March 12, 2016

 

Ok, the answers! Yes, everybody was thrilled to see me.

And speaking of that-meeting the people-I´ve always said that I wouldn´t return to honduras but I´ve totally changed my mind. You all want to come here? 

 Thanks for the camera. It will be put to good use, I´m feeling the need for photography cause time is ticking!

And holy cow. So busy. But I love it. No time for getting baggy. We finally finished the multizones and we are doneeeeeee. Huge burden lifted off my back. They all turned out great though. Super spiritual, well run (there were some technology hiccups on the second multizone but the substance of the meeting still was excellent). The little workshops my comp and I had to give included a recent convert that just got endowed giving a little spiel and a question and answer session focused on the book of mormon and how to use it as a missionary tool. But I love being busy. Going to bed at 10 being dead tired and then waking up at 5:30 to get everything ready. And then, all of a sudden, everything wraps up and we´re just regular missionaries and we can enjoy living with 6 people and its a blast. We have a lot of fun. 

 

There´s always issues between 6 people but I get along with everybody. I just need to be more patient and less uptight with the secretaries. Mission secretaries always have a reputation for being incompetent and its not always far off. The one exception is the financial secretary, the vegas kid, he´s solid and works like crazy. It just stresses me though when stuff doesn´t get done-like, literally, you have ONE job and had a month to do it and put it off til the last minute and didn´t get it done. It´s a work in progress. But we have fun, lots of practical jokes and board games. Throw having a car in the mix and life gets even better. 

 

 

 

And the office boys. Our house. The AP´s (us) and the secretaries. From left to right-Ruelas (from Lake Placid, Florida, now lives in TX), Hansen, Aldrich (From Vegas), Solis, Perez (from El Salvador), and Ramirez (From Bolivia)

 

 

Solis and I.  We thought we were taking a scenic picture but nope, still got the razor wire fence around the church behind us

 

 

Solis - He´s my second comp from Costa Rica. Basically after the mission I have places to stay in a steady route from mexico to costa rica. And driving is a BLAST. first, many of the roads are dirt so drifting around corners is a plus (The mission gets a new car in july so I don´t feel too bad about it). Second, everyone drives crazy and you just have to be real aggressive. I´m cutting and weaving and cutting people off but here that´s how you avoid accidents. And there are never wrecks because everyone is on high alert while driving instead of texting and eating and reading the paper in your car like back in the states. Plus theres always like 8 people in the car so that´s fun too.)

 

I just feel good about life. I feel comfortable in my personality and how I do stuff and I like who I am, even though there´s a whole lot I need to improve. I also really need to improve my patience, I used to be so patient and tranquil but I think being AP has made me a little short. 

 

And yes, we deal with problems on the daily. Not big problems but yes, no doubt. Had to send a missionary home today, early, but it ended up being a good experience for him and he´s got hope. I was able to talk to him a little bit and share a little of my history and it was a good chat. 

 And I´m gonna take curtis down as soon as I walk in the door. Establish real quick that I´m still the alpha around here. 

 And our ward is great. Its a small but very effective ward. there´s also a big group of single adults that are older and have flexible schedules that help us out in the work alot. 

 Our investigators-my two favorites right now are still Flor and her son Brayan, and Jose Machado. Things are just clicking, they like the doctrine, see changes in their lives, do the things we ask them to do-Jose keeps on attending institute and surprised us the other day asking us to explain vicarious work and he loved the idea. I also gave a couple blessings this week, one of them to my comp-he had been really sick all of a sudden, just zika symptoms (which is actually a huge deal here) and not even 5 minutes after the blessing he was just fine. I don´t know when I´ll actually get it in my head that priesthood blessings actually work. 

 

Also, the coffee. Coffee unroasted just smells kind of sour. Not real attractive haha. Plus it always comes into the co op wet and their job is dry it and re sell it. 

 

Anyways, that was my update! I´ll be on for a little while longer if you all want to chat. I´m thrilled that everyone is doing so well though! Time is flying but its time to see the family. You and Dad are looking great too, you look younger than when I left. 

Love you all! 

 

March 7, 2016

 



love this place so much (LaCeiba)

 

and the best part was is that I went out and visited with navas as well, just a regular ol walk down memory lane. 

And heres elder hansen feeling real uncomfortable



Also, here´s another funny picture from our little roadtrip to Ceiba. I think they forgot he was back there and took off. 

March 5, 2016

 

 So, I have very little time to write, because after getting back from Ceiba last night at 10 after a multizone and visiting people and bringing fridge to missionaries houses, we woke up and decided to go to morazan. So I got to to visit some of my old people again! I loved it. Felt like home. Loved seeing the people. Here are the pictures from Morazan. Pictures from Ceiba will come on monday, Ill have time to write then.

 

 

 

 

Also, ceiba was excellent because I got to see my converts and all the people I love so much there and spend time with them, and it was great because I could see all the fruits of my labor that I couldn´t see at the moment. People that had gone back to church or that are getting sealed that I had worked so much with. Really gratifying. And people gave us so much food. And they were tickled with the visits because missionaries always say they´re going to visit and then never do. I´ll fill you in on the details on monday when I have more time.

The pictures are us sitting on a huge pile of coffee in the warehouse of the familia reyes, me with some of the reyes family, me with ¨El Sarco¨. Just wanted to send you all something!

