It was a good and fast week. A little bit crazy, but generally good.
As you can tell from my emails, Silvano Contreras is always on our minds and we´ve been focusing on him for months now. He was progressing quite a bit and even had a baptisimal date with Sofia for March 20, but even with everything we try he´s still having a hard time giving up his alcohol, and every time his family and we lose a little bit of our faith. One day this week during companionship study, after I shared what I had studied, and how I had thought of Silvano, Hermana Figueroa asked if I had studied for our other investigators. Ashamed, I said no, and neither had she. We repented and are trying to focus on all, because we don´t know what will happen, it´s in the Lord´s hands.
However, we´ve been happy to see the progress in a sweet 30 year old that we´re teaching named Tania. She has a 10 year old son Alberto and lives with her parents Juan and Olga Zamora. Juan believes in Evolution and doesn´t believe in God, and Olga has Christian views. We have befriended them and invited them to activities etc, and have faith that someday and hopefully soon they will come. Anyway, Tania is very receptive and I enjoy teaching her. We practice English sometimes and she has tried to ... what is the word?... convince us to marry one of her three brothers who live in the States someday. Funny story, this week we were eating dinner with them and Olga asked us how many children we wanted to have someday. Hna. Figueroa said 6 and I said 5. She expressed her disappointment... she only wants 3 grandchildren. So I suppose we are saved from the betrothal (that´s the word I wanted!)
This week we were inviting some young men, James, Edward, Omar, Carlos, to an activity we had (we watched the movie The Testaments in the court outside the church) and suddenly we saw a moving lump in Omar´s shirt. Out came a big white rat and Hermana Figueroa screamed ¨Raton!¨ and ran from the room. It´s an adventure to be serving with her and in this crazy but wonderful place. = )
It´s fun to teach Hermana Figueroa english. We have postit notes on all the devices around the apartment with English and Spanish words, and we work on basic phrases together. Who would´ve thought the word ¨dance¨ would be so hard to pronounce? I´m hoping to have the opportunity to teach an English class in my mission, perhaps in my next area (Pres. Merren, our Branch Pres. is hesitant with the idea because he wants the class to be weekly and if I get transferred and another North American doesn´t replace me, the enthusiasm will fall rapidly). But it´s good to get some practice in teaching now, as I help my companion. And she is always teaching me new words and patiently helping me with Spanish all day, every day.
I realize that last week I wrote that she wasn´t super obedient and that frustrated me. But really, I need to just be better at communicating my wishes and the reasons for them, because for her it wasn´t a big deal to miss a week in writing her family but for me it was. I could´ve suggested that we left to go to the internet cafe earlier. I´m happy to have the opportunity to learn how to work in a spirit of unity with others and bring the good news of the gospel to all in Honduras. I´ve already experienced some changes and I hope the Lord will continue to help me change to become who He would have me be.
This week I read from the Liahona a devotional address from Jeffrey R. Holland, ¨ The best is yet to be¨. It seemed to be directed right at me, because sometimes I have worry when it´s unnecessary or live in the past. I´m grateful that the Lord answers prayers and truly speaks to us personally. I know He knows and loves each of those that I´m teaching, each missionary, and each and every one of you. Thank you for your constant support and for loving and caring about me.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox, Hermana Francis
