Mason's Letter -- Jan 15, 2011

Hey familia.

So this week was really busy with all the new missionaries coming and all the old ones leaving. But it was a really cool experience. On Monday night the new kids all got here, they got here at about 9:30 pm, so it was a long night just waiting in the airport for them. But they all got here safely, except for the one and only american missionary. She had to stay in Salt Lake because of snow storms, and she got here yesterday. There were about 16 latins that got here on Monday though. It was fun greeting them and seeing how excited they were. It made me remember when I first got here, I was so nervous but also excited. They were all so shocked at how hot and humid it was (and they are Central Americans), I was surprised they said something about it because I've just gotten so used to the weather down here. All of the new kids are really cool and seem like they will be great missionaries. A few look like they could be trouble makers, but I hope they will be obedient. So that night we just bought them baleadas (soft taco-like things) and took them home to sleep.

On Tuesday morning we took them all to the president´s house to eat a big breakfast (American style), and then went to the office. At the office we all got to train them a little. me and Elder Rodas had to explain to them all the rules of the mission (no coke or pepsi, you can't ride in the bed of a truck, and all those nice mission rules) and at the end explained to them that yes it is a rule that you need to put the line in your hair. They all complained about that (not a single one had the line). So I took them into the bathroom with a big jar of hair gel and helped them put a nice big line in. They all hated it, but I loved it. Then we took pictures of them with their newly fit lines. I remember when I came here as well I didn't have the line and the assistants took me into the bathroom and did the exact same thing and I hated it. But I've grown to love the line. I may continue it into the real world.....haha.

After that we ordered pizza for them and took them to a park to contact some people and do some real missionary work. We now take the new kids to a different park here close by and not to the central park in San Pedro. Ever since the ´´revolution´´ (aka Mel Zelaya's fan club tried to start a fight with us) we haven't gone back. So we had some good experiences this time and we actually entered a house and taught a lesson with some of the new sisters. Then Tuesday night we found some problems with the changes we had made with the missionaries. We had changed one elder but then realized that we put him with an elder who he had already been companions with. So we had to make like 3 more changes that night just to have him fit in. So that was good that we saw that mistake or it would have been bad come Wednesday in the change meeting.

On Wednesday we had the change meeting. We had to do it in another chapel because they were getting the big chapel ready for the coming of Elder Christofferson. I got to direct the meeting and it was a really good one. Some of the changes we did were really exciting and the elders were really pumped I think. It was fun being on the other side of the changes this time. Instead of being nervous not knowing where I was going, I got to just see the reaction of the missionaries from stuff that I already knew. So that went really well and it was good to have done with. I have been getting calls from Zone Leaders like all week trying to ask me who was going where and what was gonna happen with the changes. haha but I was proud of myself that I didn't give up any info. Me and my comp stayed together. We might be together for yet another change after this one as well. The only changes here in the office are that there are 2 new secretaries. they seem really good so far.

Then that day (Wednesday) we had to take the missionaries that were leaving all around town. We took them to buy some souvenirs and stuff and then to interviews with president. I had to go in the car and run around the mission because one elder had taken the only keys for his old house to his new area and the sisters that were going to open the area were locked out. So I had to drive an hour out of the city to get the keys and then another 2 hours to another zone to give the keys to the sisters. I was pretty upset with the stupid elder, and lost my whole day. I ended up getting back at like 8 pm and just ate with the pres and the leaving missionaries.

Thursday we woke up at 3:30 am to take the missionaries to the airport. After that we just did some office work to finalize stuff about the changes. it was a super long day to say the least.

Today we had a special meeting with Elder Christofferson and Bishop Burton. It was super awesome. We got to meet them and shake their hands. They both gave really awesome talks. Bishop Burton said that 2011 will be the most exciting year in the history of the Church yet. He explained a little bit about what they are going to do with the tithing and it looks like they are going to build a ton more temples and church houses. He really showed us that the work is going forward at an incredible rate. Elder Christofferson talked exactly about what I wanted him to talk about. So if there was any doubt that he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ, now there is none (and there wasn't to begin with). But he talked about a bunch of things and said that we need to follow our mission president and not complain about what he tells us to do and that he doesn't need to be bugging us every second to be obedient. He talked about how he was called of God to be our President and that God doesn't make mistakes. And we were called and chosen to serve with him. I really wanted him to say that because lately a lot of the missionaries have been complaining about some things that the president does. They think he should do everything exactly like how Pres Cruz did them. It was super spiritual and pumped me up a ton.

Tomorrow he is coming back to SPS to talk to the stake here. It's the first time an Apostle has come to a specific stake for like 32 years. What a blessing that I'm here in this stake at this time to hear him twice in a row. So they are saying that people from Tegucigalpa and all over the country will be trying to come here and get in. So we have to go super early to get a seat. They say we have to line up at like 6:30 in the morning to be able to make it in. I'm really excited though and it should be great.

Well I've got to go. I love you all, that's exciting dad that you can help on the temple in Tegucigalpa.

love Elder Mason Cardon