A Week of Service

Familia,

 

Poocha, this week was crazy. Honestaly, not alot happened, but yet so much happened. So this week was the big festive week in honduras. This past thursday was independance day, and everyone had the week off. Literally everyone took off to celebrate. Our area was left pretty empty. Having everyone gone, we had to find something to do... so we did a lot of service haha. I mean a lot a lot of service. Literally everyday we were doing something. We painted houses, helped people move, helped peole cook, cleaned a television graveyard, cut weeds with a machete, made a mask for some kid, just a little bit of everything.. hahaha. Yeah, i have a few videos and photos. Other than that, the work continues. We are hoping that everything continues to go smoth like it is right now. Honestly, i feel great!. I get along really well with Elder Martinez, and the zone that we have right now is very unified. We have the ward working with us, and all is well in zion.

 

I just want to let you know about one other experience that i had this past week. So on Saturday, we had to help out the stake and go and visit less actives in a ward of the stake. I had no problem, because we were asigned to visit Laureles, my old area.. We showed up and in the church were alot of members that helped me out alot when i served in Laureles. It was really really incredible to see those that I have served with before. Were were asigned to visit a few members, and one of the families that we were assigend to visit, was the Familia Garcia. I helped the Familia Garcia get married and get baptized when i was there with Elder Espinoza. To just be in their house again almost made me cry. This family is so good. They are working to get sealed in the temple soon. Really great experience. It was a little weird having to tell various people that i went to visit that ill stop by in just 5 months bejore i go home. Gosh, the mission goes by so fast. More than i year ago I was in laureles. Just this expierience made my reflect about my mision. The mision is an incredible expierience. The church is true.

 

Love yall

Elder High

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you find the temple?

 

A few videos

The door to nowhere

 

 

The television graveyard

 

Cutting weeds with a machete

 

 

 

 

138 days

En aquel tiempo se acercaron los discípulos a Jesús, diciendo: ¿Quién es el mayor en el reino de los cielos? Y llamando Jesús a un niño, lo puso en medio de ellos,y dijo: De cierto os digo que si no os volvéis y os hacéis como niños, no entraréis en el reino de los cielos. Así que, cualquiera que se humille como este niño, ese es el mayor en el reino de los cielos.Y cualquiera que reciba en mi nombre a un niño como este, a mí me recibe.   Mateo 18:1-5

So, A lot has happened in this past week. We have been working with the kids and this week, 7 of them decided to get baptized. Herson, Henry, Josi, Astrid, Nahomi, Adan, and Luis. Honestly, it was super crazy. We had to run around making sure that all of them were good to be baptized, have the interviews with them, and plan the baptism service. On top of all that, we have been having to work alongside Presidente Ferman with this project. Baptizing 7 kids without baptizing their parents normally doesnt fly, but these kids have a diferent circumstance. Presidente has called this project excepcional. Also we have had to work alongside the ward which really doesnt help much. much to our suprise, the ward was all willing to help us. Everything turned out miraculously. We help the baptism on thursday at 2 in the afternoon, the only time that all the kids could be together. We were honestly expecting no one to come and support the baptisms, but more than 50 people showed up. I have never in my mision seen so many people in a baptism service. Ill send a Pic. And then the baptisms were incredible. Honestly it has just been one giant miracle these kids. If you could only see the faces in person, and hear the voices and laughter of these kids, itd bring you to tears. Yeah, it was a good week.

But, the work goes on. We still have more projects to do. There are so many people to help here. We are going to keep going forward. 

Love Yall

Elder High

Also, This was my sunday dinner yesterday! Fried fish fried in a bat a lard. Almost fair quality hahaha Also a better picture of the baptisms to see the faces of the kids

Also, not to freak you out or anything, just something that freaks me out is... suposivly, everyone has been telling me that my release date will be the 7th of Febuary....  Tomorrow, i will only have 138 days left of my mision. Me and my companion leave the same day, so starting tomorrow, we are going to read together every day, one chapter in Doctrine and Covenants. When we finish the book, we finish the mision... I cant believe how fast this time has gone.. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching the children

Dejad a los niños venir a mí y no se lo impidáis, porque de los tales es el reino de Dios. 

