¡Bienvenidos a El Salvador y Santiago de Maria!

¡Hola Todos!

Well, today marks the end of my first week in the mission field! My area is Santiago De Maria and my zone is Usulutan.

When we first stepped off the plane, I could instantly feel the humidity, and once we got outside to meet President and Sister Glazier my glasses fogged up! We got in at about 9ish, and the Elders slept at the mission office while the Sisters got to sleep at the President's house.

The next day, we had the privilage of attending the San Salvador Temple with President and Sister Glazier! It was an awesome experience and the temple was beautiful! After we finished our session, we went to President Glazier's house to receive missionary training for the rest of the day. We were allowed to write to say that we arrived, but I wasn't able to because there wasn't enough time and only one of the President's computers was working.

On Wednesday, we had a change meeting where we found out our companionships. I ended up being in a trio! My trainer/"dad" is Elder Aldridge from North Carolina and the other Elder in our companionship/"my twin" is Elder Sarceño from Guatemala. Elder Aldridge got assigned to train both of us!

Things have been great this past week. At first, it was really hard for me to understand people because they talk fast and mumble sometimes, but I've been praying for help to understand, and I know that the Lord has helped me. Now, I'm able to understand better, and I know that I'll only continue to improve! Yesterday, we had four investigators at church, which Elder Aldridge told me is the most we've ever had! I love the work, and I can't wait for our first baptismal date in two weeks!

¡Levantate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

Our final picture as a district!

 MTC Zone

 Goodbye Elder Roundy, Hermana Behan, and Hermana Hawkins

 Eldert Becker and I at the airport

El Salvador San Salvador Temple

¡Adios CCM y Hola El Salvador!

¡Hola todos!

Well, this is it. Tomorrow I leave for El Salvador! Being here at El CCM has been a great experience for me. I've learned and progressed so much! I feel confident in my Spanish and I know that my testimony of the Gospel has increased! Today, we had a district testimony meeting, and it was one of the most spiritual experiences I've had while being here. Hearing each member of my district share their testimonies was so powerful and inspiring! I'm so grateful that I've been able to get to know my district and spend time with all of them. I know that Heavenly Father brought all of us together to be here at this specific time in order for us to learn and grow from each other. I'm super stoked for all of us and the privilege we have to be servants and representatives of the Lord and to bring His Restored Gospel and all of the blessings that come from it to those who are searching for truth! I know that we'll all be great missionaries, and that we'll continue to grow and progress as we serve the Lord and the people in our missions with all our hearts, mights, minds, and strengths!

I'm especially grateful for my teacher Hermano May. He is one of THE MOST Christlike people I've ever met! I've learned so much from him through his teaching and example! You can tell that he has the light of Christ with him! You can see it in his eyes! When he walks in the room, he always has a huge smile on his face, and you can feel the genuine love he has for every person he meets! He's so humble though that he would never say any of these things himself. I hope that I can be as great as he is! In fact, he told us, "I don't want you to be like me, I want you to be better than me!" One thing that he promised us from his own mission experience was that if we are exactly obedient we will all see miracles as we love the people and work hard! I swear, he is literally a Scripture Master! No matter what your question or concern is he has a scripture to answer it exactly! I know that he's a true, true friend and I'm glad I was able to be his student. I'm going to take his challenge and apply everything I've learned to become the best missionary I can be, and that the Lord expects me to be!

¡Levantate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 Elders in front of the Benemerito mural in the Joseph Smith Building

 the Comedor (Cafeteria)

 Me at my desk in my casa at the CCM

 One final picture of the Elders in the District

Rise Up! We Can Do It Now!

¡Hola todos!

Well, the days are winding down. I leave Tuesday morning! My Spanish is a lot better than when I first got here! I'm pretty much able to read the Book of Mormon in Spanish! Sometimes there's a word here and there that I don't know, but for the most part I can understand it. I feel confident in my preparation for the mission field, and I know that I'll continue to improve as I serve in El Salvador!

General Conference was awesome! That was definitely one of the best conferences I've ever watched! I feel that I was more focused than I've ever been and I loved all of the messages! I also took notes on all of the sessions, and I feel that my notes were directed more by the Spirit than just writing down everything the speakers said. My favorite talk was Dieter F. Uchtdorf´s from the Priesthood Session. His message was to "RISE UP!" and that "WE CAN DO IT NOW!" with whatever trials we have in our lives. I loved that! That's going to be my quote from now on!

I know that as I put Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ first that my faith in them will continue to grow and that all of the blessings that have been promised to me will come to pass through my faithfulness. Last night, we learned that faith is the grand governing principle, and that through it we are able to accomplish all of our righteous desires! This earth was created through the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ! I know that He lives, that He suffered and died for all of us, and that through sincere repentance of our sins and faith on Him that the demands of justice are satisfied through His mercy and that as we continue enduring in faith that we will have Eternal Life! I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

¡Levantate! ¡Podemos hacerlo ahora! (Rise up! We can do it now!)

Love,
Elder San Diego

 Mi Clase

 Some fat caterpillar thing

 Another p-day at the Mexico City Temple

The Angel Moroni

Could Be The Orange Juice?!?!

¡Hola!

So, I had a pretty intense experience this past Saturday. I woke up and ate breakfast as usual, but during class I felt kind of itchy and I had some bumps on my arm. I didn't really think much of it, but later it started getting worse and I was itchy all over! We went to the clinic to get it checked out, and I was having some kind of allergic reaction! When the doc checked me out, I was red almost all over! Then I had to get a shot in my butt and he gave me 3 antihistamine pills that I had to take every 8 hours. I still don't know what caused it, but it must have been either the orange juice (which hadn't done anything before) or the eggs and potatoes (which shouldn't have done anything).

