Week 18 (09/26/11) - BAPTISMS!!!

Left to right: Back - little Salvadorian boy, Elder Encarnacion, Maria Elida (Alejandro's grandma), Pati (Alejandro's mom), Ana Maria (50 yo, Jose's mom), Jose (20 yo), Erasmo (14 yo), Elder Woodfield (BRADEN!), Alejandro (10 yo)  

Front - currently unknown - Jhonny, Anna Maria's son?

I don't know that all of these are right - we'll make sure!

Monday, September 26, 2011

My dear sweet, sweet family,

I hate your stinkin’ guts.

You are the skum between my toes,

You, make, me vomit.

Love,

Alfalfa

I hope everyone knows what movie that is from! If not, it is from the Little Rascals! Love that show!

Anyway! Top news of the week! All 6 people were baptized and all 6 were confirmed at church yesterday!!! YAY!!! And we had 2 more unexpected baptisms!

I want to start by talking about a few things leading up to the baptisms.  We have been teaching Erasmo and Alejandro since the end of August. His mom, Pati, and grandma, Maria Elida, would sit in on the lessons usually, but not always. So, we weren’t focusing on them. But last week they became more and more interested so we decided to see if we could have their baptisms the same day as their children and grandkids! We had to do A LOT of teaching this week to help their testimonies with things like the word of wisdom and stuff but they were both ready in time! We were in a family home evening on Wednesday (we planned a special activity especially that day because it was both Alejandro’s and Pati’s birthdays!) so we had a lesson with them and we watched two movies. The first movie was the story of John Tanner, the man that gave everything he had to the church to build the Kirkland temple.  Then, we asked Pati, “Do you want to be baptized?” She said she did but didn’t feel quite ready for this Saturday. We talked to her and told her what kind of an example she could be for her sons if she did go through with it. She had a testimony of all the doctrine -she was just scared! Then, we watched another short movie called “Only a Stone Cutter.” It is the story of John Rowe Moyle who walked 70 kilometers (it’s in Spanish I don’t know in miles – about 44 miles) to work on the temple in Salt Lake and then he would walk back! He did this for 20 years because it was his calling! Then, he had an accident and they had to amputate his leg. After his leg was healed, he made a wooden leg and after he was used to it, he began to walk back and forth from the temple again! His dedication to the church and example to his family was amazing! I loved to watch and see how the whole room got teary eyed and felt the spirit! After the movie, we asked Pati, “Do you want to be an example to your kids? Will you be baptized with them this Saturday?” She said yes without hesitation! I about jumped up for joy! The spirit was so strong in the room!! I loved it! She was and is so ready to be a member of the church! We baptized Pati and her mom, Maria Elida, and her two kids Erasmo and Alejandro, the most sweet and amazing people ever! We also baptized the other family, Jose and his mom Ana Maria! This family is the family that had the dad commit suicide! They all seem so so happy with the gospel in their lives I love it so so much!!!

Anyway, I have pictures but we are in a ciber (computer place) that is a bit sketchy and if I plug in my memory card it might get a virus and erase all the pictures on it! I really don’t want that to happen so I think I will wait until next week! We may be going to another ciber later today but not for sure and if not I will just send them next week! Also, I have a friend in our ward that might be able to post them on the internet. I am trying to set it up with him. If that works, that would be so so convenient!!! haha

Also, I went to a place called Esperanza this week! I had exchanges with our zone leader so he could do the interviews of our baptism candidates! I was there over night with his companion! Let’s just say it was very nice to have be in a different place with a different person for once! We had tacos! Yummy!!! haha It was fun.

Oh! I did my first confirmation of a new member this week! Two actually! I didn’t even know I was going to be doing the confirmation and they called me to do it in sacrament meeting! Apparently my companion planned it and didn’t tell me! It was sweet though! All in Spanish and definitely nerve racking!!! haha I loved it! I got to confirm Jose and Ana Maria! I love them!!!

Anyway! Happy birthday this week, Dad! I hope you have an awesome birthday and conference weekend! Make sure you go to priesthood with Derek! 

Also, I talked to the girl in our ward with the video of the pupusas and she said she was going to post it last night! If she hasn’t she will soon! She is a bit delayed because her boyfriend from the US is here until the 8th of October! haha so I don’t blame her!

Other than that I hope you all are good!!! I love you!!!! Stay close to the Lord in prayer and remember that through him we can do anything and everything!

I love you all!!!

