Dear Mom and everyone else,
Well it's Christmas time in Honduras. I think back to the festivites
and the fun that I've had in Christmases past. We have had some pretty
crazy Christmases. Honestly my favorite memories about Christmas time
is delivering the presents to the neighbors houses, doing sub for
santa with the priests, and going and shoveling snow for random people
in the ward with Ryan on random Sunday nights when it snows.
Remembering these times of service make me glad that I am here serving
my fellow man. A lot of elders get homesick during this time of being
away from the family. To be completely honest, as much as I miss being
with the family for Christmas I wouldn't rather be anywhere than right
here teaching the gospel to those who need it. Going around and
knockin on peoples door all day everyday I would think that we would
more people that are already members of the church. I know in Utah it
seems like everyother house is members. But here we can contact all
day and not find a member of the church. It really makes me realize
how much work there is to do and how little time to do it. What really
helps the work move along is help from the members. I would encourage
all of you to help the work of the Lord move as fast as possible and
help the people that need the word.
Thanks mom for the music. I had a really cool experience with the
piano the other day. Wednesday a whole bunch of the zones got to meet
with president and listen to him. After we listened to him there was a
talent show. Each zone had some talent prepared. Our talent was that
one of the sisters in the zone who played the guitar and sang the
first noel. After the talent show the AP got up and said that we would
all move back into the chapel and listen to Elder Neiswender play the
piano! Surprise to Elder Neiswender:) I guess our zone leaders told
the aps that I would play the piano but they forgot to tell the person
playing the piano. Luckily I have kept Marching Season polished over
these months. So I decided to play Marching Season. More background
about the people in the mission. The Latins and the North Americans
don't get along in big groups. There are a few that intermingle, but
for the most part if people aren't in integrated companionships they
hardly talk to members of the other race. It's something that needs to
be worked on I know. It was really cool, I got up there and played
Marching Season and I messed up and of course I was devestated, but
luckily nobody has ever heard that song so they all thought it was
part of the song:) But afterwards everybody kept coming up to me and
telling me good job and one Latin that I personally had problems
getting along with came up and told me that he had "never heard
anybody play the piano like that before." It made me realize that the
Lord works through strange means to bring to pass even small things
like if to Elders in a zone get along. It was really fun to play and
then have a really cool experience like that after. It shows that the
Lord really does care about little things.
I'm going to be able to skype! I talked to President and he said it
was ok. We are going to be able to do it at 10:00 am here so it will
be 9:00 am there in Utah:) I look foreward to seeing everybody again
and Merry Christmas:)
love,
Elder Neiswender
Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Las Flores
Dear Mom and everyone else,
Things here in Las Flores are great! The zone I am in is called
villaneueva so Dad you can look it up on google maps. My comp got sick
on tuesday so we didn't get anything done that day.
Honestly we are looking at this week as one of those trial weeks that
people talk about. It started out looking good. We are on an awesome
streak of door contacting. We haven't got a whole lot of numbers on
the door contacting because people keep answering and giving us return
appointments:) We are on an 11 door streak. 11 Straight people that we
have contacted has invited us back to here more as a family and one
family let us come in and teach them the first lesson on that first
visit so we were pumped. All of Friday Saturday and Sunday were packed
with return appointments from the people we contacted. We were both
looking foreward to it a lot.
But I was reminded of a talk by President (might have been just Elder)
Eyering in conference a few years back when he told a story from his
childhood. he said he was having a rough time and he went to his dad
to talk about it and his dad told him "remember, this too shall pass".
A little while later he said that things were going really great and
he went and told his dad about how great things were going and his dad
told him, "remember, this too shall pass." Oh man did that ever happen
to us this past week. We were having all this success and the
all...and yes I mean ALL but one appointment fell on those three days.
Nobody was in their house when they said they would be. It was very
hard. 15 appointments in three days that fell. But oh well "this too
shall pass."
Me and my comp get along real well. It started off a little rough, but
now we are great friends. We just keep working hard and supporting
each other through the hard times and celebrating through the great
times. The only thing with him is that whenever I try to do something
to improve myself he starts acting like I'm just trying to be better
than every one else. I never realized that the hardest place to try
and be obedient is on your mission. But we get a lot of good lessons
in when the people are there. And that's all that really matters:)
As for the story that Kristi is supposed to tell me. I hope I find out
soon because I am very confused by that first paragraph:)
Well that's all that I have for this week. I'll work on getting
pictures for you from this new area. It is way pretty:)
Love,
Elder Neiswender
Things here in Las Flores are great! The zone I am in is called
villaneueva so Dad you can look it up on google maps. My comp got sick
on tuesday so we didn't get anything done that day.
Honestly we are looking at this week as one of those trial weeks that
people talk about. It started out looking good. We are on an awesome
streak of door contacting. We haven't got a whole lot of numbers on
the door contacting because people keep answering and giving us return
appointments:) We are on an 11 door streak. 11 Straight people that we
have contacted has invited us back to here more as a family and one
family let us come in and teach them the first lesson on that first
visit so we were pumped. All of Friday Saturday and Sunday were packed
with return appointments from the people we contacted. We were both
looking foreward to it a lot.
But I was reminded of a talk by President (might have been just Elder)
Eyering in conference a few years back when he told a story from his
childhood. he said he was having a rough time and he went to his dad
to talk about it and his dad told him "remember, this too shall pass".