Anyway, I got better on Sunday and the week went by the same as always. I can't believe that I'm leaving for the field in less than two weeks! I feel a lot more confident with Spanish now, and I know that I'll become fluent once I've been in the field for a bit. For now, I just need to keep on learning/re-learning and practicing it.

Things have been going well with our progressing investigators Ricardo and Hortencia, but as always there are ways that we can improve ourselves as teachers. They've both committed to baptism and now we just need to keep on teaching and preparing them for it.

We as a district are also teaching each other as investigators now. It helps a lot because as we genuinely get into the role it gives us an idea of what an investigator might think and feel as they are taught.

Sounds like things are going great with you guys and Eric! I encourage you guys to make time for personal and family scripture study and prayer. I know that as you do that the Lord will bless you for your efforts and that you'll grow closer to Him! GC (General Conference) is going to be awesome! I know that the talks are inspired by the Lord for His church and that as we follow and apply the counsel of the Brethren that we will be blessed for our obedience (D&C 130:20-21).

Love,

Elder San Diego

Elder Roundy and Me in front of our casa 

Another great day at the Mexico City Temple

 Rain...lots and lots of rain

 4 soaked Elders

The Elders of Highland High

A Day At the Mexico City Temple

Hey Everyone,

Everything is going great and the Spanish is coming along.  It's great having Elder Roundy as my comp, we really have a good time together. 

Today we had the opportunity to go to the Mexico City Temple, and it was an awesome experience. Even though the session was in Spanish, I could still feel the Spirit and understand some of what was said from what I remember.

I testify that God is our Heavenly Father, that He loves all of us, that we are His children, and that He wants us to return to live with Him again. I know that He created a plan for us to return to live with Him again by allowing us to come to this Earth which He created, to gain a body, choose between right and wrong, repent, and exercise faith in Him. I know that Christ suffered and died for our sins, that He felt every pain, sickness, trial, weakness, temptation, and heartache that each of us have had and will have in our lives, and that as we turn to Him in sincere prayer and repentance that He will forgive us and bless us as we obey His commandments, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love,
Elder San Diego

The Mexico City Temple

My District: Elder Blakeley, Elder Collet, Hermana Hawkins, Hermana Behan, Elder Jamias, Elder Ledakis, Me, Elder Roundy, Hermano May (teacher), Hermana Barrata, Hermana Graham, Hermana Done, Hermana Nishiguchi (teacher)

Me and elder Roundy

Holiness to the Lord, the House of the Lord

Settling In To El CCM

¡Hola!

My P-Day is Thursday, so that's when I'll be taking pictures and emailing. When we first got to El CCM, the food was pretty meh, but it's improved since then. Class is awesome being with the Elders and Hermanas in my district. We definitely follow Neil L. Anderson's counsel of making missionary work missionary fun. Sometimes we Elders get off topic (not the Hermanas because, well, they're Hermanas and they're more mature), but I try to lead by example by studying when we're supposed to and encouraging them to do the same. My companion's name is Elder Roundy. I was going to send pics, but I'll have to do it next week because we only have an hour on the computers (per the honor system) and my camera cord is in my suitcase and I didn't grab it before we left our casa to email.

I don't think we're going to do splits with local missionaries, but we have a progressing investigator like Eric did. I don't know if it was the same in Eric's case, but the investigator is an actor and becomes your teacher afterward. Our last lesson with our first investigator, Diana, was last night. She was visiting her aunt in Mexico City and lives in Mesa, Arizona. She's going back, but she accepted the commitment to be baptized. Elder Roundy and I told her that we know missionaries in Arizona and that they would be able to help her. Was Eric's MP President Pratt? He's the president of El CCM.

I miss you guys too, and the first day or two I was pretty homesick, but I prayed that I wouldn't be, and now I'm not. I know that as I give everything to the Lord and focus on the work that He will bless me and make my weaknesses my strengths, especially learning Spanish. 

Mom, don't be sad! When you think of me, I don't want you to think about how I'm gone, but how I'm doing the Lord's work and that I'll be home before you know it! :D

I love you guys, and I challenge you to read the Book of Mormon daily! I just finished it for the first time yesterday, and I know that the principles found in it are for us and that if we follow them, we will be blessed. I know that it is the word of God and that it truly testifies that Jesus is the Christ, and that if we sincerely repent daily, He will forgive us of our sins and strengthen us throughout all our trials and temptations. I know these things to be true and I say them en el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Love,

Elder San Diego

P.S. I haven't really thought of a motto yet, but when I do, I'll start using it.

 Me and Elder Roundy

 Mexico City MTC- the same spot that Eric was standing at just a few months ago...cool!!

Mi Distrito

 The Elders

 The Hermanas taking our picture (Hermana Behan took it)

My new "do" (side note: Elder San Diego used to complain when I would cut his hair just a little shorter than he wanted in high school, now look at him- BAM!!!  His brother would sometimes have his hair cut this short on his mission and Elder San Diego vowed he would never get it cut that short.  Took him going on a mission to get a "crew cut"!!!  Looks good!!! Love ya!! Dad :P)

¡Chokis! (Mexican Chips Ahoy!)

Bienvenido a la Ciudad de México (Welcome to Mexico City)

¡Hola!

Well, I made it to Mexico in one piece! There were 25 Elders and 5 Sisters on our flight! It's cool seeing how Mexico City really looks, and knowing that Eric was here! Well, I'm about to go grind, so I'll talk to you guys later!

Love,

Elder San Diego

 Elder San Diego & Mom

 Elder San Diego & Elder Becker - both serving in the same mission, cool!!

 The Beckers

 Checking through security