Super hot! But Super Happy!

 Dear Mom,

This is crazy, Emilio looks like a legit teenager and not little anymore. I almost came apart for a second. Everyone running? You're all a step ahead of me. All I'm doing is a little bit of ab workouts in the mornings and pushups and pull ups sometimes. Never really run. So yeah, you might beat me. For a month haha! Challenge accepted. I really haven't got many packages or letters since I've been here. Maybe they are just not getting to me. But it's okay. No, I have not received your package yet. When did you send it? I use a fan, air conditioning doesn't exist here or at least not in any of the houses I've lived in. My sweat glands are constantly worked, from that, little tiny volcanoes pop out on my face daily. What's Uncle Jon doing in Mexico? And not bringing me cool stuff? So not fair. This week was pretty nice. Me and my companion are getting along good and we've been having a bit of better success. Oh, my companion loves to swim. He keeps telling me that he wants to set a record or something like that. This week has been better though, we've had investigators progressing really well and people listening more. One of our investigators has given us a big step of confidence, he's waiting to get baptized but he wanted to help the work progress. He helped us to put together a fireside, a legit one, to get the work going in his neighborhood. It was pretty awesome. I love you guys and hope everything is ok.

Sincerely,

 

Elder Medina

                                    It's hot! Look at that sweat!

                                              Restaurant?

Sugarcane Heaven and Hoping for a Better Week

Dear Mom,

Wow, Camille got married? Wow! All of the girls I graduated with are tying the knot Ha ha! But that's great. She's gonna do great things. Does Emilio have ice cream in that picture? So not fair. I love weddings, so much food. I miss food so much. This area doesn't have any. Our cocinera doesn't make a whole bunch. But we try to "harvest" from other members... Chad, dang it. I'm sad for them both. Let them know that I love them. This past week we had a bit of an inconvenient pass by. We had a man ready, I was going to surprise you guys, for baptism. But he came out and told us that he had killed a man back in '99. So we had to get an interview with the zone leaders and the mission president. He has the set back of three months now. He acted like he took it good. But this Sunday he didn't go to church. So the 2nd councilor of the bishopric went to visit him. And found that he was drinking. He didn't tell him an exact reason. So me and Elder Herdandez are going H.A.M. trying to find a way to help him out. On a positive note, we were able to find a new investigator that is golden. The only thing that worries me is that she's 14. I haven't had the greatest luck with teenagers in the past. So I am praying that everything will go ok. I had bronchitis for a good little bit. But now I'm good. We were able to have a good service project gone bad. We tried to harvest corn (by hand) but when we got there. All of it was too small and we had no work to do. So we went to a sugar cane field, ate some sugar cane. Went to a waterfall and tried to harvest mango's
. Which weren't there either. So we really had a long morning walking around. I was happy about one thing more than anything. I have a fridge full of sugarcane. Which tastes so amazing. This week we hope for a better week and a lot better results. I love you all.

Sincerely,

Elder Medina

New Mission President and Love Being Back in San Miguel

Dear Mom,

This week was actually very interesting. We had a very nice incoming of new investigators this week. All was from one member who is still waiting for his baptism because he needs to receive a divorce. We just went to visit his friends and almost all of them were super positive. Except for one that just wanted to bible bash. We had a great week though. Tell Alesia to drink Pepto Bismol. Supposedly it's the cure-all for everything in this country.  I love my new Mission President. He is very nice and loving to everybody. Uncle Tom getting married? I thought I would be his best man? I miss President Glazier too. He left me a good challenge and it was to love others  and forget the problems. It's a bit hard but it's really great. My companion and I have been having more success because of it. Give a big hug to Tom for me for fishing the Book of Mormon. We are working hard always. I always come home super tired. And a bit grumpy from lack of food and water at times. But I love being back in San Miguel. I am glad all of you guys are semi-decent and still have limbs intact. Love you all!

Sincerely,

Elder Medina.

PS- LOSING WEIGHT!!!!! I love exercise in the morning.

                           Unusually messy for my usually clean boy (notice the picture of Diego that we sent him. His shirt says "track star, just like my big brother."

                                           Trying new foods         
                       

Fourth of July and Awesome New Companion!

