Sunday April 30, 2023

We had a great baptism yesterday for David Antonio Martinez Juarez.  It was a great opportunity to be with them and to participate in the service.  Since there are Sister (Hermana) missionaries in that area now they asked me to perform the baptism.  I was happy to be able to have that experience, one that I really didn't expect to have while here.  Then today in Sacrament Meeting I confirmed him a member of the Church.  I always thought that his dad, Doris' son Pedro was a member but they said yesterday that he is not, so David is the only member in his family.  His grandmother Doris is the sweetest grandmother ever.  She helps with those kids in everything.  David's younger sister, Tatiana, the one in yellow, turns 8 on the 14th of May and she says that she wants to get baptized too.  Davids younger brother Aaron keeps saying, "Next month".  So who knows when next month will ever get here.  David was also ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood to the office of Teacher today so that was cool too.  It has been a great weekend.  On Monday of this week we went as a District to the Botanical Park here close by for P day.  I'll add some pictures. 

It was a HOT fun day hiking around the trails in the park.  It was so very hot and humid but that is a part of the experience that will make it so memorable.  It was a great day spent together.  It was the first District P day where we went out to an outdoor activity where we were allowed to wear more casual clothing.  Most all the time we are required to wear white shirt and tie.  There are various reasons I am sure for this but especially here in Honduras it is for our safety.  The people know that we are missionaries here from a church so we are mostly left alone.  Which we are very glad for.  There are missionaries here who are assaulted and have their things stolen from them but for the most part we are safe.  That is one great blessing for us to be here in this area where we are in Tela, It has it's advantages and disadvantages of course but it is a smaller city on the coast so there isn't the crime and drugs and gangs that are in the bigger cities.   On Tuesday we went to San Pedro Sula to attend a multi Zone conference then on Wednesday we had to go back to take a sick missionary to the medical center for some tests and medical help.  It was in a part of the city that is actually in the West mission boundaries and we saw two Elders there at the hospital who were from the west mission getting medical care there as well.  It is a nice modern (for here) medical facility where they provide specialized health care.  While in the big city Colleen and I went out to Denny's for dinner. I thought it was funny because on the outside of the building it says in great big letters. "Always open" in english. Here is a picture. 

Then on Thursday we attended another multi Zone conference then came back home.  It was so nice to be back in Tela  Then on Friday morning an Hermana here called and said that she was so very sick.  She had been getting worse for a few days so we loaded them up and headed in to La Lima to take her to the medical center there.  It is a city about 1 1/2 hours away towards San Pedro.  When we got home Friday night we were very tired, then Saturday was the baptism.  What a week.  Then today while in church Hermana got a phone call and a text that a missionary was giving a talk in sacrament meeting and all of a sudden he passed out and fell to the floor.  So she arranged the necessary medical information to get him seen as well.  There were ward members who took him and his companion to the medical facility there and helped him get back home later.  It has been a very busy week.  Hermana Chappell is busy every day with medical issues but it seems like this past week has been extra busy.  It has been so hot here the last while, with no rain until last night, then again this afternoon it rained again a little bit.  It has really cooled of and feels so much better out now.  They were talking about how there is so much loud thunder and lightning here because the ground temp is so hot and the storm clouds come in cooler and when they come together it makes for loud thunderstorms.  Apparently this is very common here.  They say from May to December it rains more here and they get Hurricanes sometimes as well.  I don't care if I ever see a Hurricane.  I don't know that that experience is on my bucket list.  Especially not here, it would not be a fun experience.  

So to end on a spiritual note,  It was so awesome to see the support and love for David last night at his baptism.  When he hugged his grandmother she was crying and that made him cry too,  It was a very tender moment.  She said later that she is so glad that he has decided to join the Church of Jesus Christ and hopes and prays that he will always continue in the teachings of the church.  She also told us later that she has been to see the temple but would like to return to be able to be sealed to her late husband.  He died before they were able to do that.   So that is a goal of hers.  I told her that the Branch and the Telemar Branch is getting together and getting a bus to go to Tegucigalpa to the Temple in June, so that would be a great opportunity.   Hopefully that would be a real possibility that we can help her with.  There are always more opportunities to serve.  That is how life is isn't it?  We are so glad to be here to help in this area.  God lives and is in the details of our lives.  I am so grateful for that knowledge that He loves us and is with us always.