Getting ready for a visit from an Apostle....and it's freezing in El Salvador!! hee hee

Hey Family!

 Last Monday we had a Family Home Evening with the Hernandez Family in the house of some members named the Rafailano Family. And it was awesome!! They totally killed it! The father started talking about why we have FHE and how it has helped them. Then Rodolfo Hernandez started asking a ton of questions like always. But the members were able to answer a lot of them and share scriptures and their testimonies. I loved it so much! Lessons with the members like that always get me super excited for the missionary work. The mom and daughter went with us to stake conference yesterday. It was pretty spiritual. They talked a lot about the youth being more obedient to the commandments and how the adults need to keep their temple covenants. I really enjoyed it. But now we are getting ready for the 23rd and 24th of January because Elder Cook is coming! The 23rd he's coming to visit the missionaries like when President Nelson came, and on the 24th he's going to visit our stake! We are going to have a huge blessing because he's only going to visit our stake and talk with us. And you'll all have to congratulate me because there's going to be a choir singing for Elder Cook in the missionary meeting and we had tryouts to get into the choir. And guess what! Yep, I got in. So I'll be up there right behind Elder Cook singing for him! 

So for a funny story, we were teaching the Hernandez Family the Word of Wisdom one day. We were talking about why we don't drink coffee and a few other things. Then they ask if we can drink soda. We said yes but that the Word of Wisdom also means we shouldn't drink too much. After the lesson they gave us a glass of pop. But it was about 5 ounces of pop. haha they said that they knew we shouldn't drink lots so they decided to give us a little.ahah Well I love and miss you all a ton! Hope to hear some great things this week!

Love Elder Markham

P.S.  Just another quick funny story,

My companion and I were going to bed and he asked me if I was cold as well. I said yes and that it was freezing! Then he asked me if I knew how cold it was, I said no and he told me that it was 70 degrees.....what in the world.

New Years Fireworks and Garrett's little shadow at church....

Hey Family!

Well it was an interesting week. But first of all, I had a good New Years. It's the same as Christmas. There is no difference haha. We ate tons of food and saw tons of fireworks. Israel is doing great! He told me about 5 times this week that I'm his favorite haha. And his little sister loves me too. She always follows me at church. Everyone says that she's like my child. Israel's dad went back to church twice. But he didn't go yesterday.

This wasn't the best week for the Hernandez family either. We were able to teach them all once I think. Then only one other day were we able to teach the Dad because the others weren't there. He can pretty much quote the whole Bible. So he likes to show off a bit and talk about a ton of stuff from the Bible. He says that the two churches he's deciding between is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or a Christian church. He says he's not sure yet because these are the only two churches that he hasn't been able to find any faults with. For example, they don't teach anything against the Bible. But he won't ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. He says that he already knows it's true, but he says that because it doesn't talk about anything bad. We have been talking about the Book of Mormon with him for quite a while now. Yesterday we went to their house to take them to church but they didn't open their door. We saw the daughter walking around last night and asked why they didn't go. She said they were sleeping ahah. Today we are going to have a Family Home Evening with them in the house of a member family so hopefully this will help them be a little more animated (excited?). 

I am so thankful everyday for the time that the Lord has blessed me with to be able to serve Him. It isn't easy but it's definitely worth it! I have seen so many miracles that I can't even count them all. The church is true. Jesus Christ lives. Joseph Smith talked with God. And because God loves us so much, He has restored the Priesthood power for us to become like Him. I love you all so much and miss you lots.

Love Elder Markham

A Beautiful Baptism.

Hey Family!

