Week 86

 

 Hey family,

   I recounted and i think im actually at week 86...haha. Time is flying by. Well it has been quite an eventful week. We`ve been finding a lot of random people that could be getting baptized very soon so we are really busy and excited. We were anxiously waiting for Friday the entire week to go to the temple open house. We were busy handing out invitations and making sure everyone knew about it. We showed up on Friday to the church abou an hour early before the buses left. I was really disappointed with how unorganized the leaders were about this. People just showed up and were running around chaoticly trying to find seets on the buses and there were 2 less buses than they had promised and so people were jam packed on the buses..which turned out to be a real problem. It was really irreverent and took away from the spirit of the event. But we are happy that we had LOTS of investigators that went...about 15. and all of them had seats. So we were going on some really sketchy buses to the temple and an idiot bus driver was racing our bus driver down the highway weaving through the lanes. I was sitting towards the front of the bus and i got up and told the bus driver to slow down. He did. But the other bus kept driving and racing too fast. We were behind the other bus entering into the capitol. The other bus was tailgating a semi truck very close at a high speed. The semi hit a truck broadside and stopped and i looked up and saw the bus full of members and investigators right in front of us crash into the back of the semi. and then swerved down into the ditch on the side of the road and dropped down pretty far into a retaining wall at a pretty high speed. Our bus stopped in time. My companion and i and some other men got off the bus and told the rest of the people to stay. We hurried and opened the emergency exit on the side of the bus and started helping people down. The bus was completely totaled. There was lots of blood as we were helping people down off the bus and walking them to the side of the road. there were mainly head wounds...broken noses, bloody lips, a few broken jaws and cheeks, and a couple broken arms and legs. Nobody died. But we were just helping people put pressure on their cuts to stop bleeding. People said that the bus driver was going down the hill in neutral and obviously couldnt brake in time because was way too close. He saw that he was going to hit so he abandoned the wheel and went back before it impacted and that is why he couldnt stop the bus before it went down the bank. About 20 minutes later the ambulance came. only about 5 people had to go to the hospital. we got the rest of the people that could back on the buses to go to the temple. There were 2 missionaries on the bus that crashed, but they are fine. We left with the people that could and kept going to the temple. the temple comittee sent another bus to pick up the injured. We left and went the rest of the way standing. Luckily non of our investigators got hurt but lots of are members did. I felt so sad on the bus ride there and felt like crying. When we got to the temple there were lots of people there to meet us and attend to us and made us feel very comfortable. People were still very positive about the situation and kept saying things like " the pioneers had it worse". so that was a good attitude. So as we got to the temple we went into the chapel and they showed us a video about temples and the history of the church in Honduras. It was beautiful. then we left the chapel in small groups and took our tour throughout the temple. It was absolutely amazing. The temple is so beautiful. you really felt like you were out of the world for the few minutes that were inside. It was really cool because i got to see a lot of members from my old areas. it was really good to see them. When we left the temple we got to walk around the temple grounds and take pictures. it left a really big impact on our investigators and now they have an even greater desire to be baptized. After the tour we had a long wait to get everyone that was injured examened by the doctors at the temple. we ended up leaving at 10pm and got home at about 12:30. then people had to walk home really late which was really dangerous...our ward mission leader got robbed walking home and got cut a few times with a knife the thieves had, but he is fine. Despite all the horrible things that happened it was still a beautiful experience. And people are ready to go this friday again. But we need to be a lot more prudent this time. Better prepared. The temple is such a blessing for this country. i am so excited for the dedication and to be able to go through and work in the temple. Any word on the Fort Collins Temple?

 

well thats all i have time to write this week. I love you all. The church is true.

 

Con amor,

 

Elder Archibald

Week 82

Hey family,

    Well we just got back from a good Pday adventure and so that is why im writing you so late. Ill send pictures next week. Things are going really well here in Piedras Bonitas Comayagua. We are getting prepared for the trip to the temple open house. I am SO excited for this haha. You have no idea. I have been waiting for this since almost a year and a half ago and FINALLY the temple will be ready to bless the lives of all the people in Honduras I just hope they will be ready for the temple. They have been running a lot of coverage on it on the news and they have commercials playing every hour on a lot of channels here. 

   Great news, Johnson Rivera got baptized and his parents were there to see it, and they all came to church the next day. They know that the church is true and i have seen huge changes in them in such a short amount of time. Now they just need to get married. Also the Girlfriend of a return missionary here in the ward got baptized. Her name is stephany, she has been taught by a TON of missionaries...but non of them asked her if she wanted to get baptized. So we asked her the first time we met with her and she said yes, and that she wanted to do it that weekend. We are still working with a few other families and seeing lots of progress. I would have no problem ending my mission here. I hope i do actually.

