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!
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| 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) |
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| The goodbyes with Ruben and Cristhian were the hardest. I love them. It was super sad. |
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| 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 |
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| 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) |
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| 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. |
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| Hermana Yareli and her daughter, Eva. She made us dinners. (Our eternal investigator) |
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| 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 |
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| The new place in JUTICALPA. We live on the second floor. The houses have all kinds of colors here |
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| 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;) ) |
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| Interchanges in Campamento! |
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| My old house in Campamento, Elder's Bowen and Santay. |
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| The old place is still intact. The Elders here are still killing spiders with the flame. |
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| Honduran Countryside |
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| Elder Banda: Elder Pavel Javier Banda Lopez, from the Mexico City. We get along really well. He is "dying" (leaves for home) in January. |
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