Monday, April 18, 2016
HEYYY!! So this week has been awesome! I feel like the week has just been so full and that's great because that means I have been working. Or at least I think that's what it means...
But yea so anyway, every morning this week I have been waking my companion up at 5 in the morning so we could leave and go do some service projects before the sun was super harsh and strong! Keep in mind the service projects weren't easy ones either! But they were pretty fun. Let me tell you those services were physically tasking and well I mean the harder the better! Sometimes as a trainer you kinda need to break the kid you're training as if you were breaking a wild horse. First you make them work hard and then if they don't give results then you deprive them of something they want like sleep for example (hence the 5 o'clock alarm). Then after they are feeling deprived you make them work and work until they show the fruits of their labors. So this week was basically a bunch of that: No sleep, a lot of service, and blistered hands.
I love getting out and serving! Not to mention it's great to serve when the people you're serving are familiar faces! This Friday morning the zone I am serving in was sent to do a special project ordered by President Bowler. None of us really knew any details about the project besides the location, the time, and that we were going to be lifting heavy boxes! So we, the elders of Zona Esperanza all went into the warehouse where our awaiting project was and there stood David Sheets the very man that organized the service project that I very first came to Honduras in my senior year! It was super interesting to see so many familiar faces and then to see so many familiar things. It was a little bit of a deja vu moment for me but all in all I survived the biggest service project of my life and loved seeing those people again!
I know that God hopes that the men of the priesthood will serve to magnify our divine authority. And I know as we serve our fellow man with all our might then the Lord blesses us and makes us into the men He needs us to become. It has been a privilege to serve the people here and I can't wait for the many opportunities of service that are waiting for me!
Love,
Elder Jonah McKee
Monday, April 11, 2016
MOM!!! I love you!
Also I love God! I really have such a strong testimony that He truly answers our prayers when we really need what we are asking for. I have been trying very hard to teach my companion to become more selfless by searching for service opportunities. I know God has heard my prayers because this week almost every single day we had a service project to do! The only bummer is that my companion didn't help in any of them.... I know one of these days he will stop standing there with his arms crossed and he´ll help more but until that day I will gladly continue to do the service on my own. I just hope that sooner then later, he will recognize the difference in how receptive the people are to both of us and maybe then he will recognize that maybe the reason the people remember my name is because I put myself below them and serve. I truly hope one day he learns but until then I'm glad my hands aren't too soft, it makes service easier.
This week I cooked our lunches almost everyday and I guess in the end something really positive about having a lazy companion is that I learn to cook for two and so any ladies out there just be aware that I can cook for two ;) Also this week I was contacting and when I knocked on this one lady's house she asked us to come inside because she said she wanted to show me something. I went in and she showed me the most epic banner! Then out of no where she asked me if I wanted to buy it and so I said yes!! I bought it and now its hanging by my bed! I'll attach a picture of the banner but just know it's epic!! My spirit animal has always been a panther but the tiger will do. :)
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Jonah McKee
Monday, April 4, 2016
Hey Mom!!! How are you?!?! I have been working here in the capital city now for a week and it's been super fun!! I really do love the southern region of the country with all of my being but I also have city blood! I need the fast paced style of the city every once and a while!
This week has been a really upbeat once since now I'm in an area with a whole lot more concentrated population! Since there is less distance between the people, I have less time between teaching opportunities! I truly have been enjoying my time here and I love when I'm walking around and people come out of no where and tell me they want to practice their English with me. It's super fun helping people with that! During conference I almost died when President Uchtdorf started speaking in German and said he was sorry for those who didn't speak the celestial tongue because I tell people all the time I'd be happy to teach them English because it is the celestial tongue!!! Most people think it's pretty funny when I tell them that and then we continue practicing for a couple of minutes.
Right now I am finishing the training of a kid from Bolivia and its been interesting. He is a little older than I am; he is 21 and about to turn 22 and its been cool. Sometimes I get a little frustrated because the other Elder who began his training just turned 27 and was a lot older. Now that I am younger then my companion, I feel like sometime he doesn't listen to me just because I am younger. It's a little difficult but it's fine. I have been making a lot of changes in the work here. Before we walked a lot and I don't understand why because I know there are a ton of people we pass who have never heard from the missionaries. So lately I have been making sure we walk less and talk more!
I don't know how long I'm going to be assigned to the city areas but while I'm here, I plan on baptizing. Hopefully I can accomplish the goals I've set because the area needs it! In the year of 2016, the area has only seen one baptism and that shouldn't be happening in a city area so hopefully I can help build the stake here. I love being here though and it's going to be very nice working in a ward for once! I love you all and I hope you keep me in your prayers!
Love forever,
Elder Jonah McKee
