Elder Tadje in Guatemala

4/17/2018 WHAT UP world!  Here we are in Bendita Guatemala where we just got news from the first presidency that after 40 years, District Solola is going to become a stake!!!!! Everybody here is SUPER pumped- so on May 13th and 14th a general authority is going to come down (We're hoping for one of the 12, but we're about 3 hours from anywhere so we'll see what happens) and we're gonna become an ESTACA!!!! The district president pulled us into the office Sunday, and asked if Elder Salazar and I would help him put together a stake choir so I'm going to play the piano, and Elder Salazar will lead the music!!! We're all super excited!!!! This Sunday we were blessed to have the baptism of David Moises Rodriguez Rodriguez!!! He's an ex member of the 18 which is a really bad gang in Guatemala, but it has been such a blessing to see his life change completely with the help of the gospel!!! The culture in the mountains of Guatemala is really interesti...

What's good in the hood?!  We had a lit week here in Solola- yesterday we were able to hike a volcano!!! Lake Atitlan (Waters of Mormon, right below our area) is so beautiful and has 3 volcanos right around it! We hiked San Pedro La Laguna which was the most ridiculous hike I've ever done. By the end of the day (with working in our area too) we had walked 20 kilometers, and climbed an elevation of 5,600 feet! Haha the entire zone's having a hard time walking today. Our house is kinda small- about the same size as my area before, just divided into rooms. The best part is that we don't have keys to it!!! We had to do what everyone here does, and tie a 'pita,' or a little string tied to the inside. (there's no door handles here) We stick that through the window and pull it to open the door. Just pray that no random person from the streets notices it... haha This week was kind of rough for the zone... Three of our areas didn't have an investigator...

Hey what up Elder Tadje here in SOLOLA!!!!  Everything was going well in our area, Elder Velez and I were on fire in Barcenas, then Thursday we got a call from President that there were emergency changes! For BOTH of us!!! Elder Velez got sent to the office to be the executive secretary of the mission in his training still, which has NEVER happened. (must´ve had a good trainer or something... I don´t know haha) And I got sent to Solola!! Right now we´re in a trio with Me, Elder Salazar from Honduras, and Elder Carter who´s only here until Friday until the AP (Jacob Newell´s cousin) is done training the new one. This is by far the prettiest area in the mission. It´s right by a little city called Panajachel, and Lake Atitlan!!! The COOLEST part is that Lake Atitlan is supposed to be the waters of Mormon in the Book of Mormon!!! We even have an institute study book of the BOM and it shows pictures of the lake when it talks about Alma! It´s so cool to be in a site where act...

What up everyone, Elder Tadje comin at ya with LIGHT!!!!! Our electricity's been out for a week cuz the guy in the tienda before us hasn't given us our light bill since October!!! So we had a fun week of flashlights but as of yesterday we are good.  There's something that Elder Velez and I have been noticing this week- All of the people in Guatemala get their clothes from pacas, or megapacas. A megapaca is basically DI and pacas are just any random house where people decide to hang their clothes outside and sell them. But all the clothes come from the states, and a ton from Utah. So we see a million BYU and U of U shirts! But we have noticed that all of the people with Utah shirts are really angry and never want to talk to us, and the people with the BYU shirts are super open and friendly and receptive. Not sure if there's a reason behind that... haha This week's been really good in Barcenas!! We have a baptism this Sunday- her name's Eibon Garcia, she...

We had a pretty great weekend in Barcenas Guatemala! Elder Velez and I were able to have the baptisms of Monica Carrillo, Anthony Morales, and Anji Cortee! The services were all really special and spiritual and it was such a blessing to be a part of 3 people entering the path to God's kingdom!  We've been keeping busy- last change the mission norm changed. The "standards of excellency" are now 1 baptism per week, 8 investigators  at church, 2 new investigators every day and 18 every week. So we've got a ton of people to be visiting and people to find! But we really have seen a lot of miracles. Yesterday we were walking in the streets and this guy ran up to us and said "Elders, I saw you yesterday in the bus and now I saw you again. There is no way this is a coincidence. Is there any way you could pass by my house tomorrow?" We were like, OK!!  So we showed up today. His name is Jordan Gomez, he's 17, and before going no his mission his friend ga...

Oi que dicen mis seres queridos?!  So we had changes- and mi hijo Elder Velez and I are here another change!!! Which is good becasue I just paid for another month of our gym membership. This really is an incredible area- the members are awesome, and we're seeing a ton of miracles!!! We had a little boy named Anthony who was going to be baptized last week- well he randomly decided to go sightseeing with his aunt and uncle Sunday so he didn't come to church. But he should get baptized this Sunday, along with Monica Carillo! She was supposed to get baptized my first week here but her boyfriend hasn't been worthy until now. But everything is good and she's finally getting baptized! Also possibly a girl named Angie Cortez- she's 12 and got baptized when she was 8, but her records were lost so we might have to do it over again if we can't find them!! Bendita Guatemala! We had 9 investigators in church Sunday and they're all pretty positive so we'll ...

