Monday, July 21, 2014

Five and a Half Months

This is where we live!

So, 5 and a half (ish) months ago, when I had five and a half (ish) months in Campana, I got sick. Why? Because I was going to leave, and a fever with a runny nose and sore throat was my body's way to complain. Turns out that my time in Copán has come to a close, and for the first time in 5.5 months, I'm good and sick. I don't like this tradition.

Anyway, also for the first time in five and a half months, I have a family steadily (and happily!) progressing toward baptism. We finished teaching lesson 4 (commandments) with familia Hernandez this week and they received all with attention and gladness. We talked with them about tithing and they said "Yes, hermanas, we've been wanting to hear about that. We want to start paying it." We talked with them about missionary work and they have already given us 3 referrals (that's considerably more than we have received from any of the members here). In Alma 19:33, it talks about the experience of the household of Lamoni: "that their hearts had been changed, that they had no more desire to do evil." In a later chapter, we read that the converts of Ammon and his brethren "never did fall away" (Alma 23:6). That is the sort of conversion that we are seeing in familia Hernandez. As Hna Miller has often said, I may be leaving Copán this week without baptisms, but I am not leaving without converts. And that's enough.

Also, for the first time in five and a half months, Luis came to church. Luis was baptized quite some time ago, and spent at least some amount of time as a faithful member. He even baptized one of the boys in my primary class. But due to an addiction to calcohol, he hasn't come to church in a very long time. in all my time in Copán, I had never seen him come. Usually when we go to see him, he is either out drinking or already drunk. His father has told us "Just stop coming sisters, there's no hope." This is always hope! And that hope was fulfilled when Luis walked into church yesterday, wearing a smile and a white dress shirt, and was greeted by his friends in the elders' quorum.

A fin de cuentas, five a half months later, I think I finally like this area. It finally feels like home. I don't want to leave, and that's how I knew I was going to. I was expressing that last night to fam. Herandez and they said "It's just like Nanny McPhee!" (Nanny McPhee, evidently, is universal). But it really is just like that. The Lord is merciful enough to give us what we need, even if it isn't what we want. He loves us enough to take us out of our comfort zone in order to help us grow. He knows, like Parley P. Pratt knew, that we "have all of eternity before [us], in which to enjoy [ourselves]." Even though staying here for another six weeks (to see the Hernandez wedding/baptism, to use the WASHING MACHINE AND DRYER that were just installed in our apartment, etc.) would be really, really awesome, I know that there will be something about my new area that I need, and something about it that needs me.

I love the Lord, and I love to be in His service. I love Hermana Miller and I love the people that we have been able to serve here in Copán Ruinas. I even love this little town, which I really never thought was possible. I will never cease to be grateful that God has entrusted a little part of His vineyard to me. I love this gospel and I know that this church is true!

¡Sean firmes en la fe!

Love,
Hermana Pickett
My last primary class--we learned that we can all be missionaries!

I just LOVE Hermana Miller!

I reunited with my buddies at the bird park


And I tried to make a new bird friend, but he bit me. And then he laughed in my face about it. Rude. 
We practiced the Honduran woman skill of carrying everything on one's head, even the Gospel! 



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