Um...Kind of a really really good interesting week. Also long...Okay, just read the email.

Well hey everybody!!!

It has been a really really interesting week with stories that very few missionaries will have to tell.  So... Let's do this.

Tuesday:

Normal day.  Mostly.  A family that we love A LOT made us (Naupoto and I) a freaking mini gift basket filled with chocolate and love.  The outside of mine is all decorated with a guitar....  And it looked oddly familiar... Come to find, they found my facebook and made the guitar look exactly like my baby back home.  Also, they made a necklace with a guitar with (are you ready?) FIVE POINTS, in the shape of a STAR.  Yeah.  This family is awesome. (Family Raudales - they kind of make me emotional.)  

Also, we established that our investigator H. was going to be baptized in Comayagua, but all the paper work was gonna stay here.  So... Win both ways.  Kind of sad that we weren't able to be there with her....

Wednesday:

Interviews with President - every three months-ish.  So....  We went in, had interviews, and... it was great!!!  

And, as we were leaving, President asked if we could find out exactly where H. was going to be baptized (cuz we both talked about her a little in our interviews).  Kind of weird that he wanted to know... But, hey.  He's the President.  We defintely wondered why and if anything was going to become of it....

Thursday:

Another pretty normal day.  We had H.'s batpismal interview, and she is good to GO.  Also, we cleaned the pila in our church for another baptism.  And.... It kind of turned into a water fight with a couple kids that were helping us.  Unintentional, I swear.... But hey....  Two years without swimming?  You gotta take your chances.....  

Later that day, we got a call from the office Elders.  Friday was my migration day....  So.... Plan on finsihing up my citizenship of Honduras in the morning.

Also, nothing more said about questions from President.  He probably just wanted to make sure she was actually going to be baptized.  I suppose....

Friday:

So... Migration.  I got to see a whole bunch of my fellow Elders that have the same time as me, which was cool.  But.... Migration kind of went down like this....  

Imagine going to the DMV.

...That is literally all I have to say.  We were there from like, 10:00 in the morning to like, 4:30 in the evening.  It was a whole lot of nothing.  Unless sitting counts as something.  Then, it was a whole lot of sitting.  .... And that's all.

LATER THAT DAY.....

'.....  Why is President calling us, dude?'

.....FLASHFORWARD.....

'..... Um....  So.... President just told me....He wants to take us up to Comayagua tomorrow.  For H.'s baptism.  Himself.  Alone with us and Hermana Bowler.'

'..... Is that a normal thing to do?'

'No.  No, it is not....  so.... I guess...Road trip with the Mission President?'

Saturday:

Road Trip with Our MISSION PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE.  Comayagua is like, 2 hours away.  And.... He and his wife personally, alone with Elder Naupoto and I, took us up to comayagua for H.'s baptism.  It was like, bonding time with them.  And get this....  PRESIDENT HIMSELF CONFIRMED HER.  IT IS NOT VERY OFTEN THAT A MISSIONARY CAN SAY HIS MISSION PRESIDENT CONFIRMED ONE OF THEIR CONVERTS.  IT WAS AWESOME.  AND THEN AFTERWARDS HE BOUGHT US DINNER.  LIKE.... WE LITERALLY SPENT THE WHOLE DAY WITH PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE.  That is NOT a normal thing to do.  Our mission president is AWESOME.  I could go on about this for a while.... but... you'd have to be there to really appreciate it.  wow.  It was fantastic.  

Sunday:

Pretty normal Sunday.  Nothing else special to report.  Elder Naupoto and I still couldn't believe that what happened the day before actually happened.  That was awesome.  

And.... Now we're here.  Not much more I can tell you guys!!!  Only that Heydi has successfully entered the church.  pretty fantastic, right?  Yeah.... We think so.  

Well, that's about it.  And, I know I said I'd explain why I chose Demons as the song of the week last week.... But.... I'm gonna push that one week more.  Love you guys.  Stay strong, firm in the faith, and pray always.  Thanks to everyone that wrote me (Ana, Alfredo, Nicolle, Idania, Megan, Landen, Blythe, Scott, Nanny, Jose, Lizzie, Donny, Mariah).... you are all fantastic.  Talk to you soon. 

