Monday, April 20, 2015

First email from El Salvador!

Greetings from the country of El Salvador! As im sure you are all aware now I wasnt able to write you this last week and that was really hard for me. I have so many things I could talk about and Im not sure what to say so Ill try my best to share the most important things I can remember. So Last week we hauled on a bus and drove about 5 hours to El Salvador to the mission presidents house. The City of San Salvador was beautiful and President Vasquez was so nice. Im not gonna lie that first day was very hard though. I couldnt understand a thing anyone was saying and felt so out of place and anxious. it was really rough for me. That night they shipped me and the 10 or so other Missionaries to a house to sleep. Ive never seen a house in worse condition. It was hot with mosquitos everywhere, dirty mattresses, rat feces, a huge mess and I wanted to just go home. But being so exhausted I toughed it out and slept in my clothes on a dirty old mattress for a restless night. The next day we had our cambios where I got my companion. My companions name is Elder Acosta. He is from Pennsylvania and he is a super nice dude. He is teaching me a lot of things about the mission... one of them being I need patience...I love him and he is a hard worker but we are kind of very different people and we bump heads some times. but I am learning to have it be a learning and growing experience. Anyways that first day on Wednesday I was already out preaching the gospel and I couldnt understand anybody. The people of El Salvador speak their own type of Spanish that even now I have a real hard time understanding. But Thanks to the fabulous Jessie Bell and family i had a collection of notes and encouragements from family. I read that and what stuck out to me was "forget youself and go to work". So thats what Im doing. Here is the big secret that everyone knows but pre missionaries like to not think about... Missionary Work is hard. Really hard. I sweat to the point my clothes are soaked through and get super dirty and walk all day long. But nothing is more rewarding that when somebody is able to understand what you are teaching through the power of the Spirit. That is what keeps me going. Anyways OH YEAH my area is San Miguel, San Salvador. Aaaannnnndddd this area just happens to be the hottest and one of the hardest places to serve right now. It is built at the base of a volcano that is active (for some reason they thought that was a good idea) and is nothing like home. Thousands of dogs and drunks kind of roam the streets. The houses and very modest but the people here are amazing. They all have more Faith in Christ than I have ever seen and there are so many people here willing to hear the Gospel. Its hard because I still really stuggle with the launguage and my companion doesn't really teach me much (plus his grammar isnt great) but Im slowly and steady getting better. I am working hard. Yesterday I had my first Church here and it might as well been a swimming lesson. I have never been more hot and sweaty. I always want water and everybody here drinks water from bags. I kind of like it actually. The memebers here are awesome and they feed us 4 or 5 times a week and I love the food here. I had Papusas here for the first time and they may be the greatest thing I have ever eaten. I definielty wont get sick of those. Anyways i dont have a super lot of time now. But i Just wanted to share my experience. This work is hard, Im always sore, hot, tired, homesick, out of place. But I love to share the gospel and Im not afraid to share my testimony with everyone because I know the Lord will help me. Love you all and thank you for all the prayers and support. I definitely need them and can feel their support.

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