Oh, and the multizone went flawlessly. I was so happy with the results because it was my first time and there is a ton of work that goes into it but it turned out well. two more and then I´m done til the next set rolls around!

Love you all!

February 27, 2016

And yup, you could say I am the big cheese now. AP 1, right hand man, all that good stuff. Just hoping my head doesn't get too big. I've learned that my job isn't really all that much work (except when I'm in my area like a regular missionary) but what it really is is being able to be trusted when it really matters. I may not do anything for a couple of weeks except make reports and go on divisions with zone leaders and then all of a sudden (this week, for example) we have three multizone conferences throughout the mission and I'll be training and speeching and organizing everything from catering to the handouts. And giving my real frank opinions to president Klein. I've learned so much by working closely with President Klein.

As far as our people go-we haven't been able to find Fanny! Their house is all closed up, and I'm bummed. But Flor and Brayan are progressing wonderfully and are made for the gospel. Their home has made a 180 turn and its things like that that keep me on the mission-seeing the real changes in families. Brayan told his mom (flor) that he loved her for the first time in his young adult life the other day. We havn't even taught anything about the family, but we just get them feeling the spirit and the spirit does the rest. We also found a new investigator that is excellent, his name is Jose, and we found him because he was already attending institute on his own...talk about solid. We've had 2 lessons and he went to institute again and to a movie night we threw in the chapel. He gets things and just wants to learn and learn and has accepted baptism. He's talked about how he's tried other churches and nothing else has filled him or given him answers. One of those honest truth seekers. And we had a ward movie night yesterday and watched The Other Side of Heaven and it made me baggy as heck but everybody loved it.

Also, this week Solis and I will be roadtripping! We'll be driving to ceiba for the first multi zone and we'll get to visit converts. He served in the area pegged up to las colinas so we'll drive around visiting everybody and I'm pumped!

 

And about Curtis. Partly its the age, I pretty much quit reading the scriptures from 16-18 apart from seminary and I'm turning out alright. He'll be just fine. Just look at all the kids in our ward that didn't do jack squat when they were young and now they're great missionaries. And In the mission I've known so many missionaries that couldn't tell matthew from malachai and they turn out being super solid. And its the kids that start out super strong that fizzle out later on, thats another thing I've seen on the mission. I think the important thing is that you don't push him too much. He'll grow to resent it and associate spiritual things with force and obligation and nobody wants that. Plus you all are just good solid parents and teach by example and have fun while doing it so I wouldn't worry about a thing.

Hi Kate! How's Aaron? You still haven't told me where you went camping! How fluent are you in spanish? We'll have to have a good chat with srta ohl. Howd you end up making friends in waterford lakes?

And tell sterling that I'm a big fan of his .22! Where are you going shooting?

And I'm glad sunburst is going well, at least in Orlando! Where are the sales coming from lately? Do we get the villages or is that Tampa?

Also, a little request. I no longer have a functioning camera. The cheap camera I bought in Roatan finally kicked the bucket. Think you could send me a basic point and shoot? I'd like to finish my mission with lots of pictures haha. 

And I love you all very much. Not a whole lot of time left! Also loved the pictures and everyone is looking so big and adult.

February 20, 2016

 

I do! His name is Elder Solis and he's another from Costa Rica. Great kid, we have fun. 

And Hodson, good old riley. We saw his plane go off and everything, the airport is right next to our area. He was kind of all of the above. Pretty calm about it though. He's just gonna go bum around for a few months, and then move to idaho for the summer to date his girlfriend, and then start school in a community college in Vegas. 

Elder Hodson (Scott's AP companion) just coming home -  Dix released him at the airport (small world!)

 

On housing, I don't know. Just find me an apartment, I don't wanna miss out on housing waiting around on Tobler. Let me know when you have some good options and I'll look them up. 

And Sarah, ya gotta tell us how the church ranch kid turned out. My buddy Gillens has family that work on the ranch, maybe they know eachother. Also, tell Irish hi for me, Irish she was my girlfriend. But gosh dang it dark haired girls are looking attractive. Really at this point any girl is looking attractive. 

 And yes! Get that garden growing! We gotta make good use of our land and follow  the prophet and all that, I say you just keep on planting. Also, I don't know what we're doing wrong, because Honduras oranges are way better than florida oranges. I'm gonna bring back seeds with me. How are the chickens? As soon as I get my own house I'm getting chickens and a garden and running a cow if there's room. 

Sterlings getting the ruger? I still reccomend the wood, its just classier. They're pricey though arent they? Its a great gun. Have you found a place to shoot?

And Dad, you better believe I'm planning on the roadtrip! Nice and slow. Take our time. Visit Rhys. How cheap is gas? That sounds like a dream come true and I just hope gas prices are slightly highter in a couple years for my future oil and gas career! I do definitely plan on taking the truck out but if I happen to come across a good deal on an older toyota or an early 2000's silverado I'd probably take it. And if gas prices stay low I can buy whatever the heck I want, Ill go buy my dodge back! I think I'm pretty sold on the fords though, my little truck has been real good to me. 

Provo job-no idea. Any ideas? I'd plan to work the first year but I also plan to make a killing on the summer job and not have to work during the school year. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. 

 How's seminary going? I did like the story  from 2 kings last week. 

