Lovin the Area

Oct. 2, 2013

This was actaually a pretty normal week for us. We only went on divisions with other missionaries twice, which is rare. Usually we have to do it 3 or 4 times. We taught a training meeting twice. I got to go out and work with 2 of my good friends that came here with me, Elder Dockendorf and Elder Oveson. We enjoyed that. I had an interview with President Hernandez for our normal interviews every couple of months. It looks like I will probably be finishing my mission in my current area. That is something that we talked about. That would mean that I will end up serving a year in this ward. and 15 months in this stake. I have no complaints though. I love it.

One of the coolest parts about being in the same area so long is seeing the progression of the people. Of the members, converts, less actives, and investigators. It can also be hard sometimes, because they don´t always progress the way that we want them to. But the good thing is that tonight we will see 5 of them, and thier families, progressing in the right direction.

We have been working with the recient convert couple Ramon and Jezany. They were converts of the last APs and they were not attending church. We were working to reactivate them and get Ramon the arronic priesthood. Ramon has 2 little brothers Jair and Keny and a little cousin Jason that live with him. So when we started vistiting the kids starting wanting to go to church with us. They are 3 crazy kids. I love them though. There has been many ups and downs in our time working with this family. Today is the baptism of the 3 kids. Their older brother Ramon will baptize them. I have known Ramon since last year when he was an investigator of the other APs. He still has a long, long way to go. But this is a good step for him and for his family. The rest of his famliy is a little tough. They dont listen to us or support him much. But we hope to see them all at the baptism tonight.

We have also been working with one of my old investigators named Maria. She is 12 years old and lives in a house full of recient converts. She has wanted to get baptized since before August 2012, but her mother Pati would never give her permision to do so. She faithfully attended church meetings and mutual though for the past year. 2 weeks ago we told her mom Pati that we wanted to teach Maria every day to reveiw the lessons and help her be 100 percent ready for baptism. She said that was fine. So we have visited her every day, and taught her with her mother present. We were preparing her to be baptized today, and we would always joke with her mom about her getting baptized too, but she never said much about it. Untill thursday night when Elder Quevedo was teaching her. I was out of the area with Elder Oveson, but I got a text from my companion that said that Maria and Pati were getting baptized. To be honest, I didnt believe him. I thought that he was just joking with me. But when he got home that night he told me that it is true. That Pati decided to get baptized with her daughter. I cannot tell you how happy that made me. You have no idea how many times I have gone to her house to teach her and other members of her family. She has always listened but been hesitant to join us. She has gone to church a few times but not consistiently.  But she said that now is the time for her to join her famliy in the church. 

Anyways, I am happy. I never like to talk about baptism before they happen, because anything can happen. But Elder Jensen did all five interviews last night so it looks like every thing will go great today. I wanted to share it with you today because next saturday I wouldve forgotten. So we have 5 baptisms today. I would give all of the credit to my companion who is the best missionary in the mission and helps me always work hard, and to the Lord who has helped us have sucess in our own little area while we are spending many days and hours outside of it to serve and help the other missionries. I love you all family. Thank you for everything.

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Another Fast Week

September 21, 2013


Well things will be very very different at home when I get there I supose if its not even the same house! I hope everything is going well with the moving. Sorry that I cant help out. Im sure that you can find enough high school kids with nothing better to do on a Saturday morning though. That is exciting though that you are now living somewhere else.

This week went by very very fast. That is normal now though. We continued with our training meetings with 3 more zones. Uyuca, Esperanza, y Valle de Angeles. That went well. We have seen some positive responses from the missionaries. I know that there are many new missionaries that want to be successful and work hard, but if their trainer doesnt teach them how to do it, it can be a little hard for them. I think the things that we are teaching to all of the missionaries will help them out to know how to work harder and more efficiently. Because truth be told, contacting (knocking doors or in the street) has not been my most effictive tool out here to find positve people to teach. There is a better way. With the members, less actives, and converts. I am lucky enough to be in an area that I have been in for 9 months now. I have a very good relationship with the members and I know the San Miguel like the back of my hand. So we have been doing well in our area with teaching and finding this week. We are really working hard to get a few more baptisms next week so we will see how that goes. 

I spent 3 straight days away from my companion. That is kind of normal for us because we work so much with the other missionaries. I went with Elder Reyes on wednesday and that was just like old times. He is definetly one of my best friends out here. I love the kid. I spent the next 2 days with Elder Lawson and Elder Fielding. 2 excellent young ZLs. They just seem so much better than I was when I had the same amount of time that they do. The future is bright for the mission honduras tegucigalpa.

