Hombres Trabajando and More Pizza!

I just couldn't resist this photo op! ("Men at Work")

First off, this past week we had cambios, but in our whole district we only had one Elder get transferred... Elder Bradbeer (he was in my CCM district as well). But, he was moved because he got called to be a district leader himself!! The big change this past cambio is that our zone, the Managua Zone, was split, and now I am in the new Zona Sandino.  So we have one new Elder in our district who took Elder Bradbeer's place, and this new Elder is from Syracuse, Utah. Otherwise, my district is the same. I guess President Russell wants to see what else we can do here.

We had pizza again this week, but this
time it was a zone activity (almost the
entire zone). This was the aftermath after we
finished with the name badges from each of the
Elders in my district.

I am actually relieved that I didn't get transferred. All of the people I have helped baptize these past few months are starting to progress in the church with callings and priesthood, and then we also have 7 more possible baptisms in our area this next week!!! All 7 of these investigators have passed their baptismal interviews, but a few of them are still working on some difficulties, so they are not for sure, but we're working with them. In fact, we might need a few miracles this week in order for it all to work out!!

Another cool highlight is that about 75% of our new converts are still going strong! Here is a quick report: The first family that got married and baptized on Valentine's Day -- well, the 2 daughters arrive at church every Sunday by 7:00 AM to help do visits with the Young Men and Young Women groups. One of the daughters is going to Seminary, and the other one is attending Institute and she is also planning on going with the ward in June to the temple in Honduras! I also feel so blessed to see their Triple Combinations that I gave them all marked up and highlighted -- they have each almost finished the whole Book of Mormon.

Enjoying our pizzas at the zone activity today.

The lady we baptized near the end of March, well, she had to travel for work to the east side of Nicaragua for 3 weeks, but she told us she was able to find the church over there and attended while she was away. Now she has come back and she just accepted a calling in the Relief Society!

The family that we just baptized on April 25th, well the father received the Priesthood and last week Elder Salmeron and I helped teach him how to prepare the Sacrament. Then, yesterday, it was so cool to watch him bless the Sacrament! (I just cried a little writing all of that...)

We are doing everything we can to help these new converts come to church and stand on their own testimonies so that they will continue to attend after I leave. Still, there are a few of them that have a hard time going each week if we don't go by their house on Sunday morning and help them come to church. But, after having been here for just over 4 months now, I feel incredibly blessed to see the impact that we have made with helping people to change their lives and embrace the restored gospel. It is definitely more than just about numbers.

So it is now the rainy season here in Nicaragua, but it only rained 2 days this past week, and then it only rained a little bit each time. Apparently it doesn't rain as much here in Ciudad Sandino compared to the rest of Nicaragua, but when it did rain, it cooled the temperature down a lot! (I was still sweating like crazy, though). 

My parents asked if I was able to get Priesthood blessings when I was sick a couple of weeks ago, and of course I did. In fact, every time I have gotten sick I have received Priesthood blessings, including that bad rash I had in the CCM and then a couple of times in Masaya as well. I have also helped to give a dozen or so blessings here on the mission, but most of them seemed rather normal.

I got a few ties -- thanks Uncle Joel!

My parents also asked if there was anything they could send me with my new shoes. Unfortunately, I don't think a giant Coldstone shake would make it without melting all over, and a Double-Double from In 'N' Out would probably arrive in pretty bad shape. So I guess maybe just some multivitamins. One of the other American Elders in my district gave me some vitamins to try, and I actually feel a lot better after taking them because I feel like that's something I really lack in the diet we eat here. 

Well, I am almost out of time. A big thank you to everyone who wrote me emails and letters. I got several at cambios last week. But, there is no Post Office here in Sandino, so I am going to have to figure out a way to send some letters back home, or maybe try and get email addresses for everyone so that I can respond back. Thanks again, though! Have a great week.