Anyway, here's a little update. Had a really good week in spite of Hodson leaving and all that. Now that Hodson is gone and I'm AP 1 and training Solis I'm forced to do everything for myself. I've always been that way, I can't learn until I have to figure it out for myself. But I've got it now. I'm just being a good AP and it feels good. I'm on top of things (who ever would have thought that organizational skills would have been one of my strongpoints) , good ideas, and things are just going well for me. I have definitely had some divine help though, the whole "weaknesses becoming strengths" thing from Ether 12 is so true. I love being AP though because it keeps life interesting. Still get to do lots of missionary/proselyting work but I get to break it up with lots of office/administrative type stuff. 

And Fernando and Fanny are doing great. We had another great lesson with Fanny and she got an answer to her prayers and she said that she just felt a "knowing", just a quiet sense of peace and comfort and she took it as her answer. She's great and just radiates light and just looks like a Mormon. 

Also, another one of our investigators named Magnor, big guy that's like the spanish version of Kent, was at his job guarding bananas (seriously, he's a security gaurd guarding banana fields and I really don't understand the theft risk) and one of his co-workers had a book of Mormon so they started talking about it and then another co-worker came over and started critizing the mormons so old Magnor just opens up to a chapter we had read with him and his family the other day and shares the story of captain Moroni just macheting the heck out of this guy telling him that we teach good things and that we teach of God and of families and how Captain Moroni is a good example of the kind of men we should be. I have no idea how he found the chapter and he was like "I didn't even know what I was looking for I just opened the book and the words came out of my mouth!" Just a little funny story but I hope it strengthened his faith a little bit. 

But yeah, life is good here. We have a fun house and you can not imagine the tomfoolery that goes around in that house with a bunch of mormon boys and no alcohol. We've got kids from Las Vegas, Bolivia, Florida, Florida (Thats right, another kid from Florida!!!), Costa Rica, and El Salvador. 

Anyways. We're gonna go play pingpong with our EQ's president and then go off to work. 

 How's sunburst doing? and North Carolina branch? 

Anyways, love you all! 

February 13, 2016

 

First, answering the questions! Tobler´s name is Christian, we haven´t been together in the misison since the CCM but he´s cool and we get along. We would be good roommates. I just know its on the north side near the stadium. Kinda far but I would be driving.

Second, it has been cold!! I have been in hog heaven. Loving it!. It dipped down to 60 degrees one night and there were a few moments when it started to sprinkle and it was windy and I actually was cold.

Where did Kate go camping? I´m impressed. And yes, Sarah´s friend isn´t too bad! But who´s the spanish one on the right? And that´s the great thing about the west-limitless public land, just go! Although I´ve heard that some fools in Utah and other western states want to sell public land, and that would be the end of everything good about the west. Then everything gets put under lock and key and say goodbye to cheap grazing and open hunting and fishing and camping and hiking. As for shooting places that aren´t ranges...no idea except ocala. Ask Jason. You just gotta know somebody.

Send me strawberry pictures, that´s always fun!

And I don´t have a new companion yet but I don know who he is-he´s another from Costa Rica and I´m pumped.

And yes, I remember well Lorna Strang! And I feel bad for not visiting her more often, good for you all! Do it more often, and tell her I said hi.

And yeah, I talk to Orrin every week. He´s got a broken foot right now.

How are politics looking?

And that garage entrance looks good, holy cow! Profesional level. That might not be too bad of a business, stuff like that is just starting to catch on in the east and I imagine lots of people would want it?

And you guys bought her the car right? Good for you all. Also really glad to hear how well seminary is going. That´s actually one of the really strong things here in honduras and it makes such a big difference. I´m gonna look for those scriptures, I´ve never heard of that story.

Why don´t you have any wood?? Nor a garden??

And sterling! Gun questions-I would reccomend the wood stock just because it looks way better. And it will weigh a little more and the gun will be more accurate. If you can afford it the ruger 10/22 is an excellent gun and is a classic and one of the best 22´s that they make. Noah has or had one, you should ask him how he likes it.

Here´s my week. I had a really good week actually. I´d been kind of in a spiritual rut. You all know me, I´ve always struggled to be spiritual and to feel stuff so this week I had been fasting for an investigator and to get myself out of the rut and it worked-we had an excellent week. We did divisions a few times, inviting zone leaders to our area, and the week was full of just small, little miracles. This week I talked less, let the spirit talk more, and just testified more than anything and let the people pay attention to how they feel and then they naturally follow their feelings. Keep it simple, keep it loving, and get members involved and everything goes well. There´s just so much energy in the mission right now-everything is picking up and the work is spreading and all of the missionaries are having miracles in the people they teach and it´s exciting. Our new focus of the mission is working-focusing on personal revelation and going to the temple. The highlight of this week was finding Fernando and Fanny (its actually a really common name here, don´t laugh). We´d talked with Fanny when we were teaching her brother and long story short we got an appointment and I show up with my buddy Elder Solano from California. We had an excellent lesson, and we talked about things like God´s plan, the eternal nature of the family, how to recieve revelation, how to change our lives, things like that-all very relaxed, not rushed, with lots of testifying-and at the end we kneeled with the family and listen to the father, Fernando, pray. And we visited them yesterday with a couple friends that they have that are super active members and it´s just going along wonderfully. And then on thursday I was on divisions in Progreso with Elder Patterson (he´s the one who´s the son of the TCU coach) and in our last appointment we taught a guy named Carlos. We had to walk through the nastiest hood I´ve seen in Honduras (I hate progreso, so glad I´ll never have to serve there) passing by gangsters on every corner, but we made it to his house without getting robbed so no worries. We had a great lesson with Carlos, full of the spirit, about the law of chastity. He lives with his ¨house companion¨ who´s an older woman who gets drunk every day and just criticizes him all day long for having a drug problem. We taught about baptism and we were like ¨look, you guys have to get married or seperate if you want to get baptized¨ And Carlos just looked at us, though, and then just testified about the gospel and how he is going to make changes in his life and said, in short, ¨I need to follow Christ. What we are doing here isn´t correct. I want to do the right thing and be baptized, so, we will be splitting up¨. It was great and the spirit was felt by all. This stuff happens every week, just the difference is that this week, with a little divine help, I´ve been able to feel more and appreciate more the things that happen.

