Week 28 - January 26, 2026

EMERGENCY EVACUATION (ALMOST DIED, NOT CLICKBAIT)

WHAT A WEEEEK OUT HERE. Don't worry, mom, your angel child is ok. Not the first time I've made it out of the trenches @CalebVansweedan. Those streets of Oakland ain't for everyone (Draper and Danville). But let's get into it.

EMEREGENCY EVACUATION FROM RABINAL!!!

I won't keep you guys on the edge of your seat for too long as much as I love keeping you guessing. 

So, Tuesday afternoon our beloved miembro Juan Reyes was telling us how Rabinal was not a safe place right now and how he was so worried about us being out past six. I was like what's this old guy tripping bout. Flash forward to 3:31PM Wednesday as we are grinding about to have some fire appointments, a member sends me a document. I'll just insert the translated…

DATE:

JANUARY 20, 2026

I respectfully address you, with instructions from the Acting Chief of this police station, to disseminate Alert DG2-20-01-2026. It has been reported that, from January 20 to 25, 2026, members of the Barrio 18 gang will carry out armed attacks in the urban area of the municipality of Rabinal, Baja Verapaz, against the civilian population. It is known that the gang members will travel from the village of Pachice, Rabinal, Baja Verapaz, in a vehicle (no further details available). They are allegedly led by one of the gang members who escaped in October 2025. The aforementioned alert is attached.

After some quick calls, we were told to go to our house and stay inside while a private car came to pick us up to take us out of Rabinal to Salama. We were told to bring a week of clothes and bring anything we would need. What a day.

SALAMA MISSIONARY

This week wasn't real. Member meals every single day. Massive church building on Sunday. Divisions with the other Elders throughout the week was so lit. Seeing a different area was a great feeling, too, and they have the sickest members there. Truly don't know how I didn't 💩 myself… God was looking out for me as we sprinted 15 minutes home.

Scared of the water…?

So, I was supposed to have a baptism this week with this 10-year-old kid who is super cool and then it turns out after our 2-hour-talk with him we realized he wasn't going to get baptized because he was scared of drowning in his baptism… Please pray for my boy, Jonathan, so we can get that boy in the water. Scared of the baptismal water…

Spiritual Thought

Alma 43: 45 Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.

One of the Elders I was with this week shared this scripture a couple times and it is a scripture I love. Having a reason and a purpose to all the things that you do is essential. With that, they were inspired for a better cause. They were fighting for the things that were eternal and the things that truly mattered most. As we asked each person what mattered most to them, it was apparent that it always came back to the family.

People always seem so shocked that we are away from our families for two years. That we would give up so much time, but I always tell them how truly, even though at time it can be hard, it really is nothing as we know we are giving the gift and the knowledge of eternal families. I am giving two years to give infinite. The two years are truly nothing and being able to look at each family and give them this knowledge is the greatest feeling in the world. We are giving the greatest gift in the world and are only “losing” so little. It is truly the greatest blessing in the world to have the knowledge of this.

I love you all have incredible incredible weeks.

Elder Wilde

Week 27 - January 19, 2026

"Die With a Smile" - Brother Mars

Was on a bit of a vacation this week and became Chapin (Guate citizen). But had great convos along the way. Made me realize how incredible the mission is. I love it so much here, I love the people, I love the work, and I love the experiences so much. I can't believe I only have 17 months left, it truly is the best thing in the world to be a missionary here, and I feel so lucky to be where I am. I love the mission so much and am so beyond grateful for the six months I have had and would not trade them for absolutely anything.

The Capital

So, Wednesday in the afternoon we left for Coban so we could get to the bus in the morning. Elder Redd and I went together but we had to drop off my comp in Salama and his in Santa Barbara. Before starting of course, we had to get a Little Caeser's Pizza and then we were on our way. Just dying laughing the whole time. I'm sure all the Guates on the bus were pressed about the Americans, but it was worth it. Then we got to Coban and of course had to get Panda Express. And then one of the secretaries is our dawg from the CCM so we stayed w him and talked for awhile

Thursday we got some unbelievable McDonalds breakfast to start our day then we went and found some car hart pants for 10 quetz ($1.50) unreal find. Then we went and got on the MONJA BLANCA (boujee bus) to Guate City where eventually we got to the hotel which is so unreal, and we learned the missionaries get to stay there because one of the Seventy owns it. Now it's adding up. Then we went and got the hotel buffet, hit the nice gym, and watched the Packers Bears game, and then we both took 30-minute showers because they have UNREAL showers. 

