So it's Pday again and we're going to El Picacho (Cristo statue) again! But this time we're also going to the zoo up there! I hope I see a baby animal. 

This week was wonderful. But the mission is like a big montaña rusa (roller coaster)! 

English class went really well this week! We had 14 students and a lot of fun! 

Two days ago, we fasted and were so blessed! One of the many beautiful things that happened was that we were walking at night in the rain and our plans fell through and we remembered a man who said he'd gone to Temple Square more than 10 years ago! We visited him and taught his wife (who's a lawyer) and his 19 years old daughter who's studying medicine and speaks English. A new family to teach!! And theyr'e married! And ¿sabe que? It was the most beautiful Restoration lesson we've ever taught. And what more? They have two fluffy toy poodles that were on our laps the whole night! (Awwwww --Elizabeth voice) 

After that, we brought the bishop to give an hermana a beautiful blessing before her surgery and after that, we celebrated the birthday of Marcelino Matamoros! 

Remember when we baptized Ambar and Monica? Well, they live with their grandparents, Marcelino and Carmen Matamoros, who had been inactive members for about 20 years. We met them through a miracle and have been reactivating them and it's been one of the biggest blessings of my mission! I LOVE them! And they love us too! Marcelino used to work with wood, and he's making Hna Vasquez and I a beautiful surprise! And the whole family was in church for the first time to see Monica in the Primary Program!! (Which was hilarious and adorable by the way.)

Yesterday, Hna V and I had a miscommunication (imagine that) and got into a fight during church in an empty classroom that would've gotten heated if someone didn't come in and interrupt us. It can be SO hard to ALWAYS be with someone, especially with a language and cultural barrier. A member came and wanted us to come help teach the Young Men about preparing for a mission. We sat in front of the class, still flustered, as he asked us questions like ''How do you two feel as missionaries?'' Awful. We felt so bad! The Lord has an interesting way of teaching us lessons, doesn't He? 

The mission can be so hard! But most of the time it is so fun and beautiful! And I'm grateful to have had a bad day so that I can appreciate the good ones! And Hna V and I forgave each other and are on better terms than ever. A companionship is like an arranged marriage without the romance. And unlike a normal marriage, we have to always be within seeing and hearing range. But we need to be on the same team in order to do this work. And humility is a key component in a successful relationship. I'm going to take these important lessons I'm learning into my own future marriage. 

So those are some of the ups and downs of the mission! I am blissfully happy. And I'm excited to see all of your faces via Skype in a couple weeks! 

Have a jolly week! 

We had cambios in the mission this past Friday and I didn't move! I'm rejoicing! I'm going to stay in La Joya for Christmas with Hna Vasquez! 

Yesterday we fasted and saw IMMEDIATE blessings. We had 8 investigators in sacrament meeting, including 2 families, and had 4 other recent converts there too! Wow, that is not common here! 

We taught a girl, Yesenia,  who is 22 and so excited about the gospel! She accepted a baptismal date for Dec. 21 con mucho gusto and is willing to do anything to prepare. Her cute sister also loves the gospel, but we need to get her married before she can be baptized! Her husband doesn't like the church, but we know that if we're exactly obedient and faithful, we can work to see miracles. They defend the church against the criticism of their family and friends and already call themselves Mormons. And they've only had 3 lessons! It's so touching to see how much people can grow to love and trust us in such a short time. And it's even stronger ''al reves''! I'm so in love with my area and with all of the people here. I know that this is my last change here, and I can't even think about leaving them. It hurts too much.

We also found a new family to teach!! We're visiting them tonight! The Dad told us to come right at 6pm (when Pday ends) because he knows we have to be in our house at9pm... I'm pumped to give him the 3 hour lesson he's hoping for!  

I'm so happy to hear all about your Thanksgiving! I love holidays because they bring the family together. And I LOVE our family! I'm attaching a picture of my Thanksgiving feast! Tacos and 7 up in a plastic bag! We had dreams to make mashed potatoes and buy half a chicken, but English class ended late and everyone had closed their little tiendas because of the cold.

It's cold in Honduras! Surprised? So am I! I think it's mostly due to a Hurricane that passed in Guate or Mexico this past week. But in the nights it's freezing so I'm super grateful for the new Christmas PJ's! I sleep in the sweatshirt I stole from Madie Hart before I left and in socks because I don't have a blanket, just my sheets! But it's warming up real fast. It's hilarious to see the people bundled up in scarves, hats, and gloves during the day when it's like 69 degrees outside. They're just so used to the constant 85º we usually enjoy. 

Well, I hope you have an incredible week! I am very happy here. And very grateful.

Enjoy the snow!

We have the privilege of reading the Book of Mormon as a mission! We started Oct. 1 and will finish Dec. 24th. I made it through Mosiah and this beautiful message really stood out to me:

Mosiah 5:7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.  8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.
 9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.

Mosiah 26:18 Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my ^aname; for in my ^bname shall they be called; and they are mine.

Mosiah 26:24 For behold, in my name are they called; and if they ^aknow me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand.

I love this gospel.

Yesterday, I gave my first talk in the field! The Bishop told me Saturday at noon that I needed to speak for 15 minutes in church, so I wrote a little bit in the night after we planned and finished it in the morning before we had to round up our 5 investigators to bring to Sacrament! A bit stressful, but it went well and I feel pretty comfortable with Spanish! I spoke on the small and simple things we can do to hasten the work and be better missionaries. 

The gospel is so mysterious and immense in many ways, but it's also so plain and simple.
 Like Pres. Eyring said, ''The pattern is simple, but not easy to follow.''

Mosiah 2:22 And behold, all that he ^arequires of you is to ^bkeep his commandments; and he has ^cpromised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth ^dvary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do ^ekeep his ^fcommandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

Also, Mosiah 2:34 says that with the knowledge we have of the gospel and the scriptures, we are ''eternally indebted to our Heavenly Father,'' and are to ''render Him all that we have and are...''

I'm really learning how important it is to keep our covenants.

I love you all more than sweet stripes and cookie dough ice cream!

xo,

Hermana FlynnRider

P.s. When the people don't hear you knock, you yell ''buena tardes'' into their house. I know I have a huge gringita accent so I try to mask it by yelling in mexican monotone. My comp called me out on it this week.

She was like, ''Why are you talking like that?''

''Like what?''

''¡Cómo una brujita!'' (Like a witch!)

It was so funny! Now I screech and cackle into every house that doesn't open up within 30 seconds!