Misión Guatemala Quetzaltenango
Free resources about the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission:
Aquí están algunos recursos gratuitos sobre la Misión Guatemala Quetzaltenango:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: Guatemala LDS Missions.
Quetzaltenango Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission. We try to keep this info up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission
5A Calle 14-35, Zona 3
09001 Quetzeltenango
Guatemala
Phone Number: 502-7728-0400
Mission President: President Alirio Díaz
Quetzaltenango Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Quetzaltenango Mission:
Videos with Quetzaltenango RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Quetzaltenango Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
Quetzaltenango Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of missionary blogs for the Quetzaltenango Mission. This blog list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
*Email alexbalinski@gmail.com to add your blog to the list.
Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission Groups
Here are Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Quetzaltenango Mission.
- Mission Guatemala Quetzaltenango Group (612 members)
- Quetzaltenango Mission (Mision Xela) Group (451 members)
- Mision Quetzaltenango (Gonzalez y Lunt) Group (252 members)
- Mision Quetzaltenango Era/Epoca (Allred) Group (212 members)
- Mision Quetzaltenango 2011-2014 Group (201 members)
- Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission Moms (LDS) Group (19 members)
- Mision Quetzaltenango tiempo Alvarado Group (14 members)
Quetzaltenango Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission!
Shirt designs include Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Guatemala Quetzaltenango missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Quetzaltenango Mission gifts
Quetzaltenango Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Quetzaltenango LDS Mission.
- 2017-2020, Alirio Díaz
- 2014-2017, Rick L. Smith
- 2011-2014, Lewis Bautista
- 2008-2011, Ramón Darío Lorenzana Reyes
- 2005-2008, Cesar Augusto Morales
- 2002-2005, Stuart Thorpe Waldrip
- 1999-2002, Carlos Leonel Astorga
- 1996-1999, Timothy Lunt
- 1993-1996, Manuel Gonzalez Calvo
- 1990-1993, Julio Enrique Alvarado Guoz
- 1987-1990, Mario Antonio Lopez
- 1984-1987, Juan Manuel Cedeño
- 1983-1984, Jorge H. Perez
- 1979-1983, Richard Allred
- 1976-1979, John F. O’Donnal
- 1973-1976, Robert B. Arnold
- 1970-1973, Harvey S. Glade
- 1967-1970, David Clark
- 1964-1967, Terrence L. Hansen
- 1962-1964, Leslie O. Brewer
- 1959-1962, Victor C. Hancock
- 1955-1959, Edgar L. Wagner
- 1952-1955, G.M. Romney
Guatemala LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 255,505
- Missions: 6
- Temples: 2
- Congregations: 421
- Family History Centers: 0
Helpful Articles about Guatemala
- Recipe: Guatemalan Pupusas
- Overview of languages in Guatemala by Larry Richman
- Problems of a Divided Society: The Conflicting Cultures of Guatemala, by Larry Richman
- History of Cakchiquel Translation in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).
- List of Church translations into Cakchiquel
- Culture for LDS Missionaries: Guatemala Indian, pages 1-50, 51-102, 103-130, acknowledgments.
Quetzaltenango Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Guatemala Quetzaltenango RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
When did you serve?
- 2013-2014 (Jessie)
- 2010-2012 (Michael)
- 2008-2010 (Billy)
- 2001-2002 ((Letitia)
- January 1999-January 2001 (Chris)
- March 2000-October 2001 (Megan)
- 1980-1982 (Lisa)
- 2002-2004 (Scott)
- 1999-2001 (Derek)
- 1986-1988 (Richard)
- 1999-2001 (Luke)
- 2014-2015 (Natalie)
- 1987-1989 (Victoria)
- 2012-2014 (Jordan)
- 1983-1985 (Michael)
- 1980-1982 (Eduardo)
- 2013-2015 (Clayson)
- 2010-2012 (Joe)
- 2014-2015 (Katie)
- 2014-2015 (Cynthia)
- 2010-2012 (Greg)
- 2012-2014 (Nathan)
Which areas did you serve in?
