This week we had multizone conference and it totally rocked like it always does. You know you´re a missionary in Honduras when Hermana Klein gives hand sanitizer as a birthday present and you all say, "Yes!! Hand Sanitizer! I´ve been needing that."

The multizone made us all really trunky because Presidente Klein spent the whole time talking about the importance of the temple... and we can´t got to the temple."Very sad." ("Charlie died. Very sad." You´re my best friend if you know what that´s from) It was a really good conference though. I learned a ton. A family history consultant came to talk to us about the importance of working on family history with our recent converts and how to use family search. AND for lunch we had chicken cordon bleu! We always get to eat something from America when we go to multi.zone conference.

Also at the multizone, we were all getting ready to leave, but we wanted to go to the bathroom first. Hermana Turner was starting to open the bathroom door when all of a sudden I just started shouting "No, no, no, no, no!!!!" She stopped opening the door and realized that she was opening the door to the men´s bathroom!! She very promptly went into the women´s room with her companion while Hermana Andujar and I laughted so hard we cried. Meanwhile a bunch of Elders came out of the bathroom. We very narrowly avoided a very uncomfortable situation.

In Spanish endure to the end is perseverar hasta el fin. Presidente Klein once gave us a whole lesson about how it should be servir (serve) hasta el fin. If we are serving others and serving God and serving in our church callings we will never fall away. I really really liked that lesson and I teach this principle to people all the time, and I´m super excited because this week when I was reading El Libro del Mormon I found this scripture in Moroni 6:3 "And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end."

It´s been raining every night this week. One night we were walking under our umbrellas and I was shivering and Hermana Andujar just laughed at me and said I´m going to die when I get back to Utah because it´s not very cold right now. I just said, "Ya soy Catracha!" The most irrtating part is I don´t have anyway of knowing what the temperature actually is.

Our DL Elder Moffit called to get our datos on thursday and I was speaking spanish to him. At one point he realized that he was speaking with me and not with Hermana Andujar like he thought. He laughed and said that that means my spanish is getting better if someone mistakes you for your latin companion. Sí hombre!!

We went to visit a less active woman, we´ll call her Maria, and she is so full of apostasy I was astounded!! She got baptized a few years ago but went inactive after about a year. She started listing off all these reasons she stopped coming to church. One of which is that one of the members started telling her she should get her patriarchal blessing, that the patriarch will tell her when she´ll die, how many children she´ll, if she´ll be poor. She looked me and yelled that it was WITCHCRAFT! I´ve never met someone with so much apostasy. I calmly explained to her that I´ve gone to a patriarch and received my blessing and it doen´t tell me any of that. I think we are going to have some intersting visits with her in the future.

All of our investigators that have promise aren´t married, and you have to be living the Law of Chastity to be baptized. Do you know how hard it is to get married in Honduras?? There is a reason no one gets married here. Beh. Oh well, we´ll pray and figure it out.

Have a great week!!

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

No Subject

Well, folks things are starting to settle down in Santa Rita. I know my area a little better and we are getting a solid group of investigators. Hermana Babb and Hermana Villegas left us with some rock star investigators. (Yeah, Hermana Holdaway, they´re rockstars) I thought we would be doing a ton of contacting these first few weeks, but we haven´t really done that much. ALthough, we need to contact more because I hate it and it´s awkward and I need to get over it and do it. That´s probably why Heavenly Father sent me train while opening an area.

One of the rock start families that Babb and Villegas left us with is the familia Flores. We set for a baptism date for the 27 of septiembre. They are reading and praying and they want to do this together as a family. They´re awesome. The only problem is they need to get married and if there is anything a missionary in Honduras knows it´s that gettng married in Honduras is not an easy task.

