"I expect full participation!" Do it if you know it.

"I expect full participation!" Do it if you know it.

So, a couple of weeks ago the door to family history library at the church broke so we had to start emailing at the internet cafe, which isn't as good because this one room in the church has air conditioning and we use the computers for free, but an internet cafe no. I was all excited because the elders told us the door was fixed, but we got here and we can't get the air conditioning to work so we're super sweaty. Oh well.

The RS president texted us this morning and told us that Hermano Rosales, one of the members of the branch died. We went to the family's house this morning to help however we could. I realized I've never seen that part of the preparation for a funeral. We walked in and Elder Lopez and Hermano Mynor we putting cotton balls in Hermano Rosales's mouth. Elder Nichol's looked at me and said, "Have you ever cleaned a dead body before? I checked that off my list this morning." Hermano Rosales looked really cute lying there in his white temple clothes. It's happy to think that he is probably enjoying being back with his wife. 

We were in a lesson with one of our progressing investigators. I've been working with this guy for about two months. He told us that he has some sins he needs to repent of before he can get baptized. He also tried to tell me that he doesn't think he can repent of this. He asked me if I have ever done what he has done. It was a real testimony building moment for me. Even though I've never had his experiences I have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I don't know exactly how he feels, but I have seen the affects of Christ's Atonement in my own life and I know that it covers all sins and all people.

I've been taught my entire life that faith is like a little seed, and while I'll gladly say that that's true, let's all get one thing straight: Alma never said that. In Alma 32 he compares THE WORD to  a seed. If you give place to the word it will grow. You need to nurish the word. Alma never says that faith in like a seed, he is talking about the word. 

We went out with the Webbs again on wedenesday. I have to translate sometimes and I really enjoy it, it's fun, but sometimes I get really confused. The thing is that sometimes I don't actually translate the spanish into english, I just say it more clearly and slowly so the webbs can understand. So, we were visiting the familia Sosa and Elder Webb said something in english and I started saying it to Hermana Sosa in english again just more more slowly and clearly like I do with the webbs sometimes, but the problem is that Hermana Sosa doesn't speak englsih. She gave me a really weird look and then I realized my malfunction and said it in spanish. She just laughed and put her arm around me, and said, "you're getting a little confused with all this translating" It was super funny.

We had interviews with Presidente Klein on saturday. Can you believe it's already been another three months? Holy moly! This 3 months was WAY faster than the last 3. It was absolutely wonderful, like always. 

Every interview I have I see Klein with his cheat sheets that have info about all the missionaries on them, so I finally asked him what's on there. He has two different ones. 

He showed me the first one that just has basic stuff like my companion, area, time in the mission, birthday, I play the piano. ha ha It also says that I like the snow and twizzlers. At one point he said, "I have something for you, what could it be?" I just smiled as he place that bag of christmas tree twizzlers (because when christmas comes and they haven't sold all the tree ones yet they ship them to Honduras) in my hand, and said "That's why you're the president." 

I asked him what the second cheat sheet has on it. He said that this one is more private, so he would only show me the line about me. It talked about how my parents are active members, I have my patriarchal blessing, I was baptized at 8 (you would be surprised how many missionaries in my mission got baptized when they 16 or 17 or 20 or 21 and then came on the mission. Awesome, huh?) I asked, "what's this box where I don't have anything?" He smiled and said, "That's where I keep track of how many times you've been robbed." I looked up from the paper up at him and then we both busted up laughing. He said, "How many mission presidents have to keep track of that??" Apparently there is one missionary who has been robbed five times. 

The Church also must really be true because Klein said somethings to me that I swear he only would have said if he had been prompted by the spirit. He also said some things that are super similar to my patriarchal blessing. I was thinking about it later, and the Church must REALLY be true because when I got my blessing I had never even met Patriarch Flint before but he said things about me are totally true. Entonces, I hope you all know the Chruch is true. and Presidente Klein rocks.

