The golden age

p.s. bloggers...I am finally 21!!!!! whoooopty whooooooooo party time

perfect love

He's Been There Before

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The alarm rings at 6:30; I stumble to my feet
I grab my companion's bedding and pull off his sheet.
A groan fills the room. It's already time to arise?"
It seems like just a second ago I was able to shut my eyes.

The morning activities follow: study, prayer and such
When its time to leave the apartment, you feel haven't accomplished much
"We have a super day planned," my Companion says with a grin.
I lowly utter a faithless breath, Yea, if anyone lets us in.

With the word of God and my faithful schwinn, we ride off in the street.
Prepared to face another day of humidity and heat
It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through.
My companion and I are riding home, not accomplishing what we thought we'd do.

We ride up to the mail box hoping to receive a lot.
Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "AIRBOX"
We go up to our apartment; the day is now complete
the only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet

It's past 10:30 Pm, my companion is fast asleep.
Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep
In the midst of sadness I kneel down to pray;
I need to talk to Father, but I'm not sure what to say.

"Oh Father," I begin, "What happened to us today?
I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away
My hands, my aching hands worn, hurt and beat
If our area was any smaller,we'd have knocked on every street."

Why on missions are the days so much alike?
the only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike.
Will you send some cooler weather? the heat is killing me!
I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes. Its very hard to see.

Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough?
People always laugh at me and call me stupid stuff.
Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack;
I want to give them Book Of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back."

And what about my Family? They don't have much to say.
I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day.
Oh Father,why am I here, Am I just wasting my time?
Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry but that's on my mind.

My Companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?
The way he rides his bicycle I don't know if he can even see!
Now you have it, I can't go on. I DON'T KNOW what to do!
That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I leave you."

My prayer now finished I stand up, then jump right into bed.
I need my feet for tomorrow; we have another long day ahead
Sleep starts to overtake me, I seem to drift away.
Then it seems a vision takes me to another time in another day.

I'm standing alone on the hill, the view is very nice.
A man walks towards me and says, My name is Jesus Christ."
Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet.
"Arise he states, follow me to the shade you and I need to speak."

My attention towards my Savior, total and complete
He says, "Your Mission is similar of what happened to me.
I understand how you feel, I know what your going through;
In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you.

"Even know how you felt when no one listened to you
At times I felt now quite sure what else that I could do.
I know you don't like to ride a bicycle for a car would be sweet.
Just remember the donkey I rode I was not equipped with 21 speed.

I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something to hate.
I remember when I sweat blood from every pore, " Oh, the agony was great.
I see you don't like your companion you would rather have someone else.
I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth.

It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you.
I remember when they put thorns in my head and called me King of the Jews.
So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack.
I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back."

Your hands hurt from tracking and knocking on doors all day
I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ache in a similar way.
It's hard not to hear from home when your family was not there to see.
I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why has though forsaken me?"

We have a lot in common, but there is a difference between us you see.
I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me."
He embraced me with his arms, His light filled me with His love.
With tears in my eyes, I watched as he went back to the Father above.

I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head.
I listened and heard the alarm, when I realized I was in my bed.
My companion let's out a groan, "6:30 already, no way!"
I sat up and said. Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!"

No matter what we go through when we feel we can't take more,
Just stop and think about Jesus Christ, He's been there before

Prepare.

