Making a Difference

This week has been pretty exciting.  We´ve really gotten to work, and have seen some great differences in the area.  I truly have faith that our actions really can change things.  I´ve never in my whole mission seen my actions actually change things like they have here.  I see that the members trust us, and the work is really advancing.  It´s miraculous.  Sometimes I don´t understand how God is so merciful and kind as to let people like me participate and share in His divine power to save.

We have some excellent new investigators.  One was from a recent convert from San Pedro name George.  He´s only been a member for less than a year, but when I met him, I thought that he was an ex bishop or something.  This guy has the "makings of greatness."  Just a profoundly deep testimony.  He´s here for work and for his mother, but in a couple months he´s going to be sealed with his wife and children who are living in San Pedro still.  His mother´s name is America (what an awesome name!).  ´Merica!  We started teaching her, and she seems so happy and smily, it kill me.  My favorite old lady in the world!  She´s very smart, and always reads.  We challenged her to baptism, and she accepted.  We then tried to set a date, and she just about died of shock.  haha.  Not really, but lots of laughter (the nervous kind).  She didn´t really accept, but she´s reading and went to church yesterday, so I have great faith that she´s going to get baptized.  I already love this lady to death.

Another guy that we found is a 17 year old kid of African decent.  He´s a midget!  So cool.  Like two feet tall.  Probably the funniest person on the planet earth, and he also went to church yesterday.  I hope that we can put a date with him this week.  Super fun.  His dad seems receptive too (but he might be baptized already... that happens sometimes here).

Another investigator that we´re working with is name Jessica.  Her husband is a member, and they need to get married still.  That´s really all that´s holding them back, because they´ve gone to church a million times and have had three pairs of missionaries.  But we actually get work done.  haha.  It´s actually nothing that we did.  It was all the Spirit.  We just showed up and you could tell that from the last visit to this one, the Spirit had been doing work.  At first, they were just fine with delaying the marriage and all for other stuff.  This last time, she had tons of questions about all the stuff that she needed to do to have an eternal family.  It got to the point where she just broke down into tears, because I think that she finally has realized the gravity of her sin, and wants to repent.  Please read 2 Corinthians 7:8-11.

I love and miss you all, and love this work.  I wouldn´t be anywhere else in the world right now!!!!!

Elder Thalman

 

Look! The Beach

This week I got transferred. I didn´t really think that was going to happen, but whatevs. The last area I was in was too fun. But now I´m really far away from San Pedro again, like normal. That seems to be where the president likes to keep me. haha. I´ll miss dos caminos, and my son. I hope he´s alright... haha.

La Ceiba is full of culture, and lots of African people. They´re super awesome, and they speak Spanish... but they still make it sound black. I think that if we all just had darker skin complexion, the world would sound a lot better. cheles...

My new companion is named Elder Gobea. He´s pretty much one of my favorite companions ever. he´s from Panama. One of very few if not the only Panamanian here in the mission. I like how he speaks.

The ward (first time ever that I´ve been in a ward) is really really strong. Insane. Tons of priesthood. But I think that they are just used to having a really strong ward and not baptizing. So we´re going to have to change a lot of things here. The zone is also a little down, so that is something that we´re going to have to get going. I´m so old in the mission. There are only two missionaries in the zone with more time than me. It´s ridiculous. I feel so old.

Big news that I got was that the family that I was teaching with Elder Young back in Florida, Copan (Denis and Ana) are getting baptized this week if I´ve been informed correctly. I really hope that that´s true. I love them so much, and he should either be getting here, or is already here in Honduras again. That would probably be the best convert I´ve had in my whole mission.

I love you all! Don´t think that I don´t want letters just because my time is running out. haha.

Elder Kent Thalman

Youth of Zion

This week we had a baptism for Gerson.  He's a young man, and really cool.  We had the luck to plan his baptism at the same day as a youth activity, so there were basically all of the members of the young men and young women at his baptism present.  A lot of support, which was cool.  While he was changing, we just had all the youth come up and bear their testimonies.  The meeting was presided by the teachers quorum pres.  hahahaha.  That's what's up.  But it must have been impressive to his mother, because afterward, she told us that now she wants to get baptized too.  And all of Gerson's little girl friends too.  haha, they're just his neighbors.  But is was a cool experience.

We read ch. 8 of first Nephi with Hno. Cano.  This is a family that would be baptized already if he didn't study on Sundays.  But in the future, the missionaries are going to be thanking me.  haha.  But this guy is really smart, and already has a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon.  We read the chapter with him, and then after, I asked him where in the vision did he think he was.  He, with little if any hesitation, said, "grabbing on to the end of the iron rod."  What a perfect answer.  He was literally holding it in his hands.  Some reap, and some sow.

This Thurs, it got to literally 100 degrees F and 98% humidity.  Killer.

