Week 103 Mis Dos Años

Mis Dos Años

Think I am feeling a little of what John felt as he finished writing his accounts of the savior when he said:

"And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."

The memories I have of these two years are one of the most valuable things I possess. This Friday I had the opportunity to visit Marcala. The joy I felt to see those people again is the greatest kind of joy one can feel. We visited this single mother who has four kids (two of which are twins). As I knocked on their gate I yelled the named of the smallest of the kids, Mauricio, who is only 4 years old. With out even being able to see me he came running yelling to the others" Es Elder Torn" (that's how everyone pronounces my name). 

Hermana Celemantina and the 4 year old.

The feeling that I had knowing that they remembered me is incomparable. After visiting almost all of the other people we had planned to visit I had become really worried that Freddy (the guy I baptized in the waterfall) would be working and I wouldn't be able to see him. Sure enough when we showed up at his house his truck wasn't there. My stomach just dropped and I thought to myself how rough it would be to leave without seeing him again. We visited another family that I really love and they happened to have Freddy's number. I called him, and before I could even say who I was he asked "where are you? You better not be in Marcala." He informed me that he was on his farm (about 30 from where I was ). I glanced at my watch and realized that it would be impossible to wait for him, seeing how the last bus left at 4 and it was 3:45. In a split second it crossed my mind that I could take the bus that left 5 minutes before 4 and have Freddy wait on the side of the road. Get off the bus, hug him, take a picture and get on the tiger bus that would be right behind ours. The plan worked perfectly. The two minutes I got to take to him again will be forever etched in my mind.

Freddy

 As I said at first, there simply is too much to write, I have felt more grateful in these last few moments of my mission then I have in all my life. Denis (who we baptized a few weeks ago) was ordained an Elder on Saturday and is the new secretary of the branch. Maybe the only thing that has been rough is that I won't be here for Estefannys baptism. She has been the most perfect investigator in history.

I tried my best to emulate the Savior in these two years. I now understand some what of what the Savior must have felt when he was in his personal ministry. The mission requires sacrifice, but it is a source of incomparable satisfaction. I know he lives. I feel it at the very center of who I am.

"There is none to equal him. There never has been. There never will be. Thanks be to God for the gift of his beloved son, who gave his life that we might live and who is chief , in moveable, cornerstone of our faith and his church"

Gordon B. Hinckley

Estefanny

Joel and familia

Alan and family

Mama Chu

After sacrament I made the whole branch take a picture jaja. classic.

Week 102 The People of Honduras

The People of Honduras

I think I could sit down and right for a solid three hours and still have stories to tell about this week. 

Estefanny (the girl who started investigating the church on her own) is probably the best investigator in the history of the mission. We went to go teach her this week and I was still a little nervous about her thoughts about the temple and baptisms for the dead. When we showed up she pulled out the Book of Mormon and showed us all these verses she had marked that she really liked. The spirit was so strong that I felt like she was teaching me about Christ. Honestly now that I really think about it she was indeed teaching me. I asked her if she believed in the Book of Mormon and in Joseph Smith's story. With a firm voice she said yes. I invited her to be baptized and she accepted saying that the night before she had been talking to her mom and told her that she was going to be baptized in the church. I can't even explain to you how amazing it is to find someone like this. She is a doctor, twenty seven years old and is going to be the best convert on the planet.

Sunday I showed up to church a little late and sat down in my sit. I realized that Denis (the kid we baptized two weeks ago) was sitting on the stand ready to bless the sacrament. As he read the sacrament prayer it was if every single word had importance. I got all teary eyed and felt something that has to be similar to what our Father in heaven feels for us. I thought to myself how strange that just over a month ago we were contacting him in the street just before going home and now here he was blessing the sacrament. The stake presidente was hyped out of his mind when I told him that he had been baptized just two weeks earlier. This truly is the Lord's work and to be apart of it has brought me a joy that I will remember for the eternities.

ELDER THORN 

 

 

Week 101 Every Single Door Will Be Opened

Every Single Door Will Be Opened

We have a solid two weeks with out a single person telling us no. Honestly not even sure how to put into words all that is happening here in Flores. It's as if the Savior himself is walking in front of us talking to the people before we get there. Maybe it's all the missionary´s prayers in Europe that are having a hard time. Just feeling so blessed and lucky to be here. The other Elders had a Baptism this week. The district, we are three companionship, has 7 weeks in a row with baptisms. Pretty awesome.

This week our new investigator came to church. Long story short after seeing a Mormon kid pray on his food she starting investigating the church and got in touch with this Elder that finished his mission here in Honduras a few months back. After about two weeks of doing her own research she agreed to meet with the missionaries. That's when we got a message with her number and her name. This doesn't happened that much in the mission so at first I was like uhhh Lord bless my Spanish so she will agree to let us visit her (almost anyone will hang up the phone when they hear an accent). The second after I introduced myself as the LDS missionaries she is like umm it would be awesome if you passed by Saturday at like 6. UNREAL. I was so hyped. The lesson Saturday was even better. She had read almost all of first Nephi and had watched the Joseph Smith movie. Sunday she showed up all by her self and I sat down to explain the hymns. As sacrament started I remembered that the branch had gone to the temple on Saturday and it was also testimony meeting. The first few people gave great powerful testimonies of how they felt closer to heaven in the temple. Then this little 12 year old girl gets up  "I went to the temple yesterday, it was amazing. I was baptized for 42 DEAD PEOPLE¨. I about fell out of my seat and our investigator just looks at me like ummmm waaaitttt. Later we passed by for her house and everything turned out good. life is good. the mission is the hardest greatest experience on the planet. lovee your guys.