This coming week we will keep going with the same. I am in a good rythm right now. I wake up and exercise, I eat breakfast, I get ready, I study or go teach a zone something, I go out to work all afternoon with whoever I am to go with in that day, and I meet up with my companion at night to report how things went. We go to bed, and do it all over again. I have been trying to eat healthy foods and that makes me feel good. I dont think I could handle a fast food meal anymore. I would feel pretty sick. Next week will go really well I am sure. I am enjoying some rest today because I am pretty exausted, but I am happy. I love you all family. Love Elder Comstock

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Love It!

I'm an American Through and Through!!

The View From my House

Going to The "Dirty South"

Sept.14,2013

The southern part of our mission is the poorest, dirtiest, and hottest part of the mission. I spent 6 months there at the start of my mission so I can appreciate what they are doing down there. We spent the whole week down there. I actually just rolled into Tegucigalpa about an hour ago. It was a very long and fun trip. We taught 4 different training meetings to 6 different zones. We got to see all of the missionaries in the south. During the next 4 weeks we will teach the same training meeting to the remaining 11 zones in the city and east.

The training is to try to focus more on families as a mission. We had decent results last month, and ok results so far this month, but we can do much much better. What we are lacking is families. If we only are teaching kids and single people we will never baptize as many people as we possibly can. So we came up with a plan to find and baptize more families. I feel like we have some experience, I got to go to a sealing, and my companion has had 2 famlies get sealed that he taught. So we want all of the missionaries to expereince what we have experienced. They can and they will, if they will just be obident and follow the plan. We are trying really hard to have another family baptism before October 16th when Elder Quevedo goes home. 

I drove the whole trip. I have now driven to all of the zones of this mission. It feels good to get to drive for awhile. I was able to talk to my companion a lot in the car too so that was good. I think my companion was a little discouraged because we get a long and all but we are not best friends or anything. I never noticed or cared, cuz that is just how I am. I thought we were fine. But I need to work on it to help him feel good about everything in his last few weeks. He is a really good missionary. Easliy my best companion and example that I have had out here. I can tell he is not focused on going home. He is set on finishing focused and working.  Like I said, he is a great example to me. I am glad that we get another month together. 

It was a crazy week with a lot of heat, rain, work, and fun. I wish that I could tell you every little detail, but I have a lot of other things to do today since I spent all morning driving back. I feel like my Pday is never a real and complete one. It is ok though. I am still very happy. I love you family!

Love Elder Comstock

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Not Moms favorite Letter!!!:(

The change week went by very quickly. We spent alot of monday and tuesday in the airport. We actually got to see an elder off from my ward. He was heading to the mtc in guatemala and we were getting there to drop off somebody. It was lucky. I love that guy. He will be a great missionary. THe rest of the changes went very well on wednesday. All of the elders are now in there new areas. I am still with Elder Quevedo. We keep trying to serve and help the mission.

The internet was out all day in the office. and we had to wait for it. I am sorry but I have to go. Nobody had time to write.Sorry! I love you all so much. I will write more next week.

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Big Day for the Mission

September 2,

This is a big day for our mission. We did not start off the month well. But if we want to finish with the results that we had hoped for for this month we must have a very large sum of baptisms this week. We have enough people with a baptismal date to break the record of baptisms in one week. We will have to do it in order to have over 200 baptisms for the 6th month in a row. I have no doubt that we will complete that. Our mission is looking to finish this month strong. and start the month of september next week a lot better than we started august. We need to be consistent. That is one of my big responsibilties as AP. To verify with the zone leaders on how many baptisms we will have every week, and every month. And to push them to reach thier goals. And it is not simply because we want to be the highest baptizing mission in central america (which we were in july). It is because we are seeking to help as many people as possible to enter into baptismal waters. I see so much potential in our mission to help even more people, so my job is to push them with higher goals in order to do so.

