September 19, 2011

The Atonement...deep topic...but it's interesting to talk about... the more you understand it, the more you just want to be a better person.

Cool stuff with Bro. Christensen. I'm glad he's doing well...I hope it keeps working good.

As for me...it's raining a bunch here. I think it's just the area where I am. I have also felt cold a few times here. The most exciting thing is that I can now make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches...I found PB in a grocery store down in Puerto de la Libertad...so I have been enjoying PB and J...and we went to Puerto...It was fun to see the beach...but man...I just started thinking about next year...and it was a little hard to be there...

We had a multizone with E Martino from the area presidency....he had good stuff...he talked a lot about obedience and using the members. And how we need to find an Amulek. Haha...Members that can help us.

We baptized a kid this last weekend. His parents are positive but have bigger problems than he does...so hopefully we can get them resolved soon. Maybe in like a month.

What else....idk.

Here's pics.

Love you

Elder Gilreath

September 12, 2011

Life is good here. Its kind of a big area again here...but whatever. And we get letters like every Thursday...or something like that. It should be faster than before. Its not as hot here. It's more hilly. Smaller branch.

Haha...5 day weeks....that would be bomb. I got 6 day weeks.

Weather here is alright. It has rained a couple of times. Sometimes it's hot. Other times I love the weather here. It's better than Usu where it was hot every freaking day. Here there is cloud cover...it's nice...I love it.

So this week...I had an exciting experience. I took a hot shower. The house we have...it's small and kind of far away, but...it's got a hot shower! It's hard to step out of that shower. I spent almost a year without a hot shower...it's bomb. I can't wait to have hot showers everyday again. And if you're wondering...it was broken when we got here and wasn't working...but they fixed it this week.

Other experience that was kind of funny. Every night we ask for rides to where our house is. It's up a big hill...and next to the freeway...so we just ask for rides. One night we were tired and just sat on the curb to rest before we decided to ask for a ride. So we just sat there watching as some lady was trying to get a ride going the same direction as us. She isn't getting rides...so she kind of starts freaking out. She's like pleading with the people and yelling at them. She even tries to include us to get a ride...look, these two guys have to go there too. Haha...we were just kind of relaxing...whatever. So finally we see a car come from a distance and we were like...ready to go...yeah...alright. So we stand up and do the hitch hiker thing. First time all night we did it. Boom..the truck stops. And he's willing to give a ride to everyone. (there were like 5 by this time) And he rolls down the window and is like, I want those two in front with me...pointing at me and my comp. Haha. Me and my comp were just cracking up after. That lady was probably stunned and speechless.

Other then that...nothing much.

Love you guys,

Elder Gilreath

September 5, 2011

How are the primary kids? You can tell them that sometimes we score a hamburger or some pizza. They don't need to be freaking out too much.

Changes. Changes. Changes. Let's see. Yes, I was changed. To Zone Santa Tecla. In La Libertad. And I'm in Zaragoza. It's kind of close to the coast. And I'm in another branch called Zaragoza. My comp is Elder Martinez from Sonsonate and he was in Zone Usulutan with me. So I already know him. He's pretty cool. A little weird...but with what he says. We live in a small house a little outside of Zaragoza. We are looking to move to get a little closer to the city. Or the center of the city better said. There are also neighborhoods of $$$$ here. Like we can't enter some parts. They got gates and vigilantes or guards. We can only enter if we know who lives there. I'd say it's richer than Usulutan but you still have poor people. It's just fun to be close to Santa Tecla. Cause Tecla is bomb. Close to the temple and there are cool things. Legit stores. And everything. It's got a US city feel in Tecla.

The only thing I remember about Bro Christensen was visiting the turkeys at State. And we did it a few times. It was pretty fun.

Let's see. I remember in some letters I got, you asked if I have gotten sick here. The answer would be yes. But nothing bad ever. I have been able to work everyday without problems. It's bound to happen here. Even the Latinos get sick here. And they are more used to it. But, yeah, nothing to worry about here.

