Crazy week

This week was kind of all over the place.  It rained like crazy a few days here and my comp got sick.  He had chikungunya or something similar.  He didn't want to stop working even though his whole body ached, so it was a miracle that I convinced him to just rest and stay in the house so he could get better.  He still is a little sick, but is feeling better.  We had lots of divisions with members so my comp could stay in the house and I could work.  When we finished the week, I was surprised at how many lessons we had even though we lost a lot of time to work.  

We also had a great surprise at two in the morning on Saturday.  Our house flooded!  Since we only have running water every three days you can accidentally leave the faucet on and not know it, so the water came on at two in the morning.  My comp woke up and heard the sink on and  when he stepped out of bed and felt water on his feet, he jumped out of bed and turned the sink off and woke me up and we cleaned up the water.  It really wasn't too much, just about 1 cm of water, but in all of the rooms in the apartment.  We were also really lucky that we didn't have anything important on the floor.  One of my suitcases got a little wet and some of the t-shirts inside, but not much else.  As missionaries, we don´t have much stuff in general so there is not much to get wet.  haha 

I don't really like the apartment that we are in, but it's all good because we are moving to a different apartment on Wednesday.  It's a long story.  When we first got to our area like two months ago, our apartments got changed around, The apartments for the two areas (Sorzales and Toncontin) are both in my area.  Before we got here there were companionships of elders in the two areas. But when we got to Sorzales, they changed the elders out for sisters in Toncontin.  They got the apartment originally meant for us because it is wayyyy nicer, and we got the tiny crappy apartment for Toncontin.  But the sisters searched for a new apartment that is actually inside their area, so they would not have to walk so much, and we are going to move back into the apartment that was originally supposed to be ours.  It is so much bigger and has a real bathroom with running water all the time.  There is also a giant rooftop terrace, so I am kind of excited to move even if it might just be for a month.  We have to clean up our apartment really well before we leave, but the floors are really clean now... :)  

I also realized that in one part in my area on a hill, you can see the temple in Tegucigalpa, so that's neat.

The first counselor in the bishopric called us on Saturday night to tell us that we were giving talks on Sunday, so that was fun.  I got a really simple topic ¨What does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ?¨  Sacrament meeting started really late so we didn't end up having to speak for very long.  But I felt like we both gave pretty good talks.  whoop!   

On Sunday night we had the baptism for Emily!  Her parents are divorced and on Saturday her mom said that she didn't want Emily to be baptized, but her dad did.  We only need the approval from one parent, but we didn't want to cause problems within the family so we planned to have the baptism a different day when he mom would give us permission.  Then later on Saturday, Emily came by and told us that her mom changed her mind and wanted her to be baptized, so we decided to have the baptism again on Sunday night.  It was a really great service and the primary presidency helped a lot with the program, we had investigators that came, but it was awkward because Emily´s mom ended up not showing up.  But it was a really beautiful service.  We have to wait two more weeks to confirm her a member because next week is general conference.   We and the bishop are going to work with the father to activate him in the church so he can participate in the confirmation.  

Yup, kinda crazy this week, but all good,

- Elder Burnham

Honduran Independence Day (9/21/2015)

Another interesting week.  Tuesday was the Honduran Independence Day and also transfers...

such a great mix. haha.  We were not too concerned because we didn't have changes.  But we 

didn't really get that much work done because no one was home. haha.  My companion is a 

native Honduran so we had to celebrate somehow, haha.  We got flags and a little cake! Whoo! 

That day, we found out that we were finally going to have the new missionaries meeting (por 

fin) and that it was going to be combined with the even newer missionaries that just got to 

the mission that day.  

In other news we went to Wendy´s twice this week.  I was crying for joy in my head because I 

basically got to eat chocolate frosties twice this week. We went on Thursday after zone weekly planning and then we went again today. yay!

We also got new mattresses this week! Whooo! The beds in the mission are basically rocks and I just got used to sleeping on them, but my comp really hadn't been able to get any sleep because the beds were so uncomfortable.  The secretaries came by in their truck with the new mattresses from the mission and now we are sleeping much better.  