Friday

Migration appointment was at 6:30 so we had to get up early and get the hotel buffet breakfast. Yk just some pancakes, French toast, donuts, chocolate croissants, and fresh orange juice. Then we went to our appointment and got to see all of the others' missions there which was cool to talk to them. And because our mission is so far, we had two appointments that day and the second was to get the actual card of our citizenship. Redd and I were just dying laughing the whole time and the lady thought we were hilarious (she couldn't understand anything we said). After a quick conversation with Redd, we decided it was time to ask the big question. I told her I had a question and it would be the biggest miracle in the world… if we could get Krispy Kreme. Just go look at the photos. And then we got back to the MONJA BLANCA station where they told us we could get on one of the minibuses or wait two hours for the nice ones… during the next two hours, we got Little Caesars and walked around Guate for a second. Then eventually made it back to Coban and finished off our donuts for breakfast the next morning.

SPIRITUAL WORK THIS WEEK

Don't worry, I did do some of the Lord's work this week. We were able to find this family that actually is fulfilling our invitations so far, so this is a REALLY good thing to see. The BIG downside this week was that the stupid Fair is here, so it is IMPOSSSIBLE to get people to church. We had 12 people… Fair 1, Iglesia 0. Also, I thought for the first time in my mission I got a real reference from a member that was going to work. So, we walked forever to this person's house, my comp almost died to a dog, just to find out all they wanted was money from us… then they started cussing us out when I said no, but we can give you a spiritual thought? Classic. I also got to call someone in Serbia and speak Spanish to them to help with a lesson. Sorry Elder Van Sweedan, I didn't quite understand what I was supposed to do…

Spiritual Thought

So, this week I hit six months in the mission and as I was going over experience after experience with Elder Redd, I started to realize a trend in all the things. We were talking about experiences where a waiter asked Redd for his menu, but he didn't understand so he just said his name, or when they asked me to put my four left fingers on the scanner and I gave them Preston Benjamin Wilde. Experiences that were just too funny or we were never going to forget. 

I've been thinking a lot about what has been the most important thing I have learned on my mission in these six months. Now I know that's not a lot of time but still. And as I was thinking about it, at first the answer didn't seem clear, but then I realized it really was so obvious. I'm sorry I am not going to give some profound answer or something crazy. Because the answer is the simplest thing you can do. The most important thing I have learned in six months is to smile. Just smile. Smile when you are walking past someone, smile when you are talking to someone, teaching someone, saying hi to someone. It is genuinely beyond insane the effect a real smile can have on both you and the person receiving it.

On the mission we have the opportunity to give the biggest gift in the world every day. There's an endless list of gifts we are giving but they all stem from the church. If it was someone's birthday and you were giving them the greatest gift in the world, I'd imagine you would do it with a smile, knowing that you were going to change their life. We do this every single day, giving them the greatest gift in the world. We need to have a smile. I invite each and every one of you to do something simple but give them a genuine smile that you are genuinely happy to see them or talk to them, and I promise you will see the effect in both yourself and them. You are only in the service of God, and he has given us this commandment.

John 15: 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Sorry for the longer email and it was a little all over the place, but I love you all so much have a great week.

Elder Wilde 

Week 26 - January 13, 2026

 SON IGUALES

Sorry I didn't have a ton of time to put this one together, so we are just going to hit some highlights…

👀: found tons of new people to teach that we hope will continue progressing. Had a really cool experience as we found a family who had siblings get baptized in the church a couple years ago and ultimately hadn't seen the missionaries in our area for 30 years.

⛪️: This week we had 55 people come to church which was so cool to see. With all our seats, we only had two spots left, and they might start looking for a bigger chapel.

🏀: Zone basketball on Pday is something that will never get old. It truly is so elite, and we got some hoppers in the zone, so it's fun and competitive.

