Members & Missionaries Coming Together To Labor In The Lord's Vineyard!

¡Hola!

This week we had the opportunity to give service to a member family by making them a fence in the back of their house so that their little son doesn't fall...again. haha

In our District Meeting we talked a lot about things we need to improve in the District and how we can do it. We had been having trouble with putting baptismal dates with investigators and inviting them in the first lesson, investigators attending church, helping them keep their commitments, and getting references from the members.

We've been able to work a lot more with the members this week, especially because our Zone Leaders told us that if we don't improve in our references and work with the members by the end of this change, they might take out the other pair of Elders in our ward/district. We've been working really hard with the members and we've gotten lots of references from them and yesterday we were able to work with two members and have new investigators. This week we're going to have a Stake meeting for all the Ward Councils and start a new plan of organizing all of the wards like how the mission is organized. The coolest thing is that Presidente Vasquez is testing all the new ideas for the mission in our Stake! I know that as we continue working with the members we'll be able to achieve our proselyting goals and see the miracles that will come by obeying the Prophet's voice: "Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord's vineyard to bring souls unto Him."

This week the Hermanas baptized Hermana Lucy Perez and I had the opportunity and privilege to interview and baptize her. It was the first time I've ever done a baptismal interview, but I felt completely calm and I could feel the Spirit strongly testifying to me that she was ready. I was able to hold the interview in the Bishop's Office and it gave me a little taste of what it would be like if I ever become a Bishop in the future. She told me about how her kids had been baptized some years ago and that with time they went inactive. I was able to make her the promise that through her example in being baptized and confirmed, her kids would see her desire and example and that through her faith and prayers the Lord will work a miracle in their lives and help them desire to repent and come back to full activity in the Church.

The Lord has blessed us greatly and will continue to bless us as we continue forward striving with all our hearts, mights, minds, and strengths to consecrate ourselves to Him and His work and will.

¡Levántate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

P.S. First of all, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!! I didn't know it was this Sunday because it's a day of the week here in El Salvador.

 we went to a member family's house for one of the daughter's birthday parties

 the Hermanas' baptism Lucy Pérez

 a family of pidgeons together on their last night before they left our patio

 We went to Pizza Hut as a zone last p-day and told the servers
 that it was Hermana Lopez's birthday when it really wasn't and 
they actually came and sang to her and gave her a birthday hat.

 A member makes us our lunches and they have a bakery, 
so they made us pizza one day!

Elder Santos, Elder Gonzalez, and Elder Ortega 

 the oven

into the oven they go

the finished product...time to eat!

Family History - Saving Our Ancestors!

¡Hola!

This week was pretty good. On Wednesday we had our Zone Conference and we talked about new goals for the zone and how we can acheive them. We talked a lot about Family History and how we can use it to hasten the work on both sides of the veil by helping people gain an interest in Family History Work and how it works. I know that as we participate in it and help others to learn it they'll desire to learn more about the Restored Gospel and be baptized in order to receive those blessings. Also, billions of spirits in the Spirit World will be able to receive the ordinances of salvation and exaltation and move to paradise where they'll be able to teach others about what they and their family have been able to do for them.

It was a little tough this week because our investigators didn't come to church and lots of people we've talked to in the street haven't been home when we've gone to look for them, so we haven't had any new investigators. The ones we do have had baptismal dates, but they fell because they didn't come to church, but I know that we just have to keep on working hard, having faith, and being obedient and the Lord will help us become consecrated missionaries and work miracles in our district, zone, and ward.

¡Levántate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

one night we ate burritos and a licuado (shake)

we gave service building a small wall made of 
bamboo so their son wouldn't fall...again haha

One of our investigators kept a baby squirrel as a pet 

because it fell from a tree. It was really docile though.

Becoming a Consecrated Missionary

Hola!

This week was awesome! On Tuesday we had interviews with Presidente Vasquez and he talked to each of us about sacrifice, sanctification, and becoming a consecrated missionary. The next day when we had our district meeting I read (and tried the best I could to translate it to Spanish) the talk that my brother Eric gave me titled Becoming a Consecrated Missionary by Tad R. Callister. As I've read and meditated on that talk throughout my mission I've been able to see what I need to improve and how I've grown. From what that talk teaches and from what Presidente Vasquez taught us, I'm close to getting there, I just need to keep going and keep changing and getting better.

We're working hard and seeing results. We've found lots of new investigators and been able to put baptismal dates with them. The only problem is that they didn't come to church yesterday. We need to help them comprehend better the Sabbath Day and the blessings that come from keeping it holy and I know that all of them will progress and get baptized. 

¡Levántate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 we made tacos as a zone!

my companion Élder Ortega and I ate pizza and wings one night

Arizona Fruit Punch...yum!

Thank You For Your Service Elder L. Tom Perry!

¡Hola!

This week was awesome! I'm in Paleca I in Soyapango, I'm the District Leader, and I'm finishing my companion's training! The funniest part is that we look alike! I'll send you a pic next week. It's been forever since I was DL and the first couple of days were sooo stressful because of all the responsibility that was instantly dumped on me, but now that I've gotten into the swing of things over these past few days, I feel fine. It was weird at first too because I have Hermanas in my district and when I called them the first time it felt awkward because I've never had to call Hemanas before, haha. Things have been going great though. It's really helped me focus even more and strive to be more exact and set a great example for the district. It's a little disappointing because we have to enter the house at 7:00pm, but we make the most of what He's given us to work with.

Yesterday the Bishop gave us four Elders the chance to speak in Sacrament Meeting and give the class during the 3rd hour because it was the 5th Sunday. It was really cool being able to talk to the members about strengthening their testimony and conversion through the Book of Mormon and how to share the Gospel in a non-threatening way. 

The Zone Leaders talked to the Stake President and this Saturday starting with our ward we're going to do a "Tarde de Rescate" (Afternoon of Rescue) where all the missionaries from the zone come and we go on divisions with members and visit less-actives and investigators so we can boost the attendance in Sacrament Meeting. 

As we continue to find ways we can work together with the members I know that we'll see many miracles wrought in our ward and we'll be blessed with becoming instruments in the hands of God to bring thousands of soul unto repentance as Ammon and the sons of Mosiah did among the Lamanites and as we will among these the descendants of the Lamanites.

Did you know that Elder L. Tom Perry passed away on Saturday from terminal thyroid cancer?! It's crazy to think he's gone, but obviously he's finished his work here on earth and the Lord needs him even more in the Spirit World. Time is short in this life, but as we make the most of it the Lord can make more out of us than we could ourselves.

¡Levántate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 Bishop Cornejo and his familiy

 Familia Doblado 

Familia Romero-Gongora (check out the huge "orb" in the background)

 Elder San Diego and the neighborhood guards