February 28, 2011

What happened this week...

We had our interviews with President last week and I got my package...That was pretty exciting. My interview was chill. I got him to laugh...so I think that's good.

We also took water out of a well this week; that was a good work out. I'm not gonna lie...I was joking with the family (they are investigators) that we would pass by every day and take out water for them so that we can get in a work out.

Also...last P-day we also went to La Union. It was like an hour or so on bus to get there. It was actually kind of fun to go and just see what it was like there. It's supposed to be the hottest place in all of the mission, but the weather wasn't too bad when we went. And it's right by the beach apparently. We didn't go, but I saw from a distance the water. It was kind of exciting. And I'm really grateful that I don't live there right now. It's kind of out there. Haha.

I can't really remember what else happened this week. Haha...so I'll just stop it right there.

Oh, I think they have them in the US...but frozen chocolate bananas are really awesome. I'm not gonna lie. It's one of the things that I really like here. They do have those in the states, right?

Oh well...got to go. Today is 7 months in the mission. Crazy.

Love you all,

Elder Gilreath

P.S. Question for dad, erik, will and devin. How many baptisms did they have? We kind of talked about that this week...and I had no idea. Just wondering.

February 21, 2011

The investigators are doing their thing. Frustrating me to no end =) Just kidding. We have good investigators. Right now our problem is catching up with them for the 2nd time. or just catching up with them. Like they are awesome people...but man, they can be frustrating to find.

And I have not gotten my package yet. Maybe tomorrow when we have interviews with President Perez. If not then...then I guess during changes. I'm really hoping to get it tomorrow. As for the other package...those chocolate cookies that you don't bake. I don't have a clue what they are called. A comp in the MTC got them and called them no bakes...so idk really.

Anyways...this week...what did we do...

First we painted la casa de la cultura. It's really small. It's where they learn things, and also has a really small library there. I think we might start teaching English there...I'm not sure about that though. Anyways...the paint here is really crappy. I've said that once, and I'll probably say it again. It's super watery here. And we couldn't finish the job because some of the paint was super old and was like cement on the bottom of the bucket.

Next...really has nothing to do with me...but the Salvadoreños had a telethon to raise money. And they got some people to come up with a super catchy song. You'll have to see if it's on youtube. Its ¨No Hay Imposibles¨ for la teleton 2011 in El Salvador.

Haha...anyways...so one day we are walking by this house and we hear this awful screaming...like super awful. We were like what in the world. Like it was kind of creepy they should put it in a scary movie. So it turns out it was pig...I think they were killing it. We finish walking by the house and we see another big pig, and they are getting ready to put it on the truck. And it starts going nuts and squealing. Really is a super freaky sound. So we sit there and watch them do this with ropes and stuff and they get the pig on. And these people are super nice and tell us they'll give a ride to where we need to go. (we were pretty high up in the colonia) so we jump in the back of the truck with the said pig, and some other guy. The pig freaked out a little while we were in the back of the truck...but my comp was closer =) So I rode in the back of a truck with a pig.

I had a melon too. I'm not sure what type. They just call it a melon. It's green and has like a part in the middle you don't eat. It's pretty good. Sometimes they eat it with salt to help with the taste. But mine was good without it. Not the greatest thing...but it was good.

That's about it really. We had a really boring week with a lot of walking. Hope you guys have a funner (more fun) week than me normally. Just a bunch of walking normally. No me gusta para nada.

Love you guys and miss you,

Elder Gilreath

February 14, 2011

Valentines Day is actually on the calenders here. But they don't do anything for it. Pero el Día de San Valentine esta en los calendarios. And I know that you would buy me some sweet stuff...and I miss that. I want some Daylight Donuts so bad...so bad...

Yeah, I met Robbie's grandparents yesterday, but I'll talk more about that later...

And I think Delainey does pray for me every time she prays. Sarah told me that one time Delainey got whiney when Sarah didn't pray for me when they were going to eat lunch. So Delainey is aware that I'm not there and prays for me a bit apparently.

And yeah...6 and half months...its been pretty fast...especially since I got here in El Sal...

Anyways...this week. It was pretty boring, I'm not gonna lie...the weather was nice. We normally had a pretty nice breeze which helped a lot. And it feels so nice at night after the sun goes down...normally with a breeze too...unfortunately it reminds me of the beach for some reason. And its been pretty nice overall...yeah there are hot days, but I usually do pretty good with it. My comp...no. He says the sun hurts his face...time must be really long for him here.

On Tuesday we had a special multizone with Elder Falabella. It was pretty chill. He talked about a bunch of different things but the thing that stuck with me the most was when he talked about the best place to find people. The best places are around the church, around our house, around the house of the bishop and around the strong members houses. But that got me thinking like in Paleca the chapel wasn't in our area. But I think I'll try to put that in practice in the future.

