June 8, 2015 - Guess who's getting a greenie?

I'm pretty excited, I'm gonna have a son! It's gonna get real interesting around here, blind leading the blind. And if I get a gringo we're gonna be two white boys wandering around honduras, one who doesn't speak spanish and one who speaks goober spanish. It's gonna be a party. Any advice? I'm all ears. Also, the rumor is that I'm gonna be the district leader too, but that one's just a rumor. Also real open to advice  for that as well. We'll see how it pans out. Kinda hoping that its true, kinda hoping its not. But, I'm happiest when I'm working hard and burning the midnight oil. Our zone is killing it right now though, got a solid group of gringos, inlcuding Measles and Hodson. 

 

But my biggest piece of news is our baptism this week-Luis Ortiz, the one I baptized under the waterfall, baptized his little sister this saturday. Our convert baptized our other convert, and his little sister no less! She was radiant.

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left to right, my comp, Rosibel, Luis, Karen, Rigoberto, and yours truly

She's only 10 but very intelligent and her family is awesome. They are reading together, and pray together frequently, are preparing names to bring to the temple, and Luis is going to do baptisms for the dead (and his Mom is still going to the temple even though she can't go inside). The service was held in the rain, with the clouds hanging low over us in the valley but they couldn't be happier. Her Dad cried in the ordinance, and we're hoping this softens him up a little more. Even he's reading the book of mormon every now and then, and we've got a solid marriage goal for august. My two favorite families here are definitely them and the Ramos family. Javier's the funniest dude I've met here. Cracks me up. We were talking the other night about how all the girls I dated are all getting married and he's just cracking up making fun of me. 

 That's the big stuff to tell ya'll. I was thinking about the food we're eating the other day though, and it's really cool how we're eating the same thing they've been eating here for thousands of years. Corn tortillas, beans, eggs, bananas, and chicken. Hasn't changed a bit. And they still cook the same way too. Just about everyone I know has a big clay oven outside their house with a metal plate on top to cook the tortillas, and most people grow and grind their own corn too. 

Funny story about eggs though-there's a sister here that was telling us the other day that she only gives her son eggs that she grows at home, because all the hormones they give the chickens are whats making us gay. "I don't want my son to grow up to be one of those faggots, you know what I mean??" (That words really common here, it's not quite as offensive as it is back home)  Honduras is choc full of old wives tales and dumb superstitions but it makes me laugh. I need to start writing them down because I hear them every day. Who knows if some of them are true though. 

Oh, and a little drama around here unfortunately. Remember that love letter I told you about? The girl, and two of her friends, up and got all offended because I didn't give her the time of day. I was still always friendly and pleasant and chatted with her but purely business, ya know? So now they hate me and my comp, and they invite the other missionaries over and not us, and other foolishness like that. Really kind of unfortunate cause she's a good missionary and would be great to go with us to appointments but she's got her panties in a wad. Just hoping she doesn't go around badmouthing here, cause I've heard a few stories like that. Wish me luck! 

Also, I want you all to study moses 7. One of my favorite chapters. Started reading the Pearl of Great Price and I'm a big fan of Moses 7, read very carefuly. 

And I heard about your little act in stake conference! Tell me more, sounds like a blast. That's funny. But yeah, I've emailed her a couple times, she's awesome. Solid. 

Good luck on the job interview sarah! Making hay while the sun shines, way to go. And those pictures...making me miss home and all that! The pool, the truck, the horse stuff, way to go. Great pictures. 

And Kate, you're a volunteer! Doesn't it feel so profesional? Hope you get to work in the maternity ward. I'm sure at one point you'll have to bring stool samples to the lab. Also, enjoy the hot chocolate machines. Where was girls camp? Looks like a blast. Way to keep it fearless, shred it brah. What are ya gonna do when the copeland girl comes? Show her Florida, don't spend all your time indoors! 

And curtis, way to be working too. What's this shotgun? what's it called? You get what you pay for. But way to work. How's the summer jobs looking? Any ideas? And a hailstorm, how cool. Haven't seen one of those for a long time. Kayaking in the ditch, sweet. I used to do the same thing with a skimboard-we'd go down with Hyrum and Jesse and some of the other neighborhood kids down on Ibis road after thunderstorms and skimboard in puddles on the side of the road. Hardly ever get storms like that here. We get rain here, every day now, but no wind and hardly any thunder. Keep on working my man, way to go. 

What's sterling got planned for the summer? He's looking older and older every email, everybody is. Sterling pretty good buddies with Wyatt still? 

No worries on the short letter. Get my package off?? And big news on the new calling, what does everybody think? And no other suggestions on the backpack, just look for something quality and cammo if ya can! Bass pro always had decent backpacks. Something small and sturdy. 

When do you all leave for the summer trip? I want you all to go out to the wekiva and swim in the spring and then take the canoes to the rope swing on shell island for me sometime in the near future, and take lots of pictures. 

Anyway. I'm still waiting on pictures from my comp from the baptism but they're sweet and I'll float them to ya when I get them. 

Bye now! Love you all!