Aloha! Hola! Hello! Oi! and What’s Up! to all of
my family and friends in the solid ground! Sometimes I get a little confused
about how I should salute people I pass by in the streets. But lately, it has
been even worse! But, all is well in the island of Roatan. To recount some
quick tales, we shall start right off!
So, last P-day we started out going on a trip with the Ropers. We ended
up traversing almost the entire eastern side of the island, even places I
hadn't been to! But, the really funny part was when we went to go see if there
really was a reference out there we could contact. We had heard of a couple who
lived out in the boondocks who were members from the states. So, we go to find
them, and come up to this HUUUUUGE house and start calling "hello!" Well,
a mysterious man comes out and immediately, "I don't follow the Mormon theology”
and just goes into this whole weird shpeel of how he is a worldwide oil and
gasoline driller and so he meets people of all walks of life and
"can't" join a religion. It was a very interesting encounter!
Then, on Tuesday, we decided to go contact some old investigators from
the area book. So, we went to a family, the Goldman family. I thought it
sounded fishy having that for a last name, but I was clueless. Well, we walk in
and it is a normal Latin family, only the problem is all the kids are also
speaking English (the dad wasn't home at the moment). We started teaching them
and finding out what the sisters had taught them before. Well, all the sudden
the dad comes home in this sweet jeep-type car. Well...turns out he is from
Delaware and is a musician who came here to teach music 14 years ago and never
left. Well...so we were talking to him in English as well! What! I thought I
was reading in my call letter that I was called to teach in the Spanish
language!
On Wednesday we pulled off a sweet Family Home Evening with Hna Sorto.
Our new Mission Leader has started a program where we go to members homes,
invite all the members, neighbors, investigators, everyone over for a message
and some food. We watched How Rare a Possession and had about 20 people there.
It was great, I was super happy with the turnout and that everyone loved the
message and the movie. And the fact that Hna Sorto is an amazing cook helps
too!
The other days up until Saturday were normal, just teaching and whatnot,
preaching the gospel. But Saturday rolls along and (after a young women's camp)
we show up to the Ropers house to go visit some people that they had wanted to
go see. Before that, we went up to a giant mountain where a ton of people live,
and it was quite tiring to get up there! But we show up, and they were super
tired from being up with the girls all night. But, so we go to the Webster's
house. Once again, I was very intrigued by the last name. But, we show up, and
once again a normal Latin family. However, we started, and we were only
speaking English! What! I only carry around Spanish scriptures, so it is pretty
weird to try and teach a principle in English and then go to back it up with
the scriptures in Spanish. But, they understand them both, it is just that the
Ropers prefer speaking English haha.
Yesterday we had a great turnout at church (this time no gringos showed
up haha). I really enjoyed it, and the funniest part was that the nursery
teacher just didn't show up. So, guess who they asked to teach Nursery? Elders
Tinkham and Hofstrand! At first I kind of sat there, thinking, "Are you
really asking me to do this?" But then I just decided to accept it. It was
a very interesting experience. One I hope doesn't promptly repeat itself, as
many of them were quite out of hand and I just ended up handing out ritz
crackers and juice for good behavior. But, definitely something I hadn't ever
expected in my mission.
Anyway, I love you all. I hope you enjoy this week and that your P-day
will turn out as awesome as mine will! We are heading to La Ceiba tomorrow to
hear from President Veirs! Should be awesome!
Vaya Pues!
Elder Tinkham
