Sunday September 3, 2023

We have Branch conference coming up in two weeks so as a branch we are cleaning the building.  Yesterday there was a group of us whose assignment was to clean the stackable chairs.  We took them outside, scrubbed them and dried them.  It was a great way as branch to work together to make our building more presentable.  I felt weird in a not a white shirt but it was good.  Next Saturday there will be another day of cleaning and then if necessary the next Saturday also.  We enjoy being with the branch members and with the Hermana missionaries working together for the common good of the building.  It is a nice building, but it needs a little attention.  

On Friday it was "The day of the children" here like Fathers day and Mother's day which they also have here, but Sept 1st is children's day.  So the school children did a parade down the street.  This is Yariani, who was in the top 10 in her class so they got to march first for their school.   There were I don't know how many schools participating but it was fun for the children.  

After District council this week we went outside and took a picture by the church sign.  The faces keep changing in our little area here in Tela and Telamar, but it is always a wonderful experience to get to know these wonderful young men and young women as they are here experiencing their mission.  Elder Valenzuela said today that he in enjoying his missionary experience a lot more than what he expected and that he is glad to be here.  Who knows what each person's expectations are when they leave home and go on a mission, but it is always good to hear that they are having good uplifting experiences and that it is an enjoyable experience,  for the most part.  It is difficult, probably harder than one expects but the good outweighs the bad by so very much, that those good experiences are those that will be in our memory forever.  There is so much growth that occurs during these young people's lives.  Ours as well but to see how these young Elders and Sisters grow and change it is pretty incredible.  Ane we only see them for a small part of their whole experience.  Elder Martinez is a wonderful example of one who is so committed and full of faith and conviction.  He is from Mexico and has been a member since he was 15, then his family was inactive for 4 years, so after getting involved again and attending two EFY conferences he knew that he had to accept the call to be a missionary. He came here after the CCM, and was Elder Steel for three months, then he was made our district leader and has been training Elder Valenzuela for three months,  he is so happy and faithful.  It has been such a wonderful experience for us to get to know him and to be able to have been here with him through this first part of his mission.  I am sure he will go far in the world with his many talents and abilities and his personality.  Transfers are a week and a half away and we are all pretty sure he will be transferred to another area.  6 months in one area is about the most they stay in the same area, then they are moved to another area with a new companion.  

Elder Valenzuela had torn the sleeve of his shirt so last Monday Hermana Chappell sewed it back together for him.  We are all so happy to have Hermana Chappell here with us, for so many many many reasons.  

It is always so great to go the zone conferences where we get to be with the Elders and Hermana's who have been here in Tela, it is always so good to see them again.  There are so many wonderful relationships that are created here.  Hermana Chappell gets so connected with each and every one of them and truly loves them as only a mother can.  It is like a little family we have here then pretty soon they move on and others are adopted in to the family and we love them too.  

We took this picture today after lunch,  the Elders and Hermana's came over and we all had lunch together.  Which we do almost every Sunday, sometimes with all four and sometimes we alternate with the Elders and the Hermanas.  Hermana Seb on the left is now at the end of her mission, she goes home in a week and a half.  It has been such a pleasure to get to know her and to work together.  She is from Guatemala, her companion Hermana Gomez, is also from Guatemala.  They have been able to do so much good here in Tela for the people here in the branch and surrounding area.  The missionaries carry with them such a wonderful spirit and everywhere they go and in everything they do, it is like a little bit of sugar spread around, it makes everything a little better.  

It has been raining more here lately.  It was raining when we got up this morning and it is raining again now.  It does cool things off a bit but it stays hot.  It makes it even more humid than when it doesn't rain, the crazy thing is that it feels like a steamy hot shower when we go outside.  It is crazy, after being in our house with AC, we go outside and my glasses steam up.  Who would have ever thought that would ever happen. It is nice inside the house where it is comfortable, that is where we spend a lot of our time.  The bad thing is that after it rains very much the water that comes out of the taps is dirty.  It plugs up the little screen filter in the taps and shower head...  Oh well I suppose a dirty shower is better than no shower at all.   Yippy, good times. 😄

We got to see hermana Rosales at the last zone conference, she seems to be doing well.  

Our wonderful friend and hijo for life, Elder Martinez with his sweat rag always on his shoulder.  They carry that around always and wipe the sweat off their faces.  They get so gross but they always have them on their shoulder 😝😝😓