The Challenges are There for a Reason

(his photos wouldn't upload and he had computer problems, but here is a photo from President Hayes, at the baptism Saturday! And he said about his pants: "Yeah I may or may not have lost my baptism pants in my first area... The ones I've used these 2 weeks do not fit me at allll hahaha", hopefully he'll pick up some new ones soon like Mom asked him to)

Hey everyone! I don't really have time today, but I'm alive!

     I just wanna share one quick experience. Yesterday, a member invited us to go visit someone with him. When he was in the temple he had felt that we should go and visit them with him. After having a leg amputated, he's now fighting cancer. It was such a humbling experience to go share with him a little bit. We're going to keep visiting him and his family, but it just really reminded me to be grateful for all that I have. I just left the house feeling so dumb for the things I whine about, when I've got the opportunity to be here, healthy, working, while so many people like him don't have that opportunity.

     I know this Church is true, and that God Has a plan! I testified of that to him, and I do so to all. God loves us! The challenges are there for a reason.

Have a great week, everyone!

-Elder Henry

 

1. Did you get shoes?

2. How is it going with the ZL's?

3. Did you have an interview with President when he came for Zone Conf?

4. How are you eating?

5. How are your feet and health?

6. HOW WAS THE WEEK/5 BAPTISMS/ETC?

1. Yes! I got shoes. They're super nice and I love them and my knees don't hurt anymore :-)

2. Good. Normal. My district had a super good month, 7 baptisms, but the other district didn't baptize, so the district's good but the zone's pretty bad.

3. No 

4. Yum! I've lost weight here in Paso Ancho. But just because I don't eat a lot. We eat pretty well here mom haha I love foood

5. Feet good, health good. I haven't gotten sick in a loong time

6. GOOD! stressful. Glad it's done with and that they're all baptized and confirmed now!

Milagros! Miracles!

Happy Independence Day!
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 This baptism was from the Hermanas. But this Saturday we'll have 4 and one from them, too. It's gonna be a party :)

This week has basically been jampacked with miracles. The district is gonna end with 9 baptisms (imagine that, last month we had 2 in the district.) And every area is going to baptize! :) :)
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What a great week. It's been full of roadtripping!

On Tuesday, we had a zone meeting, so that was pretty roadtrippy.

Then on Wednesday morning, I headed out for Los Tirrases! which is about an hour away from central park in bus. I was on divisions there with the zone leaders for 2 days, and Friday finally got back in my area. So we were there for a few hours, and Friday night we headed out to San Francisco, to see Elias's baptism, from the secretaries! Then on Saturday I was finally home all day, and on Sunday we had a surprise baptism pop up! So we jumped in a car and headed over to Barrio Lujan to do the interview. Tomorrow I head over to Los Tirrases again, and tour Concepcion while I'm at it, and then everything will calm back down.

Oh, and today I go back to San Francisco to see the sisters' baptism!

So that's basically been life. But it's been great. We've seen a lot of miracles this week. a LOT of miracles.

Let me tell the miracle of Y. The hermanas in San Francisco have been working with Y for a while now, and she was scheduled to get baptized on the 21st (today). She was really nervous, but had some sweet experiences that made her decide yes! she was gonna get baptized. So everything was looking good. Until we got to Friday.

Y started hiding from the missionaries and didn't answer the phone or anything, and they had no idea why. The finally got ahold of her aunt, who informed them that Y, for whatever reason, didn't want to get baptized anymore, and that's why she was hiding from them.

So, out of options, and without any way of communicating with her to help change her mind, the sisters did the only thing left. They fasted! And they were able to see the miracles promised with fasting. They sent a message on Saturday, which Y didn't respond to, as usual, but when they got to church on Sunday, there was Y! And she asked them if she could still get baptized today. God heard their prayers and touched Ys heart, changing her mind and speaking peace to her heart. It was a real testimony builder about fasting, and made possible that this month every area in our district has a baptism. The week has been full of experience like that.

I love this work. I was listening to a talk by Henry B Eyring today where he talked about how we'll see in our different roles in life how God works miracles to help us do a work that we could never have been able to do alone. I know that that's happening here.

Have a great week! and really pay attention to see those miracles happen.

-Elder Henry

PS Haha yeah I have been doing great writing in my journal. It's pretty tough since no one ever puts emphasis on it, but I started to think about what I wanted my kids to have of my mission and I said ok I'll do it haha.

Just a little Alvarado family fun time :-).

Temple Trip with Paso Ancho!

 Everbody ready for a road trip! To the temple!

Paso Ancho Missionaries!

  Pure young men converts here in Paso Ancho!

 Young men and almost young men (us) temple shot! :)

Temple trip! Woohoo!

So the highlight of the week was definitely the temple trip. On Wednesday we had a Ward Temple Trip, and since we had recent converts, less actives, and investigators all going, President gave us permission to go as well! It was so wonderful to visit the House of the Lord, and feel the wonderful spirit that always abides there. 