Elder Huff

Song of the Week - No One is Alone from Into the Woods

Yeah, I don't Have a Clever Name for This One

Well hi everybody.

I once heard it said that the mission works like this....  

'The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days.'  

And... Yeah.  Pretty much.  Time is flying, although the days are LONG..... But hey, I don't notice when I'm working. Once in a while, I'll just take a step back, and be like.... Whoa.  I've been here for 7 and a half months.  How did that happen?  Then it'll be midday, and it's hot as the devil, and I think to myself.... Actually.... Maybe that sounds about right.  BUT, either way.  I freaking love it here.  Thanks to everyone that sent me an email this week, like Christie, and Joy, and Blythe, and Steph (I'm so proud of you, girl.  Way to go.), and Cristina, and Emma-Lee, and Scott (THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EMAILING ME), and all the fam.  I love you all dearly, and I am always grateful for your messages.  

Hmm....  Where do I take this week's letter..... Well, actually, there are a couple things I wanted to tell everybody about.  Let's start with some of the people (investigators) I'm working with right now.  Guys.... they're freaking wonderful.

He:  This woman is the BOMB.  She was actually taught by missionaries in another mission in Honduras, and dang, they prepared her well.  She is an incredible person with an incredible testimony.  We've only been here to help tie things up, but she has become a dear friend of mine. We had some confusion about paperwork, but.... now, pretty much everything is set up for her to enter the church.  Really, she did it all on her own.  She's truly just a good person.

Cr:  Well, she is probably one of my most favorite persons in the world (I am really sorry if that sentence was super badly worded.  Spanish n stuff.)  Get this....  She's like 60.  We taught her grandson once, and gave him a little card with a picture of Jesus and our phone number.  We never saw him again.  

Then, one day, as we were walking, we get this call.  This woman on the other line goes, 'hey, you guys are the Elders, right?  Well, I have no idea what the word Elder means, but your phone number was on the back of a Jesus picture, so you've got to be doing something that includes Jesus.  Could you come and visit me?'  

And.... she has turned out to be one of the kindest, sincerest, most LOVING people I have ever met.  She's like our grandma.  She gives us food, never wants us to leave, she listens so intently and really applies everything we teach and invite her to do, and BAHHHH.  This woman is amazing.  

(Also, super fast funny story.  She told us she was gonna come to church with us, but she's just scared cuz she has bad knees.  So... We told her we would get her a car.  Well.... Our 'car' freaking bailed on us.  And.... SHE CAME ANYWAY.  She walked like a mile and a half, up and down hills, all that JUST cuz she said 'I need to know for myself if it's the true church.'  And... She did.  Then, in the class of investigators, she offered to say the last prayer.  She probably prayed for like, seven minutes, due to the fact she was having a lovely conversation with Heavenly Father about her Catholic husband.  The best part went something like this:  'Oh, Father.... Also bless my husband.  He didn't come today to church.  Well, he actually doesn't like going to church a lot.  You see, God, he's catholic.  And so, sometimes he goes to church.  When he feels like it.  He's really a good guy, he just doesn't like to listen to the missionaries and that's why he's not here today.  But look, I'll keep talking to him about it.  You know, his parents were actually catholic too, and I think he really just wants to please his mom still, cuz she was a VERY strict woman.... But she was a good person too, Father, and....'  Etc..... you get the idea.  It was fantastic.)

Ci:  She is a poorer young woman, but also a very kind, sincere person.  She picks up the concepts SUPER well, but when we ask her to repeat some things, she kind of spazzes out and can't remember.  But she has the desire to follow Christ, so we try to help her be able to do so.  She has a little baby that's like, 3, named An who is pretty much that.  Except when he screams.  Cuz man.... He screams LOUD.  She's really sweet though.  

Do:  A young 9 year old who is just bursting with joy and energy.  Her family are members, but a bit inactive....  But they are some of the coolest people.  There's like five kids in the family, so we always teach all of them together.  We have SO much fun teaching kids..... It's a different world.  :D:D:D  But they're great, and Do is such a cute little girl.  We always teach with the grandma, who is SO funny, and SO tired after watching 5 little kids all day every day - We love them dearly. 

