11.09.09

I got to go on splits this week again with E. Ruus. Again, I learned a ton. But when I was with E. Ruus, I learned that there are so many kids who look up to the missionaries here. It's sad, one came to his house and asked for advice and just started looking for food and something to drink. He doesn't live with his parents and doesn't eat meals a lot of the time. When Ruus talked, I could tell that he was really listening. There was 2 or 3 more who came in the house when I was there too. The kids really love the missionaries here. Ruus told me that he can see me being AP this week when I've been out a little over a year.

This week, I also got to eat a twix and a snickers. It was heavenly. First time in like 3 months. Chocolate is greatness.

So Heavenly Father truly hears and truly answers our prayers. I have been praying lately that He will bless one of our investigator's Allan with a desire to be baptized. He's been saying for a month now that he believes what we're saying he just wants to know for sure for sure before he gets baptized. We've taught him almost everything too. He told us he will be baptized but wanted to wait for about 3 more weeks. When someone is preparing for baptism, it's not good to postpone it for too long. Satan will bring up doubts and really work on them. So I've been praying to give him a strong, without a shadow of a doubt testimony. On Friday, we were walking to our cook's house to eat, and he called us and just said he wants to be baptized today. That was awesome and an answer to my prayer.

I've been asking Rivera alot if he's tried different foods and stuff like PB and Js, grilled cheese, and some other stuff I've been making lately and he's like no I was born in Africa. So I've been teasing him and asking him if they have really obvious stuff in Africa like spoons, shoes, bottles, plates, tables, etc and I teach him how to flush the toilet and stuff.

This last Friday we had another service project and this time we chopped up a tree. I have 4 new blisters. I really worked hard.

This week, I ate some more rich cow stomach but not in soup this time. I have learned to just eat whatever someone puts in front of you and after I have eaten it, ask what it was. But not before or else I would gag it down. Haha. Cow stomach actually isn't that bad. Just a little chewy.

I was at the chapel after a baptism eating my dinner and I saw one of my neighbors walk by with a shirt that said "Bryce Canyon." I was like, wow he has been to Bryce Canyon. That's really neat I have a shirt exactly like that. I went up and saw paint marks exactly where mine had them and realized he was wearing my shirt! Haha, how in the heck did he get my shirt? So I was like, hey man, I like your shirt. He's like yeah it's awesome. Then I said, but it's mine. He just laughed and said he didn't know. The person who washes my clothes washes them at his house sometimes and he saw my shirt drying and said, oh how nice, someone gave me a new shirt and even washed it. Errben. So I got it back.

We're teaching an investigator named Prospero right now. His name translates to I propsper. I've seen people named Juana of God, Savior, and Holy John. They just throw in words from the Bible and add it to their name. But anyways, Prospero is really sweet. He is golden. He read the chapter we left from the BOM twice and asked a lot of questions. Luckily, we chose the winning team and had a lot of answers. The only problem was that he didn't pray. So we told him that's an essential step. I told him if I go to a store and pay 20 Lempiras for a Baleada and then just leave without my baleada, is there a point in that? No. I told him he's paid for his Baleada because he's read and he's entitled to receive an answer. He just has to pray. He liked that. He came to church too. Another plus, he has air conditioning so we try and extend the appointments we have with him! Haha. No, not really but it's a sweet set-up.

Ok, switching gears. Our light doesn't work in the bathroom and so when I want to take a shower in the night, it's pretty dark. I thought I'd be really inventive and had a really great idea to wire my flashlight to something hanging on the ceiling. I was standing on a chair and couldn't reach so I put my foot on the sink and it just fell off the wall and a bunch of pieces broke off. Freak. The dumb thing is that Rivera and I never use that sink because it leaks onto the floor. So then I had to build up the courage to tell our landlord that the sink fell off the wall. They live on our street and the husband is really stern and always has a scowl on his face. I feel like he's pearing into my soul and wishing that gringos didn't exist every time I walk by when he's outside. So we walked by the house and were about to tell them but he was outside so we just kept walking. We waited until the wife was there. She's nicer. Haha so I was just like, we have a small problem at the house. The sink fell off the wall. She wasn't really mad at all and just said she'll come look at it one of these days and I told her I'd pay for the damage. I recorded it all in spanish and translated it on the tape recorder. You'll get that. Sweet, huh?

The 87 year old guy we baptized a couple weeks ago still walks to church every Sunday. He is such a stud. Says his knees hurt a little but doesn't every complain. He's always smiling and isn't bugged by anything. He told us this week that he's heard the church can help with people who are needy and asked us about it because he doesn't work. As far as I'm concerned, he deserves it so we are going to schedule an interview with the bishop.

Also this week, they had a really sweet shin dig at my church. Wow it was glorious. There was just a bunch of booths that had free food and specialty food from where that person was from. So it was a no-brainer to go to it. Free stuff is my specialty. You know those shells that Little Mermaid's dad blows in and stuff? Like trumpets? They're called Konk and I had some Konk soup. It tasted pretty good. Then I just kept moving down the booths and taking advantage of free food. Crunchy tortillas with beans, other soup, and a sweet drink.

My spanish is getting better and better every single day. I just need to work out the kinks in it. Just small gramatic errors. I have people compliment me on it quite often now. I literally understand everything in a lesson and almost everything outside of lessons. I have been blessed so much with the gift of tongues. Another evidence that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.

Now as for a dryer, we have that. We just put our shirt on the clothesline and point a fan at it. There you go. Haha. But it hasn't been raining too bad lately. Just really hot. Same ol' same ol'.

On P days we just kind of do whatever. Sometimes there are things planned, but usually not. Usually we clean the dishes and house and then kind of lay around and bask in the gloriness of P day. Just kind of sit around and organize your stuff or write letters. I've just gotten lost in the jungle, haven't seen any really cool sights. The people wash all their clothes in the pila and live in a really small house. It does the job but they don't complain. They're really content and humble and friendly.

Let everyone know that I love it here and that I'm learning and progressing every day. I was flipping through my MTC book of notes and I read, automatically talk with everyone as a missionary. That's kind of scary and hard at times but I have been trying to implement it more. Please pray for me to have more strength and courage to simply talk to anyone and people on the street. Love you all soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much. I did 2 lines of o's, that is a really sincere love.

Elder Goodwin