April 24th - GANGSTAS CAN'T TOUCH THE GOSPEL!

Yo fam,

Hey whats up everybody? This week was pretty good, I'm not gonna lie! I'm starting to get adjusted to the Pueblo life here....its pretty cool here. A lot country and small towns put into one, thats Armenia for ya! They told me thats its a little dangerous but I'm already El Salvadorian so I fit in, hahaha!  Gangstas cant touch the gospel....can't hold me back hahaha. 

The work is super good right now, My comp and I are starting to figure out our system and getting used to each other....he is a boss. He's a small Guatemalan fire ball who loves to joke and tease you....he's also pretty jacked if you couldn't tell in the photo already. He is awesome and loves working so we have no problem. We are going to baptize a little girl named E. who turns 8 this Saturday. Also not to mention her parents love us because who cant love a Guatemalan and a Gringo together!!  Her parents were inactive before but now they are fully active because their daughter is always pushing them.  She is so great, I love her a lot. So in a way its kinda of a double bonus, inactive members and a baptism...things are great!

The ward is doing lots better, the only thing thing they lack is being organized. They struggle in keeping people going and staying on top of things, but we are seeing good things happen. This week we had 98 people come and last week was like 80, so a 20 percent jump was pretty cool to see. The members are doing good, because they trust us and give us references and lots of food. YES! I think there hasn't been very good missionaries in the past here and thats why the ward is not doing as good as it should. But little by little we will get there. I love Armenia with all my corazon!!

Living the dream!

Training my pattawon!

PapaGee!

Elder Gee

Elder B. and I

Drinking the only thing that makes me happy!

Making tortillas

April 10th - CHANGING DIAPERS AGAIN...HIJO #3

Yo fam, 

Hey whats up, this week was pretty sick not gonna lie. But my time as a missionary in La Cima has come to an end. I'm training again.!!  Yeah buddy Hijo number 3!!  Its gonna be sick, his name is Elder Batz, I think...I need to confirm that on Wednesday when I go see him. ITS GONNA BE SICK! 

My new area will be Armenia Izalco, its a cool area or so I have heard.  It's a ward also so there will be a lot of members to support us. I'm stoked about it. But at the same time I'm super sad to be leaving La Cima, this place was soooo good to me and so were the people.  I'm going to miss all of them big time.  I'm also really sad to leave one of my favorite comps, homie, and brother Elder Harris, we did so many great things here and the memories we made I will never EVER forget. But he and Elder Rigby will continue to lay the foundation of what we started before. La Cima will always be one of my favs!! Its cool to know that my area will be in good hands. 

Well, yesterday was unforgettable. We baptized Chris yesterday and it was the perfect ending for me here in this area. It was amazing and I was fortunate enough to do the ordinance. Chris was funny, he was super nervous, he told me he felt nervous because a lot of people were there and he doesn't like the attention but he was a stud and he was happy and energized after.  Next week he will receive the Holy Ghost and the Priesthood much later.  I'm jealous because I won't be there, but I'm just glad that I was there to see him baptized.  And pretty soon his older brother and mom will join him, because we are teaching them as well.  They are super positive and great people, chosen from God, we should say! Everytime we go to his house the mom gives us food. Its the best!

Well, I'm so grateful with everything that has happened so far, and I know for surety that the Lord has a plan for me and Elder Batz.  We are gonna work so hard and baptize converts.  To train a newbie is a honor and a privilege, and I will do my best to make the Lord proud!!

#CimaLife

#ArmeniaBound

#TrainingAGAIN

Elder Gee

APRIL 3rd - CONFERENCE WEEK!

Whats up?  This week was pretty rock solid. I was enjoying myself a ton during the General Conference, I'm not gonna lie... it was soooo good I forgot what else happened in the week, so i'm just gonna talk about that. 

Well, as you know we have this super dope investigator named Chris, he's a straight G. He is progressing super fast, like beyond belief, he came to conference and attended all the sessions on Sunday. And guess what his favorite talk was...Yep!,  Elder Joaquin Costa. That was powerful. I felt the spirit so strong....he loved it. I looked over at him and he was just nodding his head listening really carefully....unreal!

We taught him a lot this week. He asked a lot of questions about the word of wisdom and law of chastity...it was sick because it was evidence to us that he has a true desire. He listens carefully and loves it....I believe we are gonna baptize him this Sunday after all the meetings....pray for that.  Please...he's such a a boss. And Elder Harris and I want to both be there before changes.  

And yes...the fun time with Harris has to come to an end.....this upcoming Tuesday I believe....I'm mad. I wanna be with him the rest of the with him...but all things must come to an end.  So we have to make our mark this last week....changes are the 12 of April. 