Love,

Braden

Week 17 (09/19/11) - Lots of rain and baptisms!

Elder Woodfield is doing so well! He is loving the mission field!

Monday, September 19, 2011

HOLA!

Como estan todo? I hope all is going well at home! All is well here! It has been raining lots the past few days! But all is good! We weren’t able to have the baptism this last weekend so we are going to have it this next weekend! We have 4 baptisms for sure and we are trying to help 2 others be ready for baptism this weekend as well! I hope we can! The sooner the people understand the doctrine and are baptized, the better! They need the blessing of the Holy Ghost to continue to progress in the gospel! I love to see the change and the joy that comes into their lives as they learn and make the right choices!

I just wanted to say a few things about this week:

First, we had the craziest rain storm I have ever seen in my entire life!! It was on Friday. We were in the house of a recent convert teaching about the Melchizedek priesthood and then we saw that it was starting to get cloudy. We had to walk to our house to make a phone call, which was a bit far away, so we decided to leave. We were walking in the street when it started to downpour! There is so so so much water in the storms here! Crazy! So we were waiting under a covered walkway on the way to our house for the rain to stop. Then, the wind started to blow! Wind here is rare - it is almost never windy! But especially this windy! The wind was blowing at about 60-70 mph! loco loco. It felt like we were in a hurricane! But it only lasted about 45 minutes so that’s good! Stuff was ripping off roofs and landing in the 4 inches of water on the streets and crazy stuff like that! But no one was hurt and we are all doing great now!!! And the best part is, I was dry after! My rain jacket is seriously the best thing ever!

Other than that, we have just been preparing our investigators! We have taught a lot of lessons and have had several family home evenings with our investigators at member’s homes. We have been doing all that we can in order to help them learn, but also to help them make friends in the church so they will feel comfortable! I feel like we are doing a pretty good job with it! They all seem really happy and ready for their baptisms! I am excited for this next weekend! Make sure everyone prays for them!

Also, guess what everyone?! I have been in El Salvador for 2 months as of yesterday!! 4 months total in the mission!! Crazy, huh? I am close to my 6 month mark! Crazy, huh? Time is flying! I hope that no one misses me too much! I am doing great here! I keep busy so I don’t have much time to think about home but when I do, be sure and know that I miss it! I miss you all! I hope you are all safe and happy!!!

Also, I was at the house of a member yesterday and we were making papusas! Her daughter took a video on her camera and is going to post it on Facebook! She said she will post it on dad’s wall - Dad just needs to accept her friend request! Haha anyway! I have also had a few other members that have added me and stuff - you can see them! There is a little girl that is in a part-member family. We will be baptizing the rest of their family in October. Also, just random other members! I don’t think that any of my investigators have added me or anything but you can talk to Lizzie and get my Facebook password and log in and see if you want!

Anyway! I hope you are all doing great! I love you all so so much! I think that is about all! Oh, wait! Derek did you know that your birthday is on the Independence Day of El Salvador????? It was their 200th year of liberty this last Thursday! Cool, huh!? Happy Birthday and El Salvador Independence Day!!!!!!!!!!!! To tell you the truth, it wasn’t a very exciting day! People had family over and stuff because there wasn’t work or anything but there wasn’t a fair or fireworks or anything! Lame! haha but anyway! Happy Birthday Derek! I hope you like my ties!

I love you all!!

Love,

Elder Braden Woodfield

Week 16 (09/12/11) - A simple week, and pictures!

Our dear, Elder Woodfield. He looks so good!

The gorgeous El Salvador Temple.

Braden's foot - not sure what happened exactly! He didn't say.

Braden's desk in his apartment.

Braden's companion, Elder Encarnacion, cleaning out their pila (a thing for water storage when they don't have it in the day) 

A picture of pizza they ordered from someone local - Elder Woodfield says it was "so so so good!!"

Elder Woodfield is happy and loving the work! He is thriving!

Here is his weekly email:

Hey All!!!!