Prepare for Blessings of the Temple

By Elder Russell M. Nelson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Physical Preparation for the Temple

Now, with a temple recommend in hand, you are ready for additional preparation. You prepare physically by dressing properly to go to the temple. It is not a place for casual attire. President Hinckley has emphasized self-respect for our physical bodies. That respect should be observed especially by those who would enter a holy temple. 15

In the temple, all are dressed in spotless white. “The symbolic purity of white likewise reminds us that God is to have a pure people.” 16 Age, nationality, language—even position in the Church—are of secondary significance. I have attended many endowment sessions when the President of the Church participated. Every man in the room was accorded the same high regard that was extended to the President. All sit side by side and are considered equal in the eyes of the Lord. Through a democracy of dress, temple attendance reminds us that “God is no respecter of persons.” 17

Brides and grooms enter the temple to be married for time and all eternity. In the temple, brides wear dresses that are white, long sleeved, modest in design and fabric, and free of elaborate ornamentation. Men do not wear tuxedos or formal wear. President Boyd K. Packer, now Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, wrote: “It is pleasing to the Lord when we bathe our bodies and put on clean clothing, however inexpensive the clothing may be. We should dress in such a way that we might comfortably attend a sacrament meeting or a gathering that is proper and dignified.” 18

Speaking of temple attire, mothers can exert a great influence for good among their children and grandchildren. As their skill and circumstances permit, they can provide tangible motivation for their family. A mother’s gift of a hand-embroidered handkerchief or other article of temple clothing can be a powerful incentive for a loving child or grandchild to cherish.

The wearing of the temple garment bears great symbolic significance and represents a continuing commitment. Just as the Savior gave us an example of His ability to endure to the end, wearing the garment is one way we demonstrate enduring faith in Him and in His eternal covenants with us.

Elder Carlos E. Asay (1926–99) of the Seventy wrote an article for the Church magazines titled “The Temple Garment.” 19 I recommend it for reading by interested members. From it I quote: “It is written that ‘the white garment symbolizes purity and helps assure modesty, respect for the attributes of God, and, to the degree it is honored, a token of what Paul regarded as taking upon one the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:13; cf. D&C 27:15).’ ” 20

The First Presidency prepared a letter to the Church on this subject. They wrote: “Practices frequently observed among the members of the Church suggest that some members do not fully understand the covenant they make in the temple to wear the garment in accordance with the spirit of the holy endowment.

“Church members who have been clothed with the garment in the temple have made a covenant to wear it throughout their lives. This has been interpreted to mean that it is worn as underclothing both day and night. … The promise of protection and blessings is conditioned upon worthiness and faithfulness in keeping the covenant.

“The fundamental principle ought to be to wear the garment and not to find occasions to remove it. Thus, members should not remove either all or part of the garment to work in the yard or to lounge around the home in swimwear or immodest clothing. Nor should they remove it to participate in recreational activities that can reasonably be done with the garment worn properly beneath regular clothing. When the garment must be removed, such as for swimming, it should be restored as soon as possible.

“The principles of modesty and keeping the body appropriately covered are implicit in the covenant and should govern the nature of all clothing worn. Endowed members of the Church wear the garment as a reminder of the sacred covenants they have made with the Lord and also as a protection against temptation and evil. How it is worn is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.” 21

Mental and Spiritual Preparation for the Temple

In addition to physical preparation, we need to be prepared mentally and spiritually. Because the ordinances and covenants of the temple are sacred, we are under absolute obligation not to discuss outside the temple that which occurs in the temple. Sacred matters deserve sacred consideration.

In this house of learning, we are taught in the Lord’s way. His ways are not our ways. We should not be surprised if teaching techniques differ from those employed in educational pursuits more familiar to us. Temple ordinances and covenants have been an integral part of the gospel since the days of Adam and Eve. Anciently, symbols were used to teach profound truths, and this method of instruction is used in the temple today.

It is necessary, therefore, that we ponder the symbols presented in the temple and see the mighty realities for which each symbol stands. 22 “The temple ordinances are so imbued with symbolic meaning as to provide a lifetime of productive contemplation and learning.” 23 The teachings of the temple are beautifully simple and simply beautiful. They are understood by the humble, yet they can excite the intellect of the brightest minds.

