September 20, 2014

 

Hola Flamilia,

Estoy feliz como una lombris.

This week has been really great. Every week is great.

We've gone from 2 to 7 progressing investigators in a week (They're progressing when they're reading the BOM or going to church and other ward activities). We're working hard and trying to really transform ourselves into polished tools for the Lord's hands. (It's easy to be just a regular tool :)) The mission is full of ''up's'' and ''down's.'' Por ejemplo, the family of our recent convert, Freddy, is starting to progress again and read the Book of Mormon! They committed to coming to church! But our precious investigating family, la familia Garmendia, isn't answering their phone or recieving us. It's actually really worrisome. Will you please pray for them? Today we're starting a fast.

This Wednesday we had changes! It was SO fun to see Elder Hamilton! I wanted to hug him so bad! He's grown at least 10 inches since the last time I saw him. I wish I could send a picture, but this computer is really bad.

President changed the way we do changes! Instead of knowing beforehand, all we know is whether or not we have changes. So now everyone comes to the meeting without knowing their new comp or new area and it's like a big ''harry potter sorting hat'' kind of experience! It was really fun. The highlights are that Jake Hamilton went to the South near the coast and our amazing AP is now with another exAP and they're opening an area on an island called Ampala!!! They're called to start up a branch! Basically the new ''Koli-pokis'' (Think Other Side of Heaven).

Yesterday, we ended up spending a few hours in the ER with an Elder who is really sick with Dengue. He'll be hospitalized for up to 4 days. It's always nice to help out.

This morning, we woke up to a flooded apartment. We have a problem with our pipes. So that took up a lot of our Pday! But it's all cleaned up!

Speaking of our bathroom, a guy came a while ago and fixed our shower, so I now have had hot water in the shower for officially 1/15 months of my mission! Woot Woot!!

Okay, I love you! Special shoutout to Grandma for her 75th birthday!!!! I love her SOOOOO much!

Love,

Hermana Flynn

So much to say. These past couple of days have been so... I don't know the word. Inspiring and overwhelming and happy and stressful and refining. 

Elder Duncan, the President of the Area 70, came to visit us for 3 days and he instructed us in a multizone conference on Thursday and a leadership ''Consejo'' on Friday. How I wish he would have come at the start of my mission! Man, he teaches with power and authority. I am so amazed at how our leaders consecrate their lives and turn them over to God. We don't see half of all they do. The church is SO organized. 

I'm learning more and more that this work is the Lord's business. It's not a warm, fuzzy work! But it is powerful and demanding and gratifying and definitely worth every effort! I just can't believe how I didn't know anything about missionary work before the mission! I was ''sleeping during the restoration!'' (--Pres. Uchtdorf.) Are you all sleeping like I was? Why didn't we ever invite our nonmember neighbors or less actives to our family home evenings? Why didn't we always carry books of mormon on our vacations? (Mom was actually really good at that!) 

I've been feeling the hastening of the Lord's work. And I'm seeing His merciful and powerful hand in my life and in the lives of all those who won't push it away. We really are in the last days. I'm so grateful for the powerful preparation that is coming from honorable missionary service that is going to bless this upcoming generation. We need strong parents to help raise righteous children in an incresingly wicked world. 

We got to go to the temple as ZL's and STL's with President and Hermana Bowler and it was a great experience. Hermana Alegre and I sat in on 11 sealings and so we practically got brainwashed with the promises God extends to all who willingly and faithfully keep those powerful covenants. Wow, He really loves us. 

''Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to Diety, God has asked us to address Him as Father.'' --La Primera Presidencia 

Let's remember that Christ has promised us ''all that the Father hath''! Let's get moving and serve God with all our hearts, might, minds, and strength! 

Every member a missionary!!

I love you all! 

Hermana Flynn 

Hola hola, 

I love my mission. President Bowler made Hermana Alegre and I chocolate chip cookies! I did divisions with a sister named Hermana Chub from guatemala and her email that the mission made her says ''chub.chub.'' I died when I saw that. Probably just because I'm still immature. We made a couple trips to the hospital with Hermana Bowler recently to check out my adorable comp's thyroid. We spoke at Consejo about missionary health. We get to hear about everyones' chronic diarrhea. Life's good.

I'm currently listening to past conference sessions and I could not be more grateful for the gospel. Seriously. This gospel is a no-brainer. Only pride can keep someone from accepting it. 

I love hearing from my baby brother in Italy! MIssionary work is honestly the best thing that has ever happened to me! (And to the world!) 

We have a family home evening in half an hour at our stake president's house with our family!! They are the Garmendia family and are so golden! I love them SO much. We've challenged them to get married and baptized on the 20th of september. PRAY FOR THEM! 

I love you all and hope you are inviting your friends to church activities and reading your scriptures. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE, 

Hermana Flynn

Hola mis queridos bichos, 

I'm already out of time, but I can't let this week pass by without telling you about one of the sweetest experiences of my entire mission...

