Optimistic Investigators

Monday: Hand Washing Clothes

I learned how to wash clothes manually. Apply soap, scrub, and rinse. It's simple but still very different from what I am used to. We went tie shopping at a formal clothes store. It was basically a Kohls. I found some great ties there. Nicer ties here are like $6 each so the price isn't that bad either.

We had dinner at the restaurant and the person taking our order wanted to read the Book of Mormon? It was strange. On a later day we gave it to her and who knows what will come from it.

Tuesday: José Flores and Ana

We had a lesson with one of our investigators that wants to be baptized. She can't for certain reasons out of her control but we came to see what she needed. She asked us to teach her son because she is worried about him. We ended up giving her a blessing to feel comfort because she is having a hard time. 

Later that night we had our first lesson with the optimistic Investigator from the previous week. We read from the Book of Mormon and he expressed interest in being baptized but he wants to feel ready first. He is very much ready for baptism already and we are planning on teaching a lesson on the requirements to show him.

It was awesome to hear how much he wants to be baptized and that he wants to be worthy for it and strive to be worthy for it. We did not expect such a positive outcome from meeting him.

Wednesday: Areabook

We decided that we should try to find people via areabook, the app we have to coordinate and digitize our missionary efforts. Brother Brose wants to have access to it as the Ward Mission leader but from out experience it's not what he needs. We use spreadsheets a lot and it's better at keeping track at information from a top down. I don't really like how the data is organized. It's hard to use at times and it's inefficient for things like part member and inactive families.

We were able to find 2 people going through old investigators that were listed there. Not much else happened that day other than finding an old investigator by tracting which was unexpected.

Thursday: Double Dipping

We had Intercambios (Exchanges) and we decided to have both groups in our area to find more people. Me and Elder Romero headed off to La Mata. We found a lot of people rather quickly. We found 5 people who were interested in hearing our message. Most days we struggle to get 1 or 2 but we found 5. 

We are going to spend a lot more time in La Mata because people are more receptive. The area is pretty close by bus (if we remember when it leaves El Carmen) so we shouldn't have too much problems with church attendance.

Friday: Noche de Hogar con Alexander 

We were finally able to get a lesson with one of our investigators, the one who refuses to accept lessons but wants to come to church, by having a Family Home Evening with him. We had a great lesson about the restoration and got him to want to read the Book of Mormon. His name is Alexander and we are finally getting him to progress.

Saturday: Service

We helped clean the house of one of our investigators. She is having a hard time walking and can't clean it herself. I swept the outside with a broom that you'd find in an elementary school grammar book. The end of it was made of these reeds. It was surprisingly effective at sweeping despite it looking like a movie prop.

We went to Comayagua to pick up Baptismal clothes for Siguatepeque because we didn't have the size they needed here. That was about for that day. A lot of serving others.

Sunday: Lots of Good Stuff

We had four investigators come to church. José, Alexander, Ana (from Tuesday) and someone from a part member family. Getting people to come to church isn't too difficult for us, just everything else about missionary work is slow. People are slow to progress (except José) and we can really only find people in La Mata.

Later that day we had two great lessons with Familias Parciales (part member families). We think we are going to get somewhere with them but it's going to take some time.

Overall we had a couple great lessons but not much luck finding  people outside La Mata. This week we are primarily going to teach our progressing people and in La Mata because we are actually getting somewhere there.