¿Que hondas Familia?
Another really quick week here in El Salvador, but full of fun, crazy stuff. We just got done playing soccer with 2 other zones so I am kind of beat right now actually haha. But I will do my best to write as well as I can.
So why I head lined it that is cause this week we had a Stake primary activity here that was about la obra misional (missionary work). SO they invited us to come, but they didn't really tell us much of what we were going to do. So we got their and it ended up we had to teach them all about being missionaries. Like knocking doors and all that jazz for an hour. Most places had both missionaries teaching, but because we have 2 areas we both took a group and I went with our branch. Mom and everyone, I have respect for anyone who teaches primary. It was only the Valiants I think is what they are called (age 8-11) but I had 8 kids and I was so confused cause they were just like teach them.
We ended up practicing a little like contacting and teaching and it ended up being pretty fun in the end. Then they told us we had to go out and they wanted them to knock doors and contact FOR REAL. So we went out to one of our areas and contacted with all the little kids and paired them up into companions and it was fun. We actually found some really great people, But also one of the kids Hugo, totally got rejected by one of the people cause he said he was catholic and not going to change. I thought the little kid was gonna cry, but he turned out being pretty good. Although his mom was there and she was really mad at me saying we shouldn't of gone to that area. It ended up really fun though and I think they all loved it.
We had a lot of splits this week again. We have all been running around trying to secure baptisms and following through with everything. I wasn't comps with my comp again for 3 days again. But the good news is we should have 3 baptisms this next week. I am excited for them. One of them is the mom (Maria Isabel Fuentes) and she is totally prepared and has the desire. She just has to go to church. The other is this 11 year old girl jazmin. She has been coming to church for the past 6 months and has never really had the desire to get baptized although she knows it is right. She went with us contacting and actually did a really really good job and made a new friend in my recent convert Suzanna fuentes. The next day she accepted to get baptized.
The other is this 15 year old boy named Alex. He is awesome and has been asking to play basketball with me since we met him like 2 months ago. He has come to church a lot, but the problem was his parents. They are super catholic and haven't wanted to talk to us. This week I went with Elder Garff (the new elder I went with 2 weeks ago) and we were walking at night and I felt like we should stop by his house. We stopped by and I just asked if we could come in. I just kind of went right in and asked if they would like to watch a movie with us. They were like why not, so we watched finding faith in Christ. Its awesome. We ended up talking a lot and it all turned out good and they gave him permission to get baptized. It was sweet! WE are going to play basketball today with him also so that will be good finally.
Other than that not much happened this week. Valentines was a bust like always. Not much. But I finally received your package this week. The pepto was nice to get and all. The cakebites though. Not gonna lie were destroyed. We had to toss them although we did still try them haha. Other than that not much new news. Everything is going good and it sounds like all of you are doing really good.
I decided to try and send you a movie of us walking to one of our investigators houses (jazmin) which is in the middle of the forest, but we think it looks like the sacred grove. What is funny is like directly after this movie we saw 3 deer and my comp was freaking out cause he has never seen one before haha.
Well love ya all and talk to you nest week! Salu!
Elder Gillette
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
February 14, 2011
¡Hola Familia!
Sí, es un otra Día de amor y amistad ya. Valentines day in spanish is Día de amor y amistad (which translates to day of love and friendship). But I have been joking around with everyone this past week saying it will be Día de amor y deprimidas (which translates to day of love and depressed people) haha. I joke around cause my comp is all hung up over his girlfriend in argentina. Really today is a normal day. I didn't remember today was valentine´s day til I got your letters though.
But this week was another crazy week, definitely better than last week though which is good. We found a lot of really nice and ready people and I am excited to teach all of them. We have been really working on listening to the investigators to really help them with there needs. I want to talk about one lesson in specific. It is the mom of the 3 girls we baptized in the last month. We are working so hard with her so the whole family can be together in the church.
We went over to there tin house one day and were joking around and making tortillas (which I don't know if i have already told you but I have become pretty pro at making tortillas and pupusas. Everyone thinks it is the biggest crack up cause I will always ask to help tortilla and they don't believe I can do it 1) cause I am a guy 2) cause I am a gringo. But I always do it and they are looking better and better and they are always surprised. It is a great way to get to know people quick and get comfortable). So we did all of that and started to share a lesson and we started to talk about the spirit and how you can know if it is really talking to you. We asked her how she feel when she prays and she said like happy and peaceful. We shared a scripture in Galatás ( i believe it is called Galatians in English) 5:22-23 and how the fruits of the spirit or how you know is through these feelings.
