37: Discernimiento

Not much to write this week, no pictures either :( but buying a new camera today!

We were going to have the baptisms of the familia Tercero this week but we decided they needed more time to prepare. Dennis, the dad, and Mauro, the son, are ready to get baptized but we want them all to be baptized as a family. Hoping for the next week! Keep them in your prayers! We met with them a few times this week and are focusing on the importance of the Restoration and the prophet Joseph Smith. We watched the movie The Restoration with them and challenged them with all that we could to pray about him and his role as a prophet. That part is so critical to understanding our message, if they dont do it, they will never receive a witness.

A while ago we got a GOLDEN reference. A member from San Pedro called us and said she has some friends that live in our area and they are a part member family. They are interested in going to church again, and already have every single book and pamphlet the church has to offer. We ran to their house and our lessons we had with them were INCREDIBLE, but yesterday we got a message from one of them, her name is Mayte, saying that her dad doesnt want them to keep listening to us :( I think my heart broke. It is the worst! We are going to try to keep visiting them and talk with their dad.

Tiffani and Alison are always excited to see us and go to church. They went for the first time this week and loved young womens :) Tiffani is progressing a little bit faster than Alison, so we are thinking she might be baptized before her cousin Alison, but the two are both progressing and want to make this change in their lives. Their baptism date is for this next week, so we are praying they will be ready by then.

Adalid KILLS ME. He is reading the Book of Mormon like crazy, and the last time we went to see him he had memorized the whole story of Nephi and his brothers obtaining the plates of brass. He told us all about it with a big smile on his face, and we were dying. I love him so much! He is a true convert.

I have been focusing my studies this week on the gift of discernment. I want to have the ability to discern when people are ready to accept this gospel, where they live and how we can find them. That has made me trust even more in the promise that there are ALWAYS people to teach and receive this gospel, and that the Spirit will guide us to them according to our faith and obedience. It has also made me realize the importance of finding new people to teach EVERY day. 

Hermana Gonzalez and I are best friends :) I am so lucky to have companions who are obedient and love this work more than anything. Makes every day DIVERTIDISIMO!

Hasta El Fin.

38: Que Pasa Calabaza

This week started with welcoming the Baldens to Honduras! They are from Utah and are here to be mission nurses / help in the office. We spent saturday afternoon with them taking them to Price Mart, grocery stores, helping them get situated.

We were pretty nervous this Saturday because after helping the Baldens we didnt have much time to visit our investigators before church, and few of those we tried to visit were home. But a lot of prayers and faith later we had...12 investigators in church!!!!!

That we could count, there were still a few people we didnt recognize and didnt have time to talk to that showed up for the primary presentation. But all twelve that were our investigators were brought there by members. This ward is the BEST.

The Familia Tercero is still waiting for their answers. They want to get baptized and keep going to church, but we want to make sure they are doing it because they knbow it is the only true church of Jesus Christ on the earth. Long story short, we thinbk they just need to read the Book of Mormon every day without fail. They have been reading and praying about it, but not with the dilligence we want them to. They are so close! They want to follow their son Dennis and be a family united in one faith, they just need to understand what is different about our message.

We finally got to teach the family of Dinora, a member who has brought her sister and two nieces to church for about a month. This family is in the process of moving and has distanced themselves from their church, so we are hoping this is their moment to accept the gospel. We had a beatiful experience with them this week, we showed up not knowing they had a big fight right before. we started to sing "Love at Home", said the prayer, and the mom and older saughter were crying. We continued with the lesson, trying not to probe too much, but at the end the mom offered the prayer and started sobbing. We sat in silence for a minute and the mom thanked us for what we shared because it comforted her to know things would all turn out okay in their family. 

There are never coincidences in this work.

The other day we were contacting in La Fraternidad and met Catalina, who was practically waiting for us. Her husband died not too long ago, she has distanced herself from churches, but has felt the desire to be baptized. She accepted a baptism date and the church our very first visit!

And to celebrate thanksgiving we bought cookies and my favorite baleadas - tortilla, beans, mantequilla, cheese, eggs, and fried plantain. And to make the day even better we bought ingredients to make pumpkin cookies and surprised Marcial, a less active, with a cookie making fiesta and a message about Thanksgiving :)

I love Girasoles and I love this work! I know this is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and I couldnt be more grateful for it. There is no greater joy, and no greater motivation for me to knock down every single door in Honduras. 

1. Zapote, a fruit here

2. The Baldens! We helped them eat their first baleada in Baleadas Kennedy.

3. We took some Zona Tegucigalpa christmas pictures and all dressed up in our christmas gear

4. Baleada Express feast. Happy Thanksgiving!

5-8. Making pumpkin cookies with Marcial 

9. Where you can find us always at 6:00 AM :)

10. And Friday mornings - studying while we wait for our laundry in the house of Hna Elwin. Her cats love to read with us too.

