Week 48:HAPPY SEMANA SANTA TO ALL!!!

Well the bad news is the Easter Bunny didn't make it down to Nicaragua, haha, but it was a great Easter none the less. Good Friday is a huge deal down here! They celebrate it as a national holiday. Almost every store was closed so we couldn't really get anything to eat that day.

I spent the week reading a lot in Mateo (Matthew), Mark, Lucas, and John, about the Saviors life on earth and about his sacrifice for us. I kept thinking how fortunate we are that we had someone selfless enough to give his lives so that we could live. It wasn't necessarily something he wanted to do he asked his father 3 times to pass the bitter cup, but he was willing to do his fathers will and not his own. I am the priesthood teacher for our branch and we had a great lesson on the savior this Sunday. Mainly we focused on how we can show our gratitude to the savior in different ways for his sacrifice. We should always give thanks in our prayers for this atonement, but also we should use the power of the atonement through repentance. We all have sins, be it big or small, but we have the necessity to repent, and when we repent of our sins we are showing our gratefulness for the gift that was given to us from our father in heaven.

I don't give a very detailed reports on our teaching people mainly because I don't want to sound arrogant because the Lord gives us all these people to teach. So, it's because of him...not me or my companion that we teach so many people everyday that its hard to give an account of all of them, but ill try and give better updates starting with Hermana Juney.  She is super positive and is going to get baptized at the end of the month every lesson we teach she is so attentive asking questions responding to ours and shes golden. We taught the law of Chasity and she's like... if my boyfriend isn't gonna follow this I am going to leave him and find someone who will.

So. we always talk on the radio Wednesday nights and as we came back (I was as on divisions with Elder Samol) and we are walking up the road and I see this guy leaning on a light post . I was joking and said, "Samol.. ready to depend ourselves from this guy?" But, when we got there... he cut us off with his big ole machete! So I said,  "Man he's gonna steal my camera!"  and Elder Samol just said, "Buenas Noches."  And the guy got mad and said, "Oh  is that how is... is it a good night?" Then he kind of came into the light and I recognized him and I said, "Oh Hermano when am I going to see you at church?" Because he is an inactive member and he said, " Uhh, I just been having some problems."So he follows us and we get to our house and he said, "Hey so what do I have to do to go on a mission ?"  We said, "Well uhh stop robbing people." HAHA No we just said, "Talk to the leaders." HAHA It's funny that he went from robbing us to wanting to go on a mission, but none the less I am grateful the lord protected us. I forgot my camera so I don't think there will be any pics this week.

Week 46: General Conference!!!

Hola! General Conference was awesome!  We watched it in our Zone Leaders area and went door knocking in between sessions.  I felt that they talked about families a lot! While watching I felt so grateful for the wonderful family that I have, that they are great examples and raised me to be the man I am today. Another cool thing, I've learned that sometimes we receive inspiration on something we need to do that may not necessarily be spoken in the talk. 

The weirdest thing about General Conference was watching TV.  To go from watching no TV, to watching 6 hours in a day! It was a little weird to say the least.

Here are some quotes I liked from conference...

Its far better to follow the Creator than the crowd.

Don't fear, just live right.

Jesus Christ is perfectly positioned to lift us and give us strength we only have to ask.

The past is to be learned from, not lived in, faith is always pointing toward the future.

The Holy Spirit helps guide us by seeing the things we cannot.

We may need to let go of the world, to hang onto heaven.

God is determined to make us more than we thought we could be.

I liked when they talked about the young man who came to the Savior and asked what we had to do to receive salvation. ( Mark 10:17–30)

First, he said follow the commandments but then he said sell all your things and follow me and the man couldn't do it. As I was pondering this story,  I realized that to be better disciples of Christ, we all have something that we have to give up. Maybe we don't have to sell all we have but we all have something in our lives we could give up to become better disciples of Christ.  

Funny experience:

During conference, I was sitting in the front row and this 2 year old kid runs up and stands next to the wall. Then his 4 year old brother walks up next to him then takes 10 steps back and just chucks his toy car as hard as he could at his brother. It was more shocking then funny, but it made me chuckle.  