So we had a great baptism this Saturday with Israel! He was so excited to get baptized! When he came out of the water he had a huge grin on his face. Then when we were leaving the font I told him to stay there while his mom brought him his towel. Then he stops at the top of the stairs and turns around. While looking at the water he asked me, "Now can I jump in"? hahah he wanted to jump in the water and start swimming but I told him no but it was hard because I was laughing. The next day was his confirmation and it was also really awesome. On Sunday we were able to bring the whole Hernandez family to church! Last week just the mom and her daughter and son went because the father hasn't wanted to commit himself yet. We did divisions with the members and I went with one of the members in our branch to pick them up. The father, Rodolfo, still didn't really want to go to church but we kept taking away all of his excuses and he finally said that he would go! Now the whole family is progressing to get baptized! They just have a few questions and problems about a few things but we will be able to help them out with that.

I don't have too much to say since we were just able to talk. I miss and love you all so much!

Love Elder Markham

Isreal and his family at his baptism with Elder Markham

Isreal's little Sister, Garrett, Isreal

** Update:  We got to skype with Garrett on Christmas Day!  What a fun day it was!  The best Christmas present for his Momma!  We laughed about old times and memories that we are going to make together in the future!  Garrett has really grown up and has done some great things for the people of El Salvador!  He bore a beautiful testimony in Spanish to us.  He truly has the light of Christ with him!  We love him beyond words and are so thankful for his example!  

Notice the glow from Garrett's side of the TV?  It's the Light of Christ that he gives off!  He is truly a disciple of Jesus Christ!  We love Garrett!  He is such a great example to all of us!

Preparing for another baptism...and soccer balls...

Hey Family!

So I don't have too much time but let me tell you about Israel. His mom has been a member for a few years now. But last Sunday she came up to us and asked if we could help her son prepare for his baptism. We said yes, but then she told us that he just turned 9....I couldn't really believe if she was serious or not. But it looks like we will be having another baptism next week! 

The other day we went to his house to teach him but first he wanted to play a little soccer with me. We started kicking it back and forth and then I kicked it and it went past him and started rolling down the hill. He started to chase it then he stopped while it kept rolling. I wondered why he stopped. But it rolled down a steep hill so I didn't see where it went exactly. I said that my companion and I would get it but when we got to the hill, it turned out to be a cliff! I KICKED A 9 YEARS OLD KIDS BALL OFF A CLIFF! I felt bad and said I'd buy him another...since they only cost 25 cents. I bought him one two days later and he was in love with it. The next day I saw him and he started to tell me that a dog took his ball. Then his mom said that he was playing with it and a huge pit bull came by and ran off with it and Israel started to cry. I told him I'd get a new one.

I cant wait to talk to you all on Christmas! I love and miss you all!

Love Elder Markham

Teaching English classes and eating pupusas!

Hi Family!

This week was a pretty great week of activities! But first the pupusa eating competition didn't go as well as I hoped. We couldn't do it Monday because they got back to the house late. So we said we would do it Thursday because we had a huge pupusa party. It was an activity between our branch and the other ward that attends our church. Whoever wanted to participate could make a pupusa and whoevers was the best won a gift basket for Christmas. All the other people played games and watched "Meet the Mormons". Then everyone got to eat pupusas. It was awesome and we had about 10 investigators there. But one of them had to leave early and it was pretty late so we walked her to the bus stop and waited for her to take the bus to get home safely, But when we left, the guy I was going to do the competition with, started eating pupusas. Then when I got back he said that he was already eating 6 and was about to get numbers 7 8 and 9. I had to hurry and start eating but when I got to 6 they ran out of pupusas. Then he got all happy and said he won and everything. haha it wasnt cool.

We've been teaching English classes and we've had tons of people come. And they all love it! Especially the Hernandez family. We started teaching them las week. There are the two parents, and two kids but one is 13 and the other is 5. They go to all the activities and they even went with us to a baptism that the other Elders had. They said that they really liked it. It's been great being able to teach them. They just haven't been able to go to church yet and they don't want to accept a baptism date. But they say this week they are going to be able to go to church. 

