Book of Mormon and the Bible

Ok I sent a bunch of pictures this week so Ill make this short and sweet!

But as you can see we've had many adventures! i have intercambios with Hermana Nichols. She is darling... we live in the same house as the lider entrenadoras so we had a blast! WE are in the work of the Lord. This is his work and his mission... we just get to enjoy it. Meaning need to work hard! WE went up to Agua Blanca to visit FITA! Shes darling. 87 ad still kicking it. She walks an hour to church every Sunday and gets there an hour before it starts to make sure that she is spiritually ready. 

Also this week we did an activity in central park. As you can see in the photos we made these cartones with the bible and BoM. We had a table set up and a little presentation to explain to people what the difference is and how we believe that BOTH TOGETHER contain the fullness of the gospel. It was pretty good.... We had the elders go around and introduce themselves as the Bible and Book of Mormon. So we went out and contacted tons of people and told them that we will pass by their house to drop off their Libro de Mormon! It was super fun! so far we've done it twice and have had a lot of success with it... this next Saturday were going to do it again but this time in front of the big super market. You just got to get creative ya know?

Anyway I love you all! The church is true and I'm grateful to be out here enjoying my mission!

Hermana Nelson

Entrevistas con Presidente

Our darling Fita. Intercambios con Hna Nichols. Shes 87 and still walks 1 hour to church both ways.... with a pretty spunky attitude :)

Just a cow chilling in the middle of the road :)

The lovely hermanas that live together :)

Anabely... our golden investigator this week!

Book of Mormon and bible activity in the park!

We know how to party... mission style

Hi fam! 

Man I wish I could just sit in front of the computer all day and tell you about the experiences Ive had this week!!

To start off with Presidente Fortuna made it a goal for everyone to find 50 new investigators!! 50!!But let me tell you it is possible! We now have moreinvestigators progressando than we have before. 

On Thursday most of our plans had fallen through so we were going up and down the streets to see if there was anyone home (with thier door open) that we could visit with! But it was pretty windy day... meaning everyone had their doors shut cause theres tons of dust here in this area. (meaning doors shut... boo) but we were in la lomita passing by a house... with their door open! and we met or lovely Hermana Norma! She graciously welcomed us in and we chatted for a but and told us to come back saturday!! Woo! So when saturday came aroud we felt so bad we could only stop by cause we had to run to our english class but we sat down and shared for a few minutes. We kinda were just shooting in the dark and invited her to the other hermanas baptism (But I guess we were without faith cause we were like... who would want to walk 30 minutes to a baptism especiall if weve only known them for 2 days!... wrong.) "Oh I would love to come!" Que! Woo! So we passed by again to pick them up and Norma and her two kids were sitting on the porch in their best clothes that they own holding thier book of mormon. God prepares these people for us to teach and it is amazing all the people who are just ready!! They ended up loving the baptism and have a date goal! We are just praying that all will turn out well. We havent met her husband yet and from what she tells us he might have be married to another woman back when he was 16 meaning wed have to see if we can do a divorce and a wedding. But we are hoping for the best because they are just so ready!

This week we had a birthday party for me and Hna Grageda... I turned 6 (months) and she turned 1!! No worries... we still know how to party here in honduras. We stay all the way up until 10:30 with our chocolate cake :)

Love you all! The church is true.

Hermana Nelson

Dirt Roads...

So heres the real test that Im a real missionary... I cant even remeber anymore song lyrics here to finish the song in the subject. That means things are progressing right? :)

Hi fam I love you so so much! This week has been a rollercoaster but I absolutely love it here in my new area! Talanga! I guess Im just meant for outside of the city :) But this week weve been working on my musical talent (that Im sorry mom I shouldve dveloped more of at home!) My first day here in the area I was told that I was going to be the director of the Primary chorus for stake (district here) conference! Haha ok... the sad part was we practiced every day for like 2 weeks then they canceled it... But it was quite an experience! Then Me and a member and Hermana Nichols and I had a solo... trio singing part in stake conference! Im overcoming my fears ;)

But really this week has been so great! We spent most of the time focusing on inviting everyone to Stake (district) conference! But we had a pretty great turnout! Presidente Fortuna came and his wife! I will be so sad to see them go in June!! There was a lot about temples and the family. But my favorite quote from conferenece was from presidente del districto. "The gospel isnt full of perfect people... but it is full of people with faith and hope." As long as we can hold on to our faith and hope we can move mountains. We go to church not for the people that attend but for our Lord and God. I have seen over and over here in Honduras that people have stopped attending cause someone said something offensive or they didnt feel the support of the ward. The people and our leaders are there to help us develop a better relationship with our savior. We are there to better ourselves and to worship our Lord and God. Going to church is such a wonderful opportunity that we have to improve our relationship with Him.

I love you all!!

Hermana Nelson

My lovely zone... I'm here with my trainer too Hna Rojas :)

Hello Talangita Mi Amor

Hi fam!!

Ok here I am in TALANGA!!! Woo!! My new companion is Hermana Hernandez y she is Super Buena!

