Weeks 31-32 Transfer 2

May 22nd

Hello Family,

Things here for me have been going fine. I have gotten used to my new companion Elder Pop in these past 2 weeks. We are going to have a baptism this week and I will be sure to send photos of it. The thing is that she is family of a recent convert that we have and she has never been so ready to be baptized. We shortly hope that the majority of this family can change their lives and become a family not only in this life but in the eternity. 

This week we have an activity with President Klein which is one of the final times that we will see him before he leaves this next transfer. In this activity all the missionaries in the zone have a chance to ask him questions that they have for him no matter what the topic is. I will be sure to send you guys pictures and all. This change for me has been a change of pace and we are working harder in our area and starting to advance the work even though the attendance of the ward is going down we will be there to help guide the ward in how they can better themselves. 

Probably this next change I will be leaving this area and I am working hard to try and leave the area better than I found it when I came, so that when the new companion of Elder Pop comes he will be able to work as well with him and that they will have success. 

It is cool to here that Katie is leaving for her mission this week. Tell her to send me emails as well if you can. 

Hope that this week goes well for you guys. 

Elder Trepanier

I found these photos in another email to Cory. I believe they are from his p-day to Utila a few weeks ago

May 30th

Hello family, 

Things for me went fine but the baptism that we had planned this Saturday fell through due to complications that happened during this week. I got a bit discouraged Saturday and Sunday when this happened, but things happen and God has a plan for all. The activity that happened with President Klein went great. He had some good advice to give us personally and spiritually as well. He had some good advice to give on marriage and such before he leaves this next few weeks and the new mission president comes in and does his work. 

Andrew it is good to hear that you are planning on enjoying your summer. Wow APUS be prepared for a lot of reading this year. A bit of advice try to finish your summer homework the fastest you can so that you can enjoy your summer. Work some take a bit of a break and relax and get back to work just work bit by bit and things will get done. It seems like you have a good plan to get into shape you could see if you can get a gym membership and go with friends if you can. Do cross training to continue to stay in shape and do not be a couch potato this summer like I was on my vacations. 

Rachel things will be fine with the transition of high school just do not waste your time and use it wisely to get your homework done. Do not be afraid to ask for help if you need it from mom and dad for your homework and if you feel tired and have a bunch of homework to do and you do not think that you will finish it in time to go to mutual make the decision that you believe to be the correct one go to mutual, or finish your homework that you need to get done. 

Hope that you have a good week, and good summer.

Elder Trepanier     

Week 29-30 Transfer 2 Week 18-19

Week 29 (Post Mother's Day call)

Family 

So it was great to hear from you yesterday and talk. We found out yesterday that my comp Elder Hernandez has changes on Wednesday so I will be staying to see the baptism that we have for the 28th. When my comp found out we were just getting out of a lesson and he was shocked and was like it cant be so because I have less time than you. We went to go to a lesson with the investigator that is getting baptized on the 28th and he started to say goodbye and gave her a note and it ended up that she started crying because it is tough for both missionaries and investigators when there are changes the hard thing is that he is really kind and humble that when she read the note that he left for her she ended up crying. The crazy thing is that I had a dream in the beginning of this change that I would be the one that baptized her and I really did not know if that would be true or not, but it looks like I will be staying in my area for at least another change. 

Thanks for sending me the pictures of the honey extract. Like I told you guys yesterday when we talked if you can get me some honey that would be great if not than I can live without it. 

So like you guys know we went to Utila today and it was pretty cool to go and see the island. There are no missionaries on the island right now because it is a branch and there are not that many people that live there. Only alot of people that go to get certified to scuba dive and such. It ended up that President Klein came with us and it was cool to be with him for the day. Hope that you enjoy the pics that I took. Have a good week and continue to have fun these next few weeks with summer vacations and all. 

Elder Trepanier

Week 30

Hello Family, 

So I did not see an email that I had from you guys this week but let me say that all is fine for me here in the mission. (Yes, we missed our weekly family email - keeping it real) This week was changes and it ended up that I got a new companion in my area so I ended up staying in La Cieba for another 6 weeks with my new companion Elder Pop who is from Guatemala. He is so chill as a companion I think that I have had a good luck with companions in my mission I have gotten along with the majority of my companions in the mission so far. 

