Making Some Progress in Bluefields

Hey everyone!!! So this last week was a good week here in Bluefields. Not the most eventful, but things are going well and we're just working really hard. The other missionaries in our district baptized a super cool family this past week. When we go out contacting, it is super hard to find many positive people, but we are finally finding some investigators and they are progressing.

Everywhere you go in Bluefields, there are awesome views of the water.

Last Sunday, we got a reference from our Branch President who had met this guy that had just been released from prison that very day (he was only in prison for 2 days). His name is M. and he is originally from Costa Rica, but is now living here in Nicaragua with some family members and he wants to change his life around. Honestly, he is extremely positive and very charismatic. He went to the branch activity last Wednesday night and he stayed for all 3 hours in church yesterday. He listened to the lesson about temples in Priesthood and says that is his goal now -- a funnier and longer story happened in Priesthood which I don't have time to share, but let's just say he's not afraid to ask a LOT of questions -- LOL.

Looking out toward the Caribbean.

We are also teaching a big family of cousins with about 7 people in all (there are 2 aunts and their 5 kids). All of them have been coming with us to church, and it is super cool that they all want to get baptized together. Sometimes it gets a little difficult to teach them because they can get a little rowdy..., but they are extremely humble. Their house is made out of these flimsy wooden beams sticking out over the water! But they are making some progress.

We will have a baptism soon with another investigator who had to travel to Estelli, Nicaragua, for some medical tests for some health issues. He wasn't sure when he would be able to return, but once he does, he plans to get baptized!!! So the area is moving along a little better now.

Some cool street art #1

This coming week on Thursday, we have a multi-zone conference, so we will be leaving on Wednesday and heading back inland on the pangas. I'm excited and dreading the conference at the same time -- I am excited to go and see all the other missionaries at the conference (sadly, none of my buddies from Sandino Zone will be there), but I am dreading the trip there and back. The worst part is how expensive it is for us because we have to pay for the trips! As a result, we won't be back in our own area in Bluefields until about mid-day on Friday, but it should be fun! I have heard we get to watch the movie, Meet the Mormons, too.

That's cool to hear that Aaron Fraley and Keenan Robertson returned home from their missions. Hard to believe they are already finished -- their two years flew by. I am excited for when I get home next summer and then we can talk about our missions. I didn't realize Keenan was in the bottom part of Chile where it is cold.

So, this past week, I had some weird dreams where I was eating some of the delicious breakfast food my mom used to buy for me, like toaster strudels and mini Jimmy Dean sausage croissants. I got a little sad and miss those for sure. I have to laugh every time I eat a meal with chicken because they are chock full of bones, and I think of my little sister and how much she would hate that, ha ha. There's no such thing as boneless meat here in Nicaragua. :) I also have to shake my head at the pictures of my little brother because it looks like I'm going to come home without any muscles and he is going to dominate me in basketball, at least for a little while. Well, I gotta run. Thanks everyone for your emails and letters!

Cool street art #2