El Salvador

El Salvador

Address:

Elder Garrett Markham
El Salvador San Salvador East Mission
PO Box #3362
San Salvador, El Salvador
Central America

garrett.markham@myldsmail.net

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

A Happy Weekend and new challenges come with a new calling

Hey Family!

Well we had the best weekend ever! We had the wedding of Kelly and her baptism! It was so awesome! The spirit was so strong. You could see the huge difference between the two of them and the love that they have through the blessings of the Gospel. Just to remind you they have 6 years together, 2 years listening to the missionaries and did not want to get married at all. There were many times when they almost separated. But now they are happily married and Kelly was able to get baptized. Her husband isn't very into the church stuff but we will help him.  Yesterday we had divisions because my companion was sick, so I went to visit her with a member that's going on his mission to Canada in August. She was so much happier this time! She said that it was the first Sunday where she's actually been able to feel stress free from her work and other responsibilities that she has. She knew it was because she had received the gift of the holy ghost and could take the sacrament for the first time. I just love being able to help people find happiness and peace through the gospel. There is no other substitute.

This Saturday is going to be Estivens baptism. He is also very excited to get baptized! His uncle is going to baptize him so it's going to be great! Estiven is already a great missionary. When we went to visit him this week he was outside his house playing soccer with some friends. They were all pretty happy to see us. His friend asked us if it was true that he was going to be getting baptized this week and we said yes. Then she said that she wanted to get baptized too haha. So we started to teach them together and she now has a baptism date for the 2nd of July. She went to church with us yesterday and said she liked it! Her teacher also told us that she answered all the questions and I asked her, Michell, how she knew all the questions. She told me because she read the pamphlet that we left with her! She already is progressing super quickly!

Now....there's more news...I have changes this week again. I'm going to Apopa and they told me that I'm going to be Zone Leader there for the zone. It was great here in Valle Nuevo and I'm going to miss lots of people but I'm ready for new challenges. I miss and love you all! You guys are the best!

Love Elder Markham

Monday, May 23, 2016

Bats in The Night...Weddings and Baptisms!...

Hey Everyone!

Everything is ready for Kelly's baptism and wedding this Saturday! It's going to be awesome! She gets married at 3:30 and the baptism will be at 4:30! Her future husband is a little bit harder to get to go to church but we will help him. Kelly has been an investigator for about 2 years or so. She always loved the church and stuff because it has helped her a ton through her difficulties and stuff but she never could get baptized because she didn't want to get married to her husband. But now they are finally getting ready this Saturday! The whole ward has been helping a ton and everything is going great! Aaaaand! Karen Zepeda is going to get them married! We were going to have another baptism for Estiven but he got back late from an activity and slept through church. But he says he wants to get baptized the fourth of June!

So funny story for the week....

I was sleeping in the middle of the night when I hear my companion say, Elder Markham there's a bat in our house! I said that I was fine because I had my mosquito net. My companion doesn't so it woke him up when it fell on his face haha. He ran over, turned on the lights and killed it. Then he just left it there until the morning. I told him to get a mosquito net and it wouldn't happen, mostly just joking around with him. Then the next night I was dreaming and I heard something next to my ear. Then I felt something on my shoulder crawl on my face then back on to my shoulder. When I woke up there was a bat on my shoulder! I don't know how it got in but I just hit it off with my hand even though it didn't go anywhere because of the net. I quickly jumped out of my bed and turned the lights on. Then my companion killed that one too. Haha it was crazy but now I have to worry about bats crawling on me during the night.

We are going to do Estivens interview this week and he should get baptized next week. We taught him about Prophets this week and showed him a picture of Thomas S Monson. We told him to pray and ask God if he's a Prophet. The next day he said he prayed and felt really happy and knew that he was a Prophet. He's doing great!!!

I love and miss you all! You guys are the best!

Love Elder Markham

PS..Garrett is feeling like no one remembers him...so those of you who read this blog, if you could write him a quick note letting him know you are thinking about him...that would be awesome!!  You can email him to get on Monday, but he would love a letter in the mail...he hasn't gotten much, only from family now and then....so if you have a chance, then send him something!  Thanks!  His addresses are on the home page!

Monday, May 16, 2016

Reaping the blessings of bringing people into the Gospel!

