The Lords Chips





Monday, December 30, 2013

Volcano!

This is a copy of the email sent to all of the parents with missionaries in the East mission.

Espanol abajo…
Dear Parents,
No need for alarm, but many of you will have heard about the eruption of the San Miguel volcano today.  All of our missionaries are accounted for and safe. We have evacuated San Miguel, Usulutan, and San Vicente to the capital for safety. All are well and safe. We felt the hand of the Lord in all that occurred today. The President felt that he should attend church in a city near the volcano. We saw it explode. We were able to reach San Miguel so quickly.  All of the missionaries (54 of them) we were able to contact. (that is a miracle alone, because only 3 have cell phones, but because it was during church, we reached them all.) Our missionaries in Berlin (who were very close to the volcano) just “happened” to have the counselor in the mission presidency visiting. He had them in his car and on the way to San Salvador in a matter of 10 minutes. It was all such a miracle.

We are so thankful for your continued prayers. Please pray for the saints who remain in those affected areas. Pray that the missionary work will be blessed because of this disaster—that hearts will be softened and opened.

We are so thankful for you faithful sons and daughters. They were courageous, uncomplaining, and very obedient today. We are so grateful for their wonderful examples.  They will all be writing you tomorrow of their adventures, but we wanted you all to know that they are safe and well and that God has truly blessed our mission this day, so that you, too, could offer Him a prayer of thanksgiving. How blessed we are! He is so magnificent. We are so grateful. God bless all of you.

Sincerely,
President and Sister Glazier





Monday, December 23, 2013

Christmas in El Salvador and P Day fun

Dear Mom,
I have recieved everything for the Skype account. My allergies are kicking me in the rear like crazy. My medicine is helping me just a little bit. We have 6 christmas dinners for wednesday. I am going to die of food. We now have an official mom in our area. She is a member and is just like you. She goes crazy when we have a problem or something like that. She heard that my companion got sick and she brought us a bunch of food. Ok, my companion changed the time, 24th at two thirty in afternoon. Good job on the missionary work.  I am kind of jealous that Tori got some free luggage, that stuff is expensive. We got to sing in a christmas choir here. We also had a christmas and testimony activity at the presidents house.









                                                               Waiting for the bus
                                                                   P Day fun


                                                 Testimony meeting at President Glazier's
                                                                  My new Casa


                                                              Outdoor plumbing

Monday, December 16, 2013

Christmas Plans

Dear Mom,

Thanks for the love and I am super sorry for Alesia. I know she will be ok. How is everything going for you mom? Are you doing ok? I will admit, I am jealous that I missed shop with a cop. Mi espanol esta mejorando cada dia. I am trying everyday to do something new. Talking to random people in the street scares the living poop out of me. It is so nerve racking. But it is so much fun too. Our area is almost like my last one. Tough, but we are working with the members to get more work to do and more investigators. Ok, as far as Christmas, I will tell you next week for sure the time. But before 4 pm we can talk. I am going to tell dad, but I need you guys to make me a skype account. The rule is only family. Aunts, uncles, grandparents are all fine. But, as Pres. Glazier put it, "future family members" cannot be there or friends. But yes we will be able to do so. Cant wait. Love you all. Oh yeah, are you guys doing your missionary work too? If not, I strongly encourage you to get with the elders in your area soon. I love you guys!

Sincerely,

Elder Medina

Monday, December 9, 2013

Dear Mom,
Everything here is going alright. Me and my companion are doing alright. The only thing that stinks is that we have this one lady who is always talking to us like, hey, when is my baptism going to be? The only thing is that she never shows up or she lied about a requirement or something along those lines. Now, she is legally married, but she is never home and we can't meet or talk to her to see if she is doing alright. It's really frustrating. We did baptize two people however. Which was awesome. I have now figured out how much it sucks when there is no water in the house. Our well to the house was out for two days...... I smelt nasty.... Now however, I am clean and very happy.  Thank you for sending some family Christmas love. I hope that all of you are doing ok I love you all. How are you guys doing with your family missionary work? Have you gotten with the elders there? I really don't know when I get my letters. I just know how the packages work. But I'm assuming at only multizone conferences and at exchange meetings. On P-days I only have 15 min for the Mission President and 30 for you guys. So 45 min in total to email everyone. I am currently serving in San Salvador and my stomach is starting to get better except my companion is sick now. Well, I gotta go. Be good all of you! 

Sincerely,

Elder Medina

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

New Area, New Companero

Thanks for your support. I am feeling a little better. Elder Vasquez and I had a good change. After it all, we are pretty good with each other. My new area is pretty cool. The support from the members is so much stronger than the last area. My new companion is Elder Granillo. He is from Mexico, Pueblo to be exact. We usually do changes every month or month and a half. He's a good guy that is super nice and awesome. He's about a year into his mission. Medicine.....has been taken. I did get your package. Thanks a ton! It made me and my companion very happy. This Christmas season, I want to ask you guys to do something please. We are asking the members here to do the same. How I like to put it. Find the flowers the gardner wants to have back in his garden. Try to look for some people who you feel that need the gospel. As members and missionaries we all have a  missionary plaque, on our hearts. When we were babtized, we promised to do all the Lord asked, that means as President Monson said,  "Be a missonary. Every member is a missionary."