- Salcaja, San Mateo, los Prados (in Huehue), la Esperanza, Cerrito del Maiz. (Jessie)
- Momos, Malacatan, Reu, Nahuala Quetzaltenango, San Felipe. (Richard)
- Coatepeque, Xela, Huehuetenango, San Marcos and Mazatenango. (Luke)
- San Mateo, Chiantla, and Cerrito del Maíz. (Natalie)
- San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Mazatenango, Retalhuleu. (Victoria)
- San Marcos, Quezaltenango, Chimaltenango, Huehuetenango. (Eduardo)
- Huehue xela. (Clayson)
- Xela: Garibaldi, San Juan Ostuncalco, Panorama// Huehuetenango- Las Huistas// Momostenango- Santa Ana// Nahuala- San Cristobal// Quiche- Joyabaj. (Joe)
- Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Nahualá, Momostenango. (Katie)
- Nahuala, Sololá. (Cynthia)
- Quetzaltenango, Momostenango, Totnicapan, Huehuetenango, San Carlos Sija, Xequemeya, Rachoquel, Chiantla. (Greg)
- Ixtahuacán, San Mateo, Los Jardines, Brasilia, Quiché, Sión. (Nathan)
What were some favorite foods?
- Pepian, chuchitos, rellenitos (!!!), enchiladas (tostadas with a ton of yummy stuff on top), anything with crema. (Jessie)
- Pupusas (Michael)
- Los cuchitos,garnachas y los tamalitos. (Billy)
- Tamales, atoles, frijoles, chuchitos,Paches. (Letitia)
- Scrambled egg mixed with fried black beans in a bimbo tortilla (breakfast every day!). Pancakes with very little syrup from the house cook who only filled the bottle with a tiny bit each morning:) (Chris)
- Carne asada, Liquados, Beans and tortillas, Tamales. (Megan)
- Chuchitos, black beans, homemade corn tortillas. (Lisa)
- Black beans & rice, chimol, carne asada, pan dulce. (Scott)
- Pepian, the sweet bread, fried platanos. I loved what they called chuchitos. (Derek)
- Chuchitos, Tortillas, Melocotones. (Richard)
- Black beans and tortillas. (Luke)
- Paches, Chuchitos, Arroz con leche, Tamales, Caliente. (Natalie)
- Tortillas, carne asada, pollo asado, tortas, papas de la calle. (Jordan)
- Tamales, Pollo Camperos, and Pupusas. (Michael)
- Tamalitos,Pan casero. (Eduardo)
- Cakik. Pozole. Schucos. (Clayson)
- Paches, caldo de gallina, ponche de frutas (caliente), pepian. (Joe)
- Chuchitos, paches, platanos rellenos. (Katie)
- Jocón, chuchitos, paches, panito, Caquik. (Cynthia)
- Pepian de Pollo, Tortas, Jocon. and all the fresh fruit you can eat. (Greg)
- Tortas, Chiles rellenos, pollo frito. (Nathan)
What was a funny experience?
- On Preparation Day we hiked an inactive volcano. At the top, there were many cows. Apparently, they went up and it was too steep for them to get back down. (Michael)
- En un dia de preparacion estabamos jugando futbol con los missionaeros de la zona , cuando iba corriendo me tropece y accidentalmente golpeee a mi compañero en la cara fue un accidente , el dijo ok luego el se ponia a mis espaldas de modo que yo no lo viera de este modo cuando yo me diera la vuelta me golpeara en su mano eso me causo bastante gracia poruqe el se las quiera desquitar jeje. (Billy)
- One time I was with my companion and we were getting ready to eat lunch. We were walking in Los Arcos Xela y. I felt in front of everybody and they said hey La gringa se cayó. (Letitia)
- We were constantly chased down by crazy dogs. Companion had his family send a high pitched dog beeper to supposedly fend them off. Didn’t work. But it was funny watching him pointing it at them as they came charging. (Chris)
- Tripping lots on cobblestones or gravel roads. Being chased by geese. (Megan)
- I am not very tall, but in all the areas I served in, I was always the tallest in the villages. I can’t carry a tune to save my life but I was always one of the best singers in each village. (Lisa)
- Straight up went to the bathroom in my pants…four times. (Scott)
- My very first discussion. We were in the middle of talking about Joseph Smith when a pig walked through the middle of us. It later returned and went to the bathroom right next to us while we were finishing up. (Derek)
- Cuando me engañaron al decir que el ultimo en llegar a la piscina (nos bañamos cada 6 a 8 dias con agua caliente, en San Bartolo, estaba en el area de Tunayac en Momos, no teniamos agua) lavaria la ropa de todos y corri como loco y estaba de primero…todos de acuerdo para que el nuevo ganara que era yo y me tire a la piscina de agua caliente y me regrese a salir y era demasiado el frio afuera y me desmaye. (Richard)
- Riding in the back of pick up trucks to travel from place to place. (Luke)
- The first lesson I taught, I told this lady that God has a body of flesh and eggs. Embarrassing. And one time I tried to say “third” but instead I said “butt”. (Natalie)
- The water for the baptismal font didn’t work, so we carried water from the kitchen down the hall in pots for four hours. (Jordan)
- Elder Grande and I went on splits. I went to Mulua and he worked in San Sebastian. We agreed to meet at the Texaco at the far side of town. As I bordered the bus, it started to rain. I had the umbrella. When we made it to San Sebastian, Elder Grande came running to the bus. The road was about four feet lower than the service station. Elder Grande ran to the bus not seeing the drop and fell into a puddle on the road side. Everyone on the bus laughed. When he got on, everyone went quiet because it’s not right to laugh at “men of the cloth”. Then he said, “I’m a little wet right” and everyone laughed. When we made it back to Retaleu, it had stopped raining. So as we walked to our apartment, I had dry hair and clothes. Elder Grande was soaked to the bone and his shoes squished when he walked. We ran into the Zone Leaders and they looked at us and said to me, “You could have shared your umbrella Elder Campbell.” (Michael)