Cant wait to hug my mom in two weeks. lol

ELDER THORN

cows

Jenga

guayaba (I really hope I can find fruits in Utah)

 

Week 100 Denis' Baptism

Denis´ Baptism

This week was one of those weeks in the mission that makes you forget about all the let downs you've had in months. I had the privilege to baptize Denis on Saturday. The other Elders here in Flores also had a baptism. A bunch of members showed up and the little bus we took to la villa (we have to do the baptisms in the other chapel because the chapel here in Flores doesn't have one) was packed full of all the youth of the branch. As we were taking pictures before the baptism Denis turns to me and is like I'm going to throw up some gang signs for the last time (picture included) I started laughing so hard and realized for a second how much I really care about him. Really has been the best investigator. He showed up on Sunday with a white shirt, tie, and a Book of Mormon in his hand. For those of you that haven't been to Honduras I doubt you will understand how brave you have to be to do that. 

There really are people out there that are just looking for the truth. WE have to find them. It honestly doesn't matter at all if you look all day and night for weeks, months, or years when you finally find someone and watch them gain a testimony, it's priceless.

¨Whatever our age, capacity, church calling or location, WE are as ONE called to the work to help (the Savior) in His harvest of souls until He comes again¨ Henry B. Erying

Elder Thorn 

Tag challenge photo

This week was the fair here in Flores which consisted of a parade, drinking, miss Flores, drinking, fried chicken, drinking, trampolines, drinking, hanging a wire off the road with a live duck hung by it's neck and racing on a horse to see who could rip it's head off, anddd more drinking. oh and fireworks.

Beef Soup

Here in Honduras they brake eggs on the heads of people when it's their birthday! It's awesome. Action foto

 

Week 99 Did You Hear the Good News?

Did You Hear the Good News?

Highlight of this week was reading "I am a child of God" by Donald L. Hallstrom from this past general conference. Really opened my eyes. Awhile back when I hadn't had a baptism for over 8 months I found myself really confused and began to question as to why I hadn't been able to baptize. I would always say a slight prayer thinking "hello I have been contracting like crazy, inviting everyone to be baptized, working with member, studying really well, whaaattttsss the problem here? Why can't you just let me find someone who is looking for the truth!" Month after month with each one getting more and more difficult. I honestly don't think I had fully understood why the Lord let me go so long without baptizing until this morning. Towards the end of the talk he sites a quote from Elder Holland " You can have what you want, or you can have something better". When I read this at first I started laughing and then tears filled my eyes as I began to think how much my testimony grew in those months I didn't baptize. The Savior knows us perfectly and gives us trials to help us learn eternal lessons. A life without opposition is a life with out progression.

This week I have been praying to try and find new fun ways to contact. I started asking people if they had heard the good news. Had way too many funny experiences with people telling me random news stories jaja Not what I had expected to happen. Then we shared with them that Christ had visited the Americas. It always takes people a few minutes to really grasp what we are saying. And when they finally get it the look on their face is too perfect. The work is progressing here in Flores and I really hope I can find all the people the Lord has prepared.  

ELDER GRANT MICHAEL THORN 

Week 98 Testimony Push Ups

Testimony Push Ups

Was about to log off and realized that I didn't write anything home for the blooggggg. 

Between us and the other Elders we have a baptism every week in July. The district is the best district in the mission right now. Honestly things are going too good it's almost weird. We finally had this bomb activity that we planned like a month ago. We took the projector, white board, and a bunch of seats to the park and set it all up to watch Meet the Mormons. The branch pres got a hold of giant speakers and about one hundred people showed up. We had a ton of contacts and it helped us change the idea of what people think of Mormons. Proud to be Mormon! No hay nada mejor. 

Denis, the kid who was going to get baptized this last week, is going to get baptized this week. He came to church Sunday and jaja he is the goofiest kid that honestly makes the funniest comments it's awesome. I feel really blessed to have found him and I really hope I can see him grow in the gospel. I also had interchanges with Elder Obando who is starting his mission here in the other area. SO stellar. Really love new missionaries soo much. Just so pure and full of light. 

ELDER THORN

Week 97 Last Six Weeks

Last Six Weeks

Got the news this morning (while fishing, si hombre) that I am going to be staying here in Flores for my last change. Honestly hyped. We had a surprise baptism this week. Long story but she ask me to baptize her and it made the hard week a lot better. Things have really changed here in Flores. The branch has grown so much and I feel like we are really progressing. I set some goals for my last six weeks and am really going to try to talk to every single person that lives here in Flores. I feel so different these days. Maybe I am just in love with being a missionary lol. For those that know me know that I have never been scared to talk to people or ask questions. And that's pretty much what the mission is. Talking to people you don't know and asking them to change. It's that simple. The best part is that the Lord does that hard part and is so willing to help us do ours. I love you guys. I hope that the Gospel is working for you, it's working for me. Here is a bunch of pictures. 

Elder Thorn 

4th of July dinner beans and hot-dogs