Zone Conference with the Miramar, La Ceiba, and Olanchito Zones

Zone conference in La Ceiba.  I had told all of the Latin missionaries that I was going to draw 2 names out of hat and that those 2 would have to share their testimonies in English so everyone better be prepared to share their testimonies in English.  I drew the 2 names and could tell they were really scared. I told them they didn't have to do it this time, but that I was serious and that they would have to do it next time.  I asked for 2 volunteers and Elder Carreto and Elder Siciliano volunteered and did an excellent job sharing their testimonies. I decided that I was going to do my presentation in Spanish.  I didn't practice as much as I wanted to because life is just so busy but I decided to do it anyway.  I brought my computer because I thought it would be easier to read on, but it wasn't.  I couldn't hold it as close and I couldn't figure out how to make the font bigger.  So I was struggling to read.  Plus I had put a paragraph in Spanish and then had the English below it so it made it kind of hard to follow.  I lost my place and read things out of order.  By this time I was super flustered and didn't know what to do.  I finished very poorly and was just barely holding it together.  Of course all the missionaries told me I did a good job because they are just the sweetest things, but I really bombed it.  I hope that it will help them to see that it is OK to make mistakes and encourage those who are trying to learn English to keep trying.

Olanchito Zone

Miramar Zone

La Ceiba Zone

Practices!

Our 2 new AP's delivered a great message about finding and contacting and having the faith to stop teaching people that aren't progressing.  

Our AP's!

Elders Milla, Paredes, Dick, and Rivas

I'm not sure I wrote anything about this.  Last Friday, September 12th, we decided to call 2 more AP's.  Our AP's felt very overwhelmed and that they were not getting out and being able to do enough divisions plus we have so many new missionaries that need training.  So after much thought and prayer we called Elders Dick and Rivas Rameriz to be AP's also.  The goal is for 2 of them to always be out doing divisions if not all 4 of them.  Sometimes 2 of them will need to stay in the office but at least 2 will always be out doing division.  They did a ton of divisions this week.  I think it is going to make a huge difference in our mission! They are all awesome missionaries with such a love for missionary work. Elder Dick is from New Mexico and Elder Rivas is from Guatemala.

We did flu shots at zone conference!

Elder McCune is an incredible piano player.  He was performing and all of the missionaries were gathering around to listen.

The missionaries just love to hug each other.  It cracks me up. This is Elder Echols (whose face you can see) and Elder Milla.

Hermana Yat

Elder Rivas stayed with us all day Friday and while Kirt did more interviews while the other 3 AP's took the bus back.  It was fun to get to know Elder Rivas better.  I love hearing their stories why they decided to come on a mission.  Elder Rivas turned in his papers twice and got rejected for health reasons (he did not tell us what health reason). He decided that he was not going on mission an was going to go to school, but his dad and his stake president encouraged him to try again.  His stake president called him in and he didn't want to go because he knew he was going to ask him to go on a mission and he didn't want to go. But he went anyway and his stake president did ask him to go.  He said yes.  He said he didn't know why he said yes.  He came on the mission, but wasn't super converted. 

Back at the office with all the AP's. 

 

Driving to La Ceiba

We drove to La Ceiba today for zone conference tomorrow.  Elder Choc is leaving the office and going back out into the field.  Had to take a picture with the office elders.

Elders Rhoades, Jorgensen, Choc, Quej, Obando (Elder Leland left yesterday).  We will miss Elder Leland and Elder Choc.  Elder Choc is going to Olanchito so he rode with us to La Ceiba.

On the way to La Ceiba we came across this bus that had just had it's engine catch on fire.  We watched as the bus totally engulfed in flames. Thankfully everyone got off safetly. (We were there for close to half an hour and there was no fire engine in site.)

We stopped in La Masica for interviews with some of the Elders there.

Elders Wood, LaFrance, Benitez (in front), Valdivar, and Choc

We did some interviews that evening when we got to La Ceiba.  There was a YW group from the Miramar ward there and they were practicing for a dance festival that they were having this Saturday.  The sisters that serve in this ward had gotten permission from Kirt to do the dance festival with them.  Myself and the sisters from Roatan (Griffiths and Castillo, Hermana Castillo had served in this ward her last transfer) plus the sisters the Miramar (Gonzalez and Garcia Beltran) ward all joined in on the practice. 

