But at the same time, I feel like the adjustment from MTC life to field life sure is taking a while. I´m trying to be patient as things are still different from my expectations. I´m trying to not be frustrated and to learn all I can here. It´s similar to what I learned in Sociology about culture shock... first is the honeymoon faze where every little thing is new and exciting, and after a while reality sets in.
However! I know Spanish is coming little by little (poco a poco) and I know I´m learning how to have more charity and how to be a little more grown up and responsible. I´m living each day with the end in mind, hoping to become what the Lord would have me become in this, His mission. And I know the way to do it is to focus on others. I can do a lot better with that.
Anyhow. This week we had a multizona in San Pedro and I was talking to Hna Alvarez who was with me in the CCM Guatemala. I mentioned something about our branch, and she said ¨you only have a branch there? We have stakes.¨ Our area is having the lowest amount of baptisms in the mission. I knew it was a hard area, but didn´t really realize it until it was put in perspective. I´m grateful for the opportunity to be here and to be learning and starting the mission in Copan.
And how funny that ¨hard area¨means still having baptisms every month and people so willing to let us in and listen to the gospel. I´m happy to be here in Honduras!
Also at the Multizona I was able to talk to Hna Story (my 1st companion from MTC Provo) and she speaks Spanish now! It was really exciting to hear her.
Because of how slow the work is progressing in Copan, the zone leaders presented a missionary plan to choose 10 families, and each of those families choose 10 families for us to teach with their help. Also, we and the members need to read from the Book of Mormon each day and pray in faith for those who we are working with. We´re excited and more motivated, and know that if we have faith, this plan will work and strengthen this area.
This week I had to explain what the red, yellow and green of a stoplight mean to Hna. Rosales. We have one stoplight in La Entrada.
We´ve been trying to find Frankling every day (I think I´ve mentioned him... 17 years old and we always feel the Spirit strongly in our lessons with him) but it´s been hard because he doesn´t have a phone and we almost always miss him. Yesterday though, with help from the Spirit we found him and talked to him again. I felt prompted that he needed to know why we knew what we knew (we´d talked to him a lot about his life and problems and he´s been to church once but we still haven´t taught him about the restoration) and after we told about Joseph Smith he said he knew that what we told him was true. He also said that he was able to find a new and better job after praying, and this one will keep him in the area so we can teach him! (his other job was going to take him to Guatemala) It´s amazing how we can see the hand of the Lord in our lives in the small things and the big ones. Hna. Rosales especially feels a strong connection with Frankling and wants to help him so much... she´s always thinking about and praying for him. I care about Frankling and want him to have this change in his life, but also am almost more excited because when we teach him Hna Rosales is motivated and happier. I know that she needs him... she´s a little bit trunky. (only 4 months left).
I´m sorry if this email is a little bit not-as-perky as usual. Please know that I am finding things every day to be very happy about, and that I´m fine. The members are good to us... feeding us and being patient with my Spanish. I love being a missionary and I´m growing ever so slowly but still.
I´ve been thinking a lot about the brother of Jared and how he presented his little stones and yet the Lord was able to perform a miracle because of His faith. (An insight Jason helped me understand when I was in Indiana this last summer) At this point in the mission, my stones are all I have to offer. But I have faith that there´s a reason why I´m here, and that I can do good with the Spanish I do know and with my testimony.
Wow, this is getting long. I love you all so so much! THank you for the pouch mail, it comes frequently. Please send a letter to my companion Hna. Regina Rosales. English or Spanish... I can hopefully translate the English.
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