Another Week gone by already

Elder Clay ate ice cream for Dads b-day!

Familia!

Another week has already come and flown by! I love being a missionary here in Monte Carlo! The time is flying so fast that Elder Cotton and I already have 9 weeks together and it is very possible that our time as companions will be over in three weeks! We have changes on 21 septiembre. Every six weeks we have the possiblilty to change companions and areas and I was guaranteed 2 changes with Elder Cotton because he's training me.

This week was also crazy busy. Not quite like last time with the trip to Teguc but there was a lot of time, too much in my opinion that we had to spend out of our area. And yet again we had short notice  from our leaders. It's very frustrating for us because we esteem our investigators and our area above all and when we're informed, about, you know, an hour in advance that we have to leave for a meeting like what happened Tuesday it's difficult! We were lucky to have been back in the house because we were gifted free food and weren't planning on returning! Elder Cotton had a capacitacion at the Stake Center at two and we got the call at 1. Our Zone Leaders are less than organized it seems. Luckily the AP's were there and I was able to take another missonary and they drove us back to Monte Carlo so that we wouldn't lost the day!

Tuesday night we thought that our ZL's were playing a joke on us because at 10:00 they called and told us that we had to be in Teguc Wednesday morning by 09:00 for a trainer/trainee conference. That means the 05:00 a.m. bus from Choluteca. We were furious because we had a full day of important citas with families and it was about to be ruined. Luckily, again, the Lord blessed us, the AP's talked to the Presidente and we didn't have to go because we're working hard and he's not worried.

Thursday for the reunion de distrito we made pizza. It rocked. Our district is good. Elder Cotton is really trying to unify and work with the missionaries because there is a companionship of baggy, plancher missionaries that need a little extra help and support.  Elder Cotton teaches specifically to help them and we're trying to do all that we can to reanimarles.

Friday was one of the most difficult days that I've had in the mission.  We had a goal of 9 baptisms for this week but we dropped down to 6.  It's not as crazy as it sounds...Norma (16 - blind, recent mother) y Gerson (9 - brother of Norma) are living with Hna. Alistra, an awesome member as part of the foster care program. Lizbeth (12), Litisia (9), Lenin, (8), Sandy (8) are nietos of Hna. Mercedes, the greatest member in all of Monte Carlo.  Jonathan (13) is the cousin of Javier (20) who are awesome and were supposed to go for this Saturday as well.  Finally Maria (...sixty something...) who is a reference from Hermana Mercedes.  So of these 9 we lost Lenin - we're not worried, he'll come next week. He had to stay out of town and help his parents with something. The saddest was Javier.  He was so positive and we loved teaching him. He didn't pass the interview. We found out later that night that he has a sever addiction to tobacco and a few months ago had a chastity issue. We're shocked because he never told us and we are his friends! We'll be working so hard with him this week.

That was not the worst thing that happened though. Hermana Rosalba, the mother and wife of an extremely positive family that was going to be baptized the 10th of sept. brought bad news. She's been recovering from surgery for breast cancer and she got back Friday from her appt. in Teguc. The cancer is back and she's going next week to Teguc for a month to have chemotherapy. She wasn't optimistic. 

But, on the bright side, it was Dad's birthday and I had ice cream! Happy 49 Dad!
Saturday was baptisms - we had the six.  I know they're all jovenes and children.  I want families and we're working hard with them. We feel like the non-member teenagers and children that we're teaching are going to unlock the door to the rest of the family. We're not seeking out the children. They're coming to us and we're not going to deny blessings to anyone.                                                                                                                                              

Sunday was good. Things are busy. Church attendance was 52. Only two investigators in church though... :( It was good that the members turned out!.  Sadly Johanthan, who we baptized Saturday didn't come to church to get confirmed! ..AH! That scared me but Elder Cotton says not to worry. Have faith... He'll come next week.

We had an epic battle this week about the fecha de nacimiento de Gerson. Since he's in foster care he's not living with his family. We miraculously found and called the mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, cousin, and others to find his D.O.B. NO ONE KNEW....?!?! We'll have to go to the Registro National de Personas with the new last name we got from his father. Thank you family for knowing things about me! I love you! 

Abrir la boca. Our lesson from Thurday in the meeting was on the importance of talking with people! Read - D&C 24:12, 33:8-11, 60:2-3, 71:1, 75:1-5. 2 Ne. 1:27, 33:1-2.

New born baby and Elder Clay

Notes:

Missionary Plack: D&C 34:1,5,6

I had to break down and buy a pillow last week. My little blow up one finally gave out. I'm weak I know.

The ice cream trucks that drive around are 1,000,000 times creepier than the ones in the States. Just so you know.

Next time you send something could you try to find a talk that Elder Bednar gave in the MTC about following the Spirit and just going and doing, not waiting around for a powerful confirmation.... Also MP3 CDs of Christmas, Disney, Lord of the Rings, Jon Schmidt, Rigoletto, and the music in the iTunes playlist called "that time" (You can copy music and burn CDs directly from iTunes, highlight and CTRL+C, etc.) That would rock. The mission approves Disney music!

Thanks Mom for Bryant's email! I'll join y'all in praying for rain in Texas.

I love the updates on all the family, keep them coming!

Mommy, I got your package. SUPER LO MAXIMO. Thanks so much. You rock.

Letters this week from - Katri, Mommy, Shannon Timmins, Schmutz, Elder J.A. Gonzalez, Deneka and Phen's wedding announcement! I love mail!

Mommy - how can I hard boil eggs, make french toast and make cilantro last longer than 3 days in the fridge?

We have a guy who comes everyday for a few hours to work in the yard so that is amazing. Things are improving. The bishop came to the meeting with the owner last week and he's taken action. The inside cleaning ladies should start this week. Our house was a disaster after church yesterday. I'm grateful for the people who'll clean!

3434 (L to R): Johanthan, Hermana Alistra with baby Norma, me, Norma, Elder C., Gerson, Lizbet, Litisia, Hermana Mercedes (Sandy hid from the camera)
3427 - Elder Wedemeyer (ZL) plus above mentioned
3432 - Me with the baby
7081 - our people in white! Sandy couldn't escape this picture!

Hope you're all doing well family. I love and miss you all.  Keep me updated with school and football and KHS and Larry, etc. I love you! Girls - dominate scripture mastery.

Prae - keep with the English! I know it's hard to learn and speak another language! You can do it! My family rocks and they'll always talk with you!

Katri - good luck with the beginnings of KHS. Mrs. Glocksien was my Bio teacher as well. She should know we're related by now, Mrs. Kennedy too.

Elder Clay and Elder Cotton Sleeping Area

Dannee - GSL, football, 12:06, sonic, EPIC SENIOR YEAR BEGINNING.

Love you all lots,

Elder Clay

Backyard of Monte Carlo home. Many homes left unfinished, as you see with the unfinished 2nd story.

Another view of room and closet area

The Bishops office and or the Shoe room.

This is the big room where they hold Church Sacrament meeting. You can see door to the sleeping room and Bishops office

The kitchen

The bathroom

 

Backyard

Front yard. The wall goes all the way around the house. Notice the sign to the left.  It is the Church of Jesus Christ of  Latter -day Saints or rather in Spanish!