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WELLLLLLL another week in paradise, life is good down here in El
Salvador so we got some good things cookin. Dont have a lot of time
because we are going to go play basketball right now and well, ball
never stops being life so you can rest assured we are gonna ball out.
Just want to share a little story with you all.

A couple weeks back, Bryan was baptized. Bryan's brother (William) is a
very shy boy who doesn't like to go out or talk to people. But Bryan
motivated him and he started to come out of his shell a little bit.
These past few weeks, the lil guy has been begging to come teach with
us or go to church or whatever possible to get out and learn about
God. So the highlight of this story would be this past Saturday when
he got baptized. Just an amazing experience, but what impacted me even
more is what happened a few days after.

We were teaching his neighbor, a kind old lady with only one foot and
one eye but a great voice to sing out Christian pump up songs. So
there we are in her tiny, humble, dirt and tin made house when William
walks in. Now this is pretty normal here because everyone chills with
the doors open and its like a big family. So we are sitting there
talking about the answers God sends us when all the sudden William
whispers to me, "Hermano quiero compartir algo," (I want to share
something). And we are like William? This kid didn't even want to leave
his house before and now he wants to testify in front of a group? So
we get all excited and are like yeah yeah man go for it. And no lie,
this little 14 year old stud gets up, looks this sister in the eyes
and testifies that God answered his prayers and gave him the courage
to go to church and be baptized. And we just sat there amazed.

God is real and he REALLY REALLY REALLY does answer prayers. So I add
my testimony to that of William and invite anybody who may or may not
actually read these little Elder Moulton rants to pray. Because God
will answer.

SALUUUUU
Stay up
Elder Moulton

Nosotros Ponemos, Dios Dispone

WELLLLLLLL another week in paradise and I gotta say things are looking
groovy. I sadly am bald now because I miscalculated in the barber shop
but we haven't had water for a week anyway so with less hair, its less
to wash right? But this week brought about changes which meant saying
goodbye to Elder Nuñez and getting my new comp, Elder Foster. He's
from Idaho and I am convinced that we are twins. We even have the same
birthday so I think it could be legit. But with all the changes we had
some highlights too. SOFIE GOT BAPTIZED!!! cutest little girl ever,
she is a stud and it was so neat to see her and her family supporting.
Just an awesome experience. She is 8 years old and even got up to
share her testimony afterwards.


But this week got your favorite central American, recently bald,
pupusa eating, boring letter writing elder thinking. And well, as my
people down here say, "We make plans, but God has the last word."
Basically if I have learned anything in life its that I don't know
anything. The more you know the more you don't right?

Mosiah 4:9 -Believe in ^aGod; believe that he is, and that he ^bcreated all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all ^cwisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not ^dcomprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
We don't understand a lot in this life, sometimes we can't see the
connection between what we do and the results we receive. But what I
have learned is that God has a plan. By sticking to the plan and
obeying what he has commanded, we gain access to the blessings he has
prepared for us. By doing things our own way, we negate the blessings
and don't see the results we want. God knows more than we do what it is
that we need. We obey, He sets it up. God tosses the lobs and we get
the blessings. Just sometimes we don't recognize the blessings cuz they
come in God's way, not ours

Hope everyone is ok and RIP Kobe

SALUUUUUUU
Elder Moulton

Quiere Esperar?

Well another week or two in paradise and I gotta say I haven't even felt the time. We had meetings every single day this week and most of them were in other parts of the country which meant getting up a little early and sleeping a lil later so my concept of time isn't exactly 100% right now. But in a really cool note, this week was a really good one. I got to visit some old areas, see some old friends, all in all just a lotta good stuff. But I learned a little something about patience. Its not just the essence of all fine Mexican food (shout out to those who know) its the essence of success. I like the example of Peter. When Christ died and left the Earth, he left behind some of his boys to keep the grind going. But Peter, bless his heart, didn't exactly get it. So what did he do? He went back to doing EXACTLY what he did before knowing Jesus. Dude went fishing. To me, fishing has always been a question of patience, I was never very good at it. But in Peter´s case, fishing was just the opposite. Instead of taking the time, and learning from experience preaching the good word of God, dude went fishing. C'mon man. But Jesus swung by and let him have it. He said,
John 21:15-17, "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, ^aFeed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, ^aFeed my ^bsheep."

Love is shown in many ways but the realest way to show your love is with time. Time is the only gift that can't be given away, used more than once, thrown away, or regifted. Its permanent and really the most valuable thing we can give. I have been thinking a little and I realized something, the reason I am here, for 2 years is because I love my God and I want to show him that. The reason God wants us to go to church, or pray, or any of that stuff is because we show him, in the time we give him that we love him. Patience is the gift of time, and time is the gift we give to show love. Patience has never been really easy for Elder Moulton, but as I have learned to love, I have learned the virtue of patience. If you love someone, give them your time. If you love God, show him your patience. And he will give you blessings on blessings. Way up, I feel blessed.
keep on keepin on
SALUUUUElder Moulton

(Tanner saw a Celtics Paul Pierce jersey and had to get a pic)

(Sophie - little girl on the left, is getting baptized next week)

(The Elders bought a meter long burrito and then split it up between them)

Tres Días

Well it’s been like three days so don’t get your hopes up. You all know your boys still grinding down here in paradise. And I got to say it really felt like paradise this week because we just got back from the beach and between water balloon fights and a soccer game, we had a really cool activity. We all wrote something we wanted to leave behind and buried it in the sand. It might sound like I robbed that from Pinterest but it was pretty cool. 

