We were holding on off the side of a bus going out to pueblo modelo, and a random lady gave me 5 quets and walked away.... about 30min later after we were done teaching a lesson to a part member family, they asked if they could have 5 quets to buy water... the Lord sure does work in mysterious ways!! i went on some divisions with some elders of my district this week.. im pretty sure i learned more from them, than what they learned from me.. we had the chance to see dr.phill hall at the airport friday morning at 6 am before he left.. we talked for a few min and it was good to see someone from my home land.. they wouldnt let me into the airport cuz i didnt have my passport.. so that was a bummer.. but it was worth it!! we had a super sweet investigator family show up to church yesterday.. i was so happy when they showed up!! i cant explain how happy i was!! or maybe.. lets see.. super duper luper happy.. ya, and thats really happy for me if you didnt know.. sorry no zacapa crips yet but its commin...
Elder Oakey

option 2
Mr. Billiards

man on the moon

Dr. Phill

chambers is dying

ok.. i had changes.. im now in a area called los almendros (the almonds) in zacapa.. i was also called to district leader.. as matthew said im glad i dont have sisters in my district.. haha.. (no offence Becca).. my new comp is named elder castillo from el salvador, he has around 9 months in the mission.. so i never got to see my baptism presentation when it was presented.. kinda sad.. but it happens.. Zacapa is like st.george summer weather all year round.. but the catch is that their is no air conditioning.. so you pretty much sleep sweating, haha... our house is pretty cool. ill make a quate cribs zacapa video this week for ya.. we have a huge mango tree in the back yard.. the mangos are huge.. and gynormous lizards and creatures live in it.. i met all the neighbors by asking them if they had a plunger that they would lend me.... they all got a kick out of that!!

the kids here mostly play with marbles and with tires.. they roll the tires.. we met the sunoon family, (check the pic).. their house is made of a tin roof with a dirt foundation and wooden posts with a tarp for walls.. they also live without electricity or running water.. as we were teaching them i was just pondering about their situation and thinking if i could live like that.. It really brings you back down to earth.. i even feel bad that us missionaries live in some of the nicer houses in all the areas that we are in.. today for pday we went to chiquimula to play soccer with the zone.. it was fun. we have a actual ward here in los almendros. about 85 to 90 active members.. well were workin building the kingdom

Elder Oakey

wait
salva vidas

hechando hueva

Elder Castillo

fam sunoon

bye bye conchis

70's

last Wednesday we went to the temple!! it was super sweet as normal.. elder shipley and i were doing work for brothers!!

ill let elder shipley tell the story.. haha Wednesday- so we went to the temple in the morning. we had to wake up at 4 am. so early. then we headed over there and it was really neat. elder oakey and I sat next to each other and we looked at our cards and saw that they were brothers. it was so neat. how cool is that. brothers are finally going through the temple and getting their work done and were sitting next to each other. so that made it pretty special. then after the temple we went out of there. my comp and another elder did another session so me and elder oakey left on divisions. when we left the temple there were about 50 gringos. it was so weird. they were from byu Idaho and were touring down here in Guatemala. it was so neat talking to them and we had a good time laughing and all. ps it was like 40 girls 10 guys. lucky for them haha. their teacher called them on the bus and they were about to leave when me and oakey were thinking, hmm i really wanted a photo. and he did too. ha so we ran to the bus and he got on the microphone and said, is it cool if we take a pic with you guys. they all screamed yes. so we got in the middle of the bus and the girls were like can we touch you guys, and a guy yelled, “no they’re missionaries”. haha it was just so dang funny. but we took a pic so it was good.

http://elderdanielshipley.blogspot.com/

haha elder shipley is a funny man.. haha

so after the temple we headed to the zoo!! the zoo is super cool i decided!! i really didnt remember how narley the zoo was.. it brought back some memories.. at the end of our zoo experience we hopped into the bumper cars and had a laugh attack for about 5 min..!! haha what a blast!! we also had our last zone conference with pres.. it was very different from the zone conferences before..... hehe my comp bonilla received a English certificate!! he is a very good English studyer.. were havin a baptism this month, with abby!! im so happy for her.. remember, she is the girlfriend of a member.... well, they ended up getting married!! which is a good thing! about a month ago we tried to put a baptismal date with her, and she strait up said no... but we kept on teaching her and she was coming to church and doing her part.. this week we visited her. i felt the strongest feeling to ask her again.. i asked her, "Abby, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized on the 28 of this month". with tears in her eyes almost before i was done asking her she said yes!! she was able to feel and have a testimony of what we were teaching her! her husband Oscar has really helped also to answer all of her questions!! it works, it really does!!