The Church has published information that is widely available and helpful. I recommend that members going to the temple for the first time read selected paragraphs under the following listings in the Bible Dictionary: 24

Anoint (page 609, paragraphs 1, 4)
Atonement (page 617, paragraphs 1–2)
Christ (page 633, paragraphs 1–3)
Covenant (page 651, paragraphs 1–2)
Fall of Adam (page 670, paragraphs 1–2)
Sacrifices (pages 765–66, paragraph 1)
Temple (pages 780–81, paragraphs 1–3)

One may wish to peruse the Old Testament, especially Exodus, chapters 26–29, and Leviticus, chapter 8. Second Chronicles, chapter 6, reports Solomon’s dedicatory prayer of the temple in his day. A review of the Old Testament and the books of Moses and Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price may be especially enlightening after one is more familiar with the temple endowment. These books of ancient scripture underscore the antiquity of temple work and the enduring nature of its ordinances.

Two Concepts Worthy of Special Emphasis

There are two concepts we especially need to keep in mind as we prepare for the temple. The first is covenant. We need to remember that a covenant is a promise. A covenant made with God should be regarded not as restrictive but as protective. Covenants with Him protect us from danger.

This concept is not new. If our water supply is of questionable quality, for example, we filter the water. Similarly, divine covenants shield us from harm. When we choose to deny ourselves of all ungodliness, 25 we lose nothing of value and gain glory known only to those who obtain eternal life. Keeping a temple covenant is not constraining but enabling. It elevates us beyond limits of our own perspective and power. It is like the difference between plodding through a muddy field and soaring through the skies in a supersonic jet. Keeping a covenant with God is both protective and enabling.

The second concept to stress in our mental preparation is Atonement. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the central act of all human history. It is the core of the plan of salvation. Without the infinite Atonement, all mankind would be irretrievably lost. Temple ordinances and covenants teach of the redeeming power of the Atonement.

Blessings of Temple Service

Service in the temple brings blessings to us in this life as well as in eternity. Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said that “temple work is not an escape from the world but a reinforcing of our need to better the world while preparing ourselves for another and far better world. Thus, being in the Lord’s house can help us to be different from the world in order to make more difference in the world.” 26

If we are true and faithful in this life, we may obtain eternal life. Immortality is to live forever. Eternal life means more than simply being immortal. Eternal life is to gain exaltation in the highest heaven and live in the family unit. God declared that His grand mission statement—“my work and my glory”—is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” 27 His gift of immortality is unconditional—a free gift of salvation to all humankind. The possibility of eternal life—even exaltation—is available to us through our obedience to covenants made and ordinances received in holy temples of God.

President Hinckley provided this excellent summary: “There is a goal beyond the Resurrection. That is exaltation in our Father’s kingdom. It will be achieved by obedience to the commandments of God. It will begin with acceptance of him as our Eternal Father and of his son as our living Redeemer. It will involve participation in various ordinances, each one important and necessary. The first of these is baptism by immersion in water, without which, according to the Savior, a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God. There must follow the birth of the Spirit, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in succession through the years will come, for men, ordination to the priesthood, followed by the blessings of the temple for both men and women who are worthy to enter therein. These temple blessings include our washings and anointings that we may be clean before the Lord. They include the instruction service in which we are given an endowment of obligations and blessings that motivate us to behavior compatible with the principles of the gospel. They include the sealing ordinances by which that which is bound on earth is bound in heaven, providing for the continuity of the family.” 28

The blessings of the temple become most meaningful when our loved ones are taken in death from our family circles. To know that our period of separation is but temporary provides peace that passes ordinary understanding. 29 President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) wrote, “Through the power of this priesthood which Elijah bestowed, husband and wife may be sealed, or married for eternity; children may be sealed to their parents for eternity; thus the family is made eternal, and death does not separate the members.” 30 Blessed with eternal sealings, we can face death as a necessary component of God’s great plan of happiness. 31

Eternal Perspective

An eternal perspective helps us maintain complete fidelity to the covenants we make. President Packer emphasized that “ordinances and covenants become our credentials for admission into [God’s] presence. To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality.” 32

Ordinances of the temple relate not only to our eternal glory but also to that of our departed ancestors. “For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, … they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.” 33 Service in their behalf provides an opportunity for our continuing temple worship, selflessly rendered as a vicarious work patterned after that of the Lord as He wrought the Atonement to bless all who would ever live.