   We have been working on getting on the military base still to teach some investigators haha. Seems like they dont want the mormons around there, but the new commander over the whole base is a member, and will be attending our branch so that should be a big help. 

   keep me updated on everything thats going on back home. i dont have much time to write. Love you guys!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Archibald

Week 81

  

 Hey family,

    Another great week here in Comayagua. Things are really coming along well with the investigators. The Hyde family is ready, the dad Luther`s grandpa was from england so thats why they have that name haha. Anyways the hardest part is that he travels a lot for his work to the north coast but we  think he will be able to get baptized this month. Familia Rivera are doing great...we`re talking about marriage with them. The husband wants to get married but the mom is scared because she thinks that if they get married theyll just get divorced or split up...even though they have 21 years together. But they both recognized that they have made HUGE changes as a family in a very short time. The husband is drinking anymore and they started praying together. they are so grateful for what we have helped them do. The sad part is that the son whi is 15 is going to the united states to new york. He wants to get baptized this saturday before he leaves next week. He wants to go to church up there. Gus is doing great, he is reading the book of mormon and is already going to finish mosiah. He says that he is willing to make changes to get baptized. He was planning on going back to NY soon, but he likes it here so he is going to stay a little longer. Things are going will with the temple, We are getting a bus from the military base ready to go. There are some members there that are helping a lot (all recent converts or recently activated) but their are a few that dont like the idea of it because they want a separation of church and state...but its just a temple open house and is a cultural activity and a lot of people want to go. The guy who doesnt want to let us on the base or bring people to the temple is a return missionary (go figure) and from blackfoot. He says he knows grandpa. His last name is parker...maybe they can get someone to talk some sense into him haha. All of our other friends say that there wont be a problem. We are going to go on the 23rd with them i think. and we will go with the stake on the 15th, 22nd, and march 1st. We want to go to the cultural night but its later and night and we dont know if we can make it back in time. But they will broadcast it here in the chapel.

well thats it for this week! love you all

con mucho amor,

Elder Archibald

Week 80

Hey family,

    A good week here in Comayagua.  Im writing a little later than usual because we just got back from a little Pday adventure. My companion and i went with a recent convert here in the branch to a city close by calls Siguatepeque. Its really beautiful there and this member owns a lot of land and a couple hotels there so we went to go sight seeing for a little bit and he took us out to lunch. We just got back and im still feeling a little carsick. but anyways, it was pretty fun to go see that. Last Week we went to this museum in the old cathedral thats here in the central park of the city. they gave us a tour and everything and we got to see the worlds second oldest clock haha. It was cool because its the only like cultural touristy thing ive done like that in my mission. I took pictures but forgot to bring my camera cord to upload the pictures so i will do that next week. If anyone from the family happens to take a trip to honduras i would recommend coming here. 

   On wednesday our zone had our scheduled interviews with President Fortuna, its always a good opportunity to see how im doing and how i can improve. later that night we got robbed in the street, which was way surprising because its a super safe city, that didnt even happy when i was in Tegucigalpa. But the police cought one of the guys that had my watch, money, and our cell phone but we have to go pick it up from the police station at some point. On thursday we did exchanges for 2 days with the missionaries that are in Siguatepeque. I stayed here in piedras bonitas with the district leader, Elder Garcia, who is going home at the end of this change. He is really baggy. haha but we`re trying to help him finish strong. 

   We´ve been also working with some pretty great investigators, finally people are starting to progress. We met this kid named Gus on the street a week ago, He is 19 and has lived his whole life in the states (new york and texas) but had some problems with his papers and got sent to honduras to live with his mom who is from mexico and his step dad. Its kind of funny because i speak better spanish than he does...poor guy. anyways we have been traching him and its pretty different. we got him a book of mormon in english and have been teaching him and his mom. Gus came with us to church on sunday which was really great.

   Theres also this other family, la familia Rivera, that we have been working with a lot. The dad has stopped drinking and the mom who had been pretty hostile against us opened up a lot and went to church last week and really liked it and came again this week. Now they say that they are going to be preparing to get baptized. It has been incredible to see the change in them since we first met. And theres another family, familia Hyde, The mom and children are all members and the dad has been meeting with missionaries for years and years, but now he started coming to church again. He got in a really bad car accident and i think that made him realize that he needs to start living a better life. We invited him to get baptized on the 23rd, but he said that he should do it sooner, so He set his own date for the 9th. We hope that he goes through with it.

   Anyways, how are things going at home? how are all the kids doing? its so weird to think that its winter out there because it is BLAZING hot out here. well i love you all and hope that everyone is doing well. The church is true.

Con amor,

Elder Archibald

Week 79: me quedo!