Hey everyone!!  We've had a pretty crazy week here in Barcenas. Elder Velez said he starts his journal entry every day with: "so here's what Elder Tadje did today..." haha Thursday we went to help the Hnas with some things at their house. As we were leaving, they told me the buttons on their microwave didn't work and asked if I could try to fix it. Of course I said yes- so I took it apart and in the end it wouldn't even turn on. So I must have gotten microwave karma or something cuz the next morning, we got back from the gym. I showered first, then made breakfast. I've been trying to eat healthier so I've made scrambled eggs every day! Our zone is also the only zone in the mission with WALMART!!!!! (I'd almost forgotten what that was) We went on Pday and found Poptarts!!! I had forgotten what those were too. I decided that poptarts would go well with my eggs, and thought why not try to throw one in the microwave. I read the box for instruction...

February 28, 2018 Whaddup everyone???  Sorry it was a crazy week and not a whole lot of time to write an email. But we had a surprise baptism this Sunday of Alejandra Espinoza!!!! She wanted to go to the temple this Wednesday, so we were able to get permission from her dad Saturday night, do the interview, then baptize and confirm her Sunday morning!!! It was a really special service and she was so happy to finally be a member of the church. We are working with her cousin to get permission for him too.  Our area's awesome and I'm loving things with Elder Velez; especially because yesterday we had to head to immigration so he can be here legally! So we hung out in Guate all day, and changed our Pday to Wednesday so that'll be nice.  But everything here's tranquilo- thank you all so much for your emails and prayers and support, Les amo y extrano mucho!!!! Que mi Papito Lindo les bendiga Elder Tadje

February Comin' at ya live from Barcenas, Villa Nueva; The city build on a hill! It's a strange area - we're really close to Guate, the biggest city in Guatemala. So we can see all the lights and big buildings off in the distance. We're a 10 minute bus ride from Walmart. (I had almost forgotten what that was) and a massive mall. But Barcenas is divided in 1/2- the half of Pisto (or money) is the Hermanas area and is all gated communities with armed guards where you need ID and your exact destination to get in. Then literally on the street that divides our area, the money ends and the hill starts, and it is a HILL! But this area is really awesome, and so are the members. Our apartment is pretty small; one room about 10x30 feet to sleep, study, eat, exercise, store our stuff, etc. But it's made me realize we don't really NEED a ton of space. A lot of the people live in houses smaller than this, with a lot bigger families. I absolutely love Guatemala, but if ...

Buena semana todos!!!! A big warm hola from Elder Tadje and Elder Velez aqui en Barcenas!!!  So this week's been good- kinda crazy, but I'm starting to learn that's just how mission life is!!! Our area is awesome- the members love working with us, and love giving references!!! It's kinda weird, this has never happened before.... There were just some problems with the Elders before, so when I got here we didn't have any lunch. But we've started building bridges again, and we've been eating every day since then; and today one of our investigators is feeding us!!! That's when you know they're opening their hearts🌮 Our house is great, we spent two hours of pday cleaning which is a miracle cuz it's only one room 😂 haha there's one room to eat, sleep, study, exercise, everything. But it's made me realize that we don't really need more space, and how blessed we are in America. It's a lifestyle that the people here can't even...

Hey everyone!!!!! So kind of a crazy week. Things were great with Elder Williams, but we got a call from President yesterday that we had emergency changes!!!!! Elder Williams got transferred to the coast and an Elder Velez with 1 week in the mission is coming to be my companion!!! Which should be interesting cuz neither of us know the area haha, but con Dios nada es imposible!!!! Sorry that there's not time to write more, things have been crazy but that's the life!!!  But this area's awesome and the members are amazing, and I'm super excited for the next few weeks!!!Thank you all for the emails and the prayers they make all the difference!!! Elder Tadje

Hey everybody!!!  So crazy week- there's no scarier situation than being in a lesson and getting a text from President saying "call me!"But it ended up not being anything bad- just that we have changes!!!!! I've been transferred to Villa Nueva, an area called Barcenas 2 with Elder Williams from Panama- He has one change less than me in the mission, and he's been here since he started!! He's awesome- I'll send pictures next week!!! Our area literally is one massive hill, and somehow it's all uphill!!! There are no declines- just hiking straight up a mountain haha but the members are super awesome- really supportive and they love the missionaries!!! I'm super excited to be here, and we'll see how these next few weeks go!!! We have a baptism this Sunday. I have no idea who she is, and apparently I won't meet her until the baptism. But we got a baptism!!! haha Sorry I'll write more next week. It's been a l...

Hola! There's some scripture somewhere that says something like "como una vos del polvo"- and I feel like that's me; cuz holy cow there is dust here!! I don't even know why I still polish my shoes, as soon as I step outside they're brown. All the women, as part of taking care of houses, go out 2 or 3 times a day to throw bowls of water to water down their dirt- Or they just sweep it away. But beneath the dirt, there's just more dirt...😂 Guatemala in general is also a super dirty country; or at least the southern part. There's just garbage everywhere because there's no garbage cans, so everyone just throws everything on the ground. So the people sweep it into piles on the side of the road and light it all on fire and leave it! So Guatemalan streets are always a mix of dust and mud, flaming trash heaps, bus diesel fumes, cigarette smoke, and the occasional drunk passed out on the sidewalk. It's actually starting to be strangely comforting...