Sepa Lo Que Cree

I would love to say I had a big new year, new me experience, but I think the biggest changes were either the Mac and Cheese we made with Grape soda because we were out of water(Elder Clove ate it), Elder Stoker and I beginning a promising art career, or me hitting my 150 day mark out here in the promised land. This week had its fair share of disappointments, like when the only burrito place in town sold its last burrito as we got there, only killing 1 cucaracha this week, and realizing that we haven't eaten a meal without some sort of chicken/rice/tortilla combo since we got here. But as always the good far outweighs the bad. 

We met some really awesome people this week, saw some really powerful things. There's a lot of people struggling down here, but its always so cool to see the sacrifices people will make for their family or for what they believe in. I don't like dropping names or specific stories a whole lot, unless the people tell me I am good to tell it, so I'm not gonna get super specific. But this week we have seen people who work from 5 am to 10 pm to provide for a newborn baby, people who sacrifice work and money just to meet with us, a man who's mom is in the hospital but who wont mention it to anyone because he is too worried about helping other people. We have seen pastors (some with very loud speakers all night long) defending and preaching to try and help the people of the community, political ralliers spreading their messages, but we are 2 missionaries who keep the grind going no matter how many people question us about reincarnation, or pretend they aren't home when they see us coming. Because yeah that stuff is going to happen, Asi es la vida. But we got a pretty strong belief that what we are doing here is right. And more than that, we know what it is that we believe in. 

Many times its easy to get caught up in a belief, or even to lose track of one. Beliefs are motivations for actions, but sometimes we forget that. We get so caught up in the "what" that we forget about the "why." Which is why my title is what it is this week. Know what you believe. I have a faith in my life. A faith that God has a plan for me, that he knows me, and that I gotta be the best I can in order to fulfill that. I got my faith that I can live with my family forever and as a missionary of Christ I can help share that message with others. There's a lot of different faiths and religions down here, and people are very devoted to what they believe in. And that's an awesome thing to be. But the first step is just knowing what it is you believe in. Know what it is that motivates you, that pushes you to be better. No matter where you are at in life, or what it is you are doing, know what you believe. And if you do know, it gets a lot easier to keep on going forward. 

Hope everyone is doing good, thanks for the love and support.

SALUD

--

Elder Moulton

Sea Como Miguel

Just want to start off this email by saying that Elder Clove and I are not here to mess around. We are here to turn this place upside down see Acts 17:6. This week we decided to go big and leave our mark on this town. SO we went by a local smoothie stand, and we invented the CLOTON. A half pineapple, half chocolate milkshake concoction that is rapidly spreading across El Salvador.

 We were also mistaken for some kind of secret agents by a sweet lady on the street and asked to investigate an underground scheme involving her and all recent former presidents of the United States. So yeah its been quite the week. We also got beat by bronchitis, which postponed Andy´s baptism, tried to teach a lesson in English )but struggled not to use Spanish cuz we are losing our English skills, and found a cat in our house with Elder Webb-who is as sick as a dog right now.

But like always, I will explain my poorly translated, English phrase-turned cheesy email title. For those of you who may know, there was a basketball player a while back named Michael Jordan. He was pretty good so he got a buncha commercials and reps and stuff. Long story short, one of his most famous Ads lead to the phrase, Be Like Mike. I'm in Central America right now so I have had to change it a little bit, to "Sea Como Miguel." Besides actually meeting a couple Miguels this week, one of which is a nice old guy who hates shirts and fireworks but loves missionaries, the phrase really hit home. Looking back at my life, I have had a whole lot of Mikes to be like. My parents, family, friends, church leaders, many of the people who get these emails, you have been my Mikes. And just from being out here in the real world for a little, I have seen how everyone out here has their examples, their role modelz, their Miguels. As a missionary I get to share the greatest example of all time. Jesus Christ. It would not have been very appropriate to title this email "Sea Como Jesus," but more or less that's the Elder Moulton message this week. Because I can't think of a better person to be like than the only perfect man to ever live. Following his example is the surest way, the only way to living a happy and successful life. And yeah I got whooped in basketball this week by a 14 year-old girl who plays for a national team and heard her brother, who knew English, trash talk, so maybe I should take my own advice on the being like Mike, but becoming like our Savior is a far greater goal.

I hope everyone has a happy New year and is doing alright. Thanks for being my Mikes and for the love and support.

