Czoo-eel

Finished week 1 in Santiago! Holy cow this week was a fun one :) So much to tell! Sounds like everything is going awesome back home.

SO. Santiago! Ahh goodness it is hard to believe its already been a whole week. Thursday was Pday, we went to San Pedro! Its the village next to us, just about 40 minutes away, and it was amazing! Its just like Panajachel but with MUCH less tourists--everything calm and relaxed, I was a huge fan :D We had breakfast at a cafe up against the lake, and then went to a museum all about how the lake was formed. Very cool. Fun fact!--They actually dont know how deep Lake Atitlan is. Weird! Friday we had zone council up in Solola so that was good to see everyone again :) Saturday was normal, and then Sunday was church. The branch here is AMAZING. There are only about 100 active members but they are all so cool. Wish you could meet them! Anyways today we had district meeting in San Lucas, and then tomorrow is Pday, I think we are actually just going to explore Santiago. Love it!

I dont think I can explain to you how much i LOVE it here! It seriously is THE most beautiful place I have ever seen. And the people are so ridiculous. Patzun people were much more refined, held back, gossippy, judgmental, timid, etc etc, but the people here are none of that! Everyone Ive met has a sense of humor and they are all very down to earth, tell it like it is, always joking, its cool. :) Alot of missionaries get offended by them but I really think its loveable. And the language they speak is SIMPLY too cool, hopefully Ill be able to mimic some of it and send you a video of what it sounds like :) They never hesitate to laugh at us in the streets or throw insults, but we always throw things back and they just laugh. It keeps us entertained :D

Santiago is split into 5 or 6 little zones, and we went to one of them this week called Panabaj--too cool! Its actually like the Guatemala I pictured before the mission! Very jungly, very green, lots of exotic birds--way cool. The center of Panabaj is built like an old Necropolis, everything is grey and black stone, old monuments, and archaic plaques with the history of Panabaj--so beautiful. My companion thinks the whole city should be built like that :D The center of Santiago itself (Xechivoy, Panal, etc) is a lot like Panajachel, with cobblestone streets leading down to the lake, and a big center street for tourists, but the buildings are TALL! Almost like little skyscrapers, always 5 or 6 floors. It is too cool. And at night is my FAVORITE. Everything lit up by candles, murmuring Tzutuil it feels like something out of old Beijing, the TukTuks driving by--so awesomeeeeeeeeeeee :D

Another funny thing about Santiago is the accent. Oh wow I wish you could hear it. In Kaqchikel they adopt a lot of Spanish words and speak very slowly, but Tzutuil will have none of that. Everyone talks fast, with a lot of up and down tonations in their words, and they use abrievs for everything! My fav :D If they dont have a word for it, they just abrieviate the Spanish-- Iglesia (church) is Iglies, Porque (because) is prk, Cuarenta y cinco (45) is cuarentsanq, etc etc. Its funny to hear :)

Ahhhh wow. There is still so much to tell you! Ill have to keep you posted as the weeks go by. The scoff is WAY cool :D Its so comfy, and the cut falls about midcalf, pretty cool. Tzutuil is pronounced Tzoo (like zoo, but the beginning is kind of like how you pronounce Czar), too, and then eel. I just started ordering my scoff, Ive ordered two and I think Im going to get a third. A lot of the people here can actually make it! You just have to pick the colors. I got sandals this week in the market, they are very traditional looking and are leather--they hurt! I still have to break them in ;) We do clean our own room in the hotel, and the branch presidents wife washes our clothes, and we cook our own food :D Internet we still go to the cafes, they are everywhere :) Tzutuil is a lot like Kaqchikel, and a lot of the sounds are just like Navajo. The only learning materials we have are the class, (every night!) with native speakers, and books that other missionaries have written! Its way cool. Everyone points with their lips, but thats such a popular thing in Guatemala, its caught on everywhere! Even non indigenous :) Ive definitely become a follower! :D

Hope everyones week goes well. Cant wait to keep you posted! I am ABSOLUTELY loving it here. Hopefully I can stay a while :D Miss you and love you tons and tons. Till next week!

Tyler

Santiago!!!

OH MY GOODNESS I have a LOT to report! We had changes yesterday, and hands down, I think what happened is the LEAST expected thing Ive had in the mission!

I cant remember if I told you about the village of Santiago. Remember how Lake Atitlan has 12 villages, all named after the apostles? Santiago (James in English) is one of 3 that has missionaries, (Luke and Andrew are the others), and it is the only area in the mission that speaks Tzutuil. Another thing is that the missionaries there HAVE to learn the language because almost half of the people won't or cant speak Spanish to you. And it is the only area where the missionaries where the clothing the people where--they wear white shirts and ties, but also sandals, and a kind of shorts they use called Scoff, with a belt that looks like a scarf called a Faja. The area itself is in between two volcanoes surrounding the lake, and it takes a few hours to get there, FROM solola.