I have got to tell you that my companion has an interesting conversion story in how he became a member of the church. He is a convert of 2 years and before he was a member he was catholic but not catholic by birth and only went to church a few times a year, he was active in the catholic church in his home town. Some of his family were already members of the church and he was basicaly listening to the missionaries for 5 years when he finaly decided to pray to find out if the church was true and what he said was when he prayed he felt like somebody touched him on the shoulder and a great peace filled him and he decieded to be baptized that next saturday and not wait. I have got to say that listening to his convertion story was a great pick me up to get to work and be a more obedient missionary. 

In our area now we are trying to change things for the better in the work so that we can have a better area when I probably end up leaving the area in about 6 weeks. We have one investigator right now that is most likely going to be baptized in the next week she will be having her baptisimal interview next sunday. I have basicaly got a recharge to my batteries to work as a missionary and be more obedient in the mission even though my last companion was chill and we got along the work that we had going started to die off and I needed something new to continue to work hard in the mission. 

Hope that you all are going fine this week and I LOVE YOU ALL so very much. 

Elder Trepanier

Week 28 Transfer 2 Week 17

5 Days until Mother's Day! We are looking forward to visiting with Elder Trepanier for a bit

Hello family,

Sorry if I am writting latter than usual. Things are going well for me here. For mothers day I can call you through skype at 1 o'clock my time because I have to be at the church in the morning until 12 and that is the only hour that I have free to call and talk to you guys. I will be able to call you guys through skype. Cant wait to talk to you. 

I will be sure to send photos of Utila next week when we go. Things are going fine for me in the work it is a bit dificult right now but I know that the baptisms will come. Right now I am completing 5 and a half months in my area and I will see next week if I will have changes to another area in the mission I think that I will because I have 2 changes with my comp Elder Hernandez. (I think his math is a little off, he's been in this area about 4 months)

Mom I did recieve the package last week. It is cool to hear that you got the oprotunity to go to the temple back home. I would love to go to the temple here in Honduras but that will probably not happen. Myself personaly I have been trying to be more reverent and calm more in the sacrament meetings in thinking of what I can start doing better as a missionary and what I am lacking. Always continue forward striving to be better each day. It does not matter how much that you have falled it is how you get back up and continue fighting to become better. I have learned alot on the mission and am striving to aplly it in my life. 

Glad to hear from the family let me know if the time that I gave you to talk is fine it. Talk to you guys next week.

Elder Trepanier

Weeks 24-27 Transfer 2 Weeks 13-16

Here's a month's worth of Elder Trepanier's emails. Enjoy!

Stacey

April 4

Mom 

Let me say that General Conference was great to listen to. We got to listen to it live because we are on the same time as it started in Utah, so that was cool and I got to listen to it in English as well with all the other North Americans in my area. The priesthood session was great to listen to. If you get a chance listen to President Nelson´s talk also listen to President Utchdorf´s talk as well. It seemed like in this conference they talked a lot about fatherhood and the importance of it. I also really liked Elder Holland´s talk as well with his closing remarks and how he opened it up. 

Apart from conference things have gone fine for me this week with my companion and in the area as well. As you said mom I am still in my area that I was the last 3 months, I fell like I will probably have changes in May the Wednesday after mothers day. I am not sure how we are going to call you for mothers day and all but what ever happens happens. 

Its crazy to think how much time has gone by since I left and now just about 6 months have passed by. 

Let me tell you that today we went to play volleyball on the beach in our zone area and I got sunburned bad so it is going to such these next few days or so as I start to recover from it. Hope that everything is going fine for you guys back home. 

Elder Trepanier 

April 11

Hello Family, 

Things are going fine for me in my area with Elder Hernandez. You are right dad it is my first time that I have survived changes without changing my companion or areas in the mission but I feel like it is going to be my time to change areas in the mission when the next changes come around. 

It is cool to hear that the bees are starting to work now and are producing honey. I would like to receive some in a package if I can get some from you guys if there can be a way to get it to me. It is so weird to hear that it hailed back home I am used to the straight rain here in Honduras that we get. Nothing really has changed for me in my area. It just feels like I am continuing to work for another month and a half. 

