The San Miguel Volcano - Chaparrastique Erupts!

¡Hola!

This week has been great and crazy.  So, as you all probably heard, the San Miguel volcano erupted yesterday.  I heard it erupted 9 miles high!  The two areas in my District, Santiago De María and Berlin, were the first to get hit by the ash and soot because we're higher up.  President Glazier said that we lived the prophecy in Matthew 24:18, "Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes." It was pretty bad.  It seemed like it was snowing, and we had to get hand towels to cover our mouth and noses to not breathe it in.  We got some stuff from our houses and came to San Salvador with one of President Glazier's counselors.  Luckily he was there at our Sacrament Meeting yesterday.  But yeah, we're all fine now and we'll be here until things clear up.

On Friday, we had divisions with Berlin and I stayed in Santiago De María with Elder Edwards.  One of our investigators, Edgar Antonio, who hasn´t been progressing much accepted to be baptized!  As we were in the lesson with him, I could feel the Spirit working through me to help him understand the importance of prayer and the Holy Ghost in receiving an answer.  I know that as he continues to pray that Heavenly Father will answer him and help him continue to prepare for baptism.

 We also visited, Nemias, an inactive youth as old as me.  At the beginning of the lesson, I asked him if he had prayed or read the Book of Mormon at all.  He told me that he didn´t, but instead of addressing that, which I should have, I started into the lesson.  We talked about yearly goals, and he told me that he didn´t want to go to church.  I paused to try to listen to the Spirit as to what I should say, and then the sister that was with us started explaining to him that he can´t know the Gospel and increase his faith if he doesn´t try. She explained to him that conversion is a process and that it´s little by little.  He said that he didn´t feel comfortable in the church so I shared an experience of how I moved to a new ward where I didn´t know anyone, but that over time, I felt comfortable, welcome, and I gained new friends.  I felt the Spirit strongly in that lesson and he went to Sacrament Meeting the next day!  I know that as we help him to understand the Gospel and the Atonement that it will bless his life and prepare him to help his branch, prepare to serve a mission, and attend the temple.

I know that the eruption is going to put a little pause on our work, but I know that once we return, we´ll have lots of opportunities of service.  I´m glad I can be here in San Salvador and I hope that I can help the area in any way I can.

¡Levantate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

Your Sons Are Safe!

Hi--this is Hermana Clark from El Salvador--your sons are safe--they were the first to arrive to the temple grounds from the evacuations from the volcano eruption today.  Your missionaries were the closest to this eruption--they came with only what they could grab at the church--two didn't have time to get their jackets with their name tags on them.  You have great young sons.   They certainly earned the hero award today.   They helped President Glazier and the temple missionaries (us) to set up the lunchroom for the 50 more missionaries that were to come from other districts.  They were calm and very powerful in their manner.  They had experienced the most amazing thing ever--their little city is extremely close to the volcano.  A tender mercy, the counselor to President Glazier decided to visit that city--he had your sons in his car in minutes and they were driving away.  There were a lot of miracles today, the Lord does bless His missionaries.  They were all in church and were able to get to buses and leave within a short time.  President Glazier also decided at the last minute to go that direction and was there to see it all erupt and was calling and getting his precious missionaries to safety. 

I wanted to write you all because your missionary sons were so amazing to talk with.  They have giant spirits and they know they experienced a miracle today.  They will be writing tomorrow to tell it all.  I just wanted you to each have a picture of your dear sons and see their super smiles.  They are neat men. 

love--Hermana Marilee Clark--Sister to Hermana Glazier--serving with my husband as missionaries in the El Salvador Temple.  

Elder Edwards and I

Elder Aldridge & President Glazier making some PB & Js

Elder Bourgois & Elder Edwards

Elder Aldridge & I enjoying some lunch

(I put in a picture of the dark ash over the temple that came in just a few hours to San Salvador.)

Welcome Home Sister San Diego!!

¡Hola!

That's great to hear that Heather arrived safely! Hope you had a great birthday mom and that you guys had a great time celebrating Heather's homecoming!

Ok, we don't have to Skype together as a district so we're going to Skype 1pm your guys' time. I'll be ready so just call using yours so we can do the three way thing.

This week we were able to attend the temple on mom's birthday! It was such a great experience to be able to attend the temple for a spiritual refueling. I love the temple. In the temple we can rest from all our cares and feel the presence of the Lord. I'm grateful for the peace of the temple and all the blessings that come from it.