- Habia un hombre ebrio que llegaba por las noches a nuestra casa a pedirnos dinero. (Eduardo)
- Walking in the rain. (Clayson)
- We accidentally knocked on the door of a massive funeral and got invited in for free food. (Joe)
- In my first area while I was still learning Spanish, and my companion was helping me learn how to contact people and talk to them about the gospel. So one day, he told me to go into this shop and start talking to the clerk about the gospel. So I did. I spent about 5 minutes trying to use my limited and rudimentary Spanish to talk to this clerk about the gospel before I realized that she had the Book of Mormon open on the counter top. It turned out she was a member, we had a good laugh about it after that. (Greg)
- We went to teach a father of a member who was interested in the gospel. Everything was going well until he mentioned he had two wives. One was sick and he thought was close to death, so he grabbed another woman. Then the first one recovered and he couldn’t leave either. They both love him and he loves both. Needless to say the discussion ended quickly after that. (Nathan)
What was a crazy experience?
- Another Preparation Day the Zone went to a waterfall area and a mob assembled to force us away. Yes, they had guns. (Michael)
- En una ocacion estabamos en divisiones con mi lider de zona y salimos a comprar a la tienda casi eran las 9 y nos salieron dos tipos que les dieramos dinero nosotros les dijimos que no teniamos y nos fuimos rapido no compramos nada , nos regresamos a la casa. (Billy)
- I was going to church with my companion on Sunday morning when we saw a man who was suspicious. He was following us and when we were in the church building, he ran away. (Letitia)
- Hitching a ride (jalon) in the back of a speeding pickup at night that ran over 6-7 dogs in the middle of the road. Total carnage. (Chris)
- Hitchhiking. (Megan)
- Being frisked by the military police when they pulled over a bus looking for rebels. They took two men away and there were two gunshots. Those men did not come back when we all got back on the bus. (Lisa)
- Beat up a guy with a gun because he stuck it in a lady’s face. I pinned him on the ground until the police came. (Scott)
- None really. (Derek)
- En media montaña en Tunayac camono a Huehue escuchamos un ruido estruendoso, subiamos un cerro y detras de este y a nuestro frente aparecion un avion militar Hercules del Ejercito de Honduras, paso a unos 35 metros de nosotros y estaba a uno 350 kilometros de su pais y despues de la mision revise los periodicos y era un avion que se habia extraviado. Otra: estabamos en Malacatan y en medio de la guerra y nunca paso nada, a excepción de un combate en el Volcan Tajumulco que nos detuvo el Ejercito y nos saco de la zona, vimos cosas espantosas. (Richard)
- Holding onto the back of a truck traveling at high speed to travel to a location. (Luke)
- One time we were walking home from an appointment late at night and I had a weird feeling that we shouldn’t go to our last appointment, so we went home like 15 minutes early. The next day we found out that two men had been shot and killed in a bar right across the street from our appointment and at the same time. (Natalie)
- Public transportation. (Jordan)
- We were on a bus that decided to pass a slower bus while going up a hill. (You never pass a vehicle while driving up a hill right?) Then just as we were coming along side the bus, a third bus appeared coming straight for us. Somehow these three buses passed side by side by side with only inches from mirrors being ripped off. My companion and I were in the front seats of the bus. (Michael)
- La guerrilla paraba los buses y nos retenia a veces , siempre nos dejaba ir pero era un poco peligroso. (Eduardo)
- People coming at us. (Clayson)
- A man stopped us on a country road and told us he had just shot and killed someone and demanded we stay with him and help him escape town undetected so the townspeople wouldn’t find him. We tricked him into changing into better clothes and ditched him in the woods. Got shot at once. Held at gunpoint a couple times. Run out of a village by a mob of angry women with brooms and shovels. Fell off a small cliff into a waterfall while hiking from one village to another. (Joe)
- The bus rides are always a crazy experience but are very entertaining. (Katie)
- In Nahuala, my first area, we were walking to our home and 10 dogs attack us at the same time. I was paralyzed and my trainer just stood behind me. I was trying to fight with all of them with my backpack until a man went out of his “tienda” and helped us. It was so crazy and I thought I was about to die. (Cynthia)
- Travel was always crazy, they use minivans as buses in the city and they will stuff them with 20-30 people all the time. In the countryside, the main mode of transportation is trucks, you ride around in the back of them, it’s fun but a little nuts. (Greg)
