Wow.... Time is going fast. WAY fast. I don't have too much to report from the area....
However, ONE great note of announcement is that one of my investigators from the Reforma got baptized on Saturday! Cinthia was a tough investigator - and she will be one tough member! Super proud that she got in the water!
BUT.... without further delay, let's talk about the Island.
Amapala - San Lorenzo
The truth is... I left San Marcos very sad. We had worked hard and we had come close to huge success - but, everyone has their agency. And.... My time in San Marcos came to an end. My last week and a half in San Marcos, I was sick as a dog. I was, what I thought, close to the brink of death (I'll tell you the story when I get home if you'd like!), and when I got the call that I had changes, I cried. I didn't want to leave. BUT.... I got my bags ready, got on the famous Blanquita bus, and made my way to Cholu. The next morning, we got on the bus to Teguc at like, 3 in the morning, and I was dying the whole way. I thought I wasn't going to handle it - the emotional crap, the physical crap, I felt AWFUL.
Then.... I found out where I was going to be heading.
When I began my mission, like, literally at my first change meeting, I remember when the WHOLE room freaked out as two ex AP's opened an area that had been shut for years. I asked my trainer during that meeting why everyone was so excited - and he mentioned that it was a 'legendary area'... One of those areas that was crazy interesting and, in this case - was an island that was only reached over water.
And, as I came to the change meeting from leaving San Marcos, I saw the name of that island show up on the screen, followed by my name and picture....
I was sent to Amapala.
The story of my first time coming to Amapala was nothing short of an adventure either. We got on the bus, and made our way once again to the south. I was still sick - but with a lot of prayer, I kept myself together. Or... the Lord kept me together. We got off in San Lorenzo by the exit to 'Coyolito', and then got on other bus that took about an hour and a half to arrive. But DURING this bus ride began one of the biggest rain storms I had seen in my mission. It was POURING. And, as we neared Coyolito, I could smell the ocean and could hear the waves - but there was no light. We were in total darkness, save a few little streetlamps that neared the shore.
We got off the bus, and as I looked toward the ocean, I strained to make out the shape of the island... And then, in that moment, hit a huge bolt of lightning, and I could clearly see the island of the Tiger, as it is rightly called, for a split second. And thus, as we got into the little boat onto the roaring waves, every blast of lightning lit up the island that would come to be home. Yeah - I did truly think we were going to overturn. BUT - the Amapalan people know what they're doing. And.... We got to the shore of Playa Burro, into the little Mototaxi towards Centro, and entered into the Chapel of Amapala - which also just happens to be our home.
Well, overall, I can't give a fair description of anyone on that island. I will only give the names of the people, and after the mission, if you ask, I will tell you the stories of each of them - I promise, each one is great.
-Family Silva
-Family Santos
-Family Lopez
-Family Guerrero Mejia
-Suyapa and Vanessa
-Lolita and Nicol
-Amparo
-Isabel
-Family Ramirez
-Joseph
-Juan
-Moises and Maria
-The Pulps
-Gloria
-The Kids
-The Garrobos
And.... those are the best stories and my dearest friends on that island. Anyway.... It sucks trying to write about these places. It's like trying to write about what home is like.... What do you say?.... Well.... I loved those people. I love all these people. I love MY people! But anyway.... My time in Amapala also came to an end... And, when it did, I felt much more ready than before. And, after having disappeared off the face of the earth for several months.... I was sent into the middle of the mission. Center of the world, middle of the city.... But, that story is yet to be told. I love you all, and I'll be continuing next week! Have a good one!
Elder Kristian Huff
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