End to the perfect week.

This last Saturday Elder Sian and I baptized an investigator we met on the 4th of June. 4 weeks that was all. I truly have a testimony that the Lord places the Chosen in the paths of the missionaries. Melania Alverez is a single mother with twins. Elder Sian and I were trying to get in the house of another investigator one day. The investigator wasn't home, but a little boy from the house kitty corner poked his head out of the gate and started yelling at us. Elder Sian haha was just kinda like eh whatever just another little kid swearing at us, but I decided to go talk to him, you know to practice Spanish. The little kid told me that his mom wanted to talk to us, it was weird because it wasn't his mom that wanted to talk to us it was his aunt. We decided to go talk to her. She was THE GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR. She read, accepted everything we said and went to church the very next day. The second or third lesson, I don't remember cause it was so fast, we challenged her to baptism and of course she said what everyone says, I need to learn more first. However the next visit she changed. She asked if she could be baptized that Saturday. We were like uh ya of course! Later she told us that she had a dream when she was taking a nap at two in the afternoon with her twins. In this dream Three men dressed in white told her that she needed to join this church, that it was the only true church, and that it would bless her family temporally and spiritually. I believe with all my heart that dream was sent from the Lord. In truth, Elder Sian did very little for Melania, it was all the spirit and her. Also, she asked me to baptize her :D

Two other things maybe not as spiritual as the above story. I got to hold an iguana. A guy in our ward, my best friend Hermano Freddy bought one for dinner for us. Ya that's right they eat Iguana. In Spanish its called garrobo. Its suppose to be good, I'll tell you how it turned out the next letter. Also I ate something else interesting. It's a soup called mundungo. It has vegies, and other good things, with cow stomach. Stomach isn't that bad it really has no flavor, but the texture is well not the best, chewy with this little tentacle carpet things. Carmen (My first baptism) spent all Saturday and Sunday making it for us. I ate everything. It wasn't too bad, but it isn't something I want to eat again haha. Its all good though, I love these people and I would literally eat or drink anything they gave me because of my love for them, even something I know that would make me super sick.

It has been raining like crazy which isn't to fun sometimes, especially because elder sian and I cant use rain jackets and we always let members borrow our umbrellas. I am always wet haha from the rain or from sweat. But its all good, I'm serving the Lord, Loving life and preaching and serving this amazing people. Life really couldn't be better!

Love Elder Nathan Ahlborn

Can you say BAUTISMOS!

The Lord blessed Elder Sian and me this week. We were able to
baptize Carmen and Sayda Cabellero Saturday night. I had the
opportunity to baptize Carmen, the mother. It was so cool saying the
baptismal prayer in Spanish and being able to understand every word,
Also I didn't mess up! It was a very spiritual experience. I can't
express to you how much love I have for these people. I was thinking
about it in church and I just felt overwhelmed with love. I am
grateful to be here in Honduras.
This week went by so fast. Elder Falabella, the Area President, or
whatever the seventy that is over and area is called, visited our
mission. He spoke to us for like 5 hours about the work. I COULD
ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND!!! it was the best feeling knowing what was up.
It's funny because with the spirit I can understand Spanish very well,
but those days when I am tired and my mind is wandering I have a
really hard time. I just need to keep the spirit with me strong all
the time right!
Another highlight of this week is that I got a hammock. It is
the best thing in the world, it cost 300 Limpiras or a bout 15 dollars.
Best 15 bucks I have ever spent haha. Its nice to relax a bit after
a day of preaching the gospel.
The food here is so good, and I'm learning to cook it too. Yesterday
I cooked rice, refried beans, and fried plantains. It was so dang
good. The people cook better then me and they cook often for me and
Elder Sian. In general the people are super nice, I love it!
All is well with me. I still haven't gotten really sick thank
goodness. I love you all and worry about you, know that you are all
in my prayers!
Love Elder Ahlborn

Que tal mis amigos

Hi everyone, life here in Honduras is awesome! It's just so stinking
hot. It's a joke here, they say there is two seasons, verano or summer
and Infierno or heck hahaha it really is that hot though. It also
rains a ton, like nothing that anyone born and raised in the dessert
of Utah could imagine haha. It's cool to be living somewhere different.
I'm worried when I get back I'm going to freeze to death in the winter,
pray I don't!
So this Saturday I have my first baptisms. Hopefully three if
everything works out. The first two are a mother and daughter, Carmen
and Saida. They are amazing, they have so much faith and love of the
prophet Joesph Smith. The other is a boy named Julian. He is 16 years
old, very quiet, but I like him. He is a giant here. He is like 6 feet
two inches and 250 pounds. big right. but especially big to the little
people here.
I love the people here and for the most part I think they love me.
People always feed us or want to talk to us. Especially me, because I am
so different and also they want me to talk them about the states, or
marry their daughters haha it's funny. They like asking about different
things in the states. I always get asked about football, American
football. Do they really tackle people that hard? did you play? have
you ever broken anyone's bones? just different random stuff, it's pretty
fun.

I love my branch here, this Sunday I got to bear my testimony to
all of them again which was cool because I could tell my Spanish was
better then when I got here. I can understand people so so much better
too. I think in a month or two I should be fine.
I will send pictures of my baptisms next Monday, some other pics too!
Love you all, keep writing me!
Elder Ahlborn

Hello Everyone!

Hola everyone! I hope you are enjoying your summer! Please be safe!

This week was amazing! Elder Sian and I finally have a baptismal
date! Last Monday night Carmen and Siada agreed to be baptized on the
18th of this month! I'm very excited! Hopefully they follow through,
also we have two other young men, Ariel and Julian that just have to
talk to their parents to get permission, then we will have dates with
them too! The Lord has blessed us this week.

All the new missionaries from my group that came in six weeks ago
met with the President. It was a pretty short meeting. The President
didn't even have time to have interviews with everyone. He is a busy
man, but I have a testimony that he is called of God.

Not much is really going on here. Last Monday, the first Monday of
the month, we have the opportunity to go to the market place. This is
the craziest place in the world no joke. Its like a flea market spread
for at least a mile on the sidewalk. You could probably buy anything
there too. I bought some Christmas presents for the family :) The bad
part is, is because I'm white people try to take advantage of that and
jack up the price of things, it can be frustrating at times. It was
fun though!

Also I got to eat at McDonald's. It's pretty much the same. Price,
taste, everything. I liked it.

I don't have any funny stories this week, it makes me kind of sad.
Its all good though because I have plenty of time left in my mission
to have some.

Spanish is getting better every week, I can understand what's up in
church a little bit better, and I am able to participate more. I think
in another month or two I should be able to understand mostly
everything.

Well I hope everyone is doing alright! I am doing very well. I
actually think I might be gaining weight haha. I will talk to you all
more next week!
Love,
Elder Ahlborn