"It was the most random thing" June 25, 2012

This week was a busy week. Monday night I ended up getting caught in one of the birthday traps here. They had a pitcher of agua and threw it on me and had a handful of flour and got it on top of my head. They did a good job, they were outside and they screamed and said, "Snake!" so we ran out the door and they sprung it. Its okay though, they made us pizza and we watched a church movie called the Testiments as a Family Home Evening for them.

After a good time of celebrating Monday, we quickly got to work the next day. Wednesday, I went to Yuscaran to help them out with the investigators that were falling. I spent the day with Elder Miller. He's a funny guy, we laughed the whole time. While we were walking, we saw this huge 5 foot long snake slithering across the road and a car sped around the corner and squashed it! It was funny because it was coming right toward us and Elder Miller was freaking out, but then he busted out laughing. We were standing there talking to the other people that saw it and some lady grabbed a chicken and swung it around by its neck and killed it. It was the most random thing. I'm guessing they had a nice KFC dinner planned. So I spent the day in the mountain village of Yuscaran and did a lot of hiking. Elder Miller said when he described his new area to his family, he could only say, "Watch the movie Emperor's New Groove and you will understand where we are."

Then Saturday we had a baptism for 6 investigators we had found on my 1st week here in La Villa. The branch president told me that this was a new record for the branch in La Villa de San Francisco, 6 baptisms at once. We had quite a turnout at the service. The only problem that we had that I wish I could change was the water. It had been raining so this affects the water system here and the water gets all nasty brown/red muddy looking. They didnt care though, they were all just so happy to be baptized with their family. It was a great day.

"Completing Years" June 18, 2012

This week went by really fast, mostly because we had a lot of meetings and things to do. This week, we had planned an Ataque de Zona (Zone Attack) on Yuscaran (one of the areas in the Zone). Two weeks ago, they didn't have anybody in church; no members, no investigators. So we planned this activity through out the District to get the other Branches and the other missionaries to go over on Saturday and visit and activate all of the members there in Yuscaran. President Hernández ended up coming down too. So Saturday we gathered up and President picked us up and took us over to Yuscaran. We had very little support from the other branches but we had our groups ready and we all went out to our assigned areas and worked up there. All of the visits we did really helped because they ended up having 22 people in church on Sunday.

On Sunday after church, we came in and I sat down at my desk. I went over to open the window and I saw this huge centipede crawling in through a crack underneath it. I whipped out my knife and I flung it into the middle of the room. That sucker was fast for being so long! I trapped it in a container and it was ugly looking. While I was looking at it, I realize that it was the same species that my uncle Shane had given to me when I was little (trapped in the amber). This thing had huge pincher jaws and was vicious! We decided to keep it in a jar and feed it the termites that fly in the room when it rains.

Well today is also my 20th Birthday (I'm sure you guys haven't forgotten) but it feels strange to think that Sunday was my last day as a teenager. Here in Honduras, they have a tradition for people's birthdays. All of your friends go out and buy the same amount of eggs as your age and try and smash them on your head during the day. So in church they announced that I was completing years on Monday (I guess they didn't have anything better to announce?) and so during the whole day, the youth planned on ways to get me. Many of them asked their Moms is they can have us over for dinner today and started asking where we live. So we now have a ton of citas (appointments) to eat today. I thought it was funny because we're actually really good friends with the priests quorum here and we play fútbol on Mondays and they were trying to be all secret about it. Lets just say if egg dodging was a sport, I'd be pro.

There is a little girl named Meilleli (pronounced: my-elly) who is a member here. I am absolutely shocked at how active this 8 year old girl is in church. Her mom is a member also, but she's nothing like her daughter. Meilleli is always the first one to church on and even better, she brings all of her older friends with her to church. I cannot describe her, she is just so full of the spirit and is sharing her testimony with people on her doorstep as she read El Libro de Mormón. She is always asking us for "homework" so she can read more every week. Her mom says that apart from her friends, she spends more time reading the Book of Mormon than she does on her studying. We taught her the importance of studying and getting an education and she was a little sad that she couldn't spend as much time as she wanted in reading. She is a huge example to everyone, even me. She is so bright eyed and ready to go to church and bring everyone with her. Her older sisters can't grasp the simplest concept we teach, but Meilleli picks right up on it and can answer any question first. I think us as members can learn things from children. The simplest things we can do, are the most important. For example, talking to our friends about the church, baring testimony to random strangers we meet, and having the guts to invite people to church with us to experience and feel the spirit in every meeting on Sundays. Every member a Missionary! Get to work! I forgot to write down all of my missionary work scriptures to share... next time.

