Laden With Sheaves Upon Our Backs!

¡Hola!

This week has been a little tough. Last week we were finally able to contact all the references we had gotten from talking to people in the street, but it didn't yield too great results. This week we've been struggling to get references from talking to people in the street and the majority of them didn't accept to receive us in their home. 

The baptismal dates we had fell for different reasons, Francisco Córdova still doesn't have a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration, Katerine doesn't live in Chinameca, but she didn't come to church so we couldn't teach her, and we aren't sure about René Nolasco because he hasn't been to church in a while and on top of that he should have been baptized five times ago. 

Despite all that, the Lord has blessed us with two new investigators, Armando and Estela Hernandez. Both of them have a date for Dec 6 and Armando came to church yesterday. He's golden! He wants to learn all the commandments and keep them and so far he's kept all the commitments we've given him! He's got problems with smoking and coffee, but I know and he knows that he can overcome it with the Lord's help. 

Even though things are a little tough right now, I know that as we work diligently and double our efforts with complete faith in the Lord, He will bless us so that we are laden with sheaves upon our backs!

¡Levántate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 Bird migration which means it's summer now

The Power Of The Priesthood

¡Hola!

This week was pretty good. Elder White and I are still working to find those that are chosen and prepared and we're seeing progress little by little. We've been able to start working a little more with the members and as we do so everything will start hastening. Members are the key, without them, we're not going to achieve as much as we could be while working with them.

The earthquake was crazy! Elder White and I were just sitting at our desks and at around 10pm everything started to shake! We ran outside because the house is made of concrete like pretty much all the houses in this country. It was concerning because for a little while we lost service on our phone, probably because everyone was trying to use the lines at once, but after a while it came back. After, we just waited outside for half an hour just in case of an aftershock, but nothing happened so we went inside and went to bed. I heard it came from the Pacific and it might cause a tsunami, but I'm not completely sure.

We've been able to help our investigators progress more and at the same time root out the one's that just aren't progressing. Yesterday my testimony of the power of the priesthood increased. we were able to give our investigator Katerine a blessing because she had a fever. She said that she could feel the power and after her body hurt a little bit and then the fever was gone. I'm grateful for the calling to serve and minister among my brothers and sisters and it reminds me of a scripture James 5:14-15:

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Like President Glazier always said: "¡Adelante! (Forward!)."

¡Levántate! ¡podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 P-day in Berlin

lookout in Berlin

Response From President and Sister Vasquez to the Earthquake Off The Coast of El Salvador

Todos los misioneros de la misión El Salvador San Salvador Este, incluyendo su hijo o hija, están bien. (Doctrina y Convenios 84:88)

Con amor,

Presidente y Hermana Vasquez


All of the missionaries in the El Salvador San Salvador East Mission, including your son or daughter, are ok. (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88)

88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

With love,

President and Sister Vasquez

 Lizard

Repent And Strive To Be More Like Our Savior Jesus Christ!

¡Hola!

Elder White and I are still working hard to talk with everyone so the Lord can guide us by His Spirit to those that are chosen and prepared to receive the Restored Gospel. Yesterday we had interviews with Presidente Vasquez and we talked a lot about how we can think big and come up with new ideas and ways to receive references. Last week I had this sickness called the Chincunguya. Luckily I didn't have it too bad, but it still was annoying. I had a fever, headache, I felt drained of strength and energy, and my spine/back hurt because it gives you pain in your bones. I asked Elder White for a blessing and a few days later I was at 100% again. The symptoms weren't as strong as more serious versions. Presidente Vasquez told me that it's a blessing and not a curse because it could lead us to new investigators. He suggested that we find members who have it and go to give them a blessing according to their faith and then ask who else of their neighbors, friends, or family has it so we can go do the same and may be receive references that way. We as a mission are following the counsel of the Area Presidency that if we want different results, we need to do things differently. I know that as I rely on the Lord to grant me revelation and inspiration to direct my area that He'll do so as He sees my faith by my works.

We have three investigators progressing toward baptism and confirmation: Francisco Córdova, René Nolasco, and Caterine Coreas. Each of them is super prepared and we're working with them to build their faith and testimony of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of the Gospel by the prophet Joseph Smith and repent of their sins. We're expecting to baptize all three of them in the next three weeks! I know that prayer really works and that God answers us according to our faith; Caterine didn't think her dad was going to give her permission to be baptized and we prayed so his heart could be softened and he gave her permission!

Yesterday was Fast Sunday and I could feel that Spirit as members went up to bear their testimonies. I was thinking a lot about how important the Sacrament is for us and how we should always treat it as the sacred ordinance that it is. A time to meditate, reflect, and ponder about the past week. Think about the Atonement and the infinite blessings it brings into our lives. Repent and strive to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ and live more exactly the covenants we've made. I'm grateful for the privilege I have to partake of the Sacrament each week and I know that as we do so faithfully all our life, we'll receive Eternal Life!

¡Levántate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

When we had splits it rained and at night we were walking and I slipped over 

a slippery part in the street! I didn't get hurt, but it all happened in less than

 a second and I was on the ground!

General Conference En Español

¡Hola!

This week was great. We're really applying the principle of talking with everyone and we've been able to see the fruits of our labors. Also we've gotten more new investigators. We've got a few investigators who are progressing towards baptism and beyond and we hope to have even more as we continue finding and helping people to repent of their sins.

Conference was really great. It was a lot different because we didn't have a way to watch it in English, but I could still understand. Everything was pretty much focused on being more like and following the example of Jesus Christ while also increasing our faith and testimony. I think it was President Monson who also said that we can't practice self-justification for our sins..."For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance." In all, it made me want to be even better and continue striving to become as perfect as I can in this life so that after I can be perfect even as my Father which is in heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ are perfect.

¡Levántate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 pupusas grandes de queso con ajo y jalapeño (ajo=garlic)