 

Entonces.. This was a super crazy week. So much has happened this week. So like I said last week, I am still in Santa Fe and still with Elder Martinez. This past week was the week of changes, and me and my companion were in charge of making sure that everyone left and made it into the zone okay. There is 6 companionships in Zona Country, and every companionship other than us had changes. It was a little crazy, but everything turned out great.

 

So on tuesday, we decided to stop by and visit a member that is super pilas ( Awesome). We visitied the Family Cardoza. The wife is a shcool teacher of a goverment high poverty level shool. When we visited her, she explained to us the curcumstances of many of her students. Many of her students come from broken familes, drunk fathers, single mothers without work, all sorts of problems. She explained to us that these kids need all the help that they can get. Honestly, I was heartbroken. Sister Cardoza explained to us that she wants to intergrate her school class into the church. The church is a safehaven for kids like these. These kids more than anyone need the support and help that comes from the church and from the gospel of Christ. I couldnt help but think in the words of Elder Anderson this week. 

  
  "Children today find themselves in many differentand complex family configurations. We need tor each out to those who feel alone, left behind, oroutside the fence. These young Latter-day Saints enter the Church with great faith. They hope to create the family ideal in their own lives at a future day. In time, they becomean important part of our missionary force, our righteous young adults, and those who kneel at an altar to begin their own families"


We essentially dedicated our time to finding these kids, teaching these kids, inviting these kids to come unto christ. It was a humbling expeiernce. Sister cardoza gave us a list of 26 kids, and one by one we found them. We found one kid named Sheila. Shelia let us talk to her mother, and her mother cried when she told us that she is trying to do all that she can to take care of her three daughters. She cried when she explained that she lost her husband three years ago, and there has been no income in the household sine. She lovingly accepted our invitacion to church. Another kid is named Naomi. Naomi lives with her grandmother and her 3 sisters in a one room shack. Her parents left her and her sisters, and her grandmother was forced into taking care of them. The grandmother is old, but full of faith. Me my companion, a member that lives nearby, the grandmother, and the 3 little girls crammed ourselfes into the shack, and i know that together we witnessed the spirit. the two young girls older than 8 accepted to prepare for baptism. We found a kid named Steven. Steven led us to his mother, who very suprisingly acceped us. Steven also lives in a one room shack with his brother and sister. They also lovingly accepted that we could come back to share the gosple with them. 

On sunday, 10 of these little ones came to church with Sister Cardoza.more than 20 came to church on wednesday to play soccer with us. This gospel brings so much joy to these kids. These kids have no where else to turn. These kids are blessed with believing hearts. The church is so true. The gospel helps the needy, the poor in spirit, the desiring heart. Im going to atach a photo of the kids so you all can see them.

 

Love you all

 

Elder High

also read this talk 

 

 

"Whoso Receiveth Them, Receiveth Me” By Elder Neil L. Andersen Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

 

A funny lesson

Hello!! 

 