A little while later he said that things were going really great and
he went and told his dad about how great things were going and his dad
told him, "remember, this too shall pass." Oh man did that ever happen
to us this past week. We were having all this success and the
all...and yes I mean ALL but one appointment fell on those three days.
Nobody was in their house when they said they would be. It was very
hard. 15 appointments in three days that fell. But oh well "this too
shall pass."
Me and my comp get along real well. It started off a little rough, but
now we are great friends. We just keep working hard and supporting
each other through the hard times and celebrating through the great
times. The only thing with him is that whenever I try to do something
to improve myself he starts acting like I'm just trying to be better
than every one else. I never realized that the hardest place to try
and be obedient is on your mission. But we get a lot of good lessons
in when the people are there. And that's all that really matters:)
As for the story that Kristi is supposed to tell me. I hope I find out
soon because I am very confused by that first paragraph:)
Well that's all that I have for this week. I'll work on getting
pictures for you from this new area. It is way pretty:)
Love,
Elder Neiswender
Transfer
Dear Mom and Everyone else,
Well I got tranferred this past week to a new area. This area is
called Las Flores, the flowers. It is a lot prettier than my other
area since this one is out of the city. I get a chance to get away
from all the pollution and everything. but I haven't been able to see
it all clear and sunny because it has rained everyday since I have
been here. There is so much mud. But it is fun:) The house that I get
to live in now is about as big as the piano with a all down the middle
of it. It is tiny, but the upside is that it has A/C instead of just a
couple of portable fans. The work is great here. I have been here for
a week and we already hope to get three baptisms this next weekend. I
really hope it goes through. It's always a good way to start off an
area with a baptism:)
Now for the bad news. The day before I left my last area I went to
different places to say goodbye to everybody. I wanted to go say
goodbye to Luis and encourage him to keep reading and praying. So we
went to his house, and called his name three times and he didn't come.
Finally on the fourth time he came out, but he didn't even open the
gate to talk to us so we got to talk to him through the gate. He told
us that he had read the Book of Mormon and that from a history point
of veiw it from what he read it seemed true (He got through 1 Nephi
2). But he didn't believe that it was the word of God. His mom also
told him that he could choose for himself but that if he chose the
Mormons then the house would be divided. Oh man I wanted to talk to
that mother, but she wasn't there. He said that he was going to join
the other church. It just about broke my heart, and I think he saw it
because he kept asking if we were still friends. We said yes but that
I was leaving the next day and he looked sad. Luckily he asked if he
could keep his BOM. hopefully he keeps reading and one day he won't
care what his family says and he will join the church...Hopefully.
The goodnews is that we got to see the Christmas devotional last
night. And yes I saw Dad on TV!! It was good to see you again Dad!
Even though when they showed you was when you were looking down at you
music like you lost your place:) Oh well it was just great to see you.
No I haven't gotten the package with music yet. I'm sure that right
now it's at the mission office. Now I just have to wait for them to
bring it to my area. I don't know if you already sent the Christmas
package, but if you haven't I keep forgeting that I don't have
pictures of my family or my friends. That would be something that I
would really like if you get a chance.
Well that's all for this week,
Love forever,
Elder Neiswender
Well I got tranferred this past week to a new area. This area is
called Las Flores, the flowers. It is a lot prettier than my other
area since this one is out of the city. I get a chance to get away
from all the pollution and everything. but I haven't been able to see
it all clear and sunny because it has rained everyday since I have
been here. There is so much mud. But it is fun:) The house that I get
to live in now is about as big as the piano with a all down the middle
of it. It is tiny, but the upside is that it has A/C instead of just a
couple of portable fans. The work is great here. I have been here for
a week and we already hope to get three baptisms this next weekend. I
really hope it goes through. It's always a good way to start off an
area with a baptism:)
Now for the bad news. The day before I left my last area I went to
different places to say goodbye to everybody. I wanted to go say
goodbye to Luis and encourage him to keep reading and praying. So we
went to his house, and called his name three times and he didn't come.
Finally on the fourth time he came out, but he didn't even open the
gate to talk to us so we got to talk to him through the gate. He told
us that he had read the Book of Mormon and that from a history point
of veiw it from what he read it seemed true (He got through 1 Nephi
2). But he didn't believe that it was the word of God. His mom also
told him that he could choose for himself but that if he chose the
Mormons then the house would be divided. Oh man I wanted to talk to
that mother, but she wasn't there. He said that he was going to join
the other church. It just about broke my heart, and I think he saw it
because he kept asking if we were still friends. We said yes but that
I was leaving the next day and he looked sad. Luckily he asked if he
could keep his BOM. hopefully he keeps reading and one day he won't
care what his family says and he will join the church...Hopefully.
The goodnews is that we got to see the Christmas devotional last
night. And yes I saw Dad on TV!! It was good to see you again Dad!
Even though when they showed you was when you were looking down at you
music like you lost your place:) Oh well it was just great to see you.
No I haven't gotten the package with music yet. I'm sure that right
now it's at the mission office. Now I just have to wait for them to
bring it to my area. I don't know if you already sent the Christmas
package, but if you haven't I keep forgeting that I don't have
pictures of my family or my friends. That would be something that I
would really like if you get a chance.
Well that's all for this week,
Love forever,
Elder Neiswender
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