Yesterday we found another family just sitting outside their house listening to music together. We began to talk to them and turns out the husband is the brother of one of our investigators. But the part most surprising is that they already don't go to another church and haven't been baptized! Because here, everyone is baptized in other churches. But we were able to teach them that families can be together forever and that they need to be baptized by the authority. They said that they aren't sure yet but that they are willing to prepare to be baptized on the 16th of January. The lesson was super spiritual and awesome! I am so happy that I can live with my family forever and that the true authority to do it has been restored! I love the mission and everything I get to do! I love and miss you all!

Love Elder Markham

Another Baptism for Garrett and Watch out for flying Fireworks!!

Hey Family!

This week was great! Saturday morning we had the temple trip with our investigators and members. We were able to bring two investigators, Jose Henriquez who will probably get baptized within the next month and Leonel who got baptized later that day! I want to send pics but I can't because my memory isn't working haha. But I did the baptism Saturday and my companion did the confirmation Sunday. We had lots of members come! It was great but a little stressed and rushed because we went straight to the church after the temple trip. Leonel shared his testimony after his baptism and it was awesome! He kept talking about how he was going to come here then take his girlfriend, who's a member in our ward, to his other church after he came here with us. But he liked it so much that he wanted to get baptized after the first time he went to church! That just shows the power of the Spirit that testifies to everyone about the truth. I know without a doubt that the church is true and can feel my testimony growing every day!

The temple trip was fun. There were 4 different groups that came through out the mission. Each group came at different times and there was a total of about 1,200 people that went! It was awesome! My companion and I were going to teach about the life of Christ but we got there late because the bus that was supposed to pick us up with our Branch never came so our branch president rented a bus that he drove. But it was cool because I also got to see Carlos Jimenez. He was super happy to see me too haha. But he didn't get baptized yet because he still has to get married but I guess he's scared to talk to his...señora? I don't really know what to call that in English. 

All the kids in El Salvador like to set off fireworks in the streets at Christmas time...we have to be careful cause sometimes they don't watch where they are throwing them....or maybe it's because they like to throw them at me!

We watched the devotional Sunday and it was awesome because I could understand it! I'm pretty sure that was the first Christmas Devotional (Link here) that I actually learned something from because all the others I just slept through...oops. Tonight I'm going to have a pupusa eating competition with a guy whose mom is a member but he still hasn't gotten baptized because he feels like his mom is pushing it. He's been to church a ton of times and already knows everything... But he's a pretty big guy so it will be hard. We are going to make a deal that if I win he has to get baptized. haha wish me luck! I love and miss you all!!

Love Elder Markham

A Baptism coming up and a trip to the Temple

Hey Family!

Well first things first! This next week we are going to have the baptism for Leonel Olivares! He passed his interview so this Saturday will be his baptism! Saturday is going to be a great day because in the morning we are going to have our Temple trip with the investigators and less active members. That's when we all go with them and they learn a ton of stuff about the Temple and the Book of Mormon and a ton of other stuff! It's super awesome! Then we will have Leonels baptism that afternoon, then that night we are going to watch the Christmas Devotional! I'm super excited for that because last year I could only understand the choir singing the Christmas songs....pretty sad right?....oh and that's because it was in English.

This week was another tough week. It's not too hot though in our area because it's up on a mountain. Lately we've had some wind passing through so it's felt pretty good. But since all we do is walk up hills and stairs it still feels like it's 100 plus degrees sometimes. 

This week we were able to do divisions with the members a few times. They helped us out with finding more investigators. Our branch president gave us a reference for an older guy named Jose. We taught him a few times this week and he went to church with us yesterday! He's a great humble guy. He doesn't have a lot and a few years ago had an accident so there's a pretty big hole in the side of his head. But he is always wanting to learn more! He always reads what we leave and he's picking it up well. It's just that he talks a lot so we don't get to teach much in one lesson haha. But he's married so that is super awesome. He has a baptism date the 26th of December so it's another day I'm really looking forward too! I miss you all so much! I hope the Radio is playing all of dads favorite Christmas songs haha.

Love Elder Markham