And the Heavens were opened...‏

What a dramatic title! What could it mean? Suspense, or blessing? A hint of danger? Tune in for this week's update on: Adventures in Progreso, an Elder Tinkham tale!

...sorry, feeling a little dramatic today...

I certainly hope that all of you are just peachy this week! Is that still a phrase? They just come in bursts now in English. It is getting hard!

However, this week was...how do I describe it...interesting. Needless to say, I shall be using 3 different contexts to the title of this e-mail to describe events of this week.

So you remember in the book of Genesis when it spoke of the flood at the time of Noah? Well, I am pretty sure it started out as something like what happened Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Progreso. It rained soooooooooooo much!

We had to roll up our pants to our knees to walk through the "streets" or better said, rivers, and make it back home. The power was knocked out, the sky got dark really fast, and people were just shut up in their homes or drastically trying to sweep out the water before it entered inside. It was crazy. I remember saying something last week about crazy storms...well...this was more crazy!

The Heavens were opened with miracles as a companionship of elders who was not able to work much in their area was able to achieve having so many people at church along with meeting new families that have truly been prepared by God. We had a lot of great lessons and some great one-on-one time as we were forced in the house to wait out storms and wait for the power to come back on. Also as I was able to go and work with an old friend from La Lima, Elder Menchaca in his area of Mezapa. What a great week of experiences.

Finally, the heavens were opened. Literally. I have been pondering a lot over a talk by the ex Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi in the August 2009 Ensign. I highly recommend it to every single person within the sound of my voice...or...sight of my email I suppose is a better analogy. He truly taught me the way to pray. And now, I can look back on all the mornings when I can humbly kneel down before my Father in Heaven, honestly drop before him my pleas and my questions, and receive honest, sincere, direct answers and revelations from Him. I now have a notebook full of things I have been told, and looking back through I can hear the voice of a loving Father who wants the best for His children. Truly, I have found the way that lives can change. Truly, I have found the formula to come closer to God. Truly, I have found a way to have the heavens opened for me. Truly, I have felt the love of God.

For this is His work. I know that. And I love that.

Vaya Pues!
Elder Tinkham