A dead frog in the house

Sounds like you had an awesome week up there in Utah! Pretty normal here.  We found a dead frog in the house, it had been stinking for 2 days before we finally found it. A family I baptized got super offended at something I said. Had to patch that all up.  (They haven't come to church in a month. I kind of chewed them out. They also received help from the church a couple times, and I felt that they were taking advantage of the welfare system.- Needless to say I did not have the spirit with me when I said those things...)

I did interchanges in Moncagua. We call it the tierra prometida!  (the promised land)  it's so beautiful. I am so so happy here. To be honest I wake up every morning just so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary.  El Salvador is such a beautiful country- the people here are amazing. There are lots and lots of sins here. But the people are so hardworking, and so faithful. I love my job! Nothing better than saving souls! I hate to say it, but I don't think I'm ever coming home!

Love you all!
Elder Goodman

Questions from Kanani
1. Is it rainy a lot?  When I look up your weather it looks cloudy and about the same temperatures as here, lately a little cooler. 
It rains a couple times a week here. The rainy season in San Miguel isn't very strong. In central it's crazy though!

2. How long is the winter season there?
I have no idea. A couple of months?

3. Do most people there own phones?  cars?
Almost everyone has phones. Only the upper class people have cars, or people that need a car for their work, like construction. From what people tell me average working wages are between 3-6k a year. And cars are the same price here as in the states.(an average house is about 13-18k) Lots of junky cars here.... A lot of companies make cheaper cars though. For example the only Toyota pickup is called the Hilux. It's a lot cheaper than a normal Toyota pickup.  They also have smartphones here. But different, cheaper, brands. Apple doesn't exist. Every once in awhile you'll see a Samsung. But they're expensive.

I'm a Grandpa!

Not a whole lot has happened this week. We had a sweet multi-zone conference with President Vasquez. Man, he is powerful.  They asked me to conduct the meeting. I forgot my belt that day. That was a little embarrassing.

There's a new guy in my district. His name is Elder Williams. He's from Hawaii!  He's from Aiea on Oahu.  He's awesome! He's one of my favorite people right now. He speaks Hawaiian, which is pretty cool.

The bishopric asked me to speak yesterday in church. After 5 months in the ward I guess they finally gained enough trust in me! It was the first time in my life that I have taken too much time on a talk. They were giving me the signal to come down! The stake president was there and I guess he wanted to say a few words.

I'm a grandpa! Elder Hernandez that I trained is training now!  I'm sorry, I'm having a really hard time coming up with things to write about. I found birthday cake flavored ice cream this week! It was delicious! I finished Jesus the Christ on Saturday. I read it in 15 days!

I love you! Have a great week!

-Elder Goodman

From Sis. Privado:

"Elder Goodman en el centro de estaca muchos saludos dise"

Another surprise photo!

Zach eats dinner with a member, Sis. Privado every Tuesday.  She sent us another photo.  She said, "Su hijo y sus compañeros dando servicio".  Your son and his companions giving service.

Crazy corn on the cob

Happy Anniversary and birthday week! What a great week!

I have been really happy this week! We had changes again this week. I have a new companion. Elder Perez! He's awesome!  He has a lot of desires to work hard, and to be successful! It's awesome! He's only got a little more time than I do on the mission. We've know each other for a long time, he was in Ilopango when I came to the mission.  Needless to say I'm pretty exciting for the next 6 weeks.

They changed up the zones a little bit. We used to have to go to La Union all the time. But now we are part of zona San Miguel. It's awesome! The other areas in our district are Moncagua and  Chinameca. It's a lot like Panchimalco. It's awesome.

I am now on my 4th companion here. When we finish this change in August I will have 6 months in the area. I'm still not bored! I love it here! I'm not sure how I'll feel in a couple months, but I would love to stay here for a year. Or more.

The Sister Privada was super excited that you answered her on Facebook! In Spanish! Who was it that wrote that? She gives us dinner ever Tuesday night. She's awesome!

I tried one of those crazy corn on the cobs that Nacho Libre threw at esceleto.  It was alright- just corn on the cob with mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, black sauce (kind of like barbeque sauce), chile sauce and cheese.  It tastes pretty much how you can expect it to.

Part of being in the new zone, San Miguel is that we need to be in the house by 8.30 instead of 9. To help us not waste time they gave us motorcycles!