I held a baby monkey's hand. 

No, I'm totally kidding. I honestly had such a special experience on Wednesday morning. But I did hold a baby monkey's hand. 

I got to do divisions in La Joya, my first area, on Tuesday and it was such a joy! I'll tell you all about it after the mission. But here's the highlight:

On Tuesday, we ended our day so late and weren't able to go see the Matamoros Family. They're the family I activated with Hermana Vasquez and we baptized their granddaughters, Ambar and Monica. Marcelino made me the breathtaking wooden ''quadro'' of Christ looking over Jerusalem. 

I couldn't bear to leave La Joya without seeing them, so we went early in the morning to make the visit. 

The way Marcelino looked at me that morning was unlike any expression I've ever seen. It was this mix of surprise and wonder and Christlike love. They didn't know I was coming. In fact, they didn't know I'd gotten moved back to the city. According to them, I was 4 and a half hours away in Choluteca. 

We talked for a couple minutes with the family and Marcelino told me he was going to church this Sunday. (They're less active again.) He told me that he'd already made the decision because of an experience he'd had this week, even though his son is coming home from the U.S. this Sunday. 

He turned to his wife and asked, ''Should I tell her?'' 

She smiled and nodded. 

He told me that the night before I came to La Joya, he had a very vivid, very realistic dream. In his dream, I was sitting on a bench outside. He came and sat with me on the bench and we talked about the gospel for a long time. He didn't tell me what I said, but he said it left him very impacted and very inspired and very full. 

And then I told him that the very last bus was coming, and that he had to decide whether or not to get on. He realized that he had his entire family behind him, following him. 

He's choosing to get on. 

As he told me this, tears streamed down my eyes for God's timing. I know with all my heart that I'm supposed to be here. I know that I needed to meet these people. I know that I needed them to meet me. God's plan is so intricate and perfect and I am eternally grateful. 

When it comes to expressing my love for these people and my gratitude towards God for letting me serve in Honduras and for letting me come to be with all of you and be born under the covenant, both the English and Spanish languages feel very limited. I couldn't ever let you all know how much this all means to me. I know that Christ is the only one who understands 100%. I hope He got to feel my highs as well as my lows when He atoned for me. I love Him so much. 

Amor divino, 

Hermana Flynn

Hola, 

I loved seeing pictures and hearing about all that's going on in your worlds! I love you all very, very much. And I love Honduras! 

This week was very full, spiritually and literally. We have a pretty packed schedule now with the office work and doing divisions with our 13 companionships during these 6 weeks. Sometimes we worry that we're neglecting our area too much, but we're juggling the best we can! And we're seeing a lot of miracles.

''God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called.'' 

On Tues, our AP's asked us to come to teach all the new missionaries in the Training Meeting. We came directly from finishing divisions with a really cool area in the mountains called Santa Lucia. We ate lunch there with Pres and Hna Bowler and then went with her to the hospital to help with the three sick missionaries. She was on the fifth floor handling the missionaries with more delicate problems and Hna Alegre and I were in the lab with another Elder who got Dengue this week. He's a trainer and his ''son'' in the mission was with Anziano Flynn in the MTC! That was fun! After the hospital, we went to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions and then to the office to get lots of meds ready to send to the South. Pres and Hna dropped us off in our area at 6pm. That's kinda how things have been! A little crazy! But I'm so happy! 

This week is just another testament that when one door closes, another opens. We had a lesson with Hazel, who was going to get baptized today, but backed out. The spirit was so strong and I knew she felt it, but she told us no and wouldn't commit to another date. We were feeling really sad for her but then right after, we found a GOLDEN family! It's a 27 year old named Rigoberto and his 22 year old wife, Dayli. They have a 4 month old and seriously could not be more positive! Pray for them!! And pray for Hazel! She is so ready for baptism. 

This week Hna Alegre hit her year mark!! I was able to do a special breakfast and we ate cake as a zone! She is such an amazing comp. I am seriously so blessed. I love her. 

I hope you're all reading your scriptures and saying your morning prayers and keeping the sabbath day holy! Be modest and honest and kind! I love you!

love,

Hermana Flynn

Buenas tardes Flamilia, 

I've got 4.5 minutes to write this. First of all, I love each one of you. Secondly, I just got an email from an elder who went home last week and I never want to come home. I'm officially 14 months old and it's making me sad! I have lots of dreams of training again and going to Danli, but with two changes left, I don't know how possible it will be! 

Well, Hermana Alegre and I are doing great! This morning we had to wash our clothes and we helped a 75 year old woman wash hers too. She workes washing clothes by hand, getting paid 25 lempiras ($1.25) for every dozen. This woman is 75!! And she can't stop working or she won't eat! I don't think we all realize how blessed we are! 