Also, the other day I was studying about Adam Ondi Ahman and the new jerusalem and all, and I was thinking-¨what would happen if I married a woman and then the prophet calls us to zion and she doesn´t want to go?¨ I need to look for a wife that´s gonna follow the prophet. I sure have my share of sins and imperfections but when the prophet or the Lord speaks, I go.

Anyway, times a tickin. Love you all! And I´ll be able to talk apartments on monday when Tobler gets me the hookup.

Love you all!

February 6, 2016

It did get here fast! Now that I've spent a little time in the office I've come to realize that the slowness isn't the governments fault for once haha. 

BYU housing-no idea. All my friends in the mission are going to USU or the U or other colleges in Utah. I don't have a clue who I'd room with! And I'm not opposed to an apartment. Save money. As long as its not a total dump. And being with sophomores is just fine. The kids my age are married haha.  

I'm excited to see pictures of this stoneworking thing! sounds pretty cool. 

And no, Hodson still has a week left. We are super busy but I was still more stressed as a zone leader. Maybe I'm just in my rythm. The secretaries have a car and we drive it a couple times a week. They made a policy change on a worldwide level and now the APs don't travel as much, they just bring zone leaders to them so the zone leaders learn from the example of the area of the APs. And It sucks! I was so excited to go visit all of my old areas. I'll still have the chance but not as much as I was hoping for. So yeah, we definitely have an area and our job is to have the best area in the mission and be able to use it as a training ground for zone leaders. I like what I do though. I'm doing my best to break the whole stuck up pharasaiacal reputation of APs. Last night we had Navas and his new companion come down and we did divisions in our area and had a blast. Focus of the mission is on preaching repentence and getting people to the temple. We're kind of on a back-to-basics kick and I'm a big pusher of it. Keep it simple. Book of Mormon and revelation. We're having all the missionaries re-visit the training courses we do in the first 12 weeks on the mission. Not trying to reinvent the wheel. 

These past couple of weeks have been a blur. I really can't recall much-old Vidal is doing great and loving his calling and he got the priesthood the other day, and we have a baptism for next saturday. The members are great and they work. We have a very effective ward. And yes, I'm always focused. Always baggy but it doesn't hold me back! I'm gonna buy a journal so I can start journaling again. Nothing crazy happened this week. We had a zone leader meeting in pico bonito back in la ceiba and I directed the meeting in jeans and a tshirt out in the jungle and it was the best meeting we've ever had. We are always still in the same-invite people to change, get them to read the book of mormon and feel it's power, get them to pray and feel something from above, and get them to open their minds and their hearts a little bit. We also have had a couple funerals this week. And gosh dang it I almost cried in one of them. Young mother in the ward passed away and I watched her husband explain to their six year old son over the casket what had happened. Really makes you appreciate the gospel and the security it brings us. We get content and casual until something shakes us up and makes us see the eternal picture.  And then the other one wasn't quite as sad because it was an older lady that had been sick for a long time but her granddaughter was all alone when she died and didn't have any other number to call but ours so we went to her house and helped arrange the body and funeral operations and called up the members to help and pay for a funeral. The church really mobilizes here, it's nice. Some units here get really stingy and forget the reason that we pay fast offerings and the reasons the wards recieve a budget. so, it was a first time experience for me dealing with a body and finding a coffin with a family that has no money. And then we spent a couple hours just talking with the granddaughter giving her a little love and support out on lawn chairs in the lawn. This life isn't the end! 

I think that's all I got for you all. Love you all!

January 30, 2016

 

Nothing too exciting this week actually! Did divisions twice, just lots of traveling and being out of the house. Here´s some answers to the questions. 

Yes, packages go to the mission office and then get distributed. We live in the house with 6 elders, from Florida, Vegas, Vegas, Colorado, Bolivia, and El Salvador. Hodson goes home the 16th or 17th of february, something like that-he´s done basically. It´ll be fun because I´ll basically get to choose my next comp and I´ve narrowed it down to two! 

 and I sure hope Sarah gets that job! i think that would be a blast. Right up her alley too. 

