Las Palmas Managua Week 57

I’m teaching a man named Eddy. He is really a great example for me. He was not allowed to take off Sundays so he told his employer that he was going to quit his job so he could go to church. It has been awesome teaching him and I’m excited to send pictures this next week of his baptism.

I’m also teaching a girl named Margin. She is really great and she is really studying all the things we have taught her. I have been really impressed with everything that she has done in her life. Her mom left her and the person she lives with told us that she wished that her mom would come back and get her because all she is trouble. She is actually kind of like the maid of the house, which is sad. To go to church she needs to wake up early in the morning at 5 just to clean and prepare the house for the day. It’s really sad because after all her work her adoptive mom says she doesn’t love her.

Anyway so yeah I’m still here in Las Palmas. I like it here but I wish it were different. I liked the forest areas a lot but now I’m in the city. I hope at least in my last area I can return to a forestry area again.

I can’t really write a lot this week because we’re really busy, but next week I’m going to have a ton to write about. I love you mom I’M GOING TO WRITE WAY MORE NEXT WEEK!!!

Las Palmas Managua Week 56

Hey mommy its your friendly neighborhood Elder Hironaka. Wow I love

all the pics, they’re awesome! It looks like everyone is growing up and

is getting better and better. I love my family so much. Thank you mom

for just being a big part of that. I miss you so much.

Well so I have a ton to write.

So we did have changes this last week! It was good. My second son

left the house! Elder Redd now is in Sandino, which will be a great area

for him. I don’t think I told you about this but, during the time I was

with Redd I also was given a new son named Elder Castillo. This dude

is my funny son, haha. He is super funny and together we have a great

time and we’re doing great. He is awesome. He always is looking how to

better himself. I have done a ton of practices with him and I’m pretty

confident to say that he is going to have a ton of success in his

Mission. This last week we had a meeting of the new missionaries with

their trainers. In this meeting the new missionaries without their

trainers have to teach and put a baptism date. I was super proud of him

he did out-standing and was great. He even got a, good job compliment from

President after.

Well also in the changes I got a new ZL companion to help me out. His

name is Elder Anderson. He is really chill. He is from Logan Utah. He

Is a hard worker and it’s great to have him as a companion.

We were also able to baptize 2 more people this last week. Oh and mom

don’t worry my relationship with the ward and the Bishop is really

good. I work with the Bishop almost every Thursday so that he can get

to know my investigators. With these 2 baptisms, I have had a number of

baptisms in my time here in Las Palmas. The people I baptized in Bello

still sometime come to my ward here in Las Palmas, even though I have

told them they can’t, but it still makes me feel good. They all

bring me food because they are worried I’m getting skinny, haha. Don’t

worry I’m not.

So like I said we baptized 2 people this week named José and Marlexa.

We are also preparing a middle-aged man named Eddy. Get this he might

quite his job if they tell him that he can’t go to church!!! What faith right?

Las Palmas Managa Week 55

Hey it’s your friendly Elder Hironaka. This week was crazy. It was long as well and I don't have a ton of time to talk but I want to say I miss you guys a ton and I'm happy to see how happy everyone is doing.

      I would like to start with my testimony this week. I now have firm testimony of the restored gospel. I have seen the work of the hands of God in my life. I know that the family is a gift from Our Heavenly Father and that He has prepared the way for us to live together forever. I know through faith if we act, we will receive help from Our Father In Heaven. He sees us for who we can become. He doesn't count the times we trip and fall; he only cares when we get back up. I'm happy that our all-knowing Father In Heaven sent his son who would live a life without sin. I know that he knew that his son would feel all the pain of the world but he still sent him for me. I know that Jesus Christ felt the blood leave his body for my sins. I know and testify that we are each a child of God and that He loves us. I know that Joseph Smith is and was a called prophet of God. I know that the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and that it is a map to our salvation. I know the Holy Ghost is with us always.  It’s up to us to listen. I know these things to be true, in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

We were also very lucky to see Mauricio baptized this week.  But I'm going to have to talk to you more about that next week I'm out of time. I love you, be safe!

