La Vida Es Una Autopista (part . . . )

Ok I got no time like always and I haven't sent a group email in weeks so I'm just going to fill you in super quick and wish everyone a happy holidays. Last week was probably one of the neatest happiest of my mission. Ivan, Julio, Andrea, Edwin, Irene, Santos, Alex, and David were all baptized! and even though it involved many mornings waking up at 4am to get on buses, wedding planning, and working on a farm, to see these 3 families come unto Christ absolutely changed my life. Ill throw some pics in but before I share a quick story just wanted to give a heads up. I had changes this week and I am back in my second area again. And I am PUMPED!! Its rare that a missionary gets the chance to return to an area but I'm back in Las Cañas and super super super excited. I love this area and have a bunch of friends from before that are just absolute studs. I'm getting to pass both Christmases of my mission here too so you know we will be having a good time here. Although my free day is now Friday so I wont be sending emails Mondays anymore

Ok quick story: Editors Note - He told his mom the story and asked her to type it up. . . 

Saturday was the big day for the mom and dad to get married and everyone to get baptized but as of Friday morning the dad (Edwin) still wasn't back from seeing his family in another part of the country to tell them about the wedding. He was no where to be found. No answer on his cell phone, the missionaries in that area couldn't find him. Nada. Tanner and Elder Real decided they just had to exercise faith and move ahead. A show of faith. They bought the wedding decorations and told everyone to move forward. Still no sign of Edwin. They were typing up the baptismal program, adding Edwin's name with faith that all would work out, and the phone rings. EDWIN!!!! He never explained where he had been but he had found the church in the area he was visiting and even gone to a baptism and was ready to be married and baptized himself the next day! It was a wonderful wedding and the group that had started with 20 people when Tanner arrived had grown to 50 people and they were all there to support Edwin, Irene and their family as they were married, baptized and confirmed. Tanner said the principal of faith is real and quoted Ether 12:6 

 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that ^afaith is things which are ^bhoped for and ^cnot seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no ^dwitness until after the ^etrial of your faith.

He asked me to challenge all of you to act on your faith. To do your part and let the Lord fulfill his promises. 

Hope everyone is doing great and since I won't be able to write before Christmas, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Elder Moulton

From His Mom. . .

Hello All,

Elder Moulton has had a very busy couple of weeks and has not been able to email because of a temple trip and other mission Christmas activities. From the pictures he uploaded it looks like the Cortez family was baptized on Saturday and we are so happy for them! Elder Moulton looks as silly as always. We are grateful for the love and support so many of you give to him. We wish you all the Merriest of Christmases and hope you find joy in the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Libre Soy

Pues, another week (or 2 weeks) in paradise and I gotta say life is going pretty great. We even had a mini Turkey bowl/ pickup football game last Thursday with all the missionaries to celebrate Thanksgiving so it was a cool experience. Things are going really well here in Usulutan, never thought I'd learn to be a wedding planner when I left for the mission but we got some good stuff in the works so we will keep you all posted. Other than that, this week has really just been a spiritual roller coaster. This week, some friends of ours who were going to come to visit the church for the first time had their house get robbed Saturday night, some got sick, and really just everything hit all at once. But when Sunday morning came around, even thought there was a bunch of inconveniences, there they were at church with us. Which has really made me think about the way we take what life gives us. Being a Spanish stuttering, 2 left footed, young, gringo missionary here in a country that has a culture unlike anything I'd ever known before, food I'd never even heard of, and incredible people that have just blown me away, has really showed me just how little control I seem to have over what comes my way. But 3 families here in Usulutan have shown me otherwise. One of my favorite sayings is, "No puede cambiar los circunstancias en cuales se encuentre, pero si se puede cambiar su actitud," And these 3 families have shown me that. 

These families barely have enough to make ends meet and to go to church is a huge sacrifice. Bus fares and time away from the field means food that won't be on the table. But these people, in the faith that they have, CHOOSE to make these sacrifices. Maybe life is throwing some curve balls and maybe it looks impossible to keep going, but 1 Nefi 17:3 (And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and ^astrengthenthem, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did ^bprovide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness). We can always choose to keep going, to do the right thing, to change, to sacrifice. We HAVE to choose that. I am so grateful that God put me here and now in El Salvador because it really let me know just how important it is to CHOOSE the right. Every moment is a choice, and every choice has a right option. We aren't always going to get dealt the hand we want, and sometimes (as I have learned here) we mess up. We make a wrong choice. But there is always going to be another choice to make. Another shot to get back on the path, and that to me shows just how much God loves us.

Hope everything is going well, have a great week

SALUUU

Elder Moulton