 As for your talk...just for some scattered thoughts...I´m really pulling up blanks here. It´s just that everybody has to follow those steps! I can´t think of anything in specific. As far as us taking the step towards God-Heavenly Father is accesible only through his son-and every time that Christ preached in the new testament his was always an invitation to come unto him-we have to take that first step. So many people here are just waiting to ¨be touched¨ or waiting ¨to be called by God¨ and they end up waiting a long time because that´s not how it works. In a way though, he does touch people-He prepares people without taking away their agency. He sends missionaries, gives people trials, and lets them feel the light of christ when they see something religious. Becoming as a child. Obviously not childish, but childlike. Just like the scripture says, as a child submits to his father-not that we are childish but rather that we are willing to put God´s will in front of our own will. A boy does what a boy wants to do, and a man does what God wants him to do. Overcoming the natural man. We have a new investigator this week named carlos that´s pretty heavy into drugs but wants to change. We talked alot about the natural man and how to beat it. We told him it would be a long process and that he would have to win gradually, step by step. We explained that inside of him are two men-the spiritual man and the natural man, and they are in a constant fight and will be until the resurrection. And we told him that the man that wins is the man that gets fed more. Meaning, if we feed the natural man more than the spiritual man, he wins. The spiritual man is fed by scripture study, prayer, temple, service, family, etc. Hope you can find something good in my other baptism experiences, can´t really think of anything more specific! 

That´ll be fun having grandma and grandpa there. You all have to go and do something fun! What´s sterling gonna get for his birthday? Also glad that Kendall and Dottie and doing well. I saw some news the other day that AZ was getting pounded with snow again, was that true? 

Who do you like in the primaries? Do you like Ben Carson? 

And yeah, I´m pretty caught up on all the other gossip...slow news week! 

I´m trying to think of what else I can tell you...but I got nothing! I´ll be here for a while though, I´m just now sitting down to write. 

January 25, 2016

 

 

I 'm excited as heck for Jason's wedding and I'll be sure to make it back home! Even if I have to fly in and fly out. 

I'm real glad the boys are on the river. Technically they could get in trouble but it's extremely unlikely that they will have any problems.What they could get in toruble for is not having a license! You need to get them to take that hunters safety course ASAP! And as for the river It's just St. Johns River Water Management district land and its a conservation buffer. It's not like they're hunting in a state park. I wouldn't have any problem with it. But boys, first of all, what are you hunting for? If you're hunting deer you better not be doing it with a .22. Just don't shoot any bears or bobcats or otters, stick to squirrels and deer and turkeys. But you gotta eat it! One of the funnest times I had out there back when I was real young with Jesse and Hyrum and I think Jason is when we went out on a winter morning and caught some bass and shot some squirrels and ate them back at Julies. And as to the moral side...I did it when I was their age. Now, I wouldn't. But boys will be boys, just make sure they're not gonna do anything sick and they're not just blasting stuff. If they're actually hunting and not just killing i'd be fine with it. But when I get back from the mission I'm just gonna hunt deer and let the small stuff alone. 

And yes! Lots of oranges here and they cost 2 lempiras which is like a nickel. But enjoy the arizona oranges! 

How's the new installer? And I'll get you some house pictures one of these days,I forgot haha. 

And I played the mission perfectly. Started out really hard and its getting better and I'm peaking now and then my last change I'll be able to pick my area and I'll choose to train in some far out branch in the sticks to finish up. 

 What is Kate gonna do? I think Curtis needs to get a job too! I'm telling you, the lawn business is lucrative! But no vacation huh? We'll make up for it when I get back in August. And thats too bad about Sarah's job haha BYU does NOT pay well. But, its a campus job so I guess that's part of the deal. I'm still voting that she doesn't go on the mission but will obviously support her. What kind of car would you buy? Anyway, I have a ton of pictures to send. 

This week was great. The baptism pic you're gonna see is a man named Vidal. Awesome convert. Love him to death. We did everything right. We had one of his really good member friends baptize him. In our ward there are like 5 older, active men that fellowshipped him. He felt so loved and the ward loves him and he just wants to serve. He tried to get a calling in his other church cleaning the church or whatever and they turned him away because he is nearly blind. So we baptized him and he's already set up with a calling and he'll get the priesthood next week. He bore his testimony in his baptism service (which is extremely rare for hondurans, they're actually really shy people) and he even cried.

 And, we sent two recent converts to the temple this week and they loved it, and two more recent converts just hit their year mark and got endowed-two older, single men that just crack me up. We spend alot of time with them. They're retired and they work alot in the ward. 

 

 

Then, on our pday, we had en elders quorom activity and went to Miami Beach, which is a super isolated village on a tiny strip of land between a big lagoon and the carribean-And it was cold! It got down into the 60's so I imagine you all are freezing up there. All the Honduans were dying and wrapping themselves up in every stitch of clothing possible and Hodson and I are over here in Tshirts and shorts in the hammock just loving it. The ward payed for everything and we ate a nice big fried snapper a piece on the beach, drank coconuts in the hammocks, shot pellet guns, and then taught the latinos how to play ultimate frisbee and american football out on the beach and they loved it. Obviously hodson and I dominated but it was still a blast. One of the future elders we brought along was also a recent convert and this kid caught whatever I threw at him-made me look real good as a quarterback. Everyone loved it and the investigators we brought were mega fellowshipped and one of them actually decided to get baptized after seeing how the leaders of the church act even when they're out having fun. Excellent trip. Felt like I was in Florida. You have a ton of pictures coming!

the little one in the middle is our EQ president and by hodson is our best investigator Eric. 

 

 

 

 

Hodson and I by the where the lagoon flows into the ocean

 

 

 

Then there's me walking with Carlos Gutierrez. Funniest man ever. Mechanic and landlord. He messes with people to no end but he's actually really loving, he's probably one of my favorite people here. He's got a bunch of guns and his dream is to go ice fishing in alaska. 

