Christmas in Honduras 2009

This is called a pila and is usually found outside of homes. However, in the house that Tate lives in right now, the pila is inside. Last week the water came into the pila during the night and flooded their apartment. They had fun cleaning it up at 4:45am.

The red line shows how high up the water rose during their flooding. Elder Brinton and Elder Olsen enjoying the "Christmas Train".
Elder Brinton is acting like he is the train conductor.
Tate enjoying a yummy breakfast on Christmas morning.
Tate enjoying a fun time with Elder Parker at the Mission Christmas Party.
Elder Parker and Elder Brinton acting like a couple of reindeer.
They lost power during an outage, so Tate thought up a clever way to heat water for his shower. He hates cold showers, so I guess this shows he will go to great lengths to be able to take a warm shower.
The man in this photo just celebrated his first year in the church. So Elder Brinton and Elder Olsen took him out to dinner.
Tate and Elder Olsen pose with Denise who is progressing so well in her discussions.

We Had So Much Fun Talking!

Hola Familia.
Well I don’t have much to say since we just talked yesterday, but anyway. Oh I was talking to Zolman and he was telling me that you convinced his parents to come pick him up to. Haha. So that should be fun. We should do something together. But anyway, this week was asi (okay); I don’t even remember what I did Monday-Wed, but on Wed night/Thurs morning our pila overflowed and flooded the house and that was fun. We had to clean it all out at 4:45 in the morning. Then Thursday we had dinner at President’s house. That was fun and we got to play with all his grandkids that are here. Then Friday we had lunch with an investigator, and talked to you and that’s basically all. So ya that was pretty much my week, it was a good Christmas and crazy to think I’ll be home for the next one. Weird. Time goes so fast. Well it was fun talking to you all and I love you all. Love Elder Brinton

This is a funny phrase that Tate’s 8 year old nephew told him on the phone while talking to Tate. He was talking about his brother. Tate laughed and laughed.

“No please don’t, I beg you not to, you don’t know the horrors I’ve suffered from him”
Mason

Amazing Christmas Party With the Entire Mission

Hola familia,

Well how’s everyone doing? Isn’t it crazy that Christmas is in less than a week! Thanks dad for the email. That’s too bad that the Cub's are taking so long to decide, and that they’re even considering leaving. You’d think a team that’s all about traditions wouldn’t want to break a 57 year tradition and leave. But unfortunately $$$ is what it’s all about.

But anyway this week was good. I should be leaving the office in the middle of February. So that’s good, I just wish it was sooner. This week we started teaching Denise again and its going really good. She likes it and she is so smart so she actually understands what we’re teaching. She is gone this weekend, but I think on Monday we will go back and she also invited us over for Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas lunch. (Christmas Eve is bigger here). So we’ll see what we do. Also Pres. invited us over. Ya that’s fine to call you at 4 (5 here) and I may call earlier just to make sure everything’s good. So ya this last week we said bye to Elder Foster and Elder Wright who are two of my really good friends that went home. Then on Tuesday me and Olsen got to go to Sabana Grande which is a little town like 45 minutes away which was fun. Then that night we taught Denise and also Wed night we taught her. Then Thursday was the mission Christmas party. It was really good. We had the whole mission there and we did it in the Marriott. It was like the nicest thing I’ve ever been too, but that was fun. Let’s see yesterday we went and gave a blessing to one of the sister’s investigators. That went well. I think they really liked it. I always love giving blessings because it’s a testimony that the priesthood is real! Then today we went to the baptism of one of president’s granddaughters cause his family came for Christmas and then we did some shopping. So that was pretty much my week, it was pretty good. I’m happy because we’re teaching Denise again so that’s good.