I miss comayagua terribly but im so excited to be here in a new city to bring new experiences... ok city is a bit of an exaggeration... small town ;) I think I will love it here in Talanga and so far so good!

"Talangita Mi Amor!" Ok so this week has been great! Hna Hernadez just finished her training (are we seeing a trend with my companions?) But she has so much faith and love for the people! We've been focusing on basically inviting EVERYONE to conference this last weeek! Our goal was to have everyone in Talanga in Conference... (But I guess humility had to cut its way in but we had a few!)

I had never been so excited for conference before so we were contacting literally everyone in sight! (it's a ton different than Comayagua... especially for the holiday everyone went to the beach! So I mean sometimes all we had were a few cows in the street to talk to... that's the only down side of not being able to knock doors as hermanas!= So literally everyone that passed by us had a little paper reminding them about conference and a shpeel from us why we were so excited and the blessings they will receive from listening to the Prophet! (Not that we turned Evangelica or anything... we just really wanted then to come!!) But on the upside we found a lot of receptive people... not that they came but the important part is that they can feel the spirit through our testimony!

So for conference we could only go if we had investigators with us but regardless of the fact that it was in Spanish Sunday morning conference was the BEST!!  I don't think Ill have time to tell you all the great things but if you missed it and you get the chance (which I know you have cause you guys have modern technology) read or watch conference!

This week has been such a great experience of learning and progressing. i love this gospel. 

Until next week!

Hermana Nelson

Bye Comayagua! All the young single adults and us!

We're Honduraian Now .:)

From Missionary to Girls Scout

Hello FAM!!!

So on Tuesday night the Zone Leaders called us and asked us to call all the members to see who wants to buy DONUTS? huh? I mean who doesn't but we were just a bit confused... but we called anyway and got a count of how many donuts each member wanted. Next thing we know... in the morning were being called to meet the other elders in the Zone leader´s ward at the stake center. We hiked like 45 minutes up a mountain and we were put to work right away! ... Mom you always told me that I will learn to cook on my mission. I guess today's the day! (As long as donuts count as food!) the Zone Leaders had a family that was getting baptized but they had to be married first. Their wedding was on Friday but they still lacked a little bit of money. They insisted on paying for it all themselves (and they can get pretty expensive!) He sells donut for a living so we got about 4 companionship's up there to help them then go back to their areas to sell donuts!! It was amazing though... as we were making the donuts he went around asking all of us the craziest thing we have done to accomplish a dream. Cause this was his. His dream was to be baptized in the church and he wasn't about to back down from it. We made about 4 or 500 donuts that day to sell!

We were second to leave and even convinced them to give us the cart (we had like a 45 minute walk back to our area!) So we hiked down the mountain with our 117 donuts and started selling! and let me tell you we were SUPER convincing! (Id like to think of it that way and not the fact that people were just so distracted and confused why 2 19 year old north american girls in skirts were selling donuts ;) All you got to do is tell people that there's a couple that wants to get married but they don't have enough money... would you be willing to buy this donut for 5 limpiras to help them out! And man we ran out FAST! We barely even made it to the first members house! So on Wednesday we were Girl Scouts :) But good news is that the family was baptized on Saturday :) Always happy endings in the Gospel!

Anyway I'm sending a lot of pictures today so I will have to run... but I love you all so much!

Oh and big news of the day is that I'm leaving Comayagua :( I just got the call and I have changes tomorrow! So next week you'll get to hear all about a whole new area! I love you! 

And remember... there's always happy endings in the Gospel :)

Hermana Nelson

Museum trips :)

The clothes the saints wear in semana santa... we got our own private tour!

DONUT MAKING

Our donut cart!

Welcome to Honduras!

ENGLISH CLASS!!!

Cindy´s baptism

Happy Palm Sunday :)

I guess heres my last picture of Lovely Comayagua!!

It was blue!

To start off with HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDS!!! I love you so much!!

So this week has been great! I mean obviously there are always ups and downs wherever we go... but it just makes us that much stronger every time! We have had so many tender mercies this week!

MARTHA came to church! Do you remember her? We left a book of Mormon the first lesson with her and she read to like 1 Nephi 14. She is darling. This last week we came back and kept talking to her about where she was reading in the Book of Mormon and she takes out her Bible and her Book of Mormon. And she was like... well... I read a few chapters more and then I found this cool guide in the back. So currently she is going theme by theme reading  in the index guide about the gospel. Then she teaches us the things she learned. But she told us that she wanted to finish the book of Mormon before she gets baptized... (we've been brainstorming how we can take the Book of Alma of of her Libro de Mormon ;)) haha! She also tells us about the pastors that stop by and try to tell her that she is crazy for welcoming us into her house. "And then i just tell them off and tell them how great this church is." You go girl!! But she bore the sweetest testimony to us the last lesson we had with her. "I didn't have any hope until you guys came. I didn't have any reason to live. But now you guys are here... teaching me about this gospel and I have had peace return to my life. Nothing has ever done anything like that for me before. So thank you."