36: Pon Tu Hombro A La Lid, ADALID

This past Saturday was the baptism of Adalid! It was a perfect day, he got to the chapel an hour early with his family and was more than prepared. We had the service, a cake for his birthday, and a ton of members come! We even sang the hymn "Pon to hombro a la lid" because when we visited him a few nights before the bishop said it was his hymn because it sounds like his name. The next day he was confirmed in church and bore his testimony in front of everyone. This man has my heart, he was truly prepared and chosen for this moment.

We are still teaching the family of our ward mission leader, la familia Tercero, and the mom, dad, and son have baptism dates for next week! The parents keep saying "we feel this desire to follow our son, because he is so faithful and committed to his faith". They are incredible, we are hoping everything goes well so that their son Dennis can baptize them this next weekend.

Tiffany and Alison are some of the students from where we taught english classes. They are prepared, they have been searching for a church to join for some time, and they truly have real intent. We have focused so much in the book of mormon and mighty prayer and that has helped them understand why this gospel is different and so important. They both have baptism dates for the 25th.

Jaycee is facing opposition, opposition is the worst! Some of her family members are saying bad things about the church and discouraging her from being baptized. This week I made her a specific promise, that if she would prepare herself to for church thi week by praying in faith and reading the book of mormon every day that she would feel the confirmation that this is the correct path for her, no matter what her family says. Right now she has a baptism date for the 25.

Especially these past few weeks Hermana Wengert and I put a lot of emphasis on not having fears and being BOLD. Bold contacting, bold teachings, bold invitations, bold promises. I studied about fear a lot this week and I have come to the conclusion that this is the most fearless I have been in my whole life. Its almost a challenge for me now, if theres a bolder, faster, more fearless way to do something, I do it. Nothing can stop me!

We had changes this week and Hermana Wengert went to Graneros in Choluteca :( I love that sister so much. We changed each other, and I am a different missionary and person because of her. After we had our final medical presentation this monday we said our goodbyes and traded companions. She is in good hands though, she is with my MOM HERMANA ORDOÑEZ!

And my new companion is Hermana Gonzalez from Las Vegas! She is an awesome missionary and so so sweet. I am very excited for these next few changes.

Hasta el fin.

1-7. Adalids baptism
8-11. The last time the being more-or less helpful in the Chases house this Saturday
12. Adalids registro!
13-14. Our office, the last time for Hermana Wengert!
15-16. See you soon mi amiga!
17. The photo I got from Graneros, Porvenir this week :')

35: La Conversion

This has been a crazy week in Girasoles. Aside from evenings we have only been able to teach Wednesday, and that was really hard for us. With changes coming up we wanted to make sure the area was well prepared for anything to happen, so if someone has to leave we leave Girasoles better than we found it.

Adalid is being baptized on his birthday tomorrow :) Hermana Wengert keeps saying I am so blessed because my first convert is golden - and its true! He is analyzing the Book of Mormon, praying frequently, and even sharing the gospel with his relatives. He is a testament to me that people are truly prepared to listen to us - he was using drugs and in the streets practically just a few months ago, and he changed just in time for the Lord to help him through us. I was worried for a few days because I wanted to make sure he was ready to be baptized, but Tuesday when we visited him I felt such a peace. I know he will be a convert and a faithful member of the church of Jesus Christ.

We are really close with the familia Tercero - Dennis, Maira, and Mauro. Dennis is progressing a lot faster than his wife and son; he asks us very sincere questions, and spends time pondering what we teach him every time. His wife Maira is still a little uncertain, especially because she serves in her other church and it will be hard to leave them. They all accepted a challenge to pray and ask if they should be baptized the 18th. We love this family so much, they are wonderful, but it will be a hard change for them, they may need more time.

Nancy and Naomi went to church this week - only for the first hour. They liked it, but we think they might have just gone to please us and not with the real intent to see if it is the true church of Jesus Christ. Nancy is such a great person, but we dont think shes ready to change. Naomi on the other hand, her daughter, studies and analyzes everything we leave, and I think she is prepared for this moment. We want to focus more on her, but we havent been able to see their family much as they get home very late. The two still have baptism dates for the 18th.

Jose is new from this Sunday and accepted a baptism date for the 25th. He has a lot of desire to make an influince in the world by serving and helping other people. We shared the LDM with him and he was super willing to accept it. He is very animated and such a joyful person. I am excited to keep seeing him and hope that he progresses toward his baptism date!

I have learned a lot this week from my weaknesses. I read a lot about justice and mercy this week in my studies and I am so grateful that with all of my weaknesses, the Lord is merciful. I could not help missionaries with their help, or testify to investigators, or love the people without the Lords mercy.

Changes are this next Monday, and it is pretty certain that Hna Wengert is leaving :( Change is good but I will miss her so much! We have truly changed each other, and I will always be so grateful for this time weve had as companions. Que no se vaya Hna Wengert!