One day we will surely meet our Maker and stand before Him at the bar of judgment. Scripture teaches us that “the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.” 34 The Lord Himself will determine whether we have been true to the covenants we made with Him in the temple and thus merit the glorious blessings He has promised those who keep their covenants.

This perspective gives us strength to endure the trials of life. President Packer stated, “The ultimate purpose of all we teach is to unite parents and children in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they are happy at home, sealed in an eternal marriage, linked to their generations, and assured of exaltation in the presence of our Heavenly Father.” 35

Each temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a stepping-stone to eternal glory for us and our family. I pray that each member of the Church will prepare for the marvelous blessings of the temple.

Only one more week until I go through the temple!

Time flys

I cannot believe our second week in Guatemala is over. It has been on of the most amazing and fastest weeks ever. Each day we continued to go to the orphanage and it was so good that we were there so much so we could develop relationships with the kids and have them remember us personally. Even though none of us spoke Spanish and the kids knew no English, in some way we could all communicate and understand each other. I loved when these kids would just hug you and sit on your laps, speaking super fast Spanish to you and you just laughing and saying "Si". On our last few days at the orphanage, we ate there with the kids and stayed all day so we could be with them in school and in the afternoon for play time. All us girls brought a lot of toys and donations for the kids that we were able to deliver personally to them the last day. It was fun to see their faces when we would even just give them candy or stickers or balls and they would be just so happy! I brought a bunch of balls the last day and when I handed them out the kids were just going crazy. It has been so neat to be staying in a small city because just after two weeks, we have all got so comfortable about the area and feel like we know everyone! One experience that was really neat was we took all these kids that worked in the park to mcdonalds for lunch one day. We got them all happy meals and they played in the play ground and I have never seen happier little children. I think being little kids in poverty in Guatemala that have to constantly work, they never really get a chance to be kids and have too much fun. I will never forget their bright and shining smiles in that moment. Since I had signed up for this program and we had made it official we were going to Guatemala, I knew that there was a specific reason we picked this country and I knew there were certain people we were suppose to meet. Coming to the end of this trip I have found those people I was sent personally to meet and I have never been so spiritually impacted and influenced in my life. When I first met this cute family in the park, I did not think much of it and just said hi to them a few times. Every time we would pass through central park where they worked, I would get this strong impression to be with and help this one specific family. The mother Maria, her son Danny, and her two younger daughters, just had the most clear and most vibrant light about them that made me feel such a connection to them and desire to help. The second time we saw them, I spent about an hour just running around the park with her son and goofing off. We invited her to church every day we saw her but I was never sure if she would actually come. The third time We went back to see them, we made sure we brought a Spanish book of Mormon so we could give it to her as a gift. It was really neat because my friend Shelby came prepared with her testimony in Spanish written in the book so she could give it out to someone and she knew it was just for them. When we handed it to her, we tried with broken spanish to tell her how much it meant to our church this book and if she read and prayed about it, it would bring her and her family much happiness. I was so sad to leave this family each day and I would just think about them in the night, hoping we had a little impact on them and hoping she would read the book. When Sunday morning came I was just so confident and knew that Maria would come to church even though she lived very far and had to walk and it was very early in the morning. As 9 finally came and I was awaiting anxiously in the park, there was no sign of Maria and her family which was very disheartening. All the girls I was with kept saying they needed to be on time to church but I just kept getting the feeling that they would come, so I told the girls to go and I would wait a little longer. I sat there in the park wondering how Maria was feeling about everything we had told her and wondered her thoughts about us and the church. I prayed that she would be open to it and understand why the other 8 girls and myself had such a powerful and strong testimony of it. I was just pacing back and forth in the park and kept looking at the time wondering if this is how missionaries feel every Sunday waiting for investigators to show up. It was very anticipating! Finally, I turned around and to my surprise I see a little girl with pig tails hobbling down the side walk with one hand in her mothers and my precious 6 year old Danny running to me. I had never felt so much joy and relief in my life to see this family approaching me in the distance. I scooped up Danny in my arms and felt a few tears run down my face just knowing that this child and his family and come. I walked hand in hand with this cute little boy and we all just came in church in the front row all together. All throughout the meeting I just prayed that this family would feel the strong spirit that I was feeling in the moment and would want to know more about it. After church, the missionaries got their number and we left. I took the whole family to this really nice restaurant and the kids got to play in the play ground and I hung out with Maria. Later, I got pictures developed of Maria's kids and I, and I wrote messages to them in spanish that I would miss them and be praying for them always. When I gave them to Maria, she was just so grateful and her eyes filled up with tears. It was one of the hardest things saying goodbye to this beautiful and wonderful family I had met, but I know they will be protected and filled with God's love for them as I prayed and thought about them from that day on. I am not sure if Maria read the book of Mormon and I am not sure if they will ever go to church again but what I do know is that I was guided to this certain family by the holy spirit to bring them the knowledge of the gospel and to shower them with Christ's perfect love and light. I will never forget this amazing adventure to Guatemala that I have had in my life and will never forget the people I met and the feelings I have felt. This trip has only been a small glimpse of what my mission will be like and I look forward to having these types of experiences daily when I am in Argentina. I have never felt such truth and fullness for anything in my life than the knowledge I have for this gospel and the feelings it brings me. I hope to bring it to as many people as I can, not only on my mission, but throughout my whole life because I know that if I listen to the promptings of the spirit and am constantly full of love, I will meet people and be places that will change me forever.

