Celebrating Thanksgiving

Bueno....

     Not sure where to start and I forgot my notebook, so this might end up going all over the place... 

     Well, this week all of our most promising investigators continued to not progress. We were disappointed, disilusioned, and dreading our weekly planning on Thursday. It really was quite dreary because we literally had no one to plan for. The tender mercy was what happened Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We had three days of really mazica lessons and I felt we were exactly where we needed to be, sharing what we needed to be sharing, with the people that Heavenly Father wanted us to meet. I don't even know how to put into words the majority, but I felt like a real missionary because I felt like we were really doing what the Lord wanted us to do.

     We met a few interesting people too... one was a thirteen year old boy who told us, ''I've been sick a lot. That's why it looks like I am only 7 and in second grade still.'' He also gave us the recipe for a medicine he invented. It helps with stomache problems...Soda mixed with Chocopanda (it's like nesquick). ''But it makes you burp a lot,'' *covers mouth as if he's going to tell a secret, but forgetting to whisper* ''and farts!'' Luckily he was headed in the house at that moment because my companion and I couldn't contain our laughter any longer.

     It was a neat week. And a crazy one. I learned that the most important think is to follow every prompting and no matter the outcome you will feel successful.

     Oh, yeah, and we celebrated Thanksgiving today. The most american food I have eaten in a very long time. I actually ate mashed potatoes and gravy! And rolls! The Webbs were able to find a turkey, and we got to spend the day as a district. ​

     This is Elder and Hna. Webb with the turkey. I wish I had one of the whole district, but you are going to have to wait on that one. Well, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hasta la próxima!
Hna. Thacker

An Interesting Week

     It's been an interesting week. I think I'll start with Bill. Bill is one of our investigators that has been progressing and reading the Book of Mormon. However because of challenges with his wife he hasn't been able to come back to church. Thursday we had an appointment with him and the Webbs. In the shuffle of figuring out who sits where I could hear Dad's voice, ''Never get between a man and his wife.'' That worked great to help us get seated, but immediately I started thinking about how that applied to the gospel and Bill's marriage. His wife is super evangelica and we have been worried about how it would all play out with her.

     Long story short we started the lesson and the wife joins us. I was excited she that her heart had been softened to this point until her pastor showed up. Turns out it was a rescue mission orchestrated by the wife to save her husband...

     The pastor started out, ''Before we get started I just want you all to know that I love you because Christ teaches me that I should love you. Now I don't want to contend, but we believe [insert subtly boarderline contraversial statement here]...'' And paused dramatically looking at Elder Webb while waiting for me to translate what he just said.

     Bill's wife threw in a ''Why are you trying to feed a man who is already being fed?''

     And Elder Webb just stuck to bearing his testimony about the church, a restoration, and agency.

     In the end the pastor and Bill's wife left a little disillusioned. The pastor because we didn't argue or get even a little contentious and the wife because the conversation didn't leave Bill with a clear idea that he should quit looking in other churches. On the other hand, we got all of our objectives--invite him to church, start talking about the Plan of Salvation (eternal families, Adam and Eve, and agency. The pastor brought up all of these), and invite him to the baptism of the Elders.

     It was one of the craziest lessons I have witnessed. And all in Spanglish. It was fun, but I don't think anyone is really anxious for a sequel. But we'll have to see.

     The pastor did invite us to coffee... Other than our adventure of a lesson with the pastor the rest of our week was pretty calm. Until Maria and Oscar told us that they are leaving today for Cortez and from there returning to Roatan. We have their address and number to pass the reference, but that didn't make it any harder to say goodbye to them. At least we were able to plant the seed and have the chance to learn from them. I have the confidence that she is going to keep reading her Book of Mormon, and we are praying every day that they will be able to find the missionaries wherever they end up.

     In the end it really was a good week and a lot more than this happened...for example we made hamburgers with the Relief Society.

      ​(we felt really pretty with our lunch lady hats)

      And a one-eyed pigeon tried to be our pet. And we almost successfully made baleadas. twice. :) So it was a good week. It's been full of adventures and has been teaching me that God has a plan that never gets frustrated.

Pues, Hasta La Proxima! les quiero mucho!

Hna. Thacker

I don't miss freezing temperatures. I am freezing to death when heaven forbid the temperature drops to 23. Or the bank has their air conditioning set to 20 or worse... 18! I would like to see snow though. So would my companion.

I can see in her eyes...

     So I have to tell you about Maria. She is progressing so fast. Every time I look at her I can see in her eyes a hunger to keep learning. Usually with investigators we have to leave chapters of the Book of Mormon to help them get started reading. Maria picked it up and took off. The other day we passed her house three times within 2 hours, and every time she was sitting out in the hammock reading. Sunday she asked where she could get ahold of a Gospel Principles manual and a hymnbook to read those too. We had a lesson and a new investigator arrived. He asked a question and the next thing we knew Maria was answering and testifying that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Walking home from church she told us that if she were single she would already be baptised. She is that eager and willing to accept the gospel. Her only problem is that she is not married to the boyfriend that she lives with. The good news is that they are already making plans to get married. She is so incredible and I am so excited for her! That was the most exciting thing that happened in my life this week.

How was your week?

Love,
Hna. Thacker

10 Nov. 2014

Well, here I am on the coast again.

    Well, here I am on the coast again. It has been raining like crazy and we are learning to wade streets. I think we finally hit the rainy season. But I like my area. It is HUGE. I don't think I have even seen half of it, and only walked less than a quarter of it.

     My companion is Hna. Orozco. She's from Guatemala and is pretty awesome. With 7 months in the mission she is a very well prepared missionary. It is easy to see how much she loves the people in the area and puts her all in to serving them.

     Today we went to the beach inspite of the rain and we built a sand temple :)

     They have two branches but there is no district. The branches just belong to the mission. We are in the branch _______ and it is a neat little branch. Small, but strong.

     Here in ____ we also have the senior couple, Elder and Sister Webb. Once a week they accompany us or we accompany them to make the visits of the day. Elder and Hna. Webb are really neat. They are so filled with love and concern for every member and nonmember that lives here in ____. The trick is that they are still learning Spanish. So we get to translate for them. It is a lot harder than I ever imagined it would be. I find myself translating Spanish to Spanish and English to English. It's an adventure, and I really love visiting with the Webbs. The spirit that they bring to the lessons is incredible.

     I like it here, and we have already seen miracles. One was a couple that came with us to church. Just in the days that I have been here they have progressed incredibly. They enjoyed church, and both left so excited to bring the other couple that has been listening with them next week. To see how excited they are makes me so excited!

     Well, I like it here, I have a great companion, and we are already seeing miracles. I couldn't ask for more!

Hasta la próxima,
Hna. Thacker
3 Nov. 2014

(Answer to a question about Halloween)

No, they don't. Here witches are not make-believe... I think a good majority can tell you a story of how someone they know has been affected by black magic. So they try to avoid celebrating them. But my companion was sweet and made a little jack-o-lantern for me and gave me candy. She said that they have Halloween parties sometimes.