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Friday, July 25, 2014

Week #28: We're all the same

I've been sitting here for a while thinking about what I want to say. I guess I don't have the words to describe everything that I'm thinking and feeling. Even less because right now feels like one of those moments when life isn't really real...one of those moments when everything feels like a dream...or a movie. Have you ever felt that way? Like you're in a movie? It's a weird feeling. And it's what I feel right now. And I don't know how to describe it.

I've seen a lot of things that have changed me during my seven months here in Honduras. A lot of things that have made me realize how truly blessed I am. A lot of things that have made me realize how wonderful it is to live, to see, to walk, to breathe. A lot of things that have made me realize that God truly does exist.

We're human, and, because of that, we're imperfect. We're imperfect, and we're selfish and egotistical and uncharitable. And it's sad. It's sad that we walk around judging others, thinking that we're better than them, when really, we're not. God created all of us, and God loves all of us. And of all the things that I've learned on my mission, this is the greatest of all: we're all the same.

I've been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of people's lives, to listen to people's stories, to see who they really are. And it's life changing. It's life changing to see the light that the gospel brings to someone's life. It's life changing to see someone smile or to listen to their laugh. It's life changing to really know and grow to love someone.

I can tell you these people's stories. I can tell you the moments I've had that've made me laugh. I can tell you the moments I've had that've made me cry. But through it all, there's only one thing that I've really learned: God lives.

God lives. And if you don't believe it, get down on your knees and pray. Ask Him if He's really there. Ask Him if He knows your name. Ask Him if He really cares about you. And after you've asked, stop and listen. And I promise you that you'll get an answer. You'll feel something stir within your heart. I promise you. You'll know, just like I do, that it's true. I can't really explain how I know that God exists, how I know that this Church is true, how I know that all of this is true. Because I don't know how to describe it. People have asked me how I know and I can never find the words to answer them. All I can say is that it's true. I know it with all of my heart. And that's why I'm here. That's why I'm in Honduras, far away from my family, my friends, and the life that I've known for 19 years. Because it's true. Trust me, if this Church wasn't true, I wouldn't be here in a third world country, dodging bullets in the streets and taking bucket showers. I would be in my bed in my sweatpants eating microwave popcorn and watching The Bachelor. But here I am. Giving the little that I have to the Lord that has given me everything.

Ew, lol, sorry for the mushy gushy email. Emotions are weird sometimes. But I love you all. Really I do. You're always in my thoughts and in my prayers.

And not to brag or anything but I just finished reading The Book of Mormon in Spanish, so I mean, I'm really cool and stuff, but anyway.

Lol so yup. Hasta luego, losers.

Love,

Hermana Holdaway

Week #27--A week of mangos, ocean breezes, and really rude people.

Hello, everyone!

I hope you've all had a wonderful week in Brazil (family), Europe (Amy), Korea (Lisa), and the fifty nifty United States (all the rest of you tipos). I've had a wonderful week over here in Honduras, like always. And this is what went down:

A week of mangos: In the words of the lovely Hermana Odekirk, "Everyone and their dog gave us mangos this week." And it's the truth. Literally everyone gave us mangos. Because this country is crawling in mango trees. Okay, I don't know if crawling is the right word because trees can't crawl, but honestly, mango trees are to Honduras what McDonald's is to the United States. There's literally one (or more) on every corner.

And to prove it I've eaten over 25 mangos this week.

But don't freak out guys because mangos don't make you fat. So it's all okay.

A week of ocean breezes: I love being close to the ocean. It's a good stress reliever. Because La Ceiba is a difficult area. It's super different from Olanchito. In Olanchito, I spent all day every day teaching lessons. Our appointments hardly ever fell through, and even when they did, we could knock on any old door and they would let us in. Literally everyone in Olanchito would listen to us. And then I came here to La Ceiba. Where all of our appointments basically always fall through and I spend all day every day getting doors slammed in my face. I went from an area where I could easily have 8 to 10 lessons daily to an area where it's a miracle to even have 3 or 4. Needless to say, it's been an adjustment. I'm still trying to find my groove here. I miss Olanchito a lot, but I know that I needed to come to La Ceiba to learn and grow more. But the ocean helps a lot. I like the ocean.

A week of really rude people: This week we've been knocking on lots of doors trying to find new investigators. Early this week we found an amazing family of 10+ people! We were so happy when we found them, and our first lesson with them was amazing: we gave them a Book of Mormon, answered their questions, and set a return appointment for a few days later.