Yesterday I kind of went crazy and started throwing a corn tortilla at my comp and used it as a frisbee.  I don´t really know what happened.  

After getting that Adventure Time/Zelda shirt, my comp and I have been talking about Adventure Time all this week and he is just as obsessed as I am.  yep.  

I don´t really know what happened but Elder Gomez has been saying ´´yolo´´ all this week and I am kind of confused.  But whatever, yolo.  

The work in this area has been pretty good, we have both been just a little sick because we are out walking in the rain (don´t worry mom, I am wearing a coat and we have umbrellas haha).  

We have been teaching this little girl named Emily.  Her parents are divorced and both inactive,  but we are working with them and getting her ready for her baptism this Sunday.  

She is really intelligent and understands the lessons.  We just hope that everything will go well this week.  We have a lot of references from the youth in the ward and they always want to go out and teach with us.  Whoo!

- Elder Burnham

I Don't Like Parades...

So tomorrow is the Honduran Independence day, so there have been 

all these parades and marches in the streets on Sundays, so it has 

been really hard to get members and investigators to go to church 

because they are all busy watching or marching in parades.  Everyone 

has been really busy and the students are kind of forced to participate, 

so they are always practicing in the afternoons.   

 

Tomorrow are the transfers and I am so glad that we are both staying 

here.  I don´t know why the president hasn't changed the transfers for 

another day.  Maybe there will be some last minute changes.  We have 

20 missionaries coming to the mission this transfer and the trainers still 

haven't been announced.  I guess tomorrow will be a bunch of surprises!  

Also two of my past companions finish their missions and go home this 

week. ¡que loco!

This week was also Dia del Niño. (Day of the child)  We don´t have that 

in  the USA.  Which meant that all the kids were having little parties with 

piñatas and candy. haha.  

Saturday we went with the sister missionaries to Hermana Daisy 

( a member) to make pupusas! Yum!   

We have a really progressing investigator named Bryan who we originally 

contacted at his house.  He really likes the lessons and is really receptive 

and understands everything.  He and his sister came to mutual on 

Wednesday, and he and his cousin came to church on Sunday! whoo!  

We also ran into him this morning at the grocery store haha.  We were 

able to have a good lesson with him yesterday with the bishop and he 

invited us to come back to teach him today.  Yeah!  

It was a pretty normal week, whelp I don´t have too much to write.  I hope 

everyone has a great week! Whoo hooo!

- Elder Burnham

 

 

Whoop! Another week gone! (9-7-15)

Whoop! Another week gone! I feel like I have lost my concept of time haha.  This
was a pretty good week, but at the same time, I don´t feel like that much happened.

The other day, I realized that I went half the day without my mission plaque.  haha. 
We walked out of a lesson and I was like ¨Oh, I don´t have my name tag.  I forgot 
to put it on that day. haha.  We went back to the house and it was still sitting on the
shelf. whoops.  

We got some rain this week as well.  Mainly in the evenings.  I got to use my
raincoat! whoo! haha.  It was actually really nice because it has been really hot
here for the last few weeks.  

We have been really working with two investigators, Ortencia and her daughter
Wendy.  Wendy´s brother Michael is a member.  Ortencia has been asking us to
help her with her son to stay on a good path in life.  Her husband passed away a
little over a year ago, and soon after her other son passed away as a result of
depression and alcoholism, so this family has gone through A LOT.  We have
been focusing on the importance of family in relation to the plan of salvation.
And helping them strengthen their family relationships.  Right now we are trying
to get all of them to go to church together.  Yesterday Wendy and Michael both
came!  We are seeing progress little by little with this family.  

We only have one more week in this transfer, that means we are almost half way
done with training. Wow!  We have a lot of work to do in this area, and a lot of
potential.  

- Elder Burnham

Elder Gomez played guitar, while I sang.

Something that I forgot to mention last week was how awesome our Relief Society president is.  She went to San Pedro Sula on a trip and while she was there, she found and met Elder Gomez´s family and then she brought him a package from them.  The perks of living close to home while on your mission. 

