Week 66 - Stuck in a river without a paddle

Whats up guys, short email this week because I was limited on time in zone p-day!! My comp goes home on Wednesday, and I will be receiving a new comp tomorrow! WE had a good change, but stressful being a leader. Our zone ended with the most in the Mish this month, which is great because we were one of the worsts the month before. The hope now it to keep a constant high every month! I don't love being a leader, but I know God has me here to prepare me to have more patience and know how to work with people better. I have had to deal with many ridiculous little things with missionaries, and it has me all over the place but God is for sure supporting me through it all!!

So I just wanted to acknowledge that my area has a poopy river that runs through it. I wish i could say i was joking, but in fact it is a small little river where all the plumbing from all the houses runs straight out of a tube into it. You can literally know when someone uses the bathroom, and the smell is great!!!

Update on the Mish: We had another baptism this week, named Marvin! Very cool dude, we actually found him because his best buddy brought him to seminary and well 5 weeks later he was baptized.

Recently I have had many experiences with reading the Book of Mormon. For those of you that do not know, WE BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE! The Bible testifies of Christ, and was written by the prophets and apostles who were witnesses of him. The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Christ, but it was written from the ancient inhabitants of the Americas (Native Americans), and all of the ancient tribes and civilizations that lived here before  the Europeans cruzed over. The Book of Mormon is a Testament that Christ came to the Americas, and is the savior and redeemer of the world. The More and more I have come to read, learn, and share the book of Mormon with people, I have found the peace and joy in the questions of my soul. Recently I took the invitation to start focusing on just the Book of Mormon with people that weren't progressing, and the difference I have seen in people just testifies of its truthfulness. I every person that reads this email to download the Book of Mormon app, and read 3 Nephi 11, which is the story of when Christ came to the Americas. Member of our church, Baptist, Catholic, doesn't matter, I invite EVERYONE!

This mission is awesome, and I am so excited for conference!!

Week 65 - Let the Children Come Unto Me

Whats up people, this week was a really chill one. Lots of cool things have happened, but nothing super juicy. I don't have a ton of time to write this week, so this is my shortest email yet!! Here's some pics of little chickies who I love. Me and my comp were walking the street, and something that happens a lot being a mission, is that little kids just out of nowhere run up and hug you. Sometimes the parents run over embarrassed, but i always take the time to hug and talk to them.

One time I saw a little boy utterly upset about something, just seemed like all the problems of his life were bringing him down, as happens to many 3 year old little kids does sometimes. I had some chips in my hand, and a chocolate milk i bought because i hadn't eaten dinner, and we were going home. I knelt down and asked him what was wrong,a nd he started to explain his big world problems, and I just gave him a small little hug and asked him if he wanted my chocolate milk and chips, and he nodded with tears on his face. Being really funny, and really cute, I walked away satisfied. I tell you this story so that one day I can remember how perfect little kids are. They recognize goodness, and are honest and true. We are gods children, an
d when we are down, he will always be there to hand us a hand. Love you all thuggers, keep on being groovy.

Elder Butler

Week 64 - *Rocky Training Theme Song*

The Thinker

Whats up thuggers, ahhhhh another week. Honestly today the power went out and I didn't get a ton of time to write today cause I was talkin to my puppers Reggie (My Mother), and I always think about stuff I wanna write for Monday but always end up forgetting. Well this week I find myself procrastinating on what I wanted to write, but I know I cant let the fans down ;) Love you guys.

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but my last few emails have been named with Subject titles of , "Stiarway to Heaven", "It's The Climb - Miley Cyrus" and This one is Rocky Theme song. Its because low key, ya boy is dying out here on the stairs. SO MANY STAIRS. We live at the top of a cliff, and every night after a long day of climbing stairs, we climb more stairs. To motivate myself, I always seem one of this songs going up. There's always people sitting outside of their house steps and they all give me weird looks seeing this gringo singing going up stairs, but I enjoy it.