Dear Mom, 

This week has been pretty crazy. I was able to celebrate the 4th of July. Our district leader, who is my companion took divisions with another companionship. I was able to have another fellow American with me. We bought pupusas and listened to God Bless America very loudly. No, I failed to take pictures of the moment. My goodness Alesia. Again with the arm. That isn't good. Thanks for the revelation of your nice dream there mom. Actually had an experience about that yesterday afternoon. We found a new investigator and he was talking to us and told us to visit his neighbor and he added on at the end that she was single and looking and she's supposedly pretty young. I responded that I am taken and that she's serving the Lord on a mission too and I didn't want anything less than that. He looked at me and said, oh, sorry. My companion has had an interesting few days. He is dealing with some random hardcore pains all over his body. He accidentally overdosed on some pills too. And now he's just waiting for the effects to wear off. Which requires him to sleep, a lot. We are going crazy trying to contact people here. It's crazy. I will keep to the rules mom. Don't worry about that. My companion is  Elder Hernandez. He is from Panama and is 22. He's pretty chill and really nice. I like him. A bit of a man who really likes control kinda like me. So we're working on unity right now. Which is getting a lot better. I love you guys and I hope all of you guys are ok and feeling love. I can feel yours. Keep working hard.

Love,

Elder Medina

                           One of the awesome paths we get to travel

         A typical day in El Salvador lately. Lots of rain, heat and humidity.

Back to San Miguel, New Companion and Baptisms!

We have had a new change I have a new companion who is pretty straight forward, something I really need. He is super obedient and is always working super hard. I have some high hopes for this change. We started out baptizing 3 people Saturday. We put down another good baptismal date yesterday. We don't mess around really. We are serious a lot of the time. He already has taught me a good balance between work and not work. I do understand where you guys are coming from. Not too smart of me. This past week was ok and a bit toughish.But when we got to our new areas it started to get all better. I am glad for this new start. Oh, I am back in San Miguel but I am in Chaparrastique. It is still super hot and crazy. But it is so much fun and beautiful and flat of all things. I am going to try to send pictures today for you guys. Keep working like crazy.

Love you all,

Elder Medina

Breakouts and Teaching Lessons to Cops

Dear Mom,

Yes, I have Tori's email and I am staying in touch with her. I wish I was able to see Dad in his eye patch. You're working with the missionaries! Sweet! I am so glad that you are doing that. That's probably one of the hardest trials we have, is getting the members to support us and help us out. Things are going alright. My face is breaking out so bad right now.  It is so hot and I am sweating constantly. I wash my face like crazy and I scrub it pretty good. I really don't like it and I would like some advice to clear it up. One thing that I really need is my True to The Faith book. Could you please tell Dad to send that my way. Sorry.  But, something awesome that happened this week. We weren't able to have a whole lot of lessons. But a great load of our investigators are progressing. We are at the moment teaching to cops (dad) and they both are so amazing. They always ask amazing questions. We have been able to testify to them so much and they are doing so well.I love all of you guys mom. Siguen adelantes y firmes y creientes en la palabra. No tengan temor, sé y testifico que el Señor va a darles exito y bendiciones sin numero y sin fin. Les amo bastante.

 

Love, Elder Medina

Trying to cool off and Kind Words for Mom

Dear Mom,

Well, your prophetic words of maternal wisdom has come true. They have tied the knot. I am happy for them and I hope that everything will be fine. Wow, still, SO YOUNG. Oh well, as they're doing it for the right reasons. I knew that they were going to have Alesia sing something. She's the little performer of the family. I like the horse, it reminds me of Nepolean Dynamite (tell Morgan I said that). I like that Mike got his dancing moves going on too. I am glad all of you had fun. Wow, did they start summer practices already? I sometimes forget that school still exists in the world. Just drill into Emilio ice baths will be his best friend, they will feel like death for a while, but he'll love them after a while. Mom, are you have a hard time sleeping again? I saw the time you sent this last one and the ones past. Don't stress mom.  He's always thinking of you. Just remember the atonement. Even though we don't understand any of it really other than He had such a great amount of love for us, it was all for YOU! You are a daughter of God and only He knows what your potential is and what YOU need to complete it. He's always got your back mom. On another note, danger here is on a normal level. We have had a lady try to contend with us saying that baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Ghost was changed. Hmmmmm, try reading the bible again. And then we had that God is only one person conversation. We had a good session of a bible bash this week. I really don't like it, bible bashing, that is. But there is a quote that my companion has that was by an apostle that I can't remember at the moment. "We don't bible bash, WE DON'T BIBLE BASH, but when we do, WE WIN!" Oh yeah, we've got this! Sounds stuck up a bit. But it made us all laugh. I love all of you guys. Keep on keeping on. Work hard until the end.

By the way, mom. I need some shoe money. My shoes died Saturday night on a rocky road that ripped the sole away. They're only like $60. If not, I understand, I can't share everything. Thanks, I love you guys.

 

 Thank you mom, Keep on working hard. Like that cute story. I love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my mommy you'll be. Have a good week mom.

Love,

Elder Medina

                                       It is so dang hot here!