1-2. Pupusas with the familia Baca

3. First - PURA CATRACHA. Second, Dr Pepper in Honduras!

Links 1-2. We decided we had to have a companionship food challenge - BALEADAS EXTREMAS from Baleadas Kennedy. Son riquisimas!

Links 3-4. Lots of efermera work this week before changes, making medical insurance cards.

Links 5-6. The first flour tortillas I have made that turned out nice! Baleadas with Hna Inestroza :)

34: Sumiso, Manso, Humilde Paciente

Not lots of time today, a long Pday, but lots of fun!

This week Mosiah 3:19 has been my anthem. I need to be more submissive, meek, humble, patient, like a little child. Focusing more and more on the basics and relying more and more on the power of Christ to work within people and not trusting in my own power to convince. Because trusting in that will get me nowhere!

We went to the TEMPLE!!!! As a stake with all the missionaries, ward mission leaders, investigators, and recent converts. This never happens as the temple is technically outside our mission. Hermana Wengert and I both agreed that this was the most special experience we have had on our missions. Lots of tears. Lots of inspiration. We had a little meeting before with a few talks, then a silent, reverent tour around the temple. At the end, our stake president asked (pleaded) with all of the investigators to pray and ask God if this is the rue restored gospel of Jesus Christ. He asked if anyone had felt certain impressions or feelings that afternoon and herre are the responses of our investigators - 

"I want to be baptized" - Adalid

"A deeper inner peace that Ive never felt before" - Maira (Mama of our ward mission leader Dennis)

"I dont want to go to my old church anymore, only this church" - Dennis (Papa of our ward mission leader Dennis)

MIRACLES

1. Ivestigators and ward mission leader

2. Us and Adalid

3. It is COLD. We are freezing, it has been raining with no sun and we wear sweaters every day

4. Fashion. Coming back from grocery shopping this morning :)

5. Our fun Pday in Valle de Angeles with the Chase family :)

6, 7, 8. Matambritas with the Chases

Hasta El Fin.

33: Vaya Pues

In keeping with the theme of PURA CATRACHA I am trying to make my vocabulary as catracho as possible. This week my phrase has been "vaya pues" - basically means, okay, go ahead, alright, goodbye, we use it for everything.

Contacting? Vaya pues.

Baleadas? Vaya pues.

Medical appointment with sick missionary? Vaya pues.

Each week just gets more fun in Girasoles :) We are focusing more on prayer, if we are unsure what to do or need inspiration before an appointment, we pray. We are also trying to focus on the importance of sincere prayer with our investigators; praying to the Father in the name of Christ, and asking specific questions with the desire to act. Yesterday in almost every single lesson, our investigators offered sincere and reverent prayers to the Father in the name of Christ, and we were amazed - lots have been telling us how specifically they have felt the Spirit guide them to receive answers.

Adalid is a new investigator from last week - we taught him the first time Saturday night, he went to church, and he now has a baptism date for the 4th of November, not-so-cooincidentally his birthday! He is progressing well and is super animated to do whatever we invite him to do.

Tanya finally went to church! We were so happy! She is preparing to be baptized next weekend. We have been worried with her because she wasnt progressing for a little while, but as we read 2 Nefi 31 with her yesterday it occured to her how important it is for her to make this covenant and keep it. She is very poor and felt a little ashamed going to church in her jeans, so today we bought her some outfits to wear to church and her baptism so she always feels welcome. I really developed a love for Tanya this week as I studied the attribute of virtue and saw so many great and christlike qualities in her.

Daniela Vanegas received an answer and knows this is the true church, but she hasnt been able to obtain permission from her mom to be baptized. :( We are hopefully meeting with her family tonight to see if we can help her obtain permission.

We are still teaching English classes and they are really helping us out - we have a few of them that committed to come to church this week! We started teaching Michael yesterday and he is very positive and sincere, he accepted a baptism date for the 18th.

And Jorge, the subject of the majority of our prayers this week! We dont know what to do with him. We felt so strongly after a specific prayer in weekly planning that we need to continue teaching him, but he continues to drink. I guess well just trust in the Lord and see what happens!

I have been reading a talk that Hermana Wengert gave me called The Fourth Missionary, and it has changed me as a missionary. There were times when I was doing everything right; I couldnt have been more obedient, but I was frustrated and impatient every now and then. But the fourth missionary, the one who is changed, is happy no matter what. They want to go out and work because they love the Lord. They are wandering contacting for hours and still have a smile on their face because they trust that the Lord will put someone in their path who is prepared. Things can get hard, but I know that if I am obedient and charitable I will always be happy :)

1-3. Halloween / Friday the 13th FHE with the Chases and The Office

4. Baleadas with the sweetest member that lives in our colony - Pati :)

5. Hermana Chases treat after her workshop in Zone Conferences, I love that woman!

6. FELIZ 9 MESES HERMANA WENGERT!!!!! We ate ourselves sick with semitas and tajaditas that night we were dead the next morning. Worth it.