Que paso de loco hoy?

Another great week in paradise.  Even though this week was packed full of bus rides and the mission secretaries robbing my  chocolate and a guy trying to hand me a pistol. We really got to see some miracles. To start off this Thursday, Maribel was baptized! Which was an amazing experience. I’ll send pics next week. Saturday Belen was baptized. She is a little girl who just has me repeat very simple words in English over and over again. I got to spend one day visiting people with a member of the church in a little pueblito and got to meet some really cool people. One of the biggest miracles this week was we went to visit someone the missionaries in another area were teaching. When we finished  there weren’t any buses. But the baptismal service of Belen was going to start in an hour. We were about 2 ½ hours away from our area.  After much prayer we started hitch hiking our way back into the city. Three different families stopped their cars to help us and miraculously we made it to the baptism in time. 

I also killed a spider on my companion’s leg. It was a pretty chillin week. We hopped on some incorrect bus routes but always made it back to our house safely. I also tried frying two week old tamales for dinner. Wouldn’t recommend. 

Hope everyone has a great week. Sorry we kept it short this week. I’ll send something good next time. 

SALUUUUD

Elder Moulton

Ya Te Vas?

Well another week in paradise. And let me just say, paradise really shouldn't be this hot. Everyone here was super hyped because they thought we were gonna have this big tropical storm, they cancelled classes in school for a week and everything. But in the end we just had a lot of sun. Pretty cool week tho, really got to enjoy the fact that more people were sticking around the house for the vacations so we got to meet some really cool people.

But more than anything I just want to share a crazy experience that happened this last Monday. There is a little pueblito named Ozatlan about 45 minutes away from us by bus.  About 4 months ago, the missionaries who were assigned there were reassigned and no new missionaries entered. So basically there was a group of members meeting for 4 months without missionaries or very much support. Elder Real and I decided after lunch on Monday that we'd go visit and see what was up. After a miracle catching the last bus at 3:30 and running into some members in the town park we end up climbing a hill, past an Amish community where nobody uses shoes and we found the humble home of Maribel Martinez. And that ended up being one of the most spiritual, amazing experiences of my life. Maribel, even tho she has problems with her knees, goes to church EVERY week even tho she is not a member. She never was baptized because she felt doubts and was unsure. And when the missionaries were taken out of the area she was left mainly in the dark. For 4 months, members of the little group of 30 members in Ozatlan visited and invited Maribel and she faithfully attended church every week, inviting her friends and family to come too. When we entered her tiny, tiny house, we started to talk about her life. As we talked my companion and I felt strongly that God had prepared the way and that everything was falling into place. We invited her to be baptized and she said with a smile on her face, that that had been her only desire for months and that she wanted to follow the example of Christ. Maribel showed me that God looks out. She is going to be baptized this Thursday and I honestly couldn't be more excited for her. This is God's work and to see miracles like this just makes everything worth it. 

But to explain my title, a 2 year old girl stole my companion's ring and when we tried to get it back, she just kept saying, "Pero ya te vas!" and smiling as my companion and I tried every way possible to convince the little Salvadorean thief to give us the ring back. I have learned a lot on the mission but I gotta say I never thought I would be in a hostage situation negotiating with a toddler in Spanish. But that's life, ya gotta love it.

Hope everyone is doing swell

SALUUUU

Elder Moulton

No Se Preocupe, Ya Estoy Mojado

Well I never knew paradise would be so wet but you already know that your boys are out here forging rivers and tripping through the jungle on the grind. Walking through the dirt road turned river last night in the middle of nowhere, where the only houses lost power for the storm, it really hit me just how cool it is to be here right now. 

Not going to lie, this week has been a grind. Gonna keep it short but just wanna share one quick story. One day my comp and I were finishing up a little study session when I just felt the need to visit Santa Elena. Its a little town that's like 45 minutes away from our house in bus. Long story short we head out to our first appointment and have a nice little lesson but still have the feeling to visit Santa Elena. But Elder Real and I are like no its too far we don't have time so we keep going. But the feeling is still there. So we head off to where the buses pass, almost turning around 7 times and with weird stuff passing all around us. We ended up chasing a lady 5 blocks who left a bag behind, meeting an old man who wanted absolutely nothing to do with us, and hitchhiking a ride with a guy who took us almost exactly where we needed to go. What happened was for some reason when we get to the bus route, there just weren't any buses passing. As we waited and cars passed we got more and more anxious. We prayed, flipped coins, did everything imaginable to try and decide what to do when suddenly a red pick up drives by and we decided to ask for a ride.

 In the end, we made it to Santa Elena and had a 5 minute lesson before running back to Usulutan for an appointment but my point is this. Don't doubt when the opportunity presents itself to do something good. Galatians 6 (I don't remember what verse but it says no nos cansamos a hacer lo bueno and the verse after that). Just do good, and even tho life gets in the way sometimes and the rain is coming down hard, God looks out. We got pretty wet this week with the storms and everything but as we said when one lady told us we should call it a day in the midst of lightning that struck the house we were in and deafening thunder, no se preocupe hermana, ya estoy mojado. 

Hope every one has a great week

SALUUUUU

Elder Moulton

No No Esta Bien, Tenemos Linterna

Wow. Not sure where to start this week for you people but I guess well start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. But Apopa is in the past and wow. that was about the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I love that city. And the people there will always have a special place in my heart. But life goes on. Even when the thrill of living is gone. But another week in para para paradise so I really can't complain. 

I am now here in the jungle. Literally jungle. And it is so different. My town is called Usulutan and I am here with my boy Elder Real from Nicaragua. Haven't been able to know the area cuz we have been overflowing with meetings but I like it here. Even tho its hot. Very hot. But we will keep ya posted.

I've been thinking a lot recently about God's Plan. And look, the mera neta as we say here, or la viña por aqui is this: We aren't perfect. And if there is anything I have learned on this wonderful ride its that I am so far from perfect its funny. But I have learned to be ok with that. We all make mistakes we all got problems and that's a good thing. A friend of mine told me when we have a challenge we should smile because we know God cares enough to teach us a lesson. As we taught a family in a little community off a dirt path this week, it really hit me. I got issues, you got them too. We all do. I can't pretend to understand what these beautiful people of El Salvador are going thru but I can show them this: ALMA 7:10-12

10 And behold, he shall be ^aborn of Mary, at ^bJerusalem which is the ^cland of our forefathers, she being a ^dvirgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and ^econceiveby the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

There is someone who understands. Don't forget that. Hope everyone had a chance to watch general conference this week. If you don't know what that is, shoot me an email and I'll send you a link. 


SALUUUUU
Elder Moulton