Already Febrero?

¡Interrobang!

This week I saw some fruits of my labors in exercising every morning. I can do a double-under with the jumprope (well... roperope) and can do boy-pushups. Hooray!

But more important, on Saturday we were able to help a young mother and her children hike up the hardest hill in the area with all her stuff. I had a chair upside down on my head with a big sack of corn on top of the underside of the chair. As we passed an old man sitting on the side of the path, and I greeted him enthusiastically (because who isn´t happy when they´re serving? and in Honduras? Carrying the weight on my head like a Honduran ... or ´Catratcha´as they say), he said ¨rest, child!¨ It was funny.
But then after that we were able to have a great lesson about the word of wisdom with the familia Contreras and Hna. Rosales shared the experience. How great that we have the word of wisdom to help us be alert, and in good shape to serve the Lord with all our hearts, might mind and strength. It was a fabulous day.
And better still, the next day we hiked up the same hill for an appointment which fell through. As we rested to see the view on the other side of the mountain, I just felt so impelled to go to contact a house in the distance where we saw a woman washing her clothes in the pila outside. We went, met Maria and her partner (not yet spouse, but they, unlike many, want to get married) Omar, and had a lesson about the Lord as our creator and the creator of all the beautiful things that we can see on this earth. They had seen us the day before helping the young mother with her things. Perhaps that was one reason they were so receptive. And perhaps another reason is that the people here are so friendly and open to listen to us.
I feel so blessed to be having these experiences and to be seeing the hand of the Lord in our lives every day. We also had a challenging week (we felt the need to fast twice) with people not being willing to keep their commitments, and not progressing.
Spanish is coming, but I realized with the help of my companion that I´ve been focusing a lot on trying to understand the positive things, like in church, and in the lessons, and with the members, and letting my mind wander when people complain or speak negatively. I think it´s partly my personality to flee from contention and see everything with rose colored glasses. I´m focusing more now on trying to understand always, and not picking and choosing. And also on trying to offer solutions even though I don´t have much experience in the mission.
There are a million more things I want to write, but I feel bad because Hna. Rosales didn´t have many email to check and she doesn´t like to write her family. Please send letters in pouch for her. AND! We´re most likely going to see some ancient ruins (not THE Copan Ruinas, but some closer to home) later today. I´ll take pictures.

One more thing... I was reading about John the baptist in the bible and then later in Our Search for Happiness about the restoration and all the people who prepared the way for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored (Martin Luther, reformers, etc.) Then I thought about how prepared I´ve been in all my life to come serve a mission, and all the good people who have influenced me. I also know that there are people prepared here to receive this gospel and to fulfil their purpose here on the earth the way the Lord wants for them. I know He is helping me be more than I am to find and help them in this journey.

I love you all bigger than a tortilla box. Take care and forgive the mail man. I suppose email will have to do. (but I´m still sending snail mail nevertheless)

Xoxoxoxox Hermana Francis