I told her how I knew when I was like 14 years old this was true, because one time (when we were living in the pool house on Royal Lane) I read the Book of Mormon and after I decided to pray, like for reals. Really ask God what was going on and if Joseph Smith really was a prophet. Cause I remember thinking how I was his age and if he could know so could I. I remember praying and feeling an intense chill through my body (un escalofrío en español, which i really like that word). She immediately after I said that was like, "that is exactly what i felt, a chill", We talked about how that really is an answer that all of this is true. We asked her to be baptized the 26 of February and she accepted. All of her daughters were like so excited. They are my favorite people.
That is one thing that happened. Yesterday we had some investigators come to church. one is named Benjamin. He had a date to get baptized. Everything was going good til we passed by later that day and like 10 people were gathered around his little tin house. We were like, "what is going on?" next thing we see is Benjamin way drunk. We went over to help and I ended up having to restrain him from hitting his wife or anyone else. He had fallen a lot and was bleeding too. It was a sad thing to see this man who had gotten so far and who had just fallen. He realized who we were after a little and started to talk to us. He was saying how he wants nothing more than to live with his family in heaven after this life. We talked to him a bit and helped settle him down. It was a crazy hour and a half. We are going to go back tuesday to help him out and I hope he is better.
Not too much more crazy stories. This week was crazy fast. I feel like i just wrote you all yesterday. PS I have a new addiction here. I have never really like to many cookies or sweets all that much, but in the past like 3 weeks i have developed an intense love for OREOs. I never liked them before the mission, but they are like my favorite thing. I eat them all the time. So good.
Crazy, I am in shock and amazed and thank you mother for telling me the news that Jerry Sloan isn't the coach anymore. That is like life changing. I can't even picture the Jazz without him. I am kind of mad at my friends that none of them told me about it. That is crazy though.
Let's see other than that I don't think I have any more news. I hope the trip went smoothly for Kristin and Randy. Sounds like all the kids were a blast this weekend and I loved the recording. They all can talk really well and sound out words. When I left they couldn't really say the words perfectly yet, but they all sound really good. Love you all and have a really great week and I will talk to you all really soon!
Elder (Daniel) Gillette
Sí, es un otra Día de amor y amistad ya. Valentines day in spanish is Día de amor y amistad (which translates to day of love and friendship). But I have been joking around with everyone this past week saying it will be Día de amor y deprimidas (which translates to day of love and depressed people) haha. I joke around cause my comp is all hung up over his girlfriend in argentina. Really today is a normal day. I didn't remember today was valentine´s day til I got your letters though.
But this week was another crazy week, definitely better than last week though which is good. We found a lot of really nice and ready people and I am excited to teach all of them. We have been really working on listening to the investigators to really help them with there needs. I want to talk about one lesson in specific. It is the mom of the 3 girls we baptized in the last month. We are working so hard with her so the whole family can be together in the church.
We went over to there tin house one day and were joking around and making tortillas (which I don't know if i have already told you but I have become pretty pro at making tortillas and pupusas. Everyone thinks it is the biggest crack up cause I will always ask to help tortilla and they don't believe I can do it 1) cause I am a guy 2) cause I am a gringo. But I always do it and they are looking better and better and they are always surprised. It is a great way to get to know people quick and get comfortable). So we did all of that and started to share a lesson and we started to talk about the spirit and how you can know if it is really talking to you. We asked her how she feel when she prays and she said like happy and peaceful. We shared a scripture in Galatás ( i believe it is called Galatians in English) 5:22-23 and how the fruits of the spirit or how you know is through these feelings.
I told her how I knew when I was like 14 years old this was true, because one time (when we were living in the pool house on Royal Lane) I read the Book of Mormon and after I decided to pray, like for reals. Really ask God what was going on and if Joseph Smith really was a prophet. Cause I remember thinking how I was his age and if he could know so could I. I remember praying and feeling an intense chill through my body (un escalofrío en español, which i really like that word). She immediately after I said that was like, "that is exactly what i felt, a chill", We talked about how that really is an answer that all of this is true. We asked her to be baptized the 26 of February and she accepted. All of her daughters were like so excited. They are my favorite people.
