Email 14 November 2011

Mario Anibal Avila Cortes

Hi,
So this past week has been interesting. It was a lot better than I imagined to be honest. Things are good though and life is good.
I ended up staying here in Quiche with my Zone Leader. I’m just his companion though... I’m not a ZL haha, so don’t assume that. I’ll most likely leave next week (at changes), but to be honest I really don’t want to. I love Quiche. Especially here in Santa Cruz where I am. Anyways, my companion right now is Elder Denison. He is from Dallas, Texas. Legit kid. Good missionary.
It was a good first few days here because we had a baptism. A guy I found with Elder King a while back in fact. This past week we taught him a couple times and baptized him Saturday. Mario Anibal Avila Cortes is his name. 33 years old... He has changed so much since the first time I met him. He lost his dad a few weeks ago now, which is sad, but at least he has the gospel in his life now. He was the brother of a less active lady, but now he, she, and her kids are all active again :) Pretty cool to be honest. Denison did the baptism and we both stood in the circle to confirm him. It was a really neat experience considering the fact that Cunen had almost no success. We might even have a baptism this week if things work out to our favor. We can only hope...
After the baptism Saturday, we had a big activity with the branch here (FYI, branch has an average attendance of 120). It went really well. It was "La Fería de la Vida". We just had a bunch of games for people to play basically. There were 6 "worldly" games and 2 "spiritual" ones. The worldly games consisted of Frisbee golf, freethrow shots, beer pong toss (my idea), bean bag throw, potato sack race, and a target shooting thing (a member constructed some weird thing that would spin a light bulb and person playing would have to try and shoot the light bulb with a nut and a sling shot). The spiritual ones were a reference game, where people had to give us names and info for people to visit and teach. The more info, the more tickets... The other was the art game, where we would show a picture and they would have to describe to us the story shown in the picture. At the start of the activity we gave everyone five tickets. With each ticket they could play a "worldly" game to win candy or something else. When they ran out of tickets, they would have to come play the spiritual games to win more tickets if they wanted to keep playing the games. At the end of the activity, all the lights were turned off...aka the world "ended". From there each person had to receive their "final judgment". If they had more than 25 tickets they got into the celestial kingdom. About one person got in I think... If they had more 15 they received their place in the terrestrial kingdom. Maybe about 6 people made it there. With less than 15 they entered into the telestial kingdom, where more than 20 people were at least. It worked out really well. The message was well understood, so that was good. I really liked that activity though haha. No one expected the ending like that. They just thought they were going to be playing all night... I love surprises when they aren’t for me haha.
So another benefit about being here in Quiche is that the Zonies' house is legit. Gas stove....Microwave...Blender... Biggest thing for me is the huge fridge haha. The house is really close to the grocery store, so I can buy legit-ish milk now :) Big ol' galloners haha. It is way delicious. I forgot how much I love milk. I might go kind of crazy on it this week, since I’m supposed to have changes next week and no other house has such a fridge haha. I’m really trying to enjoy it while I can though.
Well, the temple is open officially. Haven’t been able to go yet... Looks like I’ll be going this Saturday though with all the branches here in Quiche, including Cunen :) I really hope it all works out... We just have to find a bunch of nonmembers to take, which is our main focus this week...finding people to go to see the temple. I really hope I’m able to go. I’ve seen pictures of the inside, and it looks beautiful. It has a lot of Mayan stuff in it supposedly too. I can’t wait to see it.
Anyways, that was my week. All is well as always. Can’t complain about anything really. Actually...living out of a suitcase it kind of annoying, but it's all good. I love life. I love all of you.
Have a great week. Smile big :)
Assume the good... Doubt the bad...
Love,
Elder Bitner

From Roof of Zonies house

Our Zone before our change 

Christmas tree! Big ol' thing in the Central Park. Reminds me of Anthem.