WEEK #28 GOODBYE TO HONDURAS FOR NOW

(Note from mom) It is with a heavy heart that Elder Beeston must say goodbye to Honduras for now. The battle he has been fighting with an illness not yet completely understood has made missionary work a burden. Therefore, while he has put on a happy face and done everything in his power to remedy the situation despite his suffering, it has nevertheless been decided that he must take a break from his mission to get well. 

We are so grateful for the support of an amazing mission president who has only wanted the best for Derik from the start and has done everything in his power, exhausting every resource Honduras has to offer, to keep Derik there. We are also grateful for amazing family members and friends who have shown nothing but love and support from the day he opened his mission call. And of course we are grateful more than words can say for your continued support and prayers as he battles this illness in his desire to continue to be able to serve the Lord in whatever capacity He sees fit. 

Derik wants more than anything to go back to Honduras to continue his service. But he also understands that there are some things we don't get to choose and that everything happens for a reason. So we look forward with much anticipation to the next chapter of his story and whatever that brings! And we know that everything will be okay in the end because if it's not okay, it's not the end.

WEEK #27 WEIRD WEEK INDEED

Weird week indeed it was. But a good one. So about a week ago we found out that one of the members in our ward had to get baptized again because the church couldnt find her papers and so because this church is a church of order, she needed to get baptized again to have her papers. Her name is celeste and she is 16 and she lives in our area so we got a freebee baptism hahahha. It was really random and she was super super upset and confused and would just cry. Everything turned out well though. When we were at her house doing the interview, our mission President called and asked if it was true that she was getting baptized again. Turns out he knows this family really well because the older sister of celeste served for a bit in this mission while she waited for her visa. He loves this family and told us he would be at the baptism and then my comp told him that he should do it and we asked celeste and she said yes so we got to do a baptism with pres:) It was coooooool.

Somethin else really strange that happened this week. Getting ready to head out on saturday and work and the dog roxi walks through our house which it never has done, goes to the back part of the house and just starts puking. then starts foaming out the mouth and shaking and running into the wall and couldnt breath. We figured she got poised with something and so I had to grab her foamy mouth and open it up and we poured oil down it. Then milk. Then the last option coffee to get her to throw up and she wouldn't. So we just stayed there for the whole morning and thought she was going to die. She just keep running her head into the wall and then falling down and it really was sad to watch and I thought I was going to watch this dog die. We left it back there for a while cuz we didn't know what to do and we gave away all the pups to people that would give em milk. Turns out roxi is better now and now we want the pups back. we only got two now. Really weird experience. 

Things aren't going too hot right now out here but we are working hard and just trying to do our best. I am learning every day and am learning a lot about myself and the weaknesses I have. But, God chooses the weak ones to do this work. Sometimes I wish I didn't have some of the struggles I do but God gives us weaknesses to help us humble ourselves and come to Him for help. I know this is His work and He gets the credit. Thanks for your love and support and prayers. 

Elder Beeston

WEEK #26 BAPTISM Y QUINIENTOS

So this week on Tuesday we had out interviews with Pres. Klein and which was super helpful. After the interviews we went and found a taxi to go home. He told us he would take us for 20 limpiras each and we were super happy for that. I chatted with the fellow while he drove us home and when we got out of the car I thought to myself hey this guy is a good guy...imma give him a little extra. My comp pulled a bill which was I thought was 50 limpiras and so i took it and gave it to the guy and felt really good about it. As i was telling the dude to take the money my comp was asking me.....hey what are you doing?? I told him...dude its alright i will pay you back. He's a good guy and needs this...So I give the taxi driver his money and he speeds off and my comp just looks at me in shock and said...dude you just gave him quinientos (500)....I said..I know! He needed it:) still thinking it was only 50...my comp says again...DUDE...YOU JUST GAVE HIM QUINIENTOS. Then I finally realized that that's not 50. So I gave the taxi driver 500 limpiars to take us a couple blocks and it was all the money my comp had. So I had to pay him back...But at least we helped someone out right? Sometimes I aint thinking. heh.

So besides that it has been an excellent week. We had a baptism on Saturday! His name is Lenin and we had been teaching him and his mom for quite some time. He is really timid and shy but we helped him overcome that a little. Everytime I see him i give him the biggest hug and now he loves it. The baptism was great and he said he felt super good after. The following day he received the Holy Ghost in church and wasnt even scurrrrred:) Now we are working with his mom and brother and we have a lot of other investigators who are starting to progress. Central America has a new area plan to build up the church here and its super sick. Im not gonna explain all the details of it but we have a plan we are doing to baptize, reactivate, and to have at least 80% of our recent converts in church each sunday and increase each ward 10% with members. One of the things we have to do as missionaries is have a B of M in our hands at all times no matter what. Its awesome. I always hold it up high when we walk past people and when i wave i wave with my B of M.

Another awesome thing that we found out this week is that Neil L. Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve is coming to talk to us March 14 and it's a multi mission conference!! Which means that I am gonna see Elder Hayden Hunt! Me him and Measles are gonna chill together and listen to an Apostle of Jesus Christ speak and get super pumped to work harder. It's gonna be in the biggest chapel ever in the middle of san pedro sula which can hold all of us. I am so excited to see my buds:) Also March 5 Elder Duncan of the seventy is coming to talk with all of San pedro sula east so that will be super cool too. Things are going well with my comp. We are the bestest of pals. He is an excellent missionary and I sure hope I can learn a lot from him. Great week it was. I love you all and appreciate what you do. Keep trying to be better each day. 