That is one thing that happened. Yesterday we had some investigators come to church. one is named Benjamin. He had a date to get baptized. Everything was going good til we passed by later that day and like 10 people were gathered around his little tin house. We were like, "what is going on?" next thing we see is Benjamin way drunk. We went over to help and I ended up having to restrain him from hitting his wife or anyone else. He had fallen a lot and was bleeding too. It was a sad thing to see this man who had gotten so far and who had just fallen. He realized who we were after a little and started to talk to us. He was saying how he wants nothing more than to live with his family in heaven after this life. We talked to him a bit and helped settle him down. It was a crazy hour and a half. We are going to go back tuesday to help him out and I hope he is better.
Not too much more crazy stories. This week was crazy fast. I feel like i just wrote you all yesterday. PS I have a new addiction here. I have never really like to many cookies or sweets all that much, but in the past like 3 weeks i have developed an intense love for OREOs. I never liked them before the mission, but they are like my favorite thing. I eat them all the time. So good.
Crazy, I am in shock and amazed and thank you mother for telling me the news that Jerry Sloan isn't the coach anymore. That is like life changing. I can't even picture the Jazz without him. I am kind of mad at my friends that none of them told me about it. That is crazy though.
Let's see other than that I don't think I have any more news. I hope the trip went smoothly for Kristin and Randy. Sounds like all the kids were a blast this weekend and I loved the recording. They all can talk really well and sound out words. When I left they couldn't really say the words perfectly yet, but they all sound really good. Love you all and have a really great week and I will talk to you all really soon!
Elder (Daniel) Gillette
Monday, February 7, 2011
February 7, 2011
¡Hola Familia!
Wow, sounds like this weekend was one crazy weekend for everyone. People breaking bones, winning and losing money, and... oh ya! The SUPERBOWL! ya I really can't even believe it was yesterday. I was talking to another missionary yesterday and I was like, "I have been in the field for Christmas and New Years, but I think that missing the Superbowl was harder than the both haha". It was really weird. I really didn't even think about it much. I had actually forgotten about it til one of my investigators said he was watching his favorite program on TV and asked me what mine was. I said sports and that's when it popped into my head the game was on. Sounds like it was an alright game. Sounded like what was going on outside of the game was better haha.
This week has been another crazy week. A bit harder than all the other weeks. We got out and worked a lot. We went with members a lot, which is great, and went to this new part of our area (which takes a 20 minute bus ride then an hour walk to get there). It is really far away, but they had some good references and we found some really great people. We decided to go back 2 days later. We walked all that way and got there to find out the most positive of them all is in the hospital and is dying. It was a real blow. She was like great 2 days before.
We went to the next house and he wasn't there. Nobody was there in the whole area. So we ended up wasting a good 4 hours with the walk and all. We came back and talked to our investigators and everyone said they can't come to church cause in the most positive area we have they are now having meetings for the community every Sunday at 9. Which is right when our church is. Then we found out that night that an investigator family moved away without us even knowing and one of our investigators has decided he likes sinning to much and doesn't want to quit. It was a bad day.
The next day was Sunday and NONE of our investigators came. It was rough. We went back to the house for lunch and just were dead. We decided to analyze everything we are doing and why this week was so rough. What we did good last change that gave us success and what we should do better now. We went through everything and listened to the talk from this past general conference from Pres Uchtdorf. We felt really good after and figured out what we needed to do.
Yesterday ended up being a great day with a lot of great lessons with great people. This week was really hard, but I like to read Ether 12:6 that talks about how God gives us trials so that our faith will grow. Sometimes it feels we can't take it and that we don´t have the faith or God abandoned us, but really it is just a trial and after how much our faith really does grow. Really I learned a whole lot about patience this week.
But really everything is good here. This Wednesday I went with this new elder for a day. He had 3 days here in El Salvador when we went out and he was in the whole, "What the heck is going on" phase. It was hilarious. We went to my area where there are tin houses and his area is the city, so he hadn't seen all this yet. He was so amazed. We had a fun time. I was just trying to excite him for the work. I showed him like the cool things of El Salvador and bot him some pupusas also. It was fun and i think it helped him.
