01/20/2014
This week was a pretty good week. I had my ingrown toenail
removed Tuesday and I couldn’t walk outside because it was pouring and I couldn’t
get my toe wet or muddy. So that was a little frustrating, but it is what
it is. It’s healing now and it doesn’t hurt to walk anymore so that’s
always a bonus. This week the weather has been awesome. It’s rained
a couple days and has been rather cold for Honduras. I even had to break
out the raincoat once in the morning because I was so cold. So that was
pretty awesome. But the most amazing thing this week was we had another
person that was prepared to hear us!
My companion and I were walking back to our house after lunch
with a member and we stopped a mototaxi. I had ridden with the driver
before and didn’t have a very high opinion of him I won’t lie. The first
time I met him he had yelled at a homeless man that walks around the area and
harassed him. But this time he was very calm. He asked us a few
questions about the church and my companion shared that the church helps
people. He mentioned that he needed an operation on his leg. We said we
would love to come and visit and he said sure.
I remember thinking that maybe he would listen to us so we would pay for
his operation. He said he would show us his house as we drove to our house.
Well, he showed us and then he drove us to his gate and we went inside
and taught a lesson. It was definitely unexpected, and our first lesson
was the Word of Wisdom. So it was definitely a surprising experience. But
they were very kind and open and we have a return visit with them, and I have
hope for this family. They are even married! That takes care of pretty
much the biggest problem with teaching families. I know they were
prepared by the Lord.
I’m so grateful that the Lord is allowing me to have these
experiences and that I can see His hand in this work. Things are getting
better here in the branch also. We had members in our lessons a lot this
week and we even had a branch council meeting yesterday in church. The
branch has set some goals for the missionary work in the area and they have
taken more of the responsibility on themselves. That is something I’ve
been waiting for. It makes me a little sad though, because I may be
leaving the area in February. I know as
I strive to be obedient and worthy and ready to have the spirit as a guide in
the day, the Lord will bless us with more people to teach.
Just on another note, today just happens to be the five-month
mark for me. Wow! I honestly haven’t felt these five months. Thinking
back to before the mission, time seemed to go so slow. The school year
was forever, and my sister said that she’s halfway done with school already.
My brother is almost finished with wrestling season and I always felt
that wrestling season was so long. Wow, what a rush these past five months
have been. I have learned so much. I thought about the rest of the
time I have in the mission and how fast it’s moving. Before I know it,
I’ll be back with my family. I won’t put on a black tag every morning, and I
will have to worry about worldly things again. And that’s sad. I
have loved the past five months more than anything. I’m so grateful for
the experiences I’ve had, the things I’ve learned and the testimony I’ve
gained. I know as I’ve seen how fast the mission goes, I want to work
harder, to be more obedient, to be the best missionary I can be everyday,
because its going by incredibly fast and I don’t want to waste it. It’s
not fair, ha ha. I know I’m going to put in more effort to do those things. But
I love this gospel and I know the things I’ve learned have changed my life. Before
the mission, the gospel was a lot of confusion in my head, and now it couldn’t
be more simple. The scriptures are amazing. I love them. They
truly are the word of God. I know every
time I read them I can learn and grow. I’ll often read and think to
myself, that verse was not there the last time I read this book. There’s
no way I could miss something this profound. But it’s true. The
scriptures constantly have new meaning in my life and I’m so grateful for the
power they possess. I’m so grateful for the prophet and the apostles as
well. I know they are called of God. They are such examples to me
and I’m so glad that I get the chance to be a special witness of Jesus Christ
just like them. I know as we heed their words, our lives will be so much
better. During my language study I’ve started studying the Liahona with the past
conference addresses because I didn’t understand anything in October, ha ha.
I’m so very grateful for this gospel I can’t even begin to explain how
much. That’s all for me this week!
Elder
Ollis
In
a separate letter to mom: I’m just going
to answer mom’s questions…. We went to a clinic with the mission nurse
and they numbed my toe, took forceps and pulled the whole infected part up and
out of my skin and cut it out. They only removed half of my toenail. I
promise, it was a nice clinic. Thomas has pictures. It was a little painful the day of and after,
but I rested the day after and it’s healing now. I’m wearing shoes and no pain
meds or anything. The problem may be my shoes. I’m looking to buy some
boots with round toes soon. Also, the sole of one of my shoes has a hole.
I’m really happy about that!
Just
an update on the sister we found last week, her husband came back. She didn’t come to church this week. She said
she felt like she was at the first day of school last week at church. But she wants to go to a Relief Society
activity and her husband has expressed interest in reading the Book of
Mormon. So I think we will be able to
work with them a lot!
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