January 24th, 2011

Hey Fam,

This week was crazy. Fun, but crazy. We have been running around all week trying to keep all of our investigators excited for their baptisms and even more the members. Our Branch(Las Aradas) has had a lot of success in the past year. All of our baptisms thus far have been in the branch, but the ward (trebol) hasn't had a baptism in about 6 months. So They were starting to get pretty upset. People in the mission and members want baptisms and really it shows success. Trebol is definitely a hard area, but we are working our butts off to keep everyone happy.

But this week we had a baptism again, but this time it was in Trebol. So to prepare we decided to invite EVERYONE! we wanted everyone to come to get all excited and stuff. Especially because it is the sister of the young men's president who is a recent convert from a year ago and he was going to baptize her. We talked to her everyday and she has come to church for the past month because she went to EFY here(ya they had the first EFY in El Salvador this year like my second week here) and she said it changed all her beliefs about the church.

So we invited everyone and while doing that taught all of our investigators and while doing that had to find new investigators. But Thursday we had Elder Jay Jensen from the Presidency of the 70 come and talk to us. He gave great spiritual stuff and a lot of things I can work on. It was a lot of fun and a great experience. I got to shake his hand and all.

After we had to do divisions with the ZL's because one of them was going to go with me and we were going to go to Sonzacate(which is a stake like an hour and half away from mine) cause he was going to go and baptize someone from his old area. Then after we were going to go back to my area and do the Interview for Karina(the girl who was going to get baptized). We left from San Salvador at 4 and didn't get to Sonzacate til 6 and we found out the last bus to Santa Ana left at 5. So we were stuck in Sonzacate. So we did the baptism then went around with the missionaries there and that night ate the best pupusas ever! they were huge and delicious but pricey.

Sonzacate though is known for how hot it is, so i didn't sleep at all. I was sweating the whole night and if felt like when I used to take a nap at the house next to the giant window in the front room and wake up all sweaty and more tired then when I went to sleep. Ya felt like that.
We left the next morning at 5 and got back and did the interview and all was good.

Saturday we had the baptism and it was a headache. Started an hour and a half late, no one showed up for a while, lots of stuff. Finally at like 5:30 we decided to start and like everyone showed up. The place was filled and was awesome. Her bro baptized her and like everyone was crying. She bared her testimony after and how EFY changed her life and how she wants to serve a mission(she is 18). It was awesome.

But that is like the highlight of my week. All was worth it. This week we have more baptisms,but we have to work really hard to get them excited. Especially with the family that is going to get married. And one of them is this investigator Fransisco who was the first person I ever contacted her my second day. He is a special person and I am excited for him.
The good thing is through all of this the members have really started to help us. We had a ton of help this week and everyone isn't mad at us anymore. It really is amazing how 1 baptism changed this place and the moral.

Lets see other than that I was thinking this week how when we talked for Christmas how dad asked is the best way to send money and the answer is, NOT THROUGH MAIL! it will get stolen, happened to Elder Stone. He got a letter this week that DID have money in it, but it had been opened like 5 times through the mail process. So probably just put it in my bank account cause I can still use my card here.

Well sorry this letter was a bit bigger. I attached some photos of the baptisms last week and the one this week. Also the other one is this place that we walk through everyday in like the middle of the jungle that i think is super sweet. So i decided to take a picture to show you.

But love you all and thanks for all the support. i am gonna try to get better to answer questions, just this week was crazy. OH and Kelsy! holy smokes you aren't you anymore. The pictures with you without braces is absolutely crazy!!! I was literally stunned seeing them. And I can´t believe Porter got to play with Gordon Hayward. I am so SO jealous. I guess Porter is the next chosen one, the Next Lebron.

Love you all and talk to you next week!

Elder Gillette