WEEK #25 GOOD WEEK

Bueeennnooooo.....Where to start. Where to start....hmmmmm wowzers...where do I start. Uhhhhhh well...right! This week was actually very eventful! So this week was changes and my comp didn't really think he was gonna get changed. But we went to the meeting and they said he had changes and that I was getting a new comp! They then told me that my new comp would be Elder Coj!! He is from Guatemala and is the coolest missionary in the whole mission besides meas. So the awesome thing is that Elder Coj was in Ceiba with Elder Measles and I told Measles that if I could have any other comp in the mission it would be Elder Coj. I also told Elder Coj every district and zone meeting in Ceiba that one day we would be comps! So when I heard I freaked out and I called Elder Measles and he told me that everyone was freaking out in Ceiba and it was such a significant experience. But I got a new comp and I now live with 3 latinos in my house. 3 latins and me. And none of them speak a lick of English so it's gonna be quite the adventure for me. The other two are from Ecuador and are goof balls.

Other crazy thing that happened this week....Roxi had puppies!!!!! Hahah, it was the day after Elder Oliviera left and we were coming home at night and some of the neighbors were out in front of our house and Roxi was in a box. I was really confused and then we went and saw that she delivered! She had a total of 10 pups and 4 died and so now there is 6 little guys just chillin. We can't do anything with them for two weeks so they are just hanging outside part of our house until we can deliver them. We figure it will be a good way to contact people. Nobody is going to reject us if we offer a pup. But ya I'll send some pics. It's pretty rad. 

My new comp and I have a lot of energy and are ready to work here in this area and get this ward going. The ward here is really helping us out and is doing it's own little mission with zl's and dl's in each area of the ward and they are going to find references for us. So things are looking pretty good. My comp is too cool cuz he gives me tickles on my back and makes me feel really good and is a great leader and everybody in the mission loves him. He is super animated to work here. I have the most time in this area out of the four of us in the house so I have to show the dudes around and it stresses me out. Things are going good though. We should have a baptism this Saturday. A kid named Lenin who's 13 is gonna get baptized so we are gonna be working hard with him. I am super excited. Love you all and hope you have a great week. Thanks for all your support!

Just a pic I found on Hna Klein's blog posted January 5, 2015

WEEK #22 GONNA HAVE PUPS

ROXY

Well this week alright. The work right now here is pretty tough but we're working hard. My comp got really sick so I had to go for three days straight with the youth in the ward and teach. It was actually a good learning experience because I had to be the one to start all the lessons and take control and answer questions. It was tough but I learned a whole bunchies. We had 6 investigators at church and we have 1 (Eugenia) that's been twice now and should be getting baptized if...... she accepts the law of chastity. It's quite a problem here. Getting married is like one of the hardest things to do in Honduras ha.

Roxi is still tagging along. I have learned to just take deap breaths when I want to nail her. Also got some big news...shes pregnant!! We're gonna have puppies, which is awesome but also not awesome because first we can't have pets. But no matter what we do to Roxy...she doesn't leave so I don't know what I'm gonna do with her pups. Probably just give em to members. Might send one home to my fam too. I am really growing to love the food here. Maybe it's just cuz I'm always so hungry. You know it's bad when you start eating the bones of the chicken and thinking it's good. I feel like Deryke Terrell out here. I have also had to put a limit to the amount of baleadas I eat. They are soooo good. I love them. The tortillas here make me cry every time I eat them. I will definitely miss them one day. Well, don't got much else to say. We got invited to a baby shower the other day of a girl in our ward....she's 15. Don't think we got time to go though. The work will pick up this week. My comp and I are working better together and we got a new elder in our house from Ecuador who I think will really help me. I have a testimony of this Gospel and I'm happy to be doing what I'm doing even though it's so tough somtimes haha. Have a great week!!

WEEK #21 DOGS

Hey fam! I am so happy today! This was the best day emailing so far.:) hahaha that's so funny about Jorge! 

(excerpt from mom's email) Dad got a call from a guy named Jorge. He asked if we had a son living in Honduras and wanted to know our address so he could come and give us a note that he said you wrote when they saw you at Pizza Hut. So dad gave him our address and then when he started thinking about it, he thought, "Shoot! Who is this guy? Derik never mentioned a note he wrote to us. Maybe it's a trick. Maybe Derik made a shady friend in Honduras and he is coming to collect. I better meet him in a public place." Ha ha. You know how it goes when you let your mind go crazy. So I called him a few times the day he was supposed to meet up with this guy just to make sure he hadn't been gunned down or anything. So funny! Obviously he was a super nice guy who offered to take packages for us when he makes trips down there. Another tender mercy from heaven. You would think that we would have had more of these with Tanner's mission because it was so close and in the states but we've had more people connect with us about you and your mission than we ever had with Tanner. Must be because we need that knowing that you are struggling and so far away. I love tender mercies from heaven. What a loving Heavenly Father we have!!

I would think the same thing too haha. You made the right decision never trust anyone from here. I am so happy you got my note though. It was awesome when they told us they were from orem. Their ingles isn’t too hot but I'm sure you could communicate. And I know it is a miracle from God too. You are right mom and it gave me comfort reading that.

