Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Week 26






Hey Familia,

How's everyone doing?  Another really short week down here in Honduras.  This week has been pretty crazy.  I'll start out with some bad news though.  So about a week ago I sent my suit to be Dry Cleaned with 2 ties.  There is a member in my ward that owns his own dry cleaning business and gives good deals to missionaries.  A full suit (jacket and pants) and the two ties for only 100 Lempiras, which is about $5.  I got my suit back two days later but the guy forgot my ties at the shop.  He said I'd get them ASAP.  A few days passed by and we hadn't heard anything from him so we called him a couple of times but he never answered his phone.  On Tuesday during our district meeting, one of the missionaries told me the bad news. That night after we got our suits, the man's Dry Cleaner place burned down and everything in it as well...including my two favorite ties. (the blue one w/green stripes I wore my first day in the MTC and the other blue one with polka dots).  Its a little funny though because that is literally the worst thing that could have happened to my ties, but I am sorry for the guy but mad about my ties.  At least I got my suit before the fire. 

Now for another funny story...So as missionaries we hear a lot of lies and excuses about why people are busy or aren't in the house, but on Tuesday we heard the best one yet.  We went to visit this guy that we contacted earlier and when we knocked on his door he answered and just stood there starring at us for a little while and then said, William isn't here."  (his name is William) ..."I'm the twin."  But when we met him he said he lived along and only had one sister...HA HA.  After a few really awkward seconds, I asked him, "So, what's it like being a twin?"  And I just went along with it having some fun....  He actually thought that we believed him and that he had us going.  So that was my funny moment of the week.

Starting January 1st the whole mission is going to start reading the Book of Mormon and we are marking every name and pronoun of Christ, counting how many of these per page.  Everything He is speaking, His attributes,  His comments on missionary work and any principle or doctrine.  The plan is that we will finish reading at the end of February.  I had already been doing something similar on my own, but I am starting over and going to do it in Spanish this time.  I'm also going to mark scriptures on the Atonement.  It should be a good experience.  

A few days ago I found all the audiobooks on my MP3 player.  I didn't realize I had all that...HA HA.  I'm really excited about it.  I've been listening to some lectures by Truman G. Madsen, "Timeless Questions, Gospel Insights."  I don't know if you have listened to these before, but they are blowing my mind.

Some good news about the Medina Family.  So before their baptism date was on Saturday the 7th and changes are Wednesday before, but they really wanted me to be there for the baptism so they asked if they could be baptized on Tuesday.  So we made some calls later that night and got permission to have the baptism on Tuesday.  It is awesome to see how excited they are about the church.  They are always watching BYU TV (which is funny that it is one of the few channels they have down here)  And they thought the movie "The Best Two Years" was Hilarious when it played on BYU TV.  By the way, how are the BYU sports doing?  I'm a little to ask..HA HA.  Also the Medinas are always reading in the scriptures, the class manuals, and Liahona and are learning so fast.  I think that the Dad will be Elders Quroum President in a year or 2...HA HA  Maybe Bishop after that.

On Wednesday I reached my 6 months mark.  It is kind of weird to think that I'm already a fourth of the way done with my Mission.  It has gone by pretty fast.  Some days longer than others, but overall surprisingly quick.  I burned a tie that I bought for 5 Lempiras, awhile back to celebrate the 6 month mark....There's a pretty funny video.  I think I'll send a memory card home with all my photoes and videos so far.  

Friday we had a service project and after we all got to go swimming in the Bishop's pool.  It was awesome.  For service we went with the Bishop of the other ward to help him work on this house he has by the Temple.  We cut a bunch of weeds in his yard and after that we drained the pool of the nasty rain water...  We didn't actually  go swimming..HA HA.  After we did a few hours of service the Bishop took us to see the Temple.  It was the first time I've seen it up close.  It's gorgeous.  They're saying the dedication will be November next year.

Saturday I got attacked by a turkey.  We were teaching this family that has a turkey when randomly it jumped at me with it's razor sharp talons and bit me with its beak...HA HA....it was terrifying!  That night we entered the house at 8 because it's a little more dangerous, like Christmas Eve.  New Year's Eve and Christmas are exactly the same here.  They wait until midnight and then light off a ridiculous amount of fireworks.  Our neighbor had a party with loud music until 3 in the morning so we couldn't sleep much.  The days leading up to the 24th and 25th all the kids here stuff pants and shirts to make a doll and they set it in a chair, then the kids ask for money from the people that walk by so they can buy fireworks...I still don't understand what the doll has to do with anything, but it's pretty funny.

Sunday hardly anyone came to church.  Normally we have around 100 that come to the Sacrament meeting but only 46 came...I guess everyone was tired from the parties the night before.  The Medina family and one other investigator were there so that was good.  Also Sunday night I got a call from the District Leader letting me know that I'll be getting transferred this Wednesday.  So I guess I need to start packing my bags.  I kind of have mixed feelings, I love the people here but I also am excited to get to know another area, new people and a new companion.

Well that's about it for this week.  I love you all!  Feliz ano nuevo!

Con amor,

Elder Archibald

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