                              Real food! Besides cornflakes!
Don't you guys forget either. You all are children of God. And He is always there for you. Just reach for him. 

I love all of you. Merry Christmas. (What's Thanksgiving?)

Sincerely,

Elder Medina

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Humbling Experiences

Dear Mom,

No I'm ok on money for right now don't worry. I am learning how to budget a lot more. It's kinda crazy actually. My cooking will be put to test today. I am making some of grandma's special rice today. I was a little down. But I'm doing a lot better now. I was super sad on Sunday in the morning. A whole bunch of our less actives and investigators said that they couldn't or didn't want to go to church. Me and Elder Vasquez were all like noooooo! We did pass by their houses later and tried to be as loving as possible. But after that and the rest of the day. I couldn't not be happy. I've had a headache for the past two days. I've had a whole lot of plans fall through. But I couldn't be happier. I've been put to the test super hard these past two days. It's been super humbling. And I have had to rely on the spirit a ton. I am going to get the package I believe on Wednesday. At the change meeting. Thanks for the pin. I'll do well to remember it. Love you all!

Sincerely,

Elder Medina

PS- Almost got bit by a dog. And yeah..... Kinda fun....

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Mi Casa and First Baptism

                                                                      Our backyard
                                           Bedroom (Victor's is the one with the mosquito net)
                                                     Sink for washing dishes and clothes
                                                                          Kitchen
                                                                           Bathroom
                                                                  First baptism

Monday, November 11, 2013

Tough week

Dear Mom, 

Right now, this week has been toughish. My companion and I have a young man who wants to be baptized, but his father feels that he is not prepared enough. He wants him to prepare more. Last night while he was telling us this, the son looked like he was going to cry. He wants it so bad. Just please pray for this guy. He reminds me a lot of me when I was 14. I will take some pictures of where I live. Right now specifically, I live in Rio Grande, San Miguel. It's pretty calm here gang activity wise. Super hot though, I was told that this was probably the hottest area in the mission. I am eating pretty alright. Sometimes the food here makes me sick, it's only once every week or so. I really just want some Nasonex. I have a killer stuffy nose right now. Oh yeah, dad was super right about his powder stuff. It seems nasty and at times unnecessary, but, I would love to have some of that right now. Some dude stole my umbrella on the bus three days ago, so I need to search for a new one. My house isn't too bad. Sometimes, the water doesn't run during the day. We always have a guy that delivers water for us. Thank you for everything mom. I love you. Tell Diego I said happy birthday. Tell Pres. Rau that I said hi and Ms. Winsor too. 

Sincerely,

Elder Medina

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Hots Temps, Spanglish and No Haloween for Us.




                                          The guy on the right has the same smile as me
                                                                Our New District
                                                                     Tiny Banana
                                                             Me and my companero
Were Blind!


Is it still hot? That's like asking me if I still like chocolate. Of course it's hot! It burns and every day I get back home, I completely have rings on my arms of sweat were my backpack is. I am not trying to sound mean in that last sentence. Just trying to add emphasis. Nobody does anything here for halloween. I felt so off. I was anticipating a bunch of 10 year olds to knock on the door for candy. Oh yeah, you know you're learning spanish when you keep going spanglish on your companion. My language is coming along better. I am still super nervous during lessons but, I am slowly getting into the flow of things. I am happy dad left you with some protection while he is at training. However it does not make me feel good that you do not know how to shoot it. Please, for the sake of my sanity, have Emilio teach you how. Believe me, that young man can help you. Ha ha. I am happy for both Katy and Tori sending in their papers soon. They are going to be so blessed and are going to be awesome missionaries! The letter that Grandma D sent to me did get here. You can use that address for letters By the way can you tell her thank you for me? Anyways, I got to go. I love you all. Tell Olivia thanks for trying. I'm in a very tough area right now and I can use all the help I can get.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Bugs, Chicken Brain and Working Hard

Dear Mom,
Yes, it is hard. It's crazy hard. I'm  hating the fact that I have bugs on me all of time. But it's all worth it. The work I'm doing right now, will make up for all the hard times I'm having. I love you guys. All of the people I'm teaching are so great. They are tough, this language is tough, translating everything is tough. But I'm starting to get a little better. Poco a poco, little by little. Cada dia, every day. Guess what I ate a few days ago, a chicken's brain. Not the best taste in the world. But not bad at the same time. Pupusas are actually pretty good. I'm going to learn how to make them and I'll show you guys sometime. I love you all, your prayers are heard all of the time. 

Sincerely,

Elder Medina
                                        My first cowboy hat
                                                   Market


The only water we are allowed to drink