- I helped a member dig a well that was about 20 yards below the ground. (Nathan)
What was a spiritual experience?
- Everything. Coming to love so many people so deeply. Feeling God loving them through me. (Jessie)
- Baptisms, especially when entire families convert. (Michael)
- Ocurrio cuando recibi mi bendicion patriarcal en el ccm senti mucho el espiritu y senti que estaba en un jardin recibi la bendicion en una habitacion cerrada y yo sentia brisa fresca como que me hubiera trasportado a otro lugar senti paz . (Billy)
- I had a lot of spiritual experiences. But one time in San Francisco Zapotitlan Mazate, we were teaching the first discussion and when we were teaching the first vision, the spirit was really strong. Then a man came and started yelling at us against the book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. I stand up and share my testimony with him. He became silent and we left. (Letitia)
- Developing a love for God’s children so deep it physically hurt to leave them. The best two years. (Chris)
- My companion went home early and sisters from the ward stayed with me for a few days all day. They were so sweet and kind. (Megan)
- One night we were walking home (in the mountains; I served in the Momostenango zone with the Quiche Indians) and we came upon a fork. We usually always took the left trail but we both had the distinct impression to take the right trail and turn off our lights. We followed the spirit. Soon after, a very large group of very drunk men were on the other trail. We realized the Holy Ghost was protecting us. (Lisa)
- Finding someone who had been praying for 50 years for the missionaries. (Scott)
- Too many to name. (Derek)
- No puedo contar. (Richard)
- Teaching the Gospel to the lovely Guatemalan people. (Luke)
- When an investigator finally realized that it was true. (Jordan)
- An investigator’s dad (who had a drinking problem) drank too much and was unconsciousness for several days. She asked us to go out to her house and give her dad a blessing. So went out to give him a blessing. When we arrived some Evangelistas were there giving a blessing. When they came out there was a few words said to us and we bore testimony of the priesthood. Then we gave the man a blessing. Others were watching from the windows and doors of the house. Then we left. A few days later, my companion and I were knocking on doors at the other end of town. Everyone asked us if we were the Mormons and we said yes, they invited us into their house to teach them about The Church. We had so many appointments that day, with everyone coming and asking us to teach. I was about ready to call the Mission President to send more missionaries there. Something had happened and everyone wanted to learn about The Church. As I saw one of the members of the Branch Presidency doing his home teaching, we went and told him what was going on. The man who was being home taught told us that the man we gave a blessing to came out of his coma and everyone is saying it was the Mormons who healed him. (Michael)
- Ver a gente humilde aprender de Jesucristo y su iglesia restaurada y cambiar sus tradiciones y costumbres. (Eduardo)
- Teaching people. (Clayson)
- I was lucky to serve during the dedication of the temple. One lady had a dream after attending the open house that she was in the temple and her deceased family members were all around her and told her they were waiting for her to go to the temple and help them. She went back to the temple and asked us to teach her. As we were getting ready to ask her to be baptized, she told us that she knew that she needed to get baptized so she could be with her family in the temple again like she was in her dream. (Joe)
- So many! But once we found a girl in the street, we contacted her and then we came to her house to teach her. At first, she said she doesn’t believe in this and she thought that going to a church it is a mockery of God. We taught about the Book of Mormon and we challenged her to read and pray about it. We continued visiting her and by lesson 4 she had already read until the book of Alma, she came to know that the Book of Mormon is true and she got baptized. She is so active in church, she already entered into the Temple and now she is preparing to go on a full time mission! (Cynthia)
- Lots of spiritual experiences, here’s one of my favorite ones. We had been teaching this lady for about a month and she had been reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. We started this one lesson with her and asked how the praying was going and she told us of the dream she had the night before. Basically, she dreamed about the church and me and my companion, and when she woke up she knew the church was true. It was a great feeling, knowing that she had found the truth. (Greg)
- We shared a Mormon Message about forgiveness with a man whose child had died in a car accident. The man decided to forgive the driver and said it was like a huge weight had been lifted. I went back after my mission and he said his life was completely different after that. (Nathan)
What are some interesting facts about the Quetzaltenango Mission?
