News from Sister Dannee E. Clay: More News from Elder Clay (3rd letter from Honduras, day 41)

Familia!

I miss and love you! I GOT THE LETTER FROM MOMMY AND CARD AND PACKAGE FROM NANNIE ON THURSDAY!! IT WAS THE BEST

This week was the patience week. I'm learning here that because this is the Lord's two years that I need to be on the Lord's schedule. I'm wanting the people that we teach to be ready for baptism and keeping their commitments when I want them to. I'm learning that the Lord knows when they'll be ready for baptism. Saturday we had two baptisms. Eduardo - 10 years old and Michelle - 9 years old. The other two were other kids that just weren't ready for a variety of reasons but this is the whole patience thing. The Lord is preparing them for this and Elder Cotton and I need to be able to be sensitive to the Spirit so that we can serve more effectively.

Also yesterday in church we didn't have all of the people come to church that we wanted. Again. Patience. I'm ready for these people to understand and accept everything and I was so sad when most of the people that we're teaching didn't come, but Elder Cotton told me that in time all will be well. We've got to keep working and following the rules and all will be well.

This week was great though. Every day except yesterday was full of appointments. Every single day we were teaching people. Finding people is so important but when we can spend an entire day teaching that is what rocks. Tuesday I got to give a blessing to a neighbor of a member here. She had just undergone a super intense surgery. My first time giving a blessing in Spanish. It was scary but I was directed by the Spirit.

Wednesday was awesome. We got to have interviews with President Hernandez. He expects a lot out of us as missionaries. But a super huge surprise...he told us that our stats were the highest in the whole mission for two weeks ago. I was shocked. We did a lot of great work but there was still more that we could do, more to improve upon. I'm excited to work with President Hernandez because he really cares and wants to support his missionaries. In fact he told us that we could start looking for a bigger house and the mission would continue to pay for it. Our house is great as a house but for church it is just too too small. We've got about 50 people attending every week and we need more space.

Thursday Elder Cotton and I spent about 45 minutes or so looking for a house. There is not a great abundance of large houses but we think that we've found one. Hopefully all goes well because for reals not one seat was empty in sacrament meeting and there is no room for more chairs...anywhere! Strange event on Thursday: I saw a horse walking backwards..?!?

Elder Cotton told me that one night I slept talked and another night I really freaked him out because I was sleep walking and he was pretty startled. I shouted out... "Not Tuesday...no!" Don't worry Dad, I'm still arguing in my sleep.

But the best part about Thursday was the mail. I love getting mail. Nannie is the best for that package. Elder Cotton's favorite color is also green. I love all of the treats and goodies that are there. I'll be nursing all of that stuff along as long as I can. There are 131 pieces of gum. So if someone could send me more gum before 131 days are up I would love to be able to chew one piece of gum per day.

Friday was an epic moment. I completed Day 19 in the field Friday and I had 19 days in the MTC.

Although...there was some extreme trauma that happened to me this week......It rained pretty hard a couple of times and TWICE I had soaking wet socks. It was the absolute worst and I just wanted to cry and throw up and scream but somehow I made it till the end of the day when I could take them off. Actually our favorite part of the day is taking off our sweating dirty clothing.

So during our hour of Language study Elder Cotton is supposed to be studying English and I studying Spanish. We're encouraged to work together and we found the greatest idea. We're reading the Book of Mormon out loud. I in Spanish and he is in English. Elder Holland promised that if you read the BOM in your mission language that by the time you finish you'd be fluent. We're working on it.

Notes:
I love that y'all saw HP7B (this is the photo we sent to Elder Clay)

Midnight showing of the final Harry Potter
front row l-r : MarShae (professor Trelawney, Emily (Hermione), Kristian (Harry), Madie (muggle)
back row l-r: Katri (Ginny), Britta (Gryffendor student) , Dannee (Cho Change from HPM), Tiffany (Professor Mcgonagall), Matt (muggle), Katie (Lavender Brown), Mitzi (Professor Trelawney)

I love Katri and Dannee's emails

I love Britta and Brenda's emails

I love Nannies’ package so much

The Spanish speakers use "super" and "freaking" and "crap" and a few other words from English all the time

Some random dog followed someone to church on Sunday...?!?

Elder Keeler and Elder Sabiston's email/mailing address please

Elder Cotton emails his family too
My area is like this: imagine our Klein Stake Center as the center and all of the neighborhoods are where the missionaries serve. The only difference is that the neighborhoods are spaced out a lot more. There nine companionships in my zone so nine neighborhoods around the church building. We're about 20 minutes by bus from the chapel

No pianos...anywhere... :(

GPG team - keep it up! Mark - Honduras could really, really use your service.

3127 - Elder Cotton and me with Michelle and Eduardo at the baptism service
3115 - huge storm on the way
3118 - <3
3119 - my friend Angie. 18 months
3124 - walking to the baptism

I'm working on my accent so I will NOT speak Spanish like a foolish gringo. No worries family. I'm not going to shame us all.

I miss and love you all so much. Thanks for the prayers, support, emails, etc. I love the photos you are sending. Keep them up.

Lots of Love,

Elder Clay