How are you all doing this week?!? I hear a deck fell on Dad and Dylan and Kortnee got to watch, eh? How was that, Kortnee? I hear you thought they died! haha anyway! Glad you’re all safe! Would you be surprised if I said that was probably the highlight of my week?? (If there are more exciting things in your emails I haven’t read them yet so don’t think that your other exciting stories aren’t exciting, yeah? haha)

Anyway, this week has been a bit of a boring week! We have been working hard and doing all that we can to prepare our investigators for baptism! The only problem is that all of our appointments have been falling through!! We had 4 days this week where we only had about 6 successful appointments! In a 4 day period of time, we usually have about 20 appointments! Loco loco! But it’s ok! We had a really good day at church yesterday! And we think that we are getting close with another family to be baptized! Familia Estrada - they need to be married before they can be baptized and I think that they are going to do it! We asked them to think about it last night and we will be going back to their house on Wednesday to see what their decision is! It was a cool experience to get to explain the Law of Chastity and why it is so important to the Lord! I love learning about the gospel! It’s awesome!!!! Also, something a little disappointing! The two investigators that were going to be baptized this Saturday, they didn’t come to church yesterday! We may have to postpone their baptism in order for them to have the required times of going to church! It will be the 24th if we need to postpone it though, so not too far in the future! haha They are so ready to be baptized though! That is the hardest part! They are reading what we ask them to, and more! And they are learning really fast! I hope we can still do it this Saturday!!!

Other than that, I am safe and well! I love you all! This week was kind of boring so I am not going to spend too much time writing. I want to send some pictures! I haven’t taken a ton of pictures here, but I want to send some of the older ones! I hope you all like them!!!

I don’t know the exact order of the pictures haha but here we go! I hope I remember them all!

There is a picture of my desk in my apartment, a picture of the temple, a picture of my companion cleaning our pila (a thing for water for when we don’t have it in the day), a picture of a pizza we ordered from a local pizza guy! So so so good! a picture of me! and one more that I cant remember..................................... oh well! I hope it is one that doesn’t need explaining! Love you all!!!

I love you all!!

Love, 

Braden

Week 15 (09/05/11) - Baptisms and the spirit!!!

Familia!!!

LOCO semana!!! Woo! So, lots to tell! You remember those investigators I told you about last week? Anna Maria, Jose, Jhonny, Erasmo, and his brother, Alejandro (last week I forgot his name!)??? Well they are all going to be baptized this month!!! Crazy huh!?! I am so so so so excited! They have all been so so positive and receptive of the church and the gospel!! We have 5 total for this month and we are working with 3 other investigators: Karla, and Gilberto and his wife/partner that I think I also told you about?? We are working to get them baptized soon too! I know Karla will be baptized - she is really positive! But Gilberto and his wife/partner just need to be married! (Its funny, it isn’t a big deal in this country to be married! It costs about 20 bucks to go to a lawyer and sign papers! haha) But anyway! I am excited! All of them are so amazing!

Just a little bit about each! Erasmo and his brother live in poverty. Their house has a dirt floor with bamboo walls and plastic for a roof! But they are so so so humble! They are seriously the most giving and loving people I have ever met! Erasmo is only 13 years old and he loves to read and to learn. He started reading the Book of Mormon before we even asked him to, and he remembers every detail that we teach him! He and his brother will be missionaries! As for Jose, and Anna Maria, I told you last week that Anna Maria’s husband and Jose’s dad committed suicide. At first, they were really sad but you can see the joy that has come into their lives since they have started to repent and prepare to be baptized! As for Jhonny, he is a Believer! We hardly taught him the first lesson and he was so excited about it all! We challenged him to be baptized in our second lesson and he accepted without hesitation! He just has a strong spirit about him and he is preparing to be baptized on the 24th! All of them will be baptized on the 24th except Erasmo and his brother.

But yeah! That is about my week! We have been working hard to help them to get ready for their baptisms! It amazes me how fast they are all learning and accepting! I would probably be a hard investigator haha! But they are all praying and receiving the answers that God has promised them! It’s so awesome to see the conversion process in action! I love it!!

As for other news, there isn’t much! We ran into the drunk that tried to rob from us last week and he apologized! That was kind of funny! uh............... Spanish, Spanish is good! I understand almost all and I can basically respond to everything! I just need to learn more words! But, I can basically speak fluently until I find a word I don’t know then I get thrown off! But that is ok! I am close! Just keep praying for me! I know that is why I am learning it so fast! I know that if I were trying to learn without the spirit, I would still be where I was when I left! I really am not that smart, especially when it comes to language but with the spirit, and the gospel, we can do anything!

To end, I just want to testify that what I am doing here is true! I love the work and it is so rewarding! I love you all! I miss you all! But I know you are all doing well so that helps! (At least last weeks emails said you were doing good! haha I hope it is still true!) I love you all though! Keep emailing me and sending me letters! I love to get them every week! Thanks so much!

Love you all!!!

Elder Woodfield