July 11, 2011

So the Pres is a cool guy. and his wife is nice too. He's a big buy and friendly. Also he's a UNC fan because one of their daughter's close friends actually lived with them for 2 years. She's from NC and lives in NC right now. Her husband is the pharmacy school at UNC right now.

And the temple was cool. I got some pics. It was cloudy and rainy when we went. But we are trying to go again. So we'll see if we can get it done.

And the gators are progressing...well some. Hah...I need to get some new ones. I got a little drought of finding new ones that are good. But...forward we go.

So...we had weird changes. My comp got switched...so my new comp is Elder Bol from Guatemala...the changes are really confusing. Because he only has a week and a half left in his mission. Why pres did it...idk...but we'll see whats up.

And the district is good. They are working.

And life is good. We have had an interesting mix between heat and rain this week. But everything is good. I hope I get my card soon.

Oh yeah...so that guy in the suit (with the other elder)(the pic) is Elder Rivas from the 70. Like the 4th quorum I think. We gave us a tour of the temple and explained a bunch of things about the temple. It was a neat experience walking around with him. I'll explain the temple stuff in a letter home.

And just send the box...i don't care haha.

Oh....4th of July....we got good food in the states....good food. We got it good. Haha...

Well...I got nothing else...we went trekking through mud and rain last night with 7 youth...haha...interesting experience when 3 are girls. Haha...but it was fun.

Love you all.

Elder Gilreath

July 4, 2011

They got an Independence day. I think they call it Grita de Independencia...or Yell of Freedom...so there you go. But I can't remember when it is. And I'm down to like 3 weeks for a year. so that's cool.

Yeah...I tried calling your cell phone but you didn't pick up. That was me. And a Hispanic voice....? What?....Has my voice really changed that much?

And cool that Mrs. Johnson got everything straightened out. Tell her thanks for me. And good thing that there were no purchases...I'm pretty sure I lost it outside...so that's good. It's not like in the US where they need a pin number to do a purchase. They can just swipe it and go. So I still got the money in my account? It should be like $70. something like that. I hope that I get the card fast. But I think I can hold off til whenever.

I'm good with money...I think I got about $40 in personal cash and we just got mission money. If I'm wise and and a little cheap it should be good. And if something crazy happens like I need to buy medicine or go to the doctor, the mission will reimburse me for it. So I think I'll be good.

And Bro. Conger is a good choice. Tell him to sign me up for the August campout of 2012. Or Sept. I want to go camping. Haha.

And Bro. Hemming...haha...I bet the pulpit is kind of hard to do.

The gators are good...progressing. I will meet Pres. Glazier this week so I'll get back to you on how he is. We are going to the temple today...so I'll get back to you on that as well. And...changes are the 20th.

The only real big thing that happened this week was we had a baptism of a young man...he's got a bunch of friends in the church and everyone already loves him in the church so he fits right in. It's fun to see him. It's real fun actually. He's a smart kid and he's funny.

Other than that....I went to Jucuapa. That was kind of fun. It's a nice little town. We had some decent rain this week.

I'll have more exciting stuff next week. Got to go. Love you guys and miss you

Elder Gilreath

June 27, 2011

I heard about the aquarium for Dad...haha...And I feel like he fell asleep for part of that hour as well. You guys need to send me a picture. Haha. And does kota like it? I bet he just stares at it.

As for the box...I want Starburst...I feel like I had something else....brownies! and rice krispys...and....twizzlers....and....poptarts...but the strawberry ones...smores is only bomb when its hot...and I don't have a toaster. ANd...I'll keep thinking.

Alright...so this week in Usulutan...it rained...and rained and rained. It was so sucky...honestly it was. It poured with lightning and thunder a bunch too. We normally found shelter and just waited it out. Like one day we heard the rain coming so we ran for a place with an overhang. And it started to pour. Last night we ran in between houses on the muddy streets to get to one house. And we gave pamphlets at every house. It was actually kind of funny. Pretty good times.

We also gave a blessing...and the Spirit was strong. Super powerful this time.

Life as a DL is a little more hectic. I basically only work full days Friday and Saturday. Tuesdays and Wednesdays I'm not in my area and Thursdays we always have meetings in the mornings. So it's a little more hectic. But it makes for a faster week. So it's all good.

My comp is doing alright. Just waiting on a package and thinking too far ahead in life. Haha...and the new mission president will be here Wednesday. I think at 7 pm is when he'll be here and have control of the mission. So yeah...that's all I got.

Love you guys and miss you.

Love,

Elder Gilreath

June 20, 2011

So honestly...I forgot about Fathers Day...sorry Dad...it's just that they don't celebrate it here. And there isn't something fun like calling home to remind me. But Happy Belated Fathers Day.

Oh Busch Gardens...good times. But we went in the fall during Halloween. I actually really want to do that again. It was fun. I liked it a lot. Halloween 2012...lets go. But yeah. Busch Gardens is fun. Kings Dominion too.

Haha...and don't worry about the prayers mom. You told me that you didn't really pray for something like that. And besides...even if you had prayed for that you would have been overriding my prayers...remember. 1) I wanted to leave after Sallie was born. 2) I wanted to learn a language useful and 3) I wanted to go somewhere where when I told people they'd be like...that's cool. SO yeah...I got all 3. We serve where we need to be. Not where we want to go. Cause honestly...I wanted Japan or Italy...haha.

Hey and good luck with the Temple calling. That's cool. I think you'll enjoy it a lot.

I had my last Multizone with Pres. Perez this week. I had my last interview with him in May. Haha. Did I not write that?

And as DL...I am senior. My comp has 9 months in the mission...as in less time than me. Weird huh.