- Book of Mormon happened there :-). Mayan ruins. (Michael)
- Las personas de esa mision son muy especiales no bautice a muchos pero es una experiencia hermosa el haber servido a esas personas preste servicio en todos los sentidos. (Billy)
- Quetzaltenango is a beautiful mission. It has hot and cold weather. The people love Elderes and Hermanas. (Letitia)
- Snows on one side and tropical rain forest on the other. Amazing Mayan ancestry all around. (Chris)
- Lots of people speak Quiche and Kekchi. It’s two missions now. No phone for the first almost six months except at a nearby pharmacy. They would bring us messages from the Elders or the nurse. (Megan)
- I served with no electricity, no running water and none of the comforts of home. The first thing I asked my mom to send me was my brother’s scout book. (Lisa)
- Missionaries spoke Spanish and multiple Native American dialects. (Scott)
- Dozens of languages are spoken within the mission borders. (Derek)
- Cocinamos durante 10 meses en Momos. (Richard)
- Wonderful people, beautiful sights and amazing experiences. (Luke)
- President Packer foresaw that there would be church houses on every mountain top in Momostenango. That is coming true more than ever now. (Jordan)
- In 1983-85, there were only two missions. The Guatemala City and Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission. I started in the Guatemala City and then they changed the mission boundaries and I became part of the Quetzaltenango mission. The Guatemala City Temple was dedicated while I was there. I served under President Carlos Amado. (Michael)
- The quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala. (Clayson)
- I served in two of the areas furthest from the mission home and Xela: Las Huistas l (borders Mexico) and Joyabaj (borders Guatemala Central Mission). Both areas took at least 14 hours by bus to get to. Mission meetings were hard to get to. (Joe)
- There is a temple in our mission. (Katie)
- Lamanite Land! Quetzaltenango has the Central America colder weather! We have a Temple there! There are areas where only native Guatemalan people live and only speak Mayan Dialect. Some dialects are: Quiche, kaqchiquel, Mam, Q’anjob’al. (Cynthia)
- There are around 22 different dialects in the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Mission, most of them are only spoken in one or two little villages which are out in the middle of nowhere. One of the biggest dialects in the mission is Quiche. (Greg)
- It’s got the purest Lamanite blood in Momostenango. There’s a temple. (Nathan)
What was the weather like?