Week one.

I have been in Guatemala now for exactly a week long. So far, I feel like I have already had the most amazing and rewarding experience being here. One thing that I got to do that was very fun was I met with a local at the school for an hour and she would teach me Spanish and I would teach her English. It was so interesting to find out about her life and be practicing my Spanish at the same time. I could not believe this girls strong desire and determination to learn English. She was 22 years old and has grown up living at an orphanage practically her whole life. Her father past away when she was five and her mom did not have the money to take care of all her kids so she had to send her there for good. Since she has lived there for so long, she now works at the orphanage and because of that gets the schooling she needs to learn English and get a degree. I could not believe this girls story and it inspired me so much, knowing the things she has experienced in her life and how much strength and passion she still carries in her heart. She was telling me that the orphanage has become her family and she is very happy there. Last Thursday, our whole group was able to switch to volunteer in the same orphanage so we could all be together. Even though my sister and I loved working at the hospital, we were happy to finally be with our friends and be able to play with all the children. We have to take 2 different buses to get there and it can get a little crazy. The buses are packed with so many people so sometimes you cannot even sit down. Once arriving, there was about 300 kids of all ages just running around outside playing on a little play ground and playing games. They were so thrilled to see us and gave us so much love just within a few minutes of knowing us. I could just sense how much they desired to be held and loved from any of us visitors. They would not stop smiling at us and jumping into our arms. There was one little boy named Carlos that has problems with his legs. He limps while he walks but has the biggest personality and most beautiful heart. He was always just laughing and making funny faces, bringing everyone around him joy. Just that first day of us working there brought me so much excitement and joy just knowing we would be with these kids for another week. It meant the world to me just to be in their sweet and innocent presence, providing them with unconditional love. This weekend we traveled on a bus 9 hours to a place called Sumoc. It is up in the mountains where it is so green and just breath taking. There were these teal pools we got to hike to and swim in. We also slept in these hut like houses that where in the middle of the Forrest. It was definitely a cool trip and well worth the long drive. We also got to go tubing down a river that was really fun. We got back on Saturday night so we were able to attend church on Sunday morning. The spirit was so strong in the chapel and it just felt so comforting and peaceful to be in the church and to partake of the sacrament. Later, my sister and I were walking into the town when we came across a familiar face. We spotted this little girl in traditional Guatemalan clothing, laughing and running down the street with her mom and brother. We realized we had met them in the park the week before and adored this little girl. She had little dimples on her cheeks and was always smiling at you. The mother was happy when we came up to the kids and showered them with attention and love. The mom asked us if we wanted anything and because we had taken pictures with her kids, I felt we should give her a little something to pay her back. We sat there in the streets for a while and just played with the two kids. I have never seen such a beautiful and happy little girl in my life. I knew that these poor family had very little because the mom, Maria, was on her own with these 3 small children the ages of 1, 3, and 5. The little kids, Danny and Victoria, kept going through my bag and looking at my books and in my journal. I showed them pictures of my family and friends that were in my journal and they were just so happy to be with us and bonding. Their precious little smiles