Mason's letter -- December 21, 2009

Well I feel like I have a million things to say today so hopefully I can write it all before my time is up here in this tiny internet cafe in downtown La Ceiba. Well this week was seriously awesome. I haven't yet felt so much pure joy in the mission field as I have this week, probably the most ever in my life in fact. So I'm just stoked and ready for Christmas.

I got your and grandma's Christmas packages this last week and a bunch of letters, so I was stoked when I got all those. I'm waiting to open all the gifts until Christmas. I gave Elder Gonzalez his gifts and he was like speechless. He thought it was amazing that you would do that for him. He doesn't get packages much and his family hasn't written him much, so he needed something like that. I'm gonna try and send some pictures today. It takes way way way slow to send them through myldsmail, so i'll try something else. If not today I will soon. well now for my week.

Yesterday in Church I had to give another talk. This time in the ward of Miramar. It went really really good. It was an awesome experience for me and I experienced the gift of tongues really strongly. During my talk my mind was just amazingly clear and the words in Spanish just came to me so perfectly. I know that that was the Spirit and I could just feel it so strong. It was so weird, just my mind like crystal clear and able to think of the perfect words in Spanish. So that was great. Also in priesthood meeting I taught a little part of it and I felt the same way as in Sacrament.

haha I figured out this week why I have been giving so many talks and doing so much more than all the other new missionaries it seems like. I guess President Cruz told my companion to make everything really hard for me and make me do a ton of stuff. Thanks a lot Pres! But its a blessing for me. I only learn when its really hard. This week my comp is making me be the senior companion because he is getting transferred and he said I dont need any help anymore. So I need to know how to do everything really well and know all the directions of the members and everything.

On Saturday we had our baptism. It was great. There were a bunch of people there and it went good. The only bad thing was that Rosa got off work late. So we got to the baptism an hour late. But whatever, it worked out. She is moving back to Mosquitia today so it was good that we got that for her. She has really changed her life around. Also on Saturday we baptised 3 little kids in the area El Iman. There are 2 sister missionaries there, and when we went to go interview the kids for bapitsm (because Elder Gonz is DL) they asked her who she wanted to baptise her and she wanted me to do it. It was wierd because I had just met her, but the other girl and boy chose my comp to baptise them. So I did my first ordinance of baptism this week. It was great.

On Friday we had multi-zone conference. It was really fun and a good time. we all put on different dramas. Our zone did the nativity. and I got all my packages, so it was tight. On Tuesday I went on divisions with an elder who's area is completely mountains. It was crazy! But it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. We literaly climbed and hiked into the tops of these mountains and taught. These little houses were tucked away into every crevice and crack of the mountain. It was cool. From the mountains I could see the islands and the whole city of La Cieba. It was amazing, but my legs have been real tired ever since.

Oh yeah yesterday we set 2 baptismal dates. one was for a girl who we have been trying to get permision from the mom since before I arrived. We have been eating dinner with the mom a lot and just trying to be her friend and finally one day this week we visited her and she gave us the permision. So we called the 1st counselor and he called the girl who wants to get baptised to tell her we had the permision. I guess she had been praying really really hard like right before she received the phone call and she had asked God to help her get permision. She said she didn't think her prayer would get answered so fast.

The other one is another girl about 15 years old. She came to church yesterday with all her little brothers and sisters and they all loved it. So we watched the video of the Restoration last night with them and they loved that and she told us after that she wants to get baptised. So that was exciting. I think all the other kids will want that too, and the mother has become very interested in the gospel after the movie. She has a few doubts but they are small and we can help her. I have hope that this whole family will be baptised.

We found alot of good people this week and I'm just stoked. I'm really feeling the Christmas spirit even though it has been hot. Actually its been a little cold and rainy, so that helps.

That's awesome to hear about dahmer and getting his call soon. Tell him I'm writing him a good letter. Well family I hope that that answered all the questions and all.

I love you all a lot and I hope you have a very dope Christmas with everyone. Tell everyone hi, especially Cal. oh also tell Ashely happy birthday. I'll be sending some birthday letters for some people soon. I know they will all get there late but whatever its the thought.

Peace! Elder Mason Cardon