 

Temple Tuesday

Hermanas Arana, Pritchett, Me, Tucker, Kunsler

2 Elders from Spokane, Elder Barclay and Elder Crane

 

Roatan

Our 2nd trip to Roatan. We took this small little commuter plane.  I am not a fan.  It was bumpy and had no air moving inside and I was air sick.  It was not too fun.  We got there and we went to the beach for a few hours for our p-day.  We drove to the beach and got situated and our phones starting ringing.  Kirt was dealing with missionary issues and I was dealing with health issues the whole afternoon. It really ruined our beach time. Plus I got bit by a bunch of sand fleas.  One of the issues I was dealing with we a missionary that got bit by a dog.  The missionary didn't remember what the dog looked like and didn't know who it belonged to, so in that case if they don't know the dogs history and can't watch the dog to see if it develops rabies the missionary needs a rabies booster shot.  We of course were too far away to do it and I couldn't find another nurse to do it, so I talked 2 missionaries through the process.  They did a great job.  Way to go Elder Jorgensen and Elder Miles.  After the beach we went to a Thai restaurant.  I think this is going to be the tradition when going to Roatan.  We haven't found a Thai restaurant in San Pedro and Thai is my favorite.  Sunday we went to both branches on Roatan.  Then we went to a baptism at the Cruz family home.  Since the church is still not open because of the remodeling, there is no baptismal font so the Cruz family lets the missionaries use their pool.  After the baptism, Kirt did interviews with the 4 missionaries in the Roatan branch that were at the baptism, Elders Axtell and Da la Cruz, and Hermanas Griffiths and Castillo.  Then we went and did interviews with the Elders in Los Fuertes, Elders Tosca and Lemus.  Then we went to dinner with the Roatan Elders and Hermanas.  The house was in straight up a dirt road and the car wouldn't make it so we had to get out and walk.  It really was straight up and it started pouring rain right before we got there.  Thankfully the husband of the family we were visiting came down the hill with an umbrella and let me use it.  Very tender mercy.  And I didn't die walking back down the muddy hill.  The food was delicious and it was nice to visit with the Elders and Hermanas.  Plus they all speak English, so I even understood the conversation. We went back to the Airbnb and the power was out.  We did our missionary fireside by candle light.  The theme of the fireside was how to be a good missionary.  Hermana Pritchett and Elder Adanaque spoke.  The next morming we got up and flew back to San Pedro.  I'm not sure I'm a fan of Roatan. 

Walking the Elders through giving the rabies vaccine

Sand flea bites

Pool at the AirBNB we stayed at.

Steps at the school where both branches are having church while the chapel and the other building that they have church at are being remodeled. 

Baptism at the Cruz house

Dinner with the Elders and Sisters from the Roatan branch

Elders Da la Cruz and Axtell, Hermanas Castillo and Griffiths

Tip of Roatan

Coast of Honduras near La Ceiba

 

Temple Tuesday

Every Tuesday we are going to try and get missionaries to the temple.  We are hoping to get a majority of them to the temple at least once a transfer (at least from the 7 zones that are closer to the city.) It's great to be in the temple with the missionaries!

President, Elders Lazo, Conde, Richards, Adanaque

Elders Ridchards, Adanaque, Lazo, Nailati, Quiros, Carmona

Elder Nailati is from Figi and he was so excited that he found some Figi water! He paid $4 for that bottle of water. 

Hermanas Munguia, Ajquejay, Me, Cordon, Chay, Morla, Popoca, Gandiola, Echegaray, Andrino, and Lopez Vicente

Hermanas Morla and Cordon

P-Day with El Carman

El Carmen set a goal to get 40 people to church on Sunday (yesterday) as a Zone. They reached their goal  so they got to come have P-day at the house.  We played outside, had lunch, and they played group games. 

Beautiful sunrise this morning

 

Stake Conference in Palermo Stake

Palermo Stake had 2 sessions of stake conference. One at 9am in Progresso with the wards closest to Progresso.  We had a lunch with the stake presidency at the first session.  Then we all drove to Santa Rita and had a 2nd session at 2pm there.  We got to see the missionaries from the Palermo Zone and the Santa Rita Zone at the conferences. 

Progresso

Palermo Zone

Santa Rita

Santa Rita Zone