Week 44: Hechando Fuego

The work here in Juticalpa has been great! Elder Banda and I are--as all the missionaries tell us,-- “Hechando Fuego” here. Our area through some diligent service is going good. The other areas of our zone worry us. I guess I would say that a lot of the elders, 1) are not working or 2) are not working in a efficient way. They are focusing too much on people who just aren’t progressing. It’s frustrating because I feel like my hands are tied. 

Elder Banda and I had a meeting with all the missionaries in our zone and we told them what was up. In just the two weeks that we have been here, in interchanges we have seen that things aren’t progressing. I’m super worried and focused on motivating them. Elder Banda and I had a very pointed and emphatic conversation with them.  Most of the Elder’s didn’t seem affected but the Hermana’s have honestly picked it up a notch and their areas give me hope. The zone will start changing again. This next week Elder Banda and I plan to do some more interchanges so we can help the other areas get back on track. We called president yesterday, he called us back this morning and talked to us about what we can do. He advised us to basically go and check in on their obedience. He said to see if they are loyal to their calling. These areas make me super worried. I hope and pray to become a better leader. So that I can help each missionary like the Lord would have me. 

I don’t have really have too much to say. We baptized Claudia and Fransisco Mejia Lopez this week. Their mom is Florinda. She works a lot but says she is interested and likes the gospel. We are waiting for her to be able to free up some time on Sundays to go to church with us. Another cool thing is that one of the families that we taught last week are progressing. We were able to give a priesthood blessing and it is coming to pass. The grandma of the home is now overcoming a bad back and some kidney problems, so the doctors say... so now, she too wants to be baptized. It’s pretty cool!  I just can’t wait to see what happens with them.

Love you guys and keep truckin’

This is Elder Banda and I with Fransisco, Florinda, and Claudia Mejia Lopez.

The Cat of Florida, Claudia, and Fransisco. 

I am not a cat person. This picture definitely helps make it so.

This is divisions. We went out as a trio and we had a lot of fun. It was super rainy and we got pretty soaked. I took the picture after we had dried off a bit.

On Thursdays we do a thing called companionship inventory.
Every thursday is a day to basically say what has been bugging you in your companionship and how you can be better.

Elder Banda and I joke a lot with each other. He was planning to "throw down" or "burn" me basically, but we say "macheted" here. Elder Banda and I don't have any problems. Things are great.... so yeah, we had fun with Companionship Inventory. jaja 

At a multi-district meeting. 

Elder Banda and I "macheted" a little bit about the work that has been going on. We've got to motivate some of these missionaries and get them in gear.

This is Hermana Da Silva from Uruguay and Hermana Laz from Guatemala. 

Elder Bahena, and Elder Sullivan is from St. George.

This is Elder Bowen. He is from Maryland. He is in Campemento right now serving with Elder Santay.

This is Elder Valadez and Sullivan. They are serving in Guayape right now.

Its a skirt! We had to clean the chapel and I decided to do it like a maid. jaja

Me with Hermana Latimer and Gaez. Hermana Latimer is from Sandy and Hermana Gaez is from Mexico.

Like my socks eh? we are sporting them skirts! 

We baked a cake and cleaned to get ready for the baptism. He cleaned the font and I did the other room.

Elder Banda is a cleaning animal!

This is Nelsy, Claudia and Fransisco. The three were baptized. A very special day.

This dog reminds me of Yukon, my aunt and uncles dog. This dog made me laugh so hard because she is very hefty... way fatter than Yukon.

Her name is Molly. She got my shirt dirty. She is a member's dog. Chino

This is David. It was his birthday. We made him a cake too. 

He turned 7 years old. He is the brother of Claudia and Fransisco.

David LOVED our cake! I was surprised it turned out sooo good.

Week 43: Juticalpa and my old area

This week was super fun! My new companion is Elder Pavel Javier Banda Lopez (Elder Banda) and he is from the Mexico City. He’s super awesome! He is a super hard worker and we absolutely slayed Juticalpa this past week. The only problem is the heat. It is super hot here in comparison to my last areas. I mean hot! It’s humid and muggy and we just pray for it to rain.