We finally got people at church this week! A tender mercy it was indeed. My comp and I decided to commit to work as hard as we could and strive to be obedient and if we did, that God would bless us with people at church. Cuz these last few weeks we've had nothing and I got angry. Little miracles like that help a lot. The work is starting to get going here. When I got here we had nobody cuz my comp and his last comp did nothing. He's changed a lot though and he's got a new energy to him. Brasilenos are interesting people. I like being his comp though cuz his parents send him so much tasty food from Brazil and I eat it all. I sure do love goodies. Roxy, our dog is still following us everywhere and is starting to think that she is part of the crew. I made sure she knew she wasn't when she tried to enter the house though. We lock it up at every house we go to and run away and its always there waiting at our house haha:) dumb Roxy. Starting to test my patience she is. The only dog I love is my dog Kona. Sometimes we'll be talking to people and I look at Roxy and she just makes me so mad and I wanna just punt her. Then I get distracted and forget what we're talking about. A distraction she is. Sometimes I feel sympathy though cuz it's not an easy life being a dog in Honduras. Last night we walked like 3 miles to a house for dinner and she followed us the whole way as always, sat outside and whimpered, and then after dinner we got a ride home and she ran as fast as her little legs could go to follow us home but just couldn't handle it. This area where we ate is gated off and there is no way out. But bout 20 min later we're at our house locked out and here comes Roxy running home. Who is this dog?! We're thinking about getting a white shirt for her. Not much else has happened this week but we're working hard and hope to get some more people on date for February. It got a bit chilly a couple days this week, bout 90 degrees, so I had to grab my sweater. Hope it heats back up. This area is so cool. I love it. It's got some of the coolest views and it's just crazy. We're in the city of San Pedro Sula and it's a thrill every day. The people are pretty hard here though. LOTS of apostacy. It's a bit sickening but fun talking with the people and helping them and helping them realize how wrong they are with love and helping them find the truth. Should be an excellent week this week. 

Dad I am glad you are still reading the B of M in spanish. I'm half way through it but made a goal to finish it this change. I gotta get going. It's helping my spanish a ton. My spanish is actually getting a bit better every day I think. Everything is getting a little bit better. Like you say mom, just take it one day at a time. So that's what I'm doing. I'm actually taking it about 5 minutes at a time, well I'm trying to haha. We have another person on date named Eugenia! Super awesome she is. She was at church which is way far from where she lives. She walked  that whole way at 7:30 in the morning. She was the first one there. So siick. Miracle she is. Hope things go well with her. We also brought some weirros (kids) to church and had another couple that's been going for years. They just are waiting on getting married which is the hardest thing in the world here in Honduras. The other lady we had on date named Claudia, we just found out she goes to Tegucigalpa every week to see her boyfriend there so we hope things are ok but well see. 

Things are getting better though! Next P-day we are going to play in the soccer stadium here that the best team here plays at. They're called Olympia. Imma bring my football:) Hope you guys have a great week! Thanks for your help with everything! Loves all around!

Elder Beeston

Mom can you also send me a B of M soft copy in Portuguese whenever you send another package? A kid here got his call to Brasil but there is nowhere to get a Portuguese B of M here ha. That would be awesome cuz he wants one!

ps. The football is really helping me out haha. I throw it up in the air whenever I'm stressed while laying on my bed. The pump is awesome too! So sick!!

p.p.s. Mom i literrallly just had like 7 pics coming. I had it all working and........my camera died. Just right now hahah. I'll send a bunchy next week. Sorry!

WEEK #20 WORKING IN A TRIO

This week was super funny haha. But first off the work still isn't going too well right now but I've had enough of it and we're going so hard this week. I'm so sick of feeling how I do and I'm just gonna work as hard as I can and make it fun cuz this is my time. I am going to do everything I can though and leave it up to God. I'm grateful for your guys' help though. 

We had 1 investigator at church yesterday but I promise you we will have at least 4 this Sunday. I got a comp who likes to finish the day at 7 o'clock but that ain't about to happen. He's a sweety pie but his desire to have people at church is not there. He has it in his head that this area is dead but we are getting along and I hope we can animate eachother to work hard this week and exceed the minimum. I've also decided to open up my missionary life book they gave us which helps with stress so imma give it a try.

We have had some funny experiences though. First one is that this week we have been working in a trio every day with a dog that we named roxi that follows us everywhere no matter where we go. Sleeps outside our house and then in the morning she goes everywhere we go until night. It's insane ha. I try to kick it and make it leave but it will not. We make it a goal every day to lose roxi so sometimes we just take off running and try to lose her. At first it was super awesome but now I wanna kill it cuz it just sits outside of every house where we are having lessons and all the other billion dogs here start barking and we can't even communicate during the lesson. And she won't leave! Just sits there and whimpers till we come out. The other day I did a side kick (not hard) and kicked her into a hole. It's a true test of my patience ha. Another funny/awful experience is that we were walking down a road one day and there was this dude out drunk on the road and this super drunk old lady yelled at us to come sit down but we told her we couldn't but she kept yelling and then my comps made me sit down. She said "Oh I love gringos. Take me to the states!" and starting running her fingers through my hair haha. Then she started kissing my arm!! I was freaking out and she then started to try to kiss me on the lips and i said "Hermana we have to go!" And we took off haha. My comp was just laughing at me. It was awful haha. 

Also, this week we had a zone meeting with Pres. and it was just our zone and was so sick. I understood everything and prayed that my light headedness would go away just for the meeting and it did and it was the best!:) He taught us about holding to the rod after the mission and that he is more concerned about what we do after than what we are doing right now. The way to stay strong is through service which is our first covenant, which leads to the Temple. He also taught us about the importance of paying tithing and not being worried about money. He shared a story that was so awesome. Pres Klein is super ridicoulosly rich and had 6 cars and a huge house because he loved money. He told this part very pridefully which was super awesome haha. Then he told us he sold the house and the cars because of something Hma Klein said to him I can't remember. But he realized he wasn't happy with the big house like he was with his first house with Hma Klein which was tiny. Money ain't important. Word. 

