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

It's summer!!!

Hey everyone! How has the summer been so far? I hope you are all
busy with something fun. Here in Honduras it's always summer. The
people here say they have a winter because it gets down to seventy or
sixty, but seriously that's summer in Utah haha.
I am doing very well. Its amazing because everything that President
Smith blessed me with has happened. My feet and legs are perfect, my
stomach is good too. The only thing that really bugs me is the heat
haha which isn't to bad. When it rains our investigators always worry,
they ask if I need a towel or a bag or an umbrella. I always say
there's no use, because I'm always soaking wet from the rain or sweat
hahah. They always laugh. I think I get laughed at a lot. For example
the other day I asked Hermana Sousa what the name of her cactus was.
she said she didn't know so I was like o I know it's dolor, which in
Spanish means pain, ouch, or hurt hahaha.
We are so so close to baptism with 5 people. One of which is a
single mother named Carolina. She is 25 with two kids, Baby angel, 1
years old and Tracy, 3 years old. I love the little family. She has
had a hard live. She told us that Tracy's father left her for her
sister, then she moved on to Angels father, which is the brother to
Tracy's father. He left her too. When she was telling us this she was
crying, I think she realized that wickedness was never happiness. It's
weird because not only are Tracy and Angel half siblings, they are
cousins. They all live in a one room apartment, made completely out of
cement. She works for a member and is trying to find a better place.
I think she will be baptised.

Nothing too crazy this week. Sunday a bunch of drunk guys
surrounded me. One of them wanted me to exchange his one US dollar for
100 US dollars. Doesn't make sense right? It was a bit scary, so I
pulled the "no entiendo"card which in English means I don't understand
haha. He was like o sorry and his other drunk friend got mad at him
and was like " hey leave them alone they have God on their side or
something like that"

The food is amazing here. It usually consists of rice, plantains,
red beans, and like this cream yogurt stuff, its not sweet but I like
it. And always always you have tortillas.
Also another thing I love is the "pulpurias" People just sell
stuff like candy, chips, soda, and other snacks out of their house.
The funny part is pulpuria literally means, Octopus store, like they
sell octopus for food haha. I have no clue where that came from, it's
just the name.
This last week I went on exchanges with Elder Jenkins one of my
zone leaders. He is from Nevada, and he lives by and knows my friend
from Snow College, Lydia Ogeles. He likes all the same stuff as me,
just in general a cool kid. He also speaks English which was nice for
a change. But I missed my companion Elder Sian.
I think Elder Sian will be changing areas this next week, but I'm not
sure. I guess we will find out!
Things are just amazing. I miss and love you all. The time is flying
by, already 3 months, an eighth of the way. In an eternal
perspective, 2 years is nothing. Be safe, remember who you are and
what you stand for! haha
Elder Nathan Ahlborn

Already 3 months!

Hey everyone! How are all you doing? Mi vida es buena! This week was good, a ton of rain, but awesome. I am doing very well physically, mentally and spiritually, so no worries!
This week nothing too crazy happened. The only thing I can think of happened on Wednesday. We were contacting, and we encountered this woman with a beard. Like really a beard, probably one better then I could grow hahaha. We talked to her and she agreed to meet with us later. Later that day one of our investigator friends told us not to visit her because she is a pastor for an Evangelical Church. It was funny because she said " Don´t talk to the lady with the beard" haha how sad is it to be known as a the bearded lady pastor.
Spiritually this week was awesome. Tuesday we had zone conference. I probably understood 30%, There were some things that were easier to understand than others. My two favorite parts of it were about the Book Of Mormon and when we watched a talk given by Elder Holland this last January in the MTC.
This last week I had been studying in chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel, it's about the Book Of Mormon. I prayed to have a confirmation of the importance of it. Then on Tuesday I got my answer. The Book of Mormon is everything to our church. If it's true, and it is without a doubt, then Joseph Smith was a Prophet, the true Church of Christ was restored through him, and our church has the only true Priesthood authority on the earth. My favorite part of the day is when I get to read in the Book of Mormon in the mornings. I just love it!
The talk by Elder Holland was amazing. It was similar to the talk Drew gave me. All the North Americans got to watch it in English, which helped a ton haha. It's just a good talk. Elder Holland talks about how important his mission is to him, how important Preach My Gospel is, and how very important it is to use the Book Of Mormon. Elder Holland is a powerful speaker.
Zone conference was about 9 or 10 hours long, but it was so good. I can´t wait for when I can understand what all the speakers are saying during it haha.