This week was also pretty cool because we got to see the baptisms of Brian and Annalise. Brian is a little stud that we have been teaching for about a month now. He is a great kid and right now he is helping us teach his older brother.  

We went to his house this week and taught him how to tie a tie and the little guy picked it up in like 5 seconds. Smart kid. But I think the best part of the lesson was when he testified to his older brother and invited him to be baptized too. 

Annalise is a young girl who my companion and I taught a year ago when I was here before. 

It was really neat to see her finally making the decision to follow Jesus Christ. 

Just thinking this week about Brian and Annalise taught me an important lesson. All of our roads are different. Brian was baptized just three weeks after we taught him for the first time.  Annalise took about a year and a half to make the decision. My point is this, we all have a different road and we shouldn’t be disappointed if our road doesn’t look like someone else's. At the end of the day, the destination is the same. So don’t worry so much about where you are at so much as where you are going. 

Hope everyone is doing great. It was nice to go to the beach and think of home. Shout out to California. We will see you soon!

Saluuuuu

Elder Moulton

Guanaco De Cora

Well, another week in paradise. Have to say this was one of the weirder weeks I’ve had. We got to travel to visit some different parts of the country this week. Starting on Monday with a four hours bus ride and finishing up a couple hours ago on another bus. We got to take a giant tour of the eastern part of El Salvador. Which brings me to my email title. Guanaco is a nickname that the people say about Salvadorians. After having the chance to visit some of my old areas, and visit some old friends, I think I can officially say I’m Guanaco de cora.  It was a pretty cool week. I learned a lot. Got to work with a lot of other missionaries. Talking with a lady this week, even though this lady was a little crazy, I learned a really important lesson.  There is a lot of stuff we don’t know. There is a lot of stuff we don’t understand. I’ll be the first to tell you that God answers prayers. I will be the first to tell you that he will help us understand challenges and questions we have. But God is not going to give us 100% of the knowledge or every single answer to every single question in the way we want it. There is an answer to everything and God is willing to give it to us but we have to understand that it is not going to all come as clearly or as immediately as we want it. This is a very hard lesson for me to understand because I didn’t understand why. If God really is a powerful all knowing and loving Heavenly Father, why won’t he just give me what I think I need? I found my answer in the scriptures.  

Alma 32: 17-18 

17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.

  The whole point of our lives is to learn to walk by faith. We can’t know things for sure because when we know we don’t have to believe. I’m not saying its bad to know, because I think that’s something we all have to do is learn and look for more. The point is if we can learn to choose to believe or in other words make the active decision to follow God without knowing 100% all of the details, that is when we will see blessings in our lives. That is when we will progress towards our Heavenly Father. The whole gospel, everything I have spent these last 17months teaching wouldn’t make sense at all if the gospel was centered on having a perfect knowledge because when we talk about coming unto Christ, what we are talking about is a question of faith.  Faith is a decision we make to choose to believe. Belief is a choice. It is not a reaction. The president of our mission taught me this week that evidence doesn’t build faith, it rewards it. If you think the answers you need will come in the form of knowledge, just know that knowledge doesn’t usually come until after we have decided to have faith. For those of you who are reading this that might not be members of the church of Jesus Christ or those who have doubts or questions, I’ll just say this: instead of worrying about what you know, worry about how you feel. If you want to know, or if you even have the slightest desire,  know  that answers from God don’t come in the form of knowledge or great signs from heaven. They come in quiet reassurances and small experiences that will fortify your choice to believe. 

Also we found a snake in the road and took a bunch of pictures. Enjoy! Hope everyone is staying up and keep on the grind. As one little kid shouted to me while we were walking through the street, “Don’t talk to strangers.” 

Saluuu

Elder Moulton

Pues, Aqui Estamos

Well, I haven't written anyone this whole year so we´re gonna have to change this. New year, new me right? 

So its been a pretty good lil while recently. Its always a little bit weird after changing areas. Also a little weird when you get to eat iguana eggs. But they ain't too bad. Taste like sardines. But don't eat iguana skin. I learned that the hard way. But besides that, its been chill. Lotta fireworks blowin up all over. Someone almost hit me with one when I was hanging out of a bus. We Ubered everywhere. Its been a good ride

Like always your boy is a little short on time, so we´re gonna hit you with a quick bible story. Once upon a time, God told a man he had to leave his house and he couldn't look back. (No I'm not talking about Elder Moulton because you know I still remember the good old days) But this guy left his house and took his family with him. Long story short, his wife turned into a common table condiment because she decided to look back. Why am I talking about food condiments? Its not because iguana tastes better with salt, although that is true. Its because 2019 is gone. Don't look back. Its a new year, use it as a new opportunity to do good. 2020 hasn't been written yet and if there is anything this crazy experience has taught me, its that we have the power to write whats coming next. 

Hope everyone is living the dream and staying safe out there. We´ll catch you on the flippity flip.

SALUUUU

Elder Moulton 

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