 

 

On the dock. The short guy is named Orlin and he's a good example of them putting on every stitch of clothing they have. excuse my hat. 

 

 

January 9, 2016

 

 

This picture is the Puerto Merlo family. On the left is Andrea, then Mitcheli, then Irene. Irene we helped alot, she's going through a divorce and she absolutey adores us. You've already seen these people when we were skyping. 

 

 

This is the Aguero family. We activated them and at first they didn't want anything to do with the church. We just spent time with them and laughed and joked and loved them and they came back on their own. 

 

More with my favorite family here. Familia Miraz. Half of them aren't even related but they all live there. Anne is on the right. 

January 9, 2016

 

Working with Hodson. Having a gringo comp is sweet. We live in a house with 6 missionaries and its so cushy. Hot showers, a car...It's like a stateside mission except there are armed guards outside the house 24/7. It's really gonna be a different side of the mission. I'm not out in the jungle anymore, now I spend three days out of the week in the office and doing trainings and working the rest of the time. As cushy as it is though, I still prefer the field I think. Bucket showers and mosquitos and pure lamanites and all...feels more like the mission. It's cool though-now I'm gonna live more comfortably and be more healthy and be able to be more obedient, so it will be a new experience. 

 

Hated to leave my old area though. I love Las Colinas. I have a ton of pictures to send you. Lots of rough goodbyes, love those people so much. I didn't baptize a ton there but I sure made a difference and changed quite a few people's lives. I miss Navas too haha he may not be the best missionary I know but he's one of the best people I know. 

Our area is cool though. I never wanted to come to san pedro or the surrounding areas but its actually a great city. The wards and stakes are strong, everyone lives close together and missionary work is easy, and its safe...i always thought it was dangerous because of all the cartels here but they keep the peace. People are out on the streets with children and walking babies in strollers, little cobblestone streets, palm trees, old cathedrals, fruit stands...It's like I imagine honduras was 20 years ago. the cartels and organized gangs keep the peace and as long as you don't cross them life is good. Every now and then they'll be a pile of bodies without heads dumped in the middle of the street but its pretty much always because they deserved it. 

But putting two gringos together with a car is asking for trouble! I've never recieved such attention from girls in my life. It's disgusting. Just cause we have a car and they think we have money. And their parents encourage it too. Honduras.

And as far as AP goes...it's really not that prestigious. We just go to meetings more than anything. When president cant go to area meetings, or when we have trainings with zone leaders and district leaders or trainers...not all that glorious. 
 

But yeah, that's where I'm at. Hope I get to hear from you all! 

January 4, 2016

 

alrighty, explanation. First off, Anne did get baptized! Honestly it was one of the best baptisms of my mission-one of the most meaningful. She's come such a long way and she gets it. The other night we assigned her a little reading just to review the restauration before baptism and then she read it and was just like "I already know this is all true, I already know Joseph Smith was a prophet and that through him God restored his true church, when are you gonna teach me deeper things?" alrighty Anne, as you wish. Super solid. But yeah. Single mother. Typical honduras. She lives with my favorite family here. Her situation is this-the older woman in the picture is her "mother in law". She lives with her. The womans son was the ex boyfriend, and they were shacking up in the woman's home. She was inactive and her children weren't members. Step by step, she's been getting active and is now ready for a calling (she's the one that is wanting to get endowed) and her children have got baptized and have been excellent converts. After a while, she and the boyfirend (the son) split up, and the family decides that they like her alot better than their son and they have her stay with them while her son gets the boot. So she's there, with the baby's grandmother and other recent converts. 

 

 

Aside from that, I have transfers...I'm bummed. I've always been ready to leave my areas and now that I want to stay I'm getting sucked away. I love this area and the people way more than any other area. It's hard actually, I honestly got really depressed and just wanted to quit and hang out with members but I muscled up and we kept on working but today and tomorrow is gonna be just pure party mode saying goodbye to everybody.  I've always said I wouldn't visit honduras but I'd come back here. The interesting part is that they're transfering me to the heart of san pedro sula. The big deal. President called me last night and told me I was going to be the new asistant, together with Riley Hodson. Being AP is cool and all but holy cow...now's really gonna be the time to man up and go hard. I feel so inadequate haha I was talking with President and I gave him my humble opionion that there are a heck of alot of other missionaries better suited for this and I could give him a list if he wanted but he just laughed it off and said too bad. It'll be cool though but definitely new responsibilities, new stress, and new things to learn. I'm excited to be with Hodson though, first time having a gringo comp. And I love giving trainings which is basically what the AP's do aside from working normally and doing divisions and managing the material aspects of the mission. But, I'm gonna have hot showers!  

Other pictures-went to pico bonito with missionaries from two zones. It's a little national park with waterfalls and all that. I bought an american flag up there with me to take pictures with the nortes so that was kind of fun. 

 

 

 

 

 

Other picture-new year's eve. Looking back it was definitely against the rules but we went out and bought a bunch of fireworks (dirt cheap here) and set them off (another reason I feel inadequate for being AP!) We just did it in the street in front of the house, a few members stopped by, and we're throwing firecrackers and shooting roman candles. Fun stuff, todo tranquilo. It was kinda funny because around 11/30 at night President Reyes from the stake drove by and was just like "happy new year elders!"and kept on driving. I feel like we would have got the machete for that if we were in the states. Just different here, and I love it! 

