Week 61 in El Salvador

February 21, 2011

Hey,

This week has gone a little better. The work has gotten a little better too.

Speaking of my camera, I don’t think I will be sending more packages home for now, but I am trying to get copies of the memory cards and the photos down here. .... I feel like every time I send a box, I’m taking a risk.... the last post office in Soyapango was pretty good, but I’ve got to search for other trustworthy places down here.

It’s gotten hotter down here, and continues to heat up, and will get hotter and hotter until the Catholics Holy Week celebrations.

One of the member’s mothers died, she was 96 years old. I feel bad for here because both of her children died last year also. One in May and the other in November, but she still continues to be strong.

Other members we know have had problems with the gangs. Her life was threatened, and now she’s in hiding for a while. She has changed all the chips on her cell phones and is staying in the house of other members. The problem is that she is 18, and is staying in a house with a 16 and 18-year-old boys, and the mother of the boys is pretty much staying up every night exhausted a little worried.

That’s great about Kendra. Keep it up. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming swimming swimming.

We are preparing a couple people for baptism. We have a baptism this weekend, a girl named Yansi. Her whole family is members, but the mother has been inactive for a while. We are reactivating the mother and working with both of them. They work in the farm, and we have to walk a little ways to get to their house, but they have been coming every Sunday. The interview is this week so we’ll see how it goes.

Yesterday we brought a guy to church. He said that while he was in the United States illegally, he and his family got baptized, but he did his baptism with a false name. He says he wants to do it right this time, and he seems sincere.... he says he did it so that his family could be baptized (they were all legal, and had their real names)...so we’ve got to call the pres. to see how this all will work out, or what we need to do. He still hasn’t responded.

Well that’s it for now.

Corey

Bridge

the star of the show!

Friends...

Week 60 in El Salvador

February 14, 2011

Hey,

Ah, I’m hoping that I’m going to be in the temple dedication. It was announced that the prophet is going to come.

Hey, so I can finally get a couple photos to you...

The first is a little bridge we have to cross...the members tell me that in the river there are crocodiles about a meter long, little guys...I need to show you the videos afterwards.... it’s funny when you have a 26-year-old and chubby companion try to cross the bridge.... I’ve got videos.

The second is a couple of friends from my old area.

The third...I was the star of David for the Christmas play...and the star of the show.... get it.

That’s about it for now

Chow for now,

Corey

Week 59 in El Salvador

February 7, 2011

Hey,

I got changes. I’m in San Miguel, one of the hottest parts of El Salvador, and I am here for one of the hottest parts of the year. ----My baptism by fire----My area is called Roosevelt, and it’s pretty much everything south and south west of the volcano...my area is huge, and runs all the way to the beach (like and hour or so in bus). I get about a quarter of the city also, so I get rural and city parts, and we live right on the edge. We live on the edge of a huge wheat field, and my compo says that occasionally, they burn all the leftovers, and you hear the monkeys and other animals screaming to get away from the fire.

I’m getting use to the heat, but I’m getting tan quick. The last gringo to leave this area talked to me, and he was tan enough that I was surprised when he spoke to me in English. We do have fans in the house, so that’s good.... either way, I told my companion not to think I’m strange if I end up sleeping with my head in the refrigerator.

So, for your facebook request. Julia Lizama was my cocinara in Soyapango, one of the biggest supports I’ve met inside the mission (who you sent the spices and condiments)...she wanted to contact you to thank you...and to keep in touch. She does not know English, but I told her that if she tried to contact you, that Kendra could translate.

My new comp is Elder Matamoros, from Honduras. The first couple days he was really sick. His stomach was bloated Santa-Clause-style, but it was because he had elevated yeast and bacteria levels.... we stayed in the house the first couple days. I’m hoping he will be better.

Elder Cavan saw me during the transfers...I think he went to Usulután. The first things he said were, hey I’ve got a present for you. He pulled out paints and a watercolor sketchbook. He said he tried to do a picture, but didn’t like how it turned out (I thought it was pretty good), then his companion said he knew how to paint, so Elder Cavan gave him the paints, which he ended up painting stuff preschool style, so Elder Cavan freaked out, and took them away.... he just told me, I just want you to have them.... So tell Sister Cavan thanks. ...Speaking of Elder Cavan, I saw him with a violin. I was like “sweet, man, play a tune.” and he said “no, I bought it here, and I’m learning in my free time”----I have confidence he can learn, but you know how it goes with everyone that’s learning the violin the first time. It’s the best instrument when it is played well, but while someone is starting to learn it makes a sound------ what do you call those dragons in Lord of the Rings.... the ones that scream and break your eardrums? I’m praying or his companion...no offense to him or anything.... go for it Elder Cavan!

We had stake conference this weekend.... first of all I have to say that the choir pretty much rocked the world...the stake choir filled up half of the chapel, and the investigators filled up the rest...the members filled up all the overflow area (I have never seen a larger overflow area.... like a football field). Before the conference, we saw a video of the Angel Moroni being placed at the peak of the temple of El Salvador. The dedication will be the 21st of August.

As for my camera, I’m gonna try to get copies onto discs to send. I’ve heard that these computers have viruses, so I’m not gonna send photos this week...sorry its been a while. I’m still taking photos.

Thanks

Corey

Week 58 in El Salvador

January 31, 2011

Hey,

This week has been a lot better. I’m still really tired but a couple things are picking up.

Christian was baptized this weekend. We’re now working on his family. The baptism was directed by the young men, and talks were given by the young men. We’ve changed a lot about the baptismal meetings and how they work.... The beginning of the week was pretty funny...we had a bit of an awkward lesson teaching law of chastity with him, ‘cause he’s only has 13 years. At the start of the lesson, we told him that we were going to teach a little on what is chastity.... so he looked through the pamphlet a little, and to start off I asked him “have you ever heard of the word ‘chastity’?---and he responded confidently---“yeah, it means you can’t kiss a girl by force, you need to do it smoothly”---it was funny coming from a thirteen year old----so we got over the points of teaching about fornication and adultery, and we moved onto the points about keeping our thoughts clean---so we asked him if he knew what pornography was---he just looked at me, with a very awkward look and asked me “do you know what it is?”....anyway, we got through the lesson ok, he took it well, the first awkward lesson in my mission… Speaking of the subject, when we were teaching Katherin the same topic it was also pretty awkward, not on her part, but on the part of my companion.....he had never taught a girl about the law of chastity....he was very nervous, and during the lesson he just turned to me and told me, “Look, your gonna have to teach the lesson on your own”...he did well though.

So, I heard that Elder Fallebela is coming to visit the mission in February. We’ve been getting a lot of visits lately.

As for my hammock, I’m bringing it in my luggage, it’s too big to send home, but I got it to fold well.

As for responding to letters, I’m gonna have to search my bags over again. I’ve lost the addresses to everyone. I think it happened when we cleaned the house right before Elder Alvarado left, but I’ll dig through my stuff again...

That’s sweet that Louis has got a new sled. All we lack is to buy one of those black ramps they use in the swlednecks videos.

Changes are Wednesday. I’ll see how that goes.. The president of the elder’s quorum says I’m staying, and the zone leaders say I’m going, but no one has gotten a call yet....

Well that’s it for now folks,

Corey