I think my favorite part about the trip was how it affected one of my favorite converts. Maybe because he reminds me a lot of me before the mission. The difference is he lives with his grandma and his dad, who's a drunk and got kicked out of the house like 2 weeks ago. It's a really tough situation for him and a really gratifying experience to step in and be that mentor for a youth who doesn't have the support system we all deserve of a family. So he wasn't doing so hot, he wasn't reading in the Book of Mormon or anything, so we went Sunday and talked to him real clearly that he needed to step up his game. On Wednesday he went to the Temple, and since then he's just been different. More receptive, more spiritual, and more friendly with the other youth in the ward. It's really, really wonderful to see change take place in people's hearts. I love the mission so much and feel like where I have converts, I leave a piece of my heart. 

Have a great week everyone! Remember to get out to the Temple and enjoy the great blessing and convenience we have nowadays of entering a Temple.

-Elder Henry

Saprissa played, so we both brought our matching (design) purple ties!

I ran into Elder Tullis! And again today at the Internet cafe, he's companions with Elder Acuña, one of my favorite companions!

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No time for a big letter...

I did a baptismal interview for this young man who's grandmother was baptized by Elder Ritchie!

Spencer Henry
9:30 AM (10 hours ago)
to me
Uh, yeah, I seem to have failed on the picture taking part this week...
Ok thanks.
No big email this week, I am in the middle of doing a stake report...


Lisa Henry
9:32 AM (10 hours ago)
to Spencer
Such a busy busy guy! I'm surprised they don't give you extra time to do the reports so that you still can report home for the week. Or is it just that it's too expensive for the computers?

Spencer Henry
9:34 AM (10 hours ago)
to me
No. They should give me more time but the ZL's put me to do it and told me no. Meh

Lisa Henry
9:39 AM (10 hours ago)
to Spencer
Those Zone Leaders.........LOL.
Did you hear about the BYU football "miracle?" Touchdown on a play that started with one second on the clock, the qb chucked it way downfield and the receiver somehow caught it.

Spencer Henry
9:40 AM (10 hours ago)
to me
Yeah I did mom, don't worry ;-)

Lisa Henry
9:41 AM (10 hours ago)
to Spencer
I thought that was a great shot. Oh and the Ducks won. hehe

Spencer Henry
9:42 AM (10 hours ago)
to me
Oh mom, you sure are a football maniac.
Hey, speaking of futbol, the new hermana in our district is named Hna. Madrid. Like real madrid. Do gringos know what Real Madrid is?

Lisa Henry
9:44 AM (10 hours ago)
to Spencer
This one does! Haha that is awesome. My friend in Denmark loves that team!

Spencer Henry
9:45 AM (10 hours ago)
to me
Yeah it's pretty funny :) But she's pretty tired of hearing Real Madrid jokes haha

Lisa Henry
9:47 AM (9 hours ago)
to Spencer
Well, it is a CITY in Spain. LOL. Where is she from?

Spencer Henry
9:49 AM (9 hours ago)
to me
Honduras

Lisa Henry
9:50 AM (9 hours ago)
to Spencer
You get a lot of Hondurans there, cool! You are going to have to study Spanish so you can do some study abroad stuff at BYU bud!

Spencer Henry
9:51 AM (9 hours ago)
to me
Yup :-) Luckily shes cool

Lisa Henry
9:54 AM (9 hours ago)
to Spencer
Huh never knew that. You would know haha. Isn't Elder Gonzalez from Honduras?

Spencer Henry 9:55 AM (9 hours ago)
Nope! Guatemala. Elder Cruz was my only comp from Honduras, but I've had plenty of ZL's and DL's from there......

Lisa Henry 9:56 AM (9 hours ago)
Oh yeah Guatemala. They are electing a new President...you need to use missionaries' names more ...

Spencer Henry
10:01 AM (9 hours ago)
to me
Basically gringos are known for being more lovable. :-) presidents and ZL alike.

Lisa Henry
10:02 AM (9 hours ago)
to Spencer
Well that is definitely true for you bud! You are the easiest Henry kid, and we are so glad we are your parents. You made life pretty easy on us! #spoiledparents

Spencer Henry
10:07 AM (9 hours ago)
to me
Ah mom stop it you're making me blush

Lisa Henry
10:08 AM (9 hours ago)
to Spencer
Well your tan covers it up haha
Do you need me to send anything when I finally ship your package?

Spencer Henry
10:09 AM (9 hours ago)
to me
Uhhh...
There was something. But I don't remember what it was :-)

Spencer Henry
10:09 AM (9 hours ago)
to me
But the package items aren't anything urgent either, it was just convenient since Tadeo was gonna be there.

Lisa Henry
10:09 AM (9 hours ago)
to Spencer
OK try to write it down when you think of it this week.
Are you taking good care of your teeth? Retainers?

Spencer Henry
10:12 AM (9 hours ago)
to me
Retainers I don't use. When I used them it gave me a cold because the saliva didn't go from my mouth to my throat anymore, so getting sick every time wasn't worth it.

Lisa Henry
10:14 AM (9 hours ago)
to Spencer
Are your teeth getting crooked? =O
I guess you could always have BRACES in college. haha. But yeah getting sick isn't worth it.

Spencer Henry
10:15 AM (9 hours ago)
to me
I dunno if they're getting crooked haha.
But anyways, I love you mom! have a wonderful week :) You're the best.
-Elder Henry