So, I dont know how, but another 6 weeks has passed. Not only that, but 18 months has passed. Tomorrow is changes, and i aint going anywhere. I am perfectly content where im at and whom im with. I will get another 6 weeks here in santa fe. In other words, Im all good. So this week has been a very interesting week. For a few months now we have been planing something called a Noche Blanca, or Night of White. Essentially, the plan was that every companionship of misionaries in the stake would have a baptism, and were would baptize everyone all on the same night. Everyone would be dressed in baptism cloths, white clothes, for the baptisms. In theory, great idea, in reality, kinda worked haha. So a week ago, we had more than 22 baptisms planed for this saturday. Due to certain problems, we had 12 baptisms. Unfortunatly, not every companionship had baptisms, but honestly, the majority did. Me and Elder Martinez had the baptism of Samuel Aplicano. Samuel is great. Hes 12 years old, and almost all his family is members. Hes just a good kid haha. This past week we have sacrificed alot of time to plan and organize the baptisms. We had to give various interveiws, various meeting with stake leaders, various everything. We really didnt have a whole lot of time to do normal misionary work, but yet the lord provides. When all was said and done, we had a baptism, so no complaints. Other crazy things, as I mentioned, we have been really ocupied doing other things than normall misionary work. We were really worried yesterday that no investagator was going to show up to church, because we honestly didnt teach or visit much investagators. The lord provides and 6 investagators showed up out of nowhere. Through sacrifice comes blessings.

 

So also sometimes crazy things happen. So yesterday  showed up to church an investagator named Angel. We have been teaching this guy for a few weeks. The only thing is that this guy is super odd, like weirdo. Hes in his 40s, lives with his wife, 2 daughters, and his two cats. I can not explain why, but everytime we teach this guy, something has to happen. He belives in everything that has do with christianity, like most honduras, but he is just a lilttle confused with his beliefs. For example, this last week we tried teaching him about prayer, something super simple for almost anyone that believes in Christ and the Blible. We taught him how to pray, and everything was just great, but.. then he was like, "I dont like the idea of praying. I dont like having to rely and depend on God. I think God wants us to be independent. Look, America is the most powerfull country because it is the most independent." We were like dude, its not like that...  Angel is just like that, just a little lost with his beliefs. Well yesterday after church we wanted to visit him. he told us to come by at 5, but we showed up a little early at 4. We knocked his door, and he let us in, and sitting on his couch was a jehovas witness, cool. The witness finished quicly and left, actully this guy was pretty chill. So we start to teach Angel, we sing a hymn, pray, and then he says he has a question. ok. He said that he heard in church about a war between the Nephites and the Lamanites, and he wanted to know what was that. The most random thing.. We were trying to explain the whole story behind the book of mormon, and then someone knocked on his door. Angel let him the guy in, and it was another freaking jehovas witness.. hahaha, but this guy wasnt as chill as the other, the secund witness was some old crazy man.. THis freaking man tried for an hour in front of our investagator to prove us wrong, and he couldnt do it.. We got talking about the spirit world, and the witness just got furios that we would believe that. The craziest thing is that he tried to respond to our doctrine by teaching what happens to dogs when they die.. He was so lost. Angel was so lost. And the worst part is that for an hour straight, in the same freaking room was Angels daughter in the corner making out haha It was literally the oddest lession that i have ever had in my mission. Sometimes the mission just gives you lemons when you dont want nor expect to get lemons. hahaha. The mision sometimes.. 

 

So, hopelly you all get the vibe, that im dong great, becausse im doing great. 

 

Love yall

 

Elder High

 

 

 

The day he bought a machete

Muy Buenas Dias mi Querido Familia!

 

Yeah, Honduras is so going to win their first olympic medal. So honestly here, people could care less about the olympics, for that reason theyve never won anything. The only thing that really matters is Futbol, soccer. Let me tell ya, Catrachos, hondurans, love their futbal. Everyone and their dog plays all day everyday out in the streets. Me and Elder Martinez were in a lession with one of the very few hondurans that doesnt like futbol on saturday, when Honduras scorred the goal. This country went crazy.. hahaha. I am in heartland Tegucigalpa, and everyone in this freaking city lost it when Honduras scorred. THe whole city erupted with shouts and screams, and then came the firecrackes. Literaly, 5 minuets straight of anyoine and everyone throwing firecrackes.. hahaha.. Yeah, I heard that Honduras won... 