Also, later in the day Klein gave me a reference of a guy who lives in my area. I asked where he got this reference from and he just said to me, "I'm a missionary!! I'm always contacting people where ever I meet them." The referral is of a guy named Marco who lives in front of the Maxi and I was in shock because I've received a referral of this guy before!! I kept saying that marco is the uncle of someone I just can't remember who! I went home and checked my old planner and there it was: he is uncle of Carlos. I felt like an awful missionary for not going to look that guy up sooner. So we went on Sunday but he wasn't home so we are going to try again tomorrow. I really want to find this guy because he seems really prepared. The church is true.

Yesterday we 86 people in church!! I'm super excited that our sacrament meeting attendence hasn't dropped that much. Presidente Valledarez says if can hit 100 next week he is going to ask Klein if he can take us to Progreso to go get Pizza Hut. and if we don't hit 100 we are still going to Pizza Hut except we have to pay instead of him. Woo hoooo!! We are totally going to get free Pizza Hut. 100 people in sacrament meeting, vamos a hacerlo. It's been so amazing to see the growth of the branch here in Tela during my time here.

Baleadas: 218  

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

Just another week in paradise‏

What uuuuuup, hombres? I may be a representative of Jesus Christ but sometimes I still like to talk like a hooligan.

Yesterday was another awesome sunday! We had an asistencia of 84!! Not bad at all. Familia Garcia came to church again. The Relief Society president asked us to visit some sisters with her after church and one of the women was Hermana Garcia. That´s where Hermana Cuc and I found out that the RS President Hermana Vicky called Hermana Garcia to be her sencond counslar. Woo hoo!! Serving fully in your calling is the best way to keep yourself from going inactvie.

Speaking of service, we were walking to church and we saw Dixon, one of the young men, riding his bike the other direction. Then a couple minutes later he passed us again only this time he had Ozman, another one of the young men, sitting on the cross bar of his bike. (It´s a common thing here to see two people, even two grown men sharing a bycicle) That my friends is preisthood serice: a young man riding his bike to go pick another young man so that they can go pass the sacrament. It was a happy sight.

We left with the Webbs again on Wednesday. They are super fun. Sometimes working with them makes me baggy, because I think, "Man, it´s going to be so cool when I serve a mission with my husband some day... man it will be so cool when I have a husband some day... it´s going to be so cool when I get home and can date again" ha ha Don´t worry, I´m in no rush for all of that.

Okay guys, on to the cool stuff I h have studied or thought about this week. 

   1. "The keys and Authorityof the Priesthood" by Dallin H. Oaks. So flipping cool! He talked about how a lot of members assume that all the priesthood keys have been restored to the earth, but that´s not true because we don´t have the keys of creation nor the keys of resurrection. MIND. BLOWN. En serio, I don´t think I`ve had my mind blown like that in my whole life. Do you guys even realize how cool the Resurrection is going to be??

   2. According to dictionary.com, consecration: to make or declare sacred. to set apart to the serice of Diety. Sometimes we talk about consecration like it means to share something, but that´s not it at all. When we lie the law of consecration we are making our money, time, talents sacred, and therefor dedicating them to the Lord.

  3. Alma 19:16 WHO ON EARTH IN ABISH´S DAD??  What is his story? Footnotes provide no help.

   4. Alma 30:10 All through out human history there are things that have always been illegal, such as murder, stealing, adultery. For thousands of years in all cultures that I know of, but TODAY there is one thing that is no longer illegal: adultery. Today you still can't kill people or steal, but adultery is differnt. It is frowned upon, but isn't really illegal according to the government. I just thought it was interesting that only this one thing has changed.

   5. Alma 26: If I were Aaron I would have rolled my eyes about a billion times if I said, "Ammon, I think you're getting boastful." and then he went on for an ENTIRE CHAPTER about how he glories in his God. I would have been super molested. But I'm not Aaron, so I think it is awesome.

   6. Why do horses wear shoes? I've had this question my whole life but never asked anyone.

We go grocery shopping at the Maxi Dispensa and every week there is this 2 lb. bag of Hershey's miniatures. Every week I want it (it's kind of hard to find chocolate here) but I always forget to bring enough money for it, because if it 435 limps. That's more money than I usually spend on my entire week of groceries. I finally bought it today (and i'm super stoked about it) and I was reading the ingrediants and saw this: nonfat milk, milk, milk fat Why use nonfat milk when you are just going to put milk fat in it? 

