Dear Family!


This past week has been a week of miracles and blessings! I have felt the lords love in every moment and I feel humble that we have been blessed so richly. This past Monday we traveled to the capital and visited the Family of Thelma Endicott (she is a friend of Dad). Their family kindly gave us lunch and we ate some really tasty traditional Guatemalan food called Pepian and Revolcado. That evening we went and stayed in one of my old areas and I was able to visit recent converts and members to say goodbye! It was a great day!

The next day we woke up early and went to a conference where we were blessed to meet and listened to Elder Renlund of the quorum of the 12, His wife, and elder Alonzo of the 70 and his wife.

After several other meetings on Tuesday we made the 4 hour trip to our area in asuncion mita and we got to work. This week we focused on the Family of heribeto, Carolina, and Ruth. Heriberto dropped his work and rest and spare time and made a 3 day trip to El Salvador this week to obtain the paperwork to be married on Saturday. They were married on Saturday evening and after attending church yesterday almost all of our branch gathered for their baptism. It was a spiritual experience and we are so excited for them and their goal to be sealed in the temple as a family in one year!

Elder Renlund said ¨Even more than know about Jesus Christ... I have grown to know His personality... He is kind, loving,Patient, wise, firm, and more than anything He loves to heal.. He loves to take that which is broken and dysfunctional and to repair and to succor so that is may become whole.¨

During my mission I have witnessed the healing power of the Atonement. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He loves us. I know that each and every one of us is worthy of divine rescue and healing. It is a choice to allow our lives to be strengthened by the enabling power of the atonement. We can choose to accept it and we can choose to help and guide others so that they might choose happiness. I know that as we loose ourselves serving others we find true joy. We honor the Savior not only in word but in the way we live.

Although it is very hard to end the mission I know that these past two years have been the best two years for my life. I Love each of you and I am so very grateful for all of your prayers and support. I am Excited to see you this week!

Love,

Elder Baldwin

Well... this is very strange to think this is the last time I will write you as a missionary en la Guatemala. These two years will be a treasure for you to look back on throughout your life. You have learned a lot about who you are and who you want to be. You've gone through some incredibly tough times when you've missed the people, places, and things you grew up loving. You've gone through physical challenges that you never imagined a couple of years ago. You've mastered a foreign language and all of the challenges associated with that. You've lived most of these 2 years with companions from many different countries and overcome all of the associated cultural differences, yet managed to work together to focus on the things you had in common. You've dealt with some pretty major health challenges that seemed like would go on forever. You've learned a lot about leadership and seen first hand how all of your preparation as a deacon, teacher, and priest have prepared you as an Elder You've learned a lot about what you are capable of achieving and what you are capable of overcoming. In short,you've learned who you are and who you want to become. Now you have the confidence to conquer the world. Just think about the time you spent in the office and all of the interactions you had with officials. Additionally, think about the habits you have established. 

More than anything, think about the people you have come to know, come to love, and seen transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You have witnessed first hand some of the most important work being done on the earth! How incredible is it to think about the number of people you have come to love and serve. You can only imagine how much they cherish the message the you brought to them and how long would they have had to wait had you not chosen to serve??
Well done elder Baldwin. Well done. 

Know that mom and I are so very proud of you. We can't wait to see you in a few days. We love you. Dad.  

Dear family!

This week has been great! I will try to write all that I can but as usual I am in a race against time!

This past week was great! i was able to visit ixhuatan last week to say goodbye to converts and Friends! It was a great experience! One of the highlights was that I was able to see the chapel that they are building. I have had the blessing to see the área progress from a simple two hour meeting on sunday with around 10 poeple to a branch with almost all the organizations full of callings to new members of the church!

This week we also have been running around like crazy in our area to get to all of our appointments. I truly love this work! A few weeks ago I knocked a door and contacted a man named Eddy Berto. At first when I saw his reaction I was skeptical but he invited us in and we began to talk about the plan of salvation with him. He then told us that he is member of the church and after the lesson we planned to return and visit his wife and daughter as well. Their names are Carolina and Ruth.

Since then we have visited the family regularly and they are progressing very quickly! Yesterday we felt inspired to visit them when we had not placed an appointment. During the lesson we invited them to be married and baptized this weekend and They accepted. Today Eddy went to El Salvador to get the paperwork necessary and we made planes to help them get married on Saturday and baptize them this coming Sunday! We are hoping and praying that everything goes well!

Today we are going to travel to the capital and stay the night because we have a conference with Elder Dale G Renlund tomorrow morning! Its going to be a busy week and we are very excited to be able to work until the last hour!

I love this work! I am thankful for our Savior. I Know that He lives and that through his atonement we can change to become what Heavenly Father wants us to become. It requires a recognition of our nothingness, of Gods greatness and our best effort.

We can honor Him in the way we live!