Preparation days are fun. Usually we study until 10:30 then we go and do a district or zone activity, usually soccer, or as it is called here, futbol. All the gringos are awful at soccer, including me, but the Latinos are teaching us how to play the right way hahaha. It's fun to run around for an hour. Today (Monday) I'm getting a hair cut, I'm a bit nervous cause I don't know much hair vocab. Hopefully I don't get some crazy Latino cut, I'm sure Elder Sian will help me out on this hahah


I´m not sure if you all know, but EVERYONE can email me, and I can email back, once I have written my Mission President and my family, so send me some emails people!


The time is flying by. It actually makes me kinda sad how fast it's going, because if you think about it I only have two years out here, then that's it. No redos. I do miss my family and friends, but they will be there when I get back. With my family, what's two years compared to eternity right?

I love you all and hope all is well in the States. I think graduation is this week? Congratulations Steve! I hope you all enjoy your summers. Alan and Geana, you need to keep me posted about the river this year, no worries it wont be a distraction =) be safe, pray often, make good choices, remember who you are, and all that good stuff hahaha

Con todo mi Corazon,
Elder Nathan Lynn Ahlborn

This place is nuts!! but I'm loving it!

Hey everybody!! life here is just awesome. I got to call home on Monday because our zone leaders forgot to tell us to call. I miss the fam, but no worries it's not a distraction. I'm loving it here. Its super hard work, physically, mentally and spiritually, but every single life experience I have had up to this point has prepared me for this mission. I love doing something and thinking " I can do this because two years ago on the river I did this" or this isn't so bad, remember that one time on trek, tons of things like that, I reflect on and it gives me confidence.
K now for the good stuff, so on Monday it rained. But this was rain on steroids. It dumped for a half hour straight. I have never never seen anything like it in my life, Storms on the river, or that big one on trek looked like nothing compared to this. The stream that runs through the bottom of the little valley of San Rafael went from being a stream smaller than hobble creek to a class 5 plus river. No exaggeration. It was intense. O ya I guess this type of thing happens a lot hahaha.
So Saturday was literally one of the weirdest craziest funnest days of my life. 3 experiences. The first, around the morning like noonish coming back from a service project,chopping pieces of pine in half with machetes in a white shirt and tie. Me and elder Sian were walking when this woman jumped out of no where. She was screaming hermanos hermanos, or brothers brothers in English. She either wanted money or to shake our hands, probably money because I'm pretty sure she was drunk or under the influence of something. Me and elder Sian immediately looked right at the ground and started speed jogging because this woman was just wearing bottoms. Ya crazy right, never would happen in Utah. Elder Sian said that this type of stuff only happens in Honduras.
Second experience, while teaching this single mother with two kids, her nephew or some random kid, about 7 or 8 came in, then walked out of the house, which is tiny, and right at the open door way 6 feet from all of us started peeing in the rain gutter. hahah what the heck right? the kid just ripped down his pants to his ankles and peed right in the middle of our lesson. I couldn't help but laugh, what could I do? The mother and elder Sian laughed too and so did the kid. The funniest part was the mother's little girl who is about 3 got super offended.
Last experience. Me and Elder Sian are teaching the Cabellero family. Amazing family, the mother has amazing faith, but she also belongs to another church. On Saturday our appointments got mixed up and when we came at seven the missionaries from her church were already there. But she had us sit down with them all. I could tell from the beginning that this was not good. Me and elder Sian sat there for an hour. I had no clue what they were saying, but this man and woman missionaries just went on and on. I was frustrated, and I could tell that what they were saying was bothering elder Sian. Once they left elder Sian told me they just sat there and indirectly, because the guy wouldn't even look at us, bible bashed and dissed the true church. After their lesson they wanted to pray, or really blasphimize. They all stood up held hands and this guy literally yelled a prayer. Me and Elder Sian stood for respect, but did not participate. The feeling in the room was not good, and during thier apostatize prayer I sat there and prayed my heart and soul out for this family. Elder Sian did the same and the Lord answers prayers.
After the other missionaries left, the dad who we had just barely got to participate came out and apologized to us. He told us that those missionaries were no good, they would only visit and be your friend when they paid the equivalent of tithing at church. He said that they didn't have the same spirit as we did. Then his wife came out with mango juice, which she didn't give to the other missionaries :) So hopefully not to much damage was done.
I feel the spirit all the time. I love it here. It's different, but good, just simpler. We are teaching this one family, Family Nunez Moncada. Their 8 year old boy loves us. He wants us to come over every day. I think they will be baptized!
I hope all is well in the states, love and miss you all!
Elder Nathan Ahlborn