Mason's Letter -- December 11, 2010

Hey family.

So to answer your question dad, yes my camera was stolen. You must have had the spirit to be able to discern that one. I felt way too bad to tell you guys because it was seriously an awesome camera. But yes it got stolen. I was so mad about it too because I lost a bunch of pictures. So I was planning on just buying a new one here in San Pedro before you guys found out haha. So yeah I actually wanted to buy one today maybe. But it’s alright if you don’t wanna send me money for one because if I were you I would be really mad, so yeah sorry.

And yes mom I did get your package and I did open it. Elder Rodas will probably not be receiving anything, So I’m planning on giving it to him. I was going to give it to Elder Guzman, but plans changed with me being here now haha. I wish I could just give something to all the elders, because I’m sure that more than one will not get anything. But yeah I will be passing out the stuff to the kids here soon. I also got a package from Blair, but from Kylie I still haven’t. And yeah I didn’t tell you about the toe nail because I didn’t wanna worry you. But it’s all good now.

So this week has been busy and I feel like I almost have a hang of things. So on Sunday night we drove home from La Ceiba. and President Veirs made me drive home. We had to drive home quickly to make it here in time for the Christmas devotional. I love Pres Veirs a lot, but he is a major backseat driver haha. he would be just yelling at me the whole time to pass cars and stuff. It was really funny actually but we got home in time and safely. La Ceiba was great. At the stake conference there I saw like 9 of my converts. It was so great to talk to them and stuff. They are progressing really well in the gospel. Not all of them, but most of them are. I also went to eat lunch on Sunday at my old cook’s house there in La Ceiba. She was way excited to see me because she’s always called me her son. So she made us a special meal.

On Monday we just had meetings and stuff. On Tuesday we went to a zone meeting here in the city but in another stake and zone. So we talked there in the zone meeting and motivated the missionaries. Then we went out and worked with two areas that are really struggling. But the zone is actually off limits for gringos because it kinda dangerous. so nobody wanted to go and work with me ahaha. So we had to end the divisions early for my safety. But we did get some work done and I felt like the elders really got animated. Here in the mission this year we have dropped in the amount of baptisms. With the change of president and the whole mission system and the new preach my gospel stuff it has kinda hit the missionaries hard. The new system just focuses a lot more on baptizing families and going by the spirit, and a lot of the missionaries struggle with it because they are stuck in their old teaching ways. So the baptisms have dropped a little. We are still the highest baptizing mission in Central America, but we could be a lot better. 2 years ago they would baptize like 350 to 400 every month. Now we are struggling to make 300 baptisms. So we have been working really hard to get it going again. but I’m confident that now things with start going back up like before and even better because we are all getting used to it and its starting to work great.

On Wednesday we had to go and drop off a sister in her area (she had been without a companion). So we found a girl here in the stake that could be a mini missionary (a regular member that serves for just a few weeks). So we had to drive about 3 hours out into the mountains to drop them off. It was an awesome drive and the most beautiful part of Honduras that I’ve ever seen. We took them to a little village surrounded by huge mountains. (wish I would’ve had a camera). Then on the way back Pres Veirs wanted to go on a detour to see some famous lake. He is really adventurous and spontaneous like that. My comp is like the exact opposite and is super strict and stuff, so my comp didn’t really wanna go. But we went anyways and we had to drive like an hour on a rough dirt road on the mountain. Good thing the mission car is really nice and powerful. But we finally made it to the lake... and it was really disappointing because we couldn't see anything or get out because we were at the swampy part of the lake and there were huge mosquitoes, honestly the size of grasshoppers haha. so it stunk, but it was a fun adventure.

Thursday we had ''the Jedi Council'' or the zone leader council meeting. It went really great and we were able to talk about why we aren’t baptizing as much and what we are going to do. Basically all of the zone leaders are new, which is really good. All the old ones didn’t want to change and do the new system, but they all went home this last change. I felt really good about it and I think we did a good job motivating them. My comp is great at just chopping people up, then I come in after and give them hope. It’s actually a really good combo I think. Friday we went on divisions the whole day in a few areas that are struggling in a zone here close by. It went really great and we found a bunch of cool people. It’s hard doing divisions like that though, because everything you do has to be the best. The elders really expect you to be the best and be powerful and teach them a lot, so there is a lot of pressure. But it went great yesterday, and one of the elders at the end was super animated haha it was way weird, but cool.

So being without an area has had its ups and downs. I kinda miss out on the awesome spiritual experiences of having investigators and stuff, but it’s awesome to help everyone and get to know everyone. Well we did actually have 3 baptismal dates here in an area that we work in a little bit. But we went over the other day, and the mom is in adultery. So that fell through and now we are really trying to help them get over this. So that was really disappointing, because they were all progressing really fast and well. But we will have to wait a little bit longer.

Well I gotta go. I love you all and will be excited to hear from you at Christmas. I think I will just give you my cell phone number so that you can call me. Just let me know when would be the best time.

Love Elder Mason Cardon