The Ward Mission Leader introduced us to one of his friends (which has been a little weird for me because I´ve never really had a ward mission leader before so I´m learning to work with him  more). We gave the friend a pamphlet and made an appointment to go to his house and meet his family. When we went to meet them yesterday they were so excited to see us. One of the daughters went inside and pulled out three Book of Mormons (it´s Book of Mormons, not Books of Mormon because it is a proper noun, a title, just so we´re all clear). Turns out the missionaries were visiting them about a year ago and one of the duaghters said that she reads the Book of Mormon every night. I can´t wait to teach them more!! Miracle!!

Yesterday a stray dog wandered into the sacrament room in the middle of sacrament meeting. Honduras.

We went grocery shopping last week and Hermana Andujar wanted some mayo. She looked at it and said, "Mayonesa comes in a bag here?" I laughed for second because I legitimately forgot that in other countries things don´t come in bags. Here in Honduras everything comes in a bag: mayo, milk, sour cream, water. 

Hermana Andujar was telling me a story and she mentioned that she and her sister were going to go to Sam`s to eat pizza, and I said, "Esperese, Sam`s?" and she said, "Yeah, Sam`s Club." Most of my companions don´t know what Wal-mart is, let alone go get pizza at Sam`s club. It rocks having a companion from Puerto Rico because she understands a lot of things about my culture that my other compànions have´t understood. 

She also mentioned that in Puerto Rico they sing the national anthem of Puerto Rico and the United States. So we looked at the national anthem in my english hymn book and then I sang all three verses really loudly. Then I looked up all the scriptures on the pages of the patriotic songs and marked them in my spanish scriptures with an american flag. That´s right, Hermana Holdaway, `Murica.

I was reading a biography about Gordon B. Hinckley and I found out the B stands for Bitner. Bitner! If I remember correctly one of great grandma´s maiden name is Bitner. I am officially declaring it my mom`s job to find out how I`m related to President Hinckley.

I have over forty mosquito bites on my calves. I`ve had mosquito bites for the last ten months. Also, I hit ten months on saturday.

Have a great week! The church is true.

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

Aqui en Santa Rita‏

A minute ago Elder Moreno came over to me and asked me how to spell pamphlet/pamflet because he is trying to write to Klein in english. I responded, "Freak, hombre I have no idea. I think it is ph, but I can't remember." He then asked Hermana Andujar because her english rocks, but she didn't know either so they google translated it but it brought up brochure. After all this effort Elder Moreno just looked at me and said, "All I know is that God loves his children."

Santa Rita is the most rural area I've been in. We tried to go out to lunch today but we didn't find much. We are literally hiking through the mountains to get to parts of our area, it's super cool. The Hermanas before left us with a couple of really solid progresing investigators. 

Hermana Andujar is wonderful!! She is already giving really good ideas and isn't afraid to take the lead in a lesson. She is challenging people to be baptized y todo. She came pretrained.

We went to church yesterday it felt wierd because they have a Gospel Principles teacher, it's not just the missionaries. We had 88 people in sacrament meeting and they tell me that usually this ward has about 110 or 120. We'll get it back up there. I'm excited to work here in Santa Rita.

ON my birthday Presidente Klein called to say happy birthday and he also explained to me that strengthening Santa Rita is really important to being able to open Yoro, and I want my fourth area to be opeing Yoro so I'm going to work really hard here. 

He also told me to work with Clarity and Charity. Clarity tells us that church starts at nine o'clock every sunday, but charity tells us that it's okay to start at 9:15 so that more members will be there. THat's something I've really had to learn, that being a church of order is never more important than the people.

My birthday was great! I got lots of texts and phone calls from all my missin friends. In the morning I was about to go downstairs to start my personal study when the 3 hermanas I live with surprised me with a cake!! It was so cute!!

