Week 86 Third Times a Charm

Third Times a Charm
Long story short I am training again. Had to laugh a little when they called me to give me the news. Training is the best thing in the mission because it's like you are starting your mission again, but in a good way. There is no time to think about home or other distractions. My comp is Elder Salgado. He is from Tegucigalpa and is going to Cobán, Guatemala. He had some problems with his visa and has to stay here for a little bit. We had a baptism this week! So I think Elder Salgado broke the record for fastest baptism. He legit had 5 days in the mission. Was a really special day for me. I haven't had a baptism in over eight months and I had been pretty hard on myself. Trying to figure out what I was doing wrong or what more I needed to do to show the Lord that I really wanted to help him baptize at least someone. In the end I realize that this is the Lord's work and I haven't done anything ¨wrong", or it wasn't that the Lord was punishing me, and that is why I hadn't baptized. It simply was that the Lord had a lesson to teach me and saw fit to let me wait a little. I also finished Jesus the Christ this week (took me about six months) and my heart really filled with this joy that Christ lives. I think here in the mission I honestly can picture better the day that I return to my Heavenly Father better than I can imagine the day I return to my earthly father. 

 

ELDER THORN

 Bryan is who we baptized. I haven't wrote much about him because we haven't had to do that much. His grandpa is the other in white that baptized him. Really stellar grandpa. Legit taught him everything and would always read with him. Made our job really easy.

This is two lil girls of an investigator that we have. so cute 

We packed 24 people into a 15 person van for the baptism. 

 Lil girl took this selfie on my camera. Best photo I have.

Week 85 Elder Andino se va a Mexicó

Elder Andino se va a Mexicó 

Probably the fastest change on my mission. These six weeks have been steller. Opening an area is rough. The first day you are just, well we don't know anyone not even the branch pres. But in just these six weeks we have taught so many people and had countless spiritual experiences. But the greastest thing that happened this change is that I got to be comps with Elder Andino. At first I was SO confused as to why pres had called me to Flores to be with a mini missionary. I was uhh hello pres. isn't there some other missionary that can do it. I viewed it as a punishment or something like that. My pride of the calling I have had in the mission really got to me. The Lord truly knew exactly what I needed. I will be forever greatful for the time I had with Elder Andino and all that he has taught me. 

Not a whole lot happened this week. I am going to be with a different mini missionary for just this week and then for the other five weeks they are going to send me a different mini missionary jaja. I really love it. It's like training missionaries before they even go to the mission. 

ELDER THORN

 

Week 84 Triplets and a Puppy

Triplets and a Puppy 

Sometimes the mission is really confusing. When you think you are going to have ten people in church, no one comes. When you think you aren't going to have anyone in church, everyone and their dog comes. Literally. As I sat in sacament yesterday I had 3 five year olds all over me and eating my tie. They are the kids of this less active that recently moved to Flores and is living with the son of a different member. As one of the triplets started drawing on my shoes I looked under my seat to find a lil puppy. And the lil girl of the triplets put her finger to her lips and told me to not to bug him. Really one of the better days I have had in church. When I thought that things couldn't get better I realized that a handful of other investigators had snuck their way into the back of the chapel. But then came some of the hardest news I had heard in my whole mission. The branch pres and a counselor from the stake informed us that the new husband of the mom who has the triplets, has AIDS and that the wife has no idea seeing as they only have a month living together. At first I was confused. When we got back to the house I realized the relality of what I had just heard. Sometimes here in the mission I have been in the middle of things that really make you wonder why. Why does stuff like that have to happen. But what a comfort it is to know the plan of salvation. Not sure what we are going to do or what is going to happen but I am sure that our Heavenly Father has a plan for her and her five kids.

To add to all the craziness. The stake pres of my comp called and told us that his call is in Tegucigalpa. He is so hyped to see where he is going for the next two years. We are going to get it at like 3 and then open it together. Here is a lil pciture of him. Honestly the most heartfelt kid I have met here in Honduras and I feel so blessed that I had the chance to be with him and learn form him for these six weeks. 

ELDER THORN 

Probably the strongest members in the branch. We went and saw their lil ranch and visited some less actives that live near by. 

Week 83 The Extra Mile

The Extra Mile 

Bare with me as I try to remember everything that I felt this weekend. Really have gained a new love for conference. I think when I was at home I watched maybe 1 or 2 sessions. Here in the mission we had to bring an investigator to the afternoon session to be able to attend and I was dying to make it happen. In the end I got to attend all the sessions, including priesthood, which was a huge blessing. During the conference I had a lot of impressions of things I need to do here in the mission. But more than any other is that this truly is the Lord's work. When someone accepts us, they accept the Lord. When someone rejectes us, they reject the Lord. Sometimes here in the mission it's so frustrating when people lie. When they say they are going to do something and they don't do it. Then I started to think to myself, how many times have I told the Lord I was going to do something and I didn't do it. More than a couple. 

Maybe my favorite of all the things that were shared was Uchtdorf`s talk and his example of reconstructing the building. I have felt that recontructive power that the Lord has in my life. I have felt and been trapped in that lie of satan that it is impossible to become clean. But as Uchtdorf spoke, all those who truly wish to change can achieve it through the atonement. I leave my personal testimony to that claim. The Savior can heal the most injuired soul. He healed and saved mine and I continue to feel it in my every day life. 

ELDER THORN 

We ran into these guys from swisa who had been traveling the americas for 9 years.

We went and milked cows again, but this time we made chocolate milk.