 

 

December 28, 2015

Well, not a whole lot to tell this week

Just kidding, actually had a great week after we talked. I didn't get that homesick, we had stuff to do so we just geared up and left and everything went well.  I got recharged without getting too baggy. I probably would have gotten homesick as all get out if it werent for having such a great couple of days afterwards. 

Great videos too! skimboarding and boxing. You'll have to send me a surf video too. And as always I love seeing the truck get used out at Julies. 

And for Sarah's classes-looks pretty good to me. Is there anyway she can get Shane Reese for stats? 

And with the DNA, do you have specific information yet? I wanna know exactly which Eurpean countries and all. 

That's cool about gary Apfel. I know who he is but have never met him. I've always kind of wanted to go into the military but I don't know if I can make the sacrifice-like, I could give up my life for the country, but I couldn't give up my salvation, ya know? Not like its mutually exlcusive, there's lots of perfectly active and faithful servicemen, but it would sure be hard. Good for the boys to see though! 

And this week! Birthdays are actually a huge deal here and I have no idea how everybody knows but holy cow they treated me well. I had two families call me over for cake (one of them is in the picture, thats the hna Norey) and I got about 4 eggs broken over my head. Absolute blast. Its a tradition here, throwing eggs at the birthday boys and its so fun because you know its gonna happen in every house but you're just waiting. One of them was really funny because it was two kids, with their hands behind their backs, standing there, and they're like "hansen, come here! We have a secret to tell you!" ok. And then its a big party and everyone is running around throwing eggs and I'm chasing people getting egg on them too. Its a mess and normally I'd be a little bothered with people filling up my only clean shirt with egg yolks but its out of love. Fun day, american birthdays suck. Just wish everyone knew how much I hate cake so I'd be able to quit eating it. 

And I don't know if you remember the girl I told you about that's going to get baptized? Her name is Anne and she's the white looking girl in the family picture I sent you all a while back. We'd just been struggling with her for a while-she didn't want to accept a date-she always read, usually went to church, and wanted to get baptized but was afraid of the committment. So we backed off a little and focused more on her salvation than on her baptism-focused more on preparing her for eternal life rather than for her baptism, didn't talk about baptism for a week-and then on friday night she sat us down and just said "I want to prepare myself to be baptized this saturday". Right out of preach my gospel. And then we're just like "yeah, I think we can arrange that". We focused on her needs instead of just getting her baptized and then the spirit got to her and told her what she needed to do. It was just a cool moment, one of those moments that keeps me on the mission. The spirit is the real teacher. She will easily be one of my favorite baptisms. And then, another sister in that same house that we had been activating, out of the blue, just tells us "I want to prepare myself to go through the temple". We hadn't even talked about the temple with her. The spirit tells us what we need to do in spite of what we do as missionaries. 

Good week. Good lessons, found some new people, didn't get robbed, christmas, birthday-all in all pretty good. 

And Dad-what did the manager tell you about the sale of the ranch? How do his job prosepcts look once they cut the ranch in half? I want his job one day, run a business and still get to play cowboy. That would be fun though, I think you should do it. And I think I've been to the Ocala range, it's good. Wait for a good cold front and go! 

I think that's all I have for you all, Love you all and It was sure great to talk with everybody!

December 21, 2015

(I asked if Scott received his package)

I did! And I already opened it too...I waited about an hour and all that willpower I´ve been practicing on the mission went out the window. Navas freaking loved his package. He was like a litle kid on christmas morning (oh wait, he was!) but really, he was incredibly grateful. I was too, thanks so much for sending that. Made his christmas. We opened them one by one just having a good old time, after setting up our tree and everything. I was giving him a hard time for the stuff you sent him, I told him that you sent him so much hygene stuff because he´s latin and you all are racists and think he doesn´t bathe, we had a great time. And Lemus...he was grateful too. Really surprised. It was actually a pretty tender little moment haha he was so happy to have a package. Worth every penny you spent on it. 

And my package! You remembered everything I asked for haha! Perfect gifts, couldn´t ask for more. I gave the rubiks cube to Navas though, he got a kick out of it and I´d never touch it. All in all, great package and well done! Even got the christmas smelling tree, lots of candy to share with people, all kinds of good stuff. And Saunders loves his shirt. You all are making lots of people happy here in la ceiba!

Navas and I with the tree, and the zone in our multizone

Hope president klein doesn´t get too much of a surprise when he sees we ruined his zone picture. I´m holding it with saunders

my area, in the mountain part

 

I´m doing well. A little stressed because the zone is falling short a little bit, but besides that I´m great. I´ve been real happy lately, no problems, enjoying the mission, and just feeling comfortable. I know what I´m doing and its just normal life now. And our ward is something else...it was pretty chilly when I got here but now we´re part of the ward, I love it.

December 14, 2015

 

Send the email to me, I´ll tell ya if it made sense haha. And lemus....yeah, I know him, thats cool, all the missionaries are good or they wouldn´t be here. 

Was the party fun?? I´m glad everybody mingled well. Catch any kids making out? 

Curtis-why the heck did you ask for a machete?? I´m so sick of machetes...that´s cool though, good birthday? How tall is he now? 

And yes, our zone conference is wednesday. Still haven´t prepared :( Wish me luck. 