Love you guys.

P.S. 3 quick pics from Day of changes Elder Del Mercado

August 29, 2011

To Donald:

This week was good. I can't complain. We had a decent week finding people...about 14. And they are mostly positive. One guy is really sweet, but has a lot of health problems. So that is unfortunate and might hold him back. But yeah...normal routine this week now. Unfortunately...haha..,j/k

I heard about the quake...we went to a member's house and they had it on CNN...and they were like hey Elder there was an earthquake on the east coast...I was like...huh?...is that possible?...but then I saw the news and all the explanations. I was like...haha...weird.

And I was also well aware of the hurricane. It was a big one. I saw some pics of it radar-wise. It was a big storm. Good thing everything is all good there. That's unfortunate for Aunt Kelly and Uncle George. but it could be worse. I also heard it caused a bunch of flood and wind damage. When members were watching news about the hurricane, I would point to NC and Raleigh...and they were like Elder! it's going right for where you live. I was just like...yeah...but it will probably just be a bunch of wind and rain. It won't be too bad. Haha...was it close for Raleigh?

To the family:

I kind of wish I was there for the earthquake. We have had tremors here in El Sal...but nothing like that. And the hurricane too. All the interesting stuff is happening when I'm not there to experience it. Haha. I'm kind of mad. Just a little.

As for the broadcast.... They had the problems with the satellite. And honestly the branch president's were giving bad info like the people had to be in that chapel to see it. So we started talking as missionaries and we were like...what? you should be able to use the ticket where ever. It doesn't matter. So we told the people that. So then they were like...lets go to Jucuapa....but how? Some dude hooked us up with a bus and boom...off we went...yes pooling money for a good cause. ...it was interesting. To say the least.

As for changes..Idk yet...but I feel like I'm gone. I'll be on the move, I'm sure. So I'll probably have some interesting stuff next week. Not this week though. Sorry.

And how did you see inside the El Sal temple. I have a pamphlet I was gonna send so you could see the inside. But I guess I don't have to now. But yeah...its bomb inside the temple. Amazing inside.

Anyways, hope there is a break in weird weather. Haha..

Love you guys...

Elder Gilreath

San Salvador El Salvador Temple news release

The San Salvador El Salvador Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) was dedicated Sunday by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the Church’s First Presidency. This is the Church’s fourth temple in Central America and 135th operating temple worldwide.

© 2011 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved

Prior to the dedication, President Eyring sealed the temple cornerstone, a tradition marking the end of construction and the beginning of the sacred work inside the temple.

May 1949 marked the beginning of the Church’s presence in El Salvador, when the first missionaries were sent there to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ among the people of Santa Ana in the western region of the country.

In 1952 Elder Spencer W. Kimball, then a senior Church leader and later the worldwide leader of the Church, visited El Salvador and offered a prayer of peace and prosperity upon the nation. By 1986 Church membership had grown to more than 15,000. Today there are more than 110,000 Latter-day Saints in more than 161 congregations throughout El Salvador.

"Attending"
Also attending the cornerstone and dedicatory services were Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elders William R. Walker, Enrique R. Falabella, James B. Martino and Carlos H. Amado of the Seventy; and Sister Silvia H. Allred, first counselor in the Relief Society presidency and El Salvador native.

Sixteen thousand people attended two cultural celebrations Saturday that retold the rich cultural history of the area through song and dance.

Visitors walk grounds of the San Salvador El Salvador Temple after taking a tour during the open house June 28-July 23. More than 165,000 toured the temple interior and the grounds.

Prior to this weekend’s events, more than 162,000 people from many faiths were given a guided tour of the temple during a two-week open house.

Ground was broken for the San Salvador El Salvador Temple 20 September 2008. Before this temple’s completion, Latter-day Saints in El Salvador traveled to Arizona to attend a temple — an eight-day journey that required early El Salvadorian Latter-day Saints to make great sacrifices, often selling belongings and even homes to cover the travel costs.

Images of the San Salvador - El Salvador Temple