May 2, 2011

I was actually thinking about calling at like between 1 and 2...that's the hottest part of the day and the suckiest part of the day to walk. Haha.so like 3ish for you guys. How's that?

I'm still in Usulután with Elder Amaya from Honduras. This is his last change so he's about to die. And I get to kill him =) (You're probably like what?)

Nothing really happened. My area is now huge because they pulled out the other pair of missionaries so I get to cover their area as well. Fun Stuff. And lets see...it stormed a couple times this week. That was fun. ish.

Nothing really else happened this week other than change and some big ones really in the mission. Its pretty much guaranteed I'll be here til I basically have 1 year in the mission.

Oh yeah...I got your packages too. So I think I have gotten everything you guys sent. Thanks for all of it. Sorry if this is short. There wasn't a whole lot going down this week. Haha.

Love you guys

Elder Gilreath

May 9, 2011

I think it's just a name. Like...we got a zone called Cuscatlan and I don't think it really means anything. But I don't really know. (I had asked him about the El Salvadorean restaurant we went to and whether the name meant anything.)

As for the fish...I think you eat the scales actually...I ate part of it one time...it was just weird to me...like crunchy...so I wasn't a big fan. And I have no idea about the eyes...who knows man.

Talking with Delainey was fun. I understood her more then at Christmas. She's definitely bigger I can tell that.

Yeah anyways...the only exciting thing that happened this week was mothers day honestly.

That's about it. I caught you guys up on everything.

Well I guess we went to that port...that was fun(ish). I'm gonna put up some pictures.

That's about it on my end. We went to Jiquelisco today to play soccer. I was goalie and got destroyed but it didn't help that i had no defense. But everyone thought I did really good. Maybe it's because my team won and most of the goals were like 2 on 1 or 1 on 1...just bad situations...but w.e. haha.

Love you guys and miss you.

Elder Gilreath

Darin told us about eating raw seafood. Here's the evidence....

When Darin first got to Usulutan, he said that the chapel there was new and SO beautiful. They only have a branch that meets in this building, but they are obviously hoping for growth. Isn't the foyer beautiful?

April 25, 2011

My birthday didn't feel like a birthday at all honestly...real boring. But to make it a good day we had a baptism. I was in the area of the ZLs because one was doing interviews in our area Saturday and we couldn't change back Saturday night...it's like 15 minutes walking to their area...so it's not bad...just uphill. Haha...so Sunday we changed back at 6 am. It was a long day. But we baptized.

I have gotten a package from Jamie and Devin and that's it.

Ouch about the toe...hope it gets better quickly...that sucks...haha.

And yup, this week is changes. I think they might be crazy...apparently we are opening two new zones because the departamento de La Libertad is huge...And I don't think we brought in that many missionaries this change, so they might be closing some areas...but maybe the zones are small. who knows. Haha...lets see...we got a new mission president. David Glazier. So that's cool.

Oh yeah, so Hermana Perez called me last night to wish me happy birthday, so I was talking with her for like 10 minutes. We just talked about you guys, how things are going, life basically, then at the end she told me to pray for the new mission pres and obviously Pres. Perez so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that we found out today we got a new one. Haha.

And it's starting to rain...It rained like Wednesday and Saturday...Wednesday was hilarious because we were teaching the person we baptized, and her family just gets up and starts like gathering things. (We had just finished the lesson) We were like...what's up? They tell us it's gonna rain...so we are like what? They are like...yeah, listen. Sure enough you could hear the rain coming, so we said good bye and ran to the cook's house and made it just in time before it started pouring.

And this week I was on divisions 3 times. Once with E. Hardman and the other two with Elder Beckett one of the ZLs...Elder Beckett is from NC as well so it's been real fun to get to know him. He's from just outside of Asheville. Funny as heck this guy. But he'll probably leave because this is his 3rd area in this zone. He has had 9 months here...not consecutive but collective. He'll go home in November.

With Hardman, I actually had cold cereal and milk...so simple...so good.

We also painted a house this week. Like the outside. It actually looked pretty good. It was painted with water paint I think. We cleaned the outside first with water, and the old paint was coming off...I was like...uh...why are we doing this right before rainy season? Haha. But yeah, it looked good. They painted it like some pink color. I hope the rain doesn't destroy too much of our work.

And last but not least...we baptized.

Carolina de la Paz Sura Quintanilla.

SO much stuff happened this week to make it happened. It was nuts. So many things happened to make it happen. I'd call it a miracle. I'll just say that basically two weeks ago my comp and I dropped basically everyone we had including her because she was together with someone who didn't want to get married. Like a week ago we passed by to visit with her sister and she told us that Carolina had left her boyfriend...so we started visiting with her again and we got it done. We were so close to baptizing 4 this week. One time the mom didn't give permission and with the other the boyfriend she had that hadn't been around for weeks showed up again and was living with her, so we couldn't baptize her and her daughter...just bad luck man.