I have come to the conclusion that the mission if you have a companion that you can get along with you can change the area for the better because you are on the same page and you want to work as well. You can have a crap area but the mission can be a great time even. 

Mom I have not had a dream in Spanish yet I will let you know when I do if I remember. It was cool to hear that you had the missionaries over for dinner this week it must have felt better knowing that your son is on a mission. 

Lets just say that I am having a great time in my area working on the Lord;s work with him by my side. I got to say that on the mission I have been blessed so much that I have come to recognize it in my life daily now that it has started to become second nature to me. Hope that you guys have a good week and that everything goes fine for you this week. Talk to you next week. 

Elder Trepanier

April 18

Hello Family, 

This week was good in our area in the work that we did. We are going to have 2 baptisms in May and that is a firm point that is going to happen. I really hope that I will still be in the area when these baptisms happen. I want to see the fruits of my labors and rejoice. I feel like my work here in this area is not done here. 

I did burn a tie this week I will send you a picture when I can of it. It is good to hear from you guys weekly and see what everyone is up to through out the week. 

A spiritual experience that I had this week was when we were with an investigator and he said that you are like superheros in the street. Superman has his S, spider man has his spider on his chest and you guys have your backpacks. He said that we do not walk alone and when we are with him he does not fell like it is us and him only he feels like there is someone else with us like angels and such. This is so cool to hear someone that is not a member say and recognize these types of spiritual things that happen. 

Hope that your work is going well and that the family is going well as well. I truly hope for the best of you guys and thank you so much for the things that you have taught me the 18 years that I have lived with you guys and learned how I can be a better person and keep myself calm in situations. 

Hope that this week goes well for you guys and you keep reading the scriptures and praying personally and as a family. 

Elder Trepanier

April 25

Hey family, 

Things for me have gone fine for me this week. We have been working more and more with the members and meeting with them, especially those that are return missionaries. Let me say that one of them that we are working with (who is the young men's president) it is cool to have him with us in the lessons that we have with him. He is a help to the investigators and can relate. For other news in my area one of the return missionaries that is from this ward that I am in is moving to Salt Lake to get married with his girlfriend who is from the states and in this up coming week he will be gone and living in the states. I will try to get his information so that I can talk with him and get to know him a bit better and such. 

Let me just say that there are some changes that are hard and a trial for one as a missionary. There have not been baptisms in our are since those that I had in February and we do not have any planed until may and I will probably not be in the area to see them unless I get a 4th change in this area and a 3rd with my companion Elder Hernandez. Let me say that there are some things that get on my nerves with him as a companion but it has been a good time learning with him and from him as well. I do not try to focus on the bad things that my companions have and the things that get on my nerves. I always try to look for the good and focus on that. 

Hope that you enjoy the fotos (loved to see his use of Spanish spelling) that I sent to you. I will be going to Utila which is an Island that is part of our mission as a multi zone P-day that we will be doing with the other zone in our area. I will be sure to send you guys pictures of how it is and such. Hope that you all have a good week this week and enjoy all the small things in life and make the best out of every day.

Elder Trepanier

 I'm guessing that this is a beach there in La Ceiba

Looks like this is the tie that he burned at his 6 month mark

Weeks 22-23 Transfer 2 Weeks 11-12

March 21

Hello family,

Thank you for all your help and support that you have given me while I have been on the mission. It was cool to get some updates about march madness and what has been going on. It looks like an interesting layout with who is left in the sweet sixteen. Things are going fine for me here right now. This week in Honduras and much of Latin america it is semana santa and many people have work and school off this week so this week is going to be time for us as missionaries to take advantage and teach these people the gospel with there family if they receive us. Hope that everything is going fine for you guys and all. 

Today it is raining a lot which is not very good for a missionary because it is basically a dead P-Day that we really cant do anything, but we had an activity planned for this day and just about the entire zone came and we played soccer on a field while it was raining. Everybody was soaked  because of the rain and slipping and sliding on the grass field as well. Just about everybody fell to the ground which was funny to watch as well. I can say that this p-day was fun and not just okay lets stay home and then go and write and eat. We all need to act like fools sometimes. 

Hope that everything is going fine for you guys. 