"The flesh is weak" June 11, 2012

 

Wow what a week! This week was filled with a bunch of boring ZL things
to do. We first had to clean up an old house here of some Elders that
were taken out. So we spent half a day doing that. We then set things
aside like the beds, closet, refrigerator and books that we wanted to
keep so we could come back with a truck and pick them up and take them
back to our house. We told the owner of the room that we were going to
go look for a pickup truck so please don't throw this stuff away! Well, we came
back 3 days later and we walked in with the keys and opened the door
and it looked like someone else was living there. We were stressing out
a little on where all of the mission property was. So we ran over and
asked the owner where the stuff was. She ended up having them saved.
We picked up some of the stuff and we noticed we were missing 2 beds,
the closet and a table. We went back to her house and found them all
hidden. She had taken the table and was using it in her backyard, the
closet was covered (hidden) by a blanket full of her clothes and the
beds were in the house in her kid's rooms. She told us that we didn't
have anything left and tried to sneak all of this stuff of ours! She
was claiming it was her stuff. Luckily it was all marked
"Misión Honduras Tegucigalpa" in permanent marker. This family was
well off, I couldn't understand why they would want more stuff.

On Thursday we had our first Taller de Zona (zone workshop) where the
Zone Leaders are in charge of teaching and getting everyone excited
about making the goals that they put for the month. I feel like my
class went really well. I felt like they were all excited to go out
and find new investigators and families (which that night, 3 of the
areas found new families!) and we talked as a Zone on what we could do
differently to make the goal. One Elder said pray everyday at 9
exactly in our own areas as a zone: I didn't like it. Next, someone
said lets fast every week for our investigators so they can have the
desire to progress. To my surprise, many of the missionaries including
my comp didn't want to do it and started laughing. That upset me, so I
stood up and got every ones attention. I asked them "Why not? That's an
excellent Idea." I basically got up and shaved everyone for not
wanting to fast once a week as a Zone. I basically called them a bunch
of weaklings and that they need to step up and do something hard and
sacrifice something if they were truly wanting to make the Zone goal
of 22 baptisms with 3 families this month. After sharing scriptures
and getting them all in agreement, we decided to do it. I bore
testimony of the power of Fasting. How we become one with the spirit
and work and teach better when we are in fast and how the Lord blesses
us for our sacrifice that we give when we fast.The flesh is weak, but
the spirit is willing. This Zone has been known for not having a lot
of baptisms and for being the "worst zone". I also told them that it
doesn't exist. That we will have success if we are obedient.

We took a hit as a zone. One of the Elders ate expired hot dogs and
drank water from the faucet. He's been really sick and has been in
Tegucigalpa with the doctors so they can try and diagnose him and get
him treated. Our mission president, President Hernández loves each and one of us and has
great power over the people here. He can do the impossible to help any
of us. Lets just say the Elder will be alright. He's just paying a bit
for his dumb choice.

One of our Investigators was in charge of a fundraiser on Saturday and
invited us to go and pass out pamphlets and "open the mouth" there. So
we went and talked to the whole colony there, it was amazing. We also
found 3 inactive families out there. Later at the fundraiser, they
pulled our a bull and wrapped 400 Limpiras ($30) inside a handkerchief
and tied it to the foot of a Bull! They had the bull tied to a rope in
the middle of a Soccer field and people went out and tried to untie
the 400 Limpiras from this bull. I'm shocked that nobody got hurt, but
mostly surprised that it was possible. Some guy finally got it off.

Impossible is just a reason for someone not to try.

"Hay CAMBIOS" June 4, 2012

 One of our futbol games on PDay



Well, this week started off good. The sisters had a baptism on Tuesday. Hermana Pieksma was finishing her mission and her parents actually came down to visit for a couple weeks, so they were there for the baptism. I am so grateful for the gift I have been given to speak and understand Spanish.

So on the night of changes, we were sitting there thinking if there was actually going to be any for us. I received a call from my good pal Elder Casey. He told me;" Elder Harding, how you doing. So have you heard anything about changes? Oh, well, big guy you have changes. How much time do you have in the mission? Oohhh... okay so 10 months ago we can say was the last time that you had a cell phone...?" My heart sunk. There were only certain missionaries who have cell phones in the mission. That only meant that I was a new ZONE LEADER! Oh man, I was freaking out the whole night. Elder Casey congratulated me and said I will be just fine and that I'm going to one of his old areas. I couldn't believe it! So I had to pack up and I finally went to bed at 1:30 and woke up early to catch a bus to Tegucigalpa. I am now the new Zone Leader of the Zone "Valle Verde". Its out east and in the mountainous jungle valley. It should be a good time. I am looking forward to remaining constantly busy. I now live on the top floor of a hotel in my area "La Villa San Francisco" and have a nice house. The church building is huge and we have support from the branch here too. My kid, Elder Garcia was devastated that I was leaving. We got along so well and ended up teaching amazingly with each other and had a lot of investigators. He's left with some work to do!

Saturday night, we received a call from the office saying that we have been invited to a special dinner with President Hernandez in the Mission Home on Sunday. Those who had more than 5 baptisms were invited and had a nice home cooked steak dinner. We went and ended up seeing almost everyone from my old Zone, including Elder Garcia. He told me that everyone was crying when they found out that I left. Nobody was expecting it. Members, investigators, everyone. It made me a little sad that I never had the chance to actually say goodbye to everyone. But we enjoyed our night and we all slept over in the Mission Home on air mattresses.