On Monday, we had our Zone Olympics for P-Day. One game you had to run 3 circles around a bottle of soda then drink as much as you can; but once you take your mouth off the bottle you have to run back and someone else goes. I went 4th and drank almost the whole bottle for the win.  Afterward, I was literally throwing up for the next 40 minutes, but we still got the win. We also had a big water balloon fight it was a good time.

• Do you still have the same companion? Yes but we have changes this week so maybe not well see.

• Is the weather hot? Yeah, I mean I feel acclimated to it, but basically you just sweat the whole time...even in the shower. ha ha.

I love you guys have a great week!!!

Elder Thackeray

Week 45: Same ole' Same ole' here in Nicaragua!!!

Me and My Birthday Package

My Sweet New Shoes!

Hola! President flew out for a zone conference and they showed us a video by Jeffery R Holland called the Atonement of a Missionary. It talks about why missionary work isn't easier, why the only risk in the work isn't getting pneumonia from being in the baptism font all day and night. MISSIONARY WORK ISN'T EASY BECAUSE SALVATION IS NOT A CHEAP EXPERIENCE!!!! I really liked that because sometimes it's not all easy and we wonder why its not easier. Jesus asked if there was another way but there wasn't. He didn't do his will he did our Heavenly Fathers will. In that talk, it talks about that when we pass through the hard times are rejected, spit upon, cast out,all of these things... we are standing shoulder to shoulder with the greatest missionary that ever lived, Jesus Christ.  It makes me feel grateful because my mission is no where as hard as his, not even close. I get to leave after two years, but he had to die for our sins. His mission was the hardest ever and he was a perfect missionary. It always helps me when I feel like I'm going through hard times. I think of him and his sacrifice and I stop thinking it's hard, because in reality, it's not and that just helps me work that much harder.. Afterward, we had interviews and those went well. He also is doing some rearranging in the branch presidency cause we are having some problems with that, so that's good..

We had a good "following the spirit moment" again on Saturday. We were walking to an appointment and we passed one of our old investigators houses. I said, "Maybe, we should go by and visit him." But, my companion said, "Uuhhh I.D.K., because he's like super crazy and always has the wildest of questions." So, we were thinking probably not. But,  then I just felt we should really go, so we went. When we get there his sister was there. We only talked to her one time before, and she didn't say much. But, when we got there this time and she said to us, "Finally, you guys came!  We have been waiting for you to pass bye!!!!"  Lesson, always follow the spirit.

Anyway,  pretty good week!!! I always love hearing from you guys!!!! 

Thanks for the birthday package!!!!  My knife that dad lost so long ago is reborn haha!!!

Love yall

Elder Thackeray

Week 44: 10 months on the mission.

10 months in the mission. Time is really flying I tell you.

Had an awesome birthday present!! My convert from my other area, Condega, got the Melchizedek Priesthood on Sunday.  I was so happy for him, he is gonna to be a great leader in that little group. They are so close to becoming a branch. I am really excited for them.

Thank you for all the birthday wishes I appreciate them!!!!

Things are going really good here. We are just trucking along here. The same... this letter gonna be kinda week because I don't have much time. 

Just know, I love you all and thanks for all your support!!!

Elder Thackeray

Week 43: Four baptisms

Baptism of Hermano Samuel's family.

We were really blessed with a lot of miracles this week and 4 baptisms of awesome people and thus the miracles have not ceased!!!!!

Funny Story of the Week: Two other elders had to come pick something up from our house but they didn't know where we live, so we just gave them the address over the phone.  We forgot that the house right next to us has the same address as our house. So, we see them walk into our neighbors gate, and before we can get over to tell them we live they walk up our neighbors steps open the door and walk right in like they own the place.  Needless to say, they were a bit embarrassed

Dos Pintos after a district meeting. 