Tennessee Ernie Ford- 16 Tons

Conchis was listening to and singing the song grandpa and i always sang (but in Spanish).. i owe my soul to the company store!! haha.. i was singing it in English and she was singing it in Spanish, it was pretty cool!!

all right that's a wrap...

we've got everything!!


webb presdents, the luck challenge

flat top tommy

exclusive

dont worry were at the zoo

divisions with Price

BYU I

can you hear me now?
this week in district meeting i gave a lesson on one of the Christlike attributes, la paciencia.. patience is a virtue.. hehe.. last Monday we also watched the best 2 years! i have not seen that for about 4 years.. this time was hilarious.. Conchis is getting better just so you know. it was super cool talking to my mommy on mothers day!! i was glad to know that everything was fine with the fam... we tried really hard this week.. we ended up knocking alot of doors.. not the best way, but it works.. week 6 of the change.. wow that flew by.. i need to make sure im doing everything i can before this time runs out.. we taught a man named Jorge this week. he is around 25 years old. he didnt want to say the prayer, and he told us he didnt want to do it because he had never prayed out loud before.. the appointment before he said he would pray the next time.. so this day was this next time.. but he still said that he didnt want to. little by little we explained about prayer, and to make a long story short he ended up praying out loud this night.. i could feel the spirit in that moment and i know Jorge felt that same thing.. i was really proud of Jorge for praying. i know he is going to pray more now!! i was teaching English class on Saturday night and i was writing down questions with my answers.. on of the questions was "when are you most happy?"... my answer was - i am most happy when i am with my family-, as i said this out loud to the class i almost choked up.. but i held my cool.. but its true, im really most happy when i am with my family.. although i cannot be with my family right now.. i know they love and support me.. and as Zach said, "we leave our families for 2 years so we can help families be together forever!" dont be afraid to bear your testimony to everyone.. if we never tell them they will never know..
haz lo justo..
Elder Oakey

we can't vote but we can rep..

(don't worry, shirts are not worn in the street. I didn't want to get shot)
The best 2 years, staring a vacuum cleaner!

TEACH IT SON!!!!

singing for the Mommy's

Chewwwwwwwwwwww...

cooking at the presidents house.

wow.. its all happening.. i dont really know whats happening but its happening... i cant explain it.. i dont even know if its good or bad, happy or sad.. anyways.. we got 7 investigator to Church yesterday!! and 2 families!! yup.. and one of my investigators from San Francisco was baptised an i got permission to go to her baptism!! very cool.. we also had interviews with president this week.. i always like interviews it kinda brings you back to square one.. president Alvarado leaves next change and then we get president stay.. i guess its a good experience to have 2 presidents on your mission.. change is good, it makes you get out of your comfort zone and better yourself.. Conchis our cooker lady, has been really sick this week.. her daughter has been cooking us food.. its really weird to see Conchis like this.. she has to stay in her bed and she is very not like her self.. she is normally very animated and making jokes and havin a fun time, but right now its the opposite.. and it makes me sad to see her like that.. so if you could pray for her she would like that.. thanks.. i love the guide of the spirit!! last night as we were walking to dinner as saw a house off in the distance with the lights on, as i saw it if felt right away that i should contact it!! its always "just one more house" haha.. the good ole spirit did er again!! new investigator family!! another cat story: the other night we saw a cat up in a tree and the firemen were trying to get it down, their was even a crowd!!.. haha its a Clifford classic!!! Task for the week: study and find what the song of the heart is.. Ready.. Go.. On of the hardest emotional things to deal with here on the mission is with families not accepting this Gospel.. when they say no, something inside of me bursts and i cant control it.. its really the saddest thing ever.. because without this gospel in their lives they will never really be able to be "happy". they will be separated at death. their is a whole bag of blessings they can receive, and its right in front of them, its even free. all they need to do is act.. demonstrating faith with their actions.. but God is big on agency, and we cant change that.. sometimes i think. is it me.. am i the one that is not teaching correctly.. or a better question.. do i have the spirit with me.. if i dont have the spirit with me when im teaching then its almost positive that they wont feel the spirit, and if they dont feel the spirit they can never have a conversion.. so in the long run its really up to me..
like Elder Ballard told us.. "we have to be dang good"..
i love you all,
take luck.
"i wish i had a dollar for every time i spent a dollar".....
Elder Oakey

Patojos
Jennifers Baptism

Bolibri

this week was kinda crazy.. the catholics go all out this week.. lets just say that they are super creative and lets leave it at that... last week i asked a man from English class if we could come visit him... he said yes!! so we went over to his house and he wasn't home... the next day we came by and yuuuup he was home and so was all of his family!! new fam! they really have some potential en em!! i dont know why but i get super happy when i find new families to teach!! its like a spoon full of sugar!! and you know that helps the medicine go down.. we came home the other night and their was a kitty in our room.. super random.. so we played with it for a little bit. then we went to search for its family.. after one or two minutes we tried handing it out to people in the street.. but nobody wanted the poor little thing.. i ended up knocking on the neighbors door and asking them if they wanted it.. they said no.. but they said they recognized the kitty cat and the family might live in the tortillaria shack down the street. and guess what?! it was the family of the kitty!! wow, they were so excited to have that lost family member back in home.. after i felt kinda sorry that i was trying to give it away in the street... haha.... we are planning and preparing a missionary activity for the ward.. ill give you details when we get er done.. its gonna be huge!! everyone and their favorite uncle is gonna be their..!! stay tuned. happy days of birth to my brothers, Chan, Landon, and Ryan!! have a good one.. i met a guy from Wilmington!!.. haha he is a thug.. but were good buddies...
"sleep tight dont let the bed bugs bite" is a real and true statement!!
Elder Oakey
orale....