It was a real test for me though. Cause I had to talk the whole time, cause he can't, but it went super well. We had some really good lessons.
other than that not much, thanks for the recording. It was sweet to hear you all. Holy smoke Ash and Ozz sounded so so stinking old. I can´t believe you bought (ps it took me like 5 minutes to figure out how to spell bought. I think I spelled it wrong farther up too) skinny jeans for ozzy haha. I hope that everything goes good this week for you all and you all can recover nicely. Especially Vicki haha. If it is any consolation my Zone Leader has to get a rout canal in 2 teeth tomorrow. & they say it will take 3 visits. Crazy. I was telling him about when I got my Rout canal off and how I went to the STF like red faced and on the verge of tears. I don't know if that helped him or not now thinking about it haha.
Well love you all and hope everything is going well. Everything is good here. I am having fun and am safe and I hope you all are too! talk to you all next week.
Elder Gillette
Wow, sounds like this weekend was one crazy weekend for everyone. People breaking bones, winning and losing money, and... oh ya! The SUPERBOWL! ya I really can't even believe it was yesterday. I was talking to another missionary yesterday and I was like, "I have been in the field for Christmas and New Years, but I think that missing the Superbowl was harder than the both haha". It was really weird. I really didn't even think about it much. I had actually forgotten about it til one of my investigators said he was watching his favorite program on TV and asked me what mine was. I said sports and that's when it popped into my head the game was on. Sounds like it was an alright game. Sounded like what was going on outside of the game was better haha.
This week has been another crazy week. A bit harder than all the other weeks. We got out and worked a lot. We went with members a lot, which is great, and went to this new part of our area (which takes a 20 minute bus ride then an hour walk to get there). It is really far away, but they had some good references and we found some really great people. We decided to go back 2 days later. We walked all that way and got there to find out the most positive of them all is in the hospital and is dying. It was a real blow. She was like great 2 days before.
We went to the next house and he wasn't there. Nobody was there in the whole area. So we ended up wasting a good 4 hours with the walk and all. We came back and talked to our investigators and everyone said they can't come to church cause in the most positive area we have they are now having meetings for the community every Sunday at 9. Which is right when our church is. Then we found out that night that an investigator family moved away without us even knowing and one of our investigators has decided he likes sinning to much and doesn't want to quit. It was a bad day.
The next day was Sunday and NONE of our investigators came. It was rough. We went back to the house for lunch and just were dead. We decided to analyze everything we are doing and why this week was so rough. What we did good last change that gave us success and what we should do better now. We went through everything and listened to the talk from this past general conference from Pres Uchtdorf. We felt really good after and figured out what we needed to do.
Yesterday ended up being a great day with a lot of great lessons with great people. This week was really hard, but I like to read Ether 12:6 that talks about how God gives us trials so that our faith will grow. Sometimes it feels we can't take it and that we don´t have the faith or God abandoned us, but really it is just a trial and after how much our faith really does grow. Really I learned a whole lot about patience this week.
But really everything is good here. This Wednesday I went with this new elder for a day. He had 3 days here in El Salvador when we went out and he was in the whole, "What the heck is going on" phase. It was hilarious. We went to my area where there are tin houses and his area is the city, so he hadn't seen all this yet. He was so amazed. We had a fun time. I was just trying to excite him for the work. I showed him like the cool things of El Salvador and bot him some pupusas also. It was fun and i think it helped him.
It was a real test for me though. Cause I had to talk the whole time, cause he can't, but it went super well. We had some really good lessons.
other than that not much, thanks for the recording. It was sweet to hear you all. Holy smoke Ash and Ozz sounded so so stinking old. I can´t believe you bought (ps it took me like 5 minutes to figure out how to spell bought. I think I spelled it wrong farther up too) skinny jeans for ozzy haha. I hope that everything goes good this week for you all and you all can recover nicely. Especially Vicki haha. If it is any consolation my Zone Leader has to get a rout canal in 2 teeth tomorrow. & they say it will take 3 visits. Crazy. I was telling him about when I got my Rout canal off and how I went to the STF like red faced and on the verge of tears. I don't know if that helped him or not now thinking about it haha.
