No 4th of July Celebration here . . .

It's been an amazing and inspiring week trying to get settled in Honduras, in the San Pedro Sula East Mission.  It's been a whirlwind tour as we have gathered with our missionaries in 9 different cities over the last 7 days.  Lots of driving . . . beautiful scenery . . . dedicated missionaries!

We missed our July 4th celebration with friends and family so just wanted to share some of the photos sent to us from family celebrations in Columbus Ohio and Denver!

We or course think they are pretty cute :)

Then we thought we'd share just a little update from what's 

been going on in our lives here since our arrival!

We arrived in San Pedro Sula on Thursday and were met at the airport by outgoing President and Hermana Veirs.  We were at the end of an endlessly long line to go through customs with our bags and discovered that one of our porters was a member of the church.  And the next thing you know he has whisked us to the front of the line!  One of our first miracles here in this great country!  

We discovered right away that it's pretty different driving than in the USA.  There are no road lines, generally people drive on the right and the left like back home, but if no one is coming the other direction it's just ok to use the whole road for either direction, and then cut back in shortly before a head on collision.  Meanwhile cars are dodging dogs, pedestrians (as EVERYONE appears to be walking along the side of the roads here with no sidewalks and very narrow roads), bicycles, even horses! People drive very fast here as there are no speed limits anywhere.  I think we experienced several near misses but arrived at our new home and mission office . . . Our second miracle here in the country!

We already are amazed and inspired at the missionaries we'll have opportunity to serve with for the next three years.  At first, 3 years seemed like a long time, but we can already see the days zipping by and know that three years will go by in a heartbeat.  We are enamored of the warm, humble and kind people of the country of Honduras.  

We appreciate each day the beauty that surrounds us once we get a little outside the city itself.  It's true, the country has many great problems, one of which is the potentially dangerous situations that surrounds us each day.  But we count ourselves blessed tremendously by our Heavenly Father and know that he is ever watchful of his servants here in Honduras and all over the world really.  We are so grateful for this opportunity to be here and serve in the missionary efforts as the gospel truly rolls forth upon the face of the earth at this time.  

Love and hugs to all