And strange food...nah. Nothing this week. I did try a new fruit...called zipote. I don't know the English word. Something I have never seen. I didn't really like it,but hey, I tried it.

So this week was interesting. We had 2 baptisms. The mom didn't get baptized because the dad of the kids is coming back and they aren't married. So she was worried about that. So we are just gonna keep working with her.

Let's see. I did divisions 3 times this week. That helped the week go by fast. The Multizone Thursday. It's been raining a lot actually. A ton of mud everywhere. Kind of sucks. But the boots are awesome.

And quite possibly the most exciting thing of the day. Americans vs. Latins for P-day playing soccer. Who won? That's right...the Americans. We won by 2 I think. Maybe 3. Isn't it weird how we won considering we don't really play it. But we did. It was intense honestly. Because it was like 9-9 before we got up by 2. We were playing on a small field so lots of goals. But yeah...I actually like soccer again. It's fun. Though I do miss basketball and football.

Anyways...that's about it. I got nothing else.

Love you guys. And miss you.

Love,

Elder Gilreath

Our cook's puppy:

June 13, 2011

Bro Hemming is gonna be good as the other counselor. He'll be good. Just needs a little experience.

As for the pool...I want to go back...but idk if I will when I come back. But we'll see whats up.

I actually forgot that Austin and Shanna were gonna have a kid...I really did. But that's good for them. Send me a picture. I want to see him.

And I knew it. I knew Clark would get engaged and married fast. I knew it man...I knew it. Man...I want to be there...but if you can tell him congrats for me. That would be good.

And I know Elder Day...he's in my District...btw I'm DL now...what up!...

But yeah nothing new here. Other than that. I got a new comp. Elder De Leon from Guatemala. He has like 9 months. It's all good here. We might have some more stuff to talk about next week. We are working hard here. It's hot.

Hey miss you guys and love you guys

Love
Elder Gilreath

June 6, 2011

So Bro. Hemming is the 2nd counselor...cool stuff man. He'll be good for it. That's great for him really. Tell him congrats for me. And as for the Young Men's President...I don't really remember who was in the young men's organization...but I'd say Bro. Beck. Yeah...we'll just say Bro. Beck.

Lets see....so this week we baptized 2 more. One is Pedro and has 18 years. He is a friend with Elder...that kid we baptized with his family like 2 weeks ago...and he wanted to get baptized with them...we just hadn't taught him enough when they got baptized. But this kid has had a strong desire to get baptized since the first time that Elder invited him to Church. Great kid.

And the other kid only is 8 years old...and we kind of lucked into this baptism. His name is Carlos and his grandparents are members. He lives with them because his parents live in the US. Friday we went and told the YW president about Pedro's baptism to tell the YW and she told us to go visit this family. When we got there the grandma was like...my grandson wants to get baptized. And it was easy because he has gone to primary his whole life. So we were like...how bout tomorrow?...the ZLs came did the interview and boom...everything good to go.

Fun stuff huh? Haha...God blessed us. Really because Pedro always wanted to get baptized and the kid was already prepared. Both were pretty much gold.

So yeah...that's about all I got. I'll try to do something interesting this week.

Oh yeah, we were playing UNO just a little bit ago. SO fun. And it brought back some memories. I miss UNO night.

Anyways...love you guys...and miss you

Elder Gilreath

May 30, 2011

That's right...10 months...haha...it's weird. Like before I was always excited when I got to a month mark...but I was kind of like...whatever...Haha..I have weird feelings right now...I don't want to leave the mission...but I wouldn't mind seeing you guys...so its kind of like...mixed feelings I guess. And for the record...I did not burn a tie to comemorate. I like my ties...well most of them...maybe I'll burn the one I don't like...haha. For the year mark.

Man...the pool...I miss the pool. Who is on the staff this year. Am I the only one who didn't come back? There were some who were thinking about leaving...but who knows.

But it sounds like it was a fun time. Cool cool stuff. And yes I know where the slide is mom... :P

US food...good stuff really. I miss US food. By the way I had some crab again. Except they didn't have anything to crack the meat out like Uncle George had...so we used our teeth. Just bite hard....real hard...

Hmm....this week...well...it rained today...that was cool. The weather has been better. Still hot...but better.

Thursday night we had an activity in the church and we played a game. We were seated in a circle and there was an inflated balloon. Just with air...and to start...you hit it up and say a name. The person you call out has to run and hit it, and say another name, etc...that's how the game works. SO we are in a huge circle, and they are playing and my comp goes, and I know he's going to say my name...so I'm ready...but he is on the opposite side of the circle, and barely taps it and says my name...so boom I'm gone...what ended up happening is I slid on my knees and got to it and called out a name....but everyone was cracking up or shocked that I actually slid to get there that no one moved. And I kind of ran into the chairs on the other side of the circle :) But why is this important...because I didn't lose...so I didn't have to do something. When you lose, you have to do something, like sing, or dance...something kind of embarrassing. Not this time.... :D

And like I said to James...A lady that was getting confirmed (baptism of the ZLs) fainted during her confirmation...but apparently...she has like some dream. (that's what she said later on)...when she fainted she was dreaming she was in a forest walking on a path, and at the end of the path she saw a light...so she starts running towards it. And when she was running she heard a voice that said ¨wake up!¨and that's when she regained consciousness. So yeah, she wasn't freaked out at all because she had a dream before she got baptized...with some similarities...but maybe with this one it was a sign she took the right choice and is on the right path...who knows...

Anyways...I got nothing. Haha...Oh yeah...I did eat Iguana...it's pretty good actually.

Love you guys...miss you

Elder Gilreath