And the coolest thing that happened all week was meeting Robbie's grandparents. They definitely came out of their way to meet me. The Patriarch is our ward and before Church he came and asked me my name. He couldn't remember how to say it, and that someone was asking about someone that fit my description. It got to the point that I figured out it was the grandparents, and so he went and called them. It was after the second hour that I talked to them. They were talking with my comp when I came up and Rob's grandma held out the picture they had of me and asked me if I recognized who it was. Then we started to talk. I asked them about the Hernandez family and how Robbie was doing in L.A. And we talked a little after church as well. They told me if I ever need anything just tell the Patriarch and he can tell them. I'm sure I'll never take them up on that..but it was nice for the offer.

Anyways...that was the biggest things of the week. My comp started conversations with drunk people and then left me talking with them...pinche...haha...and he did it twice in one day.

We worked hard...found a lot of people...walked a ton...fun life huh?

Anyways...love you all and miss you all...

Love,
Elder Gilreath

February 7, 2011

I love that Kota wrote me this week. Haha. And I'll be on the lookout for the package. I think we have interviews that first week in March, so I'll probably get it then.

Dangerous bet, mom. I honestly think we have more talent...but it's in Cameron. And we got killed there last year. And we are younger than them...but like you said, even if you lose the bet you probably won't have to do anything with it.

It's good that Dean's gonna write me back. I've been thinking a lot about him.

As for contacts...I'm good right now. I have some that I can use to make it til these new ones get here.

Anyways, this week.

I kind of had changes. I stayed in San Miguel in Occidental...but they switched my zone to Rio Grande. I know why...and it's a dumb reason...but w/e. But now I can say...2 areas and 3 zones! And I will have already been in the two zones farthest from San Sal so I can only go closer! Haha.

And my new comp is Elder Arburola. He's from Costa Rica, and has about 19 months in the mish. He's a nice guy, but has a bunch of health problems (he has to prepare his own food.) And he's not really interactive with the members. So we can't really stop by members houses for fear that he'll offend them because he can't eat what they make, even if he explains the situation, and two, he doesn't interact with them, just sits there and reads.

So yesterday we were contacting and we found this guy. Somehow we got on soda, and he was just randomly like...you want some? We were like sure. Why not? So this guy that we only knew for 5 minutes gave us some 7 up and we shared it with him. It was pretty cool...we are going back to teach him this week.

The weather this week was pretty nice. We normally had a pretty nice breeze going everyday. Maybe I'm just used to the weather now. My comp was sweating so much and i wasn't at all. I think it's partially his health problems and partially b/c he is new here. We'll see if he stays here. (health wise, this is a terrible area to be b/c it's so hot)

That's about it. We had a Stake Conference in San Miguel and that was cool. We found out the temple won't be dedicated until August 21st...something like that. And the open houses are in July. Kind of sad that it's still far away. I'll have more than a year when they dedicate it.

Well...that's about it. Love you and miss you guys a ton.

Love,

Elder Gilreath

January 31, 2011

We had a good quiet week. Yesterday we had 6 investigators that we had taught lessons to at church...part of that 6 was two families. And 3 other people we had never taught but are interested in the church =)

And the best news of the week was we had a baptism. It was a 14 year old named Wilson Larreynaga. His Uncle is the 1st counselor in the Bishopric. This kid was gold. He just started to come to church, and then after the 2nd week, he told us he wanted to get baptized. And he was asking his uncle for a white shirt and tie and scriptures too. The first lesson we show up to teach him, he tells us he has already prayed and knows the Church is true. We were like...Awesome, but we still have to teach you. So we taught him and put him in the water. Awesome, awesome kid. My favorite thing about the mission so far.

And normally I review the month...but I'm too lazy to do that this time...you can do it yourselves. :P

But besides the baptism, we did intercambios or divisions on Tuesday and I went with a ZL...Tuesday was nice, nothing out of the ordinary. But Wednesday we had to go to this little pueble called Sesori or Sesoria...something like that to get a birth certificate for some missionaries in another zone. Because El Sal is dumb, and to get Birth Certificates you need to go to the place they were born...So we went to this little town. We spent from like 8am to 2:30pm getting it. Part of it was in the back of a truck and most of it was on a huge bus. We knocked a door and left a bunch of pamphlets. When missionaries finally get there, they'll have people lining up to be baptized =) Probably not...but whatever.

And now for a funny story. We were contacting the other day, and we find this one lady. So we start talking with her, and we asked her if she had ever talked to missionaries like us before. So she asks us where we were from. We respond the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She thinks for a second, then responds...No, only the Mormons. Haha, me and my comp were like...Yeah, that's us, sometimes they call us Mormons...she was like...oh...ok..Hahah, I just thought that was funny.

