Well
now, the activities of this week were...outstanding! I wasn’t really
expecting...any of it!
Ah yes, but I hope
that you have all had an amazing week like I have had! Because if so ... your
life has changed for the better.
I now am able to see
the hand of God more present in my life, and how it is that those small...the
smallest things ever in past events lead to blessing the lives of His children
in the future. Honestly, I now understand much more about the shifts we all
make in our lives (thank you Elder Thomas!).
So, P-day or Tuesday
we didn’t really do much, although we started teaching more seriously Armando
and Olga, a great little family. Armando showed a great commitment to going to
church on Sunday and to help his wife to be excited to go. They are Old Investigators
(or people that the missionaries were teaching before) and weren’t able to get
baptized. Well, they are showing a pretty good desire right now! My companion
and I are excited for them because they came to church on Sunday and stayed all
3 hours and participated in all the classes! Tender mercy #1 of the Lord.
On Wednesday, all of a
sudden President Veirs informed us that my companion needs an interview with
him in San Pedro Sula that SAME day! So, we dropped everything and boarded a
bus at 10 am to arrive there at the office by 3:30 pm. I saw a lot of old
friends and got to speak with many people, as well as leave with the
secretaries to work at night. Gotta say, it is pretty cool and REALLY
convenient to work while driving around in a car. You can have appointments as
far away as physically possible and you will still make it in a very reasonable
time! We should all have one...but, I also slept in the giant, spacious, and
comfortable home of the AP’s and secretaries that night, which I enjoyed a lot.
But, the miracle came the next day. So, Zona Copan was not going to be allowed to go to a conference
that we had on Thursday. But, since we were in San Pedro Sula, President
insisted that we go! ALRIGHT! So, we show up bright and early to the church (we
were with the AP’s, what can you expect, right?) and little do I know (because
we hadn’t heard anything about the meeting) but Elder Duncan of the Seventy
walks in with his wife and Elder Maynes of the Presidency of the Seventy walks
in with his wife! WOW! We certainly were in for a spiritual treat!
So we learned all
about the importance of the Book of Mormon in the lives of everyone (and heard
several cool stories) as well as we learned how to study in order to be ready
to teach our investigators and how to teach them in the exact same way that we
study! It was truly incredible. The Spirit coming from that man was astounding.
Tender mercy #2.
Upon finally returning
to our area, we were able to visit a doctor who is very interested in the
church but her husband is against us. She is talking about plans to convince
him to let her go to church. Tender mercy #3.
An unexpected cold
front hit Copan, and so we have been walking around in our suits this week to
fight back the cold! And I LOVE IT! Tender mercy #4
Finally, at church
yesterday we also had something amazing. We started the meeting with roughly 9
people present (including my companion and myself), and were very down hearted.
But, by the end of the meeting we were running out of space with almost 40
people! (tender mercy #5) But, as we were done with the Sacrament, all the
sudden a group of 3 people walk in and I asked the President if he knew them
and he told me no. Well, they stayed a moment after the meeting and my
companion and the branch president went to go teach them (it was my turn to
teach the Sunday School class). Well, my companion comes out and tells me it is
better for me to be there. So, I walk into the room to find 3 people from
Roatan who live here now and are looking for a church. I know the exact place
where they lived! Well, they needed an English translator haha. But she told me
after asking several questions, that they were driving around looking for a
church (they are suffering family problems) and this was the first one that was
open, and it says Jesus Christ outside, so we must worship Jesus Christ (just
like it says in 3rd Nephi 27:7-10). She was very happy and told me that she
wanted us to come and visit her and that she wanted a Book of Mormon. We
happily obliged and will be returning to visit very soon! Tenderest Mercy of
mercies that any missionary wants to see: #6!
So, this week was
amazing! I am super excited for this week that is coming up, because we have
baptisms planned and several new investigators that are progressing and showing
a lot of potential!
Love you all! Wish
that you can have as good a week as me!
Elder Tinkham
Elder Tinkham
(PS the picture is of
me in my suit on a normal tracting day due to the cold!)
