¡Hola! ¿Que tal familia? ¿Como estamos? ¿Como fue el día pasado?
Well, as you can see from the changing font types...I don’t really know how the Spanish keyboard works yet...but I am here! In Honduras! Incredible! It is nothing like I imagined it...it is so much more! This country is beautiful. Once the plane I was in came out of the clouds and I saw the landscape...my breath was taken away. It looked just so beautiful.
First of all, a great experience happened in the Salt Lake airport. I had troubles checking in my luggage, so I had to go to the counter. Well, the lady seemed shocked I was by myself, but she was also a non-member. Well, after talking to her about the great experiences I had in the MTC, she asked me if they did tours of the MTC campus. I said that I didn’t know, but that I was sure if she asked they would be happy to give her one. She said that she would like to do that...so hopefully she does and ends up liking it and wanting to learn more!
I arrived in Honduras yesterday, Sunday, about 12:30 in the afternoon (meaning I have just made it through my first complete day here!) and I was a little scared. I was by myself, everyone was speaking Spanish, and I was in a foreign country. Well, I landed and was going through immigration, and I was a little scared that I didn’t fill out my form right. Well...turns out I didn’t. Typical. Ah well, just kept me there a little longer, and the lady asked me in Spanish why I was here. I said “I’m serving my mission here!” She didn’t seem to know that was, but asked why Honduras. I said “Well, I didn’t really have the choice, but I am so excited to be here!” Then she asked me how long I was going to stay here and I responded 2 years. She kind of looked at me in disbelief and asked “well when are you going to see your family?” And I told her after the 2 years. Then she asked me if I would call them on the phone and I said “yeah, probably 2 times each year.” She then called me crazy, but dedicated, stamped my passport, and then SHAZAM! I’m in Honduras.
Well, the first day was a little crazy. There are absolutely no road rules here in Honduras, so we were just going along cruising, and seeing all the people swerving lanes without signaling and driving fast was interesting, but so very normal. Plus, the assistants: Elder Jones and Elder Ellett had this massive truck to drive that could have eaten all of the tiny cars and bikes around. Then, I met President Veirs and it was a great meeting. He made lunch for myself, the assistants, and also the Guatemala Temple President and his wife who were with President Veirs at his house. As the Assistants took the Temple President and his wife to the airport, I met with President Veirs, had my interview, and then decided to take a little nap.
Well, long story short, after a night with the assistants in their house (which is actually pretty nice) I shipped off to my first area. Oh, but first they bought me Baleadas which are these DELICIOUS tortillas stuffed with Beans, Eggs, Mantequilla, Cheese, and many other toppings you want like Avocados. I fell in love with the food here from that moment.
But yes, we went to the office and I met my Dad (or my trainer) Elder Rodriguez. He is from El Salvador and has been out here for 10 months. He is pretty much Super Masiso! He is a very patient man and very kind and loving. Since he picked me up from the office, he had to wear official missionary gear. Then, afterwards, we went to go play some fútbol as a zone at a stake center, and he changed into a Tongan elder in our zone’s giant T-shirt. Very funny to see him in a shirt that drowned him.
But, we still had to get home. I am in an area called Cofradía. It is up pretty high in the mountains, and the scenery is beautiful. However, to get here we had to run across several streets with heavy luggage and hitch a ride on a bus. The bus was a very interesting experience, because I had no idea where it was taking us, and there was a man who would walk down the aisles and just collect Lempiras from us. I didn’t know how much it cost, so when he got to me I just pointed at my companion haha.
Then, we rode the bus for several minutes up into the mountains and Elder Vega and Elder Brewer (the other two missionaries in our area) came with us. Elder Vega kept cracking a million jokes and made the trip super funny. Then, we got home. I unpacked my stuff into our nice quaint abode. I don’t want to trash talk, but I am pretty sure we have the best house in the mission. It is about the size of my old bedroom with two beds, a desk, two areas to hang clothes, and a bathroom about the size of a closet. Needless to say, I am SUPER excited, and Elder Rodriguez and I have some work to do here!
So yes, that is my adventure thus far in Honduras! I am super excited to be here! Sure it is hot and humid, but that is no problem...because it is the cold time here right now! Cofradía is pretty much amazing, and I have already seen some of the members, the Relief Society President and a counselor in the bishopric, and we were stopped by a man who truly complimented us on our religion and how it taught the best things. I was very touched by him.
Well, the work must progress here in Honduras, so I must go out and make sure that happens! (Plus, I’m pretty thirsty and a bag of water sounds reeeeally good right about now).
¡Los quiero, mi famila y mis amigos! ¡Vaya con Dios!
Elder Tinkham
