Elder Martinez and Elder Baldwin with special family

Dear mom hey mom I hope that all is well at home and that this letter finds you in good spirits

Things have been going very well in my area. It's a little different here. World of improvement! We love the people here, but there are always these common contacts that end negatively with a "No!"  or "I already have my Bible or "My pastor told me I am not allowed to speak with you ."At the beginning of my mission I would cringe a little when people rejected  our message as missionaries or persecuted us or the church members. It was easier to get upset or have wave them off and move onto the next person that was waiting down the street or move over to the next door. I would move on to the next  with the attitude of oh well… Your loss señorita/ Señor.Now when that happens it means something entirely different for me. It's harder in a different way. It's hard to let them walk away because no matter what they say, I know what a difference the Gospel can bring to the life of somebody that wanders off the straight and narrow path. You begin to feel sorry for them, that they have chosen not to follow Christ or  his example in that moment and that they will have to wait even more.

      On the contrary when somebody says yes and you can see their desire, it is very fulfilling. Yesterday we met with a woman named Maria that was baptized about three years ago. We had a super spiritual experience teaching her. She is very positive and keeps saying, "I'm going where the Lord wants me to go, but first he needs to tell me! " We are excited for her right now she is preparing to be baptized in the beginning of August.

I hope all is well and that you got this when were able to go to the slip inside and fill up on the good old American food. We are thinking about having a barbecue to celebrate with all of the gringos.

Alma said, "For I know that God granteth unto man according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life. Yeah, I know that he alotteth unto man according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or into destruction...He that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience." Alma 29:4-5.
As missionaries we are always searching for those who are searching for truth and honest at heart but at as  sons and daughters of God we must know that what we consistently desire over time is what we will become.

I love you and I want you to know that I am doing great! I learned so much every day and I know that this is where I want to be. I love and support our family and I am especially for all that you do for me my mission has changed my desires. I feel closer to my heavenly father, I hope you have a great week!
Love elder Baldwin,

Sun Cristobol, Guatemala

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This week has been a great week! We have been working hard and loving the opportunities that we have to be on the Lords errand.

This is also the first time I've had 4 July outside of United States. It has been interesting and pretty normal. For some reason, there are more American flags here in Guatemala than I have ever seen in the United States.I think it's mostly because people make American clothing and sell it super cheap in the street markets. To follow qualify to be American clothing, it just has to have a flag.

Other than that this week has been awesome! We decided last week that we were going to do some restructuring in our area, so we remodeled the work and have been working hard to try to reach the potential that this area has. There are many good people and we our pumped to be able to help them know more about the gospel.

This week we have been teaching a young woman named Amelia, she lives with her aunt and is awesome! She loves this church she told us that she wants to be baptized as soon as possible! She is young, but she reads consistently and always has awesome questions. She is honestly seeking the truth. She will be baptized on August 2.

This past week I was studying about overcoming the natural Matt and I found a quote by CS Lewis:

“Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.”

 The purpose of our life is to change,​

Elder Baldwin