Elder Riley Nichols in El Centro, Honduras-November 28, 2013

Hiiiiiiii

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!! How was Little America? Actually you're probs still there right now. The mosquito bites are fine. I'd know if I had some disease by now...hopefully. It’s really only when we go to this one house.

The lockdown was really good! We were with Elder Holden and Juarez in their house. It’s really big so that was nice. So let’s see...I read our search for happiness, our heritage and suit up.Then we watched some church movies, return with honor and Charly. We played Uno maybe 200 times. I learned how to dance haha, the salsa and the waltz. We ate so much! We bought a bunch of food the night before and then members brought us food every day. On Monday we had 4 dinners! Holy crap I felt awful after that. Actually this happens maybe three times a week, this last week there was 4 times that I had two dinners. No wonder all the missionaries here have a little extra weight haha.

k so this week we COMITTED CARLA TO BAPTISM! We were teaching here the third lesson (faith, repentance, baptism) and we had just finished baptism and Nimatuj taps my knee and winked haha. i was like freak I have to ask her. But bang bang! She said yes. So she has to go to church three times before she can be baptized. Umm so remember Claudia? Yeah so it turns out that she doesn’t even live in our area so bye bye Claudia.

Remember that family that I was telling you about that we were playing with? Yeah on Friday they moved out of our area. It was so sad. We walked them to the bus stop and Juanito, he's like 5, held my hand the whole way there.

Umm I forgot my paper of all my things to tell you so... yesterday we were at the gym at like 9ish and it started pouring rain! The most I’ve seen here. So we got soaked walking home. The main street was literally a river. We were standing on the side waiting to cross and when the cars drove by waves literally hit me in the knees. So my shoes are soaked right now.

I haven’t gotten any of your letters yet but, the mail won’t come until our next zone meeting so like next week.  Wow three parts of our fence blew down!? Oh yeah so today we went around and shopped in all the stores. I bought two Christmas ties and one other for 5 bucks. I was gonna buy a jersey but of course nobody had a large haha. I bought a usb so I'm gonna transfer all my pictures on there so I don’t lose them. K I think that is all. Have an awesome thanksgiving! Eat lots for me cause nobody celebrates it here. But tonight we are eating with a member and she always gives us a ton of food so that’s close enough. I'm so thankful for you and everything you do for me! Love you! 

Elder Mason Rich in Olmos, Peru-November 12, 2013

Hey Family,

Well its been an awesome weekend! Sorry i didn't email yesterday but we are having our p day today because we wanted to go to a museum and it isn't opened on mondays. But wow i wish you guys could understand how blessed i truly feel right now! I got your guys birthday package and the package from Mike! I was seriously speechless! I am overwhelmed with happiness haha it was awesome! All the food is sooooo good! The pumpkin chocolate chip bread didn't last too long! it barely made it back to the room! :) haha and my main man on the cover of the Eastbay magazine! that rocked. I cant believe that story of Gerald Green. Its seriously the same thing with me but he lost even more. I loved that article though! The watch is awesome i love it and am wearing it right now!   We had  two baptisms this last sunday after church. It went awesome! I baptized Lea, who is the sister of Pablo that i baptized earlier, and my comp baptized Gladys. It went great- we did a special musical number and i played the guitar and Elder arevalo played the piano and sang. that went good too!

Yesterday for my birthday the Branch here threw me a surprise party and it went really good! I honestly had no clue! But i feel so blessed with all of these things i have been receiving. 

Everything is going good and i had an awesome birthday. Thank you guys so much. The language is getting better too! Im loving it so far. I love you!

 

Elder Mason Rich in Olmos, Peru-November 2013

Elder Riley Nichols in Honduras San Pedro Sula-October 29, 2013

We got to talk to this amazing young man today, he called us from the airport. It was awesome! He made it to Honduras safe and sound.

Elder Riley Nichols in Mexico City MTC-September 2013

Elder Nichols and Elder Jacobs-His email said he's having an amazing experience.
He loves the people and the food.

Went shopping at the Mexico City Temple store and got a Spanish CTR ring.

Having fun in Mexico City

Elder Kiefer Halterman in Houston, TX-November 4, 2013

Well this last week was awesome! We had another baptism on Saturday and have found many many people this last week to teach! Its been awesome! I have also had some new experiences this week. Like being woke up at 1 in the morning by my comp who is in a state of fear that I have never seen before! He was more scared then anything I have ever seen. He had all the lights on, and it was all because of a dream that he had had. he asked me to give him a blessing and I got cleaned up and gave him a blessing, and almost instantly A calm feeling came upon him. and he fell asleep right away. I put him to bed and turned everything off and then said a prayer. I was so thankful to be able to be worthy to be the Lords hands and mouth. I’ve seen the blessings that come from exact obedience. it is what we as missionaries have been called to do, be exactly obedient, our calling is Holy and so must then be our actions. There is so much work to do here in Inwood. I will know if I am going to stay longer here on the 20th of this month. I want to because I know that there is lots of work to do and I want this area ( which is now known as Elder Haltermans area) to be in top shape when I leave and I don't feel like it is there yet. This work is hard, and you need to put every bit of your dedication in it, and that starts with being worthy to serve. if you do that then you will be given the power to do the Lords work, but if not then you need to go back to square one and fix and prepare yourself. it is good to know that the Atonement gives ALL of us the Power to over come self doubt and past and present tribulation. The more I understand the Atonement the more I want to run through the streets and tell everyone the GOOD WORD! and the more I feel comforted when someone does not listen to us because I know that they were not yet prepared.  