Well love you all and hope everything is going well. Everything is good here. I am having fun and am safe and I hope you all are too! talk to you all next week.
Elder Gillette
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
January 31, 2011
Hey Family y Friends!
Another Crazy week over here in the Savior(For those who don´t understand (cough*hilary*), El Salvador in English means the Savior). We have been working our butts off like usual. Really this week doesn't even feel like it happened. I actually wasn't even in my area for half the week. The end of the months are always crazy in the mission cause you are running to get everything done.
This week we had to do 4 intercambios (I can't remember the word in English, but it is like interchanges I think or divisions where a set of missionaries switch for a day) this week and it was fun but crazy. I went to the area of the ZL's one day then to the are of another then Elder Bonilla went to the area of the ZL's and the other the next day. So we pretty much haven´t even been companions this week haha. We came back and smelt terrible and had worn the same clothes for like 3 days. It was crazy, but in the end we had the fruits of our labor.
3 weeks ago we baptized these two girls(Susanna y Paz) and they are sisters and they have another sister who is 16 and is a rebel. We had tried working with her and she didn't really want anything. The night that her two sisters got baptized there house got robbed of like everything. I think I might have told you this, but it has a purpose to tell it again. The next day we went and talked to them and consoled them and gave the mom a blessing. The 16 year old daughter (Blanca) was really worried and distraught. through that next week we talked to her more and more. She went to church with us that Sunday and it went really well. She started to read the Book of Mormon and after she told us she wanted to be baptized. And this weekend, on Sunday, I got the privilege to baptize her.
She really was a miracle and it was an awesome baptism. Everyone from the Branch came I swear cause they all love the family. We have now baptized the 3 daughters and only the mom is left. We have been telling her after the baptism, "You're next" haha. She wants to get baptized and has really seen the change in her daughters lives. It really is amazing how bright the 3 of them are and I freaking love going over to there tin house and seeing all of them smiling and we sometimes make tortillas and stuff. They are awesome. God really does provide comfort and blessings through obedience.
The pictures are from the baptism. I forgot my flip flops and it is a rule here that you can't walk anywhere with bare feet. So I only had my black socks so I had to wear them and everyone there got the biggest kick. Elder Bonilla thought it was hilarious. He was like crying from laughter.
Other big news of this week is that last night we got news of Changes. We have all heard that our Zone is going to change a lot, but in the end only two companionships have changes. But neither are mine. I am going to be with Elder Bonilla again here in Trebol and I could not be more excited.
After our baptism yesterday we got the news and had decided to take a 30 minute break at 6, cause I had been fasting for forever and we had to skip study time and lunch to prepare for the baptism(It seriously was a crazy day). We started talking about all our plans for the next 6 weeks and we went through every person we had like met in the past 3 months that could possibly really benefit from us right now. After 30 minutes we were about to leave and he turned to me and said, "Elder Gillette, estoy muy contento a ser su compañero otra vez". I was actually taken back cause what he said is pretty much "Elder Gillette, I am really happy to be your companion once again". After hating eac hother for a whole change and a lot of fighting. It was amazing to hear the progress that we have had. God really does know what, and who, will make us grow the most. My testimony seriously has grown of how patience and humility(mixed with the scriptures) and especially love, can solve any problem. I truly am excited for this next change.
Well other than that I don´t think I have any other big news. It was pretty big to me that I got to take my first hot shower this week in 3 months. I took a 30 minute shower in hot water. It was amazing. It was like burning hot, but I didn't even care.
OH and freaking the Superbowl is this week! I can't even believe I have made it through a whole NFL season and playoffs. Went fast. But if any of you are wondering who I am rooting for I will tell you. I am going for........ THE STEELERS! I am actually glad I am on the mission cause The Steelers are freaking always in the Superbowl and I don´t like Aaron Rodgers at all. So God is blessing me with that also. jk. I hope you all enjoy the game.
Well there goes another week. I have been gone for about 5 months now and it really does surprise me how fast time has gone. Kylie I can´t believe that you only have 15 weeks left. That feels like nothing. Well its about 3 or 4 months still I guess. But I love you all and thanks for everything. I am excited for another good week ahead of me. One of my good friends here Elder Finlinson told me this saying I really like and I am ending with.
