First letter after first transfer

Buenos días de San Francisco, Quezada, Comayaguela, Honduras! 

Yup, Im in a new area with a new companion. Im in San Fran. Honduras. I remember the time I visited San Fran in California. One of the things i remember most was the steepness of all the roads. Well, its no different than San Fran in Honduras. This area is literally built on the face of one the tallest mountains in Honduras. I thought Monterrey was built on a mountain, but Monterrey is a hill compared to this area. There are some real beautifull sights from my area. I overlook the whole city. Id love to send pictures as soon as I can. Other interesting things about my new area, is the ward. The church house is pretty small, but the amount of active members is huge. Yesterday, 200 members came to church. Thats really good for a ward in Honduras.

Alright, so Ive been here for 5 days now, and I have a decent vision of the future of the area. This area is bigger than my previous zone was. There is a ton of people here, and hardly any have heard the gosple. This area has a ton of potential, but it is a little dead right now.  When I got here, we had 0, nunca, zilch investagators. I was a little frustrated when I got here, because I worked so hard to build up Monterrey that was dead, and we were starting to find sucess in Monterrey, and then I get transferred to another dead area. Im literally starting from scratch here, but I know its possible to revive this area. It will take time, and a ton of work, but by the time im done here, this area will be thriving. 

The other new thing is my companion. my new companion is Elder Huanca, pronounced wonka. Hes from Bolivia, and he is in his last 3 months of his mission. Hes really good, and really experienced.  All in all, this area needs alot of work. But thats okay, because Im here to work. I know its possible to revive dead areas, because i revived Monterey, and i know people can change, because i am a witness of multiple people changing. If there is one thing that I have been learning more than anything so far, is the improtance of work. This is called mission WORK for a reason. Thats what im going to be doing this week, is working. Working with my companion, working at my area, and working with my personal weaknesses. I know that through my work, the lord will touch the hearts of those that im working with, and the lord will help me carry out this work. 

Como Siempre, mi amo ustedes con todo mi corazón, Yo orar cada día para su ustedes. La iglesia es la Iglesia de Jesucristo. Gracias para su apoyo durante mi tiempo aquí en mi mission.

Elder High

The Area...  So this area is alot more poor than Monterrey. It is really rural, but people here are really humble. The house is pretty nice, but we only have water for 1 hour every week. We have a 20 gallon bathtub that we fill with water in this hour, but together, me and my companion only get 20 gallons of water a week to shower, wash clothes, clean dishes, and for the toilet. Basicallly we shower once every two or three days. It kinda sucks, but we need the water for other neciary things. Because no water, the shower is useless, and the toilet doesnt flush. So its essentially the same life i was living in Monterrey.

Just have a good week!! Enjoy the 4th for me!!

Week 13

Week 13 here in Honduras!

 

So there is alot I could talk about today. I could talk about how today is my last day here in Monterrey, this is my last day of training, or how things are going to be super differnt tomorrow. So I got a very sad and disapointing phone call from my Zone leader about 30 minuets ago. This area that i have been working so hard to revive, is closing tomorrow. In the mission, 8 areas are closing, because alot of missionaries are leaving and few are coming. President decided that this area is one of the areas that is closing. When i got here, there was literally nothing going. We had one, maybe two positive investagators, and really nothing more. Right now, after twelve weeks, we have more than 15, and we have lined up 5 baptismis in the next 4 weeks. An area that once was dead is now thriving, but it is getting shut down tomorrow. We are going to do all we can today to have the ward take over where we are leaving off. My heart realy aches becuase there is alot of unfinished buisness here. More than ever i am coming to realize the importance of change. Change is part of life. I as a represenative of Christ, ask people every day to change. When changes occur, we learn more than ever before. I guess in a way I am excited for the change, becuase I am ready to learn more and more, but at the same time, its difficult to accept the change. Oh well, I  will just keep presing forward, helping everyone I come in contact with.

