Catracho for Life

2 years already? There's a word that people use to respond to someone's greeting. "bendiciones" or in English, "blessings". I've been blessed to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. Through me He's blessed His children and I've been blessed to be able to see those miracles. I've grown to love Honduras and it's people. They're my familia. Hondurans have taught me so much and have helped me to desire to be more like Christ. Their selfless love and sacrifices that they have made for me. Having nothing, they give everything. Having nothing they are happy. They have taught me how to really find true happiness. They've taught me Spanish. They've taught me how to make baleadas. They've taught me how to endure with patience,  love, serve, and so much more. They've taught me how to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I love Honduras. I love Hondurans. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Most of all I love my Heavenly Father.

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." 

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith"

Hasta pronto,

Elder Beardall 

El Catracho

Smiles Made Bigger

We had some good stuff happen this week! Here's some of them:

Divisions 2.0 on Thursday which also meant smelly river 2.0! But mah boy Elder Jacobson was a good guy and we only had to cross it once. But yes it still reeks! We were able to visit a lot of their progressing investigators and even one that basically there but just needs to get the paperwork so he can get married (which is a massive headache here). We also visited a widow which was awesome. She was talking 100 mph but it was great! Haha she was talking so much that 2 hours flew but without us knowing. Such a good lady. Oh also after we visited her we walked by a small water park that's out of business supposedly because a drug dealing problem or something like that. But it looked cool and it's something that's really needed here with this heat! 

This last week and the week before we were working hard with a family to get all their paperwork in for their marriage and Wednesday they were official. Husband and wife! We're so pumped for them! But that's not even the best part. The mom got baptized on Saturday!!! A little more than a year after their daughters and lots of missionaries it finally happened! It was such an awesome day because she was smiling the whole time and after the baptism it was even bigger! The ordinances and covenants we make with our Heavenly Father really do bring us happiness! 

This week we had the opportunity to read Come, follow me with some families and I really like it! In the reading there were some scriptures that well I'll let you read them too:

John 13:15-17

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

John 14:18, 27

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid

I love that as we follow the Savior's example in loving others we will have leave and comfort in the hard times. 

Elder Beardall 

ps-next week will be my last letter because my fam can't handle me being gone any longer ;)

Forces of Nature and Acting

So this week we've been getting some rain which has been a blessing. It's cooled things down.... Well not for a long time but it still helps. Yesterday it started to pour like hardcore jungle rain and lighting striking so close you could feel the houses rumble. It was AWESOME! Nature, you gotta love it! 

We had my last Zone Conference this last week which was weird. President Carlisle talked about improving the way we find people to help more people enter the waters of baptism. He put emphasis on finding through the help of members and teaching with them as well. Him and Sister Carlisle also got kinda emotional because it's their last conference with us and they shared some great heartfelt words. It was good. Oh also here they have the people going home that transfer share their last testimony so I gotta go up and share. That means I gotta share with 2 others that were there. It was weird to accept that I'm going home because I still feel like I've got lots of time left and lots of people to help. His work isn't finished until everyone has had a chance to hear the good news. Lots of work to do! 

This week we were practicing for a "play" that we did as a zone. I don't remember if I shared about the activity about the apostasy and restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We acted all that out with costumes that the Stake President had custom made for us. It was awesome and there was a good turnout. President was so content that he is planning on doing it again in the coming months. It was a good way to let people know about the truths and to help people understand more about Christ's restored church. I'm so glad to be apart of His church and to be able to have guidance and blessings through obedience to His commandments. 

With a couple that we are helping get married, so they can be baptized, we are reading the Book of Mormon every week. This week we read Moroni chapter 7. I loved a lot of what we read but verses 18 & 19 stood out to me:

18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ

I love how we need to judge people how we would like to be judged. Sometimes we criticize people for what they do or for what they don't do. But as we forgive and judge how we'd like to be judged, we will become more forgiving and more understanding of the trials others are going through. This motive to look for the good is the Light of Christ and like it mentions in verse 19, as we rely on this gift God has blessed us with we will be more like Christ. Judge like you'd like to be judged. Forgive. Serve. Love.

Elder Beardall