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.