 

So this week was not only my birthday, but was my companions...on the same day. Crazy right! Anyways, on Friday, one member invited us over to eat essentially Hondurian tacos. As we were walking to his house, we meet this girl named Tharin, who was walking in the same dirrection as us. We talked and walked for a good 15 minuets, and then we realized that we were actually going to the same place. The member that we were going to, was a good friend of Tharin, and essentailly she felt a need to visit him. This was prety neat. At the house of Carlos(the member), we did alot more teaching and talking, than eating. She said that she felt like she needed our message in her life in that moment. She felt the spirit strong, and she really had a desire to change her ways. We felt prompted to invite her to be baptized, and she accepted. An unexpected, but a pretty neat expierience. I have expieriences like this every day. Its the little things like that, that is a testimony to me that God is in the details and his hand is in this work. I have mountains of expieriences already, but I do not have any time to explain them all to you. Quizás en un otro día yo pudo compartir mi experiencias con ustedes. 

 

Love ya all muchisimo

Elder High

Birthday- Really, it was just another day. We worked liked normal, and really didnt think to much that it was our birthdays.

 Independence day in Honduras- Yeah, there is no 4th of july celebrations here, but the independance day here is the 15 of september. I guess its a pretty big deal here.

Shops- Here in my zone right now, there is really nothing, but tomorrow, i dont know

Gordo y guapo

Buenas Días mi familia!

 

So this week is my last week of training. Its crazy how fast time goes. Thats really something i dont like to think about is time. Time is limited and it goes by too fast. Anyways, there was a few interesting things that happened this past week. This week has been kinda a roller coaster week with ups and downs. During the beggining of the week, we were pretty low. Its been difficult to find the prepared people in this area. My zone leader told me not to worry too much because we are always planting seeds in everyones hearts. This may be my pride speaking, but i dont only want to plant seeds, I want to grow a few trees. Going with this parable, to grow trees takes time [patience] and work. So that is what weve been doing. Weve been patient with everyone, and weve been working. Little by little things are looking up. I havent grown any trees quite yet, but Weve been planting seeds in the perfect circumstances to grow some beautiful trees. Sometimes in the perfect circumstances, in the perfect dirt, trees wont always grow, or they wont always produce fruit. There is something restricting these trees from reacing their full potential. 

 

Right now in our area, one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome is marriage. We have three familias right now waiting for a marriage. Unfortunatly, marriage here is really difficult, and really expensive. Its not worth it for people to be married here, so almost no one is married. We have three beautifull trees trying to grow, but they need to wait a season. And as I, the one growing and Nourishing these trees, its sad for me, because most likely i only have one season here. My work will go without reward. This has been hard to accept, but i realize in the near future, most likely after my time here, those beautifull trees will eventually grow and blossom.

 

I do not know if you remember one of my expierinces in one of my first weeks here. Me and my companion went to bless a man who was practially dead. That was almost 10 weeks ago. I do not know why, but we both got a impression at the same time to go and visit him this week. So we went and acted on our impression, and we visited him. He is doing a ton better. He literally was practially dead, and now he is completly fine. It was a really good thing that we decided to act on our impression, because we visited him in a time where he needed alot of help. One day before we visited him, his wife and his son left him. He was really struggling with accepting this. He was almost killed with a terrible sickness, and then his family leaves him. We had a really spiritual lesson with him, and we did alot of motivating. For him, we were a huge blessing. he credits us for saving his life, and then he credits us for calming his soul. This whole expierince was a huge testimony builder in so many ways. It is incredible the impressions of the spirit. Really there is alot of good here, there is alot of good everywhere. God is in the details. If we look for good, we will find good. This is true because im a witness of this. have a good week family, and enjoy your summer break! 

 

Su guapo y gordo hijo [ I broke 150 pounds this week :( ]

Elder High

 

Follow the commandments

Okay, This has been one of those weeks. There has been so much that has happened, that i can´t even think of where to begin. Really, I am not full of experiences, but my mind is full of thoughts that I need let out. So as a missionary, I invite people to act on good impresions and to make good choices. This has made me think of one of the laws of science. Every action has a reaction. Every action is either good or bad. Simple as that. There are two forces, two powers on on this earth. The power of God, and the power of Satan. Both are powerfull in this world, but the work of God is Eternal Life, and the work of Satan is to make man miserable. I dare say one choice is better than the other.