On wednesday we had a trianing meeting with all of the new missionaries and thier trainers. SInce June over 40 missionaries have entered the mission, so there were over 80 missionaries there. There were more sisters than elders. The meeting went well though. President Hernandez was not able to attend because he had a tooth pulled and was recovering. So Elder Quevedo and I were in charge of everything. It went really well though. I practiced teaching with the new elders. Most are from the states and are learning spanish still. I just put them on the spot and made them teach. That is the best way to learn. After that we rotated and I had the trainers with me. I did the exact same thing with them. Not because they need to practice teaching, It is so that they will practice with their new missionaries. My trainer was great and all, but he never practiced with me. I turned out ok, but imagine if we would have accelerated that process. That is what I want the new people to do. Become great teachers, and as soon as possible. I hope that they can learn from our past mistakes, and be much better missionaries than I am and the rest of my generation. 

The rest of the week was pretty normal. I will have a baptism on tuesday. Her name is Amanda. She is about 50 yrs old and has a son who is 17 named Juvinee. He has been a member for 4 or 5 years and has always wanted his mom to join him. She never really wanted to though. I actually taught her for the first time about a year ago. She is finally ready for baptism though. I am very happy about that. It has been a great experince to be in the same area that I was in a year ago. She wants to be baptized on Tuesday becaue it is her sons birthday. He will baptize her. It will be amazing. I have seen that so many people have progressed more and more towards the gospel in that time. She is one of them. There are also others that have not progressed at all in that time. They rejected the gospel the first time and their life is the same or worse than it was before. And they sill reject it. It is a sad thing.

Well I love you family. It has officially been a year since I left Guapinol and I got the the 30 for the first time. It has also been about 2 years since I opened my mission call. Crazy right? It has gone by very quickly. I have loved it though. 

Love Elder Comstock

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Letter to Grandma and Grandpa as they prepare for their mission.

August  18, 2013

Grandpa and Grandma,

I am very happy to hear that you will be enterning the MTC so soon. I hope that you are as excited as I was to go there. I loved my stay there. Im sure that you wont be there for anywhere near as long as I was, but you will enjoy it. I know that the number of Elder and Sister missionaries as gone up a ton since last october. I wonder if that also had an effect on how many senior couples are serving. Our mission only has one senior couple but they dont work with us: They are in charge of the churches perpetual fund.  Anyways, I was very happy to hear that you would be joining me out here in the mission field. I know that you will help many people in mississippi. 

You will have to send me a letter or an email with details on all of your responsibilities next month once you have been out there for awhile. I cant wait to hear about all that you are doing. It will be very different from what I am doing I am sure, but It will still be exactly what the lord needs for you. You wont have as many rules as I do. Lucky you. I am actually very used to the rules by now so I dont mind them. In fact, they have helped me alot through my time out here. It will be weird when I finish and I have to go to normal life. I am glad that I still have 4 more months before I have to start worrying about that. 

The time passes by very quickly. You will see that once you get out there. We are just so busy as missionaries. It is the best. It is just wierd to look back and see how far I have come. By the time you leave I will be about to hit 20 months as a missionary. That is more time than you will even serve I think. (Yours is 18 months right?) But when I see all of the pictures, journal entries, and people, I cant believe that it has been that long. I am glad that I have had all of my trials and difficulties that I had throughout the first year of my mission. The second year has been full of a lot less tears, and a lot more smiles. Many better companions, the ability to communicate with ease to anyone that I need to, the success that we have had as a mission, and the changes that I have seen in so many peoples lives. So dont worry if It takes you a little to ajust to the mission, all of the struggles help so much for the rest of your time. The Lord prepares us for our final year and months, to truly become the great missionaries that he knows that we can be. 

I like saying we. I feel a sort of brotherhood knowing that you will be missionaries just like me very soon. Its about time that someone from the family joins me! I know that dallin will serve and maybe even Whitney. I will encourage her to do so once I get home and she is getting closer to 19. Your example in going out on a mission will serve them, and the rest of the younger girls, in many ways over the next 18 months. I truly support Elder Hollands statement when he said in october 2011, " Those little darlings will be just fine, and I promise you will do things for them in the service of the Lord that, worlds without end, you could never do if you stayed home to hover over them. What greater gift could grandparents give their posterity than to say by deed as well as word, “In this family we serve missions!”"

It is the truth. In this family we do serve misisons. And you 2 are the example. Thank you for always being the example. You have always helped and supported me in everything that I have ever done, but never have you supported me as much as you have in my mission. Thank you for the help that you have given me monthly that will allow me and my parents to send me off to school after the mission and not have to worry about the money, because I didnt have to spend all of mine and thiers to be here. Thank you so much. I feel so blessed. I know I have not been much of a personal writter, but I hope that you have enjoyed my weekly emails. They are written to each and every one of my family members. Anyways, thank you for everything Grandma and Grandpa Jordan. You are the best Grandparents that a Grandson could ever ask for. Good luck with your talks tomorrow. I cant wait to hear from you and know how things are in mississippi. I love you so much.