And yesterday we actually had a meeting with an area seventy and all the stake presidents and bishops and the zone leaders-it was excellent. Talking about working with members and missionaries. Same thing I´ve been preaching for a month now but now all the bishops are on the same page and some things are gonna change, and I´m excited. And on the car ride there President Klein actually asked me about some concerns (not the things I mentioned, but other concerns) and I told him and then he brought up those points in the meeting, so that was kind of cool. He´s a good leader, getting input from everybody. 

Get the surfboard! What´s everyone wanting for christmas? 

And talking about scouting-what could kids do to not be soft? Go fishing and hunting! And diving and work on cars and hiking! That´s why I´m always preaching that kind of stuff! Plus, scouts is super soft. Get them outside, find some trouble to get into, get hurt a little bit, get lost, whatever it be. Good thing our family is good though, let the world do what it may. 

Sounds like a stellar christmas break though. I talked to Julie the other day, it was nice to hear from her. 

And yeah, Jason emailed me and told me all about it. I´m excited, I´m happy for him. Good luck on the hire. And Jason told me that Connor is working a lot better now and is pulling his own weight. 

And Honduras is beautiful when you get out of the city. I´ll do better about sending pictures. 

And holy cow, snow in SJ! that´s a ton of snow. I want snow. 

And no, I´m good. I don´t really need anything except a usb port to charge my mp3 player, and as always contact solution. But nothing urgent. Also, always can use socks and shirts! 

Here´s my update-

First of all, I just love Honduras sometimes. I mean, I definitely have my days of frustration and disapointment but I just love how laid back everything is. Honduras is just like white-trash redneck in spanish. Anything goes. For example, the bus drivers. Early in the week we´re traveling on one of the buses, and all of a sudden the driver looks up at the clock, and then at his watch, and-oop, his shift is up-and he gets up and hops out the door, while still going 20 miles an hour. He hit the ground running, while in the meantime his assistant is sitting there looking at the empty seat and thinking ¨well, I guess I better drive this thing¨ so he sits down and we´re happily on our way. Navas and I are just dying of laughter. And then on saturday we get on the bus and our driver is reading the paper-like, a newspaper, as in, obstruct all of the windshield and drive with your knees, and he´s just honking hoping to avoid horses and cows and old ladies crossing the street. Anything goes. It´s sure growing on me though, really makes you redefine what are needs and what are wants. I could be perfectly happy with a cinderblock house with a tin roof with some wires pulled through holes in the wall attached to some bare light bulbs (and robbing energy from the powerpole down the block). I love unwinding in the night time washing clothes by hand and a washboard under our tin roof porch listening to some mission appropriate country music. 

Also, another thing I´m learning-I´ve really learned what it means to love the sinner and hate the sin. To love somebody and work to help them and preach repentance  and tell them what they need to do to fix it.  To be able to love them and respect them in spite of what they do. Love them to death and ask much from them-have high expectations. 

But yeah. I just feel good about everything right now. I always have struggled with feeling inadequate, like I´m not doing enough, worrying if I´m fulfilling my calling-all that kind of stuff. I remember that basically the only thing Mom ever told me about Dad´s mission is that he was ¨a good missionary¨. Never told me if he was a leader, lots of baptisms, obedient, etc-just told me that he was a good missionary and told me a few stories that showed me he made a difference in people´s lives. That has always been my goal. To be a good missionary. And I think I´ve made it. I love people, I serve them, I have fun with them, and I´m exactly who I want to be as a missionary. Plus the members love us. I´ve always said I´d never want to come back and visit but I´d come back and visit this area. 

So, Honduras. Things are getting hot. Lots more crime. We´re seeing more bodies. When I was off on divisions Navas almost got robbed again but a taxi parked between him and the robber and they were able to run away, by pure coincidence. But no worries, I´m still as calm as a summer´s morning. I still have no other logical explanation for my lack of fear-it´s gotta be the hand of God, pure and simple. The blessings of the temple, the temple garment, and the simple fact that I have the faith I´ll be protected-We go where we want to, we´ve been called to preach the gospel and that´s what we will do and the little honduran thugs that rob us can go to hell. 

On sunday, we came back from our meeting in San Pedro with President Reyes, in the stake presidency-easily one of my favorite men here. He´s got a small business and a small farm and he´s just a good guy. He reminds me of Ken Roberson and Dad. And he´s got some money, he wants to do business with me after the mission haha and I´m in. Anyways, we´re riding back in his truck and we stop to eat (on a sunday, ox was in the mire) and we walk into the restuarant and every single bishop and stake president from the norhern coast of honduras is in the same restuarant. Cracked me up. It´s like the Cirlce K in St Johns after church on sunday. And then we saw a nasty wreck coming back, bodies in the street and everything. It´s kind of sad how stuff like that doesn´t even phase me even more. There´s just so much death that it´s commonplace. 

Another insight-I´m working like never before. I´m seeing what it is to be completely dedicated-more than just leaving the house on time and doing our visits, but being completely dedicated to a cause, with no other distractions-totally focused on the work. 

I feel like I understand things a little better too now-I had always questioned how someone can start a business and sacrifice everything else to establish yourself and work around the clock and put in 80 hours a week but I get it now. Not like the mission is a business but the same principles of work and dedication apply. Waking up at 6 and going to bed at midnight, burning the midnight oil to plan, prepare, troubleshoot, whatever it be-it´s fulfilling.

But that´s all I got for you all, I´ll be on a little while to chat. 

Have a great week, love and miss you all!