Skype!

I have no pictures, just in my head, of my missionary sitting there watching me, and me watching him.  We talked and laughed and he got to see some of his family.  He had a good Christmas and was taken care of. He looks handsome as can be and seems to be healthy.  I feel really blessed to have him in my life and know he is receiving many blessings for doing the Lord's work.

Trying something different... use the translate to the left

Lunes (Monday) Bueno, como siempre, Día de preparación es en lunes. Así nos preparamos por la semana. Llegamos en Ilobasco por el día, planear por una actividad de Navidad. Nuestra actividad es "Dodge Ball" y quisimos cantar también. Después una hora de discutir y escoger, decidimos ir a jugar fútbol, por como tres horas. No llegamos a sensuntepeque hasta séis. No tuvimos mucho tiempo para bañarnos y cambiar, chafa. 

Martes (Tuesday) No mucho hoy, solamente tuvimos una entrevista con uno de nuestro investigadores por bautismo. y ahora tenemos un bautismo este Sábado. 

Miércoles (Wednesday) Buena, hoy fue nuestra actividad de Navidad. Tuvimos que levantarnos a las cinco en la mañana para montar un bús privado a San Salvador. Muy cansado. El día sí mismo fue divertido. Jugamos foosball, dodge ball, y otros juegos. Almuerzo fue asombroso. Como cinco estrellas. Tal vez porque solamente como yo es pupusas. Tuvimos fotos y otras cosas. No terminamos hasta cinco. Fue dos horas hasta llegamos a sunsuntepeque. Pero, lo que fue chivo fue el conductor me dejó ser su asistente. Así cuando estuvimos cerca de sensunte, yo fui permitido a gritar afuera la ventana "Sensunte, Sensunte, Sensunte" o "Suba, Suba, Suba" y "Sale!". 

Jueves (Thursday) Nada, solamente borrachos. 

Viernes (Friday) Lo mismo ja ja. 

Sábado (Saturday) Tuvimos un bautismo hoy. Raul Seravia, 53 años de edad. Mi tercero bautismo en mi misión ja ja. 

Domingo (Sunday) Iglesia y nada más especial ja ja.

El Salvador Este Mission. Feliz Navidad from El Salvador!

Have fun finding Dante!  

 

Package has arrived!!!

Hey mom, I finally got the package and I loved it. I love the goldfish. And thanks for sending me a album book. I really needed pictures of the family. I´m still continuing eating the goldfish and swissrolls. Next time, sour patch kids, a bunch of them. Oh and happy late birthday, I thought the 14 was today but no it´s the 15. And mom, it says you can feel it within 33 km, I´m like 100 km away from san salvador, let alone guatemala lol. And they are called pupusas. And no I don´t cook anymore. I´m getting fat like crazy and I barely eat so idk what´s happening lol. and I got a new companion but I´m still in the same area. I´m practically companion mayor. We play cage soccer, so imagine a cage the size of your house and two goals at each end, that´s what we play in. I´ve been practicing a lot. I want to go down there with you guys and play for your teams.

My accent is better

Everything is going great mom, we had a baptism this week and that´s 2 baptisms to start off my mission, and they were all in this change. Yes we moved houses. We have a lot more baptismal dates for the next change that are secure so I hope I stay, everyone says I have a high chance of staying. My spanish is fine, my accent is better, I just need to increase my vocabulary by ten fold. I took out money because the mission president said we need to have covers for out scriptures and stuff and we found a guy that makes hand made freaking amazing covers and I got covers for my bible, book of mormon, preach my gospel, and my hymnal. But other than that, I´m fine with everything else. Tell me more about WoW and yes Dominican Republic is spanish speaking. (República Dominica), ok mom love ya too

Doing fine

Hey mom, thanks for the quote. Everything is fine here. We are moving today. Nothing much else.

My First Baptism!!!

All is good last week, I had my first baptism and I was the one who baptized him.  I´ll send pictures. Yeah Amy told me that she is staying for Thanksgiving.  I´ll go say happy birthday to grandma.  Thanksgiving is only in United States.  I´ve been to the San Salvador temple, I went 2 weeks after I got here, and I´m going again 6th of December with investigators.  No boxes yet.  Also I want WoW, I want to play it again when I get back.  I haven´t moved yet.  Pupusas and Del Valle is all that I eat and drink.  I´ve gained weight but I work out each day.  I need Oil for blessing.  But other than that, everything is fine.  Well my plan was to buy a razor laptop and a tablet, stay at home and pay rent for my room while I go to college at wright state.    love you too mom.

In Search of a New Home

It's extremely hot down here.  I have not been sick lately.  My walking shoes are still holding up but they are starting to wear n tear.  I got 3 letters from Brother Strode.  We have a baptism this Saturday.  The mission president is splitting up our house.  It is preferred not to have 4 missionaries in a house.  All is good.  Ok thanks mom.  Love you too.

My District after a fütbol game

San Vicente Volcano

Shooting Star!

I like the photos, I look at them all the time. We saw a shooting star yesterday. but other than that, life is the same everyday lol. Thanks mom. and I am learning this langauge well. I had to teach a lesson in english yesterday to this guy but I couldn´t because my mind was only thinking in spanish. There´s many  words I know and use in spanish but don´t knw the translation in english. but it´s all good.  My companion and I stayed at our place the whole time during cambios.  Send a lot of pictures and stuff that reminds me of home.

East Mission

Sensuntepeque East Mission in the house

Short but sweet

Things are going great mom. I have every day been able to teach the gospel. No packages yet, but exchanges are this week, so cross fingers. Love you too mom!