- Rainy half the year, dry and cold the other half. (Jessie)
- Dry season-September to April. Rainy season-May to August. Actually it’s cold because of the high altitude. (Michael)
- Si me gusto mucho hasta sueño con irme a vivir algun dia jeje. (Billy)
- The weather is hot and cold. (Letitia)
- See above:) (Chris)
- Hot and sometimes rainy but in some areas it’s cold enough for a sweater in the winter. (Megan)
- Great weather- rainy during rainy season, but not humid. The coldest it got was about high 30’s at night. (Lisa)
- It got both hot and cold, depending on where you were. Lots of rain. (Scott)
- Back then Xela and the coast were one mission. It was hot and humid as can be on the coast and similar to Utah in the fall, up in Xela. (Derek)
- Extremo: Tunayac vrs San Felipe Reu. (Richard)
- Warm and rainy. (Luke)
- Hot in Huehue, cold in Xela. (Natalie)
- Humid and cold. (Jordan)
- Most of my mission was on the west coast. Very hot and humid. Not as hot and humid as those areas along the beach, but still quite hot. I served in Guatemala City- it must have been the rainy season because it was cold to begin with, then warmed up in later months. (Michael)
- Frio en la.mayor parte del tiempo en el occidente, lluvioso.en.lps.meses.de mayo a octubre. (Eduardo)
- Hot dry. Cold rainy. (Clayson)
- In some areas (Xela, momostenango), it is pretty chilly. It rains in the morning and can get down right cold at night. It even ‘snowed’ (more like sleet) once. In Huehuetenango and Quiche, it can get very hot and humid. (Joe)
- Moderate to cold. (Katie)
- So crazy! Cold from December to February and hot other part of the year. (Some areas) Too much rain in rainy season! (Cynthia)
- Its fairly cold, think autumn type chilly. Rains during 6 months of the year, is just cold the other months. (Greg)
- Nice and sunny in the morning. Then at 3:00, dark clouds would roll over and it would pour the rest of the day. (Nathan)
Anything you love about the area/people?
- Their ability to be happy with very few possessions. Beautiful green mountains. (Michael)
- Las personas son muy colaboradoras son amigables y son fieles. (Billy)
- People were wonderful with a tender heart. (Letitia)
- Doesn’t everyone think their mission was the best? This one is. (Chris)
- They were just unconditionally loving and kind and always friendly. (Megan)
- Their love for us and the gospel. (Lisa)
- They are humble, loving, hardworking and willing to listen. (Scott)
- Friendly. Content. Humble. (Derek)
- The climate. (Richard)
- Humble, welcoming and helpful people. Beautiful country. (Luke)
- The people are so humble. (Natalie)
- People are humble and willing to follow Jesus. (Victoria)
- The people are really humble and loved so easily. (Jordan)
- I served six months in my first two areas and four months each in the last two. These people became my family. They were all willing to help us missionaries. (Michael)
- La gente, muy amable, el clima y la comida. (Eduardo)
- How humble they were. (Clayson)
- The people were always nice and humble. They worked hard and generally welcomed us with food and love. People want to incorporate you as part of their families and want to develop deep friendships with the missionaries. (Joe)
- I loved the people from my mission. They are so kind and friendly people even when they aren’t interested in the gospel. And also the weather! (Cynthia)
- Great people, they always love to talk with you, maybe not listen to the gospel message but they are really friendly. The mission is mostly in the mountains, so lots of walking up and down hill. But the country side is really pretty. I loved the times I was able to walk around the mountains. (Greg)
- The people were so amazing. They were quick to forgive and would offer anything they could to you. (Nathan)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- I brought rainboots and they were very helpful. A friend brought crocs (the nice-looking kind) and I was jealous of them because they’re waterproof. 🙂 (Jessie)
- I wish I had brought a backpack with a rain cover. It’s hard to find peanut butter and root beer there. (Michael)
- Considero que cosas basicas porque alla encuestras cosas baratas jeje. (Billy)
- Good shoes. (Letitia)
- Hiking boots, not dress shoes! Clothes get hand washed on rocks in the river so nothing wimpy. (Chris)
- Buy lots of sturdy clothes that can hand wash and line dry easily and quickly. Bring sturdy comfortable shoes. Also, your bag will inevitably get drenched on the roof of a bus so bring a durable waterproof suitcase if you can find one. (Megan)
- It all depends where you serve. I wanted to serve in the mountains and so I asked to go there. Hiking shoes and knee-high socks is what I wore a lot with below the knee skirts. Most sisters just wear normal sister missionary clothes. Wear comfy clothes, not dressy fancy clothes. Get very comfy sturdy shoes – even if they’re kind of ugly. (Lisa)
- Bring great waterproof shoes. (Scott)
- Bring boots and not dress shoes. (Derek)
- El doble de ropa del que sugieren, sobretodo camisas, pantalones y zapatos para caminar. (Richard)
- Short sleeve shirts and tough (docker-style) pants. Tough waterproof shoes. (Luke)
- Don’t waste your money on fancy boots that salesmen try and sell you. My two pairs of HushPuppies lasted longer than two years. Take care of your shoes! Shine them, and alternate them, and use shoe trees. They will last forever. (Jordan)
- Have a mixture of both long sleeved and short sleeve white shirts. (Michael)
- Zapatos para caminar por las.montañas y ropa de lana para el frio. (Eduardo)
- Rain boots Water proof jacket and backpack. (Clayson)
- Sleeping bag. You won’t regret it on those cold nights. There is no heating in drafty block homes. Black hiking boots. You’ll need them. (Joe)