Cool Experience of the Week: Usually we go to lunch at 12:00 p.m., but I felt we should go early, so we went to lunch at 1100 p.m.. On the way back from lunch, we ran into Hermano Samuel.  Hermano Samuel is the only member in his family.  We taught his family for awhile, but they weren't really interested so we stopped teaching them.  When we ran into him we talked for awhile and then he told us that he felt that we needed to go share a spiritual thought with his family.  So we went and shared a spiritual thought with his family and the spirit was super strong.  Long story short at the end of the lesson, they said they were ready to be baptized.  IT WAS AWESOME!!!

On Saturday, we had the baptisms of Ritle and Aldo! The way we found them was a little different, to say the least.  The story we heard is that their mom decided to become a witch, so they came and lived with some of their family members, Los Supers. Once they came to live with them, they started coming to church and we started teaching them.  They love going to church and are super excited about becoming members.  They are great kids.

Baptism of Ritle and Aldo.

Another Funny Story: We were talking with Aldo and Ritle the night before their Baptism and Hermano Super was with us. We were teaching them a little more and Hermano Super said, "the Lord will bless you a lot.   For instance, with a wife when you get older, but just make sure you find one with a good heart even if shes ugly."  Then he said, "my wife, she's super ugly, right elders? But shes got a good heart and that's why I love her." It was probably inappropriate and we were trying so hard not to laugh, but it was super funny. The Latino's are super savage, they just say what's on their mind and it doesn't matter how rude. HAHA

Another good week in the books, hope all is well Love yall

Elder Thackeray

The local sandlot game. 

Week 42: 4th transfer in Puerto

Fish Venders in Puerto

Puerto is cool! This is my 4th change here. Most missionaries are usually here anywhere from 6 to 9 months so who knows how much longer i'll be here.

Something Funny:  The electricity went out so I had to go pull up water out of our well using a bucket.  I took my flashlight out there but when I was bringing up the water my flashlight fell and went down the well. It made this bubbling song noise as it sank and the light just slowly faded out till it hit the bottom.  It felt like I was in a cartoon.  It made me laugh really hard, I don't know why. However, now I don't have a flashlight.

Airplane view of my area.

Something Spiritual: We had a family home evening with a family who had been really struggling these past couple months. It started with their house getting robbed; then they lost there jobs; but they always kept going to church. I shared D&C 98:1-3, one of my favorite scriptures. 

D & C 1-3 1 Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks; 2 Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted. 3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.

It says that we should give thanks in everything and at the end of things, that our afflictions will work together for our good. I also shared some of Joseph B. Wirthlin's talk "Come What May and Love It."  (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/come-what-may-and-love-it?lang=eng)   

It was super awesome and the Spirit was super strong. The next day, we got a call from them saying they had found work and would be able to pay for the things they needed so it was a pretty cool experience.  

Something Cool: We had to go to the church for a meeting and sometimes its hard to find a taxi in our area, so we waited forever and finally one came.  Before you get in a taxi here, you always ask how much because if you don't once they drop you off they will jack up the price and say some crazy amount. So, when we asked he said just get in we will get you there, which sounded a little fishy to us but we had to get to the meeting, so we just got in the taxi.  He ended up speaking English so we chatted with him as we drove.  When we got to our meeting and we tried to pay him he said, "Men of God ride free in this taxi"  so that was pretty cool. 

Anyways hope everyone has a good week! 

Elder Thackeray

Week 41: Transfers!

Wade with Chewie the pet monkey. 

Transfers came and went, nothing changed, I have the same companion in the same area.

This week went pretty good. we are finding a lot of cool people who are super positive, which is always nice.

Funny story of the week; We were in church in the priesthood class and this guy just walks in and is like, "Hey can I get a Book of Mormon?"  Then he stayed and was singing the hymns. Like really loud. I was busting up laughing. Then we gave him a Gordon B. Hinckley book so he could participate. Half-way through he just gets up with a hymnbook and Teachings of the President and leaves. No one knew what to do, so we just sat for a little but I was busting up laughing. I don't know why it was so funny, it just was, probably had to be there.

Livin' that good turtle life. 

Well. I don't have much this week but I'll leave y'all with a scripture in Alma 36:3:

Alma 36:3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.

Keep it real everyone. Love y'all

Elder Thackeray

P-Day Shenanigans.