👨‍💼: Had our interviews w/ President this week which were super lit. A complete surprise as he told me that after four transfers in Rabinal, he would be taking me out of there. Then he also blessed us with fire food from this nice restaurant we got here in Rabinal.

🚘: So, this is both a really good thing and really bad. I received news that I am going to the capital this week with only me and one other Elder. Elder Redd. My dawgggg. We are actually boutta have the most lit time. The bad thing is that there will be almost no work done in my area because of this.

🏈: So, at our dinner Sunday night, there just happened to be the 49’ers game on vs the Eagles and I just hated watching the game as I watched those Dawgs take home the W.

Spiritual Thought: It wasn't the last swing

There's a concept that has always applied a ton in golf, but of course, it applies to our missionary work and our lives so much.

In golf at times, you will find yourselves in a slump. Things aren't working. Breaks are not going your way. You seem to be without control in your game. Your swing simply is not there or your confidence isn't or maybe both aren't. You spend hours upon hours looking for the flaw that needs the fix. After hours of searching or maybe days, you finally find it. Sometimes you jump to the conclusion that finally it was that swing that gave it to you. That was the most important swing of them all. But obviously this isn't true. Without the swing before and the one before that and the many many that were before, you wouldn't have come to find the answer. Each individual swing was just as important as the one before and after. Each act and each moment were all worth the same in the end because without one, you ultimately wouldn't have found the solution.

Now, of course, it's the same in life and in the missionary work. You pray and you pray. You knock and you knock. You contact and you contact. And eventually you will find. But ultimately it was not just their door that was the most important. Just like the golf swing Each moment leading up was equally as important. Each prayer and each door were ultimately worth the same. You had to go through one to get to the next. Each prayer was needed to get you there. Each door was needed to lead you to the person you needed to find. Without the initial actions themselves, you would have never gotten to where you needed to be and find who you needed to find. 

Sometimes I think we are going to receive the answer to our prayer the first time. But what is the faith if we receive the answer or the blessing after the first time every time. What is golf if you find the answer immediately every time. It's a progress. Everything is a progress and is never perfect. God created the world and said it was good… not perfect. The imperfections and the difficulties are ultimately just as important as all the successes. They all get you to the point you need to be. But we need to act. You have to swing to find the answer. You have to pray to receive the answer. You have to knock to find the person. You have to try over and over again. I testify that if we consistently try, if we consistently show our effort, we WILL get where we need to go. We WILL get the answer we need. We WILL find the person. We just need to remember, it's all on the Lord's time. 

Ether 12:6

I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

I love you all, have an incredible week.

Elder Wilde

Week 25 - January 6, 2026

 Cambios

I picked up my child from transfers on Wednesday in the morning and it was awesome. I think I might've been more nervous to pick him up then he was. Welcome to Rabinal, Elder Beck. He is from Logan, Utah, and is super chill. This was my first time back at transfers and it was fun being able to talk to the other missionaries. Also, at Cambios, there are always people selling Guatemalan type ties and because this was my first time back at Cambios in a long time, I had saved up some money, so let's just say the people are excited to see me back there.  Nine ties and a Bible and Book of Mormon cover later. After Cambios, we headed back to Rabinal and had two dinners on the night. Great time. 

New Years Day

First day in the mission field and I was stoked to get my comp out and show him everything. Stoked until I realized streets weren't empty and everyone was just hungover drunk or not in their house. A long day of trying to find things to do. I kept telling him it's not usually like this, but I don't know if he was believing me.

BUS

So, this week I had a really cool experience. I was on a bus going to a different city and I was just in deep thoughts looking out the window. I eventually turned when I completely caught this kid rewatching the tik tok he had just made of me. At first I was a little annoyed and weirded out and then I was like, wait I need to take advantage of this. So, I started talking to this kid for the next 45 minutes and eventually got his number and got invited to see his family. We went over that week in the night and a family I had never met with two little kids younger than five ran up and hugged me the second they saw me. I had never met these people before. We ended up teaching the mom and the two kids over eight while the other kids played with the mini-Jesus I gave them, shout out mom. Eventually, we put the family on baptismal date, and it was a really cool experience and I really hope they progress 

Other Things

Exchanges: I did divisions with Elder Smith one or the ZLs and was able to learn so much, and we had a great time together.