This week I got to go to Siguatepeque again to see a family I taught get married and baptized!!! My first family I helped get married, and it was awesome, They were both so happy! Also I took a classic proposal pic at the temple with my guy Elder Hernandez for kicks n giggles, shout out to every typical Provo  person ever lol.

This week was a good one. Being a Zone Leader is always a little bit stressful, but Gods always helping me grow more and more. I would undoubtedly be just fine with being a normal missionary, it would be a lot less stressful, and |I love just focusing on my area, but I know that even though its tough now, one day it'll help me be able to serve in callings and in my future job, family, etc. So I'm grateful, one of my goals I've made in the past few weeks is to avoid complaining about anything, and focus on having a good attitude. Part of it has to do with improving my patience, although I am far from perfect at this goal, im getting better. I feel like I just wanna be happy in life. I don't know, but that's my goal. Adventures, memories, and just enjoying the good AND the bad moments. The mission is one of those times, and I'm enjoying every minute.

We taught an investigator this week, who is a young 27 year old, with a 7 year old autistic son, that lives with her father who is diabetic and has other organ dysfunctions, but makes it by trying to support his daughter by walking around selling fish on the street. Their situation is very tough, but has helped them to open up to God more in their life. The many problems and difficulties that this family has and is struggling with are beyond imagination for most comfortable middle class people. I talked with the Woman, Paola, and just felt like we were teaching her, and she was learning, but there was something more underneath that held her back. After some time asking inspired questions, she revealed her struggle. She felt like God let her down, how her life will never have purpose and will never get to live her dream like others do. It was a moment that you only can get serving a mission, helping someone lost find their purpose, and helping them understand that they have a heavenly Father who loves them, cares for them, and is always watching over them, and has a perfect plan for every one of us. Of course this plan involves learning, falling, failing, and scarping your knees a little before you get it right. It involves a little bit of pain, a few tears, and some heartache, but because of Jesus Christ, we can get up, continue forward, and experience joy, and be healed. Because of this plan, a broken heart may be healed. I testify that finding God in our life and knowing the plan that he has brings peace to the human soul. I only know these things because I have personally experienced in my own life, and now im trying to help others experience it for themselves. In saying this, I know these things to be true with all of my heart and soul, and I love each and every one of yall.

Elder Butler

Week 63 - "Its the Climb"- Miley Cyrus

Whats up people, another week passed by and the work is going great. Got to meet a few more drunks on the streets, had to break into our house by doing some parkour because we locked our keys inside, saw a few miracles, and got to know some new areas!

Big Shout out to BYU Cougs beating Tennessee this last weekend, we aren't great but hey we are better than a team in the SEC. Also hope you all love Monday Night football with the Texans., Football season is back, and I'm excited even though I don't really get to watch.

This last week we found ourselves in a situation as leaders with the pressure to help the 10 other areas in our zone to have success, and it was pretty tough, but time after time, The lord helped us out :) We put 2 baptismal dates more for the end of this month, one with Marvin (16 years old) and one with Scarlet (13 years old ) Marvin is best friends with a recent convert, and started going to seminary before we started teaching him, so he was set before he started. Scarlet is the niece of an Ex missionary, and about half the family are members but all are inactive. We have been working so they can be reactivated by teaching all of them.

The way we started to teach Scarlet was unorthodox. We went to a house looking to teach a guy named Fernando, who had many questions about where we came from and where we go after this life. Seeing this as an opportunity as gold, and a blessing from God for sending us people who are ready for this gospel, we began to teach. We had a very spiritual lesson, and my Comp and I verified because we felt the same thing. In the middle of the lesson, entered scarlet into the lesson, and just sat and listened. The truth is, we were so focused, we didn't put much interest into her, but I noticed she just sat listening very intentfully. The lesson went very well.