But yeah that was my week

Love you guys and miss you

Elder Gilreath

April 18, 2011

That's freaking crazy with the tornadoes. That is some sad stories, especially with the one trailer where the tree just came down on them. That's crazy...I miss a lot of big things here. Snow, tornadoes. Maybe I need to come back to put the weather back in its place...haha...jk. But I'm glad you all are safe. Haha...Uncle George and Aunt Kelly are crazy...just sitting there watching tornadoes pass by. Cool experience...but they are nuts...they fit with the fam obviously :)

And El Sal...doing its thing. Transfers are the 27th, and I plan on staying...but like you said...who knows really. The investigators are good. We found a lot of positive ones this week. They have a good shot of progressing and getting baptized.

No Easter package yet.

And Easter will be a big thing...I'm just not sure how big yet. I already saw some people walk by with a statue of Christ walking with his cross singing...I really have no idea what they were doing. Kind of fun to see. And yesterday was a big catholic Sunday. Domingo de Ramos or Rama...the day Christ entered Jerusalem...I have no idea what they do.

As for Anne (Petty) and scripture study....HA she got cheated. You don't have to wake up til 6:30 in the mission. And believe me...you want to sleep longer than that. And really scripture study starts at 8. But it goes good. I'm never falling asleep during it. Some days I'm more diligent than others...but I'm always learning something.

And I'm thinking for my 22nd birthday we are gonna do it big. I'm not sure how....but we are gonna do it big...

This week we did service for the District Pres and moved a ton of wood. It was a lot of fun actually...and good exercise. We moved a ton. We mostly just threw them into a wheel barrow and moved it to his house and stacked it up. I saw the pile later...it was taller than me. I had no idea that we had moved that much wood. It was crazy.

Oh yeah...it rained...Tuesday I think. It poured in the morning and at night. But luckily, it somehow didn't get muddy at all. It just dampened the roads so there wasn't dust at all. It was so awesome haha. I was thinking...freak...it's gonna be super muddy and it's gonna suck. But no. I did almost slip once on some mud...but I still got some balance in me, and didn't fall at all. Haha.

And some nice old grandma gave us hats...haha. Like for snow that she had made...but oh well...haha. Nicest thing.
Well got to go. Love you and miss you

Elder Gilreath

P.S. These are pics from a members party for her 1 year old

April 11, 2011

First off....sorry...I was gonna send pics...but I'm at a bad comp and the USB port doesn't work...so yeah...maybe next week.

Ok...that's cool with the contacts. I got a few left. Maybe a box...or a little less. I can't remember. But thanks mom.

Not gonna lie...I'm glad I wasn't there to do yard work :) haha.

Good luck with seminary.

And wow...that's really cool about Anne Petty. You never told me she was going on a mission. But Brazil...that's real cool. Portugese. Like Spanish in some ways. It's a pretty similar language. If I remember correctly, when I was in the MTC, the missionaries going to Brazil had a real hard time getting visas. To Brazil and Mexico. The hardest places to secure a visa when I was in the MTC.

And as for Mothers Day...idk. I'll think about it more...we could just do it in the afternoon. Or maybe in the morning. I'll have to talk with my comp...but we'll have changes before. The comp I have right now is super chill and will be fine with w/e. Maybe I'll get a comp who tell me when to do it. Haha. Who knows.

Thanks for the $$...

And as for Usulatan...

Last P-Day we went to some place called Shulton Park. That place probably used to be really cool. Not so much now. We went there to play soccer. It was so hot. It's supposed to be like a family park...so it has soccer courts, and play places for the kids...and some place that looks like a dance floor. Like I said...it probably used to be really cool. Not so much now.

And mom, you'll be proud of me. I ate fish. Even though it was staring at me. Like the cook just kind of fried that sucker up and gave it to me...I was like...what. What do I do? But it wasn't bad. I didn't touch near the head...haha. And it didn't have the guts or organs either. The scales made it kind of crunchy...I didn't eat too many of those haha. and man...those bones are kind of sticky. I have no idea what type it was. But it was pretty good.

And a funny story. Saturday night we were walking around and my comp sees two girls. He kind of looks at them, and is like...I think they're daughters of some member (I can't remember the member's name)...let's go talk to them. SO we go to talk to them and he asks them if they are the daughters of said member and they say no. I start laughing cause my comp was so sure about it. So my comp is kind of embarrassed and asks...do you know this member. and once again...no...they had no idea who it was. So I start cracking up and my comp is real embarrassed and is like...oops. I was wrong. And the girls start cracking up because I'm cracking up and even my comp was just like laughing at himself. It's probably one of those you have to be there moments...but it was funny. trust me.

That's about it really. The investigators are doing their thing. Frustrating us to no end. Haha...kidding. Only some are doing that.

Anyways, love you and miss you a ton.