Out of time, so see you guys in 2 days!

¡Levantate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 Me and Elder Aldridge at President Glazier's for Christmas

Me and President Glazier

Happy Birthday Mom!

¡Hola!

First of all, Happy Birthday Mom! Hope you have a great day and get some R&R in there! Wow, I can't believe that Heather is already getting back! 

Ok, so on Christmas I have 30 minutes to Skype you guys. We aren't allowed to call between 4-9pm our time so it's 3-8pm your guys' time. Also, we're not allowed to use member's stuff and the cyber cafés aren't open that late. Be ready at 12pm your guys' time. We have to do it as a District so we don't know who's going first. I can't wait to talk to all of you!

¡Levantate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 Sausage, egg, cheese, and avocado sandwich

Me and Elder Aldridge at President Glazier's house

Remembering Christ this Christmas Season!

¡Hola!

This weekend we were able to participate in District Conference. The focus was on missionary work and I hope that our members were able to learn and receive the desire to reactivate members, befriend recent converts, and participate in the work of salvation. Elder D. Todd Christofferson recently visited Central America and during his visit warned that if the members don't take on their responsibilities and leave everything to the Bishops, Branch Presidents, an Missionaries that the church will stop growing. I have to admit it scared me to hear that. I pray and fast that all of us, members and missionaries, may take upon ourselves the counsel of our prophet President Thomas S. Monson and that we may come together and work together to labor in the Lord's vineyard so that we can continue to grow the church here in Central America. I know that as we as missionaries work hard, are exactly obedient, and exercise our faith in these times of trial that the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon us and that our area and zone will be blessed with miracles.

Last night we were able to bring an investigator to watch the Christmas Devotional. I'm so grateful for this time of year and the spirit that it brings. I'm grateful for our church leaders and their inspired thoughts and testimonies. I'm grateful that each year the world has a chance to change and to meditate about the birth, life, Atonement, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. I know that He suffered, bled, and died for each one of us that we might not suffer if we would repent. I'm grateful for the Atonement and I know that through it we are able to be forgiven of sin and be changed as we live the principles and ordinances of the Gospel: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. I know that His grace IS sufficient for us and that we can call upon Him to give us the strength we need. I testify of these things in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

¡Levantate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

Elder Edwards, Elder Bourgois, Me & Elder Aldridge

A Testimony Of Fasting And Prayer

¡Hola!

Well, I'm here in Santiago de María for at least another 6 weeks, yeah! Elder Aldridge said that I might be the successor for the area when he leaves, so I might be here for a while!

This week we had the opportunity to give service for an organization that does eye exams. It was a great experience being able to help people get glasses and be able to see. To relate it to the Gospel, Christ is like our pair of glasses. Without Him, it's hard to focus and see, but with His light everything becomes clear.

Two of our investigators are really close to baptism. One of them is a nine-year-old named Alex Araujo. He's progressing so much! From the lesson that we taught the Word of Wisdom, he has already left coffee. He's also reading the Book of Mormon and every time we go to have a lesson with him he always has a question about what he read. Also, at the end of every lesson, he's always excited to say the prayer. We just need to teach him the rest of the lessons and he has to go to church five more times. When the time comes, I know he'll be ready for his baptism in January. Our other investigator is a man named Edgar Antonio. He has all the lessons and only needs to attend church one more time. He's nervous about baptism because it's such a big commitment and he doesn't want to get baptized and then make a mistake. Elder Aldridge and I are going to visit him our Branch President so we can clear up any of his doubts and fears.

Yesterday was one of the best days at church. My testimony of fasting and prayer have grown. Our branch has been struggling. Attendance has been lower, and our Branch President wasn't helping too much. He worked a difficult work schedule, and he felt like he wasn't doing a good job. Elder Aldridge and I have prayed and fasted for him and our branch, and our prayers have been answered. Recently, he got a break off work for a month. While we had a meeting to discuss the goals for the next three months, we talked to him and let him know that he's not doing a bad job and that he can do it. Yesterday, he bore his testimony and told everyone that he knows that he's not perfect, but it's all of our responsibility to work together as a branch to reach the goals that we set. As he spoke, I could feel the Spirit in the power of his words. I know that from now on, things are going to get better here in Santiago de María, and that together as a branch we're going to reactivate our members and baptize!

¡Levantate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

Some bear-like animal

Actually it's a Coatimundi!