I love you all so much. The time is flying by and it blows my mind! I feel like I have forgotten what life is like without doing missionary work full time, ha ha, but thats fine with me! I’ll talk to ya later! 

I’ll talk to ya'll later, Love Elder Halterman            

Elder Kiefer Halterman in Houston Texas-October 14, 2013

What a CRAZY week!!! So, this Tuesday we were going to drop off Elder D at the mission office and then we got a call 30 minutes before that Pres called us and told us that Elder B is getting transferred to Conrow Texas and then told me that I will be training a Visa Waiter! He is awesome! His name is Elder A, and he is from North Carolina. He also speaks Spanish so I have been putting him to good use. ha ha because when we go tracking 70% of the people that we talk to don’t speak english so having him is nice! I took him tracking on his first day and we found a new investigator names S. He is awesome! I’m looking forward to teaching him again this evening. Oh and yesterday in the evening we were street contacting in one of the bayous and found these boys fishing and we talked to them for a while and then one of them caught a

Alligator-snapping turtle! and these little guys were trying to grab the hook out of its mouth with just his hands!!! so I helped them out. it was fun! I miss fishing. ha ha It was fun to help those guys out. I have been a little sick this last week but I am feeling a lot better today. I’ve got to go, there is a lady sitting next to me trying to tell me that I have  a brain implant in my head and I am controlled by the government, now she is trying to talk to me about the Bible. This is gonna be fun. I’ll talk to ya later!

I love you all so much! oh and the video that dad took was awesome!!

Love Elder Halterman

Elder Kiefer Halterman in Houston, TX-October Pictures

Elder Wilson Atagi in Bonifay, FL-October 2013

October 6, 2013:
Everything that we will earn in Heaven is up to US. In the end there is no one else to put it on. We choose what happens. Everyday is either moving forward or sliding back. Make the choice to apply the Atonement. The God given Agency we have means we can choose to be Happy.

October 14, 2013:

This week I got to go on 2 exchanges because Elder F is a DL so I went to Chipley FL and we were riding our bikes and Elder W and I were headed to an appointment and we both saw a guy farther down the street that was out of our way. We started to turn down the other street and then simultaneously without even thinking about it we just went towards the guy. We stopped and talked to him and the Spirit was super strong the whole time we were talking then I gave him a Book of Mormon and he was almost crying as I bore my testimony which was awesome. I love the Gift of the Holy Ghost!

My thought for this week is all about a talk in the September Ensign called "His Grace Is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox. Let me know what you think.

October 21, 2013:We found a new investigator last week and from October 14 to the 20th, we had a lesson with her every day. She has already gained a testimony, told her boyfriend they have be separated until they can get married, and quit drinking sweet tea. We haven't even taught her the Word of Wisdom or Law of Chastity yet. Her name is Paige She is so awesome! She told us a story of seeing on the news of a little girl taking her own life because of being bullied, but also having learned about the Plan of Salvation knowing that she would be okay. She told us right then she knew that it was true. I loved that it was so awesome to see that.

There was also a ward party this week at a members home! It was Brother George. He has a large house and then another house/barn thing that is entirely just a kitchen and a place to hang out in. They had a hay ride and a ton of food. I baked cookies for it and they were gone in a few seconds haha. It was awesome to see how many people came out to it that don't come to church that often. Sister George made this awesome Brunswick Stew. It was so good.

On Sunday, we had a lesson with Paige at the Mork's house. He is an avid FSU fan and he has a jacked up golf cart that is all decked out in FSU stuff and it can get up to 30 mph. It was so crazy. We got to ride in it and everything. So there is a touch of the social aspect of missionary work.

P.S. new favorite food is boiled peanuts 
October 27, 2013:

Okay, so crazy story for this week. I have just today been called as a District Leader in my area. Elder F is leaving Bonifay to become a Zone Leader in the Pensacola. I am getting a new comp that will leave for home next transfer named Elder Mafi so we will be the Samoan Companionship. I'm really freaking out right now so I don't really know how much I am going to say in these emails today and I will write home this week. So I am really excited, but also totally terrified. Oh well haha.

The message from me this week is about the stripling warriors in Alma 56 and I can't remember the verses but Helaman says "well my sons, shall we go to battle?" and the message is if God has asked us to go to battle with our scriptures and prayers in mind throughout the day, will we answer the question: I am afraid? or will we say "Behold our God is with us!!"