honestly lit up the whole park as we were all to hanging out together. The mother Maria seemed so grateful for us to be playing with and loving her children. As we left this cute family, I promised to come back and see them again on Tuesday in the park and told them how much I appreciated and loved them. I gave the mother a lot of money and hugged her goodbye. I know we ran into this family in the park for a reason and I know that we have the potential to help and love them while we are here in Guatemala. I pray for this precious family and hope they are always in safety and are happy. As we left the park on the way back home it was poring rain. As we were running, I noticed in the corner of my eye a young girl limping alone in the rain. I stopped to look at her and noticed she was missing both arms and one of her feet. She could barely make steps down the rode and was trying to shield herself from the rain. I wondered how on earth anyone could abandon this poor and helpless little girl at her age and in her poor condition. I walked up to her and put money in her purse for her since she was not able to. I look her directly in the eyes, being speechless and my eyes filled with tears, I hugged her fragile body and smiled. I know that God loves all his children and regardless of their outside appearance or of their lifestyle, I know he would want us to give to them love and to shine our light before them. I hope this little girl knows how much she is loved by her Savior and I hope through others on this earth and through their service, she will receive that kindness and love and always feel joy. I am so happy to finish such a fulfilling week here in Guatemala and I cannot wait to see what is to come for the rest of the trip.

Learning to Love

The yellow church is actually the hospital in Antigua that my sister and I work at. I fell in love with a little boy named Roberto who lives there that is special needs. He is about eight years old and he was born completely deformed and his limbs are very twisted so he is not able to stand or walk. At first I did not think he knew what was going on or who I was but every time I would pass his bed and say his name he would get a huge smile on his face. Another boy that was two beds down from him was throwing pillows at him which I thought would make him mad but only made him full of laughter. I definitely think he has quite a sense of humor. I would always go by him and tickle his hand and kept saying his name and he would always just beam of joy. I knew he was getting to know me and was grateful for my love towards him. Every time I would pass him he would put him hand in the air. I kept asking people what he wanted but they said he just does that and not to worry. I knew he was trying to communicate to me and I knew he wanted me to do something for him. I finally noticed he was pointing in the air to the outside so I picked him up and carried him outside in the sun. He was very happy and I knew this was what he wanted. He was desiring to go outside and feel the warm sun on his face and play like a normal kid. I held his small deformed body in my arms for a while and even though he was fragile and he was heavy, I felt him nuzzle his face on my body so I was sure he was content. We then put him in a car and rode him around the courtyard making loud car noises and getting him laughing and smiling a ton. He kept pointing somewhere else and although it was challenging I just wanted to find out his needs so I could make him happy. I figured out that he was pointing to a large swing that was made for just for kids in wheel chairs so he could swing back and forth. We put him on it and I have truly never seen a happier child. This moment alone was well worth my trip to Guatemala. To put that kind of joy into a special needs kids life and to show him unconditional love was more fulfilling than anything I have done. Before I left that day I made sure I stopped by his bed and looked into his eyes and promised to see him tomorrow. He looked a little sad but I know that I will be able to bring that same bright smile on his face sometime this week when I return. I will make sure of it. Until then....CHAO!!!

