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September 8, 2014
Everything is Awesome!
In case you were wondering, we watched Lego Movie in Spanish for P-Day. I
could understand the whole thing because I pretty much have to whole movie
memorized. Whether not that's sad or super sweet is a decision for you to
make.
Anyway, I would like to begin with a short story. It's a beautiful day in
Olanchito, 200 degrees, pouring rain, and two absolutely devilishly
handsome missionaries are knocking on the door to the house of an investigator.
Unfortunately, no one is home. This is their fourth appointment in a row to fall
through. Pretty discouraged, they turn to face the street. Then, to lighten the
mood, the missionary with darker skin picks up the cat on the porch, and in
perfect English (so perfect, I think he's prayed that he would know how to say
it) yells, "FLY, KITTY, FLY!" He proceeds by throwing the cat across the yard
and over the fence.
The reason I tell you this story is because it describes my companion
pretty well. He is a missionary, and he works hard, but he is a child as well.
This was probably the funniest thing I have seen since we've been here. I really
needed a laugh after such a frustrating day, and man he brought it. I don't
think it was a super great thing to do as a representative of Jesus Christ, but
I think he repented, so we're good.
In other news, people here are rude, but they don't mean to be. I can
understand almost total conversations now, but I really struggle to speak.
Anyway, because I don't speak much, I think the people think I don't understand.
They often in the middle of conversations ask my companion questions like if I
make him speak Ingles or if he likes that he has to talk so much. People on the
street are fascinated by gringos, and always ask my companion questions about
me. Finally, my companion has stopped explaining and just calls me over to
explain myself and answer questions. I can't answer all of them, but I answer
them enough that I get an awesome shocked face from them and me and my companion
laugh about it.
On Thursday we had "Divisiones" with the district leader. Our district lead
is 6' 9" and white, so we were quite the pair roaming downtown Olanchito. We had
fish for lunch, and I got to practice my kissing a little.
Today I bought a Honduras jersey, and what I think is a Dodgers hat (sorry
dad) that's a little too big for my head. The choices were Yankees or Dodgers,
and I think there is a rule about missionaries wearing Yankees gear. I also
bought a super cool watch. All are fake, and all were ten American dollars (200
Limps). I'll keep you all updated on how long they last.
Anyway, that's my week. I miss you all, and wish you luck in your daily
adventures. You're in my prayers.
-Elder Caleb Aldrich
John (Elder Aldrich's dad) asked him a few questions. Here are his answers:
*We leave at 11 every morning. We have to study the First 12 Weeks and do language study on top of the normal companionship study and personal study. Then we get one hour for lunch and one hour for dinner. We have lunch everyday at noon, and dinner at 8 at night. 8 is rough because I'm usually starving by then.
*We contact door to door, but it doesn't work. If people won't let you in right then, they won't answer the door when you go back two days later. We have one family of three we found and taught lesson one the next day, but if they don't answer today, we're gonna wait a few weeks and try again.
*We are starting an English Class this Saturday at 5. I'll let you know how that goes haha.
* We have 16 investigators. The problem we have here is that no one has cars, and most of our investigators either own pulperias (small convenient stores every 50 feet) or live more than 25 minutes walking distance from our Chapel. The other problem is that when it rains on Sundays, lots of roads are impassable, so we are averaging one investigator in church per week. He is awesome. He lives almost 40 minutes walking from the Chapel, and wants to be baptized, but his wife doesn't want to get married, and he has three kids,so we are kinda stuck...
*We set up to teach about 7 lessons a day, but only teach an average 2 or 3. People are never home when they say they will be, or as previously mentioned, or just don't feel like it and leave us in the rain.
*I feel like my challenges vary from day to day. I'm just learning to cope with things and enjoy the challenge of missionary life. It's hard to be too stressed when you're always 30 seconds from an ice-cold Coke in a glass bottle for the equivalent of 15 cents. I feel like that is something Grandma Aldrich would've loved, and I can't help but think about her every time I have one.
Anyway, I really do love it here. I love the challenge of learning the language and dealing with companions. I can't wait to tell you guys about baptizing my first family and all that awesome stuff that is coming up.
Mission Blog
The Honduras San Pedro Sula East Mission President's wife has a blog where she post pictures and information about what is going on in the mission. Her latest blog includes the missionaries that arrived in August. There are pictures of Elder Aldrich! The link to that blog is located on the right margin of this blog. Just click on "The Mission President's Wife or go to http://themissionpresidentswife.blogspot.com
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