Also on Firday, we were late to Noche de Hermanamiento and the Elders called to ask if we were coming and I was all embarrassed for being late. We got there and the elders were in the foryer looking all serious. Elder Moreno said Suazo, You tell them the story. Elder Suazo proceeded with this really serious story about how they were walking... and they  were worried... because they realized... they hadn't wished me a happy birhday!! and then he pulled out a card they got me. I was super worried there for a minute. ha ha

Hermana Andujar speaks more spanglish than any missionary I've ever met. Voy a hacer mi personal study, or cuando yo estaba en high school. I love it, it's super funny. It's interesting to have her for my companion because it is almost like having a gringa companion, because Puerto Rico is almost like America. 

It's super weird to think that if I had never come on the mission I would be starting my third year of college today. Whaaaaaaaa?

Before my mission I bought some Teeva sandals for about $70. They're great! Hermana Davis has the same shoes, except she bought hers at a second hand store here in Honduras and the people running the store didn't understand how expensive these shoes are so she bought hers for $16. 70 to 16, you gotta love Honduras.

During personal study one of our neighbors was listening to The Reason by Ubistank. When was the last time you heard that song?

Well, have great week! And happy aniversary to my mom and dad!! I love them a whole heep.

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

 

 

Changes Otra Vez‏

Pues... here I am in the beautiful town of Santa Rita. Today was the craziest changes of my whole mission.

I woke up at 4:20 and just layed in bed awake until 5.30 because I was so nervous I couldn´t sleep. WARNING: This next sentence gets a little graphic. My poop has been kind of diarea-ish the last few days and I think it´s from all the stress and nervousness of this cambio. I felt like I was going to puke the whole morning, but I didn´t.

We got to change meeting all normal. Right as they were about to start annoucing the changes I starting getting super excited and punching the air like I do when I¨m super excited. Then Presidente Klein got up to the pulpit and reminded us to maintain reverence during the meeting. He said, "I know you´re all excited but I don´t need to see it." and he was looking right at me the whole time he said it... oops. 

OH well, I met my new companion and she´s awesome. Her name is Hermana Ardújar and she is from Puerto Rico. She is 21 and graduated with a degree in biology. Her family has been members since she was 1 so she is my first companion that isn´t a convert. She has pretty good english since she is from Puerto Rico. 

We left the reunion de cambios and went to Progreso for lunch before our treck to Santa Rita. It started raining during lunch and didn´t stop for a couple hours. Normally that´s not really a problem but we had all of our luggage. The Zone Leaders were traveling with us since I don´t know the area. We didn´t want to walk to the bus terminal with all our luggage so we were going to take a taxi, but then someone said we could catch a bus outside the antorcha. So we waited there for half an hour getting all wet in the rain before Elder Moreno said that he didn´t think a bus would come and that we should go to the bus terminal. 

We found a taxi to take us there so Herama Ardujar and I got in the tazi with most of the luggage went to the bus terminal to wait for the elders to come after the taxi went back for them. I was really proud of myself because I when we got to the terminal I was talking to all the bus conductors and taking care of the situation all by myself. I can totally do this.

We finally got to Santa Rita and Elder Moreno said he was going to call a member with a taxi to take us to our house, only they don´t really have taxis here. All they have are those things you see on the Amazing Race in Asia where it has three wheels and isn´t fully enclosed. 

We live in the same house with two other Hermanas. The house is so huge!! It is biggest house of all the missionaries in the mission. It´s awesome but it doesn´t feel homey.

Yesterday, the RS president, Vicky, and the familia Garcia and the other missionaries in Tela surprised me with a birthday cake since I¨ll be in Santa Rita for my birthday. IT was really nice. Hermana Cuc and the elders smashed cake all ove my face.

I miss Tela a ton, but I´m tring to keep a good attitude about being here in Santa Rita. Now I just have to figure out what we were going to do at six o´clock when pday is over and we have to go work... Ay no!! I´ll go take a look at the area book and see what there is. e´ll see how this goes. Pray for me.

Have a great week!!

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Brace yourselves, grab some chips and some Pepsi (like a good catracho) because this is a long one.

BAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! Tha's how I have felt the last 26 ours of my life. Yesterday was branch conference (which was wonderful) so Presidente Klein came. I walked into church and went to say hi to him. I shook his hand and said, "Presidente, como esta?" and he just smiled at me without showing his teeth like he does when he is about say something really important. He said, "Your dream is coming true." "what dream?" ÿou know what dream." So I said, "This means I have changes?" and he said, yes. "I'm going to train?" I asked.  He said, "Yes, you're a good missionary. You need to be training, but I need to take you out of Tela in order to do that."

I SSSSOOOOOOOOO sad to be leaving Tela. I absolutely love it here. I loved Olanchito but I would pick Tela any day. I've seen so much amazing growth here, in the branch and in myself.

Famila Sosa was baptized in May. a family of five. They are working in their callings and Nahomy on her Personal Progress. They are working on their family history to go to the temple in a few weeks and do baptisms. Hermana Sosa always tells us that their house it our house and it is true, I feel like I am with family when I am with them. I can't wait till they get sealed in a year.

Angel y Zulma were baptized in May. They two of the greatest kids ever, and I'll always miss singing I Stand All Amazed and doing our secret hand shake with Zulma.

Horus was baptized in June. I had to say bye to him last night and it was rough. I cried. Then he cried (then he suddenly went into the kitchen for a minute then came back. I think he was trying to gain his composure because he didn't want us to see him crying) then he cried again. His imediate family isn't very happy that he got baptized but he knows he made the right decision. I've loved seeing how strong his testimony is.

We reactivated Familia Garcia. Hermana Concha is second counselor in the RS now and Hermano Max was sustained as second counselor in the branch presidency yesterday. Max was giving his testimony about how they were inactive and they had all these problems but then the sister missionaries came and now their family is so much better. Presidente Klein was sitting on the stand listening to Max and he looked at me smiled and then I cried a little bit.

Familia Almendarez, Vanesa, Fausto, Marvin. Beh, now I'm getting all sad.

When I got to this branch there was an attendance of about only 50 people and yesterday we hit 100!!!!!!!  WE FINALLY DID IT!! 100 PEOPLE!!! IT was so amzing I can't even describe it. Presidente Klein said this is the only brnach/ward that has doubled in size in the last year. This branch is going to be become a ward some day, and I am so grateful that I have able to be a part of the work here.

I love this area so much, and I am so grateful that I'm going to have the opportunity to be a trainer even though I have to leave. Presidente Klein told me that my greenie is from Puerto Rico and that we've never had a missionary from Puerto Rico before. I AM SO EXCITED TO MEET HER!!

Now, onto the funny stories. I found a bunch of dead ants inside my pen during personal study. It was gross.

Before District Meeting on Tuesday we were chatting and some how we got on the topic of how awesome my dad because he's a pilot and Elder Nichols said, "All my dad does is pull out teeth all day." Then Elder Esplin said, "All my dad does is pull out babies all day."  Whaaaaa?  "... my dad's an obgyn."

The branch president wrote out the agenda for sacrament meeting and where it said who is going to lead the hymns it said, Hermana Odequier. Yep. I have name tag for a reason.

Also, I became ward choir director this week. That was a new experience. They wanted a choir for the conference and they asked me to be director. We sang I Know that my Redeemer Lives. It went really well. That's what I love about being in a tiny branch like this: I get to be a part of every facet of the ward. I've been ward choir director, sunday school teacher, family consultant, everything. It's been so cool.

Also, you know you're a spanish speaking missionary in Honduras when: on pday last week you all make baleadas and then Elder Esplin pulls out Elder Webb's 501 Spanish Verbs and then you play a game where Elder Esplin goes, What's the pasado perfecto subjuctivo de escribir? and then you have to give him the correctly conjugated verb. It got pretty competitive.

In my almost ten months as a missionary I have learned one thing: the church true.

Love,
Hermana Odekirk

No Title

This week was great. I am constatnly reminded that I made the right decision by coming on a mission, even though not every moment is perfect.