Last sunday we did a special participation in the primary- teaching about temples. That was hard! I was trying to teach the little kids as I teach  adults. It didn't work out too well. I learned my lesson!

-Elder Goodman

Surprise pictures!

A member in El Salvador sent us photos of Zach and wrote, "Su hijo está muy bien  trabajando  en la obra  del señor"

"Your son is working very well in the work of the Lord"

How merciful is our God

Hi everyone!

This week was pretty interesting. Several times this week the thought has come into my head  ¨Que misercordioso es nuestro Dios¨    ¨How merciful is our God¨.

I was able to see several miracles and tender mercies this week, that really helped strengthen my faith. One example: A man in La Union that I met once on interchanges has a fairly serious health problem. A little while ago he ruptured his appendix. Ever since he has had a bag connected to his stomach, kind of like a catheter. He is probably one of the most faithful and dedicated members I know. And he doesn't even have a year of being a member!  This week the Elders over there baptized this guys niece. The elders wanted this man to baptize her, but he couldn't because of his health. This week the elders there in La Union told me that this guy went in for a check up, and his stomach is completely healed, miraculously. The doctors are going to take out his bag and seal his intestine this week. My first thought when I heard that was of the man´s son. He has a cute little 6 or 7 year old son who is really excited to get baptized. My first thought was that this man will be able to baptize his son! My second thought was: ¨How merciful is our God¨.

This week we had a baptism! It was a great way to end the week! But as we were walking to the church I was feeling really down, felt like I was wasting my time, I wasn't doing any good here, etc. Then I realized that I was about to baptize someone! Baptisms are the best! Even on a day where I was baptizing, Satan was making me feel like I was a failure. Satan will never give up! We can't give up either!

Have a great week! I love you all!

-Elder Goodman

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I wore my USA shirt to pday. I'm not sure what else I'm going to do to celebrate today, but I woke up pretty happy!

This was another pretty average week- not a whole lot is happening these days. Just normal missionary life. I've spent a lot of time thinking this week, about how I've progressed, how I'm improving, what I still need to do to improve , stuff like that. Lot's of self-reflection.

The talk 'what lack I yet' from general conference awhile ago has given me a lot of help in my mission. I've gotten into the habit of praying every once in a while asking that the Lord will help me know what it is that I need to improve. I started in maybe January, around there, asking what I could do to improve. I got the answer that I need to take more initiative. I worked on that for a couple months and felt that I got pretty good at taking the initiative. Around March I asked again, and I received the answer that I needed to have more love, for the people, my companion, etc. Well, last week while spending all this time thinking I asked again. ''What do I need to be a more effective missionary?''  And yesterday I received the answer that I need to be more diligent. So for these next couple of months, I'm going to try to be more diligent. Wish me luck!

There's a 5-year-old kid playing gta5 here. Here's screaming at the screen, kind of distracting.

 For anyone out there who has ever wondered what alcohol is like. Or for anyone reading this who wants to try alcohol, please don't try it. Please don't. Growing up I was never really exposed to alcohol, I never really knew much about it. But here I see a lot of alcohol. I talk to people every day who have ruined their lives because of alcohol. There is a saying here: ¨Los niños y los bolos nunca son mentirosos''.  Which translates to: ¨Children and drunks are never liars¨. And it's true, for the most part.  So many drunk people stop us on the street asking us to help them, they're drunk, which means they aren't very good at listening. But I look into their eyes, and it is so so sad. There are so many people who have lost everything, everything, because of alcohol. First, they lose their jobs, then they start losing their possessions, selling them for more alcohol. Gradually they lose their self-respect, families, friends, everything. I was on interchanges this week and the other missionary told me about a man he's teaching who sold his front door, for more alcohol. Selling the front door is never a good idea, but in this country, it's a very very bad idea. The people can't control it. They buy alcohol before they buy water, before they buy anything.  Can you see how sad that is? They are slaves to a chemical. Utterly wasting their existence.  The saying ¨well you can take my _______, but you can't take my dignity¨ doesn't apply here. Satan takes away their dignity too. He leaves them passed out in the street every night after a long, dirty day of begging for money. Not to buy food, or water, but to buy more alcohol. It's infinitely more difficult to quit, then to never start. So please, don't ever start.

Hate to end on such a sad note, but yesterday I talked to a lot of bolos. (drunks) and I've been thinking about that a lot. I am so grateful for Christ, and his atonement.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!
I love you! I'm happy here!

Have a great week!

-Elder Goodman