Tsunami Watch

As I was getting ready for my seminary in-service meeting I heard on NPR about the terrible earthquake in Japan, but it was early and I was trying to be on time, so I was doing more listening to reports that thinking about the consequences of the quake. Then, after class, I noticed a call from an unfamiliar number. Thinking it was my nephew, I called back and heard a familiar voice-had I called Evan by mistake? No! it was Colin! He asked if we were safe and affected by the tsunami. I hadn't even thought of that. He then proceeded to explain how he and his companion and many of the members were evacuating to a city where the Zone Leaders lived which was a safe distance up the volcano. I felt so dumb! Of course Colin would be in a tsunami affected area. His apartment is just 2 blocks from the ocean! Then I thought of others; Michiko and her family in Japan, my friend's mother in Hawaii, my sister-in-law who lives just half a mile from Huntington Beach. Colin remembered my friend Michiko, what a good man to think of others. And what a great son to call and tell us he was safe.

It was so wonderful to hear his voice-it has quite a native way about it and "si" would sneak in quite often. He told me about how strong his current investigator was, and how a young woman that was baptized in his first area, has had 8 of her family members join the Church of Jesus Christ. In another area, 2 families that he found and taught have now been baptized. He is seeing some of the fruits of his labor. What a blessing, as that is not the case for all missionaries.

He wanted me to give his love to everyone back home. I know we all send our love right back to him.

P.S. We are so grateful that Colin is not in danger. But in Japan, thousands and maybe millions of our brothers and sisters are suffering. We pray that they will be strengthened and sustained through this horrific disaster by the grace of God, and from those of us who are safe, generously doing and giving what we can.

Hello

Hello!

The best thing that happened this week is that Sandy's mom came to church and really liked it, so that was great. Also a member took us to this place called Las Tunas- it is a little beach village and there are a few restaurants on the beach so he took us there. It was way cool.

The week went by sooo fast that it is hard to believe my mission is almost over. Four and a half months is not a lot of time.

I was thinking this last week about a missed opportunity I had right before I left on the mission. One day after teaching swimming lessons at night time, as we were leaving I went and sat on the benches by the pool in Eastgate park and then everyone else came and sat by me. They started asking me what it was going to be like and what I was going to do and what i was going to teach on my mission. Frankly, I didn't know what to say. I started to say something, but it wasn't very clear and I basically choked. But now I know exactly what I need to say and exactly how to say it. The sad thing is, I will never have the 7 of those people together ever again; wanting to learn, wanting to hear what I had to say. Now I have to go and look for them and then teach them what they need to know, because now I know how to put into words what I need to teach them.

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Last week we went to Elva and she told us that she was going to be moving to another house because of a new job in another department, that is like another state. So we were super sad, but didn´t give up hope- you never can. We would call her during the week and see how she was doing. On Friday we called her in the morning, but her phone was turned off. After teaching a few lessons we passed by her house and and there she was! We went and talked to her and everything went great, we brought out the baptismal records and filled them out and she signed them. We were super excited- it was a miracle. Afterwards we passed by Iris's family to see how they were doing. While we talked to them, we heard a ton of gun shots go off so we left. Finally we got home and started to make calls to our leaders but our phone didn´t work, so we went to a member's house and borrowed their phone, we tried to call our zls to say that we needed an interview, but their phone didn't accept our calls because of the company, and their cell phone had been stolen earlier that day. Finally I called the zone leaders from another zone to tell them to call my zone leaders to be at our house at 8 in the morning for the interview and the baptism. We slept full of excitement because this was going to be the biggest miracle of my mission. We woke up super excited and happy, then we waited- 8, 8:30. 9, 9:15 and the zls finally got there. They went to the interview while I went to fill the font. There was no water! We were calling everyone to see what we could do, finally at 11 it started filling. She passed the interview with the zone leaders, but she had to leave with her aunt to help her with something, because they arrived so late. So, she didn't get baptized.

It was like a big rugby game of gaining and losing the ball, but then at the end, instead of scoring the winning point I got a giant Samoan boot to the face.

But it is OK- the mission goes on. I guess it just wasn´t her time yet because we really did everything in our power to get it done. Oh well, maybe it was one of those "beautiful wife" moments. But we need to keep pressing forward and never failing.

(Message from the next week) Well, a good week this week. We were able to baptize a boy named Johnny and we reactivated his family of 7 people and there are a few more people that want to get baptized as well! And as for Elva, well, she moved to Jiquilisco, so we called the Elders in Jiquilisco and they contacted her and she also was baptized on Saturday so that was great. That made for some great news-

A new companion and apple pie

I have a new comp- his name is Elder Rivera and he is from Guatemala. He is still really new to the mission, only out 3 months, so there is still a bunch to learn and to teach. He is nice and chill, but works hard and is really funny. This will be a good change, and I'm sure that we will get a lot of work done. In La Union there were two pairs of missionaries, but now it is down to one, so we have two areas to cover. We will be working super hard, but that is good.

I hope you get this video- we went to the Comfort Inn and they had an all you can eat buffet!

Every thing is great- I'm working hard always and having fun.

District Meeting Fun

This week for the district meeting we talked about the importance that the Book of Mormon has in the conversion process. After we talked about that I asked the elders to go outside and look for the golden plates. When they found them, they were blank, so we each wrote on them our testimony as to why the Book of Mormon is important to us. It was something fun and new for them to do. So there is a picture of Mormon (me) compiling the book of the district of La Union, and there is another photo of Elder Rodriguez, whose parents live really close to us, and he has

the Urim and Thumim, the knife of Laban, the plates, and a ball of curious workmanship (thanks to grandma).

(Colin made the plates out of soda cans he cut open and boiled.)

Looking Back...

Well, everything is going great. I am a little sick with nasal congestion, but it will go away soon.It has started to be super hot this week, by 7 in the morning I am already sweaty. It is crazy. I am tired though; not going to lie about that! But things are going well.

I really love studying the scriptures now. I never did it too much before my mission, like you know, but it is really interesting. There is so much stuff to learn it is amazing! So many cool things have connections to other things. Also, before my mission, I almost never read the Bible but it is really cool as well. It is so interesting how there are so many things in there that relate to the Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon. It is just so neat. The sad thing is that it seems the more you get to know, the more you realize how little you know. Also, you can tell a big difference in your day when you really study.

I loved Cojutepeque, not just because of the people, but because that was where I had the most doctrinal growth on my mission. My first change there, it was 4 missionaries in the same house and so there was always something going on, and there was almost no studying in the morning. Finally, I decided I had to change something. The others wouldn't do anything, so I started to set my alarm at 5:30 in the morning. This was one of the best decisions of my life! I started studying every morning for an hour in the peace and quite. I would go outside in the cool morning mist; it was great. When we finally changed houses and got our own, I still woke up at 5:30, it was so great. Really, in the time of 3 months there, I have never learned so much about the gospel. It also built up my confidence in the language because I would only study in Spanish. It was just one of the best things I could have done. I feel as though I have a better knowledge of things, even though I don't know every thing, at least I am a little more educated in the gospel. But wow, I still have a ton to learn, but at the same time I am so happy with what I have been able to gain. Scripture study is such a blessing!

A Lesson from a Hobo :)

In El Salvador, according to Colin, drunk and/or homeless men follow people around everywhere, begging for money.  Recently when Colin and his companion were hitchhiking, a drunken homeless man came up to him and his companion and told them that servants of God should not have to hitchhike, they should be able to ride the bus.  So then the man gave each of them a quarter so that they could take the bus- quite a big service for a homeless person :)