No Snow in Honduras!

Hello family!! How are you all? Things are so great here!
"Here" is La Entrada, Copan, Honduras. Copan is one of the two most coveted areas in the mission because it´s beautiful, in the mountains, and "cold". But "cold" is code for hot. Ha ha... Can´t wait to see what "hot" means.

On my first day here, we were hiking around to all the different little houses (the people are super poor) and there was a lot of trash all over on the ground. I had a few negative thoughts about it, just the mud and the trash and the smells. But then I raised my head and saw the beautiful mountains and green and sky and wow. It is SO beautiful. It reminded me that the things we pass through are for our good and we always need to have an eternal perspective.

So ya´ll had Thanksgiving I´m guessing if it still falls on the third Thursday of November. How was it? I actually didn´t realize it was Thanksgiving til the day after.

My companion is Hermana Rosales from Nicaragua. She knows a few words in English but definitely not enough to communicate, which means I have been praying a lot for the gift of tongues! And it is definitely real. These couple of days, though, I have understood a little more how important it is to put forth a huge effort to obtain it. When I concentrate on understanding and speaking Spanish with all my heart, might, mind and strength, I´m blessed and it truly makes a huge difference.

But more about my companion. She is amazing! She´s so excited to have me... I´m her first "hija" or the first missionary she has ever trained. Plus I´m a "gringita"... which makes me endearing I suppose. She works very hard, always takes opportunities to serve and teach, and is extremely patient with me as I am learning how to do everything over again... like shower and clean the apartment and wash my clothes. I am so grateful for such a trainer.

But speaking of showering, I totally shower with a bucket! Yep. And I want you to all try it. But you can use warm water, because we always boil water on our little stove first and then mix it with the cold water. Anyhow, it´s super exciting. Sometimes I take a step back and realize, I´m really here, in Honduras, showering with a bucket. Wow.

Hermana Rosales and her last companion were teaching some children, and so I met them my first day here. They´re super cute and love us a lot... they always run after us and hug as and say they don´t want us to leave. One is Maira (8) and her brother Armando (10) and another is Delmis (10). The thing that makes me kind of sad is that their parents aren´t opposed to us coming but they don´t have interest to hear the message. I know it will be difficult for them to come to church without the support from their parents, especially being so young. We´re working with the members to try to get people to help welcome them into the fold as they very well may be baptized this Saturday. THIS SATURDAY! Yep. I´m excited.

And another exciting thing. We met a man on Friday named José and talked to him for a little while while he rested from chopping wood. He seems about 30 (I´m still not sure his age) and has a girlfriend and children, sister and parents. He accepted our pamphlet with my memorized ("will you read this pamphlet before we come visit you again?") phrase. The next day he was waiting for us with chairs all ready to go and was very receptive. The spirit was strong and I was able to say what I wanted to with the gift of tongues.

We had invited him to a special District conference we had on Sunday, where all the members of the branch would take a bus to Santa Rosa (where Hermana Kochevar-my friend from both MTCs- and her latina trainer are working). Everyone was supposed to meet at the church at 7 30 am to go. Which means on the day of, everyone actually met at 8 and we left at about 820. José wasn´t there.

When we visited him last night, he told us that he had gone and was there at 730 but no one was there and he thought he had missed us so he went home. It was a shame that he missed it because he was punctual. But he said he would be at church this next sunday and also accepted our invitation to be baptized (not with a date yet but we´re thinking Dec. 12) and the Book of Mormon and said he´ll start reading it. He is incredibly ready for this gospel. Wow.

Talking to his mother that night, she said that Mormon missionaries had come by the house before, but they were worried about going to church because they´re very poor and don´t have anything fancy to wear. We assured her that God knows our hearts and that this gospel is for those who are willing to accept and live it. I have great hopes for them!

Anyhow, I need to wrap this up. I love you all a lot, and hope you never think I´ve forgotten you or anything.. but it´s going to be really hard to send snail mail. At least at first as I get used to everything. Don´t worry, mom, I´ve already written your snail mail, that you´ll get in a month or two. Oh also for mom, our secret... Christmas would be great. You know what I mean.

Love you! The work is amazing! I feel so blessed and happy to be here!!

Xoxoxoxox Hermana Francis