Well, this gospel,  Brothers and Sisters is true. My favorite talk was Gary B. Sabins about standing up inside. Its true, We get knocked down and have problems, but just as Neil Maxwell, has said, Whether I'm on this team or the other team across the veil, and don't want to be on the bench....neither do i! I want to do everything for the Lord, I'm his special servant, and I'm so grateful to be in His church.

Love You!

Elder Gee

Elder Harris and I with Chris

March 27th - EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE!

Hey what's up everybody? How was your week? My week was pretty good, but also kinda crappy because our convert C. doesn't want to go to the church anymore and doesn't want us to visit him.  I know, it's kinda a huge shock to us as well. Put him in your prayers, we are planning to go to visit him this week. Pray that he comes around and decides to go back to church.  He didn't show up yesterday.  It's really disappointing and we took it pretty hard last night....part of me thinks its my fault.  Was it something I did or something I didn't do?  Idk its pretty tough to see your convert go south. I know the Lord will help us and him.

Anyways, some good news is that we found a sick new investigator who is 18 named Chris, he is super cool kid. We found him in a little shop where his grandma works and he noticed that we were talking to an old investigator in English, I noticed that he was trying to understand our conversation and so I went up to him and asked him if he understood? He said a little bit, and he asked me how me and my companion spoke the language so well.  We responded in the mission we learned it.  He was pretty overwhelmed by that, and then said, Ï would like to know more about your religion? So then we put an appointment with him and taught him a couple of days later. The lesson we taught him were UNREAL....he loves the message. He doesn't go to any church and knows a little bit of the bible.  He told us, that he feels that what we were teaching him was true. He came to church with us yesterday and loved it, he just felt awkward because he wasn't wearing a shirt and tie.....I told him ill give him mine! He really is super cool and has a date for the 9th of April. Put him in your prayers PLEASE, I want to baptize him sooooo bad!!!! 

Well, that was the week, today we are gonna go bowling. I will win this time....hahaha I will let you know how it goes. Read the scriptures, and express gratitude for what you have.....we have so much. Too much! All we see here in this country is people getting robbed, killed, and so much more. Its heart wrenching and its something I will never forget.  I'm always trying to remember how great the Lord was to me and how much he has blessed me with the opportunities that I have back home. The mission is unreal and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world....its the best!!

Elder Gee

#LivingitUP

#GettingBLessings

March 20th - ENCHANDO FUEGO!

This week was pretty good, definitely not as exciting as the last one, but still me and Elder Harris manage to make everyday a blast!  The work here in La Cima is going great.  We are finding a ton of new investigators to teach, as a companionship our goal is 7 a week.  We found 8 and we were pumped about it. So that means we have new people to teach every day and not in the same houses. 

Elder Harris and I should be having two baptisms this week, they are named A. and M. E.  They are old timers, meaning they forget everything we teach them pretty much. They forgot we invited them for baptism!  But they are awesome and love what we teach them. They at least have desires to be baptized which is HUGE!  Also we taught their grandson who is named E.  who is positive as well, when he prayed he said, "Thanks God, for sending these two young men to my house. I think it might be a sign.¨  It was a sick prayer.  We plan to teach him more this week.  But pretty much that's it as far as exciting news for the work! 

A cool story that happened this week was Elder Harris and I preached on a bus, YEAH BUDDY LIKE THE OLD TIMES! We felt pretty legit I'm not gonna lie...we have some gnarly pics to show you. Elder Harris went first and while he was preaching I was passing out pamphlets on lesson 1, it was so cool.  Then it was my turn and let me tell ya it was pretty nerve racking preaching in front of people in a bus that looks at you weird-like.  ¨Who is this gringo think he's kidding?"   It was sick tho and we found some people who were at least willing to accept the pamphlet...hahaha thats a start! 

Love you guys and don't forget to pray and read the BofM as well!

P.S. For P-day all we are doing is going to the hospital to take out Elder Harris's toe nail....again. Yeah this is his 8th time ever....new record. Hahaha, keep us in your prayers!!

Elder Gee

March 13th - GO HOME HATERZ!

HOLA!

Hey what's up everybody? So much crap happened this week so I'm gonna get right into it. Last P-day we went to Pizza Hut and that was super sick....Pizza is great. We played futbol again to rematch the series we have with the other elders and we......LOST! I was super mad but its okay because nobody expects us to win anyways...hahaha!  We also threw water balloons at the sisters to spark up the p-day. 