Our next lesson with them was just as great! Until their grumpy old grandma came outside and started yelling that she had power and authority over everyone and that no one would be attending church with us this Sunday. And then she said, "Go visit my next door neighbor. She doesn't want to accept the truth, so maybe she'll listen to the lie that you guys teach."

First of all, abuela, it's not a lie, it's the truth. And second of all, más respeto, por favor.

And then she was all, "Que Dios las bendiga, and have some mangos on your way out!" And we're like, "Hypocrite." But we just smile and wave cause we're just sweet, innocent missionaries and we probably shouldn't freak out at the people and stuff even if we really want to.

Sunday we were contacting because all of our appointments fell through (like always) and we were super tired and disanimated because nobody wanted to let us in. But then we knocked on a door and the lady was like, "Pasen!" And we were like, "FINALLY." So we went in and we started small talking with this grandma who only had one leg and we were asking her about her life and stuff before we started the lesson. But this freaking woman in the other room was like, "You guys came here to preach the gospel, not to poke your noses into everyone's lives. Stop asking questions, do what you came here to do, and get out."

I'll see you in the day of judgment, mujer.

Just kidding because charity is a thing and I'm working on developing it.

I love you all. Remember that you can do hard things.

Love,

La Gringa

Pictures

Mangos

Axa! The cutest little girl ever

The ocean!

My three countries. Si hombeeeee.

Casually being shot at but that's okay because that's normal here in Honduras so like whatever.

Makeovers

Week #26 Part Two--Vivo en La Ceiba!

Hola, vos.

Here I am in my brand new area, El Iman en La Ceiba! And I'm in love. The houses are pretty, the roads are paved, my toilet flushes, and my area is right next to the beach! And when we went to the grocery store last week, I found pretzels, Goldfish, chocolate chips, and root beer. I don't think life could get any better.

My new companion is Hermana Calpa! I've known her for my whole mission because she served in Olanchito while I was there too. She's from Columbia! But I'm super happy to be companions with her. Getting a new companion is honestly one of the most stressful parts of the mission. Because what happens if you get a loca? You die. Having a good companion is so important. Everything else can suck, the food, the area, the ward, but if you have a good companion, then you're good to go. So transfer meetings are always scary, just sitting there dying waiting to find out who your companion is. You know that first day of school feeling? Where your stomach isn't exactly normal and you can't sit still and you're just like AHHHHHHHHH. That's what I feel like every transfer meeting. But it's all okay because I'm here with my Calpita.

Hermana Calpa almost went home this past change. Her feet are super swollen, and sometimes she can't even walk. President Klein wanted to send her home for health reasons, but Calpa didn't wanna leave. So here she is! But she has to stay in the house for two extra hours every day to rest. I'm a little stressed about that because I don't like being in the house when I know I should be out working. I know it's out of my control, but sometimes I still feel a little guilty. I'm worried about not having enough lessons during the week. But we gotta do what we gotta do. I'm gonna try not to stress it too much.

La Ceiba is really different from Olanchito. I'm in a ward now instead of a branch, but my branch in Olanchito was a lot stronger than my ward here in La Ceiba! In Olanchito, we usually had 130-150 people in church every Sunday, but here we're lucky if we get 80! Finding people to teach is also a lot harder here. In Olanchito anyone would let you in, but here, everyone's like, "GO AWAY." But we have some really amazing investigators that we're working with right now, and I know we're going to see success with them!

My district only has six people in it: four hermanas and two elders. So we'll see how that goes.

I had the craziest experience this week! Hermana Calpa was taking me around to meet the different members of our ward my first couple of days here. She introduced me to this one family, La Familia Carias, and Hermano Carias was like, "Your name's Holdaway?" And I was like, "Yup!" And he was like, "Your dad was my first companion in the mission." Cue "It's a small world after all." Like, woah. I remember when I found out that I was going to Honduras my dad was like, "I had companions from Honduras!" But I never thought that I would ever meet them! How crazy is life.

Hermana Urresta just emailed me and said that Alex bore his testimony in church on Sunday and paid his tithing. I've never been so proud. Please always keep my people in your prayers. I'm worried for them. It was hard to leave them because now I'm not there to take care of them. Now there's some other missionary there who's not going to love them as much as I do. But I know that the power of prayer is real, and that our Heavenly Father can take care of them far better than I can. But always pray for Alex, Eliza, Reina, Kevin, Sunilda, and Ingrid. Please, please, please.