La and Ab:  This couple is just funny.  They are interested, and they love to listen, but they often don't seem like they plan on following our invitations.... But, they always tell us to come back. They always give us food, and they both speak english too.  They love metal (like Korn, or Metallica, or other death metal.....)  and they both love comic books.  They're super great people.  

Well, there are a lot more, but..... Those are a few for this week.  I'll tell you all about some other people next week.  But really my time is short.... So....  I think I'm gonna leave it there.

I also had the opportunity to take my investigators to the temple this week:  Cr, He, as well as another family of less active members.  I'll tell you their story soon.

One last thing....  I was prepared to write a long, heartfelt letter about fathers today....  Cuz this week was Father's Day.... Except it wasn't.  That was just here.  Sorry Dad, big long thank you letter is gonna have to wait until June.  Or something like that.  Oh Honduras..... Why do you have all the dates of stuff wrong?  Or maybe that's just me....

Well, love you guys!  Talk to you all soon!

Elder Huff

Song of the Week....  Demons by Imagine Dragons - But I'll explain why next week.

 

One More Week

Hey guys!!!

Well, it's kind of that week again where I don't have much to report, and so I'll make a better letter next week.  For this week, I want to use it to send more personal emails....  So.....  Nothing to profound for now.  I got sick this week, and that put me out of work a bit, but I'm better and I hope to have some better stories in the coming days.  Love you guys!!!

To the cast of Hello Dolly at Merit Academy - break a leg!  You are going to do awesome!!!

Elder Huff

Song of the Week:  Thinking Out Loud, by Ed Sheeran.  Look it up mama.  Naupoto loves this song.

Every Day Life in Teguc

Hey everybody.  

It has been a short week with super long days here in Teguc, and I have some stories to tell... They're pretty exciting.

First, CONGRATS TO THE SOON-TO-BE MISSIONARIES.  Austin, Kevin, you guys are gonna teach like crazy.  I can't wait to hear your stories and such from other parts of the world.  I LOVE you guys and I am so proud of you.  (And Austin, I remember that one time we were talking about the church and you kept telling me that the authority is what makes us different, and for some reason I thought it was something else and kept contradicting you....  I was totally wrong.  You were totally right. I am super sorry for that.  You're gonna make a freaking killer missionary cuz you already understand the basics.  Ladies and gents, this guy knows what's up.)

Thanks to everyone else that wrote, I love you guys and I know you're gonna do great things.  Good luck to the cast of Hello Dolly! and know that I am supporting you here in spirit!  KILL IT AND SHATTER SOME FEMURS!

Now.... Onto the stories. 

STORY OF TUESDAY

'Hey, Elder Huff and Naupoto!  Neither of you guys have changes.  You got another 6 weeks together.  Also, do you wanna take out some new missionaries fresh out of the MTC?'

'Hey Huff, Wanna go take out new missionaries?'

'Sure, I'm down.  And hey, did you know that Pitbull is coming to Honduras?'

.... FLASHFORWARD.....

We enter the church building to see a group of bright eyed new missionaries, looking scared but determined.  I go up to the AP and ask who I'm taking out to show the ropes of the mish - he points me to a tall gringo named Elder Rex.  Now...  I could have just been straight up and told this brand new Elder that I'm a gringo too....  But.... I have dark hair.  And....  The AP told me we have to speak spanish.  So....  I walk up to him, shake his hand, and introduce myself.

'Hey Elder, mucho gusto.  Soy el Elder Huff, y soy de.... Costa Rica.'

(tranlsated) 'Hey, nice to meet you Elder.  I'm Elder Huff and I'm actually from the United States but I'm not gonna tell you that so I'm gonna say I'm from Costa Rica and I'm not gonna say a word in english to you the entire time we're together.'

And... So it passed.  I am not by ANY means saying that I have perfect Spanish, but I took this Elder out and hardly spoke ANY english to him.  I made him teach in Spanish, also.  And PROPS to him, cuz he totally handled it great and went all out teaching in Spanish.  But for the hour we were together, I was from Costa Rica and had super terrible english.  And....  When we finished, he was doing his best to talk in straight spansih to me (WAY TO GO DUDE).  And.... Then.... As we said our goodbyes....

'Elder Rex, ha sido un placer.  Gracias por todo.  And, by the way, I'm actually from Utah and I am pretty sure I speak better english than spanish.'

