So long January

Hey mom!

Well the conference was incredible! Elder Cook was so awesome! Elder Soares was there was well. Elder Cook needed a translator so it was a little difficult sometimes to focus, but it was way easier to take notes. He told us that we should look at 3 things in each ward and find how we can grow them. 1. attendance 2. spritutality 3. future missionaries. Man it was awesome. He talked about how, on his mission, He was put in an area and needed to start a branch. He and his companion fasted and prayed that they'd be able to find the leadership of the new branch. They were riding home on their bicycles and felt an impression that they needed to stop and tract. They went and ended up baptizing the branch president, relief society president, and many other leaders in just that street. How amazing! I had a similar experience and was able to baptize a former pastor! I've really been trying to focus more on being guided by the Spirit. Well, I learned a ton from the conference. I don't have time sufficient to tell you everything, but I have notes!

Crazy to hear that it's super cold and crazy in Ohio. I've loved that you'll never be able to expect what happens in Ohio. Being a meteorologist there must be a pain lol. Hope you guys and everyone else can be safe!

The weather here has been super sporadic (spelling?). It's super cold in the morning, super hot in the afternoon, and super cold at night. It's the roller coaster of weather here.

Yesterday I ate something called "ravo". It's cow tail. It was really delicious, but super difficult to eat. Here in guatemala many parts of the cow are eaten. I've eaten cow tongue, stomach, liver. I've eaten a matriz de pollo (female part of chicken). All of which were quite delicious. 

I'm super stoked to do family history work with you guys.

Love you guys!

Elder Butler

The work goes on

Hey mom!

Well my new companions name is Elder A. How crazy! I've got another gringo companion. It's been great, though. We had a solid week. We found some new people this week that are pretty solid. Just gonna go out and work hard this week. Our bishop is super awesome. We had a super good visit with him. He's 100 percent behind the mission work. We're gonna start working a lot with the ward. Super exciting times. Also requires lots of faith. They just opened up two new areas in the zone so we've got 10 companionships in the zone. Hopefully we'll be able to get a lot done.

Elder V. went home Tuesday. He was pretty sad to go, but at the same time super happy. He was a good guy. It's so crazy. Now all the legends that I've known are at home now. It's so crazy that I've got so much time now. Saturday I hit the 21 month mark. I'm really old. Don't worry, though, I'm still focused on the work. It's just super crazy. O well. heart might mind and strength. 

That's crazy the high school team is doing so good. Who all's on the team?

Hey guess what? we're going to see Elder Quintin L. Cook and Elder Soares from the Presidency of the 70 the 22nd. Sweet! That's means now I'm going to have seen 2 apostles! How awesome!

Well I find myself with very little to write. I'm super glad that I'm here on the mission. I hope you guys are doing well.

We're starting interviews with President this week in the mission. He wants to talk with us about our goals for this year. It'll be interesting because I'll have to share goals about the mission and what I want to do when I get home. I  think it would be cool to really put my sights on the temple when I get home. It would be cool if you could help me learn how to index and do family history work. What do ya think?

Hope you guys love the sporatic weather. Everyone's telling us how cold the states are right now. enjoy! the weather's always the same here. 

Well, I love you guys a ton. Hope everything goes well for you guys this week!

Con amor etrno,

Elder Butler

Goals - Key to progression

Hey mom!

Well this was a super difficult week. We found a lot of people, though. It's just that I've never had a point in my mission like this where we haven't been able to find a lot of people to teach. IT's all good, though. Great trials bring great blessings. Well I've got 2 changes left. My companion goes home tomorrow. I'll be getting a new companion. It very well may be my last companion. I feel like I'm on a super high point, though. President taught us about the importance of learning and studying the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. It's helped me out so much to put in perspective the commandments and points of doctrine. I feel like I've been learning a ton. I'm almost done with the New Testament! I'll be starting Revelations this week. I'm now on Alma 40. hopefully I'll be able to finish the BOM before the end of the mission. That'll be my 4th read though. Twice in English and twice in Spanish. I love the scriptures. I loved the goal to become an expert from Pres. Uchtdorf. I feel like I've been learning a lot from the scriptures lately. They just open up the windows of revelation. I have to take advantage of the study time that I have here because I totally won't have 3 hours everyday to study. tengo que aprovechar!

Goals are so important. I've been trying to so hard to dial in on the goals. One of the reasons why this mission doesn't baptize a lot is that no one knows how to set goals. I want to be example. I have 2 big ones before the end of my mission. 1. I want to have at least 1 Sunday where we have 20 investigators in church. 2. have 20 baptisms in the zone in March. Before we got sent to Mision Sur, Elder Duncan from the 70 taught us about the way to have more success in our missions and in life. You have to have a vision, goals and plans. You have to write down your goals. ( Harvard studies show that you have 10x more success when you write your goals down.) I'm glad you wrote me about goal setting. I'm going to work on that this week. 

Well I've been a zone leader for a change now. It's a challenging experience. Sometime it feels like a babysitting job. I'm super privileged, though, because I get to learn from all of them. It helps out a lot. I can't believe that I only have 3 months left. I just want to go out with a bang. Just really help out this ward. It's got so much potential. Well tomorrow will be a crazy day. Changes are always so crazy and nerve wracking. WHO WILL BE MY NEXT COMPANION??????? that's probably the biggest question that's on my mind. 

Well, you'll have many details next week. It'll be an exciting new chapter in the story of the mission of Elder Samuel Forrest Butler. Love you guys!

Con Amor Eterno,

Elder Butler

P.S. Thanks for the application stuff. Coach said that I would have to come do a visit so he could see what position I would have to play. It's all good!