But ya that's about all that happened this week. This area is really cool. I'll try to get some pics. It's hard to pull out your camera here though. But I'm blessed to be here and the ward is awesome. God is preparing these people here to receive us but we have to do our part as missionaries and we are just gonna keep pressing forward no matter how hard it is. It's a battle everyday but I guess that's what makes it so awesome. 

I am glad that you were able to go to the Temple and feel better and I am grateful for your prayers. The Temple seems foreign to me ha. I don't remember anything. I sure would like to go. Bummer you have to go back to school and work now. That was always the worst haha. But I guess that's life right?! Thanks dad for the updates!! haha and I am glad Kona feels better. I am grateful for your love and concern. I am fighting the biggest battle of my life right now.  But I know I can conquer this if I will have more faith than fear. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with me. 

Answers to dad's questions....

1. How are the burgers and pizza in Honduras?

Burgers are not very good, haha. They try really hard but Honduras meat ain't like the states!! Pizza is still pretty much the same ha. I always love when I get to eat pizza. I eat a box of pizza, which is 8 slices, like it's a snack haha. It's crazy!!!

2. Have you played any marbles with anyone or that game even still around?

I only played marbles once cuz they don't play in Ceiba. But here all the kids do and imma start playing marbles with em. But they're all way good so I'm scared.

3. Have you met any Honduras people taller than you?

Out of nowhere you will sometimes find some big Hondurans who are super tall haha. But for the most part I'm still the tallest. I've heard that Guatemalans are shorter than Hondurans though.

4. I am still reading the Libro de Mormon en Espanol!

Keep reading! I'm in Alma. I read en voz alto 3 caps every day and it's helping!

I hope you all had a great new year! New Years here was soooo nuts!!!!!!!!!! Way more crazy than Christmas. Sounded like a war going on outside! Thanks again for everything! 

Elder Beeston

WEEK #19 I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!!

First off it was sooooooooooo freaking awesome to see you guys!!!! Man that was the best ha. President Klein only gives us a little time but I could have talked for days! I always freez when I'm talking though and never know what to say! Haha it was quite strange but super great and I felt so much better after it! It was just weird cuz it feels like yesterday we were skyping Tanner and I was with the family. Didn't feel real at all haha. Feels like a dream. Well my whole mission feels like a dream right now. Thanks again for the gifts you sent me! Both pairs of socks are soooo siiiick and all of the candy and food was perfect and the rudolf nose and everything!! Thanks a ton. I woke up and the first thing we did was open presents and I was freaking out ha. Also I'm happy to hear you finally got my package from the MTC ha. I will be sending home a Christmas one soon. Ceiba had tons of cool stuff there but here we're in the trash of Honduras ha and we don't get to go to central of San Pedro very often. But ima find some nifty stuff to send heh heh. 

Man sounds like you guys had a blast in Mexico!!! Thats so awesome! I wanted to ask you guys more about it haha I just got all flustered. How many days were you there for and was that a different house than the last one they were at? What did you guys do everyday? That's soooo awesome about Grandma and Grandpa! I was laughing and just loving it. They are living the dream right now!! Mexico city is insane haha. Only grandpa could be able to drive there. It's ridiculous but so awesome! I'm glad it was a great trip and I can't wait to do that in 2 more Christmases! 

Christmas here was great though. We didn't eat as many tamales as we thought we would be we sure did eat a lot of pig...greasy, fatty, slimy pig. My heart hurts. The fireworks are still going too. It's nonstop till after New Years. Everybody here gets super pumped for New Years cuz they are all ready to just start a new life and do all these things. We all know how that is. Then after a couple months it just gets too hard..hahah. There are some who stick to it though!

Things are starting to pick up in the area and we were able to comit a lady named claudia to baptism! And we did divisions where i went with a youth in the ward all day and had to take control of the lessons and did it!! We had a lot of lessons that day too. Elder Oliveira and I are working together a little better and both try to lift eachother up a lot. 

On to the questions for dad...

1. Did you get packages from grandma B.?  She wanted to know.

Yes I got the package from gma and it is awesome!! Super sweet tie!!

2. Besides a jump rope is there anything else we could stick in a package for you?

All the kids here want chocolate and sour gummy worms hah and I told them I'd ask you guys. Maybe like some Hersheys Kisses and Kit Kats and M y Ms haha. But for me just a jumprope would be so awesome! Gotta keep my speed up ya know?

Former Elder Mejia
(Served with Justin Higgins in Peru)

Yep, he ate all three!!

3. What is your favorite kind of beans you eat?  I always liked the black bean log with fresh Pan. 

My favorite beans are the black beans too with rice and tortilla. I can't decide whether I like bean spread or just a bunch of little beans better. I sure do love beans though!

4. Who cut your hair?  Did a great job.  You looked great!

There's a bunch of barbers here and some young guy with a goofy hair cut did it. It's hard to explain to them though hahaha!

I love you guys so much and hope you have a great new year! Thanks for your love and support I can't tell you how grateful I am for you. I know what I have to do and we all know that this is conquerable. I ain't ever been scared of satan. Ya this has been so dang hard, but this mission is awesome and I wish you guys could see how cool and foreign it is here and just how crazy everyone and everything is! I know this is not supposed to be easy, but I know the reward is great. I have had some good experiences too so we'll just take that and keep going! Loves for everyone!