Las Palmas Managua Week 54

This week was awesome. We had a baptism. Her name is Jessica and she has been a great example to me. She really puts the Lord first in her life. Her family is far from wanting to be members. They didn't support the baptism and thought it was weird that she would always leave the house on Sunday. She is 18 years old so she didn't need to ask her parents to be baptized. Even though her family was very against the whole idea she was happily baptized with a smile on her face.

We are also teaching a young man named Jorge. Jorge is sweet. He found us and told us he wanted to become a part of our church. It turned out his Dad is a member and had a bad drinking problem. After the missionaries taught him however, he never had the desire to drink again. Jorge wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and be baptized. He also has a drinking problem but is taking care of it a little and has started to stop. I can’t wait to see what happens and were he goes in the future.

This week the Sisters in my zone had another marriage. They really kick butt, and I don't know if I told you, but one of them is Rachel T's best friends. Anyway I had my hands full with that this past week. I love weddings but with all the new laws it is getting harder and harder. The people at the law firm like me though and the people at the records. They almost know how to say my name I have been in there so much.

This week my companion got sick so I had to go and do divisions with someone. Everyone in my ward was busy so I called someone from Bello Amanacer to come and help me. It was fun talking to my little buddy Christen again. Also I don't know if I told you but a lot of people from Bello have come and visited me here. They bring me food because they say they are worried about me. I'm very well fed. I still miss them very much and I'm very happy to see that they are all still progressing and getting better. I have heard now that almost all of my converts over there now have callings!!!! It's awesome to hear that.

                                                       

This next week is changes! I'm not getting changed because I have to train the new ZL that is going to come here. My son however Elder Redd is leaving for sure. I am proud of him. He is going to be a great missionary. Also my other son Elder Jovel That I trained in Bello is just ripping it up. His Zone Leader told me he is going to baptize 6 to 7 people this month!!!! I was like  WHO'S YOUR DADDY?!! Really though, it's awesome to hear when the people you trained are doing awesome.

Las Palmas Managua Week 53

This week Elder Hironaka only wrote a short letter with a birthday note to his mom. He said, I’m happy that our Heavenly Father knowing his son would suffer the most pain anyone could ever feel sent Him anyway so we could be together forever. 

Las Palmas Managua Week 52

This week was awesome, long, and full of stuff I’m always going to remember!  

To start, we are planning on baptizing 4 people this month!! This week we’re going to baptize Jefferson who is a little boy whose family is not active. We are also going to baptize someone named Jessica. She is progressing and loves the church. She has been reading and studying everything we have given her. I thought she was a member but I started to talk with her and she told me that she wants to be but the missionaries who have come by her house never come back.  So, we have been visiting her quite a bit and she will for sure be ready to be baptized in two weeks.

Last Tuesday a rain canal fell in the sister’s house and was filling up their house with water. So I threw on my shirt and tie and ran to their house... or tried. We were socked with water. We tried to take a taxi and we got as far as we could when the taxi stalled out. The water was like a river in the street and the taxi was more like a boat than a car. I was a little upset as well because my phone fell in the water as well. It was crazy. The sisters were fine everything was ok. The next day I spent most of the day looking for a new house for them in their area. I looked at 8 houses but none were good so I had to take another day looking for one. One house I won’t forget, it was the worst house ever. So the owner came up and said, “ok this house we haven’t been in over a year” (bad sign). So right when he opened the door roaches started running, so the sisters didn’t want to enter. I wasn’t going to say yes to the house at all at that point but I want to see the rest of the house so I entered. The back part of the house smelled super bad and I’m not got to lie, I started to think ok there might be some dead body or something in here. I kept walking on back and when I got to the last room a ton of bats came out!  I saw a room with like 5 rats and a bunch of rat and bat poo. Haha, It was funny but the guy was really nice and told me he would clean it up. I was nice and told him don’t worry about it they can’t live there.  I ended up finding a nice new house for them so they are going to be ok. They’re going to start to live there in one week.

Working out again. So we made like a bench press with little weights. It not great because you have to do like 100 reps before your tired, but it’s a good workout.

 I HOPE EVERYTHING IS GOOD I MISS YOU VERY MUCH AND HOPE EVERYTHING IS OK!  BE SAFE!!!!! LOVE YOU