So we had two intercambios this week.  One with the zone leaders and one with the district leader.  On Wednesday I went with Elder Andrews (zone leader) in his area. It´s not that big, but way bigger than my area.  His area is on the border of the mission. There is a river and a bridge that if you cross it, you are in Mission Honduras Tegucigalpa.  We crossed it.  But just to go drop a bag of garbage in the dumpster. haha.  When we were in the middle of the bridge I kept saying that we were in mission limbo!  Elder Andrews is really great.  He is from Montana.  Dad you were just there! haha.  He lives about an hour south of Kalispell (I think),  Anyway he lives close to Kalispell.  Maybe in the same stake as Paul and Kim. 

On Friday we had double intercambios with Elder Wickel and Elder Salazar.  Elder Salazar came with me after our district meeting until about 7pm when we traded and Elder Wickel came to Sorzales because we had the baptismal interview for Bryan.  We had some really good lessons, especially with Bryan C, (Other Bryan, we actually have FOUR investigators named Bryan so it gets a little confusing sometimes. haha).  He was a contact that we found tracting and he has always been super receptive.  He was super interested in the Book of Mormon and had lots of questions.  Then he was shocked that we were just going to give him a copy for free! haha.  Hopefully he reads it! 

Hermana Daisy, a member, had a returned missionary visiting with her and her family.  He baptized them and returned to visit them.  He wanted to meet Elder Gomez because he too is from San Pedro Sula, and served his mission in Comayaguela.  Then he told us that he was mission companions with the grandson of Gordon B Hinkley!!  Yeah he served in my mission. haha. 

Our ward had a talent show and we wanted to participate.  We borrowed a guitar from a member and Elder Gomez played while I sang.  haha.  It was really fun, the youth had a whole bunch of little plays and dances and it was really great.  Elder Gomez is actually really good at the guitar.  It was cool to have the guitar in the apartment all week and he would play in the evenings. 

Most importantly we had the baptism of Bryan!  After working so much with him and all the opposition we faced to have lessons with him, we finally made it happen.  He is such a great guy and will definitely be a great leader in the church in the future.  We had the baptism scheduled for 5pm but it didn´t really start till 6:20pm (but this is pretty normal here).  It was a really great, simple, service and then we had the talent show right after, which he participated in too with the other single adults. 

Another great week, and a lot of potential to come in the next month (wow which begins tomorrow!!!)

- Elder Burnham


Intercambios Selfie with Elder Wickel ... notice the cool knot in my tie!

Bryan's Baptism

We got to meet and listen to Elder Russell M Nelson

Aug 24 (delayed 'cause my lame parents were still on vacation)

This was a very spiritually and physically exhausting week! haha.  I´ll start 

off with the best part of the week which was Saturday.  We got to meet 

and listen to Elder Russell M Nelson.  He was absolutely delightful!  And 

we got to sit on the front row!  We all got to shake his hand at the beginning 

and there were 4 hermanas in front of me, but I was the first ELDER out of 

the two missions to get to shake his hand! haha.  I would have been the first 

if the hermanas didn´t rob our seats haha.  He didn´t have a prepared message 

so he was just saying what the spirit prompted him to say. Which meant we got 

to hear about many different themes.  One of the things he talked about was 

that we should teach our languages that we speak to our companions.  He 

shared a story about a missionary who forgot a lot of his English by the time 

he returned from his mission, because he didn´t teach it to his companions.  

As expressed in past letters, I felt this happening to me so we have been studying 

a lot more English together! haha.  He also asked if there was anyone who spoke 

a language besides English or Spanish, and there was a pretty good group of 

people.  A few people who spoke Tongan, Tagalog,  Quechua, and a variety of 

other native dialects, and there was one guy who spoke Swedish.  

Super interesante.  

One of my favorite things that he said was about Sacrifice.  Sacrifice or Sacrificio.  

The first part of the word comes from the same root as sacred and fice or ficio 

means to make or fix (something like that) so Sacrifice doesn't really mean to 

give something up.  We are making something sacred, we are making ourselves 

more holy.  

We didn´t have a baptism on Saturday, but we hope to have one this Saturday.  

