Hola Honduras

Hey Elder Gessell,

So, you made it to Honduras.  Glad to hear the transition went well.  We received an email from your mission president's wife explaining that you had arrived and telling us who your companion is and where you would be serving.

Things here are good.  We had almost a whole week of sunshine which was a nice break from the weeks of constant rain.  Hondo has been getting out of the house into the backyard more and I take him on walks every day.  I also take him for jogs every couple of days or so.  He does pretty well keeping a good pace and is not too distracted by all the smells along the way.  We are planning on creating a separate space for him on the side of the house by the shed.  We need to put in some additional cement and a black metal fence so he can see what is going on in the backyard when he is in his area.  He has had his last round of shots and is fully protected from disease...at least for a couple years.

Now that you are in Honduras, I have a couple of words of advice.  First of all, be safe.  Most of the incidents that happen in countries like Honduras involve traffic accidents or auto versus pedestrian accidents.  Please stay alert and avoid dangerous situations and drivers.  We want you home in one piece.  Second, be aware of the most dangerous animal on the planet.  Not tigers, snakes or even spiders.  The most dangerous animal is the mosquito.  Use the different types of protection including bug spray, nets and clothing.  You don't want to get a mosquito borne illness.  Third, don't drink the water.  I know Brandt had trouble with this one every once in a while and he paid a price.  I think his problem with dairy is likely caused by something he got from the water down there.  You can politely decline or find some excuses that will work.  I know you don't want to offend anyone but you also don't want to be sick.  Please be careful.  Fourth, avoid the people, areas and times of day as directed by your mission president.  Almost all of the serious crimes happen at certain places, at certain times and involve certain people.   If you avoid those situations, you will be much safer.  Finally, watch out for fire and electricity.  No candles or open flames if you can avoid it.  Also, stay away from power lines even the small ones at the houses.  Sorry for being such a paranoid parent.  It comes from by profession.  Just want you to be safe and happy.

Here is a little tool that I used on my mission.  At times, you will find yourself in a situation where you want to leave.  Maybe a visit to a member is lasting too long or an investigator has you trapped with many long stories and you have to get to the next appointment.  Here is a little tip.  Subtly use your hand to touch your ear, then your nose and then your jaw.  This is a signal to your companion that it is time to leave.  Ear + Nose + Jaw = Irnos ya!  That is rough Spanish for let's get out of here now.

That is about it from Elk Grove.  I am excited to hear all about your first week in Honduras.  How is the area?  The ward?  Your companion?  How is the language coming?  How is your apartment?  Your neighborhood?  Your shower?  How is the food?  Eat anything interesting this week?  I could go on forever.

I hope you are happy and doing well.  Remember that the first couple months may be a little rough as you adapt to your new situation.  Give yourself a little time and keep praying for help.  Love you Matthew!

You are doing great!

Love,

Dad

Hey Dad!

Thanks for all the great advice. They have me pretty well taken care of here. And mom has given me all the tools to avoid things like water and mosquitoes. I use my filter bottle everyday and there is pure water that you can buy on every corner for really cheap. I have the strongest repellent known to man. All the other Elders laugh at me but I don't feel safe without my repellent so I always wear it. About dangerous areas. I am in one of the safer areas but we do still take lots of safety precautions by not staying out in the dark and not taking hardly any money out with us. We are instructed not to make visits to long after dark and to return home as soon as we have finished our last scheduled visit. 

My living conditions are pretty humble for US standards but apparently very nice for mission standards. We have running water. It is really cold but it is running so I guess I cant complain. As for the food we have a pensionista who always makes Baleadas and fried plantanes. They arent anything super special and I enjoy them. The spanish is going really good. I feel like I can get my point across most of the time and I am getting a good grip on the grammar. I am learning tons of new vocab everyday which is great. The only thing that is hard is understanding other people. They speak very quick here and often drop the "S" in their speech. Add that to how loud it is outside, it becomes hard to hear what people are saying. Our ward is very small to be a ward. There are only about 40 active members. Everyone else is inactive. We have a really good bishop and Ward Mission Leader. They have helped alot. I think that is about it. Thanks so much for the emails Dad! I love you and miss you a bunch!

Love

Elder Gessell