81: Sonsonate 18

Hey, so what's up?

This was one of those weeks when I really wished they had kleenex in El Salvador. I got way sick. I caught a nasty fever. It started with a cough, then a fever, then I just got sick all around. So it was kind of rough. Yesterday I got permission to break the Sabbath day and buy antibiotics. So I'm getting better now.

In other news, we had two investigators in church and have found some pretty positive people. We had a long streak of finding people who didn't progress, and finally we're finding some. Ha ha, and of course I'm leaving. We have changes this week, so Wednesday they're going to assign me to a new area.

On Tuesday, I went on an interchange to Sonsonate, and we had to go to the top of their area. It was really pretty, so we took a picture.

It's a short letter today, but will be longer next week.

Salu,
Elder Bailey

From Jul 30, 2012

80: Sonsonate 17

Hello family!

How's it going?

This week's been cool. Let me explain!

We found news, we've been working hard, etc.

On Wednesday, I had a meeting in Santa Ana with all the district leaders. It was really long, but cool. I enjoyed it and learned a lot. The air conditioning was freezing. I guess I'm just used to sweating rivers in Sonsonate.

On Thursday, I went on interchanges with Sonsonate. Good times, worked hard.

On Friday, I went on interchanges with the zone leaders. Good times; worked hard. We found some cool news who went to church on Sunday.

We've been working hard. There have been challenges, but you just try to be happy and work through them. I've got a bunch of pictures I'm going to send today.

Hope everything is well.

Elder Bailey (como bailar)

Pictures:
Yesterday we made empanadas with our cook. So that's us playing with the dough. Also on Wednesday we made pizza with the ward and our investigators, so there are a bunch of pictures from that too.

79: Sonsonate 16

Hello,

This week we had a baptism.  Her name is N.  We found her contacting.  She's a single mom who lives with her daughter and her mom and father-in-law.  N. is cool.  She really was just ready for the Gospel.  She loves the BOM, and is already halfway through 2 Nephi (she started about 2 weeks ago).  The baptism went really well.

On Saturday, I went on interchanges with Sonsonate.  It was a good day.  We found a family and brought them to church the next day.  Then during the second hour in church, I put a date.  Unfortunately, I couldn't put the date until the 18th of August because the wife is having cancer treatment and stuff, but it's way cool.  I also got to do 2 baptismal interviews with them.  It's interesting—half the baptisms in their area I put the dates and helped make them happen.  The other half I sent the zone leaders over to do it.  It's really cool being a district leader.  You get to help make things happen.  My district is doing really well.

This week in my area it's been hard.  A lot of people closed doors on us.  I'm on round 2 of contacting houses in my area.  You still find new people because you contact in different times of day, but it's been hard.  

But in all, it's going well.  I love the mission and love being a missionary.

Hope everything is well back home. 

Take care,
Elder Bailey

Check it out, we had a bat in our house.  But we caught it, don't worry.  Look at its face...ugly isn't it.  There's my comp trying to knock it out of the air with a broomstick.

78: Sonsonate 15

Well, it's been a good week. We've worked hard.

It's been fun being a district leader. I have to go to the other area
a lot because both the missionaries there are newer and really don't
know what they are doing. Last week I had put a date in their area,
but the person didn't go to church. On Tuesday, I put an appointment
with him, and recommitted him to baptism that week. I went with
Sonsonate, Elder Argueta, all day that day and had a lot of success.
We found some very positive news, and had a lot of lessons. I
explained a lot of things to him, and taught him how to organize his
time better and be more on top of things. I also helped him plan in
the night time. I felt like it was a very successful meeting. The
next day, they had very good numbers. I was happy. The following
day, they had terrible numbers again. I don't really understand why.
They just don't know what they're doing. Also, the person I put the
date with didn't get baptized. He had put it off.

