Hello once again to all of my family and friends out there!
Okay just to start off......DALLIN!!! I CANT BELIEVE IT!!!! Something told me that you were going to join me in Honduras! I sure have a LOT to tell you! But I’ll talk more with you when I get back....but let’s just say.....start getting used to plantains now...and the extreme heat....and baptizing millions haha. I’m so happy for you. We are going to be in the same country together when I return for the dedication of the Honduras temple. Wow.
Alright now that I’m done screaming....okay one more...:WOO HOO!!!. Okay. This week has been pretty great for my new companion and I. Once again, I’m totally exhausted from all of the work that we have been doing. My new companion is Elder Hernandez, and he is from Mexico. It’s pretty cool because there are only 2 Mexican elders in the whole mission, and it’s my first Mexican companion. He is an awesome guy, we definitely have the same tastes. I’m going to love being with him during these 6 weeks. Elder Torres got sent off to my old area, Comayaguela!
The transfers meeting that we had was pretty intense. It was an all new system that was being experimented. None of us knew what type of changes we had or anything like that. The only thing that we knew was if we were leaving or staying in the area. So we all showed up at a church building in Tegucigalpa to wait and find out who was going where and all of that jazz. I was pretty happy when I saw that Elder Hernandez was going to be my companion, because he is a great missionary. This is his first time being a zone leader, but he is fitting the spot just fine. President Flores told us that from day one when we receive a new calling, we must prepare our replacement. I definitely have that chance at this moment. Since I will be leaving at the end of this change, as well as the 2 district leaders in the zone, Elder Hernandez will have a large responsibility next change with respect to leadership. So, I have to teach him everything I know, and fast. I don’t think it will be too bad, because he is definitely a better missionary than me.
This week I had another witness that God is ever so merciful with his servants. This Sunday for fast Sunday, Elder Hernandez and I asked for the people that we are going to baptize in May. At that moment, we didn’t know who these people where, and we may still not know quite yet, but that is not the point. We were praying for a good turnout at church, but to be honest, I didn’t have a lot of hope, because basically all of our investigators had cancelled on us the day before. I was shocked as the members entered the chapel that morning, that so many of them had brought investigators with them to church. As I sat at the piano as the meeting started, I counted 9 people that the members had brought to church. I was shocked! We were able to talk to all of them, and make appointments to begin teaching them this week. May just might be a lucky month for me! After the Sunday services, Elder Hernandez and I went on divisions. My comp went with a future missionary, and I had the special experience to leave with the Reyes Family. It is a really special experience to leave with a family that I was able to teach and bring to church. Sometimes I don’t know why the Lord allows me to feel such special feelings, but I feel that one day I will be able to understand them all. With the help of these amazing members that we have here in Guaymaca, Elder Hernandez and I are going to accomplish all of the high goals that we have set for ourselves.
I was thinking a lot this week about Humility (it’s funny how one tends to think about things that they most need to improve on). Being an “old missionary,” I often ponder what else I can do to “take it up a notch” or to “bring it one step higher,” things like that. I have strong desires to maintain a solid progression throughout all of my mission, therefore, that is what most of my thoughts go towards. I was reading something this week that really touched me. It is found in the beautiful discourse of King Benjamin. In Mosìah chapter 2, King Benjamin talks about how indebted we really are to God. In the verses 20-22 I found a part of my answer that I was looking for.
“I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render All the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to posses, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another-
I say unto you that if you should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another--- I say, if ye should serve him with ALL your whole souls, yet ye would be Unprofitable servants.” (emphasis added)
We are all unprofitable servants, but all that he requires of us is “to keep the commandments.” I understand that I may think that I have done much in my many months of service, but really it is nothing in the sight of God. I am still completely in debt to Him, and I must continue paying that debt every day of my life. I love this work, I know that it is true. I know that if we work with all our might, mind, soul, and heart, that God will grant us the mercy that we SO need, in order to enter in His Kingdom.
I love you all, thanks so much for supporting me.
Vaya Pues! (get used to that Dallin!)
Elder Tinkham
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