Nacho Libre's Cooking

Honestly nothing too crazy happened this week. Everything is pretty chill. Everything is good just kinda "Meh". Crazy people in the street keep touching me when I walk past... I never have had to practice my american football skills more in my life than I have in these past few weeks in Ilopango. Other than that everything is good. I'm on week 2 in T25. Time to get yoked children. Just kidding, everything is soaked in fat which means I will soon be soaked in fat (I think Ive gained 15 pounds . . .) I have never more related to the little kid from the movie Nacho Libre. Kid: "Why cant we ever have just like a salad?" Nacho: "...todays is especially delicious¨*shoots food out of nose*.

Never have I craved a good salad before. You can't really trust salads here because they´ll wash the leaves with bad water. And when we do eat them at members the bassically put a whole beat and tomato on top and say dig in. I actually almost threw it up once... but still going strong. I dont think I'll be able to send pictures this week. Computers are trash here. Kia Kaha

Elder Vaughan

Sweet Football Skills and A Baptism

So this week was fairly bland not a whole lot happened really. Met some interesting people and taught some interesting lessons. Also, I baptized someone for the first time (in Spanish that is)! An 8-year old girl from the ward. They just asked one of us to do it, so I did it. Her name is Alejandra Carolina Umaña Esquivel, and I didn't get any pics because she showed up late so I didn't really have time to pull out my camera. I'll try and take a selfie at church or something. So that was cool! Also we were talking to some people in the street and this crazy homeless guy came up and started grabbing my arm and asking for money... eventually he left. Then two days later we were walking in the street and he comes walking up to us and my companion easily dodged him but, I had a little more trouble. He started touching me then I pulled out an American football move and spun around him then we ran away. Almost one of the scariest moments of my life. That`s life in Ilopango. Gangsters and crazy people.

Elder Vaughan

Here's me my comp with El Murcielogo and his wife. "pose like he scored a goal!"

This is where me and my comp slept one night because they took the beds out of our house at 4am. 

Food with the new district Parting ways with Elder Williams in San Miguel.

A New Cool Area

Hey kids. So I had changes this week and now I'm in Ilopango! Neighbors with San Salvador. Yeah, they closed my area in San Miguel. So sadly I had to say bye to some people over there, like Alexander Campos and other cool people. So that's a bummer, but I got a signed jersey and pictures from him so no worries at all. Other missionaries are with him now so we´ll see what happens with that. Yeah, so Ilopango is super chill (temperature wise). I don't use my fan at all, and when I was in San Miguel I useed it every second I could. I wake up every morning shivering. Which gives me more motivation to work out... but its a pretty cool place. There´s a lot more drawings on the walls, and people in the streets... It's a little more dangerous but my companion is a big dude and I just try to puff out my chest and look tuff. Yeah, one night we were walking to an appointment that we had and I walked past 3 gangsters and one said in English, "Hey man what's up?" and I replied, "Sup man. Later" and kept going. I think he had a tear drop tattoo or something like that... I tried not to look for too long... but they´re chill so I'm good. So yeah, my companion is Elder Wikan from St. George Utah, down by Dixie. I would send pictures, but my computer sucks and doesn't have a USB thing that I can use. So our area is alright though, kind of dead right now, because before I came there was like 2 changes without any solid work going on. So we´ll see what happens. I don't really know a whole lot or have a whole lot to report, but yeah the walls here are a lot more pretty with all their drawings that they have so that makes life better. Adios!!

Elder Vaughan

I am so close to asking for a name tag that has "Elder Van" because I'm getting sick of teaching people how to say my name.

A New Cool Area

Hey kids. So I had changes this week and now I'm in Ilopango! Neighbors with San Salvador. Yeah, they closed my area in San Miguel. So sadly I had to say bye to some people over there, like Alexander Campos and other cool people. So that's a bummer, but I got a signed jersey and pictures from him so no worries at all. Other missionaries are with him now so we´ll see what happens with that. Yeah, so Ilopango is super chill (temperature wise). I don't use my fan at all, and when I was in San Miguel I useed it every second I could. I wake up every morning shivering. Which gives me more motivation to work out... but its a pretty cool place. There´s a lot more drawings on the walls, and people in the streets... It's a little more dangerous but my companion is a big dude and I just try to puff out my chest and look tuff. Yeah, one night we were walking to an appointment that we had and I walked past 3 gangsters and one said in English, "Hey man what's up?" and I replied, "Sup man. Later" and kept going. I think he had a tear drop tattoo or something like that... I tried not to look for too long... but they´re chill so I'm good. So yeah, my companion is Elder Wikan from St. George Utah, down by Dixie. I would send pictures, but my computer sucks and doesn't have a USB thing that I can use. So our area is alright though, kind of dead right now, because before I came there was like 2 changes without any solid work going on. So we´ll see what happens. I don't really know a whole lot or have a whole lot to report, but yeah the walls here are a lot more pretty with all their drawings that they have so that makes life better. Adios!!