We have had some super cool spiritual experiences already as a companionship. I have been super pumped. We were out contacting... knocking on the doors... and a lady just opened up her door and basically said that she’d had a dream that we would come and that she has been waiting for us and invited us to come on in!  This has happened before but I haven’t really been ready because in these first lessons there seems to be a question that defines if the person will be “golden” (really ready) or end up telling us that they need time, that they aren’t ready yet and that they’ll wait for some other missionaries. 

so...her name is Georgina and her son Edwin also took part in the lesson. We got through a brief explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and we got to challenging them to be baptized, then the question came, "Esta bien si yo bautizo mas de una vez?" (It’s okay if I baptize more than once?) We responded with a scripture in D&C chapter 22 that talks about being baptized in a way that isn’t of God and how we have to do it again and again until its right. We answered and testified that the way to be baptized has been shown since the time of Christ with his example, but His power and authority to act hasn’t. We testified that His church has been restored and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church on this earth with His authority. The family responded very well and obviously felt the spirit. They told us that they would have great joy being baptized on the 18th of November. They have accepted our invitation to come to church with us next Sunday and we look forward to seeing them!

Elder Banda and I did interchanges this week to verify upcoming baptism dates. We like to visit with the people. We have to see if they are serious and committed to their baptism date and ready to make a covenant with our Lord or if they need more time. In our zone we have had some problems with a lot of the dates falling through. SO Elder Banda spent all day Friday in Guaimaca, and I got to go and look in on my first area here in Honduras, Campamento! It was so much fun to see familiar faces and to see how the area has progressed. They have two baptisms this next Saturday that I believe are ready to be baptized. I also had some time to see some of the members, and old investigators there. I am so grateful for the time I had (sorry mom, that I don’t have photos with them--my camera died).

I’m glad to be a zone leader even though there is a lot of stress and there is a lot to do all the time. So far (in just a week), I have been able to see the Lords help in what we are doing. I’m glad for that. We zone leaders are here for the missionaries and investigators. We help teach them and correct things. I feel the spirit leading and guiding me. I’ve always felt it, but I feel it stronger now. I am filled with more love and I feel that the people respond better as well. I think it comes down to diligence and obedience. Elder Banda and I are a good team!

I know that we can do all that the Lord commands of us, I love you guys! 

Familia Archaga Marquez: Ruben, Cristhian, and Nora... and Joel, Julissa, Glenda, Nataliy, and Ismenia. (Ismenia is Cristhian's mom: the one in front of me in the red)

The goodbyes with Ruben and Cristhian were the hardest. I love them. It was super sad.

Glenda, Julissa, Nataliy, and Marsela. The little girls remind me of my sister's Sydnee and Sophie. They made me a card that says a lot of how thankful they are for what we did for them. Carazón=heart

Family Vallejos: They made us dinners too. I helped reactivate them. They don't like photos and told me I could take one of them when I left. So... here it is! (Benson, Eduardo, Edwin, Maria, and Ruby)

Familia Lainez. I'll miss them. They had all accepted and knew I would be leaving. Waleska took it the hardest. Remember Merssy? She never lets anyone hold her, but she let me.

Hermana Yareli and her daughter, Eva. She made us dinners. (Our eternal investigator)

My new comp on our first day together: (I must have been pretty boring.) We were on the bus to Juticalpa, he konked out hard! (made me laugh!)  I took out 1000limps ($50) to pay for food and my bags and the bus ride

The new place in JUTICALPA. We live on the second floor. The houses have all kinds of colors here

I love baleadas. --tortilla, avocado, eggs, and beans... They are sooooooo goooood! Sometimes they put chicken or chorizo inside which is also really good. The avocado is optional, but it is so much better with it! (I hated avocado and beans 1 year ago;) )

Interchanges in Campamento!

 My old house in Campamento, Elder's Bowen and Santay.

The old place is still intact.  The Elders here are still killing spiders with the flame.

Honduran Countryside 

Elder Banda: Elder Pavel Javier Banda Lopez, from the Mexico City. We get along really well. He is "dying" (leaves for home) in January.

Week 42: zone leader stuff

So, this week we have changes, and I have received a new assignment as a Zone Leader.  The good news is, I’ll be going back to Olancho!!! I am so excited to be getting back there. I have missed a lot of Olancho; the people and being able to say “oeee” without people giving me weird or questioning looks.  (“oeee”, is like saying hey) 

This last week we worked super hard. We worked with our investigators, set some baptismal dates to prepare them. It’s been great. I’ve been having a lot of fun with our recent converts. Elder Navarro and I got to go to the temple with Ruben and Cristhian. It was super cool and very memorable. I got to be a witness for their family baptisms and I got to do some confirmations for the dead, it was an experience I won’t ever forget. After that Elder Navarro and I got to go in the Celestial room and it was again a powerful experience. I was overcome with feelings that I have to work hard in preaching the gospel and also comforted about leaving the area. I ended up reading 1 Corinthians, chapter 1 and Jacob, chapter 5 and it was powerful. 

