WEEK 64 - Q&A

1. What experience this week strengthened your testimony and how?
Just working with people. Seeing how the Gospel actually changes lives.

2. What is something that made you laugh out loud this week?
Some of the people here are just crazy. People who try to talk in English.

3. If you could fit anyone in the world in a suitcase to come and spend a day in Honduras with you, who would it be?
Andrew. He is my bro and he would love it.

4. Is the church building where you meet now a standard church building? How many ward members come each week?
It is a building, kind of old, but a building. About 100.

5. What specific things would you like people back home to pray for for you?
For our investigators. They need more help than we do.

WEEK 64 - Update

Tuesday
We contacted a lot. All of our visits fell through so we contacted some more. We found a man named Jesus that is really positive. He wants to change his life.

Wednesday
We went to do some baptism interviews for the sisters on Wednesday. So happy for them. We found one of our investigators reading the Book of Mormon. Yay! We found a new lady named Diana, she has lots of questions and wants to learn.

Thursday
We contacted a little more. We met with Jesus, he is doing really well. We met with Nelson, he has a baptism date for the 8 of October and that is looking really good.

Friday
We had Zone Conference, we learned a lot about teaching. It was really great. We visited Alba, who has a baptism date for the 15th of October, she is also doing really well. We met with some other investigators.

Saturday
We visited an old investigator, Alan, he is doing really well and has lots of desires to learn. We did a little bit of service for a member and then carried some bags up a hill to help some ladies.

Sunday
We had church. Nelson went. We taught Gospel Principles. We contacted A LOT. it was worth it to see the people willing to listen and help them out.

Have a great week everyone!
Elder Baller

WEEK 63 - Photos

Yay! Our first photos from Elder Baller in almost a month! He has had a hard time finding a computer that would let him upload all of the photos he's been taking.

Enjoy!

Elder T

Elder Torres and Elder Baller

Valles de Angeles - we hiked up at about 7am

Valles de Angeles

Valles de Angeles

Santa Lucia

Elder Baller & Elder Judd (he reminds me a lot of Ren)

Elder Baller & Elder Judd

On our way to El Picacho

Elder Baller and Elder Judd - we get along really well

Walking to El Picacho

Elder Judd

Elder Judd

View of the city from El Picacho

Elder Judd

Elder Judd with Hermana Powers in the background

Statue of Christ at El Picacho

Elder Foster (our other zone leader)

The city with the airport in the background - notice it only has one landing strip.

El Picacho

This was when we went to do some pottery. This pottery wheel is actually powered by moving your leg.

Elder Judd was taking my pictures

Working on a jar

Pottery the missionaries made - a pumpkin, a turtle, a cactus with a hat (LOL), a bowl of cereal with a spoon, etc

Me, Elder Foster, Hermana Snow, and the guy who helped us

Mannequins the sisters made

Elder Padilla

WEEK 63 - Q&A

1. What is your new comp's full name?
I don't know...
(Mom note: I had heard that missionaries emails get shorter and less detailed the longer they are in the mission, but really?? He doesn't know his comp's name and couldn't ask him? Ha! Elder Baller will be getting some flak from me on this one.) :)

2. How old is he? How long has he been a member?
He is 19. He has been a member his whole life basically.

3. Where is he from? 
He is from Monterrey, Mexico.

4. Tell us about his family - how many siblings, etc.
He has two older brothers. He is the first missionary in his family.

5. What is your favorite thing about him so far?
He knows a lot about teaching and he is super excited to work and learn.

WEEK 63 - Update

Tuesday
Elder Padilla said goodbye to everyone in the area. Kind of a sad day but it was still fun.

Wednesday
We went to the stake center for changes. We had a little meeting with President Bowler and then we met our new companions. I am with Elder Navarro from Mexico. He is really cool.

Thursday
We contacted from quite a bit. Found some pretty positive people. We have an investigator, Alba, that accepted a baptism date. She is doing really great.

Friday
We had a district meeting. After that we contacted a bunch more. That was basically the whole week. We visited Nelson again. He is doing great.

Saturday
We contacted a lot, again. We visited Nelson. We visited Alba, she is doing great, progressing a lot.

Sunday
We had church. Alba and Michelle went. Nelson couldn't make it. We taught Gospel Principles class, like always. We worked a bunch, contacting and visiting other people we had already contacted.

Great week. Have a good one you all!

Elder Baller

WEEK 62 - Q&A

1. What was the best part of your week?
The baptisms for the ward.

2. Worst part of your week?
Tiredness.

3. What is the best thing you've eaten in your current area?
Baleadas.

4. What do you do on P days there?
We usually go to Valle de Angeles.

5. Is the language/accent/vocabulary any different in your three areas? Any local lingo or phrases?
It is about the same. In Choluteca the people are a little different, but it is about the same.

WEEK 62 - Update

Tuesday
We had a meeting for leaders. We learned a lot about leadership and how to be better examples.We started teaching a kid in the ward cause he got baptized on Saturday and the ward wanted us to help out.

Wednesday
We had interviews with President Bowler. It was great to see him and get to talk to him a little. We found some really positive people in the first door we knocked. Alan and Katerin. They are positive and had a lot of questions.

Thursday
We worked a little in one of our areas that is far away. We carried a bunch of sticks to help out a members. Pretty normal day.

Friday
We visited Nelson. We helped him plant some plants. Pretty fun. Visited a few members.

Saturday
We were kinda busy with the baptisms all day. Helped out the ward with that and it actually turned out really nice.

Sunday
We went to church. Elder Padilla spent a little bit of time saying goodbye to some members. Sad to see him go.

Hope everyone has a great week!
Elder Baller

WEEK 61 - Q&A

1. Have you had your Night of Brothershipping yet? How did it go?
That was in Yusguare.... but we didn't do it. We are planning on doing something similar here.

2. Did you have your interview with President Bowler? How was it?
That will be next week. Hopefully it will go well.

3. Did your mini-missionary companion get his mission call yet? 
He got it this week on Thursday.

4. How does someone become a mini-missionary? Do they go through any training or anything?
They just call them and ask them if they can and they show up. Nothing.

5. Do you get cold at night? Have you ever used your blanket you packed?
Freezing. Didn't know I packed one.... will be buying a sweater this week.

WEEK 61 - Update

Tuesday
We visited Kevin with a member. He is a little tough and unwilling to act but we will keep working with him. We visited a member and helped her out a little bit.

Wednesday
Divisions with Elder Judd, our zone leader, that was fun. We visited Rigoberto, he is paralyzed and so we clean up his bedroom a little. We visited Michelle and invited her to baptism. She said yes! We will be working with her for that. We found a new investigator, Sandra, she is positive as well.

Thursday
We had a district meeting. When we were leaving President Bowler called and said that he had Elder Padilla's mission call so we met with President to get it. He is going to.... Mexico Monterrey West mission! YAY! So excited for him.

Friday
We had another visit with Kevin. We had a Family Home Evening lesson with some members and investigators.

Saturday
We found a new investigator, Nelson, his aunt is a member but inactive. He is pretty positive. We went to the zone leaders baptism.

Sunday
Nelson and Michelle went to church. After church we visited a couple members and we had ward council. That was good to plan an activity.

Have a great week everyone! Love you all!

Elder Baller