Anyway I think youve probably figured out what happened and where I find myself today :) Saturday night we got the phone call--I had changes and an interview! I was stunned. Interviews are when President moves you up to a different position, DL, ZL, secretary, retention secretary, or trainer. I didnt really know what to expect, I thought of all it would probably be secretary, but I did think it would be fun to train. Anyways Sunday was goodbye day to Patzun (very sad :( I will miss them!), and then Monday was going to be changes, but the buses went on strike! It was a whole big thing, none of the buses in all the country went that day. So Tuesday was changes, I went in for the interview, and President goes "Elder Moore, you are here for a weird reason. I dont usually interview missionaries in this case," (then I got kind of nervous :), "But I am going to ask you flat out--Would you like to go to Santiago?" Then he explained how when a missionary goes there, he HAS to learn Tzutuil or it messes up alot of things, and how missionaries that go there STAY there for a LONGGGGGGG time (usually more than six months. Sometimes a year), and that they end up loving it because its the most beautiful place in the world. Anyways I was so thrown! For logistical reasons (I can explain those later) I didnt think Id ever be able to go there (not a huge desire, but I did wonder if it was possible), but nope! Everything changed yesterday. Im in Santiago, Im with Elder Johnson (a Navajo! :), Im learning Tzutuil, and it IS the most beautiful place in the world :) Oh wow I wish you guys could see it. The lake is just a few minutes walk down from our hotel (I live in another one! ;) and it is amazing. Last night we got in and all the streets looked like they were right out of Arabia, mixed with Chinatown, everyone speaking a language that even sounds way different from the Kaqchikel I was used to. The market was filled with people selling all kinds of things, everything lit by candles, and the center square fountain all lit up. SOOOOOO cool. I will have to take pics asap! :D

The other cool thing is even though I was bummed to leave my district, Im still in the Solola zone! I thought id be out for sure. But Ill still get to see everyone every two weeks or so. And our new district is so awesome, I already knew them from before so Im way stoked to be here with them :)

ANYWHO. Whew! These past few days have been a whirlwind for sure, everything happening so quickly. It was cool to talk with President and Sister Baldwin about Santiago though--its such a "celebrity" area of the mission--Tiki Saje is the hottest, Tecpan is the coldest, Joyobaj is the farthest away, La Justo II is the smallest, and Santiago is where they speak another language and wear weird clothes :) Anyways they have a special fondness for Santiago and the missionaries that go there. Im excited! And yes, I am wearing Scoff right now. It is so comfy :D Ill send pics as soon as possible!

Anyways thats whats keeping me busy this week! Sounds like everything is going awesome back home. Gladys Knight concert sounds awesome! Wish I could have been there. Mom--we did meet that family in Pana! They were so nice to us, and it was way cool of them to buy us ice cream and to send you guys pics! Be sure to tell them thanks again for me. By the way I DO plan on bringing back Scoff for Jeremy and Dad :) How are the March Madness picks going? :D

So good to hear from you as always! Thanks for writing and I cant wait to keep you posted about what this change brings :D Ooh boy I wish you guys could see it here. It really feels like the edge of the world. Guatemala forever seems to be the land of a thousand faces, different and beautiful everywhere I turn. Till next week! Love and miss you--

Tyler

Moore Tyler

Last week of this change! Holy cow it is hard to believe. It has FLOWN! And it really has been fun. We just had our last district meeting--I wish you guys could meet these missionaries. They are incredible! Who knows if we'll have changes, but I will miss them lots. Its been awesome :) Before I forget--Next week we'll be having email on Wednesday cause of changes. Just keeping you posted!

This week was one of those FAST and then SLOWWWW weeks :) but still awesome. Tuesday we went to Panajachel otra vez! I have some surprises to send the fam, hopefully I can send them in time for the phone call mothers day ;) Wednesday was zone conference and it was AWESOME. They are always so intense and exciting, and the spirit is so strong. President really pushed the Book of Mormon--they gave us all brand new copies in our own languages (so weird to see an English one again! They are so small!) and we are going to read it together as a family in the mission :D Sister Baldwin gave an AMAZING talk on the doctrines of the Book of Mormon. Its been fun reading it together over again--1 Nephi really might be my favorite book of scripture EVER, especially since watching BSG :D Again and again, Im so grateful for the people I get to meet in the mission. Our president, Sis Baldwin, the assistants, our district, everyone is so awesome and so remarkable. My testimony grows even more and more with them every day. :D

Sounds like everything is good back home! Our weather here is really warming up, I feel like weve gotten into the 70s. Im roasting! (so weird :) We still havent had rainy season, Im hoping I get to see it in the mountains, it starts in may and goes till September. They say its like Noah's flood! One thing I learned about the Indians here that speak Keqchi--they cant make a Z sound. Too funny! Were the navajos the same way? Ophelia is the only person Ive met in all of guatemala that can pronounce The just like an American. Nobody else has a Th sound. Weird!