Not much else to report. We have changes this week, but I'm pretty sure I'm staying for at least another change. So we'll see what happens.

Love you all,

Elder Gilreath

Obviously Wilson is the smaller one in white. The bigger one is his Uncle. The rest is his family. Love ya. Later

January 24, 2011

As for my Spanish. I wrote that letter in like 5-10 minutes when I was bored...I can get around with my Spanish. Sometimes I still don't really get what they say, but that's when I don't pay attention :) I'm pretty much just in learning-new-words mode most of the time. I know a lot, but obviously not everything. And my spelling is decent.

I miss basketball a lot.

And our next transfer is Feb 2nd...so almost mom. ya casi.

Anyways...on to the week.

First off, we went to San Salvador on Thursday to listen to Elder Jensen. We had to get up before 4 in the morning and be at the Stake Center at 4:30. And then we got on a coaster and went to San Salvador and got there at like 7:20ish. (we left at like 4:45ish.) It was fun because it was the whole mission there in one place. And before we started we got to go through a line and shake Elder Jensen's hand. The one thing that really I remember was he talked about the importance of singing to bring the Spirit to lessons. It was pretty good, and he did it all in Spanish. Sometimes it was a struggle because we had to get up so early and everyone from our zone was really tired...but it was good. Then after it was back on the bus and a couple more hours back to San Miguel. It was a long day. I think that was the best night's sleep I've had here so far, after that.

Something that isn't very big, but man, it makes you so happy, is your investigators progressing, even just a little. Like one investigator. He finally remembered how to finish his prayers. In the name of Jesus Christ. he had been forgetting that. But he finally remembered it. And his smile after he finished was so big. Such a small thing, but I was so happy. And then we gave a B of M to another investigator, just a kid of 14 years old. (His Uncle's a member). When we gave him it...his smile was so big. Again something small...but so awesome.

Haha, so we were helping Hno. Maravilla install a brake light on his car the other day. They told me to get in the driver's seat and hit the brake so we could see if it works. So I got in the seat, and then I was like...which one's the brake again? Haha...but I remembered quickly and everything was all good.

And we heard ¨Baby¨by Justin Bieber in the grocery store, so me and my comp walked around more so we could hear the song. :)

And we found a less active that had been praying for members to come visit him, and got him to come to church with us. We were just walking and he was standing outside of his house, and my comp was like, lets go talk with him. I said, yeah, ok...lets do it. And found out he had been operated on and hadn't been to church in awhile. But he was at church yesterday.

That's about it. Haha..

Love you all,

Elder Gilreath

January 17, 2011

We had a multizone this week and I finally got that last package that you sent. The caramel corn was so good...I think you need to send more...NOW!! Haha...but seriously, it was/is awesome. E. Hardman, my comp in the MTC, gave me a Hershey thing at the multizone and it was honestly one of the greatest things ever!

And I got the letter with all the cards that people wrote to me at the wedding. That was pretty fun to see. Tell the Khaters that I'm learning Spanish, not Arabic.

Last P-day we were playing volleyball outside at the church. And one time I hit it over the fence...like the highest part too...It was pretty funny. Here I thought I was getting weaker and losing muscle...but that might have been my hardest hit ever without trying.

And now, an uplifting story. I haven't really told many of here. I have them. I just don't tell them. And I was reminded of it yesterday at church. This happened the first couple weeks I was in Occidental, so it was back in Nov., I think. Anyways, we were doing divisions with the members and E. Cordero tells me I'm going to visit Hno. Gil (like Hill in English). I'm like...Who is that? He responds...less active, he's having some health trouble. So as we are walking to his house, I'm thinking what can I share with him, and suddenly I know what to do. So we get there, and we start talking with him, and we invite him to church, and he's like idk...i'm having these problems, etc. So then I share the message. I went to D and C 122 where Joseph Smith is in jail, and the Lord says whatever happens, it's for your benefit. And I was like yeah, it's a trial what you're going through, but it's for your benefit. Then I read the verse that says that the Lord has descended below all, are you better than him? And told him that the Lord knows of his pain and that if he truly wants it, he needs to pray for the strength to attend church. He was like...yeah, that makes sense, but he still wasn't sure about going. So we finish and leave. Sunday rolls around, and to my surprise, here come Hno. Gil...and he lives a good distance from the church. And he hasn't missed a Sunday since then. Yesterday in church we talked about sacrifice. He answered how he sacrifices by coming to church, and how he is always praying to receive strength so that he can make the journey to church. I was soooooooo happy after that.

So that's my story. Fun huh?

This week the whole mission is going to San Salvador to hear Elder Jensen of the 70 talk. Should be interesting. We´ll be getting up real early.

Love you guys...and miss you

Elder Gilreath

just a picture of me and my homies...and the medal thing I got at Christmas....