180 degree shift. that´s not just the weather here...

So, new area.  New everything.  I´m in Nuevo San Juan, 1hr outside of San Pedro Sula.  My comp is named Elder Tavita from Hawaii.  But most recently he´s from St. George, UT.  Haha.  He´s pretty awesome, and totally nuts.  He´s a big Polenisian guy who loves football and rugby, and he´s got some pretty crazy stories.


Basically my life is now totally different.  He´s a lot more chill than my last comp.  We worked our tails off with Elder Gomez, and this elder is much more relaxed.  Honestly, I still feel like we have the potential to baptize, and we are working on reactivating a TON of inactives.  So I´m convinced that it´s just a matter of how well you work, not so much how hard.  But I sometimes feel like we could work a tiny bit harder, but there´s just got to be balance in all things.  We learning how to blend our two styles, and we´re pretty much already super good friends.  At least I think so.


There´s not even a branch in this area.  we´re an extension of a ward and we meet in a house, not a church.  We should have a building soon, and then we´ll be a branch.  Elder Tavita and I feel like the elders before in this area baptized a bunch, and then just left it.  It was only opened 6 weeks ago, and almost everyone has gone inactive.  Missionaries need to stay in contact with their converts!!!  Don´t just ditch ´em!  So a lot of damage control.  there haven´t been any baptisms here yet since it´s been opened, but I know that Elder Tavita and I will baptize.  It´s a good area and there are some great people.


In Olanchito (and in general thoughout Honduras) the problem is that no one is married... if you remember.  Well, here is Nuevo San Juan, the problem is that everyone is married to someone else, and then they have their real family and kids and stuff.... so that stinks cuz it´s like impossible to divorce people out here.  But we´re not going to give up because some of these people are just too amazing to just leave.  Progresing investigators who go to church and keep all their commitments and WANT to be baptized... but we can´t do it.  I pretty much hate the work that Satan has so effectively executed down here.  We are going to work with the ward to set up a fund for divorces for those with great desires to be married and baptized.  Obviously we´re trying to do this with all wisdom and direction from the Lord, because with stuff like this, you could really cause some problems.  So there´s that.


We have an awesome cook out here.  Her food is incredible, but we only pay her for lunch.  I eat less out here, and work out a lot more.  Being such an athletic nut, Elder Tavita is sort of a nut about it, so I´m very grateful for that.  I think that I have already reversed the damage done from Olanchito as far as getting fat.  Haha.  I feel great.


Honduras is as awesome as ever.  Next week I´m sure that I will have more stories about specific people.  It´s been slow going the first few days.  My comp was a little sick, but now we´re full throttle again.  This place truly is amazing, and I´ve never learned so much in my life.  I truly feel like I´m changing significantly, and I just feel better about myself to be honest.  Much more relaxed and effective.  The Lord truly can do anything.  He is guiding my life so closely, and I pray that through my obedience I can allow His hand to work more miracles in me and around me.  I love this mission more than anything.  And I love my Heavenly Father more than anyone.  I´m only now starting to understand faith and repentance this week, even though I´ve taught those "lessons" to a hundred people now (more like several hundreds, which is crazy to think about).  Funny how that works, huh?


I love and miss you all.


Les quiero mucho!


Elder Kent Thalman