Super Busy

Hey Everyone! 

This email is going to be really short! Basically, since the Elder that was training me in the office has left, I have taken on the whole work load. I didn´t really even have a P-day today because we had some emergency transfers. My new companion is Elder Wilcox. He´s going to finish his mission in about 5 months. He is working in the office with us now. He´s a pretty cool guy. We get along really well and have some similar interests. 

The highlight this week was a broadcast we were able to watch on Wednesday. We are learning better how to use Preach my Gospel and effective ways of teaching investigators. 

As far as investigators, we are definitely struggling. We haven´t had very much time to work outside. In the time we have been out, we have found some awesome people. All we need is to visit them more often and bring them to church. 

Anyways, Hope you all have a great week! I´ll include a couple of cool pictures we took. 

Working Hard

Hola Everyone! 

This week has been extremely busy! Mostly with work from the office. I didn´t realize how many people I would need to take care of. Basically if someone needs a temple recommend, needs info sent to their family, immigration work, or is sick, I´m the guy they go to. 

I did get my shoes shined by someone for the first time in the mission. Usually, I do it myself, but today I wanted to see how they would turn out. They truly shined for the first time in a while. I´m at 6 months now and there a giant holes in the heels. I´m probably gonna try to find some around here soon. The good thing is that shoes are not too expensive here. 

I also just remembered that we are going to eat baleadas (BALL-AYE-AH-DAZ) at the bishop´s house, which is a Honduran dish (one of the office missionaries is from Honduras, so he offered to help make them). My mom also made baleadas for us at home. It´s pretty much a thick flour tortilla with refried beans, crema (like sour cream, but different), cheese, and eggs. Some people even put meat on them. They are really good. An hermana missionary from Honduras made some for us during Christmas time and they turned out great. 

I´ll leave it at that for now. Sorry for the short email and lack of pictures. Hope you all have an amazing week! 

The Office

Hola Everyone,

This will be really short because there hasn´t been too much going on this week. Things are great here in Retalhuleu. Plenty of work in the office and meeting lots of new people. Today we cleaned our house. There´s still lots to do but for now, I´m happy because we cleaned our kitchen and replaced some light bulbs (the little things make everything better). 

I´m starting to get the hang of all the things I will be responsible for as Executive Secretary of the mission. I´m finally starting to feel somewhat of a routine, which is nice. Elder Perez is letting me do more and I´m learning more as well, so I´m feeling better about this position. I was honestly a little worried at the beginning, since I am so young in the mission and am still not the greatest at Spanish, but I think I´ll be okay.

Here´s a funny experience though:

This week I had to call the parents of a missionary who is going to be picked up from her mission when she finishes. This is the first time I have talked to a person from the United States that speaks English (besides Skyping home). The first time I called, a girl answered the phone and I said, "Hi, is Hermana (name) there?" The girl on the phone was very quick to respond, "No, she is not here." Then I said back, "Oh sorry, I mean SISTER (name). Clearly giggling over the phone, she then told me her mom would be home in 10 minutes and that I should call back then. 

10 minutes later, I called the family again. This time, the mom answered the phone and we greeted each other. Then I said, "Well, first of all, we just wanted to see how your family is doing...(awkward pause).. so how are you doing?" and then followed a 10 minute conversation in very broken English. I can´t begin to explain how weird it was to speak English over the phone. I am so used to Spanish phrases, and sometimes those phrases don´t translate well, or don´t exist in English. The office is nice because we all can speak Spanglish to each other and everyone understands. The office is teaching me humility. 

Well, I hope everyone had a good week, and that this week is just as great, or better!

And here´s a thumbs up for the office 

Elder Taylor

Feliz Año Nuevo

Feliz Año Nuevo Everyone!

I am extremely excited for this new year and the adventures it will bring. I hope everyone had a great holiday season and that everyone has made some good goals for this upcoming year. 

This week was the new year and, all in all, it was pretty good. Presidente Ruiz invited us to dinner with his family on New Year´s Eve which was really nice of him. That midnight, there were lots of fireworks outside. Right when 12:00 hit, fireworks from miles and miles away were visible from our house. They lasted a good 20 minutes. 

Today for P-Day, we had a multi-zone activity. We went to a waterfall in Zunilito. Zunilito is really close to my old area, Pueblo Nuevo. We had lots of fun there playing in the water and taking pictures. After that, we had hamburgers and hotdogs. 

As a mission, we have the goal of baptizing 200 (plus plus) for the month of January. We are working really hard as a mission to try to accomplish this goal. In our area, we have found some really positive people. All we need is for them to go to church. 

Sorry for the short email. Thanks for all the support and love. Have an amazing week!

Elder Taylor