I don't have much more time to write, but my new companion will be Elder Banda. I have heard a lot from my current Zone Leader about the area, and he is super happy for me. Elder Mena will be going home the next change and he's telling me about how great the area is too, so now I'm really excited, but also humbled that the Lord is trusting me to a calling that I really feel unprepared for. I’ve just been a trainer and now I'm going to be a Zone Leader. I just hope I can be ready and have help from the Lord to do what it is I need to do as the Zone Leader of Juticalpa. This last week was one to remember and I hope I can have the chance to say goodbye to everyone I need to say goodbye to.

I’m glad the funeral of Grandma Helen went well and that the family had a good time. I hope you all got home safe and can have a calm relaxing week. I love you guys and am super excited for these changes because I will be spending Christmas in Juticalpa. I will be calling my family from the same place as our call last Mother’s Day. I’m kind of baggy, but I'm excited for a new area. I plan to work super hard, I'm going to make my next companion, who has three months left on his mission cry with all the walking we will do. jaja. I’m honestly without a lot of words, so I’ll leave with the Lord works in mysterious ways. 

Keep truckin’ I love you guys! 

Ruben and I. I ordained him to the office of a Priest this past Wednesday. He was ordained at his home, the Bishop was there and everything. After, we went to the temple. It was a good day.

Ruben and Cristhian -  Uncle and Nephew.
Ruben's mom is Nora and she has been a member for 6 years. She is very happy. They both live with her.

I trained Elder Navarro. I am his "dad" in the mission and now that he will be the "dad" - trainer of his new companion, Elder Caal, I will be Elder Caal's "grandpa".

Ruben taking pics...

Cristhian got a hold of my camera...

Last friday we had interchanges. The grandma of one of the members passed away. I was thinking a lot that day of what must be going on at home and especially missed you all.

On our Pday today we are planning to go to Tarocagua to eat lunch. Elder Navarro wants to buy some stuff as well. We are going to say some goodbye's and then pack. Tomorrow at like 11am I am going to Juticalpa with a stop in Lempira to talk about changes. Lempira is a zone in Tegucigalpa, we meet in the chapel there.

While in Olancho, Juticalpa I will get to my last area, Camapmento, but not too often. I will be going to Guimaca more than anything, and to Catacamas.
I'm going to try to go to some of the caves in Catacamas. I should have a lot of fun there.

Week 41: the work continues

This week went by super quick. I probably don’t have too much to write. It was probably my second to last week with Elder Navarro (maybe). He is taking it hard, which surprises me. I always thought being not so lovey dovey and on the impatient side would make the parting easier. 

I’m actually very happy to hear the news of Grandma Helen’s passing and a little sad at the same time. I know that she is experiencing a peaceful reunion with her beloved. I know that our Father in Heaven has a plan for each one of us and we are here on earth to be tried and tested; and my great grandmother was surely tried and tested. I know He loves us and is there with open arms to comfort us if we let him. If there are any words I can say about my Grandma Helen they are—I loved the cashews she always had in her room at Grandmas house and the way she always bore testimony of her Savior to me, just a little boy, a testimony that helped grow my desire to serve my Savior.  Sometimes the pull at grandma’s house was only being where my uncles and  cousins were… but the time that I spent with Grandma Helen in her room was bonding time, I always left happy and filled with the spirit from her testimony of His gospel. I love her and am grateful that she has completed her work here on earth and has moved on to her other work in the spirit world.  