Elder Vaughan

I am so close to asking for a name tag that has "Elder Van" because I'm getting sick of teaching people how to say my name.

Teaching a Pro Soccer Player

So I'll start at the beginning of the week and work my way through. Well actually last week. So we were knocking doors near our house and we found this lady in her mid thirties. She told us that her sister and husband and his side of the family are Mormons, and that she has gone to church a few times already. SWEET! Her son was also preparing for baptism and stuff. Way good find. So we passed by the following week (this week) so that we could also meet with her husband, and the husband answers the door. Hes a stacked dude, got a perfect haircut and everything (latinos love there hair) so we enter and we talk with the husband a bit. We see on the wall the logo of the local soccer team "Las Águilas" (the eagles) and we ask him "oh you a fan?" his answer "No I played for them" we look over and see his picture on the wall of him after a game, and we also see all of his trophies. He was player of the year and golden boot (scores most goals in the season) and he won the tournament here in El Salvador. I completed my dream. We taught a professional soccer player. He's playing for a different team now, but he is the real deal. Hes 36 though so hes probably gonna retire this season or next. But him and his family are way dope. They gave us pizza and everything. Then we passed by one day before conference to ask for a favor, to help us buy a soccer jersey for cheap (because as missionaries and as a white guy people think we have a lot of money). So after the saturday morning session of conference he picked us up in his car and took us to a good shop. Then he dropped us back off at the church for conference. We gave him a quick church tour then he had to leave because he already had a comittment. But still way dope. Also he signed my jersey. Alexander Campos number 9 nickname "El Murciélago" (the bat) look him up kids.

Also this week we taught a guy completely in English because we didn't want his wife to hear because she goes nuts. So my latino companion and me taught a full losson in English, way dope.
So conference was way good! I got to watch it all in English as well! I think this was the first conference that I watched completely withought falling asleep, but it really was good. My favorites were Bednar and Stevensen, and some others as well, but the way those two talk is something I like as well. And Stevensen is an Aggie Alumni as well so maybe there is a little bit of bias... I can't remember right now what they all talked about, but I did take notes and I found a lot of stuff to apply to my life. "What will I give for so much I have recieved" (dont remember exactly what it was) the Irish coat of arms was pretty dope and BE AMBITIOUS I think that applies a lot to missionaries because if were not ambitious you cant accomplish nada. Over all a really good conference.

Sadly my homie elder williams is getting transfered and we still dont know in our zone who is getting transferred. Sometime later today Ill know. I kindof want to go and kindof dont want to go. Partly because I wanna baptize Alexander "Murciélago Campos.

Here's some pics. The money I survived off of for a week... Party for "El día del Niño" a holiday all about kids. me and elder williams at conference. sac races from el día del niño. me and my new jersey. the signature of Murciélago.

Exchanges with the Zone Leaders

Well, this week wasn't all too crazy. Kinda normal and what not, we had exchanges with the zone leaders and I lead one of them around my area and normally we have 3 lessons a day (that is really low) but with him we had 11! Don't know what happened, but just maybe the area is turning around a bit, but it is still pretty hard. Saturday we only had 1... yeah its rough sometimes but still going. And the girl we baptized in my first week, she can't go to church anymore and is moving to a different city and there the church is like 45 minutes away and probably won't continue going to church. so that's a little bit of a bummer.. but other than that, things have just been bleh. I need to start working out more because my pants are feeling kind of tight... I refuse to buy new pants for my whole mission. Only if they get destroyed. Don't worry about me not getting food, because I really wish I could get less. The people here food us a ton of food. Here are some pics from the other week. Here´s a funny story this zone leader from above was looking at my pictures that I have then he saw the one of me Chris and Josh at Chris's graduation in front of old main. He said "oh this looks like a smart school." Oh yes, it is." (Utah State) so there's that.

Elder Vaughan

Rats and Soccer

So this week wasn't anything extraordinary. Pretty bleh actually, but some good things too. Started out the week by killing some rats (latinos think anything that is mouse sized or larger is a rat). We were studying then I saw one run through the hall I shouted "Ratón!" Then my comp freaked out, sealed all the doors grabbed the brooms and set up a battle plan to kill it. Yeah we killed it... then we found his significant other in the bathroom and ended her too.

We also had interviews with president this week. Nothing too special with them, but president really is a great guy and hes got some great ideas and visions for this place.

So we`re teaching this kid of 8 years old and he`s kinda loco but he`s cool, and to help him focus we tell him that if he pays attention then we`ll give him candy and play with him. So we play soccer with him after every lesson, and now he`s telling all his friends/family that Im really good at soccer. Someone called out to me in the street and said "hey I heard you can play soccer!" "huhhhh I guess". Its not hard to play against an 8 year old.

Yeah our area kind of sucks. The ward doesnt help us at all and the people here dont want to listen to us. So we just walk around forever and no one lets us inside. But oh well, we've got some people that at least have a tiny desire do listen.

I would try to attach pics and videos of us with the rats, but my computer is slow...

Later kids!

Elder Vaughan