Well, I think that's it for this week. Hasta el proximo P-Day.

Con amor,

Hermana Holdaway

Paparazzi Time:

All the hermanas that came to Honduras at the same time (with the exception of the lovely Paige Porter, to whom I'm sending muchos abrazos. We miss and love you!)

My favorite. I miss this crazy lots and lots. You can do hard things Hermana Odekirk. You can do hard things. You can also drink water out of the ground. Always remember that.

Rhino

Elephant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mi Calpita y yo.

My new district!

Eating a mango. There are so many mango trees here in Honduras. And it's mango season right now. I've never eaten so many mangos in my entire life. But they're really, really, REALLY good so I'm okay with it.

Compas. :)

Week #26--My People

Last week I left my heart in Olanchito as I said goodbye to the people that I've grown to know and love over the past six months.

1. Kevin: Saying goodbye to Kevin was so hard. Kevin's 16, and is one of the most loving, energetic people that I've ever met. Haha, I still laugh whenever I think about the first day that I met him. Some of the elders in our district gave us Kevin's name and address as a reference and told us to go visit him (and by address I mean they were like, "He lives like three or four squares heading towards the mountain in a house that's red in front of the mango tree and next to the pulperia." Like, k....thanks....). But anyway, Hermana Munoz and I had been walking and walking and walking trying to find this kid's house, and we were talking to everyone in the street asking if they knew where Pulperia Kevin was. We got to this one house super duper tired, and we were like, "Where's Pulperia Kevin?" And this kid was like, "You're here!" And we were like, "AHHHHH FINALLY." And then we met Kevin. :)

When we met him, Kevin had been inactive for a while. He'd stopped going to church and starting hanging out with the wrong group of kids, doing things that he shouldn't have been doing. At first, it was hard to teach him, because he didn't even want to pray, let alone go back to church. But little by little, he began to change. And finally, after four months of visiting him, Kevin came back to church. And now he's going to seminary every day and always talks about serving a mission. Kevin's a miracle. And I was part of that miracle. Awwwwwwwwww, I love Kevin.

2-4. Sunilda: You guys have heard lots and lots about Sunilda. Haha, this woman is crazy. But I love her. She made me this pillow as a going away present! And she also named one of her chickens after me. And she said that when I come back to visit her she's going to give me this chicken in a box so that I can take it with me on the plane back to Brazil. Soooooooo yeah.

Also this is what we call a Catratcho picture (Catratcho is the slang term for someone who's Honduran). These people never smile in pictures so I decided to try and fit in.

5-6. Alex, Eliza, and Reina: Goodbyes are hard, hard, hard. And this family was no exception. I gave them their own hymnal as a present, and Alex was super happy about it. Also they couldn't keep their eyes open for the family picture, hahaha.

7. Ingrid: I've never met a woman with more faith than Ingrid. She's the first person in my mission that has asked for a baptismal date. We were teaching her a lesson, and she was like, "Hermanas, when can I get baptized? I know that this is the truth." It was amazing. We're just waiting for a few small details to get worked out so that Ingrid can tie the knot with her husband and get baptized!

8. La Familia Fajardo: La Familia Fajardo were my next door neighbors. Hermana Fajardo is the best cook in all of Honduras. I miss her food so much. She cooked us lunch every day, and when we didn't have dinner, we just had to say the word and she would give us food. Mmmmmmmmmm food. But this family is super loving and amazing. I'm never going to forget them.

How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

I might not be in Olanchito anymore, but I'm never going to forget the wonderful six months that I had there. I'm never going to forget the people who have changed my life for forever. This is what the mission is all about: learning to grow and love those around you as you help them come unto Christ. I've learned that every person has their story. Every person is unique. And how amazing that I was able to be a part of people's stories. For that I'm eternally grateful.

Kevin

She made me this pillow as a going away present!

Also this is what we call a Catratcho picture

(Catratcho is the slang term for someone who's Honduran).

These people never smile in pictures so I decided to try and fit in.

I gave them their own hymnal as a present, and Alex was super happy about it.

Also they couldn't keep their eyes open for the family picture, hahaha.

Ingrid

La Familia Fajardo were my next door neighbors

Look what I found!