Te amo La Antigua

We all finally made it to Guatemala! My sister and I got in on Sunday night and were the first ones here. We got to our house late at night not knowing anyone or what we were suppose to do. Our house parents let us in and barely spoke any English. They took us to our room and just told us buanas noches. My sister and I just looked at each other confused and wondered what we do next. No computer, Internet, or TV...what to do?!! We kind of just laughed and unpacked, trying to get comfortable with our small room with barely anything in it. The shower leaks barely any water out and we were without towels, soap, toilet paper, or drinking water. we were a little perplexed and we didn't want to bother nor go find out house parents in the dark night since the probably went back to sleep and do not even speak English. How do you say "we have nothing in our rooms" in Spanish? We tried just having a positive attitude about it and read a little scriptures together then went tried going to sleep. Easy for my sister to do since she knocked out right away but I was having some issues with sleeping. It was hot in the room and I kept hearing noises outside all night that were freaking me out. I am pretty sure I laid awake most of the night but I was on benadryl so I was a little out of it anyway. At 7 am there was a knock at our door and our house mom was saying that breakfast was ready. After we ate and got all ready, we were escorted to our school and we were still the only ones that were in Guatemala so far from our group. When we got to the school where we would be having meetings and Spanish lessons, we met up with four other girls we knew that finally arrived and we all had orientation. After that we all went to our family house and most of our group had got in! We all had lunch together and got excited for our trips just taking pictures and practicing our Spanish. We got a little tour of the town which is so beautiful and colorful! The people are so friendly and everything is in walking distance. There are so many huge catholic churches here of all colors and so many green pretty parks. You can see a volcano in the mountains from where we are staying! In the afternoon we all split up and went to our separate projects. Mostly all our group is working in an orphanage but me and my sister got assigned to work at a hospital in the city that is for abandoned orphans. We had no idea what we would be doing but we knew that we were there that day for a specific purpose and certain people needed us. As we walked in we noticed that every single kid was special needs and handicapped. They were all very deformed and could not even move from their beds nor talk. This was on of the saddest things I have ever seen. Each kid seemed like they wanted so much to be able to look at me or say something but they just could not. We would walk around and feed them bottles and just be next to them giving them comfort. I was feeding this boy Julian for a while and tears just began to fall down my face as I tried focusing on his inner beauty and pure spirit that was inside of him because I knew he just wanted to speak to me. He looked so lost and trapped and I felt so bad that I was not able to fix his condition or make him normal. I knew in no way were we capable of fixing them but all we needed to do was to show unconditional love and patience to these helpless children. I just looked at all of them wondering what their story was and how could their parents just leave them be, especially because they were handicapped. I thanked God for these precious children in that hospital room in the moment and I thanked God for the nurses for their sacrifice and service towards these kids. In a recent book I read, it talked about how in heaven spirits choose to come to this earth and are aware of the things they will learn, experience, and what their needs and bodies will be like. It said that a special and perfect soul in heaven will look down and enter into a handicap body to teach the family members of them or their community the way of love and patience. It also said that the spirit does know it will be a challenging and hard life but they are willing to get through and do it for the benefit of others. I thought that was such a neat part of the book and going through this experience here in Guatemala has already proven to me of this truth and that our heavenly father loves all of his children and if we are able to love them no matter what they look like or what they do, we will become more Christlike and have a more worthwhile and fulfilling earth life. I feel so blessed to be here with my sister and learning about the culture and people of Guatemala. I cannot wait to see what else is in store for us on this trip and I will keep all you readers updated. Until then...ADIOS!!!