One of the Best Weeks in a Long Time!

Hello everyone!

This week was one of the best weeks in a long time! First, on Tuesday, we went to the Temple! We got there super early and there were a few kids that had brought family names to do the baptisms for and also confirmations. But for some reason there weren't any adults to help with the priesthood parts so I got to help out! I did a bunch of confirmations and it was just a great experience. Then we did our regular session. Then on Wednesday we had a leader meeting with President and he taught us a bunch of stuff. The thing I liked most was when he talked about Genesis chapter 49 when Jacob blesses his sons. And also Ezekiel about the sticks of Joseph and Judah. He taught us how we relate this to the Book of Mormon and a bunch of other things. It's a bit extensive but maybe you guys can do a little bit more research haha. Then this Sunday we had our stake conference! It was awesome because I saw everyone from Alta Vista! So the Zepeda sisters say I'm changing in many ways. They said my Spanish is great, I'm losing weight and getting taller....I don't think I'm losing weight or getting taller haha. Then they gave me another huge bag of sweet bread....how was it possible when I saw them walk in the building without anything? I'm not really sure....maybe they just made it in the back of the gym or something. Then I saw Antonio. He was the 19 year old who had a few problems with drugs and his family and was very sad. But now he is doing great and he freaked out when he saw me haha. He was soooo happy and I was sooo happy too. Then I met up with Orlando. He's getting married and baptized this Saturday! It's insane! Everyone is doing great there. I hope everyone at home is doing great. I love and miss you all!

Love Elder Markham

Post Mother's Day visit

Hey everyone

It was so great to see and talk to you all. I'm so thankful for all your love and support and to hear that everything is going well for everyone. 

Like I said this next week we are going to have stake conference again so it's going to be super awesome to see my old ward. I'm pretty sure that the Zepeda family will bring me a bunch of bread to the conference to give to me haha. This week will be pretty busy and fun. Tomorrow we are going to the temple, and Wednesday there's a meeting with the president that all the elders have to go to. We'll have to see how that goes. Today there really isn't much of a plan since the last few p-days were crazy and no one had time to buy anything or stuff like that. So were just going to go eat pupusas after this and hangout haha. I'm always busy with a bunch of stuff. We don't have a lot of people to teach unfortunately because the missionary before me had been teaching the lessons in English and the people just wanted the lessons to learn more English. So when we started teaching in Spanish a few got angry and didn't want us to do that haha. Well they weren't progressing at all so we had to look for other families and people to teach. It was kinda sad. It's crazy to think that this change only has two weeks left. The changes are getting faster. I just hope it doesn't go by too fast because then I'll feel like I didn't get enough time haha. Not much to say this week since we talked last night but it was a great blessing to see and hear from everyone. I love you all.

Love Elder Markham

Area that Garrett visited last week

A difficult week...but still looking for the positive!

Hey family! I don't have too much time so ill have to be short! But this Sunday we'll be talking on skype at 4:00 pm my time. I don't know what time it is there so you'll have to check.

This week was super hard. We had many hard days looking for people to teach and were in the streets almost all day, But I decided to pray and ask for direction and a miracle. We went to this persons house for the first time after talking to them in the street. And they were there with almost their whole family! After talking to them the dad said he was very excited to have us come by and teach but only Saturdays. His daughter, who is about 20 something, said that they had stopped going to their old church since their grandma had died and ever since her sister had her baby they have been looking for a church for her son! The wife wasn't too thrilled but it was such a help to find a family that is looking for the true church! Then Saturday I was walking down the street again and we couldn't find anyone to teach at all because everyone was watching a boxing match. We had about 30 minutes before we had to be inside and it was another super long hard day. I knew we needed to visit one more family so I felt like walking down one path that we haven't walked down much. I said another prayer and then I saw a guy walking around through the window. We went up to his house and he was super friendly! I said that we were there to serve him that night and he quickly had us come in. Earlier that day his wife had messed up her hand really really bad at work and was asking that we offer a pray for them. After the prayer we set another visit for tonight and the man said he knew that we had been sent from God to help him. I know that if we pray with faith God will always be there to help us. I miss you all and can't wait to talk to you!

Love Elder Markham

Here is a place they visited on their preparation day.  Garrett says he can see all three areas he has been in from this look out point...and yes, his hair was cut way too short.  His mom will be glad when it grows out a bit.

Garrett's Companion Elder Aranda

Elder Hale from Galdstone High School

A really old cool water pump they found in the middle of the jungle

Cannibal chickens....

Hey! 

