Week 31 - Emergency Changes

Well, hey everyone. This week was wildin. Well I thought I was going to be staying with my gringo comp Elder Murphy for another 6 weeks, but one Wednesday night I received a phone call... I was told that Elder Murphy was leaving and that I was getting a new comp named Elder Cabellero from Mexico, and that we were both getting moved up to Zone Leaders. (I was District leader before, who are in charge of a group of missionaries, and Zone Leaders are in charge of 2 or 3 districts usually.) I am probably the youngest person in the mission to be ZL, and Ill be honest, feel a little inadequate. There are people who kiss butt to try and work their way up the chain of command for some odd reason. I am actually the opposite haha, I have always not been afraid to speak my mind to my leaders, and sometimes bonked heads, but now I am here. Cant say that being a leader in the mission has been my dream since forever because it hasn't. Honestly if it were my choice, I would just be a normal missionary and not have to worry about these other responsibilities. But the thing is, God and My mission President believe that I can do it, so I guess I'm gonna trust in them! My short message for you all this week, is just something you have to trust in Gods plan that he has for us!

I thought last change was themed Jesus Take the Wheel, but Ill have to reinstate the theme for the rest of my mission I guess. Shout out to Carrie Underwood for that one

Thought of the week: I heard the song "Africa" by Tito in a bus this week. I don't understand how it was the song of the year in 89, but I guess its a banger.

We only had 2 baptisms this week, which I am grateful for! We were supposed to have 6, but couldn't get permission for 3 of the younger guys, so we planned there baptism for another month. The other named Karla called us on Saturday and told us she would arrive, but never came. Weird, but we are trying to figure out if anything happened.

Today there were a bunch of helicopters and military vehicles in my area. Honduras has been in a lot of political protest, more so in the city than in the little villages. I got a call from one of the assistants, and he told me he was in the streets when he got attacked by tear gas grenades. He was talking to me crying, (a little bit funny, a little bit crazy), but we both kinda laughed at his pain, and I told him to douse his eyes with milk. The problem is, houses in Honduras are not sealed, nor have air conditioning, so if smoke or gas is outside the house, its inside too. Don't worry, I have been all safe, but pray for the rest of the city if ya could!

My comp is pretty cool, from Monterrey mexico. My first Latino comp! I'm pretty used to talking Spanish 24/7, and I have no problem whatsoever speaking so I'm fine with it. Even though hes Mexican, hes whiter than me. His ancestry is from Switzerland apparently but like 200 years ago or something. Must have been some white dude that looked across the Rio Grande from Texas and liked what he saw in mexico, and went and got a girl or something.

Here is a story in an email my mom sent me this week about another missionary serving in Utah:

Yesterday we had a great sacrament meeting.  The two elders in our ward spoke.  One is from Blackfoot Idaho and has been out almost a year.  The topic was on Gratitude.  He told a story of at the beginning of his freshman year in high school, his grandfather who he was super close to suddenly passed away.  He was devastated and angry with God for taking him.  He didn't know how to deal with it and just turned off inside instead of turning to God and seeking answers.  He said he did a 180 with his life.  He didn't go into detail.  Then during his junior year, his sister and her friends borrowed his car to drive to SLC to go to a concert during winter weather and hit ice and slid off a bridge, falling 50 feet down into a dried up river bed onto big rocks.  He said the car was completely unrecognizable.  He said the whole front end was inside the car.  He said somehow his sister and her 3 friends walked away from it with minor scratches and bruises.  that is it.  He said he was totally dumbfounded.  He said he just stared at the photos for days in his room wondering how it could have happened that they survived.  One day his sister came into his room and said two words.  "You Know"  then walked out.  AT that moment, the spirit came into him strong and he knew Heavenly Father had protected them and saved them miraculously.  At that moment, he was able to turn back to Heavenly Father and Jesus and change his life back around.  He is eternally grateful for that miracle in his life."

This story touched me. More than a year and a half ago, my best and more dearest friend I have ever had, Brody passed away.Only a few months ago my other dear friend Alex Rayton passed away as well. In the moments in my life where i have felt the most alone, I have felt the comfort of the spirit, in the most literal sense of a warm hug. There were times where I had to leave social situations just to go to my room to cry alone. I write here and testify, that when I prayed, I was not alone. God is real. He loves us. Jesus is the Christ and I believe with all my heart soul mind and strength that this is the true church, this is the work of the lord, and that because of Christ, I WILL see my loved ones again. You are never alone.

I testify that God is real. He hears us, and if we can hold on the the faith that we have, he will always be there for us

Well Ill send more pictures next week because I'm not on a computer where I can connect my camera. Buuuuuut I love you all!!!! Ill put some of some pictures of my Sister Morgan who just got ENAGAGED!!! Shout out to her and her fiance Nathan!!! Love you both!

Elder Butler