We met this lady on the street the day of transfers in July (it was funny because she asked Hermana Alfaro in english if she speaks spanish. Yeah Hermana Alfaro speaks spanish... she is from Costa Rica). Her husband died about four months ago so naturally I was really excited about teaching her the plan of salvacion. We got to here house and I was pumped up to have a "this is why I came on a mission" moment and bring joy to this mourning woman. She had questions about baptisms for the dead because they had mentioned at church on sunday. I normally don´t to talk about baptisms for the dead because it weirds people out but she specifically asked about it so we answered her questions, and she was all, " I don´t believe that. I would never be baptized for my husband." She also said that she has prayed about being baptized and feels like now is not the time. I guess you can´t win them all.

We have this family who has a date to be baptized but the parents have to be married first, and let me tell you after them talking to us about all their marital problems I will never become a marriage therapist. They already have 12 years together and August is free weddings at city hall, we just need them to realize how much the gospel will hep them in their marriage. But I´ve never been married, so what do I know?

The power went yesterday morning in the whole town so we had church without lights or fans or microphones. It kind of hindered our attendence. We only had 61. Poeple don´t want to come if there aren´t fans, but we are working on fixing the generator.

There is this adorable three year old girl, named Fanny, who is the duaghter of some investigators and everytime she sees us she looks up at me and whispers "quiero que me canten una cancion." It is so cute. So we sing her the first verse of I am a Child of God and she smiles. I just want to see her sing it primary some day.

Happy Birthday to my Dad!!!!

Love you all. The Church is true. Peace out.

Love,

Hermana Odekirk

I hit nine months this week. Normally I´m the type of person who is super sentimental and I would spend the whole day reflecting on the last nine months, but I didn´t. We didn´t do anything special either so... sorry this paragraph is really boring. I´ll do better in the next one.

Apparently no one understood what I was saying about ALma 26. I meant that I would´ve been really annoyed that Ammon went on and on for twenty minutes about how he glories in his God. I just forgot that molested doesn´t mean annoyed in english. Shout out to Elder Sailsbery in Peru who laughed when I used the word molested.

ON friday I studied a lot about the preisthood (I almost wrote sacerdocio) and I learned lots of cool stuff, including how to write the word Mechizedek. Yep, that´s right. I just typed the Mechizedek without looking it up. I know, I know. It´s super impressive, you can all calm down now.

My study of the priesthood also lead me to a question. What exactly is the ministry of angels? The aaronic priesthood holds the key of the ministry of angels but I don´t actually know what that means.

My recent convert Daisy Sosa now has a calling in the primary presidency! Familia Sosa is progressing so well. They are trying to go to the temple in Tegu in a couple of weeks!

My investigators Marvin and Carlos were playing on Playstation 3 when we went to visit them one day. I told them about how when I was little I played an original playstation and THEN I saw that had Rayman!! I loved Rayman when I was little. My sisters and I played it all the time. It was a happy moment.

We only had an asistencia of 76 yesterday. Not our goal, but it is at least still an improvement for three months ago. I´m happy about it.

Onto my favorite moment of the week.  We were in RS yesterday and hermana ALmendarez shared an experience she had on thurday. She had been sick for about three days and had been in bed the whole time. She said she had prayed for help and just a little while later she heard, "Buenaaaaas" and the sister misionaries (Hermana Cuc and I) showed up at her house. We asked her what she needed and she said a blessing, so we called the elders. Before the blessing she had been moaning and breathing heavy but after the blessing she calmly fell asleep, and by sunday she felt well enough to come to church. She said that the missionaries were the answer to her prayers. That´s why I came on a mission.

Well that´s all for the super interesting stories. Except, I really had to go to the bathroom about twenty minutes ago. Normally I try not to use public restrooms in Honduras but this was an emergancy, so I used it anyway. I attached a photo of the bathroom. At least they had soap and little bit of water so I could still wash my hands.

Saludes a todos.

Love,

Hermana Odekirk