Week 38

R. will be baptized this Saturday. He is very excited.  We helped him and his aunt with their yard on Tuesday and have been visiting him often.  He has learned a lot and has a great desire to follow the example of Jesus Christ in his life.  It's great to see his willingness to change and the efforts he's made to do so.  

Hermana J. has progressed a lot.  A week ago, she told us that she would only attend church on the condition that the message we shared with her convinced her. She has had a lot of doubts and questions, but yesterday she took the decision to attend church with us this Sunday! 

If everything goes well, F. will be one step closer to her baptism.  She and her son, M, have learned a lot since we first met them.  They are working hard to make their baptism possible and also to become a stronger family.

All the other investigators are progressing well.

R. received the priesthood this Sunday.  He, L. (who was baptized two weeks ago), and a joven who had been inactive for some time all received the priesthood.  Super cool.  http://www.mormon.org/faq/purpose-of-priesthood

We all went to San Pedro Sula on Saturday. We left on Friday at 3 in the morning.  We received a capacitation from Elder Anderson.  It was very good.  I got to shake his hand.  He spoke about conversion and the atonement of Jesus Christ.  As missionaries, we should help people to obtain a lasting and meaningful conversion through the grace and healing power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.  By knowing the scriptures thoroughly , we are better instruments so that the Holy Ghost can testify of the veracity of the message we share with them.  

After the reunion, I was able to see old friends and companions and hear about how the people I visited in my last areas are doing.  

I am doing well and learning something new every day.  My fútbol skills have improved drastically since I came here haha.  I am very grateful for my mission and for the opportunity God has given me to serve the people here. 

Aaron and Elder Ventura

Handmade leather backpack for $20

Week 37

Things are finally starting to turn around here. 

About a week ago, we met R.  He is the cousin of Hermana V.  He came here to take care of his aunt and to look for a job.  We met him and invited him to church.  After coming to church, he asked Hermana V. for a Book of Mormon because he had felt something special as he made contact with the Church.  We came to their house to visit and gave him a Book of Mormon.  We came a few days later, and he had started to read the Book of Mormon.  He told us that he had felt something warm and special every time he read it. Something that he had been missing in his life, and something he wanted to have.  He told us that he desired to have a deeper connection with God and to change into a better person.  We shared a lesson with him a few days later and invited him to get baptized the 21st of March.  He accepted and is very excited.  After teaching about the restoration, he prayed and asked if the Book of Mormon was true and if the church was really the true church of Jesus Christ.  His prayer was answered.  It was amazing to see how with faith and desire to change and follow the example of Jesus Christ in our life, our Heavenly Father puts the means for that change to happen.  I am grateful to be an instrument, albeit an imperfect instrument, in His hands to help bless the life of R. 

F. is working to complete the necessary tasks to get closer to her baptism. 

We have also met several new people who are interested in the Church and its message.  One of them is J.  She is very interested in the message and wants to find the true church in which she can raise her children well and develop a strong family.  She is reading the Book of Mormon and praying to receive an answer.  After our first visit, many of her friends and family started to criticize the Book of Mormon and the Church, making it difficult for her to know what to do.  I was very dissapointed to hear that many people are so quick to criticize and belittle something that they know very little of.  We talked to her and are grateful to know that she will continue reading and praying to receive an answer.  

English classes are going well and our companionship as well. 

We listened to Elder Duncan on Thursday.  He's the area 70 for Central America.  I got to play the piano for the zone.  

The conference is Saturday.  Elder Anderson is coming down to visit.

Aaron's soccer jersey

Blind men playing music on the bus

Week 36

I baptized R on Saturday.  It was an awesome experience.  It took about six tries because the water kept draining from the makeshift plug we used, and the fact that R suffered from polio as a child.  It worked at last.  R had been working toward his baptism for over a year and finally accomplished his goal.  He was very happy and had a big smile for the entire baptismal service.  It is a miracle to see how R was able to overcome many difficulties and frustration including a smoking addiction and a few learning difficulties. I know that the hand of the Lord took a part in his conversion, and I am very grateful to have seen it.  The experience of teaching R has taught me a lot, especially that through faith, diligence, and love, relying on  the infinite power of the atonement of Jesus Christ, no problem, no obstacle, no mess-up can impede us from defeating our personal shortcomings and becoming better people.  I know that our Heavenly Father has a plan for each one of us.  He has uncountable blessings for each one us, his children.  Let us all exercise faith in Him and His Son so that we might inherit such blessings and prepare ourselves to return home to Him again.  

