Hola!

Rachel is finally out of the MTC and in the mission field of Retalhuleu! If you want to write her a letter, here is the address of the mission home.

Hermana Rachel Beckstrand
Guatemala Retalhuleu Mission
Iglesia Mormona, Boulevard Centenario
Salida a Coatepeque, Zona 2, Apt Postal 26
Retalhuleu
GUATEMALA

We Got Pictures!

Sorry I've been slacking over the last couple weeks, I've been super busy, but to make up for it, I have pictures to show you!

"These pictures were all taken outside of the CRE (cray) house. It´s a house owned by the church where we use the computers and do activities like TALL (language) and CRE (teaching ´less actives´). In the first picture I am standing behind my companion and my teacher, Hermano Chavez. The second picture has all the companionships: Elders Jorgensen and Wilkes, Me and Hermana Barba, Hermana Ostler in the back, Hermana Etherington in the front. Then Hermana Phillips (with the curly hair) and Hermana Outsen (the short blonde one). Outsen and Ostler are compañeras and Hermana Phillips and Etherington are compañeras. Then we have Elder Hansen (the tall one, he´s our district leader) and Elder Garcia. And then Hermano Chavez. We´re a pretty snazzy group ;)"

These next photos are the group photos outside the CCM

 Rachel is second row down from the top second in on the left side.

CCM

         We got our second email Tuesday from Rachel. She loves the CCM, especially the food there. She said their is a lot of fresh fruit and a mix of American and Central American cuisine. Her favorite is the mango juice, because it's like "liquid mangoes."

        She said, "The spanish is coming really good. Sometimes I feel bad about my progress but then I remember that I`ve been here less than a week. I understand more than I speak, but I have been able to pray really well. I love singing the hymns because, even though I don`t understand, it helps my pronunciation."

         They have an investigator at the CCM, a man named Benjamin, who works there. He speaks some English, and they let the missionaries at the CCM help with the discussions. Rachel said that her and her companion sang for him, and he said they sounded like angels.

         She is at the CCM for about 6 more weeks, so write to her at the CCM address. You can also use dearelder.com  for free, and it sends your letters directly to the CCM.

First Email!

We got our first email from Rachel today! It goes like this:

Hi everybody! This is just to say that I am okay and that I got to the CCM okay. I only have 5 minutes but my P day is on Tuesdays I think and I get an hour. My flights were smooth, I was on the wings both times. I slept on the second  flight but on the first one of my seatmates tried to bible bash me. I was a little unprepared for that, haha, I was tired. Things are good in the ciudad, very mild and not too hot or humid. It is beautiful and a lot like Sinaloa (Mexico). Well this keyboard is junk and I don´t have any more time, so adios for now!

LOVE,

Hermana R

PS I am at the CCM (Spanish MTC for you gringos ;)) for 6 weeks so WRITE ME!

Howdy Everybody!

Hi, there everybody! I'm Amber and my sister, Rachel, is serving a mission in Guatemala Retalhuleu  for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'll be posting about her time there on this blog. We dropped her off at the airport just an hour ago. If you want to contact Rachel, her are her many addresses:

Pouch Mail Instructions:

Lay the letter blank side down. Fold the bottom of the letter about one-third of the way up the page and crease. Fold the top of the letter to the bottom of the first fold and crease. Secure the long side with two pieces of tape about one inch from each end but do not seal the ends. In the top left corner, write your name and complete return address. Affix first class postage in the top right corner. In the middle write the missionary address as follows:

Sister Rachel Beckstrand

Guatemala Retalhuleu Mission

POB 30150

Salt Lake City UT 84130-0150

Letters: 

Sister Rachel Beckstrand

Guatemala Retalhuleu Mission

Iglesia Mormona, Boulevard Centenario

Salida a Coatepeque, Zona 2, Apt Postal 26

Retalhuleu

GUATEMALA

If you want to send her a package or something like that, email me at amber.beckstrand@gmail.com and I'll give you the information.