But lately it's been a little cooler... but my comp cant tell the difference yet.  haha.  He's pretty much just always dying, and sweating like crazy. haha.  poor guy.  And the hunger has finally hit him.  That happened to me my first area.  He still can't eat much though.  yesterday we had to eat dinner from a lady unexpectedly.  No big deal.  Thanks hermana.  Then we left for our really dinner appt.  We get there, and she puts the plate in front of us... my comp just gives me a look of death. hahahahaha.  So concerned.  I ate mine like it was nothing.  Spencer Vance... trained me well.  Mission prep baby!  But this poor kid was dying to get that last bite down.  Good times.

My mother has told me to go into fifth gear and stay there until the end.  I've never had the opportunity to drive stick, so I assume that means work really, really hard.  haha.  Can do.  Rather than make any dumb eleventh gear phrase, I'll just say, I'm going into 110% mode.  I don't really want to do anything less.

I love being a missionary.  I love it more than any other thing that I've ever done in my life.  It is the most challenging thing I've ever done.  I don't even think that I have it all down yet, and I'm supposed to be helping other missionaries figure it out now.  But may God send me angels and may His Son's Atonement make my weaknesses into strengths.  Let me be better, and maybe you'll see the difference when I get back.  I know that Jesus Christ has called me to this work.  I know that this is His mission.  I'm just participating.  But whatever effort I put into it, is the measure of joy He will grant me therein.  I love Him.  I love these people, my brothers and sisters.

Elder Kent Thalman

P.S.  Funny quote from several months ago: "I really don't feel like beating my head against that dead wall."  Sometimes I get tired... I think there were at least two idioms mixed in that sentence.  :P

The True Work of the Mission

 

So, this week has been super cool, and we got to see Romulo get baptized. I´m way pumped, and he´s a great convert.  We have another baptism this week of a young man named Gerson.  He´s really funny.  Already has a great relationship with the rest of the young men, and is memorizing all 13 articles of faith with them in church.  He practices on us while we´re there, and I laugh and make fun of him cuz he messes up a lot.  I´m a horrible person.  But it´s okay; he´s my friend.

My relationship here with the members and the investigators I feel like is better than in any area I´ve ever been.  I´m really just learning to get along with people better and to be myself.  Sometimes, I think the best advice you can give to a missionary is to just not take yourself too seriously.  I figured out early in the mission that sometimes, seriousness is a sign of spiritual immaturity.

Gustavo is one of my best friends here.  He reactivated in December after years of innactivity.  I called him on Saturday and told him that Romulo was getting baptized.  He just responded really positively and excited because he knows Romulo (he was one of our main member fellow shippers in Romulo´s visits).  He said that he would come to the service.  I then asked him if he would do the baptism... silence.  haha.  Then he chuckled a bit and said yes, very nervously.  It was his first time ever baptizing someone.  I was pumped for him.  We get there, and the zone leaders had a baptism at the same time.  I did the interview for their investigator, and then we started getting ready for the service.  Then they go up to Gustavo and ask if he can baptize their investigator as well as ours.  No big deal right... but here´s the catch.  This guy only had ONE ARM!  haha.  And he was big too.  Poor Gustavo.  He´s a short, skinny guy.  And he had no experience.  hahahaha.  But in the end, he only had to repeat the ordinance one time.  ;P.

Things continue to move forward.  I love you all, and am grateful for you prayers and emails!  Written letters are always appreciated as well, if you ever feel like taking the time.  Somewhat slower, but they pretty much always get to me... I think.  haha.

Love,

Elder Thalman

Highs and Lows

The high this week was... 96 degrees... right now it is 91 but because of the humidity it feels like 104. Just so you know. The low (which is my high) is around 75 at night, so please don't complain about the heat unless where you are it is hotter than here. Honestly, this week I felt like it has been cooler than normal.

Concepcion Chile. This week, my sources say it stays around 60 to 65 degrees. Sister Berbert, you are killing me. haha.

Paul said that he loves weakness, because when he is weak, Christ makes him strong. If I can work my hardest through this mission and get over my weakness despite the heat, I know that I will be made strong. If the heat cant kill me here, then I can get through anything! And should we die before our journey is through... jk.

I send my condolences to my poor suffering parents, who are undergoing withdrawal. They are currently residing in the mainland of the United States after their trip to Hawaii. Poor things.

Alright, sarcasm isn't very missionary like, so I tell some incredible stories now.

Victor get baptized this week! He is way cool, but the worst part was that we forgot to take pictures... I feel really bad about it. But it is all recorded in heaven, so its all good. But my kid cant send photos to his family because of it. I am such a terrible father!

Honestly, after all was said and done (baptismal services are always stressful for missionaries it seems, as my esteemed colleague in Chile has also concluded), I was able to really feel the Spirit. It was a great experience, and I got the feeling that all of this really does matter. This young man really is going to live the gospel and stay active. He is doing this for the right reasons, and he understands. It was a real feeling of comfort and approval more than anything. The Lord loves and looks out for His missionaries, and I am so grateful to be in his service.

Josue is getting over some family opposition, but I think he is going to get baptized. I really really really really hope so. He is one of my best friends that I have had on the mission, and I want him to be able to do this. His mom is totally against it, but he thinks that if she understands, she will change her mind. So I am doing divisions tomorrow to go to another area in my district and talk to the mother. haha. True faith knows no boundaries! (thats not to say that rules don't apply. Geographical boundaries... and metaphorical, social boundaries...).