F and M are working toward their baptisms.  They have been to church 6 times and are progressing well.  We invited M to church, but he chose not to go.  We'll keep working with them and praying for them.  

Hermana R attended the baptism on Saturday and enjoyed it, but doesn't want to go to church because she has commitments in the church she attends.  However, she genuinely enjoys the discussions and reading the Book of Mormon.  We have challenged her to pray about the Church, baptism, and the Book of Mormon.  We'll continue to work with her as she awaits a spiritual confirmation.

We've recently met two new people who are genuinely interested in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, Hermano R and J.  Hermano R came to church, and J had read the entire pamphlet with markings and questions.  We're very excited to teach them.  

R's baptism

Week 35

I am excited that R is getting baptized next week.  Everyone is progressing well.  I promise to write more next week.

This is a coco helado. You drink it, split it, and eat the meat. They cost 50 cents.

Week 34

This week was good, and we worked hard.  

We found many new people to teach.  They are all nice and receptive.  

We had divisions from Wednesday to Sunday.  I worked here with Elder Mendez from El Salvador, and my companion went to another area to work with Elder Hansgen.  We were all able to learn new things and make new friendships.  

We are planning R´s baptism this Saturday.  He is very excited.  We have been teaching him the letters of the alphabet with cards.  

F is doing very well.  We invited her husband to accompany us in a discussion this week. She wants to be baptized.  

We are currently teaching various new families, and people are enjoying the message and learning a lot.  We are looking forward to seeing their progress and the blessings that are in store for each one of them.  

Thank you for all your support!

Aaron and Elder Tumax

Aaron and Elder Ventura

Aaron eating chicken that he helped cook

Banana tree

Week 33

I am doing well!

One of our investigators, R has stopped smoking for three weeks.  We're planning his baptism for the 21st.  He is very excited and working hard.  R can't read, so we have been teaching him how to read also.

F is learning a lot and has been really enjoying the Book of Mormon and the Church.  She is finding strength through their messages to face the problems in her life.  She even printed scriptures to put on the door of her room.  She is working hard to meet the requirements for baptism.  We are very excited for her. 

We have been teaching R who worked as a retired school teacher.  She is reading the Book of Mormon and learning the lessons.  She is praying and reading to find out the truth.  We are also excited for her.  

We have been working hard this past week and are excited to see the progress of the investigators.  I am getting a little better every day at teaching and speaking Spanish.  We give English classes every week also, which are fun. 

I received many of my Christmas packages and letters this week!  I loved them all!  Thank you everyone for all the support that you have given me!  I feel overwhelmed to know that so many of you care for me.

I found out that Latinos don't like mint chocolate or wasabi when I was sharing my packages. They think it's super gross. Haha.

P-day soccer!

Indoor soccer court

  

Week 32

I am doing well.  We have been working hard here this last week.  It's difficult.  

We've been teaching this joven, J and his mom.  J is 13, and his mom is single. They've been in contact with the missionaries for about a year.  They are a nice family.  J has been coming to church, but hasn't gotten baptized.  He understands the restoration of the gospel, the Plan of Salvation, and all the commandments well.  

We had invited the two to read the scriptures and to pray about baptism.  We went Sunday to share a scripture about baptism, the atonement of Jesus Christ, and our responsibility to follow Him.  We invited them to be baptized.  His Mom said he's not ready, and he isn't sure. We tried very hard to explain that baptism was a big step, but that it was also a commandment, that he would be blessed for taking a big act of faith.  We told him would receive the help necessary from God for his obedience.  We explained that we are all imperfect and that participating in the sacrament renews our baptismal covenants. She told us that she is always willing to receive us and our lessons, but didn't want her son to get baptized.  We've worked very hard with him trying to help him to follow Heavenly Father's plan and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I really hope they do pray about baptism.  I hope they do because if they do, they will receive an answer to their prayers.

F and M came to church this week again! They enjoyed it a lot.  F is very attentive in Sunday school class and always answers the questions.  We had a lesson with her boyfriend this past week, but he decided to go out with his friends instead of coming to church.  She is awesome and is learning a lot from church and the discussions.  She also gives us milk and coconut tablets from her home business which she and her boyfriend run.  F has some challenges in her life. We're sure that with patience, diligence, and faith, she'll reach her goal of baptism!

We have been teaching R for about 3 weeks now.  We've visited her a handful of times.  She's a teacher and very nice.  She has been reading the lessons and the Book of Mormon.  She says she will pray to ask God if the Book is true and about baptism. 

We have been meeting a lot of new people.  Many of them are really nice people.  We're doing our best to make a positive difference here!  

Aaron decided to try out the popular Honduran haircut