Milagros: This week we were able to help a lot of people start their path on the progress to be baptized with baptismal dates and it was so cool to see them realize the importance of following the example of Jesus Christ.

Beck: First week with my child, and I'm trying to teach him and remind him of the things that are important and just really hope I'm doing a good job.

Spiritual Thought

3 Nephi 5:13

13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

I love you all have an incredible week

Elder Wilde

Week 24 - December 29, 2025

I HAVE A CHILD!

I'm sorry, Mom, this isn't a real child, sorry to disappoint. This transfer, I will be TRAINING!!! I am so excited to train but I will also be staying another transfer in my area which is six months in Rabinal, which is a lot there… I will be picking up Elder Beck in Coban on Wednesday and am hyped to get things going.

Christmas Activities

Parade - So we had a huge parade on Wednesday night in San Jerónimo (bigger city and the 24th). It was so fun, literally felt like I was back at a high school dance. Our car had massive speakers on it and we just had music blasting and there was like 10 Elders there and we were just going crazy. The amount of “FELIZ NAVIDAD” said was an absurd number, and we were just sprinting all over the place. Voice took a hit, but it was worth it.

Fireworks - So because of Christmas, we all stayed together (Elders) in Salama on the 24th and coincidentally were up 'till 12… I was not expecting this firework performance out of the Guates, I'm gonna be honest. But wow, they went all out it was so lit. Just the entire city lighting off fireworks for 30 minutes straight.

CHRISTMAS - We started out w/ the Zone opening up our presents together. Shout out to mom and dad for blessing me up, we got lots of goods. Then we had a lunch appointment with this family and somehow ended up playing cup pong and Jenga for three hours and if you lost you got a cup of water splashed in your face from one of the cups on the table (always had the most) and the loser of Jenga had to dance for 30 seconds (Shoutout Richards). Then we had dinner and went back to the house and played more cup pong on the roof. I was trying to make things more interesting the second time, but they said we couldn't do that. Kinda lame. But Elder Smith and I were dominating. Shout out the hours I spent playing ping pong with the boys. The practice of seeing who starts paid off. Weird feeling being away on Christmas, but it was so fun and was a great day.

Week insights 

🚪- I was only in my area for two days and I think I knocked about 200 houses and had so many people see us and go silent. Never said two more houses more in my life. It was a GRIND. We found some cool people though, so it was worth it.

Transfers - So I knew I was going to be training this transfer, but if I'm being honest, I was not sure if I wanted to stay. The new energy is going to be a game changer, I'm hoping.

Multi-Zona - We had our Multi-zona on Tuesday, and it was super good. It always leaves everyone with a lot of motivation to go and be a little better every day. I love going to them.

Spiritual Thought - it was good 

I was really trying to find this conference talk about this but literally could not find it anywhere or remember who it was by. Part of the talk goes over the creation of the world and made me realize something I hadn't thought of before. After returning each day, the progress was claimed as good. He said it was good. He didn't say it was perfect. He didn't say it was flawless, but he said it was good. I think that maybe this was meant to signify a little bit more.

We aren't perfect. God knows we aren't perfect. That is why he sent his son so that we could continue to improve ourselves and obtain the eternal life. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we don't need to perfect. We don't come back each day after our trials and our tests and our good and our bad and need to be upset it wasn't perfect. Saying it was good signified progress had been made. A progress in the right direction to the right purpose. If we were perfect, why would we be here.

Life is like a test more or less. A test never has only one answer choice. That wouldn't be much of a test. Each question has different selections that are possible. And you are never always going to get them all right every single time. But when you make the error is when you learn. You go back, think it through, and become better. You weren't perfect but there was progress. Progress to become better and to learn. Christ gives us the ability to do, “Test corrections” go back look at our mistakes and learn and become better so that we may be able to avoid the mistake going forward. In this case, the test more or less is ongoing. But not only this. Like the times the teacher would look at your paper then make a clarification to the class about a question. The ultimate teacher is always there to help. We just need to raise our hand and look to him.

It was never perfect. It will never be perfect. He only wants that we try out best and get a little better each and every day. What a gift.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

I love you all so much, have amazing weeks.

Elder Wilde