Wow...I can’t believe
people were out in the streets cheering and giving thanks to the pope...FOR
RESIGNING! Dang man...that’s some serious stuff...that plaza was SO full of
people! Random tangent, I apologize.
*ahem* Hello everyone!
How are you all doing? I hope it is cold...I miss the cold. But first of all, a
HUGE and crazy HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the best dad in the world! That’s right, we
can all pretend that we go back with the age numbers now...but for good humor for
him...I shall not include this number right now (perhaps later on and hidden).
So yes...apparently
the beans were spilled (and I still don’t really know how...) that my mission
is going to get split! We were informed at our change meeting on Wednesday of
that. In June, when Pres. Veirs leaves, 2 mission presidents will come in his
place. They are both gringos as well. San Pedro Sula Este and San Pedro Sula
Oeste. Considering I will still be here at that point, they informed us that
the area in which you are assigned at the time of the split, that is the
mission in which we will stay. Which is funny to think of the boundary changes
between the "East" and "West" mission...considering that
every time I have had a change I have been changed to what would be the
"other mission."
And I
got a dazzling haircut today! ...just thought you should know...
Anywho! This week was CRAZY! I am still trying to get my head around it all and tell myself it is not a dream! So, obviously we had that change where I wasn’t very happy. To be honest, I was kinda upset about it all! So basically I spent the rest of the time saying goodbye to people and teaching my companion how to use the MLS system (I am now a pro at Spanish MLS) and everything and packing my bags at LIGHTNING SPEED and ghetto washing my clothes...they weren’t completely clean...needless to say. Anywho, we had to go early in the morning Wednesday to make it on time, and we had to go in suits! Everyone was scared...but nothing big happened. I think Pres. Veirs just wants us to wear our suits to change meetings now, and give a good example to the new missionaries. He told us about the mission change that will happen, and gave us many very good counsels. (He is really experienced as a president at this point).
Well, here I am, sitting down and relaxing waiting for the “T’s” to be called and for them to tell me that I am off to some random area with some random Latin companion as a District Leader. And I couldn’t have been more…
Wrong!
All the sudden, at the
“D’s,” Elder Dorrough from the MTC stands up, and they inform him he will be
going to La Paz, La Lima to open the area with Elder Tinkham as his trainer!
WHAT! That is just craziness! I have included a picture of Papa Tinkham with
his 2 children (the whole mission was at the change meeting). So, we came back
to our area with our DL who "knew" where our house was, but ended up
getting us lost and we walked up and down random streets looking for the bishop
or stake president to tell us where we lived. Well, we finally made it home to
say "...now what?!" I was like a fish out of water! Well, the sisters
had left us a few appointments and leads of what to do...so we maintained busy
that first day, and the next day we had to go back to San Pedro Sula (luckily
La Lima is only like 40 minutes away from the giant stake center there, so I am
kissing goodbye waking up early!) for a trainer/new guys meeting. It was really
cool, and I learned quite a lot! It is just crazy to have to be a Spanish
teacher along with a teacher of the gospel.
Anyway...my time is
almost spent...but at the same time the crazy journeys of the week have been
told. There were small things, but those can be late night, with close
friends/family pillow talk discussions.
Love all of you, love
my new place...the Lord is awesome!
Vaya Pues!
Elder Tinkham
Elder Tinkham