SALUD

--

Elder Moulton

Milagros de Navidad

Editor's note: We were able to "see" Tanner and his companion this morning . He looks great and is loving El Salvador and the people there. 

Feliz Navidad! Espero que todos tengan un buen tiempo y puedan descancar y disfrutar este tiempo. This week has been a pretty good one for us. Been really feeling the Christmas spirit, especially because everyone down here loves English Christmas music and they blast it in the streets and buses. Also because every passage of houses puts up strings of lights and we got to help some neighbors put theirs up this year. We have been singing a lot of Christmas hymns in lessons, church, the house, and even once when I went with Elder Stoker for a day, we sang in the middle of the street to try and meet some new people in the neighborhood. Worked. 

We have had a lot of special experiences this week tho, lots of Christmas miracles. First off, this awesome lady in our ward made us a replica pinata version of me. Which was cool, shoutout to Hermana Uribe. 

Second off we found a burrito place in our area that sells 40cm burritos for 3 dollars. Which is actually pretty expensive because pupusas are like 20 cents but it was the first burrito I have been able to find here. 

Got to paint some houses, play ball with a buncha other missionaries, and eat a bomb Christmas dinner with a family who has been to Chula Vista. Mas que todo, this week really did have some crazy miracles. Met cancer survivors, saw people recover from horrible injuries, found an NFL jersey store that sells for $2, shared the story of Christ's birth with dozens of people, and got to see some of the strongest faith in God I have ever seen from some people down here. More than anything, a little boy in our ward named Evan finally was able to be baptized. 

We have been working with Evan and his family for a while now, and this Saturday, his older brother got to baptize him. This little kid is only 9, and his brother 17. But they get themselves to church every Sunday, come to activities during the week, and have been prepping for this day for a long time, and they do all this with very little support from home. The actual baptism itself was a miracle honestly, and it would be hard to put into an email just how special, crazy, and blessed it was. So we will just chalk it up to another Christmas miracle. Also we had Walton and Walter show up to church, couple of guys we have been teaching for a minute who are buddies and have very similar and confusing names. 

Christmas has been special here in El Salvador tho, and even tho the traditions here mean nonstop fireworks all night and no sleep on Christmas, the purpose of Christmas here is the same as it is everywhere. I have had a little time with the Spanish language now, and I don't speak fluently yet but with the limited knowledge I have, I want to share one thing. Christmas can be split into two words. Christ and mas. While yes technically this is in English, "mas" in Spanish means more. So I hope when you see Christmas you can see that message. More Christ. Because that's what it really is. More focus, more love, more gratitude for Christ. And we really cant ever have too much of that. So I hope you all have a merry Christ'Mas and that everything is going well for you all. Thanks for all the love and support, its a pretty great Christmas present.

SALUD

-- 

Elder Moulton

Solo Envíalo

The grind has yet to stop down here in the promised land. Lots of crazy stuff happening but I wouldn't have it any other way. First off, found out that Christmas is on the 24th, which totally blew my mind. Also we have ran into quite a few English speakers this week, which means Spanglish and funny words. We had running water twice which was pretty cool, it had been a while without using a bucket to shower. Roasted marshmallows on a cardboard box, got a whole buncha free pupusas, prayed and found the missing iguana of friend of ours, climbed a tree and saved a cat, taught the youth of San Bartolo how to say, "Whats up dude?", played guitar at an old mans house while inviting him to be baptized, met Santa Claus, and listened to a bunch of members of our ward try to sing Christmas songs in English. They were very close. All in all, I can safely say it was another great week in Las Canas. Excited to spend my first Christmas here.

But to explain my title, we have really been trying to focus in and do work this past week and heading into next year. For anyone who knew me before the mission, you know I was always a big fan of Sending It. which has more or less become our motto here. Good things aren't just gonna happen, miracles don't just fall in your lap. This isn't just for missions either, it applies to life. To reach a goal or accomplish something, yeah usually some divine assistance is required. But it wont do us any good unless we get up, get going, and go as hard as we can. Or in other words, send it. And just in case you thought this was Elder Moulton Doctrine, I got a scripture to back it up.

DyC 66:6

Tarry not many days in this place; go not up unto the land of Zion as yet; but inasmuch as you can send, send; otherwise, think not of thy property.

