Week 74: battle of the bugs

This week was a doozy. It has been raining here lately and with that the flying ants are back! Which I found out are termites. Kind of weird, this week we found out that we have bed bugs! We were really shocked because Elder Hassell and I hadn’t been bitten. We called the mission office and they responded quickly, getting us new beds. Funny story with the old mattresses-- while we were cleaning we left the old beds outside to clean and we bleached and Permethrined everything, we went ham! All the cleaning took about 45 minutes and when we went back to see what we would do about the beds they were gone! Somebody had taken them! Literally just 45 minutes and somebody took our beds! Thats the last time I leave anything outside. We got some new beds so we are fine and sleeping comfortably now.   We are told we have to permethrin everything at least once a week to kill all of the eggs. So there is that. 

We had a missionary work activity that the ward did and we were surprised that it was a movie night. cool! We were able to watch Jumanji and everyone loved it! We got a lot of references, it was a big success. We are planning on having another activity but with dodgeball. It should be a good one. I like dodgeball.

We also had a funny contacting moment. We decided to act like we were looking for somebody who doesn’t exist. It makes the topic of the gospel come up faster. So we were talking to a woman and my comp tried the method. He asked for a ´´Gustavo´´ and the lady asked for Gustavo´s last name, and he responded with a popular last name, ´´Hernandez´´. It was very strange because she then asked for this Gustavo´s description. I replied, tan and short and she replied that it wasn´t who she thought it was -- HER BROTHER! We had his name exactly right, we just missed the description. It was one of our first cool experiences contacting together and one of the better ones we have had. 

I love you guys! I hope you guys have a great week!

until next time

Got the package last Friday! We picked it up when we went to the office for the Permethrin. I gave Elder Hassell like 7 ties.  He loves them, and I have the ties for Vasquez separated. I'm glad I have these new shoes, and as always love the sour patch, cheetos, and mac n cheese! (my mom was upset that she bought the off brand because as kids we never liked it, but I love it and honestly forgot what I was missing with good old Macaroni and Cheese!)

We went to David's house after the Jumanji activity. We were able to take home some left over pop.  This is Hassell drinking 3 liters! its 3 not 2, almost all the soda here comes in three liter increments. 

Week 73: crazy contacting with Elder Hassell

So I got my new companion on Tuesday but not after Elder Vazquez said some goodbyes. This week went really well. Elder Hassell and I went crazy contacting and we’ve found some good people to teach. I am excited for the next week where we can meet with these people again. Elder Hassell also has some really good ideas about how to make the area better too. SO I’m really pumped for next week.

I was happy to hear that my cousin, Braxton opened his mission call and will be going out in July. (Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Mission!)

To be honest not a lot has happened other than our crazy contacting. Elder Hassell and I are looking forward to the next couple of weeks and can’t wait to see how everything pans out. We had some divisions with the assistants this week which is always fun and helped out a lot in our area. We are always trying to find ways to strengthen the ward and to help build the area for the new converts that come in. All in all I hope we accomplish what we set out to do so that we can leave the area of Santa Fe in Country better than we found it.

Love you guys!

Vazquez saying goodbye to Fren the baby (10 months old) and his grandma, Hermana Blanca.  She was the one who helped us make all our cool ties.

My new companion is Elder Kohlten Hassell.  He is from Gilbert, Arizona. He has about 21 months on the mission. He is not baggy, he still works really hard and I love it. (2 gringos in the tres de "meido", it's sooo much fun, so far it's been good, none of the people do or say anything.)

This 1.25 liter bottle of coke only costs 18 limps. I barely buy them here, but the members do in like all of our meals.

Mother's Day Video Call

Elder Vazquez and I spent Sunday afternoon talking with our families for Mother's Day. It was great!

It was a great day for the Roberts family.  The next time we speak it will be face to face and we will be able to wrap him in our arms.

We loved seeing his smiling face and hearing his voice.

We had a wonderful visit, he told of wonderful people and cool and crazy mission experiences, and lots of fun random happenings.  He says transportation there is crazy.  He has been hit by cars (mom is freaking out!), one time where he actually rolled over the hood and the driver just kept going.  The area he is in right now isn't the safest, but he says he feels protected.  As an example... his area or bus stop is called Tres de Mayo and a bus conductor actually announced his stop as the Tres de Meido (which means fear).  He says people hop on buses and sell food and he really likes the corn.  His favorite Honduran food is still the same as it was at Christmas and last Mother's Day, Baleada’s.  He told us a couple of Spanish jokes.  He has grown an inch. (Crazy... that would put him at 6'4") Time flys. He is doing great and is really happy.  We love our son! We are beyond amazed and proud!

Elder Roberts shares his testimony with us in Spanish. He has been in the mission field for 16 months and 14 days.

His favorite Honduran food... Baleada's... still?... always.