Hey Family!

It was a great weekend with another Stake Conference here in Ilopango.....for the 10th time or so just in this stake hah. There were two Seventy, the Temple President and our Mission President. It was so spiritual. I really learned alot about the small things in the family and the blessings that we receive while we do those small things and go to the Temple. I was also able to see Karen Zepeda and her mom! They once again had a big bag of bread for me. They were sitting down a few rows behind me and on the other side. During the conference they said to raise your hand if the missionaries were the ones that brought them to church. Many people raised their hand. I looked and Karen and her mom and they were both raising their hands but also pointing at me haha. We are also planning our investigators wedding and Karen is going to be the abogada (lawyer) that marries them! It will be awesome! Elder Aguilar, one of the Zone leaders that's in Alta Vista told me that this week we are going to do divisions and that I'll be going to Alta Vista and that the Zepeda Family already invited us over to eat dinner. He told me that they are always asking about me and wondering when I'm going back to Alta Vista for interchanges.

I also saw Orlando again! It was amazing to see him! He is now an Elder in the Priesthood! He was telling me about how his life has just been improving. He told me that just three months or so ago he was finally able to open a bank account and start putting money in there. I was just so happy. I just remember the first day when I met him and he didn't have anything and his relationship with his family was not the best. The Lord has blessed him so much. I am so grateful to be one of the missionaries that got to teach him from the beginning. He also gave me and my companion a stick of gum during the session. He's a giver.

The time is flying by! I love you all and can't wait to hear from you! 
Love Elder Markham

Enjoying the fruits of El Salvador...but watch out for falling coconuts!

Hey Family!

Not much to say this week. But it was great to see you all and talk to you for a bit. It's hard to think that that was the last time we will talk while I'm here in the mission. The time is really going by too fast!

 It's the fruit season and it's getting ready to start raining as well. Like I said you have to be careful while walking or you'll get a huge mango or avocado to the head, or even a coconut! Some of our neighbors are members and sometimes they give us fresh mangos. They are sooo good! The pupusas are pretty great as well. I've been eating quite a few lately. Just trying to enjoy them while I can. But I'll be able to make some pretty good ones back home. 

Sounds like Blake's becoming quite the Spanish expert. Sorry Brad, but your Spanish is a little weird haha. It will be fun to make some sweet Spanish videos in your Spanish class next year Blake! And maybe Aubrey too! Are you thinking about taking Spanish this next year? 

This week is the week of the family here in El Salvador. There's a few activities this week. Wednesday is a thing they are doing in the church to teach families about Family Home Evening and Friday will be an activity that will teach the families about the organizations and stuff in the church. It will be great!

I love and miss you all! I hope to hear more about what you are all up to!

Love Elder Markham

Monday, May 2, 2016

He's been in the Capital too long... and can't wait to talk on Mothers Day!

Hey Family! 

So this Sunday we will be talking at 6 my time! I'm super excited to see you all!

This week was a good week. Tuesday they called me and asked what airport I'm going home to....that was weird. Wednesday I did an interchange with another Elder in the district named Elder Newey. He's from Utah. It was really awesome. We taught tons of people. We found this older guy that lives alone. When he came out to see us he told us to come right in! He told us the house was ours haha. He then took us on a full tour of the house. It was a really sweet guy. Then we were able to teach him about Jesus Christ and how He could change the mans life. He really listened well to us and Elder Newey told me today that he went to church yesterday! It was awesome! We also found a guy that we started teaching. He told us that his grandson served a mission and lives in San Patricio. San Patricio was my last area. I showed him a picture of me with a kid from there and he said that that was his grandson. That just comes to show that I've been here in the Capital for too long. I know every ones Parents, children, grandparents and grand kids. 

Today we went to a place called Suchitoto. We just went to go see a really big lake and take pictures and eat at a really expensive restaurant ahaha. It was fun. It's the farthest I've ever been from the Capital....and it's only about 45 minutes away. 

The members here have been helping us a ton with the lessons. We had more than 20 lessons with members this week. We are trying to get them to give us more references. Today we should get a few. Our ward mission leader is awesome! I miss you all! I can't believe it's already time to skype again! I will see you all Sunday!

Love Elder Markham