Alright, it is indeed the truth. I almost didn’t believe I was going to be transferred, but it happened. I felt pretty sad leaving my first area. But, I showed up to the change meeting, and well, the names are organized alphabetically as the President announces who goes with who. So, the T’s come, and I am sweating bullets trying to figure out where I am going and with who.
Oh, but first! Hello to all! I hope this week has been the best ever for you all and that all of your dreams have come true recently!
So, to describe where I am: I am opening an area. My companion and I are both brand new here and don’t know anyone or anything. We are working with the Senior Couple of the mission because this branch needs a lot of help. It is SUPER far away from the mission office; it took us an entire day to get here after the change meeting. I have been sent to another "dead area" that hasn’t seen baptisms for awhile, and I am the successor to Hermanas again.
But, despite all of these things that may sound bad, I have been transferred to a tiny little area called:
ROATAN
Yes, yes, I know, I can’t believe it either. The Hnas. have been here for over a year now, so the fact that they are sending Elders again is quite a shock to everyone. Lots of people were asking me if my parents were paying a lot of tithing or if they were smooth-talking the president. ...as far as I know it is a lie, but you never know. I’ve got some pretty awesome parents.
Anywho, we came here to open the area (mainly because we don’t know it, it was never really closed) not knowing anything. But, the Hnas. left behind an investigator named Jessica who is very close to baptism! She is some 30 years old, a lawyer, and lives very close to us and the church. She is awesome! She understands the scriptures so much and really loves praying, and after we made the baptismal challenge, she told us that she felt that she wanted to be baptized, but that she needed to pray more about it first.
The Senior Couple, Elder and Sister Roper are amazing. They really know the island well and help us out a ton. Elder Roper is Elder’s Quorum President and Hna Roper is Primary President. They helped us get nice and settled in our new 2nd story, 4 bedroom apartment. It is hard to study, because my desk is right in front of the window where I look out and you can see the beach and the ocean and the cruise ships when they pull in. But, we do what we can haha.
But, really, I am here with an Elder Chen from Guatemala. He only has 10 months in the mission, but he is great. Very experienced, very funny, and very good at teaching. We both are very lost here, but doing great. Sure, the view is lovely and beautiful, but there truly is a lot of work to be done. They need a lot of help here with the priesthood, and for that they have sent us here. There are a lot of expectations resting on our shoulders, but we can do it! The gospel is true, so we shall be able to accomplish whatever task, whenever it is needed!
So, enjoy the pictures. I am out of time because we have to go pack up to journey back to the mainland for a meeting tomorrow morning with Elder Martino of the 70. So, just know that I am loving my time here on an island, enjoying the tropical sea-breeze, and teaching the gospel with a renewed vigor that I have found on a yacht to my area.
All my love,
Elder Tinkham
(P.S. mom, do you recognize that sunken ship I sent you? We stopped by there when we were here on our cruise!)
