Guatemala CCM: Elders and Hermanas

Priesthood Blessings

We taught the investigator in Española but it turned out she was just a teacher. I have the greatest story from this experience. It was supposedly our last lesson with her and I had prayed for what we should teach her. I had a strong impression we should teach about the priesthood. So we prepared a lesson for teaching her about the priesthood. Half way through the day another thought came into my mind; I should ask her if she needed a blessing. It was nagging me until we taught her and when I was about to talk about priesthood blessings Elder Goddridge felt he should talk about blessings and so he did. We explained to her about blessings and asked if she would want one. After the last lesson my district sang ‘I Know That My Redeemer Lives’ in Española and after she asked if the elders could give her a blessing. We said yes then they all said, “Elder Mcilmoil you’re going do it." So we went out back to pray to invite the spirit and I desired to state the prayer in Spanish but I couldn’t say it Española. I had to say it in English but I felt a power come over me and it was nothing I have ever felt before. Then I gave her a blessing and I have never given/heard a more powerful blessing before. There were times when I was about to say something but then I couldn’t. I have only heard stories of things like this before and then it happened to me. I have never seen so much before. I saw so many blessings for her and then after the blessing she was shaking. I couldn’t really breathe after either and I was in shock to. Then later on in the week I had to give another blessing to one of the sisters because she was sick. It was a good blessing. So now I have given three blessings. There are very good days and very hard days here. I feel like I’m in a prison and it is driving me crazy. Don’t worry I’m having so many great experiences here. I know there are things in store for me and I say things I MEAN THINGS. There are words that are said or I read and bam this feeling hits me and I tear up because of how amazing it is.

So the food is good. Breakfast is always the weirdest meal of the day. So every day we have sports and they have a weight set and weights but I have decided to give it up for 2 years. I am on the Lord’s time not mine. There will be weights when I come home and I can work out. Could you send me a mini preach my gospel in Española, por favor, I mean please. You and Dad can decide if you send it to the MTC or the mission home. The package takes about 2 -2.5 weeks to get here. Also I’m going to buy a new Book of Mormon because the one you gave me won’t last very long and I need tabs. I will still read the one you gave me. I got some sweet scripture cases and a Manchester United jersey and shorts for 13 American dollars. Things are so cheap here. We are going to the market tomorrow and I’m so excited.

So I asked my teacher to print off the lyrics to ‘Come Thou Fount’ so I can translate into Española because there isn’t an Española version. So this is what church is like. Everybody has to write a talk on a topic they give us then in Sacrament Meeting they pick random people to give the talk and the talk is in Spanish.Then we have priesthood after we have district meeting (Sunday School). For district meeting you and your companions have to prepare a lesson on the topic they give you then they pick two companionships to teach. So every Sunday you have no idea what’s going to happen. On Sunday I gave a lesson but I still haven’t had to speak.

So almost every night me and my friends have story night and story night is about girls our first kisses or funny random things you’ve done, it is one of the funniest things ever. I’m laughing constantly for a half hour or more. We love story night, I shared my story about the stalker and they all said it tops all stories and that’s a Fact Jack. Everybody loves my Si shirt. P days are so chill it’s sweet. So if you are running my Facebook my teacher is adding me and his name starts with an M don’t decline it because I want to keep in touch with him when I get home. We get new missionaries and I’m stoked. I can’t wait to see who is coming in. Also I’m going to send my prayer and my talks home to you and there is going to be something cool that comes with them. I am also getting Jesus The Christ in Española because I didn’t bring mine and I want to read it. Also I have only been to the temple once but I go again tomorrow. I got a sweet new tie. Nothing much is going on it’s the same old stuff. We are going to get a new zone leader this week. I hope I don’t get called because I have meetings all day Sunday and Sundays is when I have like 5 hours or more of personal study time and I love that time. I met Elder Carlos Amado, he gave us a devotional and it was great. (Tell Brett).
Love ya and I’ll write you and dad next week.

LOVE YOU
Elder John Dennison Mcilmoil
July 22, 2013

Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 25:26 and Alma 43:1

Sick, Feeling The Spirit, And Ammon

So this week has been so hard. I got the bug and it was terrible. My stomach was so bad, I had to get a blessing. I'm much better now. I have never felt the spirit so strong on Sunday. We sang 'I Stand All Amazed' in the morning and I started to bawl. The spirit was so strong. Then at sacrament meeting I was asked to to say the closing prayer. So I did but I had to write it out. It was sweet. Then that night we watched the Joseph Smith Movie and wow. The spirit once again. I had tears during the whole movie. It was a little different than the one we watched. That movie is so powerful.