- It is a walking mission so bring comfortable shoes. I found the flats by Crocs were the best! It is also very dusty so they were easy to clean. Bring tights, scarfs, and sweaters because it does get cold. (Katie)
- Go there with rainy boots! Bring with you mostly no-iron clothes if possible! There’re no irons, there’re no time! Bring a rain jacket and something to protect your scriptures or your backpack from rain. (Cynthia)
- You will do lots of walking so bring good shoes, a raincoat is a must. Also bring some big ziploc bags that you can put your tracting stuff in, like your scriptures. So that way when it rains your stuff will stay dry. (Greg)
- A good raincoat and waterproof shoes. (Nathan)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- Not enough room on the paper. Knowing what it really means to feel the Spirit. (Michael)
- Un testimonio del evangelio y la satisfaccion de servir al señor .si me llamaran a servir ni lo pienso voy enseguida. (Billy)
- My family and I have been blessed. (Letitia)
- I learned how to love like Christ loves. I learned what it means to serve with all your heart might mind and strength. I learned how to be a leader. I learned the blessings of following mission rules 100%. I learned that living the gospel is FUN and joyful. (Chris)
- Experience in another culture and another country. Language skills. Learning to work with a companion. (Megan)
- So many that I can’t even count. I think my ability to look at tough situations and know I can handle anything with the Lord by my side. I learned He knows me personally and He hears my prayers. (Lisa)
- There are way too many to even begin to mention. The faith that miracles do still exist. (Scott)
- I don’t go a day without thinking about that place and the blessings I have because of it. If I had to name one, eternal friendships would be my answer. (Derek)
- MILES, MILES, MILES. (Richard)
- Everything. Hard to define shortly. The experience is amazing, do it. (Luke)
- I got offered five jobs, two days after I got home, from five different people! (Natalie)
- I learned how to be successful in life. How you don’t need a lot of material things to be happy in life. (Jordan)
- A strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Michael)
- Amor por el.evangelio y mis semejantes. Una esposa y familia.eterna. (Eduardo)
- New perspective. Strengthened Christ-like attributes. (Clayson)
- I can attribute just about everything I have to serving a mission. Mostly I feel more connected to my Savior which helps me make big decisions and stay optimistic about the future. (Joe)
- I can say as President Hinckley said. Everything good that has happened to me since then I can trace back to the decision I made at that time, to serve a mission and give my life to the Lord. (Cynthia)
- Too many to list, being able to speak Spanish has been a tremendous benefit in my life. Many great friends. (Greg)
- Everything that has happened since has been a blessing that I wouldn’t have imagined. (Nathan)
What are some skills you gained on your mission?
- Liderazgo perder la pena para hablar el saberme llevar con alguien. (Billy)
- I learned to love the people. (Letitia)
- Language and interpersonal skills. (Megan)
- To trust in the Lord. (Scott)
- Too many to name. Humility would be number one though. (Derek)
- Ingles, dejar todo al Señor, habilidad para resolver problemas. (Richard)
- Patience, love, compassion, work ethic, Spanish, etc. (Luke)
- Spanish, confidence, love, charity, diligence, obedience. (Natalie)
- Speaking Spanish. Later I served on the High Council of my stake and would have the privilege of speaking to the Spanish Branch. Many were from Guatemala. (Michael)
- Orar, Tener metas, Servir con.amor. (Eduardo)
- Teaching skills. Love. (Clayson)
- I can chop wood, kill, clean, and skin animals. Cook. Teach and talk to strangers. I learned to study and how to talk my way out of risky situations. (Joe)
- Speak in public, lose shame, wake up early, read scriptures daily, pray in every moment, helping others and finding opportunities to serve. Act quickly and wisely to problems. Patient, kindness, compassion. (Cynthia)
- Time management skills, financial skills. social skills, and many others. (Greg)
- Planning priorities, using time wisely, being a learner, and speaking Spanish. (Nathan)
Is there anything you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- My pride is my worst enemy. (Michael)
- Regresar con honor y bautizar y sentir la presencia del señor. (Billy)
- Get used to walking a lot. (Letitia)
- That your attitude is under your control not your companion’s. You choose to be happy. (Chris)
- Loving and accepting all people. (Lisa)
- I wish I knew the language. (Scott)
- I would have spent just as much time learning Spanish vocabulary, as reading the scriptures. (Derek)
- Patience. (Luke)
- I wish I knew how to deal with a companion. (Natalie)
- The poverty conditions of many of the people. (Michael)
- Que la mision es algo que.requiere sacrificio y dedicacion. Que para tener exito se requiere tener mucho.amor por aquellos a quienes servimos. (Eduardo)
- That some missionaries are not obedient and don’t want to be there. (Clayson)
- Don’t worry about the little things. Just work hard and enjoy the work. (Joe)
- How the mission works! (My trainer didn’t teach me that well) knew how to count lessons, how to contact people, I wish I knew the WHYs and not only the HOWs. (Cynthia)
- Trust your trainer, and mission leaders…they do know what they are doing. Be prepared to work…it’s what you are there for. The practice sessions you do for teaching lessons and contacting aren’t stupid and they will help you to be prepared to teach the gospel. (Greg)
- No missionary is perfect so be willing to forgive and compromise with your companion. (Nathan)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Quetzaltenango?