Have a great week!! Enjoy having running water 24/7!! Execpt for Herana Turner in Morazan, I don't think she has water.

Also, I've eaten 212 baleadas.

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

 

 

91

Yesterday was the greatest sunday of my whole mission!!!! WE HAD 91 PEOPLE IN SACRAMENT MEETING!!!!!!!!!!! That´s the highest I´ve seen it since I´ve been in Tela. AND Horus blessed the Sacrament!! AND Angel passed the sacrament!! AND FAMILIA GARCIA CAME TO CHURCH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS!!!!! I was walking on air all day yesterday. It was amazing!

And Familia Garcia live right by a family of our investigators and he is all excited about it wants to invite them over for a family home evening!!

And Horus is the greatest convert ever!! He was talking to this guy at work about something or other it ended with him giving the guy a pamflet of the Restoration. Then a few days later the guy was like "Dude, what´s the Book of Mormon? Can I get one?" Horus was telling me this story and he said, "I always carry my BofM in my backpack when I go to work so I pulled it out and showed it to him and told him I would get him one.  I am contantly in shock by Horus.

And he had a bracelets made for me and Hermana Alfaro. Mine is red white and blue (´murica) and it says Odekirk on it.... only he spelled it OdeRkirk. He felt really bad, but I´m happy about because now I have a bracelet AND a funny story 

AND I just got an email from Hermana Zamora in Olanchito saying the Edgardo and Ramon (who I taught and they got baptized right after I left the area) are going to go the temple today!!! Woo hoo!! Mis niños

I have so much respect for my companion Hermana Cuc. Like I said last week, she learned English here in the mission. I thought my first months were really hard, but I at least have 40% of the missionaries in the mission who speak my native language. I could talk to Hermana Holdaway or Elder Kesler She had zero. No one else in the mission spoke her native language when she got here. The don´t print Preach my Gospel in her native language, she just has a spanish one. I can´t even imagine how hard that must have been for her. I´m eating a good old slice of humble pie.

The saddest story I´ve ever read is found in Moses 6:31, which reads, "I am but a lad, and all the people hate me." Ouch.

We went out with Elder and Sister Webb yesterday. It was really great. We took them to meet the members and less actives and converts in our area. They are going to do really great things for the branches here is Tela.

There is a scripture in DyC that I really like, but I realized this week that it is actually two different scriptures that happen to be about the same general topic. Dyc 122:7 and DyC 127:2

I´m in a really good mood right now because we are in an internet cafe that I´ve never been to before and the internet is really fast here. I haven´t been able to upload my photos to bropbox in weeks!

Well, that´s it. Vayan a trabajar!! Pray we can keep the asistencia up, here in Tela. Love you all. Heavenly Father loves you all. I know it with out a doubt. Have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

Transfer Week Once Again‏

Hey guys, it´s transfer week, so we have pday once again.

The lovely Hermana Alfaro had changes today so I came back to Tela with Hermana Cuc. She has almost ten months in the mission and is from Guate. Even though she is from Guatemala she didn´t know any spanish until she got to the mission because she grew up speaking one of the native Guatemalan indian languages, Kichin. (I have no idea how to spell Kichin) So hopefully I can learn a little bit of it! She seems really cool. I´ve heard good things about her.

Yesterday we were vivisting some less actives. We were sitting outside and all of a sudden I felt something on my arm and there was some sort of white and brown goop. I took a deep breath to stay calm and looked up. It was in that moment that I realized a gecko sitting on the roof overhang pooped on me. Only in Honduras

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT ALEMANIA BEAT BRASIL 7-1???????????? I am in shock!! We got home from Progreso yesterday and were walking down the street and we heard a tv in someones house say it was 4-0 in only 25 minutes and I was like, WHAAAAAAA! Then we got to the casa de la familia Almendarez and the radio said it was 5-0. Then we were walking again and I heard this guy in his truck and the radio was saying GOOOOAAAAAAALLL, so I asked they guy "6-0?" and he said, "No! 7-0!! Usted es de Alemania." I then told Hermana Alfaro that I´m going to say I´m from Alemania for the reast of the day. Pobres brazilianos. An entire nation is crying. My heart goes out to them.

