Week 83: Blanca's baptism

Blanca's baptism was on Saturday!

So this last Saturday Blanca got Baptized!!! I haven’t really said much about her progress, but I have been working with her since I got here in the Santa Fe, and it finally happened. A lot of her initial conversations were a Spongebob type response of "I don’t really feel like it", and then 3 weeks ago she started saying things like "before you go Elder I need to be baptized" and it happened. It was a great experience for her and her family, they all came for the confirmation, she was really happy. 

The rest of the week was really normal. We were doing a lot of baptism prep like asking people if they could give messages or prayers. Elder Contreras and I have been working really hard with this family that our options for next month weren’t very many. But the Lord works in mysterious ways as on Friday in an interchange with Elder Alvarez  who is a missionary assigned to the area of Quezada, we found some young adults who look pretty interested. So that’s cool.

On Sunday a sister brought her grandchildren who have never been baptized. When I introduced myself the younger of the two said "Hermano Elder quiero saber cuando yo puedo ser bautizado tambien".  I was awestruck and once you put it into google translate I think most of you will be too! (Brother Elder I want to know when I can be baptized too) I had to thank the Lord for probably the millionth time for His divine help. 

The Lord always helps when I have done my part and there is nothing else that I can do. I know a lot of times we want things NOW, but we forget that "faith without works is dead". Our Heavenly Father waits until we have shown how much we want something. I love this example and think that those who have children probably see this in action everyday. Your child arrives and wants something, you as a parent probably begin thinking why they would need it and then comes the part where you ask "how much do they want it?" There isn’t a single person in this world who won't put in a sacrifice for something that is worth it or is what they really want. So with your child, as our Father in Heaven does with us, He thinks on this same question, "how much do you want it?" With the child the response is always, "A lot!". We do the same thing with our Heavenly Father, daily even. But He wants to know how much we want it and He has asked that we show him. When we need a new car, or the rent is up and life’s pressures are high we normally ask. God wants to bless us, and it is after we have put in as much work, and time, “our part” that the miracle happens. The Lord makes all the difference.

I love my Savior and my Father who sent him and I know he loves each of us! 

me with Blanca and her mom, Hermana Zonaída.

Elder Contreras before the baptism talking to the kids. He was probably talking to them on reverence.  We had the primary do most of the assignments to help so that Blanca feels loved.

Blanca was being a typical Honduran for the pictures.  Hondurans act really serious and don't really smile for pictures.  I was teasing her about it and we were laughing.

This is David Andino Gonzalez. (doesn't like pictures)
He has been a really cool friend out here.  He is leaving to serve his mission in Pachuca Mexico pretty soon.

Week 82: more riots and the Zonaida family

Teaching Blanca.  She is 9 years old and excited to get baptized next Saturday.  We were at their home to do a pre baptismal interview to see if she is ready to be baptized.

This week was better than last. We did have one problem though, there are paros or riots again. These ones so far are perfectly peaceful.  All they are doing is blocking off roads and they just sit there. It is nothing like the "fuera JOH". 

This week on Wednesday we had the oportunity to do interchanges with the assistants, Elder Valdetano is recovering from a surgery (he had appendicitis and should be back to working as hard as he does in 4 weeks) so I stayed with him in the mission office where he is working, while Elder Contreras and Elder Ozoria went to work in the assistants area. It was kind of fun to be in the office and mess around a little bit with the Elder's there. 

It was the next day that the paros started. The streets were blocked and it was super hard to get back to our area. We ended up getting a ride back to Santa Fe from the mission secretaries. 

On Friday we went to do an interview in the Quezada, there were not any buses because of the paros, so we had to take a taxi. The guy charged us 200 limps- which is insane! It was the lowest he could go. We about passed out at his first offer, it normally costs us 70 limps for the distance but because of all the blocked streets and stopping that was the cost to make his living. Anyway, we got to the Quezada and conducted the interview. By Saturday everything went back to normal, there weren't any paros so we could get around like normal. 

I guess they are taking weekends off because today, Monday, they are at it again!  They are protesting this time for the cost of gas and taxes, so the buses and the taxi's are angry I think. 

Yesterday (Sunday) everything was normal as well we went and taught Blanca. She is really excited to get baptized this next Saturday! It should go well. I'll take more fotos but really this week was kind of shut down because of the interchange and being trapped for a little bit. 

But hey- one thing I did take out of this week is sharing our testimony with everybody, and I mean everybody. I had the oportunity today to share my testimony to someone sending negative emails about the mormon church. I took the time to share with him what I knew to be true, and I hope it helps him. I know how much that one testimony can do. I know when we share what we know to be true the Lord hears it and is grateful that He has disciples He can count on and who follow Him. My invitation to all is to go and to share your testimony if you can today, and find the blessings the Lord has in store.

Love, Elder Roberts

Blanca got a hold of my camera. This is me with Maria. Maria is 14.
Blanca likes to mess around. She loves to play soccer in the street and run around with her siblings

Maria is active now. We have been trying to reactivate the whole family.  Hermana Zonaida and most of the family are trying to come back to church.  Paola and Blanca are the two that go more than most and they aren't members yet. 

Here is Elder Contreras and the backsides of Hermana Zonaida and her son Kaleth(10). The Zonaida family is really fun to be around.  They are kind of crazy, but when things get to the gospel everything quiets down and they are eager listeners. 

Week 81: Stomach issues and the baptism of Isaac and Gabriella

Baptism of Gabriella and Isaac! Gabriella is 8 and Isaac is 12, they are cousins. 

Well this week went by pretty quick not going to lie. But it was a hard one, first of all on Tuesday my companion got sick with a wicked stomach infection, so we weren´t able to really work until Thursday and even then he was still hurting so we worked slow, but we worked. Then on Friday I got sick and it was just a flu virus going around so I´m okay, not great but, I´m feeling better. 

On Saturday we had Isaac´s baptism and it went well. He was baptized with his cousin Gabriella who is 8 years old. We have been working on activating her family and they´ve been doing good, other than that not a whole lot happened. 

While my companion was sick we did some divisions with the missionaries in Mercedes. I left with them to fill some of their visits and they helped us go to ours. It was a big help for Blanca´s and Paola´s progress. This week was a good  one, I just don´t have much to write about because we were sick most of the week. 

I hope you  all have a good week and enjoy the new champions of the World Cup! I heard all about Croatia´s loss and Frances win on Sunday, it was all the talk in church. I know you are happy dad! 

Love you guys!

Allan (guy in white), Isaac's dad is Karen's (lady in black) cousin.

It was fun teaching Isaac the lessons.  He is kind of funny because he was just so open to everything we were teaching.  We taught of the word of wisdom and told him no coffee and the entire house is now not drinking coffee. His mom and dad didn't drink coffee but the rest of the family did and he got them all to stop.