Pablo’s Practice

By Adam C. Olson

Church Magazines

Children all over the world pray, sing Primary songs, and learn about the gospel—just like you! This month let’s meet Pablo Chiroy of Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala.

Pablo Chiroy can’t wait to be a missionary, so he’s practicing now. He loves going to church and learning about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ; he rides his bike every chance he gets; and he’s already sharing the gospel with his friends and neighbors in Ciudad Vieja.

Pablo’s Baptism

When Pablo turned eight, he was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church. He was grateful his father was there because Pablo was not only excited, but he was a little nervous too.

“I was a little afraid I would drown,” he says. But of course he didn’t. And afterward he felt something new. “I felt good—different.”

It was such a good feeling that he wanted to share it with others.

Pablo’s Missionary Work

When the missionaries asked Pablo’s family to help them find people to teach, Pablo took one of their pamphlets. The next morning on the way to school he gave it to his friend’s mother at the bus stop.

“He asks her every morning if she has read it,” says his father. “I’m sure he won’t give up until she has.”

Pablo’s Guatemala

Pablo loves to visit new places and see interesting things. Lucky for him he lives in a very interesting place.

Pablo lives just outside Antigua Guatemala, a city whose name means “Old Guatemala.” The city is almost 500 years old. Because the people have preserved the beautiful old Spanish colonial-style buildings, tourists from all over the world now visit Antigua.

Pablo gets to see all of the interesting things where he lives, and his parents work as tour organizers, taking people to interesting places in Guatemala. Pablo loves it when his parents let him go with them. “I like to travel with my family,” he says.

Pablo’s Family

Pablo’s family loves being together. They especially enjoy singing together for family home evening.

Pablo has two younger sisters: six-year-old Andrea and two-year-old Sofia. He says, “We get along, sometimes good and sometimes bad.”

But he tries to be a good big brother and plays with them. Andrea likes that. They look up to him just as he looks up to his father.

Pablo’s dad serves as a volunteer firefighter, and Pablo hopes that after he has helped people as a missionary, he’ll get to help people as a firefighter someday too.

Where in the World Is Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala?

Guatemala is a country in Central America. Spanish is the official language, but there are more than 50 different languages spoken by the native people. More than 200,000 Latter-day Saints live in Guatemala.

Ciudad Vieja was one of the early capitals of Guatemala before the government moved just three miles (5 km) away to Antigua (shown above and below).

Pablo’s Favorites

Playing with his tops
Singing “Called to Serve”
Riding his bike
Traveling with his family
Playing fútbol (soccer)
Reading (especially the scriptures and the Liahona)
Eating chocolate ice cream

Photographs by Adam C. Olson

Pablo Chiroy and his family live near Antigua Guatemala, a city with many old buildings. Pablo loves to sing hymns and hopes to become a volunteer firefighter like his father (above).

Above: Pablo likes to play with his tops. Right: He and his parents, Jorge and Claudia, and his younger sisters, Andrea and Sofia, live in a valley surrounded by volcanoes (below).