Elder Beeston

ps. I sent home the postcard me and Elder Measles made. I will give you more deets next week. Just be ready.

pss. They said my other package with the credit card is in La Ceiba so it got here! They just have to send it to me!

psss. Thanks for the addresses mom!

pssss. Tell Kona to feel better and to stop being a baby!

psssss. Stoked you're in the primary dad!!

pssssss. Whet got called to be a ZL in his mission. Only 18-year-old...barely! So siiick!

psssssss. Go utes!

pssssssss. Not much more to say.

(One of Derik's friends from Honduras texted the picture with the pizza to Tanner Monday night. And Justin Higgins texted us the picture of Derik and Elder Mejia. Apparently Justin was his Zone Leader in Peru where they served together. The former Elder Mejia is from Honduras. So fun to get random pictures from random people! Ha!)

"Found this in my soup at the bottom"

WEEK #18 ALMOST CHRISTMAS!

Dad your email was awesome! I loved it!! I had the biggest smile on my face reading it. And of course yours too mom!!! Thank you again for the packages. I'm gonna open them super early Christmas morning just like the good ol days heh heh. I'm so stoked about Utah. That's crazy! This WOULD all happen when I leave ha. Good to hear that though. I can't believe how good they're doing in basketball! Things are not going too hot here right now ha. We had zero investigators again at church and it doesn't seem to bother my comp one bit. He is soooooooooo layed back. The area I'm in is supposed to be the glory land according to all the missionaries. The members are great and normally baptisms flock here. I have to find a way to animate my comp so that we can get this work going. This area really is super awesome though. I am still struggling with this light headedness and have been talking to hma Klein and we're trying to figure out a time for me to go into San Pedro to see a doctor. It's been like this everyday for 3 weeks straight hah. We're gonna fix it though. Gotta be positive. I am so dang jealous of you guys right now! hahah and now you know what it's like to be in a spanish sacrament mtg!! It's the woooorrrssssttt! They still bore me out of my mind and I can't understand. They never were too fun in English either hahha. naahh I'm jk. But that's so funny about Ali and Larissa. But I bet tanner is having a blast just talking with everyone!! That would be so much fun. I hope we make that a tradition!! Keep having fun and I hope you all have a great Christmas expericence there. Ok I'm gonna answer the weekly questions from dad....

1. What is your favorite food in Honduras?

My favorite food has to be baleadas. I wish you could taste them. They are so goood! Fresh doughy tortillas only made in Honduras. It's a diff type of brand with bean spread and this super good cheese. Hard to get used to at first but once you are.......mmmmmmmmmmm.

2. What is your favorite scripture to teach with?

2 Nephi 9:50. Soooo money. I aint too good with the scriptures yet though hah.

3. How does your bathroom and shower work? Warm water? 

We dont use a bucket in this house. Just a super nasty shower that is cold like always. No hay warm water here in honduras heheh. I like it though. Toilet is nasty. Well...everything is nasty. Super awesome.

4. What is your favorite fruit?

My fav fruit here right now is the bananas but once mango season comes...oh freak. I'm gonna get sick of mangos.

5. Have you given a talk or testimony in church? 

I have yet to give a talk....thank goodness....and I've born my testimony once my second week in Honduras hahha. I know I got a lot coming though. I hate talking in front of people.

6. Have you received the small package from the Relief Society that I put your new debit card in?

I still haven't gotten that package, no. But it should come!!

I love you guys so much and hope you have a great time in mexico!! Thanks again for all you do. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful family!! I don't know how I got sooo lucky. I am looking forward to talking with you and seeing you. I hope all goes well. I will tell you all the other stuff I gotta ask when we skype! Love you!

Elder Beeston

WEEK #17 WELL HEY! FROM LOS LOMAS

Well I'm probably having the the biggest test of patience in my whole mission with this super awesome computer right now that doesn't want to do anything. I guess it's not its fault cuz when I was sitting down I knocked it off the table....luckily it didn't break. I really didn't know what to say to the computer shop worker man cuz I don't speak much Spanish and I'm just some random dude who knocked his computer off. Haha it was silly. It's probably gonna take me like 2 hours to write this email but oh well. Gotta love technology here!

Elder Adams!!

My new area is super awesome!! It's called Las Lomas. I've really just been confused and in another world all week but today was our first p day and I saw how cool this area and zone really is. There are only elders here, no sisters, so that's super fun. There is also an elder named Elder Adams in my zone and we went to the same elementary school and were the biggest goof balls. Today was the first time I have talked to him since 6th grade. Haha it was quite strange but also cool. We also played basketball today...full court...at the new stake center here in San Pedro which they just built. It's huge!! Two floors! haha It felt good to play basketball. Haven't touched a ball pretty much since the MTC ha. Getting a little tired of fuuuutbol...mainly cuz the latinos are just super try-hards and go harder than they need to ahah. I'm still adjusting to the area and a new companion but things have gotten better. He's a pretty cool dude. He's a good missionary. He's super super nice and uplifting which is always nice. This week we're gonna work super hard and start getting this area going. Super sweet members here which are willing to help us which is awesome cuz in La Ceiba we didn't have that. We just really gotta utilize them here! Things are getting better though. I'm learning everyday and am finding new things to improve always. I'm not too smart or good at Spanish or anything but I'm improving...I guess that's all that matters heh heh. The only problem I'm having right now is that I've been light headed 24/7 the past two weeks and I called the nurse and she said it could be a worm but we'll have to see. I gotta just keep drinking water. They say it's the best medicine so I'll give it a try. I miss Elder Measles, but I really did get blessed to be in such an awesome area and zone! God knows where we need to be and I'm happy to be working here now! I feel like this area is gonna be a big changer in the mission and I'm stoked and feel happy here! It's dangerous but I feel comfort always! Just gotta be smart haha. 