 

Other than Futbol, this week was actually quite good. We've been trying to do all that we can to help this poor little ward of Santa Fe out. Still, we dont have a Bishop.. Its very sad to see a active ward with more that 130 asisting members every week, have no leader. This church is the true church, and it is a church that doesnt change or adapt with the philosphies of man. If a man isnt worthy to be bishop, he wont be bishop. And thats that. The Ward is in a very rough patch right now, but what is thriving is the mision work. Honestly, the mision work is what is holding this ward together. The members get excited when we bring new people to church. Members are more willing to visit with us than to fufill with their callings. Its good for us, just not ideal. Weve been trying to think of ways to balance it out, and weve decided to try to leave more with members without callings and with priests and youth. Almost everyday this week we were able to go out and work with some great youth. From what weve seen, its been working. We are hoping that this saturday we will have a few baptisms. It would be good for us, but even better for this ward. The work continues.

 

Also just a few little things,1. Elder Paiz finished his mision last tuesday. You should try to look for him on facebook, Joseph Paiz. 2. Today I buy a machete 3. Happy Aniversary!!!!!!!!

4. Love yall

 

Elder High

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Great Week

Good Afternoon

 

So.. THE FAMILY REYES FINALLY GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!  

 

yes, that was the focus of this last week!!!

Really not a lot else happened. just the family is soo good. They were so happy. Honestly, This is why im here. More than three months ago Elder Johnson started working with them, and then I came in. We married them, and a month later, they get baptized. It has been a huge pleasure to help this family. Just to let you know, im doing great here. Things are going good. There is so much I want to tell yall, but there just isnt time today. Just have a great week.

 

Elder High

 

 Familia Reyes

 

Buenas Tardes!!

 

Pues, aquí estoy escribiendo, recordando todo lo que paso este semana, y que loco semana tenia. So... this was a very odd week. So on Monday, we had a lesion with the Family Reyes. As we were teaching them, we asked them when they were going to get baptized. Literally the sat silent for 3 minuets, and they responded saying in spanish a phrase, Dele Viaje este Sabado, o lets get it done this saturday. We were so freaking suprised! It was a miracle silence. So we thought that everything was good with the family. We talked about what they needed to know for the interveiw. Everyone that gets baptized has to pass an interview. I asume you know the usual questions. On Wednesday, they were complety fine for the interview. On thursday, we had the interview. The wife Waleska passed, but.....the Husband Carlos drank a cup of cofee in the morning, didnt pass the interview. They couldnt get baptized this week. In this mission, the perosn getting baptized has to be clean and worthy for a full week. Honestly. i was a little depressed. We have done so much for this family, and then at the last minuet they fall. They have never had the desire to be baptized, and then when they finally have the desire, they cant. I am starting to understand more what the higher plan is. God doesnt just want people to get baptized, God wants people to be converted to this gospel. God wants people who are willing to live and to give everything for this gospel. The family isnt quite ready yet. I am okay with that. It is a lot better to wait for someone to get converted before their baptism. Hopefully they will be ready for this saturday, but if not, we arent going to give up on them. We arent going to stop with the family untill they experience a full conversion. 

 

Other things that have been crazy. So on Friday, I went on an interchange with Elder Caballero, (Elder gentleman haha) from colombia.It was a really good interchange. Just in the night I called my companion Elder Martinez to ask him how his day was and what happened, and he told me that he had to go home early because he had a bad earach. The next morning he called me really early and told me that he was going to the hospital because he was bleeding out of his ear the whole night.He had some wierd infection that caused his inner ear to bleed. The crazy thing is that I wasnt with him when all of this happened haha. The next day He had to stay inside with another sick misionary of the zone, So i had another interchange. This time with Elder Ramos de Ecuador. On sunday, we went to church and then went home and did nothing. As a misionary, the house is like a jail cell. Literally, there is nothing worse than being stuck in the house as a misionary. So yeah, I am with my poor companion writing right now haha. Oh the mission sometimes haha.

 

Hope yall have a great week!

 

Love yall

Elder High