So I had to give Elder Young (North Dakota) a blessing, it was good. The highlight of my week was yesterday. During class we watched a Elder Holland video about how we need to be converted before our investigators. I have never felt so many spirits. I felt some of those people Mom and Dad. I am starting to see streets that I will be walking in my mind. I am becoming like Ammon. I am studying his story and it is the most powerful passage in the Book of Mormon. I love it here. The hardest thing is I can´t be in my mission yet. I am dying to get out there. I would rather learn zero Spanish and leave than spend 6 weeks here. I have met so many great missionaries its amazing.

I can't take pictures here at the MTC they took my camera. So no pictures for the MTC. My window looks right at the temple. My companions are Elder Goddridge (the kid at the airport) and Elder Young (North Dakota). I love the both of them. Its so weird being with someone 24/7. I am not used to it. So there were a total of 11 of us that traveled down to Guatemala, 5 Elders and 6 Hermanas (Sisters). We are all from Utah, Idaho, North Dakota and Oregon.

We are teaching an investigator and its sweet. She wants to be baptized but we´ll see. When we teach her I think we should focus on her needs and teach more by the spirit. 
Hey Mom the reminder on your phone turns off in like 3 or more years. I still feel like I'm in a dream. It feels so weird but so good. I have learned so much from the lord its amazing. LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!! I will email you next week.

Love,
Elder Mcilmoil
July 16, 2013

Scripture of the week: Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism. 

 

Plane Ride And The Power Of Prayer

I want to tell you about the power of prayer. On the plan from LA to Guatemala they showed a movie. Since I was set apart and I'm now an elder and I know we are not supposed to watch movies or stuff. The movie started the plan and I was like crap what am I going to do. So I just closed my eyes but I couldn't sleep. I just sat there for who knows how long then I thought I should pray. I prayed that I could fall asleep so I wouldn't watch the movie and break all the rules. The Lord blessed me with sleep and i didn't watch or anything. The Lord does bless us even with simple things. My teacher at the MTC told me that obedience brings blessings but strict obedience brings miracles. The Lord has taught me so much this week. It is hard but awesome. Love you and I´ll write more next week.

Love,
Elder Mcilmoil
July 16, 2013  

Made It To The Guatemala MTC

Sorry I would have responded a lot earlier but the email wouldn't accept my password so I had to reset it. But i made it. The flight was ok. Being here isn't as bad as Aubrey said it is. Its nice and way cool. So today I met Elder Rogers (Ryan Roger's son) and met two people that know Greg. One guy knows Josh E, Noah Jackson and Seth Gartez, he played soccer with them. The Presidents right hand man is a descendant of Ammon. Ammon is like he`s great great great great and more greats grandfather. Crazy. I am doing a lot better with the Spanish than I expected. I can carry on about half a conversation with the espanios (which are the natives). I am having a blast but it has been the longest day of my life. Email me back on Sunday and I will respond Monday or Tuesday and tell Greg to me email so I can tell him about this one kid.

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Mcilmoil 

July 10, 2013   

It's Time

Plane Ticket To Guatemala MTC

"I will be back in a blink of eye, Mom, don't you worry, see you in two, I love you."

Friends Serving Together

Elder Gregson Aspinall

New Jersey Morristown Mission

Spanish Speaking

Provo MTC September 4, 2013

Elder Charles Tuua

Tokyo Japan

Provo MTC August 28, 2013

Elder Ben Kirkham

Philippines Cebu Mission

Provo MTC August 28, 2013

Elder Brett Matthews

Mexico, Mexico City South Mission

Provo MTC October 16, 2013

Getting Ready

Provo Temple 
Endowment Received

May 31, 2013

 

Splits with the Missionaries

Elder Guzman and Elder Hernandez

Packing

The Beginning

March 27, 2013

Dear Elder Mcilmoil,
You are hereby called to serve as a missioinary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in Guatemala, Quetzaltenango Mission.

Report to the Guatemala Missionary Training Center on

Wednesday, July 10, 2013.