We're currently in downtown, downtown Teguc. It's super crowded and big and there's a cool, huge cathedral and a Burger King that is 6 stories high!! 

The work is going well! We already had a baptism that the other sisters left us when they closed the area! His name is Freddy and he's Mike's age. And we have 2 more baptisms (possibly 3... pray!) next Saturday. It's pretty weird opening an area, but I like it! lots of opportunities to talk to people and put the puzzle pieces together. 

We've already have an elder with Dengue from this past week so we got to go to the hospital with him and stuff. And we've had another girl in the ER and lots of called about diarrhea, fevers, and pains in general. But I haven't been stressed out yet, so that's a miracle! 

I'm in the office Mon, Wed, and Fri and we do divisions with the sisters from the city on Tues and Thurs. It's a tight schedule and there's lots to do so now we only get Pday in the morning until lunchtime! But it doesn't phase me. I'm really happy here! I love my mission! 

It's such a blessing to work so closely with President and Hermana Bowler. They are such consecrated people and I love them so sincerely. We are so blessed to have them. 

Yesterday, we got to help a Brazilian woman from the ward, Elza Jack, make Brazilian treats for her son's birthday! They're called Begios (spelling?) It means little kisses in Portugese. I'm totally making them for all the birthdays in the flamilia for the rest of my life! She's the wife of an American embassador. There are like 5 gringo embassador families in my ward! 

I love you all! Do me a favor and pray for Stephany, Gertrudis, Hazel, Juan, Suyapa, Sarai, and Selina! 

love, 

Hermana Flynn

I forgot to tell you some things last week: President Bowler authorized playing soccer and basketball on Pdays and drinking coca cola! So basically this is the happiest mission in the world right now. Everyone's going crazy with the coke. And my comp got lice! But I'm pretty sure I'm clean!

I don't even know where to start... 

How about in the drastic cambio de clima we're experiencing? Or better yet, about my adorable new compañera!! I am with the new STL, Hermana Alegre, from Lima, Peru. I love Peru! I love her! This girl is a Saint. And she is unbelievably beautiful! We were both in the same zone in the South, so we're both IN HEAVEN here in Teguc. Today the high is about 81 degrees and the low is 64. That's more than 15 degrees cooler than it is in Choluteca right now! Yesterday it was sprinkling but the sun was out and a huge rainbow stretched across the entire sky. It wasn't even of this Earth. It was heavenly. But anyway, Hermana Alegre and I are getting along really well and trying to learn about our new responsibilities together. 

The reason I'm writing on a Saturday is because Hermana Bowler changed our Pday because we'll be in the office all day on Mondays. All the office elders' Pdays are on Saturday as well because Mondays get so crazy. 

These past two days, we've been in the office from around 9am-4:30pm with Hermana Bowler and our nurse, Hermana Smart, learning everything from what all the meds are for to insurance guarantees to billing to protocol to emergency scenarios. We saw some gnarly pictures of medical conditions from past missionaries here. My favorites were definitely ''jungle rot'' on a foot and a bump behind an elder's ear that turned out to be filled with tons of larva!! If you get curious you can google that. And poor Hermana Alegre was sitting there for 7 hours, trying to take notes of all this info in English! She understands a lot of English and speaks pretty well, but medical terminology? Insurance forms? She is such a champ! When I ask her if she's overwhelmed, she just says she likes the challenge. I know that this experience will be preparing us for our futures--these skills will serve us in our future studies, careers, and homes. I am really grateful. I feel God's love and His trust so strongly right now. It is very humbling. 

I love Hermana Bowler. She's been taking us out to lunch this week in our breaks from all this training from the nurse (This is all new for Hna. Bowler, too) and she is just adorable! I was walking with her and asked what makes her really mad. I asked if she ever gets mad. She laughed and said, ''Oh yeah. I yelled at my son one time!'' ''One time?'' I asked, and she answered, ''Well, I also yelled once at my other son.'' This woman can count all the times she's yelled at her family on one hand. I've yelled at you guys like 6.02x10^23 times! (Avogradro's number.) Can you all forgive me? 

When I'm with Hermana Bowler I just smile because of all her obervations of Honduras. It brings me back to my first days here. Everything is pretty different. And I love it!

Well, we're opening an area called el 21 de Octubre and it could not be more different than Choluteca! It's so mountainous and steep! There are so many stairs. You know when Smeegle takes Frodo and Sam up those really scary mountain stairs? That's exactly what my area looks like! But it's really beautiful and straight up in the city. There are tons of cars that whip around corners and big buildings closeby and lots of people packed into small spaces! Right now there's a drought, so sometimes we don't have water in the apartment and the electricity usually goes out daily because the main power source comes from a reservoir that's now dry. Let's start rain-dancing! It's so fresco here. It feels delicious. My heat rash is almost completely gone! 

Well, out of time! Tell my baby brother Jacob that I love him and hope he likes his trainer! 

xoxo, 

hermana Flynn