We also had a meeting with all the leaders in the mission, it was super cool because I learn so much on how to become better....President taught a lot of cool things that we can do better to motivate our missionaries. It was awesome, and he bought us Pizza....AGAIN. I'm not gonna lie, I think I'm getting a little fat, my belt is close to not fitting!

We had a family home evening with our investigator C., it was great because we talked about his baptism and how it would bless him, he was a little weird at first because he has doubts but the lesson was powerful and he felt the spirit for sure. He told us, Ï think I'll be baptized this Friday!!! Yeah baby! A couple days later...we visited him with President Adams, and wow...was that an experience. Pretty much President had a mini interview with him to see if he was truly ready and he was, he said he feels this is what he needs do, "I feel good with the Elders and when I at church!" But what was the most powerful was when he testified that the book of Mormon was the word of God. He said he feels closer to God when he reads it....yeah, thats what that book does!!!!

Friday...........BAPTISM! It was sooooo narly! Go home haterz....because another one just decided to join the Lords team! He was glowing after the baptism, he told us that he felt good. What was funny was this...Elder Harris was in the water with him and he was telling him, "Alright we are gonna put you in the water, and he was like....wait what? For how long? An hour, 5 mins?" hahahha..."no, man 2 seconds!" He responded..."oh okay lets go!" Elder Harris did the ordinance, and he was pretty jacked up about it. It was his first time doing it in La Cima, and I know how much it would have meant to him if he did it, but don't worry there will be plenty more where that came from.!!! I'll be in white soon!

The gospel is sooooo sick! I love it so much...it was such a good week, The Lord is blessing Elder Harris and I so much right now, because we found like 12 new people and we brought 7 people to church. The Lord is preparing his sheep. There is so much work to do. I definitely have my work cut out for me....put me in your prayers....I love you guys and hope you all have a good week!

Elder Gee

#LightingUpLaCIma

#BlessingLives

Outside of the local Pizza Hut.
Here in El Salvador, they have a mascot for the restaurant!

Here is a close up of my cute face!

C.'s baptism 

This is Stake President Markland,
he is from Nephi and went to school with Aunt Suzy!

Mar. 6th - HAVING TOO MUCH FUN!

Yo fam,

This week was super cool!  Every week in the mission life is the best. Every week is flying by faster and faster. Its kinda crazy cuz I don´t want it to go by to quick...your only a missionary once in your life and you gotta make the most out of every moment that you have. But the week was good!

Last P-day we had a killer time playing soccer with the zone. The teams were, the A-team: Me (Gringo), My companion (Gringo), Elder H (Mexico) VS. the B-team: Elder A (Guatemala), Elder R (Panama), Elder Hernandez (Nicaragua). And guess who won............WE DID! Just some proof that Gringos have what it takes!!  We killed them to a game of 10...it was like 10 to 3! hahaha good times!

Well, the zone had some changes and some cool homies had to peace out for other places. Pretty sad because I was just getting to know some of them and they worked hard.  But the zone will be good.  But we had to see some homies go...like Elder Osiek from Layton and Elder Maliga from Orem go home...It's cool tho because I'll probably see them at UVU... hahaha, belizedat!!   

So the good news is that we are gonna have a baptism on Friday with Hermano C.!  We are super pumped about it. He already has attended the church like 6 times with us and feels he is ready to do it...like I said before he's a little crazy but God still loves him!  He kinda has a problem with drinking coffee and doesn't see a reason to stop until we came up with the brilliant idea to give him Hot Chocolate...hahaha!  We convinced him or trying to convince him that Hot Chocolate is better...he agreed.  So keep him in your prayers that all goes well this week!

Kinda crazy story that happened this week was a member of our ward Bro. Campos got jumped and was robbed of all his things.  They beat him up pretty bad and punched the majority of his teeth out...so right now he's bed ridden for a whole month and can't eat anything but smoothies and soup.  We visited him last Friday and gave him a blessing and it was so cool because afterwards he started to be all spiritual and told us that not to worry because God gives us trials so that we can be stronger....wow! It was super spiritual! He is such a great example to others. Blessings work! Priesthood Power is real! Keep him in your prayers so that he can have a speedy recovery!

Well, that was the week pretty cool, eh? I hope you guys have a good week and don't forget to read and say your prayers!! Love you Guys!! Be grateful for what you have...because everyday I see broken homes and families that don't have the same blessings as we do. Living in El Salvador is a struggle...so just remember to be grateful because we have so much!

Elder Gee

#GospelLife

#LoveThisWork

Saying goodbye to Elder Osiek

Elder Maliga with my companion photo bombing!