We had a crazy week these last few days. We finally figured out what was wrong with our water and we were able to fix it. We went about a week or so without water. I've never been so happy to shower! We were going to have a few baptisms this week but the two cousins named Salvador and Francisco had too many questions and didn't feel ready so we extended the date. Then the other one is just waiting for his marriage papers to get married then he can be baptized. There's also another investigator that is preparing super well for his date in a couple more weeks! We are always super busy working all day. And I remembered the funny story from last week! We had a service project at this one place to clean some stuff up....afterwards they gave us food to eat. It was great! We had rice chicken and tortillas. We were all eating our food and then all the chickens that this lady had all came to see if they would be able to get a snack. I was sitting down in my chair while about five chickens were staring me in the eyes just like what Snickers (our dog) does. Then one of them got brave and attacked me and took my chicken from me! When it hit the ground all the chickens started to eat it and go nuts! Cannibal chickens are nasty. This place is crazy. 

I love and miss you all! I hope you're all doing great!

Love Elder Markham

No water for 4 days but still trying to be positive!

What a crazy week its been! 

This week was changes and I got moved to another area but it's still super close to my last two areas! I'm also now District leader and a trainer! My district has 5 companionships. It's pretty much the whole Zone, except 2 other companionships. My new companion only has about 7 weeks here in El Salvador and he's from Texas. Since he's new he can't speak or understand a lot of Spanish, but I definitely know how that was haha. But the week was super crazy because we had two different days of service in the morning and we didn't have a lot of time to get to know the area or the investigators. But if we work hard, we should be able to accomplish a lot! Almost the whole district is new. One new sister and 6 new Elders. But everyone has been working hard so I'm happy. All the Elders and Sisters are doing great. Oh...did I mention we haven't had water for 4 days in our house now? It's the worst. My companion forgot to tell me that they didn't pay the water bill. So here's a little bit of my week. But everything is great and I'm loving all the work I'm receiving! It feels great when there's lots to do. Just like senior year of high school again haha. I love and miss you all! Oh and my area is called Monte Carmelo...Carmel Mountain!!!! Woo hoo! Hahah in Ilopango.

OH! Every Wednesday night we eat at a families house for free. Their 17 year old son cooks and he is a professional! He works at a 5 star restaurant! He's putting in his papers soon. Imagine being his comp and always having something amazing to eat every meal. Its soooo good!

Love Elder Markham

**Garrett was going to call the owner of the house they are staying today to see if they could get the water turned back on.  He has access to buying big jugs for drinking, but he would really like to have a shower.  

Another change...and hopefully rain soon.

Hey everyone! 

Well another change has come and gone. They go by so fast! I don't know what will be happening this change because my companion is going to train so I'm pretty sure I'm going to have changes. We will get the call tonight. Nothing too exciting or crazy happened this week....which is kinda odd for El Salvador. Just a kid stopped us in the street asking where we were from and what are we were doing and what was in our bags. But that happens every once in a while. The days get hotter and hotter and I don't know if I will survive if they send me to the east because it is way hotter! The rain will come in about a month, so there's all these giant bugs that sit up in the trees and make noises all day. My companion says that they do that before it rains, then as it starts to rain they all die and fall out of the trees. This week was fast and testimony meeting in church and Alex got up to bare his testimony! It was one of the best ones I've ever heard! And he's only known the church for about 6 or 7 weeks! You could tell he was pretty nervous at first but after a bit he was fine. He also got his (baptism) certificate and he seemed to be super happy about that! I miss and love you all so much! 

Love Elder Markham

**Fast and testimony meetings are the first Sunday of the month where church members fast 24  hours (2 meals) and give money for the meals that they missed to their ward Bishop for those in need.  And the members can choose if they want to stand and bare witness of their testimonies of Jesus Christ during Sunday worship service, instead of assigned talks given.

Another great week...but it is getting really Hot!

Hey family! 

This week was a great one! First, we had another little Temple trip with investigators. This is when the whole mission brings their investigators to the temple and we have different classes about the temples and families and stuff. It was super great! I also got to see Elder Custodio and a bunch of my other favorite missionaries! Also a bunch of people from my other area including Blanca Zepeda and Karen Zepeda! And of course they gave me some some snacks and juice and stuff haha. Me and my companion were guides and helped our group go around to the different classes. The Zepeda sisters were in my group and Ronald was too. If you don't remember he was my second baptism. I talked to him and he said both his grandparents were able to get married and baptized shortly after I left! We had been teaching them a few weeks before I left the area. I was so happy for him and he said he was super happy to see them be baptized also. I loved General Conference! I learned so much especially great stuff about families! Which didn't help a few missionaries in my district because they are almost done with their missions and all they can think about is families and stuff after haha. But it was great to be able to watch it in English with air conditioning. It is getting hotter and hotter everyday. Even the nights are ridiculously hot! I don't understand how it can be so hot ahah. I love you all and miss you very much!

Love Elder Markham