Also I got all my other packages!!!!!!!!! The utah bag and the christmas package! In this zone we get the Ruta like every week cuz we're a lot closer to the mission office. We never got in out there in La Ceiba. But thank you sooo much!! I GOT A FOOTBALL I'M SO PUMPED! THANK YOU!! I haven't picked up a football since Utah haha. Everyone was so stoked to see that too cuz futbol gets old ha. I am so excited just to throw it around next p day! Ahhh that's literally made me so darn happy! I'm not gonna open the Christmas packages til Christmas though. We're gonna put all our packages around the super mega awesome tree you made on Christmas eve and then open them on Christmas!! That tree is soooo sweeeet! Oh mooooommmm haha you are too creative. And that poem!? Who wrote that! That was too cool and really comforting actually haha. Thank you so much! I am so excited to talk to you guys on Christmas. I know I keep saying I'm gonna find out about the skype but I'm really gonna find out this week. I will let you know next week on email! 

Here's the answers to the weekly questions haha...
1. Who is living with you in your apartment besides your companion? Did you know any of them?

We have 4 people in our house and it's a super cool house! For honduras haha. I finally have a refrigerator and even a microwave!!!! But....there's no light so we're still working on that. The two other elders are named Elder Harris and Elder Flores. Elder Harris is from Bingham and played football there 2 years ago so ya.....hahah we just don't talk about that haha. But he's stoked on the football too. He's a good missionary. He's got 1 year and a half in the mission. Elder Flores is from Tegucigalpa here in Honduras waiting for his visa to Mexico. And I finally know how to spell my comps name. It’s Oliveira haha.

2. What's your favorite part of teaching?

Fav part of teaching is when I actually feel the spirit take over and my spanish flows and I see in their eyes that they can feel it too! Doesn't happen often but when it does you really feel it. Im starting to get the lessons down though.

3. Do you drink your sodas or juice out of a bag or a bottle?

You know we drink everything out of bags!!!! hahahah its so awesome there are like no bottles here. You just bite of a corner of the bag and drink away so rad. 

4. Is there purified water for you to drink? 

We buy big jugs of purified water every week so don't worry about that. I haven't drank tap water once yet...I hope.

5. Have you had your shoes shined yet?

I've gotten my shoes shined once hahah. I need to do it again cuz they are diiiirrrtttyyy. It's fun though.

6. Do you love fresh bread or tortillas? 

I love both fresh bread and tortillas and I eat way too much of it!!! hahah It's sooo addicting! I swear they put something in the bread here hahah. It's so good I wish you guys could try it. I'm gonna bring some home when I come home hahah. I could eat 50 tortillas in one sitting if they would give em to me ha.

I don't got more time we gotta get out and work tonight but I am so excited to talk to you guys! Ill let you know everything next week! Also I'm freaking stoked that ali already got an offer!!!!! (Southern Virginia University). I am trippin out haha. And that is so awesome about the Utah/BYU game and how they are doing !!!!! (Utah won!) I was laughing my head off about that dude talking with dad hahah....and that pic of dad!!!!! hahah too good. Thanks so much for your emails and for your support. I feel ready to go this week. It's a process and I feel like I have taken a step forward this week in this work. Love you so much!! I will have pics next week. This computer is handicapped and I don't got time. Hope you all have a great week! Thanks for your love alwaayyyyyzzzzzzzzzz!

Elder Beeston 

BYE LA CEIBA. BYE ELDER MEASLES:((((( HELLO SATELITE.

Well.......Elder Measles received the phone call last night. As soon as he answered it he said, "Nooooo wayyyy," and pointed at me. I got changes. Neither of us were expecting that at all! We thought there was no way in the world I would get changed. If anything, we thought it would be him. I thought we would be together for another 8 weeks but the Lord had somethin different in mind and I gotta just go with it and be happy. So normally they tell you if you have changes 2 days ahead so you can go say bye to all the people you have come to love and take pics and write cards and stuff. But, this change pres. changed the rule that you get told the night before. And so I found out at 9:30 last night which gave us like 3 hours to pack and then wake up at 4 the next morning and get out of there without saying bye to anyone! It's kind of sad but there's a lot of disobedient missionaries who may have been the cause of this rule. Funny thing though hahah...Elder Measles and I slept through our alarm and one of the missionaries called and woke us up and said dude its 5:30!!! We freaked out and jumped out of bed. I was about 3/4 of the way done packing so I had to finish packing and then we ran over to the bus. I said bye, gave Meas a hug and I was off. It all happened really fast ha and I felt like I was in the biggest dream ever. I was pretty sad all last night and this morning just cuz I really was starting to love my area. Things were starting to really get going! And I didn't want to leave Elder Measles. But it's not up to me and I'm gonna forever cherish the memories I had there in La Ceiba. 

So my new area in called Satelite. It's a colonie in San Pedro and it's the most dangerous spot in the whole mission! It was Elder Measles first area! It's about 4 hours from Ceiba. Everyone says that if you dont serve a mission in Satelite, you didn't serve a mission in Honduras! haha. My new companions name is Elder Olvediera or something like that ha. He's from Brazil! He had to learn spanish too but he has a year in the mission so he's fluent now. He doesnt talk much and so I have just been trying to spark conversation all day. No more english....heh. My new house is pretty cool. There is 4 of us there which is going to be hard to get used to. 2 gringos 2 latinos. Should be a good experience though! I know that this is where the Lord needs me to be right now. I really loved my last area but I know I will come to love this one also. 