Hey everybody,

    Good news, Ill be staying here in Piedras Bonitas, Comayagua for another 7 weeks. The assistants called on Tuesday morning letting us know the changes...about half the zone left. It was pretty crazy. Then Elder Gillespie was pretty happy to go because he has been in this zone his whole mission (18 months). We spent what little time we had saying bye to some people. Then early Wednesday morning we got on the bus and went back to tegucigalpa to my old area Lempira where we have the changes meeting. My new companion is elder rockwell from Utah. Another gringo haha. luckily my spanish isnt suffering too much. Anyways, My comp is a new zone leader and has about a year on the mission. im excited for the change.

   Last monday for Pday we went to one of the areas here in the zone called Villa de San Antonio to go ´´fishing´´. We went to this pond which was more like a big puddle. and we only had 1 fishing pole so the others tied fishing line to some sticks...and i just played the harmonica the whole time. but it was nice to be with the other missionaries. We didnt catch any fish. Today we are planning on going to this museum here in the central park of the city. 

   Things are going well with the investigators. We have been finding a lot of people through the members. They are inviting people over to their houses to have family home evenings about the temple. The stake has REALLY dropped the ball with the temple...they really havent been doing much. There is no money for buses so the branches and ward are getting money for their own. Luckily our ward mission leader is amazing and is really helping us (he is the old stake president). He is a professor here at the university so he is going to get a bus of students to come see the temple. We are also working with the military bus so they can get a bunch of people to go see. The goal as a country is to get 200,000 people to go see the open house. Its been kind of frustrating because a lot of the members dont comprehend how amazing it is that they are going to have a temple now and that this only happens once in their life. But i think we are waking the people up now.

    We have been teaching a family Rivera for the last few weeks and have been working really hard with them to get to go to church and finally the mom and dad and one of the sons showed up this sunday. I was so happy to see them. They could only stay for the first hour because their kids had soccer games but it was still really special that they came.

    Thanks for the info about BYU, its a little scary how fast time is going by...its a lot easier to just worry about teaching the gospel than life back home. So im not going to be worrying about it until i have to haha.

   Alright well thats it for this week! love you all and let me know how everyone is doing. The church is true!

Con amor,

Elder Archibald

Week 78

 
Hola familia,

   Hey well no word on changes yet...i assume that my companion Elder Gillespie will be transferred because he has been here for a long time. Actually his whole mission he`s been here in this zone, we have about the same time in the mission. But you never really know what will happen. I thought i was pretty sure i was staying in my last area and they dont tell us until tonight or tomorrow and the changes meeting is on wednesday. So its kind of a bummer if you buy a lot of groceries today and you get transferred...thats what happened to me last time haha.

   Its been a good week here as usual. Love the branch and the members and loving the investigators. Its been pretty hard lately though, we have been working really diligently and doing everything we possibly can to help the investigators progress...but they just wont come to church. The thing that bothers me the most is how easy it is for people to lie haha. they say that they are going to go and say it every time, or they tell us to come to their house at a certain time and then arent there. Its really hard. But we just keep finding new people and are hoping to find more people that will listen.

   We´ve been getting quite a few references lately. We have had a lot of success with the temple activity we were doing with the branch where the members come and then commit to having a family home evening with the people they are going to invite to the temple. The stake here has an assigned time to go to the open house on the 15th and 22nd of february, and march 1st. at 9 in the morning (all fridays) we hope that people will be able to take work off. Im really worried though that the members here really arent taking advantage of this opportunity, it seems like the missionaries are the only people working. Im giving a talk in church next week and i think ill talk about the temple to see if i can get people a little more excited.

   On wednesday we did exchanges with another companionship here in the city. i went to the other area. we took a bus pretty far and got off at this dirt road and we hiked 3 miles into the mountains to get to this village where they are starting a group of members so they dont have to travel so far to go to church. We were there for a few hours but had to leave before it got dark because there isnt electricity or running water and nobody has cars...so we hiked the other 3 miles back out..i felt like i was in scouts again haha. Later that night we went to a family that had gotten baptized a few months ago to teach one of their daughters who is deaf and mute...it was a really special experience. The sister translated in sign language for us. The girl says that she has a testimony and wanted to get baptized. So this saturday we i did the baptismal interview with her and her sister translated and she got baptized right after. 

   Yesterday we had a few investigators in church, but we are still struggling with getting others to come. But it´ll get better soon if we keep working hard. Miguel from the military base couldnt come because they are preparing for a mission and they leave to panama soon for a little while. But he calls us to let us know when he cant come.

  i reeeeally hope i dont get changed haha. Im loving it here. I think ill be here for 1 or 2 more transfers. Its crazy to think that i only have 4 more transfers left.

   alright well thats all for this week. I love you guys! the church is true. The book of mormon has the power to change people and we should really learn to trust in that power. The message of the restoration is really simple and we dont need to over complicate things. People gain a lot stronger testimony when they receive a witness that the book of mormon is the word of god rather than being convinced through reasoning. I love how the mission gets more fun and easier as i learn how to become a better missionary. Im loving it! 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Archibald