Hola mis amigos!!! July 24th

Hey everyone! Greetings from Honduras. This last week was full of
change. On Wednesday we had changes, or "cambios" in Spanish. Elder
Sian left and is now a district leader in Comayagua, I'm proud of him,
and I'm really grateful for the opportunity we had to be companions. I
can tell you right now he will be one of my favorites.
My new companion is Elder Perez. He is from juajuatenago Guatemala.
He is really different from elder sian. He kinda reminds me of David a
little bit. He is a super hard worker which is good, but I feel like
he focuses more on getting numbers and not focusing on the people. I
have a super hard time understanding his Spanish. He is a low talker,
mumbles a bit and it seems like he never faces me when he speaks. I
could understand almost everything elder sian said, and I can even
understand the people of San Rafael better. I probably just need to
get used to him that's all. I think we are going to do a ton of work in
San Rafael, which is good.
On Thursday Elder Perez and I obtained a baptismal date, but I'm
not sure on how solid it is. Pablo and Fransica need to get married,
stop drinking coffee and hermano pablo needs to stop smoking, we have
a few challenges to get past before baptism. If they truly have a
testimony they can change.
One of our other investigators swani was doing well. She has some
challenges to overcome too, but I have a ton of faith in her, I think
she has a sincere desire to change. Ill keep you posted on everyone.
All is well down here, life is really good, simple and
rewarding, I really cant complain about much haha. I love you all
tons.
Elder Ahlborn

que tal de Honduras!!!

Hey everyone how goes the summer. theres two seasons here, summer,
and summer with a ton of rain hahaha. Life is super good right now. I
am kinda a little sad, my trainer, Elder Sian is changing areas on
Wednesday. I hope I get a good companion, cross your fingers for me.

Another sad thing happened this week, one of our investigators with
a baptism date got a job, and now she is super busy, and she works
every Sunday from 6 in the moring to 8 at night. Frustrating.
The Lord is good to us though and helped us out this week. We found
a new investigator, her name is Swani, she is like 21 or 22, with two
or three kids and I think a boy friend. She was so willing to let us
in and she listened and ask good questions, and she came to church with
us this week! She expressed to us how much she loved church and our
branch, she is going to bring her whole family next week. She really
wants to change her life, and the gospel can do that.

We had like 7 other investigators come to church, which is a
miracle. In those 7 people we had 2 complete families. We were blessed
this week.

For Elder Sians's last Sunday here in San Rafael, we sang "called to
serve" in Spanish in sacrament with two other elders. It was pretty
sweet, I bet you all can't imagine me singing in church, I can't either
hahaha. It was good though. I think I'm going to ask to give a talk in
Spanish this month, wish me luck!

Right now we are trying to complete the family of Carmen and Sayda,
my first baptisms. The dad, Santos is an interesting guy. He is huge,
and intimidating, but really a nice guy.He really doesn't like to be
around a ton of people, just a bit shy. Right now he is a guard for
some company in the city. He used to be a cop, he was a part of what
they call the special forces, which is more or less SWAT. He was some
problems with the word of wisdom, but no worries hes going to be
baptized. Its funny cause Santos reminds me of someone I know hahaha
For part of my language study time I translated my story of the
Maserati into Spanish, and right now I'm working on my patriarcal
blessings. I really enjoy doing it, and I learn a ton. The only bad
part is that it takes forever.

Alright so I have to say something about food this week. Yesterday
I tried chicken with rice, its super simple but super good. Probably
my favorite dish so far. I also tried this one dish where its a hard
flat tortilla with tomato, beans, egg and ketchup on top, pretty good.
Also I had tamales, meat wrapped and cook in corn mesh. The food here
really isn't all that bad...
Well I love you all and pray for you too. Take care!!
Elder Ahlborn

Hey Everyone, I hope you enjoyed your 4th of July!

Hola!

How is everyone? I'm a little sad, nobody writes me anymore, but
its cool I'm a forgiving person hahaha.

This last week was good. Elder Sian and I placed a baptismal date
with another single mother, a friend of the last single mother we
baptized. I will keep you posted on her progress, we have only taught
her two lessons.

We are also working with another family, the Vallescio family. The
Dad, Mario has been deported from the states three times, he thinks
its funny. The mom is so nice, and she always insists on feeding us
when we come over. They have three kids, a girl that is 9 a boy that
is 7 and another baby girl that has like 7 months. Cute family. We
have been invited them to church but that haven't come which is
frustrating. It's funny, because they have been inviting us to attend
the Evangelical meeting they have in their house every Saturday night.
Evangelicals scare me. They are always yelling or "speaking in
tongues" They worship with drums too. I'm not sure if me and Elder Sian
are going to go, I don't think our mission president would allow us. I
hope that the restored gospel changes this family though.

On Thursday my district had interviews with the President in our
houses. I was pretty nervous, I guess I thought I was going to get
chastised into oblivion in Spanish or something haha I don't know what I
was thinking, it was good. He talked to me about accomplishing our daily
goals. He is a good man, super young, like 38, and I tower over him
which is weird because I can't say that about anyone back at home.
Also the assistants, The president's wife, and the mission Medics,
Elder and Sister Ray (a cute little couple from vernal Utah, He is a
retired doctor) also visited to check the house. It was good to speak
English with Elder and Sister Ray, he has some crazy stories.
All and all I had a very good week, no stomach problems, there wasn't
much rain, and when it did rain, I had a better umbrella than my last.
No worries about me!
Love you all very much!
Elder Ahlborn

Happy Fourth of July from Honduras

Que tal everyone!
I hope you all will enjoy your family friends and food today, haha
cause I wont! Its all good though what I am doing is more important
than anything I could be doing right now.
This week was wet. Like hurricane wet. I literally watched a
wall of water come towards me and soak me to the bone in 10 seconds.
coolest thing ever. I always say, Utahans don't know the heat and rain
like Hondurans, and Hondurans know nothing of the cold. Cold to them
is 60 degrees haha what a joke right. Besides the climate, I love
this Country!
I am a bit sad, because elder Sian and I were so busy last Monday,
I didn't get to eat Iguana. No worries though I have 20 months to try,
and I got some sweet pictures with it haha. Besides that I haven't
tried anything else interesting. Ill keep you posted.
This week was a bit frustrating. Elder Sian and I had the not so
best week. We were super busy with meetings, imigration and other
things, we didn't get the opportunity to go out and do as much tracting
as I would like. This week will be better though:) Gotta stay
positive.
Our recent converts are doing well, they are going to church,
reading their scriptures, and just being good saints. We are also
close to completing the Family Cabellero (my first baptisms). The dad
came to church yesterday which was awesome. We just need to set a date
and baptize him.
I am doing very well out here, better then I thought I would. I am
excited for what lays ahead in my mission.
My Spanish is getting better daily, but it isn't perfect. Sometimes
I can teach for like 10 minutes and the investigator won't understand
anything and Elder Sian will have to reexplain. Frustrating, but I
am still learning, the Lord will bless me and in truth I have no
worries.
I felt like I grew tons on Thursday. Elder Sian had a leadership
meeting so me and two other greenines, one being a gringo too, tracted
in my area for like 5 hours. It wasn't too bad. It pushed me to do more
than usual and I am grateful for that. I also learned that I still
have a lot to learn haha.
Life is good, in Honduras they have an expression, "Todo cheque''
it means all is well, but literally it doesn't make sense. To any other
Latino it means '' all check'' like a check you write out to pay for
something haha. Its funny how words can change in a language like
that.
Love you all! Happy fourth of July! Write me!!!!
Elder Ahlborn