Elder Gilreath

Letter received April 4, 2011

3-7-11

Hola padres miso!

Como le va? Ojala que todo este bien. Domo esta la casa win ningun nixo? Problamente super raro. Y hay esta su leccion de espanol para hoy.

So today I found out that UNC destroyed dook. The crazy thing is that by the time you get this the ACC tournament will be over and the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. I hope I only get good news the next 5-6 weeks. I feel like God is testing me. I might have to break my foot so I can watch next year's team in action (kidding.......slightly)

Sorry I have been really lazy writing letters. But at least there is email. Honestly P-day is my favorite day because I get to read your emails. And mess around. I'm slightly improving in soccer. I normally score every week now. I might actually be decent when I get home. I scored today and flashed the "Black Falcon". No one really understood it but that's ok. It's my new celebration when I score.

What's really weird is I'll have 8 months when you get this. The time has gone by fast. It's just weird. I have had to put down my worldly desires (watch UNC) and focus on spiritual things. It's been hard. And I don't know if I'll ever fully put it away. But I have grown up a lot. But I think I'm still the same really. Just with a little better knowledge of the scriptures. I still hate making my bed. I still hate organizing. Same old me.

I saw Dr. Pepper the other day. It was taunting me so much. Mom, Dad, I'll need a month's supply of Dr. Pepper when I get back. (I feel like Dad got excited reading that.) Maybe you should start saving money now to pay for all the stuff I'm gonna want to eat or drink when I get back. And then pay for the first month of a gym membership to work it off. haha

Well, p-day is almost over. So I'm gonna end this letter. I love you guys and miss you so much. Go Heels!

Love,

Elder Gilreath

April 4, 2011

Darin with tamales--which he usually doesn't like--but he liked these!

Conference was good. I watched mostly in English. But some in Spanish...all good man....all good. And we get the Liahona...but some are in English...not that it really matters. I read it in Spanish too...so that's not really important.

We had some gators at conference, but not as many as we had hoped. And this time our cook just brought us food and we ate in the church. Cause we were at the Church in our area.

Yes...that's our house. Two rooms. Four pictures. each room twice from different angles. And yes, those were coconuts. Weird looking ones I know. And honestly...we don't do much. Like there are a ton of mountains and volcanoes that you can see. But I haven't visited any. And most of the rivers have a bunch of garbage in them. I like going to different areas because I see more of the country. Which is super chill.

Why did Annie go to Ecuador? Just helping out there or what? That's cool though. Apparently Ecuador is amazing. Course I heard that from an Ecuadorian...so of course he'll talk good about his own country. Haha. But no we don't have mosquito nets. We just have fans. If you don't use the fan out here in the oriente, you wake up sweating a ton, and it sucks a lot. So always have your fan on at night. But I have gotten attacked quite a bit by bugs. In my first area, it wasn't bad. In San Miguel yeah. I got a lot of little bites on my legs...but they don't itch...so everything is all good. I think I'm pretty lucky I didn't get some super crazy disease actually now that I think about it.

Anyways....so not a lot happened this week.

On Tuesday, we fixed a roof for some members. It's not as hard as it sounds. Their roofs are metal sheets, then you add tile. And we only did part of it. But we pulled off all the old metal sheets and put on new ones. Then some roof tiles. It was honestly pretty fun. The roofs are super easy to fix here. Haha. Especially with 8 missionaries.

Then one day some crazy drunk guy was talking to me in English. He insulted me and said I couldn't speak English because I wasn't from England, but he can because he lived in L.A. for 33 years. When you figure out how that works, let me know. I'm still trying to figure out how that works. But it was sad...when I was talking to him English...I kept mixing my Spanish and English together...haha. It was bad. Super Spanglish going on.

And then Saturday night...so we are sitting, waiting for the priesthood session to start, and the District President comes in at like 6 and is like...uhh...I got an announcement. We can't watch the priesthood session here. Apparently he forgot to do something, so we couldn't get the signal. So we were like...ok, what are gonna do...and then the District Pres was like...Who wants to go to Jucuapa? Us missionaries were like...uh...yeah...we do. How many are you? 10. Alright, Lets go. So 8 of us piled into the back of his truck, and 2 smart ones actually in the truck. And off we went. In the back of his truck, going down the highways of Usulatan to Jucuapa. Like a good 30-40 minutes away. Going like 50-60 kph. I have no idea what that is in miles...but those were the speed limit signs I saw. Funnest thing ever. Mom might want to kill me. But man, it was fun. Yes, I was in the bed of the truck. In my defense, I was one of the last ones to hop in...so the inside was already taken. So we got there at like 6 45 or something like that. Watched conference. And came back. Haha...super fun.

(Elder Hardman--he was in the MTC with Darin)

Anyways...that was my week. Hope you all have a good week. Love you guys, and miss you.

Elder Gilreath