Burning Judas
The Crew

Semana Santa

Kitty Cat

It Happens

Calling Home

They call me Stacy, always the same.

Have a happy day my aunt Carol...Golf ball launcher... 800 yards...... pretty dang sweet i say! Good Job GAV.... thanks mom for brandons address, you rock..

well this week is la semana santa... which means nobody works the whole week and the catholics go crazy into decorating the street and partying... ill send some pics next week of the sweet decorations.... i dont remember how the work went last year.. but i guess we will find out.... aka Easter... or holy week in Spanish....in church this Sunday i picked up a sweet quote from the bishops wife Hna. De Leon.. "we all need to repent for something we are doing, or for something we are not doing" deep... i know...... other than that we are just tearin it up here in Santa Marta... we found a couple sweet new families this week.. we also found a couple in actives that we started to teach again... pretty much just doing missionary work... haha.. pop... you look like a mountain man with your white beard... i laughed forever when i saw that pic for the first time... haha... i bet you get all the chicks with that style.. haha, not really sure.. thanks for all your letters!! keep em commin!! its like love through postcards......

Elder Oakey

River Pilot
Last Attempt........

I swear Ill do my best to keep you around.

Fist and Last time wearing a Enrique Iglesias scarf.....

Black Sparrow

Happy 97th Birthday

Brother Flenniken!!!

Doran is gone..... so changes went great.. i received elder Bonilla from Honduras!! he has bout a year!! he is really quiet.. haha but hes a cool kid.. during our English class on Tuesday a student gave me a mango!! i was so happy i showed the whole class!! haha.. i think the apple is a normal gift for a teacher.. but i think a mango is much cooler!! last night i was asked to write a recommendation letter for one of our investigators!! i was so pleased that he asked me to do it!! he is going to work at a call center.. i almost forgot to give a shout out to bro. Leach!! he wrote me a letter and he specifically asked me not to write him back.. i dont know why.. but ill respect that order!! haha so thanks bro. Leach your a pal!!! bro. Flenniken's 97th surprise birthday party!!! no way, thats like the number one party of the whole year, and i missed it.... gee.. send me some of those pics.. well happy bday bro. Flenniken.. sorry i missed your party, ill be their next year fo sho!! last week started off alittle rusty cuz of changes but.... were back in butt whoopin mode for this week, rodger that captain...!! Ruben, the dude from Spain just went home a few days ago... he lived in our house community for alittle over a month.. he has a super cool accent.. he married a guate chick.. so they were just visiting the fam.. he told doran and i that we have to come visit him in Spain.. so i gotta put that on my list of things to do. who wants to go with me??

over and out!! Elder Oakey

Bonilla Zona Flordia

My buddy Ruben from Spain

My big friend Atoa

Gift to Conchis

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUSIN!!

ELDER MATTHEW FISHER!!

lets party elder fisher!!

ok!!!

"What about your shoes? Can you wear VANS everyday? That is weird. And now other missionaries are wearing them. Is that ok with the President?" first off, mother we do not wear vans everyday.. just sometimes on pday... haha, your very silly mom... conference weekend was a blast... kicked it off with a baptism of Andrea! i did the honor.. the bishop said the fount was full on Saturday morning so i didnt worry about it.. but when it was time for the dunking their was only like 2 and a half feet.. i ended up having to dunk her twice cuz her knee came up the first time.. haha.. but we got er done... wow weee. the whole 10 hours of conference was super narley!! Mormons are so cool.. i knew this fact before, but everyday i keep receiving solid testimony backing up that fact...ya but conference was amazing.. we were able to watch it again in the high priest room in English!! much more inspirational!! im not gonna write everything i learned.. but i will share one thing.. elder uchtdorf said, we need to do more than just go through the motions... above and beyond.. up up and away!! and also that the best way to preach the gospel is through our example, and if needed our words.. that was a huge blessing i had to be able to listed and pay full attention to the whole 10 hours of conference.. im so blessed.. we also had the chance to rebuild a house this week.. a house of sheet metal if you will.. so we tore the sucker down and re did it.. better... with new materials.. i quickly found out that their were construction experts among us.. i felt as if i was in the was.. so i picked the most logical thing to do, i straitened nails!! fyi, nails in guate are not a one time use product. we did it!! i love service!! we find out changes tonight.. lets see...

Elder Oakey

you get what you got. stop moving farther away...

pic in the park

i float over you

neon trees

black and white

Andrea

hows it going??