I had the greatest time in the world with Elder Measles and will always remember the memories we made serving together here in Honduras. He is such a great example to me and I look up to him so much. I have learned a ton from him and he really helped me get through those first few months of my mission. I really was blessed to be able to serve with him. We learned to work together and we had a ton of fun! I am sad its over, but am grateful for the opportunity and experiences we had. I am ready to serve here in this new area! I am happy to be a missionary and to serve our Savior our Heavenly Father. The time to prepare to meet God is right now and I am happy I have the chance to help people prepare and make these changes in life. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and remember the true meaning of it! Its the best time of the year! Thanks for all your love and support. chow

Elder Beeston

WEEK #16 GOOD WEEK...YES IT WAS

This week was super shveeeet:) Tuesday I went on divisions with our DL and that was a really good experience. He is a great leader and helped me out a lot. We worked hard this week and were really guided by the Spirit. Our investigator Karla, who has been struggling so much made the decision to be baptized! We have been working with her a ton and she has just been having tons of doubts and everything. Two nights before the baptism she was on the phone with Elder Measles crying and we were just like....well freak. We wanted to just give up on her it was really frustrating. But we got on our knees and prayed that all would go well and that she would make the decision to be baptized. And it all worked out!! Two of our other investigators, Valedia and her brother Roberto got baptized too! It was super sweet. This ward has not experienced baptisms for a long time (the pic of the

bap font will explain) and they were all super excited! It was just a happy day with that and with the Christmas devotional too. Even though it was played in Spanish and I couldn't understand it, you can always understand the Spirit and that's all that matters right:) haha but it was a solid week.

Oh, and so I don't forget, cuz I know I will, I'm gonna answer your questions pops:) 1.We eat at a member's house about 50 feet from our house. We pay the mom 400 limperas a week to cook us lunch. She's called our cocinera. Their name is the Tursios. The crazy little mom makes us rice, beans, fried chicken sometimes pig, guineos or platanos (mostly boiled but sometimes fried:)), and yeah. Then members give us food every night. Lots of Baleadas and pastellitos and more rice and beans and stuff. When I went and did divisions with our DL he took me to burger king!!!!:) So that was nice eating a big burger. I pound food though. It's unhealthy how much I'm eating and I even lick it all off the plate cuz I love it so much!!  2. Don't have a fav drink yet. All we drink is soda!!! They have a banana soda here and it's super strong and hard to drink but I drink a ton of that and coke...yuck hahahaha. Lots of juice too. My fav juice I guess is probably Jamaica!  3. Our white shirts get washed at the same place we eat lunch by another lady there and then the rest of our clothes get washed by another member who is our neighbor. We pay her 50 limps a week. I haven't had to wash my own clothes yet:) hehe  4. We get 2,000 limps every 15 days and we just go to an atm and take it out with the cards they gave us. I haven't had to use my own money yet!:) 5. We love to go get pulperserias at this little place by our house. They come from El Salvador. There are baleada shacks all over that we go to and get 4 baleadas for 10 limps each. 50 cents each haha. I pound them!!!! People here love making them for me cuz they know I eat so much! There you go:) 

ALSO I GOT MY PACKAGES THIS WEEK!!!!! YESSSS!!! I WAS SO HAPPY! I LOVE IT ALL! I definitely needed those hi chews and peanut butter and shoes and that jersey is awesome too! So sweet! Tell everyone thank you so much! I love you all so much! Thanks for everything!! 

We have changes this week so we'll see if me and Elder Measles are still together. We both have a feeling we won't be though but whatever happens happens and you just keep goin heh! I just don't know what I will do without Measles. He is a smarty pants and knows how to do everything and I kinda just walk along. So hopefully we get one more change together and I can learn a bit more. I will be lost without him. The rain has ceased to come down for the most part this week so that's nifty. I hope you all had a great week! Thanks for all your love and support! 

Elder Beeston

p.s. Oh ya dad I finally cut my toe nails the other day so I hope that makes you happy. Tell the rest of the family I love them! 

WEEK #15 RAIN

Welp. This week was nuts. Hope everybody had an excellent thankgiving and black friday! Thanksgiving here was.....well....nothing. However we did get invited over to one of our investigators house (George...the most interesting man in the world without a doubt) and they fed us some dry turkey and rice and beans and bananas!! It could have been the best Thanksgiving dinner I've had. The day before Thanksgiving was absolutely insane. It was the biggest rainstorm Honduras has seen in yeeeaaarrrrrsssss. I have never seen more rain in my life. We were just strollin like we usally do on the streets Wednesday morning after doing divisions with our district leader, and then boom it started dumping with out even giving us a friendly warning. And it did not stop until the next day. 24 hours straight of pouring rain! Elder Measles and I figured we were already soaked and that staying in the house all

day would just be boring so we went to work! Earlier that day we were walking by the ocean which was nuts and we were telling eachother how nuts it would be if there was a natural disaster here and we just had to help recover houses the rest of our mission. It kind of came true just for the day haha. The streets were up to our knees and in some spots at our waists and sometimes we would be walking and all of a sudden I'd fall in a sewer hole all the way under the water. It was quite the adventure. We would show up for lessons and the people were just mind boggled haha. They didn't know what to do and so they would just let us in and we would teach em and go swimming again. We finally were walking back home and decided to see how this one family was doing who is really progressing right now and so we walked to their house and it was completely flooded. We helped them for about an hour and then realized our house was probably flooded too and you betcha it was....we opened up the door and there was water up to our shins! All our stuff was on the ground before but the guy who owns our house picked it all up before it got wet. Huuuuuge miracle. All of our stuff got saved so that was good. We then decided to go out and help out all the people in our colony. We were just running...swimming...from house to house helping people lift stuff off the ground so it didn't get wet till 11:30 that night and then had to unflood our house til 2 in the morning...it was craaaazy. We finally got to sleep and woke up the next morning and it was as if nothing happened. hahha it was a cool experience. It has been raining everyday since but hasn't flooded again. 

