Elder Owens' Guatemalan Mission

June 21, 2023 Yeah, remember when I said I'm sick; turns out I got Dengue Fever. So I've been toughing through that the best I can. The worst part is just being tired. We'll leave for a couple appointments and then I'll just be exhausted. But hey, I can say I've had Dengue now.   Despite all that, we were still able to put down another baptismal date for July. I've officially got the mission groove under my belt; we baptize baby.  Good part about being stuck in the house is there's a lot, I mean a lot, of time to study. I've thoroughly updated my scriptural arsenal.  Spiritual Thought: Well being almost constantly sick these past 2 months I've had plenty of time to do some thinking; too much thinking. But there's something I've thought about a lot. We often can't change our circumstances. If I could 'just stop being sick,' I would very much do that, but that hasn't been the case. God places us in certain places at certain time...

June 14, 2023 I got sick. ~Elder Owens

(Volcanos) June 8, 2023 So we just got transfer news. I'll be staying here for a 3rd transfer, but my companion is leaving me again. This time, I'll be receiving a greeny to finish his missionary training, meaning it's time to whip out my drill sergeant face and whip him into shape.   Having fun in the process of course. On another note, we got a little sick again.   But, now we know for sure what causes it. It's every single time that we eat at a certain investigator's house. Every single time we eat there, we get sick. So now we know. Really not much else other than that. Spiritual Thought: I know I've been lacking in these emails lately. This transfer has been a very special one. My favorite so far. But not without its difficulties, to be sure. I've learned more than anything about weaknesses, and how through Christ, these weaknesses can be made into strengths. I'm a very weak person. I struggle most days just to get out of bed, and I lay restless in ...

May 31, 2023 Sorry I haven't written in so long. These past two months have been... interesting... to say the least. We've been grinding through being sick these past two months, little to no interest from the majority of people here, stress, anxiety, depression, losing focus, etc. Despite everything, we've only stayed for like 4 days this transfer, we still joked and laughed through everything going on, and despite literally all odds, we hosted a wedding, and right after, two baptisms. Now we have tons of references, we're not sick anymore, and the stress, anxiety, etc. I don't feel it anymore. These two months have been the absolute most difficult I've had in the mission, but this time has also been the greatest blessing I've received, and I wouldn't have changed a thing. I've seen the immense change that has occurred in me over this past year, and I've also found more things I can improve. Never at any moment did I feel like it was too much. I...