- Obedience and love. It’s all about obedience and love. Talk to everybody. (Jessie)
- I wish I shared the gospel with friends. Go to the temple frequently, split with the missionaries, and share the Gospel. Be humble. Have faith. Love the people and always smile. (Michael)
- Que no se quejen de los compañeros cada compañero le ayuda a enfrentar o aprender cosas nuevas o desarrollar atributos , no se quejen de sus areas porque los elegidos donde uno menos piensa. (Billy)
- Be strong and enjoy your mission. (Letitia)
- Do it. Watch the blessings of heaven pour out! (Chris)
- Write everything down. Over time, you will forget people’s names and addresses. Have an eternal perspective on things – don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t take things so personally. (Lisa)
- Study your scriptures and learn how to relate them to life. Practice talking to random strangers. Ask girls out and hope you get rejected, so you can get used to that. (Scott)
- Just allow yourself to fall in love with all the crazy third world oddities. (Derek)
- No sean ustedes mismos…sean los que el Señor desea que sean. (Richard)
- Research what you can, prepare as good as possible, and trust God for the rest. (Luke)
- Study Preach My Gospel! Don’t EVER wish your mission away. Enjoy it while it lasts! It’s the best time of your life! (Natalie)
- Study Preach my Gospel before going and Spanish. (Jordan)
- Read the Book of Mormon and learn to love it. Get out and talk to people. (Michael)
- Sirvan con.amor, la.gente es receptiva si le mostramos.amor. (Eduardo)
- Life is hard its harder if you don’t pray, especially in the mission. (Clayson)
- Have fun! There is no better mission. It’s tough. You will be tired and maybe sick the whole time but you will also see miracles every day. Even when things are scary or just not working, there is someone looking out for you. (Joe)
- Study Preach My Gospel, especially the scriptures for the lessons, not just the ones from the Book of Mormon, but also from the Bible. People will want to know where the gospel principles are found in the Bible. Preach my Gospel has those. (Greg)
- Work with members. Serve others and love everyone no matter what. (Nathan)
What was a funny language mistake that you or your companion made (if applicable)?
- En guatemala en algunos lugares se habla un dialecto que se llama quiche habia un misionero que pronunciaba las palabras mal a pesar que le repetiamos. para decir como esta que en quiche es : utz a wach ? se respondia : utz que significa bien. pero el mesionero decia uks wach pronunciaba mal la palabra utz se escuchaba uks jeje. eso era muy gracioso. (Billy)
- My companions with Spanish. (Letitia)
- Instead of praying that God’s spirit would reside in an investigator’s home, I prayed that God’s spirit would die in their home… (Scott)
- I kept telling people I was embarazado (pregnant) thinking I was saying embarrassed. (Derek)
- Speaking Spanish is not always easy, especially when you say the wrong word and end up hitting on a woman. (Luke)
- Saying “La Papa Santa” referring to the Pope. It should be “El Papa Santa” (Michael)
- Aprendan.el.idioma y.no.repitan palabras que no.esten.seguros.de.su.significado. (Eduardo)
- Misunderstanding what people say. (Clayson)
- My companion walked into an old woman in Momostenango. She apologized and he said “no tenga pene.” Close but so far. (Joe)