When she came to church she could only stay for the sacrament but we got there with plenty of time before the meeting started so we gave her a church tour. When we showed her the baptismal font she told us that that was the font she had seen in her dream... but there wasn't a mirror above. It was blue! I just glanced over to Hermana Vazquez and she said... well it does look blue, when its full of water :) She was just quiet for a minute and smiled and we went back to the chapel. 

This Saturday I have a baptism (I hope). Her name is Cindy and her and her sister and her mom just moved here from Tegucigalpa! They are recent converts, baptized back in November... but Cindy didn't feel ready back then. But now she does! We hope that all will go well this weekend!

Since all of the missionaries in the ward are Nortes... we started an English Class here! It is so great! The elders quorum president came and brought his niece (who isn't a member) and then this Sunday he said hes bringing 3 more nieces next week! I'm excited to start! (Were just hoping I don't leave Comayagua this change :))

Anyway I love you all so much!! I hope you wished my lovely sister a happy birthday (last week... sorry I'm late :)) Remember the Gospel is true! LOVE YOU!!

Hermana Nelson

We just liked the Bridge :)

Me and my companion... sorry I haven't mastered this selfie thing!

Road up to Marthas :) And a really pretty sunset!

I´m 5!

Hi fam!!

First week back out in the field! It's so nice to be out there! We were cooped up for a bit too long but now our area is progressing and back to normal!

It's been so nice because this week we have been building the confidence in the members and have been receiving more and more references from them so I hope I get one more transfer here to be able to follow up on everything!

This Saturday we went through every recent convert in our ward for the last 2 years. If was so sad to see how only how many stayed active... There was like 10 our of a 100 or so. So we are going to be going around trying to help them more this week to get them excited to go to church again and remind them of the feeling that they had when they made convents with their Father if Heaven. In our ward alone there are only 10% of the people active. 1400 of them are Menos Activos. 1400. That is why conversion is so important. You have to feel that spirit in your life to keep you moving forward. Sometimes our light can dwindle but hopefully there will be someone there to liht it back up again! So that's our goal! Light their candle back up again!

We had the most hilarious stories this week... we met a prophet in the street... He talks to ´jagwa´and proficide (ok I don't know how to spell it in English) that were were about to die.

One of our investigators told us the reason she could come to church (but you have to know first that shes about 4 foot 6 60 years old with no teeth) was that here 30 pound 3 month old granddaughter weighed too much for here to carry her to church. "shes like a cinder block" but unlike a cinder block she could "Just put her down to sit on it to take a rest"... hahhaha so yeah were still working on her!

We were in a lesson and this 80 year old lady... that couldn't hear a word we were saying... insisted on telling us all there organ and body parts before she would say the prayer.

And the Mormon Dog came to church. Yes somehow... Hermana Auroas dog finds his way to church every week and comes and sits down in relief society... to listen? AND he didn't even miss the baptism this Saturday either! hahaha who knows. but its always good to know that Dogs find their way to church... before our investigators do :) but hey it has all his asistences to church to be baptized ;) haha

Anyway I love you all so much! You guys are all inspirations to me! The church is true and my challenge to you this week is to go find someone whose flame is flickering in the church. Sometimes all people need is a friend!

Hermana Nelson

Some things you just cant take for granted :)

Sooo... we ate Cow intestine.... It's not good. Don't try it.

Cheesy walking pic :)

2 weeks in Captivity

Hi fam!! Ok I better start explaining myself... sorry If I confused you but no I wasn't sick. I just realized that this whole companion thing well.... I don't really talk in "I" anymore. So no I'm just becoming all homemakey and taking care of my companion!

BUT GREAT NEWS!!! Yesterday was our first day out!! WOOO!!! You'd be so proud! I mean none of our investigators were home or anything but we went to church and TRIED to visit all of our investigators so that's all that matters!

Sorry there's not much to report on this week! we´ve been staying positive in our house and have been contacting just about everyone that passes by our door. We contacted the pizza guy... the guy that sold us watermelon... or lovely neighbor stopped by... the taxi guy that took us to the pharmacy! So I mean given the circumstances its been a pretty good week! AND we were able to have intercambios this week! So I went out with Hermana Castillio and Hermana Hansen (the darling hermana from our stake!) stayed with Hermana Vasquez! So we got the chance to visit almost all of our investigators!

So big news... I've finally learned how to joke in Spanish. Well at least one joke. Like Hermana Debora from the ward belly laughed. Not just a "ok just laugh to make her feel better". So I'm moving up in the world :)

As for the food that you guys keep asking about... well we eat a lot of tortillas... and baleadas! The traditional dish is beans, platenos, avocado, cheese and tortillas! But the food is great here! And this last week I have made my fair share of pancakes with all the time we have! but no worries the food is probably treating me too good ;)

Anyway remember that I love you all so much. This gospel is so true. Thank you for all your love and support from everyone! if you are feeling down this week read Ether 12:27... God gives us our weaknesses to become better, stronger people. have patience in your trials and maybe one day youll be able to "leave them all behind" just how we left our house yesterday! :)

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Hermana Bree :)

We're SOUP-er homemakey... haha just laugh for me :)

We made it to Zone Conference though :)

Zone conf :)

We ate the WHOLE THING ;) but really we did.