Also, this morning I read the tips for parents of young adults article and is was really good. Ya´ll should read it. I learned a ton about how to function as a yound adult.

The church is true.

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

Miracles, José Smich, and Partidos‏

Hey guys, what´s up?

So, our wonderfulconvert Horus can´t say the word Nefi. He always refers to the profet Nefis. Also, our investigator Marvin says José Smich instead of Smith. And the Relief Society president in Olanchito always said Family Che instead of family search. I´m getting some goos laughs in here in Honduras.

I finally found out what a Platano is in english!! (Sometimes people will tell you it´s banana and they are wrong). It´s Plantain!! I am so excited! When get home you had best bet I am going to be frying up some sliced plantain. Yuuuummmmmmm.

Costa Rica lost to Holland on Saturday. Hermana Alfaro was pretty upset and everyone keeps bringing it up haha. earlier in the week asked me "Podemos ver el partido en Sabado?" (Can we watch the game on saturday) but I heard "Jesucristo puede ver el partido en sabado?" I thought why on earth does she care if Christ can watch the game, but yeah I think he can watch it, so I replied, "Sí, yo pienso que todos los espiritus peudan ver el partido." and she was super confused, and then I was confused about why she was confused. Eventually we figured it all out and laughed for a good ten minutes.

Don´t tell this to anyone in Central America but I was secretly cheering for Holland on saturday. They totally deserved it more. They´ve been undefeated, not  to mention kicked Spain´s trash 5-0. Costa Rica barely made it into octavos. It would´ve been unjust for Holland to lose to Costa Rica. But remember we´re keeping this secret. 

People here don´t understand the purpose of setting an appointment. We´re all "Can we come back tuesday at 3:00?" and they always say "I have no idea if I´ll be home. I might be out running errands or something. I don´t really have a set schedule." Hello? That´s the point of making an appointment, so that you can decide to run errands at four instead of three.And then of course they aren´t home when we show up on Tuesday. I feel like Jerry Siegnfeild, "Anyone can just take a reservation, you have to HOLD the reservation!"

The senior missionaries arrived on Saturday, Elder y Hermana Webb. They speak absolutely no spanish but they are super excited to be here!! They are so cute. We are going to be working with them one day a week, introducing them to less actives and stuff, untill their spanish in good enough that they can work on their own. Then it´s only when they ask for something. I´m super excited to be working with them!

On Friday we went to visit Hermana Daisy, one of our recent converts, and I almost cried. We were talking about if they´ve been holding family home evening and how her scripture reading is going, and she started to tell us how they have noticed a differnce in their home since they joined the Church. They´ve noticed the ways the our Heavenly Father has blessed their family. That´s it. That´s why I decided to serve a mission, so that families can change their lives and start to see more blessings in their lives. I am so amazed by the things that I´ve seen here in my mission. and I am so happy to be able to see the influence God has in the lives of His children.

Well, that´s all for now folks. Have a great week. Peace out.

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

 

I forgot to write about the miracle!!!! Six weeks ago Elder Lopez was on his way to transfer meeting and her accidentally left his suit coat in a taxi! It had his wallet, his temple recommend, his id from Nicaragua, everything!!! Super sad. 

He and Elder Nichols were walking around Tela on friday and all of a sudden this guys starts yelling to them. At first they thought he was just some crazy guy, but he started talking to them, and found out that he was the taxi driver! He told them that he still had Elder Lopez´s suit coat in his car and it still had all his money and everything in it!! IT WAS A FOURTH OF JULY MIRACLE!!! 

Also, one of the members let us have a fourth of July dinner at her house. We grilled steak and ate water melon and Elder Nichols and I sang the Start Bangled Banner,and there was fireworks. It was almost like home. I´ve never been more greatful for the United States of America in my whole life.