This week we had interviews with the president and he kept it short as usual, but he told me something that has resulted in the theme of my study these last weeks. He told me, "Elder usted esta perfeccionando este segunda idioma. Pero yo siento que el Senor quiere usted a mejor el segundo que ya tenia... la idioma del espíritu." This led me to some deep thinking and discussions with my companion and other elders to what he could have meant. DO I need to have a greater knowledge, do I need to repent, if so about what? I feel that I’ve been living the commandments and repenting when I have made mistakes. Well, the words of my companion struck home, "Si quiere mejor este idioma no viene en un libro o un oración pero mediante Galatas 5: 22-23 (Galatians 5: 22-23)." I knew the scripture, I had used it many times in teaching the gospel.  I recited it quickly, and then realized what he had meant. It was that I needed to be better in the characteristics in these verses. It says, "22 Pero el frut del espiritu es amor, gozo, paz , longanimidad, benignidad, bondad, fe 23 mansedumbre, templanza contra tales cosas no hay ley." I now realize that I don’t have a lot of these mastered and that that is why I have been suffering with testifying with power of the spirit. I have felt it, but not always. And in my patriarchal blessing it says (along the same lines) “ I’m not always going to feel the spirit.” I really had thought nothing of it, but now because of the words of my mission president and because of my blessing I know I can study, learn and develop these characteristics, if I seek them with righteous desires. It is my hope that I can be better and that I can learn. I hope that this message can help some of you as well and together we can progress as children of the most high God.

I love you guys and I am praying for you and am with those of you that mourn, and will be there to comfort those that stand in need of comfort. 

KEEP TRUCKIN'  

We went up to Hermana Josefa's, the lady that lives at the top of our area. I decided to take some pictures of the lights of Tegucigalpa.

Elder Navaroo, Denilson from the ward, and the bishop, Juan Dominquez. Denilson has put in his papers and is waiting for his mission call. Denilson is eighteen and likes to go out and visit with the missionaries; he wants to know what it's going to be like on a mission.

Cristhian has been ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood. Ruben and Cristhian will be going to the temple with us this Wednesday. I am probably going to ordain Ruben this Wednesday. (He asked to wait a little so his shirt can get back from the tailor.)

Elder Navaroo took some photos and some came out like this. We don't know what's up but think it looks cool!

Rained for three days straight. We didn't see the sun all that time.

Week 40: another amazing General Conference

This weekend was amazing, I loved watching conference this past weekend. All the messaged delivered by our church leaders are inspired messages. My favorite was Russel M Nelsons about the power of the Book of Mormon. I also liked Tad R Callister’s about its divinity. 

My companion has been struggling. There are some scary problems with our group leader. So watching conference and the talks about supporting our church leaders and reading the Book of Mormon for strength were something we really needed to hear. We luckily got permission from our mission president to watch all of the conference. Normally, well last year, he gave us permission to watch the afternoon sessions and priesthood session. I felt the spirit strongly in Jeffrey R Hollands talk, when he talked of the path of discipleship and our expectations as children of God, to try with all that we have. I loved it and more as he too spoke of respecting our leaders. 

This week we got bad news and even more bad news. Two of our investigators left to go work for two months, Kevin and Melvin will be gone. Then we found out that the gangs have threatened our Nueva Capital group leader because of a problem with his neighbor. Our group leader has said they are false accusations. And now that the gangs are involved, things are uncertain and scary. We are very concerned and feel that Satan is most definitely attacking our efforts.  He is working hard on and obviously not happy about the new group that we are organizing. I hope that we can overcome these trials and we can be better after. 

Ruben and Cristhian are great! They love the gospel and Ruben is going to go about preparing to turn in his mission papers. 

I am feeling great gratitude that my family is okay and hope that all our loved ones and friends will be okay as well. Just yesterday I truly felt the loving touch of the Savior. I had a thought last night of, "peace be unto your soul". I do feel at peace at this time of tragedy and I hope that others in the Las Vegas valley can receive peace as well. I know that if we ask for it with faith we may receive. We are here in this earth "that we might have joy". These tragic events are put in our path so that we may learn and grow. My heart goes out to Mexico and Florida, and Puerto Rico as well. I urge you all to read Stanley G Ellis's talk on trial and doing the hard things. Terror and tragedy is a tactic of the adversary--to bring doubt and fear to our hearts. Don’t give in brothers and sisters, be strong, don’t let hatred and sadness harden your hearts, take the harder and correct path to forgive your fellow men. I know our Savior lives and he is there with open arms to console us. I love you and if I could I would hug every one of you because in my moments of heavy heartedness all I want is a hug. You all are in my prayers! Study the talks of this last General Conference and find peace in the voices of the Lord in these Latterdays. 

I love you all, keep truckin’

watching conference on the church computers on Saturday. Elder Navarro watched in Spanish and I watched in English.

Elder Navarro.