Well it sounds like you all had a good week. Sounds like everyone is nice and busy. That’s good. It’s too bad that Mesa didn’t win, but oh well. Well I need to go because it’s getting late, but we will talk on Friday which will be fun. I love you all and have a good week. The church is true.
Love Elder Brinton

Christmas Devotional

Hola familia,
How are we all doing this week? Ojala bien. Anyways this week was good…I think. On Sunday we went to the Christmas devotional which was good, then President invited us over to go to (my trainers) elder Vasquez’s last dinner. So we got to go eat. It’s weird that he is home now. Then he stayed with us Sunday night and me and Olsen dropped him of at the airport Monday morning. So I got to come into the mission with him and he got to leave with me. Haha. Also this week we went out and did visits with our ward. Which was good. I just hope that they can continue doing them because it would help the ward so much. Hopefully they will realize they aren’t that hard to do. The only bad thing is the only reason they did them in the first place is because we have ward conference this week and they want people to come. But hey at least they did them, it’s better than nothing. Also we finally got a hold of the girl we were teaching a few weeks ago and Monday were going there so that should be good. Oh ya and on Monday we had a big mission activity with three of the four city zones. We went up by the Christ statue and played soccer and basketball. It was a lot of fun but also very tiring. I haven’t done physical activity in so long it wore me out haha.

Let’s see what else. Oh ya a funny story that just happened today. So we were in this store buying some stuff and we were walking around and this worker girl came up to us and gave me and elder Fleischel a piece of paper and then walked away. And we were like what’s this, and we flipped them over and they both had girl’s names with phone numbers on them. And we just started laughing. It made us feel pretty good too. Haha. Hopefully that happens after the mission though, not just because I’m a gringo in a Latin country. Oh gotta love livin in a foreign country. Haha. Maybe ill just stay…it would be easier to get married haha.

Well good luck MESA that would be awesome and crazy if they won. Well sound like all the wedding stuff is going good. And everyone else is doing good. Oh ya I got the package you sent me….HUGE!! I couldn’t believe it. I think it’s bigger than anything I’ve gotten for Christmas at home. haha. But thank you it’s great. And I’ll be sure to get president his stuff. I’m sure he will be very happy (especially with the beef jerky) haha. Well I think that’s all for now. Elder Guernsey gets married today weird… tell his mom to tell him congrats. Um well ya I think that’s all. Have a wonderful week. We have our mission Christmas party next Thurs that should be good. Well I love you all. Take care the church is true.
Love Elder Brinton

Thanksgiving with the Adams', Stress, Cut Head and Beautiful View

Sis. Adams preparing a yummy turkey for Tate's belated Thanksgiving dinner.

Elder Olsen and Elder Brinton enjoying their delicious dinner. It looks more like a Thanksgiving Christmas because of the colors. They sure love Bro. and Sis. Adams. We are so thankful for their service, because they take such good care of the missionaries.

Does Elder Brinton's desk say he was a little "stressed" this week? Never known him to get stressed, but I guess it caught up with him.
Tate said: "I hit my head on the corner of the roof of a house". Ouch!!! Good think he is hard headed, huh? This is a beautiful evening view of the city of Tegucigalpa.
Another view of the city.

Locked Down with Presidend Chaverri

Hola familia,
First off that is crazy that Mesa is going to state! I can’t believe that. Man I wish I was there. But good luck Mesa. Well anyway I’m writing late so I don’t have a whole lot of time. Last Saturday we went on a trip with President Chaverri to a bunch of little towns and that was fun. Then on Sunday when we were locked in and Pres. invited us to stay at his house. We had a way cool sacrament meeting there with them. Then not much has happened this week. Let’s see what else. Today the Adams invited us over for a turkey dinner because we weren’t able to on thanksgiving. So that was really good. We had a good time with them.

Um what else… well I can’t really think of much. Um it sounds like all of you are doing great. Feliz cumpleaños Granny, Ryler, Gemma and Tanner. Thanks for the pictures they were great. Everyone is getting so big. That’s crazy. How is dad doing? I assume good cause you haven’t said much about pain or anything so I assume that’s a good thing. Um and have the Cubs said anything about if there going or staying?? Let’s see what else. Sorry I’m kinda in a hurry cause I need to go, but I didn’t have much time earlier to write. It was kind of stressful here in the office this week. But I made it through. I’m usually fine, but sometimes it can get a little rough. But anyway sorry it’s so short. Maybe I can write a little more later. But I love you all. Have a great week. And remember the church is true. ByeLove Elder Brinton

Elder Olsen's Birthday!