Bryan is super ready and we have been facing a lot of opposition just to be able 

to teach him.  His work schedule has been crazy this week, one night the power 

went out so we could´t go teach him. The next night some strange characters 

entered the church and the relief society president sent us to go teach/distract 

them until they left.  So a lot happened to prevent us from teaching him, but we 

will find him this week.  

On Thursday we had Intercambios and Elder Wickel came to my area.  It was a 

really good day, and it's always great to learn from another missionary the way 

that they teach and interact with the people.  That night we talked about the 

MTC a ton haha.  

Saturday night we had the Noche Blanca, even though we didn´t get to participate, 

but it was a really great service.  President Ferman showed up and spoke to all the 

new members.  He then gave us a ride home in his car which was kinda fun haha.  

Well this was a very exiting week.  And we´re excited to work hard this week!

- Elder Burnham

4 Generations... Generations Elder Rolsales trained Elder Torres who Trained Me, 

and I'm training Elder  Gomez

We got to the conference with Elder Nelson .... Early

Big news! Elder Russell M. Nelson is coming to Tegucigalpa

Aug 17 (delayed 'cause my lame parents went on a vacation)

I am going to start with the Big news!  Elder Russell M. Nelson
is coming to Tegucigalpa this week!  He is coming to give a big
devotional to all the married couples, but Saturday morning he
is going to speak to the missionaries.  All the missionaries in
Mision Comayaguela and Mision Tegucigalpa are going to be
there, and it will be broadcast to all the missions in Central
America.  so yeah...no big deal.

Last P-day we played futbol against zone comayaguela, but more 

importantly we went to Wendy´s afterward!  Being in the city means 

fast food, and I had my first chocolate frosty in over 8 months 

(waaaaaayyy too long).  So that was fun.  

You find more drunk people in Tegucigalpa and this one guy came 

up to us and started talking about WW2 and Elvis Presley, and tried 

to speak in English a few times.  He also would just start singing.  

It was kind of really funny.  I want to meet him when he is sober.  

Our second week here, we still focused on learning the area and 

meeting the members.  We were able to meet more members, less 

actives, and recent converts this week, especially because we had 

a lot of appointments fall through this week.  But the youth in this 

ward are super great.  We are pretty much working only off of 

references.  On Sunday, our ward mission leader, and FIVE young 

men came with us to visit. We helped out with the home teaching 

goals for the ward and also we were able to visit with some new 

investigators.  yup.  

On Wednesday, we also had a multi-zone conference.  We had three 

zones, so a lot of missionaries.  It was a really great meeting. except 

for the part when the mission nurse talked about intestinal parasites.... 

And of course I was asked to participate in a musical number for the 

program. haha.  

Since we have been visiting lots of members, we had plenty of 

opportunities for little acts of service.  We helped an old lady move 

her bed from one side of the room to the other.  There is another 

member who is taking English classes, so I help her with the English 

workbooks.  

My companion has also been studying a lot of English and I have 

been able to help him.  He actually understands really well, but is 

a little shy to speak.  Yesterday he told me that I should only speak 

English when we are in the apartment at night.  And he pretty much 

understands everything.  So basically we have bi-lingual conversa-

tions.  But to my great shock, I feel like i´m losing my English.  It's 

hard for me to maintain a conversation in one language.  I tried 

praying out loud in English and I really had to take it slow without 

going back into Spanish.  It's super funny!  

This Saturday night, our zone is going to have a Noche Blanca, which 

is when we have a baptismal service with all the baptisms in our zone.  

We are working with an investigator, Bryan, who wants to be baptized 

this Saturday.  We weren't able to teach him much this week, but he is 

set on this date so we will need to teach him a lot this week to prepare 

him.  He is really great and really receptive.  His girlfriend is a member 

and that's how he was first introduced to the church.  

We get to hear Russell M Nelson and we should have a baptism this 

Saturday.  I am super exited!

- Elder Burnham

3 Generations Elder Rolsales trained Elder Torres (not pictured) who trained Me, 

and I'm training Elder  Gomez

 

Goofing off at Zone meeting