Elder Trepanier

March 28

Hello Family, 

Things have going fine for me this week. I have been able to see many miracles this week that are good that I have seen. We are now starting to teach a family of 5 now and they seem to bee accepting of the gospel and what we are teaching. It is a great feeling to see how the Lord prepares his people and if we find them that they will accept the gospel and make the changes that are necessary to keep the Lords commandments. In my area right now we are continuing to work hard and trying to continue forward in teaching and finding people to teach and in helping them in any way that we can. 

It has been good to hear what has been happening back home especially with the family and what you guys have been doing. As I have been thinking about things I have come to recognize that I have been blessed on my mission in thinking that I will repay the lord for the many blessings that I have received, but I still feel like that I need to work harder as a missionary.  

Hey mom I recognized what is different. You are embracing the gray in your hair in the photo.

(I/Stacey had made mention of something being different in my message to him and told him that he needed to figure it out - I cut about 8 inches of hair off this past week. I had stopped coloring my hair before he even left - This made me laugh)

Elder Trepanier

Weeks 20-21 Transfer 2 Weeks 9-10

3/7

Hello Family 

It is good to hear that everyone is going fine this week. The picture that is attached is one of my companion and I with another missionary in another zone that I know as well. It is crazy to see how much the church has grown here in about 40-50 years. In April they are going to be forming a new stake in the area. 

This week we had a Multizone conference like mom said. The theme of the conference was personal revelation and let me say that it was interesting to listen and I learned a lot from this conference for myself and how I can help those that I teach as well. 

I have been thinking about that too mom that the first of the 4 general conferences is coming up next month. As well as mothers day in may when I get to call you guys next. Time really does go by fast in the mission like people say that have served. But in this time you do understand more the atonment and learn more about the gospel because you are stuying it and teaching it daily to the people. I can see all the blessings that I have recieved by serving a mission in this small time that i have been out here in honduras.

This past week I was sick for a few days but I am getting better day by day. Thanks for all the love that you express for me in these letters hope that you have a good next week and let me know how march madness goes back in the states. 

Elder Trepanier

3/14

Hello Familly,

Things are going fine for me in Honduras right now. Let me tell you it is starting to get hot here in La Cieba it feels a bit like summer in Tucson because of the humidity. I'm getting used to it a bit more but I am sweating a lot because of the heat. In the mission right now the work is increasing a lot because they are dividing the stake in April so all the wards and missionaries are working to strengthen themselves for the division that is coming. Every day I come home to the apartment tired from the work that we are doing. For my last P-Day we played basketball with a few other missionaries in the stake center in our area. In the ward we only have 2 missionaries (me and my companion) and a ward mission leader. 

This past week we have been starting to look for less active members to try and reactivate them and bring them back to the church. Let me say that it is a bit said to see members of the church that have withdrawn themselves for reasons of their own, but this is what missionary work is all about. Inviting people to come unto christ and helping them understand his teachings. It looks like this change I will not be having any baptisms but that is nothing to me right now I know that the baptisms will come from the work that I do in this area even if I do not baptize the investigators that we have I delight that I was part of their conversion story. 

It is cool to hear what ha happened back home with Andrew and him getting a job. I hope that he can hook me up with one when I get back from the mission. Thanks for sending me some pictures from home especialy the temple. One question: when is the predicted dedication date of the temple? It is cool to see the progress that they have made. And thank you very much for the picture of rosco it has been a while since I have seen a picture of him. Hope that he is doing well. 

In one month is general conference and in may is mothers day so I will be calling to talk to you guys to see how it is going about 1/4 through my mission. The time seems to fly by. Hope that you all have a good week. 

Elder Trepanier

Weeks 15-19 Transfer 2 Weeks 4-8

February 1st

Hello Family, 

Things are going fine for me as I am working. I am continually learning patience with my companion and looking to the eternal perspective so that I my better myself as a missionary and a person. We have 2 more weeks until we have changes in the area in which my companion is probably going to leave the area and I am going to be getting a new companion. During P-Days there are activities that we can go to with other missionaries if there are any such as playing sports mainly. In my area we normally walk around our area for the most part, and there area buses to take us to other areas in Cieba. I am starting to get to know the major part of the city which is known as Centro which is basically city center were there are stores and such that we can buy. 

I have been reading our search for happiness by Elder Ballard this week in my free time that I have and it is interesting how he puts in words and explains things that are gospel related. I am just about finnished with it now. I am learning more and more as I read it. 