In the month of May we had 209 baptisms and set the mission record for President Hernandez. We were also the mission with the highest baptism rate in ALL of Central America. We also had 27 families baptized.

"The most stressful week" May 29, 2012

"El Jardin" is Harding in Spanish, meaning "Garden"

Well, this has been the most stressful week in all of my mission, maybe my life!! Oh man, I don't even know where to start. Its like there wasn't enough time. First, we barely got the papers to get the investigating couple married. We paid and had everything ready to turn in, but the investigator's witnesses for the wedding weren't ready and hadn't worked on the papers they had to do, so we ran and did that the last minute. We later had everything planned, they were going to get married at 11:30 in Pespire and they were going to be ready. We were able to squeeze them in to get married in Pespire but only thanks to my good pal Elder Folsom. Pespire is his area and he was able to talk to the people and convince them to marry this couple and to do it on a Saturday. Its almost never heard of. So Saturday we went over to the investigators house an hour early to make sure they were ready. They got ready and we were leaving to catch a bus at 10:30 to get to Pespire early. When we asked were the witnesses were, they said that they weren't coming.... (they cant get married without the registered witnesses) so Elder Garcia and I ran around looking for the witnesses and finally found them and we left in the bus at 11:30. I was nervous because we were so late. But everything went to plan and they were married and the baptisms all went through. One almost didn't want to come because she was playing soccer... Only in Honduras.

These were the first baptisms that I have contacted in the street and taught all the way to baptism. I cannot express the joy that I felt for them as I saw them all progress and grow spiritually and see them be baptized. They were all excited that night too because we had filled the room with members that came to support them. It was definitely a special day for them. After, one of the boys kept on telling his neighbor friends that I baptized him. He was so happy, so was his mom that was baptized too. After seeing everyone after the baptism, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the true church. That everything we do is done under the direction of Christ, that we are here doing the Lords work. "Él es la luz y la vida del mundo; sí, una luz que es infinita, que nunca se puede extinguir" (Mosíah 16:9)

"The streets turn into rivers" May 21, 2012

Well, this week was a crazy week! We have had nothing but a bunch of rain storms. Every day at 4:30pm you could see the black clouds rolling in and at 5 it would rain. It felt nice after having all of the heat that we've had, but the downfall to the rain was that it would only be more humid after. This week we also had Zone Conference down in Cholutecha with Elder Falabela of the 70! It was interesting to see his approach to teaching. He had nothing planned, nothing written down, just pure revelation. He got up and said, "I don't know what I'm supposed to tell you yet, but we will start with how many families are getting baptized." From there he just taught. He ended up shaving the Latin missionaries for not learning English. He told them that the reason that they are not learning is because they are prideful. He then said that that learning English would not only bless them, but their future family. I think this can apply to all of us. If we think that we don't need to learn a language because we live in the United States and we have that "we only speak English here" attitude, that we too, need to get ride of this pride and try to learn a second language.

Later, I then did divisions with the Zone Leaders in San Lorenzo. I went down there and we worked and did 5 baptismal interviews for other missionaries in our Zone. They all passed! One was a new couple that was just married. The husband owns a bunch of calves and is raising them to sell. When we finished and were about to leave, one of the calves tried to jump over my bike and landed on the tire! Ends up that my tire was popped and we had to walk in the rain the rest of the way. Once again, at 5 o'clock, it started to rain and the streets turned into rivers. We got so wet, we just didn't care anymore and walked in the floods and grabbed some dinner on our way home.

This Friday we are finally marrying the family that we found 3 months ago! All of the paperwork has come in and they will be baptized this Saturday. In total we will have 5 baptisms this weekend. It should be great.

"Happy Mother's Day call" May 14,2012

 

 

This was a great week! The thing that made it great was that I was able to talk to my mom and wake her up with a "Happy Mother's day call"!!! Oh man, I am so grateful for the family that I have and all the love we have. There are many that don't have the blessing of a family here in Honduras. There are alot of single parents that struggle looking for work and taking care of a family that they love and care for. The thing is, there are always things that happen, and there may be little arguments, but when it comes down to it all we have is our family and the love of our Heavenly father to pick us back up and get on our way.

Also the baptism that my District had this week was really cool. I went Friday to do the 4 interviews. It was originally 3, but we looked up the records of a member up there and she was never recorded as being baptized. It was fun to redo her baptism, she was 65 and was all worried about passing the "interview" she was cute. Then I interviewed the 3 other kids and they were all excited and ready to be baptized. they were 9, 11 and 13 years old. When I asked them who would they like to baptize them they all asked me if I would be at the baptism the next day. I told them that I didn't think I would... but then they insisted that I stay because they wanted me to baptize them! I felt honored, but first asked if they wanted the other Elders to do it, but they said no. Well, I didn't want to crush their hopes of being baptized by a giant from the United States so I stayed.

Oh also, I found out that I am a terrible marble player. I remember being good when I was little, but now, not so. The kids here are always outside playing each other in marbles. Each group of kids has their own game, its hard to follow. I lost.... to them all, actually.