Thursday, I did interchanges with Elder Tuck, the zone leader from
Colorado. It was cool. I learned. Then we decided to do something a
little different. The next day (Friday), Elder Tuck and I both went
to the area of Sonsonate and worked with Elder Argueta and Elder
McLean. Our objective was to make sure that the person got baptized.
While it was kind of strange to leave my area alone for one day, we
got Daniel baptized. It was a good baptism. Sonsonate is a very cool
area. There are a lot of really positive people there. The only
problem is that they don't do things very well...so I'm going to
continue working a ton with them. They could baptize at least 3 more
in their area, and in my area we have one.

Her name is N. She's way cool. She has been reading a ton in the BOM
and loves it. We are going to baptize her this Sunday. I'm way
excited. It's going to be [cool]! I don't know what to do with B.
and M. They know the Church is true, but just aren't progressing
because she has to find a different job before they can get married
and baptized. It's really frustrating. I feel like we're probably
going to have to leave them. So we're probably going to end with 5
baptized this month in my district, which is pretty good.

On Saturday, Elder Govea and I organized a ward activity. It was fun.
We put together a bunch of games. The only problem is that the
people in this ward really don't like to participate a ton, but it was
still cool.

Well, the mission is awesome. I hope everything is going well back
home. Take care.

Elder Bailey

77: Sonsonate 14

Hola familia!

How's it going?

So this week has been busy.  It's really interesting being district leader.  There's only one other area in my district, but they're both pretty new missionaries and really have no idea what they're doing...they usually have like 4 or 5 lessons a day...which is terrible.  So I've been working very hard to help them out.  It's been cool.  I feel like I've been working harder and following Preach My Gospel so well lately.  It just feels awesome.  I get along really well with my companion, Elder Govea, and it's been a lot of fun.  We've enjoyed it a lot. 

On Sunday we brought a woman named N. to church.   She loved it.  We returned later that day to her house and asked her what she felt and what she had to do.  Her answer was very simple.  She said, "get baptized."  "Yep.  That's right.  So will you get baptized this 21st of July?"  "Yeah."   Wow.  That's freakin' awesome (was my response in my head).  It was way sweet.  I have worked so hard in this area, harder than any other.  I've already contacted about every house in my area at least once, but we're still finding news.  So yeah, we're gonna baptize this woman.

On Tuesday I went on interchanges with Sonsonate (the other area in my district).  We worked hard, put two dates, and had 9 lessons.  It was a way sweet day, but then they didn't really do any follow up, and the dates fell.....Grrrr.  That area is so awesome, one of the best in the mission.  If they work hard there, they could baptize so many!  So I'm going to keep working with them.

Really, I just love the mission.  It is so awesome.  I feel like the end is coming up really quickly, and I don't want it to come.  Now that I am following closer than ever Preach My Gospel, I'm happier than I've ever been.  Yeah, sometimes it sucks to contact in the hot sun, and a lot of people lie to us, but it is just so cool to work in the Lord's vineyard.  I love it.  We have so many spiritual experiences, and that's what counts.  The reason people get baptized is for their spiritual experiences.  When you feel the spirit, it changes you.  You really become a light to others.  That's what makes us better people.  You should all look for spiritual experiences.  It doesn't matter where.  If you listen with the spirit, God can teach you so much, even if it is in a boring sacrament meeting.  Do things the Lord's way, and give Him your best.  Sometimes it doesn't make sense, but that is where we find happiness. Learn to love people.  Don let petty things get in your way.  God has a plan for each one of us, and if we've fallen off track, we can always get back on, no matter how far we are. That's why we have the atonement.  That's the good news we teach.  It makes us happy. So just have faith and believe.

Here in the mission I've heard a lot of stories and a lot of gossip about people who have had hard times in their lives.  In almost all the cases, it's because they weren't keeping the commandments.  That's when things got really hard.  But if we keep the commandments, we're safe.  If we keep the commandments, we are happy.  The bishop in this ward is a good example.  I respect him a lot.  He has a really hard job, not a lot of money, but does as he should.  He has a wife and 2 kids, and is honestly the big brother of the ward.  Everyone always goes to him for answers because he's always on the path.  Life is hard for him, but he's happy.

The mission really is the best thing you can do.  God blesses us so much.  It's really hard, but it's worth it.  Well, those are my two cents for the day.  I love this Gospel.

Elder Bailey