Tate was able to take his trainer, Elder Trujuillo to the airport and see him as he was leaving to go home.

Elder Olsen getting ready to blow out his candles.

The night looks like it's going to be so nice, opening his presents and all....

....and everyone is being nice taking pictures of the birthday boy!

...and President and Hermana Chaverri want Elder Olsen to enjoy his Birthday...
....Hermana Chaverri says, "Let the fun begin!"
This tradition continues for each missionary that has a birthday in the office.

It starts out simple enough, but progresses until the birthday boy is covered with egg.

Then to make things worse...here comes the flour!

Luckily, the hose comes to Elder Olsen's rescue.
Elder Brinton and Elder Olsen after washing the office cars.

Elder Olsen's Birthday!

Well hello familia,
It sounds like everyone is doing well. It’s weird that next Thanksgiving I will be home. Yes that was my last one, and now Christmas will be here before we know it and I will call. CRAZY! Let’s see, for Thanksgiving we were going to have a dinner at the Adams, but they were out of town. So it was the only night this week we didn’t have something planned, so I took Olsen out to Chili’s for a Thanksgiving /his b-day dinner. That was fun. We are going to have our Thanksgiving dinner next Saturday at the Adams. So we’ll still have it, just late. But it sounds like you all had fun out on the desert. I didn’t know Savannah Hancock got married, that’s cool. I did know Kimber was though. Weird that I have friends getting married. Happy b-day Rob. Thanks for the pictures, that’s crazy how big Hallie and Abby are. I can’t believe it. I think you if you didn’t send me pictures I wouldn’t know who she was when I got home.

The new missionaries last week were good. They looked like there were a lot of good ones. And ya Elder Anderson looked like a really good missionary, funny how you can just tell by looking at someone. Oh and of course I haven’t forgotten how to sign my name. I only do it about 100 times a day. I always have to sign stuff. I think only for that I have this job. Haha.

So anyway last night we had Elder Olsen’s b-day dinner at the mission home. That was really fun (pics attached). We got him a little messy. But it was really fun. Then tonight this gringa that’s in our ward invited us over for dinner. I don’t think she gets many visitors here so she really likes it when we visit here and hey it’s food so we don’t mind either, she’s actually really cool too. So yes this week went super fast!!! I think knowing we had all this stuff planned this week made it go really fast.

Today Pres invited us to go on a trip to a few areas so we’ll see how it goes, it should be really fun. Um what else. I think that’s pretty much all that happened. Oh ya so tomorrow here is the big day: Election Day. So yes we are locked down, but Hrma Chaverri invited us to stay at the mission home while we are locked in, so it will probably be pretty fun actually. No one really knows what the people will do, hopefully they are all calm, but I doubt it. But hopefully it just lasts for Sunday and doesn’t carry over or things don’t get to crazy. I don’t think they will, but we’ll see. Just make sure you pray for us. Well I think that’s pretty much all. Sorry it was so short, but it’s just a reflection of the week… really short.

Well I love you all, the church is true. Love Elder Brinton

Oh ya I forgot to tell you, the gringa that were going to visit tonight, we went there two weeks ago and she told us her conversion story (she’s a convert of 1 year). Anyway she was talking about in the scriptures were the people had to see Jesus to believe he existed. And she said she was like that about the church, she had to see proof, but she said something really cool. She said, “I was one of those people that had to touch God to believe, but better yet God touched me”. She was referring to the answer she received to here prayers. So just a thought, has god touched us, and if so when was the last time? Pienselo.

Farewells, Christmas Tree, Glitter Fight, Egging, and Talent Show

Elder Muellek and Elder Brinton before E. Muellek leaves for home. Mission accomplished, Elder Muellek. Thanks for the great companion you were for Elder Brinton.

Putting up the Christmas tree at the Mission Home. (Looks like ours at home...all those individual branches. We bet Elder Brinton would never have imagined they had one of those in Honduras.)
Doesn't it look good. Tate put all the lights on by himself. He said he did it like Mom always does. Even though he had never done it before, we are so proud that he actually watchted and learned.

The finished tree, with the office elders, the AP's, and President Chevarri and his wife and daughter.