Love

Elder Baldwin

I was able to teach the Relief Society lesson today on Eternal Marriage, which tied in with the Gospel Doctrine lesson on the Plan of Salvation. Did you have the same lessons? Here is a quote from President Packer that I love: 

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve:

“There are three parts to the plan. You are in the second or the middle part, the one in which you will be tested by temptation, by trials, perhaps by tragedy. …

“Remember this! The line ‘And they all lived happily ever after’ is never written into the second act [of a play]. That line belongs in the third act, when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right. …

“Until you have a broad perspective of the eternal nature of [the plan], you won’t make much sense out of the inequities in life. Some are born with so little and others with so much. Some are born in poverty, with handicaps, with pain, with suffering. Some experience premature death, even innocent children. There are the brutal, unforgiving forces of nature and the brutality of man to man. We have seen a lot of that recently.

“Do not suppose that God willfully causes that which, for His own purposes, he permits. When you know the plan and the purpose of it all, even these things will manifest a loving Father in Heaven” (The Play and the Plan [satellite broadcast, 7 May 1995], 1–2).

This is our last 3 days of school:)

YEah!!!!

Thursday I am having a Colonscopy because I am 50---It is a routine exam and everything turns out ok I think I have to have one every 10 years. 

Erin and I went to see Nathan Pacheco Friday night in Cedar. It was a last minute thing. Friday morning Dad told me that Nathan P was going to be in Cedar soon. So when I got to work, I looked him up online and his concert was that night! There were seats available, dad couldn't go, but Erin and I were able to so sit four rows from the front. It was the BEST concert. The stage was so intimate and close. It was in the Heritage center so like a small capital theater. I loved every minute of it. Pacheco had a pianist and a cellist. So his instrumental was live for about 90 percent of the time. Nathan Pacheco served a mission in Brazil and also studied Italian. He sings pop and Italian/opera. I normally do not seek opera, but when Nathan sings it, it is amazing. The concert was clean, fun and not loud, perfect sound.

Saturday we had a BBQ that was fun. I invited the Talbots, Cindy Garn and Frank Max field; both of their spouses died this year, the Littels, and Jan and Bill Adams on.  The Adamson's moved into the Just's old home last June

Next week for memorial Day, dad invited his staff from work to come and join us for a BBq. I invited Daniel Pina, who used to live in the house that a girl named Corrina lived.Daniel is not a member, but I have seen him in his yard when I go on a walk on Sundays. I had the thought to "ask Daniel if he wants to come" So I did and he said yes.

Xxoxoxoxo

mom

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Family!

this week has been a great week and we have been greatly blessed! I spoke with Thelma and i will contact her sister this week to be able to know how we can plan to meet up. 

We have been seeing miracles in the work here in our area in Asuncion mita. I love this work. 

While thinking about what we can to in our effort to reactivate recent converts that are in our area we decided to follow the example of our family and whip up a BBQ. So my companion and I planned a family home evening and grilled up some meat under a mango tree for 2 large families this past week and afterwords the families told us their concerns. We have since been able to teach according to their needs and I am happy to share that everyone of them was able to join us in church this past Sunday!

We are finding many new people to teach and many investigators are progressing. Today I visited Ixhuatan ( an old area) and saw the chapel that is being build along with recent converts that will enter into the temple this year. I am more than happy and this week we are determined to continue working hard and preparing all those possible to make covenants with Heavenly Father! 

I love each of you. I pray for you and I am thankful for all that you do for me
have a great week!

Today is Sunday. Today when 'Erin and I were getting out of the car 5 min before church, I noticed I had my slip on and not my skirt-that was a first! Fortunately I made it back in time for the sacrament. I had told Erin to save me a spot in the back. So when I went in after the sacrament, she was on the front row. One of the speakers was a return missionary, Clay he served in New Jersey, he came home in November . He gave an excellent talk on keeping the Sabbath day holy. How we need to offer up our sacraments and remember it is a sign between us and Heavenly Father. He also encouraged us to read Doctrine and Covenants 59:There are wonderful promises for keeping the Sabbath day- we will be provided for so he used this with his investigators with great success.

   I had a Colonscopy Thursday. Erin took me in at 7:00 am while I was being prepped, I was talking with the nurses and anastegiologist about the beauty of the drug that I will be put under and wake up an hour and half later. I told them I needed to get the drug to use at Lake Powell so I can sleep at night. So I have an appointment on Thursday; I am going to see if I can get some strong sleeping pills. So everything went great with the procedure, I have a clean bill of health. It was funny though, Erin told me that when I was waking up, I told the nurses that Grant Baldwin was picking me up:) I do not remember that conversation.

    I sent a Nathan Pacheco picture because ERin and I went to his concert last Friday in Cedar! It was so wonderful, intimate and amazing! He sings Italian also, he went to Brazil on his mission and now sings, he is like a David Archuelleta, but older like 30 years old.

 We are having a BBQ tomorrow, dad has invited his staff from work, I invited a nonmember I met when I was walking, so I also invited the Stewarts because Mike Stewart is now the Elders quorem president, the goal is to fellowship him. There are pictures of the pool, we put up new lights. 

Last night was Alyssa Staheli's wedding, They were married in the Stahleis back yard. Very pretty, Erin went and helped decorate.Great food, dad was mad at me today because I ate all of the mints that we brought home. They were in the middle console of the car. I didn't think he really even liked the mints. I think we should get him a year supply for Father's Day and call it good:) By the way you are scheduled to speak on Father's day, June 18th at 9:00am, I hope that is OK.

