Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught: “More important than speaking is listening. These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic. They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have. Be genuine. Reach out sincerely. Ask these friends what matters most to them. What do they cherish, and what do they hold dear? And then listen. If the setting is right, you might ask what their fears are, what they yearn for, or what they feel is missing in their lives. I promise you that something in what they say will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear testimony and about which you can then offer more. … If we listen with love, we won’t need to wonder what to say. It will be given to us—by the Spirit and by our friends” (“Witnesses Unto Me,” Ensign, May 2001, 15;).
This is genius of course :) and the section on how to be a successful missionary in the first chapter as well. My favorite part is "when you have done your very best, you may still experience disappointments, but you will not be disappointed in yourself."
I got my package this week for my birthday but of course i
couldn't wait to open it. So my comp took a video and some pictures as well! After seeing everything my comp called my mom an angel and i just looked at her
and said "si hermana, realmente, ella es perfecta." Thank you so much for my package, it was seriously a piece of home, just looking at my moms handwriting was enough to bring tears to my eyes! haha! i got some decorations and ill wait to put the birthday banner up :) I got a skirt! love it!!! and a cheetah print scarf and some amazingly good chocolate which i shared as much as i wanted to eat it all. Cuz sharing is caring :) and a Motab Men's Chorus CD which warms my heart, their voices are gold. And of course the cards from my family were incredible.
For our pday last week we watched Monsters University (in
spanish with english subtitles) and ate pizza! We almost did rock paper
scissors between a gringo and a latino to see if we would watch it in english
or spanish. It was so much fun to watch it and just relax! Our zone leader kept making
references to the misión life here. Like the part where the girly team is
supposed to be all innocent and good and then their eyes go all red? haha they
yelled out "guippers!" It was hilarious! Basically it means anyone
that tries to flirt with us missionaries. And let me tell you, ever since this
cambio with Hermana U. we've had about 6 marriage proposals. On Sunday
we were walking to church and a man literally stopped and put his hand over his
heart and started speaking to me in English and was like "I would like to
marry you, wow. You are so beautiful" And we just sort of booked it to the
church and laughed our heads off. It was hilarious. We gave a palabra de sabiduría folleto (Word of Wisdom pamphlet) to these two college aged guys that called out to us. They
tried to ask if we could go have a cup of coffee at the mall sometime or go to
the playa with them and they kept trying to get our numbers but we kept telling
them no and that we are missionaries and can't do stuff like that and then we
left. And laughed of course. Then we saw one of the guys in the grocery store a
week later and he tried to ask for our number again and then later we saw him
in the street and then today we were like "Haha wouldn't that be so funny
if we saw him" and then BAM!!! There he was right behind us and was called us by our last names. Man it was weird. but hey weird stuff happens
all the time here in the crazy land of Honduras :) 
I can definitely tell my spanish is getting better, and if
it's all in my head, then I'm at least speaking more. and I'm finding myself
talking to myself in spanish and my impulse is to speak in spanish which is hard
when your comp wants to learn English, but its all good! I love my comp cuz she can understand me so we'll talk and she'll ask me stuff in english and she
actually knows a lot. It's so nice that she can understand me! We have a ton of
fun together. But
im definitely opening my mouth a lot more with the members here and the
investigators too, I'm not as apprehensive and this has been really beneficial. Everyone is super patient with me and helps me out and its been a great
experience! We taught someone in english this week! Totally failed! Speaking in Spanish is easier I decided ;) Haha plus the girl is back and from Roatan so
her accent is super super thick but it was neat to be able to testify in English, I loved it :) Her question was related
to Revelation where it says that we shouldn't add to the bible and Hermana U was right on cue with all the pamphlets and pictures and
everything :) U. is working on her testimony in English. It's very
beautiful :) She's the best!
Love,
Hermana Despain
So I'll need to write more about this past week
next week,
but never fear! I am loving every minute, almost but pretty much every
minute! This work is amazing. We did divisions this week and i loved
something that
hermana A told me that hermana H told her, "we wont always
have good days, but there will always be good in a day" dont forget that
because honestly its so true. i see so many miracles here its
incredible. i
cant wait to tell you all about our exciting run in with C. this week
and
our invitation to contact women with moustaches and my idea for glitter nametags for the hermanas ;) we challenged B to be baptized but
her mom
needs to say yes and she is catholic, so pray for the mom of B
everyone, B is an amazingly strong 11 year old that has such a desire to be
baptized. shes with the familia A who has the pig ;) i love serving
a misión.l
i love being a missionary. it takes time to adjust but you have to let
yourself, you have to let yourself be ok with not being at your sisters
wedding
and missing your brothers last band performance and not being there for
your
brothers maratón, but these things will all be worth it in the end :)
because im
doing the lords work :) have an amazing week and share your testimony
with
someone, they're just dyin to hear it! ;)
love,
Hermana Despain
