Mason's Letter -- December 14, 2009

Hey familia de Cardon. 

This week was really fast and pretty good. We have a baptism this Saturday with Rosa. She is the lady who moved to Mosquitia and now she moved back and wants to get baptised for real. So I hope she doesn't flake out again on us. I'm kind of anxious to baptize out here. I feel like we are the only area right now who isn't baptizing. I'm working my hardest and being as obedient as possible to bring people to Christ through baptism and I hope I start seeing the fruits of my labors soon.

That's why I'm excited to see what happens this week. All of our investigators that were new are now solid and we made a goal of making 8 dates for baptism this week. So by the end of December we will have 9 baptisms. Well that's my plan anyway. I have faith that it will all work out. I will fast and pray really hard this week for that to happen. If it doesn't work out then we will have to start doing something different because obviously what we are doing now isn't working.

I'm really excited for Christmas coming up and the packages that I think I'll get on Thursday at our multi-zone meeting. Yes, me and Elder Gonzalez will be together still for Christmas, but changes are on the 30th and we will most likely get split up because we have 28 new people coming in (the most in San Pedro Sula Mission history) and he will probably have to train again. So who knows where I will end up, but I sure hope I am staying here in Miramar. Whatever happens happens though so I'm not worried. 

Oh I never told you about how they do transfers here. So if you are getting transfered or something then they tell you that you have to come in to San Pedro. So everyone that's getting changed or is new comes to San Pedro in the chapel... but nobody knows where they are going or with whom. So then we sing and hear some short messages. Then president calls your name and you stand up, he calls your companion's name and he stands up, and he calls out your area. Then you go give him a hug and you leave for your area. It's crazy and awesome. If you get sent to a cool area everyone goes crazy. It's fun, and I don't think many missions do it that way.

This week we got a lot done. We cleaned the house pretty good. I don't think it has been cleaned for awhile. So that was nice. And our area book was a disaster so I did work on that too. Now it's nice and organized and up to date and everything. It's a really important tool that I think missionaries don't use and take for granted. So I'm making sure to use it well and keep it nice for the next missionaries. 

It was really hot this week and I sweat like 4 gallons of water I think. Oh also this week my missionary tan line arrived! I now have a sweet awesome ugly as crap tan line on my neck and arms. And it will only get worse. haha sweet.

My Spanish got a lot better this week I think. I'm now starting to understand people a lot more. I can actually talk to people for the most part and not look like a complete idiot. Everyone is really nice about my Spanish. I'm pretty sure they are lying but they say I speak like I've been here for 4 or 5 months. So that's good. But it's not good enough for me. I think this next month my Spanish will just increase a ton. I'm excited to see what will happen.

Yesterday I had to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. It wasn't perfect but it went well. I was fairly happy with how I did and I actually talked for quite a long time, like 15 minutes or more. The 1st counselor in the ward of Independencia feels no sympathy for me, haha he's a really good guy and I love him but every time I see him he makes me give a talk in Sacrament or an activity for the ward or something that requires a lot of Spanish. It's a blessing for me because I get to grow a lot during those times. It's the hardest things in life that make us grow the most. So, it's well worth the struggle. and I don't get nervous at all anymore for things like that (like talking or anything). So I'm grateful for him and what he's made me do.

Well I hope everything is great back at home. I love you all and I hope you're feeling the Christmas Spirit! Next time I email I will have over a month in Honduras. The time has flown by.

Love Elder Mason Cardon