The look on his face was priceless....  I hope we get to work together again soon.

....FLASHFORWARD.....

'What is the world is going on in the Villa Olimpica?  They're setting up all these big lights and stuff.... Huh.  We'll see, I guess.'

STORY OF WEDNESDAY

'Hey, good morning Elder Huff.  This is Elder Webb.  And I'm going home tomorrow.'

... Yeah.  Elder Webb is home.  I hope you have a great life, Donny.  I'll be expecting that list. I love you and stuff. Also, I don't think I talk like a caveman anymore.

...FLASHFORWARD....

'Okay, seriously. What is freaking going on in the Villa Olimpica?  Sigh.... We'll see.'

.....FLASHFORWARD....

Now, here we are walking back from work, when we enter our main street to see half of Honduras parked on the sides of the road.  I'm talking millions of people.  Elder Naupoto and I were super confused.... Then it dawned on us....  Or, more, the bass hit us.... Across the steert from where we live, in plain sight, we hear the oddly familiar lyrics of one of the most famous pop singers of today..... 

'One, two, three, four, uno, dos, tres, cuatro.... I KNOW YOU WANT ME....'

'HOLY CRAP PITBULL IS HERE IN OUR AREA PERFORMING RIGHT NOW.'

And.... Yep.  I unintentionally went to a Pitbull concert whilst on my mission.  He literally was right down the street from our house.  We were afraid we'd be up all night.... But oddly enough... the concert was like 40 minutes.  Then he left.  

..... Well....  That's not something that happens every day.  But in Teguc.... Totally.  

Anyway.... Those are some of the most interesting stories of this week.  I hope you have a great week, everybody.  Next week I'll tell you about some of the people we have been teaching.  I'm always here for you guys.

Talk next week.

Elder Huff

ALSO.... Song of the Week....  Well, it's only fair.... I Know You Want Me, Pitbull.  Have a good one, everybody.

That was Fast...

Well... Here we are.  Another week gone.  Wow they are going fast now.  Shoutouts.....  Ana, Jessi, Joy, Mariah and Donny, Landen, Lizzie, Blythe, Ellie, Alexa, Tyler, Family..... I love you guys.  Thanks for the messages, as always.

Well.... This Saturday I will have 7 months in the mission.  That is insane.  I don't have a lot of comment there.

Also.... This week was awesome, but nothing out of the ordinary.  I mean.... We did light our apartment on fire...  But that was about it.  Nothing too exciting.  

Poor plate.....

Now, for the thought of the week.... I'm gonna be honest, writing something big every week is exhausting, so my letters may be smaller in the coming months just for cause of... Well....  There is not a ton to report.  There are always hundreds of stories to tell.... But....  They won't be anything new to you guys.  :)  So, when I send big emails, it is because I have something I really feel I need to say.  

With THAT said.... I only have one hint of advice for everyone back home. I won't write much, because I think that the message is VERY self-explanatory. 

Don't talk bad about anyone.  

Like, seriously.  If I've learned anything on my mission, it's how perfect I'm NOT. And so.... I always recall the saying of Jesus.... 

'Let he that is without sin cast the first stone.' 

There is never a reason to talk bad about people.  There just is not!  From the bottom of my heart, with total sincerity, just don't do that!  If you hear it, step in!  Stop it!  If you're doing it,  STOP IT!  

I'm serious, the hardest truth I've learned on the mission, is what goes around, comes around.  To be totally frank, none of you that are currently reading this have the right to talk bad about someone else for ANY reason.  And why do I say that?  Look at it this way, what is it that Christ taught are the first and greatest commandments?  LOVE THY GOD AND LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.  IT IS A COMMANDMENT.  Gossip is pure evil!  It hurts poeple so deeply!  It breaks my heart, but I know of more people that are inactive in my ward here is Honduras by cause of a stupid, rude, unnecessary comment than ANY other given reason.  Please, this is absolute POISON in today's society.  Gossip is POISON to the Spirit and Soul!

So Please... Don't Do That.  Be BETTER than that. Build others up.  I love you, and I really want the best for each and every one of you.  Help make the world a little bit better.  I'm always here for you guys.

Elder Huff

Song of the Week, Working Man by Imagine Dragons