I could not really take many pictures this week so I will be sending you some pictures of me with other missionaries that were in my District/Zone. 

February 8th

Dad, 

Things are going fine for me. This week we have 2 baptisms and it was through the gifts of God that they happened, and I am glad of it. I started praying and asking directly that I wanted to have a baptism with my companion before the end of this change and I could see the works of the Lord as I think of what happened up to the point that we were filling out the baptismal forms for them. I will be sure to send pictures next week of the baptism. 

I finished the Book of Mormon this week in my mission and I actually feel good about it because it is the 3rd time that I have read it all the way through and as I continue to read passages of it and study what they mean I find that I am learning more and more of what is being taught by the prophets of those days. 

I hope that the family is doing good. Let me tell you time really does fly by in the mission (I guess that it is because we are working every single day) I complete 1 6th of my mission this Saturday. 

Elder Trepanier

Oh yeah here are some photos. What I go out in, when it rains in this area and a recent photo of what I look like a week after my first hair cut in this area.

February 15th

Family, 

This week was pretty good with the baptism and all I will be putting a photo of it in the email. It was a good experience to have as a missionary seeing that people want to change there lives for the better so that they can become more closer to our Heavenly Father. 

This week I had a spiritual experience when we were teaching a family that are investigators and let me say they they are ready to hear the gospel and make the changes that are needed to better there lifes. We were teaching about the Book of Mormon and we had left 2 books with them and they had started to read them so when we cam back for another visit the mom had read the entire first few parts of the book and the father had prayed and felt that he needed to read the book to find out that it was true and such. My companion and I started to testify of the power of the Book of Mormon and that our heavenly father answers our prayers that we give. . 

Glad that you had a good time with Aunt Deanne and Uncle James while they were there this week. Hope the best for you guys. 

Oh yeah and as missionaries we receive the Liahona as well and let me say that it is cool. 

Elder Trepanier

February 22nd

Family, 

Things are going fine for me right now in the mission. We had changes and Elder Valenciano left the area and Elder Hernandez is now my companion. He is from Nicaragua and let me say he is different than my last companion we seem to always be talking and it seems that we are on the same page for teaching and such which really was not the case with my last companion. My spanish is starting to get better and I am starting to speak more and more and not be afraid to talk to people and express my feelings to them. 

The people that we baptized that I sent a picture of are a mother and daughter. I really did not teach them that much we just finished teaching them the lessons in the change and got them ready for baptism. With my new companion we are starting to teach the son of the daughter who is in the picture. 

Hope you have a good week.

Elder Trepanier

February 29th

Hey Dad, 

Things are going fine for me for this week. Elder Hernandez wants to learn English but right now we are talking the majority of the time in Spanish so that I can get more and more used to Spanish and then we will transition to me teaching him English. In the picture that I sent to you guys last week of me in the background the one with his head turned is my companion, and this is right by one of the stake centers in the area that we go to play soccer. 

As for my mission president, he is finishing in June July so we will be getting a new one when he leaves. With this I am trying to learn all that I can from him so that when the new mission president comes I can adjust to what he wants us to do as missionaries. I have to tell you I have learned a lot from President Klein and I will miss him when he leaves. All mission presidents have there own respective attitudes , but with President Klein it was different than with the MTC president. This is because he speaks with charity and clarity to help the missionaries get through whatever times that they are going through. 

The church here in Honduras they do not do scouts for the young men in the ward. The youth in the ward have seminary at 5 in the morning Monday to Friday which is interesting. 

Hope that this week goes good for you guys. Talk to you next week.

Elder Trepanier

Hey Mom, 

For me everything is going well. When I was thinking one day I thought about what the MTC President said that I would start to be comfortable with Spanish in about 4 months of my mission and I feel like I am at that point in my mission right now. I am comfortable with talking and expressing my feelings more and more in Spanish to our investigators that we have as well with the members. 

This week we have a multizone conference which I will be sure to write you guys about next week. I am sorry that I could not send you guys photos because I brought my camera but I forgot the adapter for it to send photos. I am starting to open up more and more and talk with my companion and other missionaries in the zone. 

Hope that this week goes good for you guys.  

Elder Trepanier