Week 28 in El Salvador

Hey,

Hey, that’s sweet that Karl got his mission call to Guatemala, and that Jordan has turned in his papers. Tell me when Jordan gets his call.

Haha, finally, you are going to take down that little painting of mine on the garage doors.

Hey, so did Matt go fishing with Ed again? They can’t do this without me. What’s going on? Who’s gonna be on the lead line diving in for the whoppers? Are they sending pics?

Ok, so for your question. Don’t worry about the birthday present. I think I’m gonna buy a backpack down here. My second backpack has kinda rotted through. I took it to Sister Diaz, who does sewing projects for a living. The first time I took it to her she fixed it right up. Since then every pocket and zipper has fallen through, and there are ripped strips of material hanging off from the zippers. When we were at church, I told her I might bring it over to get repaired, and she said, “sure, bring it to me, so that I can throw it away for you.” I think she’s right, its about time.

I’m surprised that you haven’t found out about the country recently. Surprised it hasn’t made international news, but that’s probably best. We’ve had trouble finding new people to share the message with. More and more people are trusting others less. More people are being overprotective, and we’ve had to teach our lessons through the windows, because people won’t open their doors to strangers now. I really have no clue what’s going on, but from what the people are saying, it’s a lot bigger than the recent bus massacres and riots. It’s been a bit tough on us though, because there are less people to teach.

About the money issue, I did talk to the ZL´s, and the office. They aren’t going to do anything about it, so I’ll just hold on. It’s a problem for everyone though, and a lot of the missionaries end up fighting over it. At the multi-zone I saw two of them arguing, in front of the presidents wife, one was yelling “you just need to learn this principle!” It’s a mess.

So, I finally took my camera to a member’s house, and they were able to search through the folders in my memory, and we found your pictures. Thanks for sending them. The cartwheels are great. I’m especially impressed with the video of Dad and Kendra sitting on the couch....thank you for your many words, it was touching.

Hey, I’m gonna send this before the power goes out.

Chow for now,

Corey

Chocolate Pancakes

this is my I'm-cooking-chocloate-pancakes-out-of-salvidorianian-cake-mix / scorging-both-my-hands-on-a-stove-that-only-has-a-high-setting-Face

the statue of Salvador del Mundo, which marks the center of the city

Week 27 in El Salvador

Hey,

I don’t have much to write this week. It’s been a bit difficult, lots of work, the people have crazy problems, so we have to come up with crazy solutions to help them.

I went to the center of San Salvador for my second time. It was a bit strange, because my first time was my first day here. I remember it being so weird, but now it just looks completely normal. I feel like I’m part of these people, like I’ve lived here my whole life, I just remember that I haven’t when I get on the busses, and everyone still looks at me like I am ET. I have fun with it though; I am ET. Who has ever heard of Alaska.... yeah that’s right, where I’m from, I can cook marshmallows on the northern lights.

Haha, as for the money issue, that hit a lot of us. I ran out about my first week of this change, and have been paying all the bills with your money. My last companion didn’t pay his half, and my new companion is blaming it on my old companion, so he refuses to pay also. It’s all messed up, but I’m being patient.

Hey send me photos of the polkadot house. I’m sending photos right now. The first one is the statue of Salvador del Mundo, which marks the center of the city.

You might get a laugh out of the second one---I’ll give it a title this time---´´ this is my I´m-cooking-chocloate-pancakes-out-of-salvidorianian-cake-mix / scorging-both-my-hands-on-a-stove-that-only-has-a-high-setting-Face´´...ok, maybe I’ll work on the title. Thanks for the cake mix.

Ok. I don’t have much time to write. I got here late, because we had to pay bills. I hope everything is chill.

Broken broom after hockey

Week 27 in El Salvador

Hey,

So, it sounds like the family is doing good. I don’t know what to say for all the kids though. That’s pretty funny. You should get helmets for the girls. Travis has a little orange dirt bike that he uses for Christian, and maybe you can get Katie on that. She’d love it, just use the helmet---I’ve learned that the hard way, got a concussion, and forgot that I learned it, so I had to take the class over again.

As for Jared, remember that I went through that too. I just hope he is as aware of the things that are going on. As for baseball---tell him that the underdog can always take over. He’s good, but talent without practice doesn’t do anything.

This week went good for me. But I’ve been stressed out a little. There is so much to do. What’s funny is that my companion is so chill. He’s the only person I know that can spend two hours in a cold shower, and he doesn’t mind being a half hour late to everything. But it is going well. We have more success than we have previously had, and all things are going good. He has a way with people. The other day was super packed, but I didn’t think he realized, and so he brought home a monopoly game. There is something to learn from every companion.... this time it’s… “don´t worry, be happy.”

The guy I told you about, Guillermo, was baptized this weekend. He was thrilled—“siento muy cabalito, super fresco..No tengo palabras para dicribir esso”.

I don’t have much to write, so I’ll try to send photos....

Corey

Week 26 in El Salvador

June 7, 2010

Hey,

This week was kind of interesting. We had meetings every day this week, so we left late or had to go home early nearly every day, and didn’t get much done.

After the storm, the sun came out again. Now, it’s as hot as San Vicente, except the humidity is worse because of the rain. I’m sweating a ton, probably around 95 F, but I’ll try to give you an idea of the humidity also.... I had a box of new envelopes to send people, but now all the glue is sealed, and I can’t use them. They are all sealed shut, my whole box. The magazines I own have started wrinkling, and there is less dust in the streets now.

We met a lot of crazy people this week...a man who the neighbors know to be a gang leader (when we asked him what his job was, he just said “I work in the streets”---he spends most his time drinking, and just chilin’, but every once in a while he has to leave.). All the neighbors were worried when we first went to visit, so we’ve quit going.

A woman that is 73 years old, introduced us to her mom.... her mom should act as one of the voices for Ice Age three...with the dinosaurs.

We met another old woman, also probably in her hundreds, but completely crazy. My companion asked her how old she was, and she looked in the air for a while confused, and then said fifteen.

We met a four-year-old girl, she was running around the house in her underwear. Her grandma was real upset, because outside her underwear, she was wearing her mom’s thong.... then later we met her mom. I’ll just say, some people like living the crazy life...that’s as much description as I’ll give on that one.

We did meet two semi-normal people, but when we asked where they lived, they just said around the corner....I don’t have pictures now, ‘cause it’s a more dangerous area, but around the corner is like a grand canyon.

We are actually really close with an old man named Guillermo Roberto Masferrer. When he was younger her was a mariner. He’s the only Salvadorian I know with celestial blue eyes. His boat got in a wreck (we don’t have the full story, because he got a bad concussion), but he was the only survivor in the entire boat. He’s gone to England, Canada, Valdez Alaska, New York, and he knows English. He’s mostly normal, but every once in a while, he doesn’t make sense still. As soon as he quit drinking coffee, he started making a little more sense.

But yah, just letting you know there is nobody normal in my area. I get a laugh.

We played hockey today for P-day. Everyone brought their brooms from their houses. It was fun. I got a little excited, broke my stick, then they gave me the broom with the iron stick.

I’m surprised that letter made it to Rachel. I sent it like last week. Tell her Happy Birthday.

Hey so what’s the plan? Are we going to come back with Elder Dennis and his family? Is it okay with them? Did you talk to Hunter’s mom?

Hey... chow for now.

Corey