We moved this week to a smaller, cheaper house, and it is better. I think it is cooler too, but that might just be this week. We will see with time. But the best is the neighbors. The first councilor of the branch and his wife live right across the street, and they own a little shop. she lets us go in every night and make ourselves dinner. She says she is too busy, so she just gives us the ingredients and lets us work and wash the dishes. We don't do it every night because I don't want to take advantage of the situation, but I think that she would actually prefer if we did. People really have the mentality of, "I am going to get blessing for feeding the missionaries!" haha. I don't mind. But on Friday I was making the food, and using a cast iron pan... I am not used to the handles not being plastic. I grabbed it for about a split second and zap fried three of my fingers! It hurt soooo bad! hahaha. I had my hand stuck in the freezer, and I didn't know how I was going to sleep because if I took my hand out, my thumb started burning again. I'm so dumb... So I called the nurse and got some advice. I slept with a rag on my hand, and in the morning my hand was fine, and I had three really cool scars... They are already almost gone. Too bad...

Well, the work goes on, and I am as happy as ever! Healthy too! And who knows, if I get to bed on time this week with everything that I have to do, maybe I will even be wise.

Love you all so much!

Elder Kent Thalman

Changes

 

So, lots of new and unexpected things.

We went running this morning a five AM with Gustavo. He's so cool. I'm so pathetically out of shape. haha.

We're moving today to a new place. That's been in the plan for a while now. We also have a new cook and laundry lady as of today. We are also just getting used to everything... Pretty much lots of ... different.

But the work continues. We lost our baptism this week because Josue moved out of nowhere. But luckily he's in the boundaries of my district. He's getting baptized this weekend. We are also going to have the baptism of Victor this weekend, who is young man (21) who is really smart. He came to church on his own because he has serious health problems. But he sacrifices always to make his way to church and is excited for baptism. A great guy.

Romulo finally got to church this week, and he's just killer. He loves telling about his change by leaving coffee. He wasn't even taught the word of wisdom. We just told him in advance that he'd have to stop if he wanted to get baptized. He later got very sick to his bed for two days. He couldn't even leave the house. He told us later that it was basically withdrawal from coffee. He then, about three days later, told that he was "cured" from coffee, and that he felt better. The pain he had in his knees is gone and he walks better than ever. He also says that he feels more energy and that he can pay attention to things better. AMAZING! What incredible faith to just do it. I have often thought that NIKE had a really great motto. Romulo caught the wave. haha.

I love this work, and the great experiences keep coming. Even though sometimes really hard things happen, it's all so worth it. I love this mission and I love the Lord.

Love,

Elder Kent Thalman

Drowning is an Effective way to Learn to Swim

So I forgot just how hopeless puppy-ish these new guys are... haha. Was I like that? I don´t think so. From what I remember, I´ve always been the fluent, confident, hansom guy that you all remember. Did I not speak Spanish before the mission. Could it be that I didn´t understand what was happening... ? I don´t remember not understanding... Oh yeah, I was ugly before the mission because of those $5 hair cuts I got a BYU... I guess I really have changed.

If you can´t tell, I´m training a gringo from la fabrica de los misioneros, UTAH baby! Brigham City, Elder BRIAN DEAN. My dad´s name followed by my brother´s middle name... weird. I was talking to my zone leader about how these new guys basically shine with testimony coming out of the MTC like Moses´ face coming down from the mountain. We decided that they should send us back there every 8months or so just for a spiritual boost. haha. I just try and help him participate, but he´s not super confident yet. Then I hand the lesson over when you get to the first vision and he´s got this, "I know this part!" look on his face. Then he opens his mouth and the whole room gets quiet and the Spirit just starts lighting the walls on fire. Like I said. They´ve got glowing faces coming out of that place. He´s basically going to be the best missionary in the mission after we´re through. Hopefully that luster lasts. I love this elder.

This week, we had no baptisms, but we have one coming up. I´m excited for Josué, a 19 year old who we´ve been teaching. He´s the neighbor of one of our branch presidency members, and considering the fact that we´re moving apartments finally, we will also be neighbors with him... Mormons are taking over the neighborhood! Sí hombre, jeee!

I´m a little loopy today if you can´t tell. Too much responsibility can do that. You can either crack under the pressure, or be happy... or both. Hmmm.... I might be crackin´.

Conference was cool I guess... I´ll have to download it and listen to it again because of all the tech problems we had. Oh well. Kinda like the last one. I know we´re not supposed to gossip about who´s going to climb the leadership scale in the mission... but can I throw my vote in that Tad Callister is for sure going to be the next in line for a position in the 12. That´s my personal revelation I got from conference this week.

Sorry if this hasn´t been the most Spiritual blog... honestly, I am feeling great, and the work is moving forward. This area is on fire! I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He has sustained, and continues to sustain me throughout every trial and challenge. I can tell how He´s helping me so much with these new responsibilities, and it is really exciting to see just how much I´m growing.

I love you all!

Elder Kent Thalman