Week #25--I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose, fire away, fire away.

Hello, everyone!

Well, it's finally here: my last days in Olanchito. Very bitter sweet. But I'm ready! Ready for the future, ready for transfers.

My last week in Olanchito was amazing. Amazing because Sunilda got baptized! Finally. I've been teaching her the entire six months that I've been here. As missionaries, we love investigators who progress quickly. But sometimes it's more of a miracle to be with someone throughout their entire conversion. And that's what I feel with Sunilda. I'm grateful to know that I was with her for her entire conversion. And in the end, it really doesn't matter how long it took, because she ended up where she needs to be. She's my miracle.

As I've told you all before, the power goes out basically every day here. And when the power goes out at night, it's a mission rule that we have to go back to our houses (I've already told some of you this story, so if you've heard it before, just bear with me, k?). Anyway, so one night the power went out, and Hermana Urresta and I were just chilling in our house reading our scriptures by candle light because we're super spiritual and stuff (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzdrhTjA9uw). And then all of a sudden, we heard gun shots. And not like we heard gun shots that were a couple of miles away. Like we heard gun shots that were basically right outside our door. So um, we kind of freak out a little bit and frantically run into our bedroom and close and lock the door and sit huddling on the floor FREAKING OUT. And the gun shots kept going off. Like they would shoot a round or whatever, wait ten or fifteen minutes, and shoot again. I honestly thought I was going to die, oh my gosh. I was praying so hard that the power would come back on and that everything would be okay. But yeah. The power came on like half an hour later. And afterwards we talked with our neighbor through our windows and we were like, "WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED." And she told us that it was our neighbor who likes to go out and shoot his gun when the power goes out just to scare people. And I'm like, "HEHHHH, well it worked cause I was on the ground trembling and thinking I was gonna die." This tipo's shot his gun a couple more times since then. And LOL once Hermana Urresta and I were in the street walking home cause the power had gone out and everything was pitch black and this idiot shot his gun literally like ten feet away from us. LIKE K. RESPECT, PLEASE. And in that moment I found out that I can actually run really, really fast (those years in middle school track really paid off). But lol, mom, don't freak out because everything's fine and I'm alive. And it's basically like if you're singing "Titanium" in your head constantly then nothing bad can happen to you.

My mission has taught me very practical problem solving skills. Cause we kinda had a major problem at Sunilda's baptism this weekend, smh. Anywayyyyyy, so Sunilda arrived and we were like, "K! Here's your baptismal clothes! Go change!" And we went to wait for her in the bathroom, and first of all this fifty year old woman just starts taking off her clothes right in front of us and we're like, "K, there's cubicles and stuff." And so after we finally convinced her to go and change in the cubicle, the freaking baptismal skirt was too small. Like it didn't fit her. At all. And we're just standing there like "Uhhhhh, we don't have anything else." And she's like, "I guess I'm getting baptized in my underwear!" And I was like, "NOPE. SOS." And then I was really smart and was like, "LET'S USE A TABLE CLOTH." So we used a sacrament table cloth as a makeshift skirt. Hopefully it's not a sin to use the sacrament table cloth as baptismal clothing cause we really didn't have any other option. But yup. I'm a problem solver. If you guys have any every-day-life problems that need solving, just hit me up cause I've got you covered.

This week Sunilda fed us fried chicken. And she put ketchup on it. And that's all fine and dandy, but then she put M&M's on it as a garnish. And I was like: . I guess fried chicken with M&M's is apparently a thing?

We gave Sunilda a pamphlet and there was a picture of Joseph Smith in it, and she was like, "QUE GUAPO ES JOSE SMITH. QUIERO CASARME CON EL." Smh, Sunilda.