 

This has been a really interesting concept to me. It is interesting because everyone is born into this life without the knowledge and sin, and without sin. In an aspect, for a brief moment in everyones life, everyone was perfect in this life. It is impossible for a newborn baby to sin, and therfore is perfect. When I have met someone new this week, I have held that thought close. I think, Hey, he was perfect once upon a time, he doesnt remember, and he proabley doesnt know what is perfection, but I can help him become as he was. I can help him come close to perfection in this life. But all I can really do is help by extending my hand, and inviting people to move down this life walking in the light and on the path of God. I can not force people to do anything. Agency is a God given gift. Satan seeked to take away agency in the premortal, so if I force people to act, it is against the ways of God, and is an act of Hypocrisy, an act of Satan. But when people exercise their agency and deny us and the power of God, I feel like Stan is winning. I feel like I have failed, but I understand that everyone has their agency. It is a tricky road. It really saddens me to see people who have chosen the ways of Satan, and have chosen to follow man, not God.

 

That brings me to another one of my thoughts. King Benjamin in Mosiah said that the Natural man is an enemy of God. Man is not God. Man´s ways are not God´s ways. When man puts his thoughts and his actions above the will of God, corruption enteres his heart. God has laws and Commandments. Corrupt governments are typically the offsprings of men who deny the commandments of God. Persons living under the reign of corruption typically live a life without happiness. Mosiah 2:41 says that those who obey the commandment of God live in a state of Happiness. God has a perfect knowldge, and gave us commandments for our bennificial, and to protect us from the power of Satan, which I testify is very real and very powerfull. ( ask tanner if you curious)

 

Obedience brings protection and blessings always. God knows us perfectly, and knows what is best for us, so he gave us commandments. He wants us to be in a state of happiness, but we all have our agency. Living in obedience to the commandments of God brings us to a state of true happiness, and guards us from Satan. Evil is not good, and good is not evil, light is not darkness, and darkness is not light, Wickeness never is Hapiness. The lord said ,¨My ways are not your ways, my ways and thoughts are higher than yours.¨ Just stay obedient to the commandments of God. These are some thoughts that ive had this week. Sorry for the lack of expierinces, but all in all things are good like always. Stay true, and never put yourself above that of God. Love you all with all of my heart.

 

Con amor Ayer, hoy, y para siempre

Elder High

some super chill investagadores of ours and our kevin, our convert

Hot showers are not to be taken for granted!

Que tal mi familia!!

 

Another crazy week here in Honduras. Really things are pretty chill as always haha. It sounds like you all had a much crazier week than me! This week was a verry good week for me and Elder Chirinos. WE have been working really hard to turn things around here, and our work is starting to pay off. We have a bunch of really hopefull investagators. We´ve been working hard with all of our resources, and we have right now, 6 investagtors lined up for baptism. It feels good to get a little bit of sucess, but there is a lot more work to do. Nevertheless, there is a lot of hope for this area. It is incredible to see how the lord helps everyday. Everday i witness miracles, but i really dont notice half of them. Really, the lord is with me every step of the way, thats kinda cool to think about.

 

So also this wek we had the opportunity to have a multi zone conference with President Fortuna. It was kinda a special occasion because it was President´s final conference. President Fortuna is such an example. He took some time at the end of the conference to answer questions of us all, and all i can say is his knowldege is incredible. He would immedialty respond with super profund questions with scriptures off the top of his brain. Really, it was after this conference that me and Elder Chirinos started to recieve our sucess. President has a way of motivationg us to woek and to be sucessfull. It was really kinda a motivator booster that we needed. Its just little things like that that is crazy to me. When i need motivation, we have a zone conference right when i need it most. Really, the lord has a time table and knows when and how to help. If we are faithfull and we are willing to accept the help, the Lord will give us the help. The church is true, Heavenly Father knows us and loves us. We are the offsprings, literal children of God. Stay faithfull, and remembrt the little things.

 

Con Amor

Elder High

Oh!, also your packege came!!!

The solar shower i am convinced is one of the greatest inventions of mankind! haha. Thank you Thank you. 

 Love ya, bye!

I knew that 5 years of Spanish would eventually come in handy!

Hey family!

