange thing in all of this is that we are still down here on the field trying to decide which team's jersey we want to wear." - Jeffrey R. Holland.

 
If you know that sin is bad why do it? I know there are other factors, but if we know that we are going to stand before God in the final judgement, why not be the best we can? We know that everything that is good is from God and everything that is bad is from Satan. Let us choose the good and fill our lives with the light of Christ. Let us pick the jersey of the believers, the defenders of truth and the promoters of righteousness. I want you guys to know that I stand as a defender of truth and that I will forever wear the jersey of righteousness. Well this next week you guys will find out where I am at and who my new comp is. Love you guys and talk to you next week.


Elder Reinhold

From the blog editor/Mom:  In another email I was saying how the baptism this week must feel really good. His response was, "Compliments promote laziness and satisfaction leads to idleness.  Love you a ton." Made me smile.


This is the family Ch--. They provide lunch for us Saturdays and Sundays. They are an amazing family.

This is the family Qu--. They live about 20 feet up the hill from us. They are great friends.

All Set for Friday's Baptism!

We went to the temple with M-- and her daughter Sh--.
It was a great experience and they felt the Spirit.

Well the good news is that all is looking great for the baptism of the V-- family. We talked to Mo-- this Saturday and she said that she talked with her husband too and he said to do it and that he wants to attend church with us when he is in town. IT IS A MIRACLE. Ma--, Mo--, A-- and C-- all have their interviews this Wednesday. Right now all is good except that we are having trouble finding baptismal clothes for 4 people. This week in church they were inviting everybody to their baptism. Little do they know that our church's heater does not work and it literally is water that is naturally chilled from the Xela cold. I felt it last time and it is FREEZING. We are really excited for M-- and her family. 


This week in church, I was asked to speak and I just talked so boldly and strongly because other things have not been effective. I chose to talk about keeping the Sabbath day holy. I started out saying that I had prayed really hard about what I should talk about and I said that I know that the Lord still wants us to be better with this commandment. Then I said that the evidence that it is a problem is that when we as missionaries have to teach keeping this commandment, we feel like hypocrites and that's not okay. It was a little strong. I thought when I said that that the bishop was going to take me off the podium. No I am just kidding. But speaking really boldly works, how do you think the evangelicals baptize? By scaring people into baptism. 

This week's quote is very appropriate for this week. "To reach, to teach, to touch the precious souls whom our Father has prepared for his message is a monumental task. Success is rarely simple. Generally it is proceeded by tears, trials, trust and testimony." - Thomas S. Monson.  And I would add "time."

 
This is the central park of Xela. It is actually pretty cool. I could live there.
We will see how everything goes this Friday. I knew from the beginning that they were going to be baptized because of the strong impression that we received to contact them. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here in the tiny mission of Xela. I read something today that said that 66 percent of the children in Xela live in what is considered severe poverty. Xela has a lot of money compared to the other areas of the mission like Momostenango, Quiche, Huehuetenango and some parts of Totonicipan. I think I am going to stay here in Xela when I have changes. A couple of reasons...first of all, my leg. Not that my leg is a big problem now but I don't know what president thinks about it. Also President wants me to continue to baptize and Xela is the place to do that. Love you friends and family and talk to you next week.


Con amor su Guatemalteco Chapine aqui en Chiquilaja. Placticamos este lunes e siempre recuerdan que les amo.


Elder Reinhold


Excellent News!!

Wow! This week was great. We had a lesson with M-- and her family.  They are the people whom we have baptism dates with. This lesson was key as she was going to talk to her husband, who is in the United States, to ask him what he thinks about her getting baptized and if she has permission.  We prayed hard all week for her husband.  So after chopping wood in he morning for 5 hours, we scheduled an appointment to return in the afternoon. We returned and brought up the question and she said that she talked with her husband and he says she should do it.  My heart filled with gratitude because 9 times out of 10 people don't get baptized because of their spouse. She said to us, "Yes I am going to be baptized"... and her daughter A-- as well.  Her other daughter M-- and her son are still in the process of talking with her husband but she, as well, wants to be baptized this day. We also again had 7 people attend church with us.  Everything is going great her in Chiquilaja.  They will be baptized on Friday the 16th.  I am so thankful for the blessing we have seen in these past weeks.  M-- really is a great person who has had a really hard life.  I am so happy that she will have the opportunity to have the gospel in her life.  This week in church she was chewing out all of her neighbors for never sharing the gospel with her.  She really is a prepared daughter of our Heavenly Father. 
 