Love, Elder Comstock

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Back to Guapinol

I just got back from a trip to the south. I have been on a bus for 4 hours and I am feeling kind of sick. I must´ve eaten something down there. I will be fine though. I started my last journal this week. I have filled up 3 already.

Tuesday morning I spent in the office working on a presentation for zone confernce next week. It is going to be a good conference. I am excited to teach the entire mission over a 3 day period. I have a few videos that we will be watching and I have prepared a power point. Wish me luck. After that I headed down to the south for a week. We got there at 9 o clock so we couldnt do much on tuesday.

Wednesday I met up with Elder Dockendorf and Mendoza for divisions with them. I went with them a couple weeks ago. Their area is so incredible that I had to go back. We ate an iguana for dinner that night. Next time I send pictures you will see that. It was pretty good. 

Thursday I went with a different zone. We walked, and walked, and walked, and walked. They were both new in their area so they kept geting lost. We probably walked like 8 miles. We made our own fun as we walked though. 

Friday was the coolest day of the trip. I went back to GUAPINOL!!!! that was really really cool. Everyone is doing great out there. I will tell you the biggest guapinol news next week, but it was really good to get to see everyone and help the elders out there.

Today I woke up sick to my stomach but I had to come back so we are here now. I made it on the bus. I will probably just work on my presentation for next week and rest untill our baptisms tonight. We should have 1 and possibly2 from our own area. Our ward supports us a lot while we are on our ap trips. I love you family. Have fun getting ready for school!!!

Love Elder Comstock

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220 Baptisms!

August 4, 2013

I had a good week this week. It was very busy.

On Monday we had all of the mission dats that showed us that we had 220 baptisms in our mission in july. That is the most that we have ever gotten in a month with only 4 sundays. So we did a good job. We are definetly getting better as a mission and we are getting closer to our bigger goals. 

On Wednesday we had our monthly meeting with the zls and the sister training leaders. The meeting is a lot bigger than it used to be. There used to only be 22 zls in the mission. Due to all of the growth of missionaries in our mission there are now 34. Plus 6 sisters that are in charge of the sisters. There is a lot of leadership in our mission. That is a good thing. I had to teach them something and I talked about goals and we set goals as a mission. I also talked about being realistic with our goals. That is something that our mission is not as good at right now. We are working on it though.

After the meeting I got in the truck and loaded 3 beds into the back. I drove them out to Danli with the zls from Danli. So we went for a road trip out to Danli. My companion stayed in Tegucigalpa to work with zls here in the city. We made it safely. It was a fun trip. That night we had a few hours to work but the power went out and we werent able to do much. 

Thursday we had zone meetings in Danli with the 2 zones out there. That went really well. Those are 2 really good zones. They seem to be ready to have a good month in August. We took some beds to the sisters house after the meeting. We helped some other sisters move after that. I had planned on being done with all of that around 4 to go to work with the missionaries. But it wasnt that easy. The truck alarm started going off and we tried everythingwe could possibly think of to get it to stop. I was with 2 elders who were educated about cars and they were not sure why the alarm was going off. We ended up disconnecting the entire alarm system because we couldnt get it to stop. The car has been fine since then, but we are still unsure about what happened. I guess that the same thing had happened a few months ago with the same truck. It is a nice truck, it just has that glitch I guess. I ended up having to drive the missionaries that helped me out to their area because they missed the bus. I wasnt back and working until 7. It was not how I had hoped to spend my day, but it happens.

Friday I got up and drove to la zona valle verde. That is one of the few zones that I had not been to before. It is a little district out in the east side of honduras made up of tiny branches. The missionaries are doing a good job out there. That is where elder meyer is. He leaves next week. He is so ready haha. I was with elder edwards all day and he is a really good guy. He came here on the plane with me. We had a good time with the work that we had to do. We actually found a new family and taught a new lesson and that felt good. We slept in hammoks last night. true hondurans

Today we got up and started our drive back to teguc. I am now back in the office. I made the trip safely. We prayed before each departure. I know that that helps protect us. Now I am having a normal boring pday on a saturday. It is a good break at least. I love you all family. Enjoy the last few weeks of summer. Love Elder Comstock

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