17: Santidad Al Señor. La Casa Del Señor

Hello after a long week! We didnt know until after P Day last week that our P Day this week would be moved because we went to the TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!

It was perfect :) We have to leave at about 2 in the morning to get to Tegucigalpa, but the temple is gorgeous, and of course inside is even better. We took our time in the the session, as we only get to go twice a year, and I was just so grateful the whole time. Lots of answers, lots of guidance. We are so blessed to have such sacred places here on the earth. Heaven really is not that far away in the temple.

This week I was SICK! This is the first time I have actually had to stay in the house for being sick. And what does a missionary do when theyre stuck inside the house? They start reading the bible from the beginning. In two days I almost finished all 5 books of Moses. But glad to be back out of the house and eating normal food again!

Because of that we havent been able to see a lot of people, but we have a new investigator who is progressing so fast! His name is Ramon, and he really wants to feel more peace in his life. And he gives us free fresh popped popcorn every time we go to his house :) I really have a lot of faith in him, because of his desire to come unto his Savior.

And the majority of you probably know, but I am an AUNT!!!!!! My sister Emily had her baby, Hugh Foley. I cant wait to meet him in 14 months! If you would, keep him and Emily and Brock in your prayers this week!

1. President and Hernana Bowler leave SATURDAY! They have worked so hard and love this mission so much. We are sad to see them go but excited to meet President and Hermana Chase!

2. The first time I have worn a sweatshirt here in Honduras. I thought it was just cold from the rain, but I didnt realize I actually had a fever too, ha!

3. El Templo

4. Me and Hermana Fifita from Los Angeles

5. All of the hermanas from our Zone

Hasta el Fin.

16: Soy Un Cipote De Dios

We are having a blast here in Zona Choluteca, including the other day when we remixed Soy Un Hijo De Dios (I Am A Child Of God) to have Honduran slang (cipote = kid / youg person). Coming to you in el hinmario español 2018.

This week was changes! I really miss Hna Ordoñez :( I am really grateful for her. Her and I not only got along so well, but she is an incredible missionary and a great teacher. She is now in Tegucigalpa, and my new companion is Hermana Cabañas from Mexico who has a year in the mission.

This week I think I worked harder than I ever have in my life. We are meeting new people left and right, and just praying that we´ll find people that are ready to listen :)

Familia Mejìa: We are trying to work with them on ideas of how we can help them get married. Their son has just a lot of health problems and they are saving for his sugeries right now and dont have enough to save for their marriage papers and all :( we visited them yesterday and I teared up telling them how much I love them and will be here to support them. This gospel is so beautiful, and with the change I have seen in them I just hope they can stay strong and make these covenants with the Lord.

Belki: Has been so sick, we havent talked about dates or goals much with her just because it has been hard for her to leave the house and really do much. Praying a lot for her.

Rafael: Is leaving Yusguare! Nooooo!!!!!!! Im just glad we could plant a seed in him, we met with him and he was just so grateful we could help him get over his problems with alcohol. He is really kind, and really specail.

One thing that I have been focusing on more is being consecrated. President Bowler gave us all a talk by Tad Callister called "becoming a consecrated missionary" and this talk really has changed my mission. I want to be the missionary that is exactly obedient, that is patient, that is humble, that has Christ-like love. I am not perfect, but I am so grateful that through repentance and through the Atonement, I can become the consecrated missionary I want to be, and that the Lord wants me to be.

1. Goodbyes with Hna Ordoñez :( with Delma and Ari from the ward

2. We spend a few nights in divisions and to say goodbye to Hna Clark and Hna Ordoñez a member smashed an egg on their heads! Shampooing in the church.

3. My family sent me my first PACKAGE! Complete with letters, a new outfit, and sour gummy worms :) thanks to everyone that helped send that.

4. Thumps up for the sacrament!

5. The funniest girl in Yusguare, Marielle.

6. Pday with Zona Choluteca - making no bakes!

7. And just now in Burger King, my new companion Hna Cabañas is on the far left.

Hasta El Fin.

15: Elder Renlund

Hola mis amigos que tal?

This week we got to meet.....Elder Renlund! We left at 1:30 in the morning Wednesday for the city, and didnt return until 8:30 at night, but its all fun because everyone in the south gets in one big school bus and we have a blast sleeping, not sleeping, watching church movies, playing games. 

Elder Renlund talked about a lot of things, but what stood out to me was that we need to trust in Christ like he is our friend, and if we are faithful to him he will be our friend also. I know this is true, and I´m so glad that I can testify to our investigators that there is always someone who understands and cries and rejoices along with us.

And our investigators! No baptism this week :( we are working really hard with Belki, she wants to be baptized but really wants more time to be certain. So we´re giving it to her. I think in this change well see her baptism....hope!

We have another investigator who is pretty interesting, her name is Heidi. She is very intelligent and well read, but has a hard time accepting certain things. She was really hesitant in taking the Book of Mormon we gave to her, and she only accepted it on the condition that she compare a specific chapter to a chapter in the Bible. We tried to explain that thats not how it works, but we left some chapters for her to read that we hope help her feel the Spirit. We really think she can progress if she starts to search and feel the Spirit.