Jordan and Camilla came up tonight because Jordan needed Dad to give him a blessing. Jordan is going to Flagstaff tomorrow to begin the Police Academy program! so yes they are moving. It is sad, we will not see them again until December, they will be up for a couple of days.

How are Marcotulio and Everilda?

Love, xxixoxoxoxo
Mom

Jerrika had her 8th birthday yesterday. Her baptism is next Saturday. We were wiggle racing at Veyo, it is a lot safer than roller skating, speaking of clumsy, Grandma Barlow fell over a cabinet yesterday and landed on her face mostly. She is black and blue, lost a tooth, and another tooth is loose! but no broken bones:).

Dear Family!

This week has been amazing! We have been enjoying the work in Asuncion Mita. We have been blessed with so many miracles. To start off we found our that a full branch Presidency had been called! We are know working according to our full capacity. We also started Weekly activities as missionaries to reactivate our some members that have strayed and to learn and grow as a branch. This week we are going to Teach the book of mormon in our chapel and watch the testaments afterwords. Turns out Popcorn is a big deal in Guatamala too!

We have been teaching a Father and his daughter named Marcotulio and Everilda these past two weeks. They are very friendly poeple that recently moverd to mita from a small village that is about an hours travel above our pueblo, They are very excited about the gospel! Everilda is a single mother and it is amazing to see the changes that she is already experiencing in here life by following the gospel! 

We found a new investigator this week whose name is Jilda. She has been attending church with us for Quite some time without us knowing that she wasnt a member and We finally were able to teach her this week. She has all the desire to follow Heavenly Fathers plan for her. She works as a maid for one of the members of our branch and told us that she wants the happiness that she has seen in the lives our the member family!

The rainy season has continued and we love it! Anything that can take away the heat and the sun for a moment inn our area is a welcome blessing from heaven. 

I love the savior and all that He does for me. I am grateful for the invitation that he has extended to us to follow him and  I know that if we do so our live can chagne in every aspect. We assimilate attributes from of His light. I love his work! I invite you to search ways to share his love with others this coming week! 

Love,

Elder Baldwin

May 21 (8 days ago)

Grant Baldwin

May 6, 2017

This has been an Amazing week! In our mission the transfer cycle ended on Tuesday so we traveled to Julapata to say goodbye to the missionaries that were leaving our Zone and to spend a moment together as missionaries. This week we focused on developing a new part of our area and we found a lot of great new people. The rainy season is starting once again and during the heavy afternoon showers, people seem to have mercy on them on the missionaries out in the street. It's incredible to see people that literally have almost nothing invite us in  and offer us the only plastic chair or any chair / bench so that we can visit them. Many times they want to sit on the floor or stand no matter how much we insist they use the chair.

We found one man named Victor Manuel, who is elderly and lives alone, he is  a farmer who is planting corn right now to make his living. We contacted him while he was sitting on a tree stump in front of his house, he told us that we were the first visit that he has had in years and he has he was very grateful for our visit. He is preparing for baptism during the second weekend in June.

Thursday we got up at 2 a.m. and got on the bus to go to the capital for an immigration appointment for my companion traveling in Guatemala. You never know quite what you're going to see on the buses. This time it  seemed as if we had boarded a Mobile Zoo, the other passengers were mostly small animals, little chickens, and dogs. Sunday we also got up early to travel to the neighboring Department of Guatemala Palapa for our Stake conference. The bus that was contacted for our Branch filled up quickly and we decided to stay behind with the branch president to find another way to arrive. The brother of the branch president had his car and we were also able to make it in time for the conference. During the conference I saw a man that I baptized last fall in Jultapa named  Victor and sustain him to receive the Melchezidek Preisthood.

 Pedro Sanchez, an investigator, was also able to attend the conference with us he's preparing to be baptized this Saturday he's doing great and was a little awe struck when he realized that the church is much larger than he originally thought. His lifestyle has changed dramatically in the last few weeks we have been visiting him. At the conference he had tears in his eyes. He told us afterwards he told us that he too wants to serve the Lord we are very excited for him!

I am doing well and I am learning so much from my mission and all of the many people that we meet and visit I love this work I love I hope you all have a great week see you Sunday love , Elder Baldwin

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May 7

Hello Familia!

This week has been very good! Pedro sanchez se bautizo yesterday and we are very grateful to see his progression! He is a very humble man who has a desire to serve the lord. Yesterday he shared his testimony during our priesthood class and is was a simple and powerful moment that really strengthened my testimony. It was fulfilling to see his change! It was great to be able to see and speak with you yesterday! Thanks for sending the information that i asked you for! send if for Cole as well if you can! This week we have a goal to help Leslie, Kimberly, and Everilda progress. They are all investigators that we have been teaching for a few weeks! they came to church yesterday and we are excited for their progression! 

We have been studying the life of Christ in the Book of Mormon and as we do so I feel that is is easier to see others as he does. As who they can become.

I love my mission!

 

I love each of you and hope that you have a great week!

Elder Baldwin