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!