Glitter, glitter everywhere.

Tate got in a glitter fight with Elder Zolman.

When you have a birthday while you are in the mission home, you get egged. Well Elder Brinton was lucky enough to get some of the egg intended for Elder Esplin.

More egg... ...the most egg. Elder Esplin was new to the office last week and look how they made him feel loved. This is what you get when it's your birthday!

These are some cute kids that were dancing at the ward party.

Tate said: Cool chicken, lays cool egg. This happens to be his signature...that he thinks is really cool. In case you can't read it, it says: Tate Brinton

Our 2nd Group of Missionaries

Ya we actually receive a lot of box packages, we receive everything. So if you want to send me a big package don’t worry that you already sent the Christmas package, there’s always new years? Packages are always welcome. Um I don’t really need shirts, mine are still doin pretty good. Socks you could send more if you wanted, there always really comfortable when there new, and I could probably start to retire some of my other socks. But whatever. If you wanted to send one of those books to the Adams you could, it doesn’t really matter, and you could send me one too. But ya I don’t know. I’m sure Pres will love the beef jerky. It’s like giving you Baskin Robins German Chocolate ice cream. Let’s just say it doesn’t get shared. But ya we’ll have to see when it gets here. So in changes this week, Elder Estrada’s replacement came in so he’ll train him for two weeks and then leave. But his name is Elder Esplin, and guess where he’s from? PHX AZ. Hopefully you understand those letters. But he’s way cool and I’m excited to have him here. He’ll share an office with me so I was thinking maybe an AZ flag?? Who knows? So it’s been good having him here. I’m thinking I’ll be out in Feb, but who knows. Other than that, that was the only change here. There is a new missionary in my district so that will be fun.

Well this week was fun, (not as good as the last one) with all the new missionaries. It was also sad seeing some of the missionaries that went home. So on Monday the gringos came in from the airport, there were only 5 this time, but we got to talk with them a little, then on Tuesday morning we woke up at 5 to take all the leaving missionaries to the airport. It was sad seeing this group go because I had a lot of friends in it. Including Elder Muelleck and Elder Trujuillo my old comps. So we dropped all of them off, then we went and picked up the new missionaries (gringos) from the mission home and brought them to the office. Then we gave them their little training class things. Then all the Latin missionaries came in this afternoon. There were 19 of them. It was a lot of missionaries. So ya we didn’t get to take them to work or anything, but we did have some stay at our house with us and that was fun. Then Wednesday is the actual changes and it was busy to. We had to take 23 missionaries suitcases to the church were the changes are which = A LOT OF SUITCASES. Then I had to make sure the bus drivers that take the missionaries to the south and to Danli were paid and what not. So ya it was a busy week.

Last night we celebrated Elder Esplin’s b-day at the mission home. It was fun. And while we were throwing eggs at him, some of them didn’t break and well I was the recipient of three eggs, one of which some how went right into my pocket. So even though it wasn’t my b-day I got some lovely egg on me. You should try it I’m sure its great for the skin. (Pictures coming) Elder Olsen’s b-day is this week and I can’t wait. He’s going to get soooo many eggs. Also this week we put up the Christmas decorations in the mission home. And I did the tree and put the lights on. And they were like wow that’s good you must have done that before. I was putting the lights up and down each branch and they were like, “Wow I would have just wrapped the tree, but it looks better like that. You’ve done it before haven’t you? And I was like no I’ve just seen my mom do it a lot and she said you have to do it this way. So there you go. And it actually made it feel a little like Christmas.

Also last night we put on a ward talent show, and it was pretty good and fun. Well ya that was pretty much my week. It was pretty busy and it will be nice to kinda rest haha. That’s funny. That’s crazy that Mesa beat Brophy. I’m sure they shocked themselves. Also if you want to buy me a house go for it. That would be convenient. Oh also if I happen to use some money to take Olsen out to eat or something for his b-day this Sat. is that all right? Congrats Craig that’s cool. I think I know someone there, but I can’t remember. Have the Cubs said anything about where they’re going for spring Training?

Well I think that’s all for now. Have a great a week. I love you all, the church is true! Love Elder Brinton