Last night, I am not going to lie, I ate the weirdest thing I have had in the mission so far.  There is something here that is really popular.  It is called ceviche.  Basically it is pico de gallo with fish, but the crowning characteristic of ceviche is that everything is raw including the fish.  It is a really dangerous food to eat here, so normally we don't eat it but last night we arrived for our regular dinner with the O-- family. They served us mashed potatoes with a mound of ceviche made with shrimp and the other ceviche was yes, bull testicles.   And remember that the crowning characteristic is that it is raw.  It was really chewy, but to my luck, the lemon and the onion overpowered the flavor of the meat.  Yes, I finished it all and had a second helping.  Great story for the kids when I get older. 
 
Well, here is the quote for this week. I don't really have a lot of commentary for this quote but it caught my eye as I was reading in True to the Faith.  "Gambling is motivated by a desire to get something for nothing; this desire is spiritually destructive."  True to the Faith 72.  This is very interesting.  You can connect this to the world and the socialist governments and how people want this from the government and want that the government pays for everything and then wonder why the world as a whole is very morally and spiritually damaged.  I pray that we will all learn how to be self-sufficient and learn to have a good work ethic and take pride in supporting ourselves.  

I want to testify to you guys that I know that our loving Heavenly Father, because of the love He has for us, has in our dispensation restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that we may return to live with Him someday.  I know that the Book of Mormon is a book written for us by the inhabitants of the Americas.  Joseph Smith was a prophet.  I know he was because of the fruits of his labor.  If you don't believe it or your testimony is struggling, kneel down.  Your Heavenly Father is waiting.  Ask him if these things are true.  I testify that we, as children of our Heavenly Father, will receive an answer.  It is a promise that we have.  I know that God and His Son live and that we will one day meet Him and see the marks in His hands and feet and we will have a perfect knowledge of His love for us.  And if we do all we can here in this life, we will be exalted with the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant." I hope that we all may grow closer to our Heavenly Father through obedience and diligent study of the scriptures.  This is my humble prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Reinhold

Praying for Baptism, Being a Disciple of Christ, and Finally Playing Basketball...

Hey Family!
 
How are you guys?  Well this week was good and bad. The bad news is that we moved our baptismal dates to the 17th of August. The good news is is that we have dates with M-- and her daughter. This week we are going to try to present a baptism date to her other daughter and her son. We will see how it will go. We are praying hard and we know that this family is prepared for the gospel and I know that they will get baptized, I just don't know if it will be when I am here in Chiquilaja.  President told me that I will have changes this change. This change ends in 3 weeks so I pray that all goes well and that they will be baptized. They have assisted 3 weeks in a row now and love it. We are waiting on permission from their husbands. Good news today we switched it up as a Zone and played basketball and guess what. I Played!!! Man it felt good to be back. Smoked 'em too. Hit some fade away out of bounder 3's. My leg is doing pretty well, but we will see how I feel tomorrow.  Might be a little sore. Well all is going great. I am loving the mission a ton right now. Spanish is going well.  I have lots of friends in the mission and we are always having a ton of fun.
 
This week's quote is "Lesson number 1 for the establishment of Zion in the 21st Century. You never check you religion at the door. Not ever!!!" -Jeffrey R. Holland, Israel Israel God is Calling.  I sure hope that we do not have situations where we check our religion at the door. When you get in the car to drive to work don't check you religion at the door and listen to music that will take away the Spirit. You feel like you are a good member, you assist every week, you have a calling in the ward, but just once we need groceries and I am going to be gone tomorrow.  Just this once we will not keep the Sabbath day holy. Just don't do it. It's not worth it.  The small temptations are the easy temptations to overcome.  Luke 9:61 and 62 says, "And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." As for us we put our hand to the plough when we entered the waters of baptism and if we are looking back, which would be considered not sacrificing everything that you have, then you are not fit for the kingdom of God.  Don't fall in to the trap of checking your religion at the door and sacrificing your blessing and responsibility to be a disciple of Christ. I love this work and am grateful for every day that I have here in the mission. I love every one of you guys and want you guys to know that I am grateful to be a representative of Jesus Christ.  Love you and will talk to you next week.

Elder Reinhold