Miss you guys times a million. Thanks for writing as always, it is the highlight of my week :) Love you zillions--

Tyler

I just got this lovely email from a woman who ran into Tyler last week:

We were in Panajahel Guatemala last weekend and ran into a fantastic group of young men doing what 19-21 year old young men do best. TEACH THE GOSPEL! They all look great and were so happy and up beat. We bought them ice cream and had a great conversation with each of them. We were there visiting for the second time with our son who was also a missionary in the Quetzaltenango mission three years ago. We brought his new wife with us to show her all the sights and fun of Guatemala. As a "missionary mom" I know how hard it is to have your sons so far away and I know that you wonder how they are every day. They were so absolutely (can I say adorable)? You can be assured that the Lord is watching over them and that they are completely loving what they are doing, it showed in every one of their smiles! What great examples they are. You should be so very proud of them as I know you are. May the Lord bless you for lending them to Him for awhile and them for their efforts. Joey Caldwell, Springville, UT

Pancakes!

Another week in Patzun! Happy to hear from everyone as always, sounds like things have been going good :)

Before I forget! The WEIRDEST thing just happened! I got an email three weeks ago from someone writing to another Tyler Moore in the mission field; our email systems just got changed (btw, hoping this means no more delays?) and we got new addresses. Anyways it was sent to me so I told him that I accidentally got it and he should forward it to the other Tyler. Anyways he said thanks and I noticed his address in the email was in Bountiful, and I told him that if by chance he knew Aunt Janeen or Grandma and Grandpa, tell them hey for me. And guess what--he knows Aunt Janeen! They started talking and somehow figured out that him and Dad were BOTH born in Macon GA. Weird huh? Anyways he told me he called you guys this week, too funny. Youll have to tell me how it went :)

This week was pretty basic but excellent as usual! We are working WAY hard here, and I think the results are finally paying off. We found three new families to teach this week and Im hoping everything goes well. :) The work in the mountains is definitely slower! But weve contacted our brains out, asked references, befriended the ward, worked with the bishop, and we are finally getting progress moving! And as always I am so grateful to be here in Patzun. The ward is so incredible, I wish you could meet them. And the village is so beautiful. It is a remarkable experience to serve the people here :)

Wednesday we have zone conference so I think Ill be getting the packages then! Thanks so much :) Cant wait to hear the music :) and then tomorrow for Pday we are going to PanaJachel again! Ahh its the best. I never get tired of it. Wish you guys could see! Last week for Pday was way awesome too, we went to Zaragoza and were going to go to the waterfall there, but we didnt end up having time. Anyway we stayed at Hutchings/Vahai's house and made hamburgers and fries and brownies. We even bought the meat from one of the meat shops here where they actually raise the cows themselves. Ive never had the guts to try it but--it was awesome :) Also, I cant remember if I told you but I have picked up a hobby of making pancakes--I am SUCH a huge fan. :) The first few batches were a little tough, but yesterday I made the MASTER pancakes to finish off the fast-- golden, perfect thickness, and oh so soft. WAY yum :) Im thinking my next project is going to be brownies--the first batch at Zaragoza needed some work, but actually went quite well :D

Haha anyways sounds like everything is going awesome back home!

Miss you guys bazillions and hoping everything is going smoothly back home. Send my love to the ward. Only 2 more weeks in this change! Crazyyyyyyy fast
Love you
Tyler

Baseball?

Halfway mark of this change! Wow it is hard to believe. Everyone says the mission goes fast, but its hard to see until you really get here--it does!!! :D

Sounds like everything went awesome this week! Everything in Patzun continues onward as normal--Kaqchikel classes, contacting, teaching teaching teaching, befriending the ward, references--love all of it!

This pDay we ended up staying close to home, but it was awesome! We went over to Patzicia and played Baseball at the church, something actually really rare in the mission! Usually we only play soccer. Anyways it was AWESOME. It was a really makeshift game, the distance from base 1 to 2 was like a third of the distance from 3 to home, it was way funny, and our district just went crazy the whole time. Haha I wish you could have seen it. Tomorrow I think we are making plans (hopefully we have money! Todays the first of the month, and we still havent gotten anything...:/) to go to Zaragoza--apparently there is a waterfall there so I think were gonna check it out! After we might be making hamburgers and frenchfries at Hutchings and Vahai's house. Im stoked! :D

Anyways thats whats up in the Guat. Sounds like everything is going well! Lanie--It actually is easy to speak spanish now! At first it was hard but the members here all watch alot of Dora the Explorer so that helped :) This is way too cool about Gladys Knight--I actually just got a cd from another missionary here that is Gladys singing church hymns, I bet it is with that choir! If so, the I Am A child of God is AWESOME. Also Love One Another. Way cool! Be sure to keep me posted. The snow is finally gone?! :) Is it still cold? Things have been warming up lately in the mountains, but February is "El Mes Loco" (the crazy month) so things have been very rollercoastery--rain, cold, hot, wind, all in one day!

Anyways hope everyone is doing well. I still cant believe we are starting the 3rd month in this year, and Im about to complete 1/4th of the mission in two weeks. So crazy! Miss you all and love you tons. Until next week :)
Tyler

P.S--We did have stake conference that wednesday (weird huh? I never actually did figure out why).