SO basically my point is this, a new year is coming up, and there's always opportunities that come with it. But as a missionary I have come to find that it wont do us one bit of good unless we rise up and work to make it count. I hope everyone is having a happy holidays and is ready for Christmas, whether you choose to celebrate it on the 24th or 25th. 

Salud

-- 

Elder Moulton

Cucarachas No Son Amigos, Ni Comida

If you couldn't tell the title of this email is a poorly translated and El Salvadoranienized reference to one of the greatest movies of all time. First off because we started a war on the cockaroach race this week and second off because the food the past few days has been insane. We have a cockroach graveyard and it increases in size daily. Nowhere is safe, they fly, climb, scurry, and attack. Food wise I wouldn't be surprised if we have eaten a few of the little buggers this week. We have been working on a worldwide initiative this month called Illumina el Mundo, where every night we have the chance to have a Family Night in the homes of various members of the church down here, and help them share the message of Christs birth with friends or neighbors. But we also get fed a lot of interesting food, and then go immediately to eat dinner at another members house. So we have gotten everything from plates FULL of vegetables, to snow cones with Lemon-Salt-Chile-Cactus, to cake, and chicken heart. Its been fun. Also ended up teaching up a lesson with a parrot on my shoulder at one point, it ended up attacking me. Painted someones house, met a guy from Oceanside, and met a kid on the street by using his drumsticks to bang out a song on his neighbors wall.

But on a more serious note, this initiative has been a great experience so far and its an awesome thing to see people talking about the birth of our Savior with friends and family. Lots of times when we think of Christ we think of his death on the cross, or his life of miracles. But none of that would have been possible without the humble birth 2000 years ago in a stable in Bethlehem. 

-- 

Elder Moulton

https://www.mormon.org/christmas?cid=312375129334&cpid=1632159288&agid=66208990470&kwid=kwd-337015008150&iloc=&ploc=9031265&network=g&dev=c&clkid=EAIaIQobChMIhb_6wq-W3wIVhIbACh001QONEAAYASAAEgImefD_BwE&match=e&keyword=light%20the%20world&exid=&adpos=1t1&clicktype=expanded-headline&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhb_6wq-W3wIVhIbACh001QONEAAYASAAEgImefD_BwE

Rimas con Clove

Pretty much a normal week for us missionaries here in Ilopango. Had some close calls with some dogs, found a cross street pupusa rivalry (Izquierda es mejor), taught a bunch of people in english-spanglish, because they used to live in the U.S., climbed a mountain in a cowboy hat, spent a day with another missionary from Cali and we balled out (shout out to Elder Stoker) got to help a family move (shout out to CV3 and all those good times back home), and we now start every lesson by singing a Christmas song. Speaking of my comp and his angelic voice, to learn Spanish we have been trying to make rhymes and it’s the hardest free styling session you will ever hear. If you want to hear the story of the Restoration of the Gospel, in Spanish and poem form, hit us up. He wanted to say hey tho so this next part is just straight Elder Clove:

Yo, I am Elder Clove, the weirdo from Sin City. Or at least a little town near Vegas that is full of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Before my mission, I played video games and watched YouTube 24-7, and now I am out preaching the Gospel, talking to people, and living without any of that stuff. So anybody can serve a mission and do well, you just gotta put your heart into it. My purpose here is to work Elder Moulton as hard as possible. He is quite possibly the most amazing person I have ever met. He also edited this message before he sent it. 

Back to Elder Moulton now, this past week has been pretty special. We have gotten the chance to teach a lot of kids and kinda younger people the past couple days and that was super fun. Something that we talk about a lot is the fact that this message is for EVERYONE. Sometimes we get funny looks or jokes cuz we are just a couple of gringos with heavy accents, but always we are reminded that our differences really don’t mean anything. Which sounds like a motto for Coca Cola or something, but its true. I’m not puro guanaco yet but these people here are definitely my brothers and sisters, and its been such an awesome experience to see the examples of faith and strength all around me. Especially with Christmas right around the corner, its not a bad time to focus on Christ in any part of the world right now. Cuz no matter what is going on in your life, we all got the same way to get through it. Christ.

I hope everyone is doing well, thanks for not blocking my email.

Salud!

-- 

Elder Moulton

La Vida Es Una Autopista Pt. 2

Well first off Happy Thanksgiving. We spent Thursday handing out photos of The Book of Mormon and the Temple with Turkey stickers on them. Clove and I had a pretty good time cooking dinner too, instant mashed potatoes and biscuits, thanks mom.