Reina (Alex and Eliza's mom) is one of the strongest, most faithful women that I've ever met. Reina was baptized 15 years ago, but she's been inactive in the church ever since then. When Hermana Muñoz and I started teaching her family, she started going back to church, and ever since then, she's been coming to church every Sunday! Anyway, her family is really poor, and sometimes they don't even have enough money to buy food. Their dad leaves the house every night to do who knows what, and for the past couple of weeks, he hasn't been working. So Reina got a job and started working all day, every day. Which means that Alex and Eliza and their little brother, Edward, were home alone most of the time. Hermana Urresta stopped by to visit them last week, and Reina was at work and their dad wasn't home. And they hadn't eaten anything all day. It was heartbreaking. So Hermana Urresta and I bought some bread and juice for the kids to eat, and we sat down to talk with them. Their financial situation is terrible, and it breaks my heart to see them suffer. Anyway, this Sunday before church started, Reina whispered in my ear, "Hermana Holdaway. I want to pay my tithing. Will you help me?" Tears came to my eyes as I watched her faithfully pay her tithing. This woman, who sometimes doesn't have enough money to feed her children, put the Lord first. What an amazing example she is. She sacrificed everything that she had in order to obey the commandments of the Lord. As a missionary, there's nothing more wonderful than to see people change their lives and actually live the gospel. Reina doesn't just believe, she acts, and she lives. And when I think that I've given everything that I have, I just remember her and her sacrifice, and I find the strength to give just a little bit more to the God that has given me everything.

I love you all! The next time we talk, I'll be in my new area!! AÑLSDKFJASÑDLKFJÑSADKLFJÑKSDLAFJASDFA.

Love, love, love,

Hermana Holdaway

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" - Isaiah 52:7

Life tho

Olanchitooooooo swag.

Sunilda's baptism!

My area!

The people in Olanchito like to eat iguana. And so I bought this shirt.
To remember the city of the iguana-eaters.

Compaaaaa

Week #24--Bronchitis Swag

Companions. :)

Hermana Urresta and me

THE BLOOD RED MOON, THE SECOND COMING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, LIKE WOW.
(ps my camera sucks and doesn't like to take very good pictures, especially in the night time,
BUT LIKE, RED. MOON.)

Bronchitis nubulizer aka I'm Bane from Batman

Si, hombreeeee

Bronchitis selfie

Casually shopping in Honduras

Hello, everyone!

Sorry for not emailing last week....I was lazy and it was hot and there were a bunch of Hondurans all up in this Internet cafe and I just wasn't feeling it. But don't worry, because here I am this week with a big, fat, juicy email for ya'll (we'll actually have to wait and see how big and fat and juicy it is because I'm kinda lazy today too, lollllllllllll). But anyway, I'm in 24th week here in Honduras and 30th week in my mission over all. PUCHICA, time is going by really quickly. Only 48 more weeks to go! I'm basically halfway done. The glass if half empty, my friends. (but don't drink because that's bad. https://www.lds.org/topics/word-of-wisdom?lang=eng )

Last week I had an interview with my mission president, and he told to pack my bags at the end of the month, because I have transfers! Which means that this is my last week here in Olanchito. I'm not exactly sure how I feel. I guess I feel a little bit of everything: excitment, sadness, nervousness... I'm excited to go to a new area, meet new people, and have new experiences. Because after six months here in Olanchito, I'm a little bored. But I'm also sad to leave. Because Olanchito is my home here in Honduras. The people here will always have a big part of my heart: because I love them. It's crazy, you know? Crazy how much of my heart belongs to these people. Even thinking about saying goodbye brings tears to my eyes. But I still have one more week here! And I'm going to make the best of it.

And I'm going to be making the best of it in the hopsital! Again. Because I have bronchitis. Ever since last Monday I've had a really bad cough, on and off headaches, and a stuffy nose. I thought it was just a normal cold, but Hermana Urresta was all like, "Vamos por el hospital!" and I'm like, "Ew, no." But then I just kept getting worse and worse, and so I finally decided to go to the hopsital yesterday. And after waiting there for a couple of hours, the doctor finally saw us, and she was like, "You have bronchitis." And I was like, "Okay." And now I have to go to the hospital twice a day for three days to do those breathing machines. Why am I always in the hopsital here, who knows. But I don't like it cause there are always a bunch of people crying and moaning and being all dramatic and stuff. And yesterday this little boy threw up all over the floor, and when we left the hospital three hours later they still hadn't cleaned it up. #honduras.

I also don't like the hospital because they weigh me and it's like, crap. Honduras is making me fat. But like whatever. I don't care, LOL. I mean, I kinda do. I guess I should probably start doing my Tae Bo again.

Everyone in this freaking city knows that I'm from Brazil. And it kind of freaks me out a little bit. Like we'll be walking down the street and these random people that I've never seen before in my life will be like, "It's the Brazilian!" And I'm like OMG HOW. It's probably a good thing that I'm leaving haha, cause better safe than sorry, you know.

I love you all. And the Church is super true.

Cuidense,

Hermana Holdaway