 

Yup, this week was definitly another week, haha. Nah, this week was actually really incredible. Me and Elder Chirinos have been working really hard to change this area, and things are slowly starting to turn around. We have alot of really hopefull investigators who are making great progress. Things are looking up for this area. As missionarys, we set goals of what we want to accomplish every day and every week, but in reality, our mission is to ¨Invite others to come unto Christ.¨ That is really all that im doing here, is inviting others to change their lives by coming unto the Savior. Everything that I do is centered in and around the Savior. When people really understand the importance of the Attonment, people really begin to change. And it is my job to help people recognize the importance of the Attonment in the lives of everyone here in Honduras. It is a privleged work, and I am really honored to be a small part of this work. Every day I learn a little bit more about how i can help people, and how i can be a bigger part of this grand work.

 

Other news, this week our zone had the opportunity to go to the temple here in Tegucigalpa. All i can say is freaking wonderfull. Everything was in spanish, but ive come to the realization that all the work is the same here, as it is in the States. The Gospel is the same in all parts of the world, no matter the language barrier. The temple here is super beatufull. It is super tall, and everything is built up. It is kinda small length wise, but it is 5 stories tall,so actually it is quite big. Interesting fact, The biggest window of all the temples is in the Tegu temple. haha. I really dont have alot more to write about today, things are as great as ever here, so yeah

 

Los vermos, Check it, quidence 

Con Amor siempre

 

Elder High

Preguntas

Elder Chirinos en Guatemala- Si, Elder Chirinos esta Saliendo en cinco semanas. Un poco triste, pero todo esta bien!

 Cambios en mi Investigadores- Definitalmente,esta es un gran cambio en la vidas de mi investagadores. la Poder de El Señor y esta evangelio es incredible. 

 Botas- Nah, esta fui no mucho juvia esta semana. Pero, Yo creo yo debo comprar botas quizás esta semana.

 

I dont know why i wrote that in spanish, but yeah, other things, for the package, I dont know. I really dont need a whole lot right now. I dont know if it is possible to stuff some church history books or any other church reading material, becase literally thats all i can do for entertainment is read. I have already read Jesus The Christ twice, and all of the other Missionary library books. If its not possible to send any books in this package, that is what i want for christmas, is church books.. haha.   Nah, really all is well here. Its crazy that Jaden and Braxton and Chase are all starting their missions soon. Time flys. Really thats all i have to say

 

Adios

Su guapo Hijo

Elder High  

Tegucigalpa, Honduras Temple

 

Nosotros tuvimos un oportunidad esta semana para limpiar de nuestra casa. Nuestra casa ahora es super mejor!

 

 After the yard clean up

 

Another great week!

Hola de Honduras!

 

So yup, another great week in the mission. This week again has been crazy fast, which i dont know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Really, all in all, not much has happened with investagators. Me and Elder Chirinos have been spending alot of time this week knocking doors, and finding old investagators of old missionaries. We have found a handfull of really great people who we feel we can really help. That is what we are here to do, help people. We have been using service as a great way to contact and meet new people. We serve everyone in every moment possible. It´s difficult at times, but when i serve, i come to the realizatation that i am here in this area as a represenative of The Lord Jesus Christ. I am acting as the hands of work for The Lord. This is kinda a huge burden, acting as the represenative of Chirst, but there is great power. It is really quite increadible the power that is given when we take upon ourselves the name of Christ. 

 

Other news this week, my first transfer period was this week. In my district there are 8 missionaries. before the transfer, there was 3 Nortes, and now I am the lone Gringo... I am fully developed in the Latin Culture now. I do not have a white guy even in my district to rely on. It is actually a really good thing though. I feel like i am leaning spansih so fast. Its difficult because i feel like im forgeting my English. I have spoken 0 English in the past 7 days. Writing you in english is the only time that i get to use my english.. haha. Also just to let you know, grandmas package came this week. Freaking Granola bars!! I was almost in tears it was so good!! Haha! Other than that, a pretty normal week of missionary work. Yeah, The Church is true, the is great power in the gospel.

 

Siempre con amor

Elder High

 

 

 

His new district

 

Playing a little Futbol

 

I have no idea what this is!

 

Bradin's zone leader - He's from El Salvador

 

The new zone.  He sticks out like a sore thumb!