 It was a great week in Santiago. Marvin, Juan Pablo and his family,Maria Magdalena, and Carlos were all dead set to be baptized, but I have decided that life is more of a roller coaster than a highway cuz we got a call at 8 am on Friday and 3 hours later we were all packed up and heading to a new area. 2 emergency transfers in 2 weeks, but our new area is awesome. It was sad to leave Texacuangos. I really am gonna miss all the awesome people and memories from there, but Elder Clove and I have the chance to open a new area down here in Ilopango, its called Las Cañes.

Its probably the coolest area in El Salvador. We know absolutely nothing about where to go, or who lives here, but our ward has been a huge help and we are pumped to get working. When we first got here, we were paired with another missionary, Elder Reyes from Honduras. Cool guy, but a little funny, he bit me once. But he was only with us for a few days and now its back to me and Elder Clove, living large in Ilopango.

Just a scripture I wanted to share this week was 2 Nephi 2:4

This scripture is jammed pack with spiritual nuggets, pepitas de oro, but for me, In the spirit of Thanksgiving- which apparently still goes on without Elder Moulton there to celebrate-I am just so grateful for my Savior. And for the chance I have had to get to know him. I haven't talked to him face to face or seen him in this life but I don't need to. He knows me and its because of him I can hope for eternal life. I have had a lot of time to think this week, what with the changes and everything, and this scripture just kinda reaffirms why I am here. Because I know all this stuff for myself and I want all these crazy awesome people down here to know it too.

Hope everyone is doing well, thanks for the love and support.

¡Salud! 

Elder Moulton

Editor's Note: Elder Moulton wanted you to know that this video is of two little boys that wanted to say hello to everyone in America. They aren't members of the church but Elder Moulton tried to get them to sing, "I Am a Child of God." 

La Vida Es Una Autopista

Lot has happened in the past 7 days, not exactly sure where to start. First off, Elders Zabel and Cordingly, some really good friends of mine, were sent home this week for medical problems, so it was sad to say goodbye. The title is actually a shout out to their collective favorite movie, Cars, hopefully I translated it correctly. Secondly, because of two missionaries having to leave, all the companionships in our area got shaken up. So Tuesday night, we got a call, and on Wednesday morning, Elder Rodriguez headed off to a new area and I got a new companion. Sad to say goodbye to that guy, he is still on his mission but I am going to miss listening to him pretend to know English and teaching him how to throw a football. But like my title says, life goes on. As I quoted in an earlier email, the best blessings come after the hard times. And just looking at the blessings from this week, la vida es una autopista y yo voy a montarlo. 

First big blessing is my new companion, Elder Clove. Dude is a beast! He only has 1.5 months more than me out here but his Spanish is killer and the guy is awesome. In the few lessons and meetings we have had together, the man is a powerhouse. But the greatest blessing of all came Saturday, with Tomas' baptism! He was so happy and hyped and told us this was just the beginning. Right after the actual baptism he just told me two words. Pecados afuera. He is such a stud. His life has changed so much in this past month and it's been amazing to be able to see it first hand. He was so excited this Sunday at church too, and he loves to tell us everything he reads in the Book of Mormon. 

While that was definitely the highlight of the week, Elder Clove and I ended up eating pupusas the size of our face, got confused for angels with tortillas for hands by a very misguided old lady, and met a lady who is going up to the US with a caravan just so she can get deported and ride on an airplane. So yeah, we had a pretty good first week down here. Its always a party in Santiago Texacuangos.

Hope all are well, thanks for the love and support!

Salud!

-- 

Elder Moulton

Frijoles del Alma

Just going to start this weeks email off by bragging a little bit about my area. My area is huge, one of the biggest in the mission, and so we get to spend a lot of time in different cities and pueblitos. And in buses, but our main route is shut down for labor disputes so we have been walking a lot. But anyways, one of our little areas is called Olocuilta and it has a subsection named the Pupusodromo. One street, 30 pupusarias, and the world record for biggest pupusa ever made. Can't make this stuff up, it almost brought tears to my eyes my first time there. Other thing that brought tears to my eyes was accidentally spraying pepper spray in my eyes, that happened this week.