What did the Jaguar say to the other Jaguar?

His worn shoe.  He walks everywhere. Christian packed two pairs of dress shoes and his athletic shoes for working out.  He bought a pair of nice boots in his first area.  After about 6 months he took them to be resoled and the guy said he lost them, and ended up confessing that he actually sold them. (maybe it was just a misunderstanding...? Please sole my shoes.... I sold your shoes. XD)

a clip of him showing us his worn shoes

(we are sending a new pair that will be delivered by Mission on the Fly at the end of the month. yay!)

we love Elder Vazquez. He is a fun guy!

210 more days until these two friends are reunited. Enzo misses his brother.

Week 72: Andrea and Angy were baptized!

So today we have found out changes that will be happening tomorrow. I will be staying here in la Santa Fe and I will receive Elder Hassell as my new companion, who is from Arizona. My current companion, Elder Vazquez will be going to Comoyagua to an area called Piedras Bonitas. It has been a fun two changes here with Elder Vazquez, I have honestly learned a lot from him and hope that I can learn a lot more from Elder Hassel. 

This week we did have the baptism of Andrea and Angy. It was a nice service and the two girls enjoyed making covenants with the Lord. Their mother was very happy and she loved the service. I hope that we can continue teaching her so that she has a desire to come back to church, so that the entire family can be as happy as she is right now.

I had a fun time reading the Book of Mormon. I’m now in the war chapters, I love the part where it describes Captain Moroni. I’m learning that if we strive to be more like him the powers of hell will have none over man (us). It’s just my thoughts, I know that by developing attributes like his we can become more like him which is becoming more like Christ.

Love, Elder Roberts 

Angy is 10, and Andrea is 12 they are the daughters of Kenya.

sitting with our new converts are Emma and Edwin of the Familia Osorio.  If you remember that it was they that referred to us Angy and Andrea to teach.They are a very fun and welcoming family. They have two boys, Dallin is 16 and Helam is 13. Emma is the Young Women's President here right now.

Week 71: Humility in the Lord's service

This week was a pretty good one. Our two dates for this next weekend came this last Sunday and they should be baptized this next Saturday. 

I am excited that I will be able to call home on Sunday for Mother’s Day.

This past Thursday we had a leadership council and president made known some of his concerns here in our mission. From his message we will be focusing a lot more on companionship study and finding new investigators. I loved the messages that everyone prepared. 

On Friday we had our interviews and president once again emphasized companionship study. My companion and I have had a lot of time together and next week will be the week of changes. President told us that most likely I will be staying and Elder Vazquez will be leaving the area. 

I did have a a cool spiritual experience this week while reading in the Book of Mormon. I was reading in the book of Alma, the 26th chapter, it’s one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. It speaks a lot about humility in the Lords service and the boasting in the Lord. I had another spiritual uplifting as I read it again, I knew that the Lord wanted me to remember him more than myself in the work. I know that this is the Lords work and that we need to be humble while we do it and I know that he’ll double the result if we trust in Him. 

I love you guys and hope you all have a fantastic week!

love you all  

Elder Vazquez loves cooking Mexican food. He cooks a lot of tacos and carne asada. It is always so good. We cooked last Monday's food over at Jorge's Panaderia or bread shop.  Jorge has a little road side place and does very well.  He also cooks steak and other meat at night. Jorge is a return missionary from Bolivia.  He served about 3 years ago.  He is in our stake and the singles here don't have their own ward they are mixed with the wards they just have separate classes.

I always let Elder Vazquez cook because his cooking is so good.  I have the guacamole part down which I feel is the most important part of the tacos.  You can have whatever kind of meat in them but the salsa is the most important part. XD

We were eating at the Familia Andino's. (Antione and Andrews house)

Elder Vazquez broke his cup while we were eating.  They all thought it was funny.

This is Ricardo.  He is at our lunch on Sunday's.  He is 9 and very crazy. He is talking to his grandma to see what time she is going to get to our lunch appointment. The mom of Ricardo is Mariela and his Grandma is Hermana Ordoñez. 

He likes taking rubber bands and shooting us with them.  In this picture he is threatening me with a pencil.  It was very funny. 

My mom always asks who does or how I do my laundry in each area.  In the area of Santa Fe in Country we go to Hermana Sonia Carrasco's house to wash clothes. We do it on Monday (Preparation Day) for free. She gives us water, but we bring detergent and bleach. 

we surprise some Africanized Wasps

An Africanized Wasp

the Africanized Wasps have taken up residence in our doorway!

Roberts & Vazquez  vs  Wasps

Elder Vazquez has found that Soap, Water, Antibiotic gel, and Chili to be the concoction to take them out!

We stomped on them and cleaned it up right away so that their brothers don't hunt us down.
It was awesome. We got rid of them quick!


I think it was the chili.