And this week, I got sick and lost my voice :( At the end of the worst day with my voice, Hna Ordoñez said "your Spanish was nearly perfect today, its a shame nobody could hear you!" :)

This week is CHANGES! Hna Ordoñez is going to Tegucigalpa and Ill get a new companion this Wednesday. Sad but excited for everyone!

1. Bad picture but Elder Rowe from my group! He has lost something like 20 pounds in these last two changes. Little delgadito.

2. It has rained and rained and rained every day here! This week was the first time I have said "Im cold" in 3 months. Our salvation from the heat.

3. Mi nueva camiseta, macizo o no??? Creo que si.

4. Los Elderes estan locos.

5. Last P-day with these Hermanas before changes!

14: There Are More Mangos Than People Here

Buenos dìas! Each week flies by faster and faster here. Every week feels like Pday, Sunday #1-6, and then Pday again!  I thought I would take some time to talk about some of our investigators now that weve got a few really progressing:

La Familia Mejìa: Seriously our favorites, I sent a picture of them the other week. They were one of my first lessons here and they have been our good friends ever since. They did not want to get married the first time we taught them, but just the other day they said they would start saving money to get married which is HUGE because they do not have a lot of money. The fathers name is Gustavo, and he LOVES reading in the scriptures, and he already has a powerful testimony of them. Just the other day, he had a question about the gospel, and he told us he went straight to the Book of Mormon to look for his answer. We sat there as he testified to us that Christ lives, and we were so happy :) I hope I get to see thier marriage and baptisms in my time here.

Belki: We have been postponing her baptism for a few weeks now because she has been pretty sick, and she still doesnt feel ready. This is really hard for us, because we think she really understands and wants to do whats right. We have her baptism scheduled for this sunday, so extra prayers this week that we get to see that happen.

Rafael: We found him walking through the street after a funeral, and drunk drunk drunk. He has used alcohol to get away from his problems for a while now, but just the other day we taught him and he has been sober for about 2 weeks now :) Right now hes the only other investigator with a baptismal date, so were hoping his desire to change really motivates him these next few weeks.

Here's a fun story. We were walking to church yesterday and we passed by a house where someone was standing in the doorway and she said "Buenas, llevo panqueques" which is to say "good morning I brought pancakes" and I said to Hna Ordoñez "man what beautiful words those are". And then we worked and worked all day in the hot sun and barely had appointment but we kept walking. Then we went to a members house for dinner and guess what, she made us pancakes! This made me laugh because honestly I could see the Lords hand right there, something unimportant but a reminder that hes watching me and that when I do His will I am blessed.

Just you wait one day when I bring you guys to Choluteca we are going to the Mexican Restaurant here and your perception of hispanic food will never be the same.

GUESS WHAT Elder Renlund is coming to Tegucigalpa wednesday!!!!!!!!!! We are hyped! This means we have to stay the "night" in the house of the Hnas in the city and leave at 2 in the morning to get there but we are so excited

13: Por allí en una casa de adobe

Buenas! Wow every week just goes by faster and faster!

This week we did a lot of contacting in an area called El Naranjal. The Elders Quorum had an activity where they went around talking to people and collecting information for us to visit. But the fun part about Honduras is addresses dont exist, so trying to find people an adventure. Everybody lives, "that way in an adobe house" so when someone gives us that as their address we run around in circles until we find them. But we always find them!

This week I finished the book of Heleman in the Book of Mormon. In chapter 7, Nefi is rejected by almost everyone and is feeling really frustrated because of this. He starts to feel for himself the sins and the iniquities of his people because he wants their salvation so badly. We have met a number of people this week with specific challenges, people that really need help. This chapter really helped me to lean that even though I wont literally experience what its like to be an alcoholic or have a spouse leave me, I can invest myself in their cause. I can feel their pain by helping them overcome their problems and come unto Christ. And thats what Im called here to do.

Sorry no pictures this week because this computer isnt working well. But I promise lots next week!

Yep, we teach about 25 lessons a week. Honestly the majority of it is teaching new people the restoration, and we end up dropping a ton of people after that because they either dont want to pray to receive an answer or just dont want to listen to us. Or arent married and dont want to get married. We have very few right now who are progressing a lot because its honestly just really hard to find people who are living the law of chastity or who dont reject us after the first few lessons. Its funny that everyone told me I would have a ton of baptisms, because its just really hard to find people that are ready. Other areas are different though.

Haha actually I stayed in one morning this week because I had a fever, but we ended up going out because honestly you just feel guilty laying in your bed when you should be out and about. Ima ll better it was just one day. But honeslty the food is getting to me. Hermana Josefina, the one who feeds us lunch is great but the food is so heavy. Fried everything, rice, tortillas, SODA. Tons and tons of soda. People will offer us Coke up to five times a day. Its pretty hard on my stomach after a big meal so I eat barely anything at breakfast and dinner, and what I do eat is fruits and veggies and oatmeal and really simple food to try to balance it out.