Along the lines of food tho, which there has been a lot of this week, one of my favorite lines to use when explaining who we are, is frijoles del alma. As I mention in almost every email, there are a lot of people struggling here and nearly every day we meet people that are just trying to get beans on the table. Really makes me realize how blessed I am, and I am so grateful for the food and care I have in my life. Including the boiling hot soup we get when its 95 degrees outside and my tie is 10 shades darker from sweat, the cactus with honey, the millions of lemons we get gifted daily, and the time my comp split his pants eating breakfast. But for as much as we eat and enjoy the frijoles del cuerpo here, our main purpose is to share the frijoles del alma. This week we had our ups and downs, a baptism fall through, a family come back to church after years apart, a hike through the jungle at 5am for someone who turned out not to be home, a former missionary who wants the gospel for his young family, Tomas getting ready for his baptism this Saturday, and a whole bunch of miracles. And honestly that's what we are here for, the good and the not so good. Because at the end of the day, when I am cleaning the dog poop off of my shoes and drinking my kolashampan, its all about the frijoles del alma. Some people are going to want to listen and are going to accept our message and some aren't. But that's alright, because all we can do is offer. And that's what we do. I have really come to love these people, even the ones who think I am in the FBI or who have had a little too much to drink so they don't exactly have boundaries. And for that, I want for them to have this message in their lives. 

One more thing I love about this place is praying with people in the streets or in homes. Its kind of a cultural thing but when one of us prays, the person we are with will like back us up and hype it up during the prayer when we say something they like. Really helps with my Spanish confidence and reminds me of my football days when Coach Mendillo would hit us with those amens and affirmations during the team prayers. Hope everyone is doing well, thanks for all the love and support!

Salud!

-- 

Elder Moulton

La Amistad es Todo

Started off the week by saying goodbye to my first companion, Elder Ortega. Sad day but he's going to come visit me in the U.S. someday so it will be alright. My new comp, Elder Rodriguez is a total baller. He's from Panama, we call him the Panimal, and likes pupusas more than anyone I have ever met. His record is 14. So I have high hopes for this transfer. I'm currently still at 8. We will get there. 

Another sad goodbye this week, Rafael Lopez (the shoemaker)decided last week that he wanted to head up to the U.S. with a caravan of people. I'm sure everyone has heard about that. Super sad tho, I saw him the day before he left and he didn't tell us a thing. But hey, asi es la vida, and I know things will work out for him, they always do. But that brings me to my main point, and that's that everyone needs a friend. Sounds like a cheesy plot from a Full House episode I know, but its a lesson I have really got to learn down here in the promised land.

I have a firm testimony of this church, of my Savior. I don't have a doubt in my mind that everyone needs the love and support that is found in the gospel we are preaching. That being said, sometimes people just need a friend. I have talked about Tomas in the past, dude is a stud I love him. He lives alone with 9 cats and a broken down old dog, but when we started meeting with him you could see a change. There's a lot of loneliness and depression in the world and witnessing that is one of the hardest things about being a missionary. But seeing the changes in Tomas; in Norma, who we go and cook with; Marvin, who's Dad is halfway through Mexico right now; in Elsie, who's kids are in university and are building lives apart from her; in Kimberly, the little girl in our branch who had been putting off baptism until the missionaries started visiting her family more; in the few members of our branch who live here in Santiago Texacuangos and feel alone and isolated because we are so far from the rest of the members. And in all the people we get the chance to talk to, everyone needs a friend.

Ultimately I firmly believe lasting happiness and peace comes through Christ, and his message. But sometimes people just need a person they can turn to. And I know its more interesting to read about the sketchy jungles we get lost in, the attacks I get for being American, the time I was leading music in church and nobody was singing so the branch president came up and chewed me out, when an angel came and saved us from a gang, stories from one legged Carlos, the week we had without water, the parties for the new Catholic saint down here, or the time I got swung out of the bus and hit a car. That stuff is great, wouldn't trade it for the world. But sometimes it feels like a different world down here in El Salvador, I mean facing down female pastors in the street or fighting off dogs with sticks or having to brush my teeth with orange juice cuz of our mini drought in the middle of rainstorms, none of that was an issue back home. But I know that no matter where you're at, you can be a friend. And in every part of the world there are people who need that friendship. And hey if Rafael ends up in one of your areas, I know he could definitely use an amigo right now. That being said I am super grateful for the support and love from back home, and around the world, and hope everyone is doing well. Keep my people in your prayers and keep me posted. Salud!

Juan 15:12

--

Elder Moulton

ps Happy Halloween