The Field is White: Week 37 -- Changes, Sick, Zoo, and Beach

A new nurse came to the mission and she's really nice and, in fact, we had to call her this week because I got a little sick from some stomach virus but don't worry. I'm all better, nothing grave. All is well.

So I had changes (obviously) and now I am in the zone Fesitranh and my area is La Victoria and my companion is Hna U from Nicaragua. We are about 20 minutes out of San Pedro Sula.

1. What are your first impressions of your new area?

Well, I have been a little bit sick, like I said, and yesterday since Honduras played in the mundial (World Cup Soccer game), we couldn't leave the house, so from what I have actually seen of this area, it's really nice. I'm a little scared, though, because everyone tells me that I'm the first American sister to get sent here so that worries me a little bit, but whatever. The people are definitely different than in Copan. They can read, they have fridges and stoves and ovens and curtains and houses and...i don't know...it's all different. There are no paved roads except for the carretera or the highway. It's about 20ish minutes from Campana. We live in a house on the second story and the member who owns it feeds us every day.

2. What did you do for P-Day this week?

We went to a zoo and beach in Omoa (if you remember I went there a looooong time ago while I was in Campana) but, yeah, we went there then ate in Wendy's and now we are here. It was actually really, really sad the state of the animals there.... I'm amazed at how much we do as a zone here! We do stuff for every P-Day, we meet in the same building every Tuesday for district meetings and we plan together on Thursdays! I am coming from Copan where everything is too far away to do anything! And I haven't met hardly anyone...haha...only the peeps in Copan and now I am getting to know some folks so that's cool.

3. How was church yesterday? Are you in a ward or a branch? Were there many investigators at church?

We didn't make it to church because of mondial.... so the elders brought us the sacrament and it was lovely.

4. How many investigators do you have? Are you working with investigators or with inactive members in your new area?

We have real investigators... I don't know how many since I was sick.

5. What miracles and tender mercies have you seen this week? Answers to your prayers?

I am feeling better after being sick with a stomach virus. And it's so nice to have someone cook for us every day!

6. How has someone else blessed your life this week?

My new companion, Hna U, has been really good to me. She washed all my clothes. she took care of me, like brought me food and water, and cleaned the house and everything while I was sick. There is the member who feeds us, Hna Marcia, and we went to her house, too, to to have a change of scenery and she was sweet, too. Actually the other elders in the area, too. They bought me groceries to have things to eat while I was sick.

7. What was the best thing that happened this week?

Changes. After spending a week being "district-less" in San Pedro Sula, I finally got an area and people and a zone and district and house and everything!

8. What have you been grateful for this week?

The fact that I have been surrounded by people who don't even know me, but who already care about me, enough to give me their couch to sleep on, or to wash my clothes, or to buy me food, or to call to see how I am.

9. What was the funnest/funniest thing that happened this week?

We had a zone meeting on Thursday and this zone is way funny and so pretty much we were just laughing at each other for an hour and it was great.

10. What was the spiritual highlight of your week?

Not sure.

11. What service have you done for others? What service have others done for you this week?

Everyone gave service to me this week and, well, I'm very independent but I let them, lol.

12. What did you learn from your personal study this week? Where are you at in the Old Testament? What else are you studying right now?

I'm going to be honest... I haven't studied once this week...and not becasue I'm a planch (loser/lazy person) -- I've been sick!

13. You said you have been working on your lesson plans. What are you doing with those, and how is that project coming along?

I am still working on those. I'm in Lesson 2 but I'm almost done and then I will work on lesson 3.

14. Do you know that I love you SO much and I miss you?

Yes

15. What has been the most beautiful thing you’ve seen this week?

The beach!!!! Even though we couldn't swim in it.

16. Did anything unusual or strange happen this week?

I got sick again!!! FREAKIN AGAIN!

17. What are you looking forward to this week?

To leaving the house and preaching the gospel!

18. What did Pres Dester have to say this week?

He started writing mass emails, which makes more sense than tons of individual ones. He shared an experience from when he was leaving on his mission and the words of a hymn, "How Gentle God's Commands," brought him great peace. He talked about how the Savior understands how we feel when we are discouraged and He will help us. He shared Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart...and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

These are the words of the hymn:

How gentle God's commands!
How kind his precepts are!
Come, cast your burdens on the Lord
And trust his constant care.

Why should this anxious load
Press down your weary mind?
Haste to your Heavenly Father's throne
And sweet refreshment find.

His goodness stands approved,
Unchanged from day to day;
I'll drop my burden at his feet
And bear a song away.

19. How do you feel you’ve done this week in being a better Consecrated Missionary and “the Fourth Missionary”?

I haven't worked this week so I haven't done anything...

20. Now that you've been there a while (can you believe you're almost halfway through????), what are some Honduran customs that you have come to like or appreciate? What is your favorite food that you've eaten on your mission so far? What is your favorite memory/experience from your mission so far?

I think that my favorite food is tajadas still... I really like tajadas and baleadas and fried platanoes. My favorite experience is everything that happened with Jorge. I think that that will be one of my most prized memories for my whole life. As far as customs.... I can really only think of customs that I don't like, haha. I dont like kissing everyone on the cheek, I don't like how women just feed their babies and grown children right in front of me without anything to cover them up, I don't like how the hombres whistle or try to speak to me in English.... but the people are nice.

21. How often do you write in your journal? Do you need a new journal yet?

I write in my journal every night! But I am only halfway through this one that I have right now so I'm still good for a few more months.

Okay, this email is really crappy sorry. I just don't feel very well and am quite baggy (homesick) today. I'm sure after a week of hard work and a baptism (because, yumm, yeah, we are already going to have a baptism!) that I will feel much better.

I love you all. Please don't remind me about my birthday because I don't want to turn 20. Prayers would be appreciated.

Love,

Hna Gisseman

Zone Fesitranh