Felt the earth move a lot

Yes we felt the earth move a lot. And I was sick, but most Elders get sick with Dengue Fever or ChinKinGua or something like that. And killing rats is our pasttime. And I did buy a camera but I need to get a USB port for my SD card so I can send photos. Love you mom.

Magnitude 7.4 earthquake rattles several Central American countries

This event happened after the mission president asked the Elders to get 72 kits
Email from Mission President,  

Todos los misioneros de la misión El Salvador San Salvador Este, 

incluyendo su hijo o hija, están bien.

Doctrina y Convenios 84:88

Con amor, Presidente y Hermana Vasquez

All of the missionaries in the El Salvador San Salvador East mission, 

including your son or daughter, are ok. Doctrine and Covenants 84:88

With love, President and Sister Vasquez

Trying my hardest

gracias mom, I´m trying my hardest.

Elder Grimes you're doing a tremendous job persevering. I am sure it is a struggle but you are a very strong, determined young man. I know when you let the Lord guide you, you will not fall. You are doing his work and he loves you and will bless you always. What you're seeing and experiencing is ALOT different than the United States but it will make you stronger than ever. It will teach you valuable lessons for your life to come. God put you there and needs you there because your the Elder who can make a difference in someones life. If you smile, stay as positive as you can, keep your manners to everyone things will seem a bit easier. Prayer will be your answer for everything right now. That is what God wants, is that communication with him, relying on him, knowing he is the one that will be with you, guide and comfort you. Let him. I love you so much. I saw Meet the Mormons and of course bawled during the Missionary Mom. That is similar to my story. She said she had to give her son to god to do his work and so do I. You were a loaner to me but I will get you back one day. Just like her my head tells me what is right but my heart just wants to protect you and feel other things. I absolutely loved that movie. Just remember you are not alone. You are loved by everyone and we all keep you in our hearts and prayers! -momma

Rough week but a "love you" was there finally

Watched General Conference in Spanish, kind of a challenge. Love you too mom.

Pupusas are good! ... and what's a pila?

They don't deliver packages to missionaries houses. And we only go to San Salvador for exchanges, every 6 weeks. No I don't have a ward mother, we have running water 3 days out of the 7, if our tanks are full. I have a baptism on the 18 of octubre. We have like a "house" but it´s still hard. we have beds. I have to wash all my clothes in the pila and hang dry them. Pupusas are good!

Pila

Pupusas

First week in the field

Things are so rough, this place is not like what I though it would be. The first week was so hard. I had thoughts of just giving up but I know I couldn't. I have my family to back me up. thank you for always being there for me. And packages take weeks to months to get here. So don`t bother, just supply me with money so I can buy stuff here. please. gracias.  my companion is Spanish speaking only. 

I´m with all the other missionaries in the zone.  In the zone there´s 8, but in my house 4.

Words of wisdom to my sister... and mom?

well Laura, you are almost in high school. Big 8th grade. I remember 8th grade. It was a fun time. Gym was fun and so was the engineering class they had. I was on the sky team so I had some cool teachers. Our government teacher was old and crazy lol. Language arts teacher loved me and so did my math teacher. Don´t remember their names. Ask if they know about me. All you can do is persevere and keep trying, it all gets easy after 8th grade. Study and ask mom for as much help. And mom, don´t yell at Laura.
______________________________________________________________________________
I´ll be there in spirit for Elder Dunn's endowment. Finally he´s growing up. :)

Last few days at the CCM

The temple was closed so we go to the visitor center. I bought two authentic handmade bags. I can´t wait to get out in the field. I got my itinerary. I leave Monday at 1 in the afternoon. I´ll be emailing on Saturday because I won´t be able to next Tuesday. I ate all the donuts and everything is fine.  Thank you mom.

and what happen to talking to me in Spanish? 

( = shells to my feelings     (((((((((((((FEELINGS)))))))))))))    

This is a request for Grandma

www.missionarypackagemx.com is the website. send me donuts por favor 

I have to go, bye mom, love you.

Good Advice - Wear a matching suit!

Everything is organized and yes I have, I got sick. Everyone has gotten sick. There´s 1000 people here. I´m sleeping fine.

I got the picture from grandma, and it will be fine. Living in huts on cots is just like camping.
People who have been to my mission say that I will barely be living in the city, I will be mostly living in villages.

Yeah I´m fine, everyone is homesick, idk why. Weather never passes 70 and rains every day. México city is in a valley about 4k ft about sea level.
Take a picture of my room and send it, and pictures of everything. 

My weeks are all the same, same thing everyday. I did get to give a talk in all Spanish.  

There are no mission leaders at the CCM. the CCM president talked with me for wearing black pants and my grey suit.  

Thank goodness for companions with working cameras

A picture of our district

The camera we bought is terrible, so I just have my companions send me pictures.

Mom you make me laugh, you´ll be fine in a month. I´m doing fine. I can teach in Spanish, pray in Spanish, testify in Spanish, It's all good. Still trying to get used to a 16 hour work day.

I can pray in Spanish now!

​Mi compañeros

Yes I'm learning a lot, like 10x faster than I did in school. It's very intense but fun too. The Spanish is going good, I can pray in Spanish now. It's so much fun.

P.S. don't focus on the bump on my head, I got it today because I sleep on the bottom bunk and I hit my head on the top on the bunk lol.

At the airport, heading to the CCM (MTC) in Mexico

Thanks mom, I am learning a lot. My trip down was great. I love flying in planes. Now the aeropuerto was different story lol. I can get you the address some other week. It should also be on the church website.