We had another visit scheduled for the next day and it was pouring rain. We knocked on the door, after a long day of rejection. No one answered. with a little bit of frustration, but determined to get into this house, I knocked again and yelled, "HOLA BUENAS TARDES". No Answer. I looked through the window, saw some come to the door, but run away and hid back in the other room. The awkwardness was there, and it was clear that we were not wanted. At the point of giving up, and just accepting it wasn't going to happen, and standing for 15 minutes in the pouring rain, my comp gave me the look like "lets go man". I wanted to, but deep inside, I felt like I needed to try one more time. Finally the door was opened and we were let inside.

Awkwardly we entered and sat down and got the kid we were looking for come into the room. Feeling happily stubborn, the return missionary began to explain how Fernando had said "he was born a Catholic, and would die a Catholic" He didn't want to accept the message we gave him, and refused to pray and ask. A sharp change in progression, I felt like all our effort was in vain. But its funny how God works. As Fernando left, Scarlet came and sat down and told us she had listened and prayed to know if it were true, and felt very peaceful. A few lessons later, a little hesitation, she has accepted to be baptized the 28th of September.

God has a plan. This is undoubtedly his work. I cant really explain the joy it brings me to be in this work or the peace that it brings to the human soul. I know that God lives and hears us. We are never alone. I received a letter from a friend from college, who wrote this except of why she is serving a mission, and I would like to give her credit and share why I too, am in Honduras serving a mission:

"Why have I left my family and communication with them for a year and a half? Why have I given up sleep, "me time" and everything that the world considers "fun and happy"? Well to give others what has made me truly happy, and that is the teachings of Jesus Christ.
What do I teach when I finally find someone humble enough to learn more? I teach what I know to be the truth. That Jesus Christ's teachings were lost for hundreds of years, but because God loves us, he has restored them on the earth again today. Those teachings contain God's infinite love for us, and that He has created a plan for each of us. That we were with Him before and that we will be with Him and our families again after. That the purpose of this life is to find joy, true joy because God loves us. Where does that joy come from? Helping and loving others. Becoming better, changing, and refining ourselves, so that we can treat others better and with more love. This is ONLY possible in and through Jesus Christ. Because He died for us, He is a living being with a physical body that understands what we're going through. He knows exactly how it is to be you and suffer with the addiction you specifically are suffering with. Or to be you and know the loneliness you specifically feel." -Isabel Black I testify of the truthfulness of these words, and share the same beliefs. God is there and he loves you.

Love each and every one of y'all, stay chill always, and update me on life when you feel like it, and send pics!

Elder Butler

Week 62 - Stairway to Heaven

Hey everyone, We back in action here in San Rafael. What have i been doing? Stairs. Stairs. More stairs. Its a love-hate relationship because I hate climbing the stairs and sweat a ton, the good part is that I'm gonna come out of it with a good but, so I guess the sacrifice will pay off.

This week was my second week at church, and as y/all can see, there's a picture of me and a pupper. (I took it for Reggie). This Dog just sits in the church every Sunday, so im assuming now its totally legal to bring your dogs to church now. Kinda confused, but also kinda pumped because Reggie doesn't like being alone. ( Throwback to when I got a referral in HS for sneaking in my puppy to a HS volleyball game LOL )

This week was a good one. We got a lot of work done and have seen a lot of miracles. I have heard 3 people look me in the eyes this week and tell me they received an answer about the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Very moving to see how changes happen in people.

I'm 14 months into my mission, and I still am amazed with how powerful the truth can be when the Spirit testifies. The truth, if this work, including sending 18-21 year old boys to other countries, speaking a different language, and teaching about the restoration of Chirst's Church here on the Earth WASN'T true, then I don't think it would work. I am a living and vivent witness that this is the truth, because I have seen it change the life of many. Jesus is the Christ, I know that with all of my heart. I have felt his love, and his presence, and I know he is always with me and listens to my prayers. I know the Book of Mormon, if we read it diligently, can help us become closer to Jesus Christ than any other book in the world can. "No evil man could ever write a book such as it, and no good man ever would unless it were the truth." I Love being a missionary, its truly awesome and I love every one of you that receives this letter, so I thought I'd share my testimony. Love y'all