Yes cooling off! Blessed. The rain is great we get reaaaaally muddy everyday haha but winter is here!

12: It is Kind of Like Lions and Tigers and Bears

This week is transfers! But practically everyone is staying where they are. We will have transfers again in 3 weeks when they change our mission president, so were expecting a lot more to happen then. For now its still Hna Ordoñez y Yo en Yusguare!

This week Ive got a lot of stories to go with my pictures, but I want to share something from my study first. I started reading in the Doctrine and Covenants this week, and read section 45 this morning. Part of it talks about Zion, what it is and what our relationshiip should be with it. Verse 68 says "flee unto Zion". Zion is our refuge, where we can find peace and protection and true happiness. This gospel is everything, and nothing brings more joy than being a part of establishing it. And we really should FLEE, and bring other people with us! The Lord wants nothing more than for us to look unto him "in every thought" and "doubt not, fear not". 

1. The best thing I have eaten in Honduras....in a Mexican Restaurant! These are called Gringas, theyve got pork and tomatoes and cheese and avocado and all sorts of good stuff in them. We may or may not come here every Pday :) 

2. Las Hermanas de Zona Choluteca en el Restaurante Mexicano

3. The worst food Honduras has to offer :) I feel guilty writing this but really it is the worst. In all of Honduras they make spaghetti with ketchup and this sour-cream like sauce called mantequilla. And sometimes hot dog slices, and on special days with added sugar. I have to gag it down every time.

4. La Familia Mejia!!!!!!! They are our favorite investigators right now. We are working with them on setting a date to get married so they can get baptized. They really are golden investigators and really want to do whats right, but theyre passing through some hard times right now that make it harder for them to get married. So prayers appreciated! The other day we talked with them about temple marrieages, and how they can get sealed a year after their baptism, and how its possible that I could get special permission to go if I was still a missionary. So were hoping all this motivates them to save money and get married!

5. How missionaries study when the power goes out :)

6. This and my last picture are for my mom - I waited! We had a few surprise guests this week. This morning I grabbed a packet of oatmel when I thought I felt something funny. Surprise Hna Morgan!

7. We were in the ward choir for our ward conference yesterday, all matching. Happy Sunday!

8. Last night I had the biggest heart attack yet. I was showering and had already washed my hair when I looked to grab a bottle of soap and noticed this guy watching me - same color as the sponge, didnt even see him! Look twice before you shower!

11: Its a Great Day to be a Missionary!

Mothers day is a GREAT day to be a missionary! All day we were counting down the hours until we were able to call home. 40 minutes fly by but it is just what we needed to keep going here in Yusguare.

Per request of my Dad I will now tell you all about our house pets. We regulary have different bugs, lizards, spiders, frogs, etc going in and out of our house, they dont bother us much so if we cant reach them we just let them be. But the other night, we were getting ready to go to bed and  had the light turned off and everything, when Hermana Ordoñez picks up her sheets and feels something move. She threw her sheets on the ground and we just hear this THUD on the ground. We turn on the lights to see an IGUANA scurrying around on the floor. So there we are dead tired trying to move our beds around and capture this iguana to throw back outside. Friday nights as a missionary can get pretty exciting!

Mothers Day is a HUGE DEAL here in Honduras! Easter came and went and hardly anybody celebrated, but this week was hard becuase everyone was out of their houses celebrating Mothers Day, for pretty much the whole week. Almost every lesson we had planned after Wednesday didnt happen because everyone was out celebrating. A little frustrating, but interesting!

We have really been struggling to find people who are interested and ready to receive the gospel, and I have ben a little frustrated in the process. One morning, I was pretty discouraged and was having a hard time being able to understand the Spanish of one of our investigators. I sat there silently for a minute and prayed and prayed that I could understand Gods love for her so I could hear her and bring her the message she needed. This was one of the quickest and most powerful responses to a prayer I have ever received. I could feel how much our Heavenly Father cared for this sister and wanted her to receive the gospel. We had a great lesson :) I only got a glimps, but Heavenly Father really loves us so much, and he wants more than anything for us to turn our hearts to him and live the gospel.

Aaaaaaand pictures!

1. Me and Hna Ordoñez every time our investigators arent home

2 &3. Walking through Guasimol. We live in quite the place :)

4. Hermana Josefina!!!!! She is our mom here, so it was fitting to take a picture on Mothers Day. She has fed the missionaries everyday, as many times as they have wanted, since the day she was baptized. We love her so much.

5. I thought this would also be fun to share. The plumbing here is, interesting. The toilet doesnt actually flush, we use the bucket to the side to flush down with water. Also, toilet paper clogs the system, so all toilet paper goes in a bag on the side. A little gross huh? :) And the other day, we were trying to fix something when the top fell off and broke, so if anyone wants to fund a new lid for a sad toilet in Honduras LMK.