"The Church is true, the Book is blue, and God's a Mormon" I think its hilarious.
¡Love you all!
Elder Gillette
Another Crazy week over here in the Savior(For those who don´t understand (cough*hilary*), El Salvador in English means the Savior). We have been working our butts off like usual. Really this week doesn't even feel like it happened. I actually wasn't even in my area for half the week. The end of the months are always crazy in the mission cause you are running to get everything done.
This week we had to do 4 intercambios (I can't remember the word in English, but it is like interchanges I think or divisions where a set of missionaries switch for a day) this week and it was fun but crazy. I went to the area of the ZL's one day then to the are of another then Elder Bonilla went to the area of the ZL's and the other the next day. So we pretty much haven´t even been companions this week haha. We came back and smelt terrible and had worn the same clothes for like 3 days. It was crazy, but in the end we had the fruits of our labor.
3 weeks ago we baptized these two girls(Susanna y Paz) and they are sisters and they have another sister who is 16 and is a rebel. We had tried working with her and she didn't really want anything. The night that her two sisters got baptized there house got robbed of like everything. I think I might have told you this, but it has a purpose to tell it again. The next day we went and talked to them and consoled them and gave the mom a blessing. The 16 year old daughter (Blanca) was really worried and distraught. through that next week we talked to her more and more. She went to church with us that Sunday and it went really well. She started to read the Book of Mormon and after she told us she wanted to be baptized. And this weekend, on Sunday, I got the privilege to baptize her.
She really was a miracle and it was an awesome baptism. Everyone from the Branch came I swear cause they all love the family. We have now baptized the 3 daughters and only the mom is left. We have been telling her after the baptism, "You're next" haha. She wants to get baptized and has really seen the change in her daughters lives. It really is amazing how bright the 3 of them are and I freaking love going over to there tin house and seeing all of them smiling and we sometimes make tortillas and stuff. They are awesome. God really does provide comfort and blessings through obedience.
The pictures are from the baptism. I forgot my flip flops and it is a rule here that you can't walk anywhere with bare feet. So I only had my black socks so I had to wear them and everyone there got the biggest kick. Elder Bonilla thought it was hilarious. He was like crying from laughter.
Other big news of this week is that last night we got news of Changes. We have all heard that our Zone is going to change a lot, but in the end only two companionships have changes. But neither are mine. I am going to be with Elder Bonilla again here in Trebol and I could not be more excited.
After our baptism yesterday we got the news and had decided to take a 30 minute break at 6, cause I had been fasting for forever and we had to skip study time and lunch to prepare for the baptism(It seriously was a crazy day). We started talking about all our plans for the next 6 weeks and we went through every person we had like met in the past 3 months that could possibly really benefit from us right now. After 30 minutes we were about to leave and he turned to me and said, "Elder Gillette, estoy muy contento a ser su compañero otra vez". I was actually taken back cause what he said is pretty much "Elder Gillette, I am really happy to be your companion once again". After hating eac hother for a whole change and a lot of fighting. It was amazing to hear the progress that we have had. God really does know what, and who, will make us grow the most. My testimony seriously has grown of how patience and humility(mixed with the scriptures) and especially love, can solve any problem. I truly am excited for this next change.
Well other than that I don´t think I have any other big news. It was pretty big to me that I got to take my first hot shower this week in 3 months. I took a 30 minute shower in hot water. It was amazing. It was like burning hot, but I didn't even care.
OH and freaking the Superbowl is this week! I can't even believe I have made it through a whole NFL season and playoffs. Went fast. But if any of you are wondering who I am rooting for I will tell you. I am going for........ THE STEELERS! I am actually glad I am on the mission cause The Steelers are freaking always in the Superbowl and I don´t like Aaron Rodgers at all. So God is blessing me with that also. jk. I hope you all enjoy the game.
Well there goes another week. I have been gone for about 5 months now and it really does surprise me how fast time has gone. Kylie I can´t believe that you only have 15 weeks left. That feels like nothing. Well its about 3 or 4 months still I guess. But I love you all and thanks for everything. I am excited for another good week ahead of me. One of my good friends here Elder Finlinson told me this saying I really like and I am ending with.
"The Church is true, the Book is blue, and God's a Mormon" I think its hilarious.
¡Love you all!
Elder Gillette
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