But apart from all the rain, things have been going great here! Our investigator Val is getting ready for baptism this Saturday or Sunday!! I'm super excited. And we should have a couple more on date in December. This area is awesome right now and our ward is starting to have a desire to help us. We are being led to a lot of people who are prepared to receive the Gospel. This area has been really dead in the past but is starting to really get going now. I am grateful to be able to be here and to be a part of this work. I know this is the work of the Lord and we are His instruments. I know this Gospel is true and my faith grows a little bit each more everyday. There are a lot of people out here who need the chance to receive the Gospel and begin ther path towards eternal life and it's awesome to be able to help them receive it. Have a gnarly week everyone! I love you all!

Elder Beeston

WEEK #14 CEIBA IS NIFTY

Greetings everybody. Its suuuper weird to think that its snowing in utah and that its almost thanksgiving! ha nothing feels different here..in fact its getting hotter. I'm in a strange world. Sometimes we'll be walking and we'll see a 30 foot christmas tree its mega random. haha Christmas is pretty big here. It's different though cuz they just party and eat tamales all month and set off firecrackers. Crazy catrachos...hahha. Sounds like Ty's wedding was pretty sweeet! That's so awesome that he is able to be sealed now. The Atonement is so great! Probably a pretty cool experience. I wish I could go to the Temple soooo bad. I feel like I have forgotten everything I learned and it really would give me a boost right now. 

Me and Elder Measles are working hard and we're seeing God's hand in the work. This area has been super dead for a long time and it's starting to get going again. We are finding a lot of new people to teach and they are all super accepting. We've got 4 people set for baptism in December! I am excited to do a baptism and experience that. There are a lot of people ready here to change their lives! Our area is seriously sooooo siiiiiiick! We went from being in like the most rich and safe part of honduras to super poor and a bit sketchy....We have like everything in our area though. And it is exploding right now! We had 6 people at church and the members are starting to work harder. We have 4 people ready for baptism in december too! A 15-year-old, a dude named Ange (reference from the other two missionaries taken out, and al y elia (also references from the other two)! I am excited to baptize and to experience that. I feel like I don't really know any of these investigators though ha. I just sit there and talk when it's my turn and ya. The work is progressing a ton though and that's all that matters. Jorge is still doing alright. We don't really know what to do with him though. And Karla is still just super unsure. She knows she has to but can't committ herself right now. She thinks it would be better to start off next year with the baptism but she is ready right now!!! ha. 

[Experience from Elder Measles] Last night we went into the hospital to give an investigator a blessing. We walked in and it was so disgusting it just looked like a jail. Bars on the windows, paint peeling from the walls, no lighting, and just really dirty. We walked into the back to where Jeny was and it was the saddest little room. She is like a big tough police lady and the only thing in her room was a nasty matress with a sheet falling off of it it was sad. Tiny bathroom. No medicine cuz the government won't give the hospitals money and it was just disgusting. Through all this disgust we were actually able to have a really spiritual experience in there last night. Really cool experience actually. 

As for spanish it's getting better but I still struggle big time. I can't wait for the day when I can understand these people here and just say what I wanna say haha. But it will come! The gift of tongues is real because I've seen it here on my mission already. I have never been a good learner but God is helping me A LOT. I am grateful for all of you and for all your love and support. Your prayers make a great difference in this work!! 

Things are going good though. I love you all so much. I show lots of people here our family pic and they all just freak out and say we are a perfect family haha:) All the little honderenos think you are super pretty too mom!! and ali and larissa. And I guess dad too. and....Tanner sure. heh heh:) I'm glad things are going great at home! Sounds like you are all busy and having fun! I saw the pic of my package. That's soooo awesome! I'm stoked out of my mind! Our zl's are strugglin with bringing the Ruta out here but it should come soon I hope. I am gonna be sending home a christmas package too so maybe that and my old package will come at the same time haha. Oh ya also I am eating soooo much food out here. It's unhealthy. I am always hungry!!! The people here think it's so funny and bring me out so much food. Imma get fat!! I love rice and beans and fried or boilded guineos and platanos! And I love oatmeal! I eat it everymorning with water and white sugar hahah. It's my favorite. And then I go to a pulperia and buy me a chocoleyde:) and semitas. It's just bread with this super good coat of sugar. Dad probably knows. Also dad I ate and drank my first coconut the other day! It was different than I thought but I like it:) Well I've written way more than I thought...lol...but I love you all soo much! Thanks for being the greatest family ever. I wouldn't be here without you guys. I pray for you everyday! Have a great week!:)

Elder Beeston

ps. I hope you all have a great thanksgiving!! I'll just keep eating rice and beans!

p.p.s. thats sweet that ellen was able to talk to that missionaries mom (was it his mom) last week about the inactive convert named Dino we found! I was gonna tell you too mom but I forgot haha. 

Pics from last week's p-day...