Well, as the title says, this week has been a week full of birthdays. First of all, I want to wish my father a HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY this Sunday! Woo! Already going for 50 years young!
But yes, as of the activities for this week...I shall attempt to remember them all. Oh! But first, Hello to all of my friends and family! This week went really great for us missionaries in Cofradia. Sometimes I just leave myself smiling thinking of how we are destroying the kingdom of Satan with leaps and bounds!
Anyway, this week, once again, we didn’t have any baptisms. We had planned one for the Familia Martinez, but once again the papers for their wedding didn’t come. But, they are still super faithful and super awesome. I have grown to love them so much, and always feel super happy coming to their house. They are super humble and want to learn so much. One day, when Hno. Tulio was working, his wife told us that one day he told her that he would never separate himself from the Catholic Church. But, now, he walks around with his backpack that says: "La Iglesia de Jesu Cristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días." It fills me with such great joy. It was also the birthday of Hna. Maria, and we went to celebrate with a Tres Leches cake, but she has left to tend her mom who is quite sick. So, we shall celebrate later on in the week.
We have kept on teaching the Familia Portillo, which is a family of gold. The parents were baptized some...25 years back I believe. They got married because of that, but have become inactive. They now have 6 kids who are not members, but want to get baptized. The only problem is they live some 30 minutes by bus from the chapel...so it is difficult for them all to come. But, they are always super excited to have us come, and gave us an entire 2 liter bottle of banana soda to drink. I thought I was going to pop!
We also have kept on teaching the Familia Amaiya, and they are all very smart women who have drank in the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith...everything! All we have to do is get them to come to church a little more and get them with a firm baptismal date, and then we will have them ready for their baptism!
The Familia Santa Maria as well are doing great. The only problem with them as well is that they aren’t married either. The papers for them have a few problems, where the name and number of the husband don’t line up. So, he has to go personally to see what the problem is, but he works a lot and was born pretty far away. So, we shall continue waiting to hear from them when the papers come!
The Familia Romero as well are doing great. We went and visited them a few times because it was the birthday of their daughter Paola this week. We went and they gave us some cake, tried to give us Pepsi but we refused, and Papaya. They are doing great, the only problem is to get them to keep reading the Book of Mormon and go all together to church every Sunday.
It is starting to get really hot here in Honduras! Summer is on its way. Unfortunately, we are sitting at some 36º Celsius at the moment (somewhere in the 90s in Fahrenheit). So, I find myself sweating a lot more haha. But, it is all good and I am starting to look even more tan and like a native Honduran! Soon I shall fool everyone into thinking that I am really a Latin! Hahaha!
Anyway, I am just about out of time, but I just wanted to tell one and all that I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ on the Earth. There is no other, as it says in the Book of Mormon that there are only 2 churches: The church of God, and the church of the devil. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and we can draw ourselves closer to Him through reading, pondering, and praying about it. I love the book, and am just about done with Alma in my quest to finish the Book 4 times this year!
Anyway, I love you all and wish nothing but the best for you in this coming week! Until next Monday!
All my love,
Elder Tinkham
