Boyka the Boxer

So this week was fairly normal. Nothing too crazy. We started off the week with 0 baptismal dates (which is pretty dang bad in a Central American country) and we were able to finish with 7! We´ve got 3 that are most likely to progress and baptize a little 8 year old girl, a different 13 year old girl, and Edwin. I think I´ve mentioned him before. But he should have his baptism this week. He has been feeling a little unsure these past couple of weeks, but I think he'll will do it. If not we just gonna toss him in the water ni modo. (jk) The 8 year old girl was a reference, and her family is less active and are pretty excited for this. And the other girl is the sister of a recent convert. The others, well we`ll see what happens there.

Also I gave my second talk in this country. I talked about the atonement of Jesus Christ. About the love that God and his Son have for us. What the atonement does for us. And what we have to do to honor and use the atonement in our lives. Bassically. "God and Jesus love us a boat load. Do we love them a boat load? If so, keep the commandments, repent and if you don't love them a boat load, dont be like that. Repent and love them." (More or less the shortened version of my talk) And today we played on a super dope slip n`slide that we made.. and we played soccer, and I scored a couple goals. woooooooo!

Salu pues

Elder Vaughan

The kids that Edwin takes care of, they say I look like a guy from a boxing movie. a guy named "Boyka" (something like that), We made a slip n slide for pday today. I'm that guy with the black and white shirt.

La Semana Santa

So this week was the "Holy Week". People here don't really celebrate Easter Sunday. They basically just celebrate the whole week. More than anything on Friday.

Thursday, we had a mission-wide activity in the temple. All of the investigators and members and everyone went to the church building there by the temple and learned stuff about the temple and about the plan of salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, my zone didn´t get to participate in the activity, but on the bright side, we got to enter into the temple. You can really feel something special in there. Where you can just forget about everything and focus in on the Spirit of God. Great time in there. Afterward, I saw some members from my old areas of Ilopango, and San Miguel. The coolest part of the temple was that I entered in with a bunch of members from my ward in San Miguel. I also saw my "son" and a bunch of other missionaries from other zones. it was pretty sweet! the second best part of the day is that on our way home we went to TACO BELL!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Don't tell anyone but we actually had to leave the mission to go there.... oops.

Then yesterday, we had stake conference and I got to see even more members from my ward in San Miguel. It was funny because many of them asked me "Hey you only have a little bit more left of the mission right?"...... "Uhhhhh no.... I still have more than a year....." but it was cool seeing them!

So, Friday night I was in the area of the other elders here in my district and there was a HUGE march of the catholics at 8pm. During the day they are making pictures in the ground with colorful salt. Pictures of Jesus and the Saint of El Salvador and flowers and what not. Then we heard a bunch of shouting and saw the march start. People were singing hymns in megaphones. Then passed by people carrying a big casket that had Jesus inside. (obviously a fake person). and that thing honestly looked pretty heavy. Below is a picture. So yeah that´s how things were celebrated here. I just ate pupusas instead.

Also, a rat peed on my head during a lesson....

See ya,

Elder Vaughan

Catholics with Jesus Casket, I found my son in the temple, me and Elder Williams, temple, Elder Stebbins, Loranca, y yo, me and Elder Williams with Sister Ashton (the one by Williams) that came with us and her comp.



So I decided to cut my hair this morning.... I cut the sides and back with a number 1, then when I finished I went to shower. I saw a part that I missed so I went back to cut again. But my brain wasn´t working and I forgot to put the number 1 on and I started to cut with the 0................. Yeah I screwed up. I´m bassically bald now. remember from the spongebob move when King Neptune (Dont ask me how I remember his name) Takes of his crown and every shouts "BALD! BALD! BALD!" and their eyes start to burn and die......? Yeah my companion said that this morning..... Please forgive the weird looking shape of my head. I promise its not like that in person...

Please pray for me and my baldness this week.

Soccer and Baptismal Goals

So this week was fairly average. Still facing the same struggles to have people go to church and to progress. We might have a baptism this Saturday or next.The guy's name is Edwin. He takes care of 3 teenagers (16, 14, and 12 years old) whose mom lives in Maryland. They were basically living on the streets and didn't have a whole lot in life so Edwin took them in, gives them food, and basically pays for everything because their aunt that is supposed to take care of them doesnt do anything. So we are working with these kids as well so that they can be baptized. They said that they want to, but they said that they want to feel the Spirit in their hearts before they make any big decisions because "Baptism is not a game". They are the most positive and they are super awesome to be around.

Yesterday Edwin had to take care of some business for the kids so we watched after them for 30-60 minutes (not really sure) we went to the park and played soccer we some of their friends. Not trying to brag, but I scored a pretty dang good goal (and from distance) one of the boys there that was on the other team, high fived me and said "Respecto hermano, Respecto." (Respect brother, respect). Yeah it felt good. This week there is an activity with the whole mission and all of the investigatores and EVERYONE at the Temple. So that will be pretty dope to head over to the captial. We´re hoping that a lot of people turn out to it and help us out there. So there's that.

Go kill it this week.

Elder Vaughan

P.S. My resume now includes mango picker. (I now have coconut and mango)

Pics with Pres and his wife, the best $1.50 I have ever spent on this lego and the other soldier guy, and my amazingly ugly tie. $2 I love that everything is so cheap and amazing here. If anyone was curious how my feet are doing, well the ants are having a good time. They like to eat while I am washing my clothes... Yeah I have to wash all of my clothes by hand... :(

Spiritual and Physical Gains

Well, I got moved again. I'm in Santiago de Maria, Usulutan. My new companion is Elder Loranca from Guatemala. He's only got like 3 or 4 months in the mission. He's pretty cool. He's really really really really happy all the time. Like I don't even know what happens to this guy but he laughs and smiles at nothing. He could see me eating a sandwich and die laughing. but it's 'aight. For those of you who know me, I'm not a person like that but it's a good balance to have. We will have a baptism this Saturday and maybe more in a couple weeks. The area is alright, nothing much to report on now. we have big armchairs in our house to study in! So yeah sometimes I accidentally take some minutes to "meditate" during my studies . . . I'm still the dang district leader. Luckily it's only a district of four, including me and my comp. Feeling well and growing physically and spiritually fat.

Have a good week!

Elder Vaughan

Me with my old ward mission leader, with the little girl I baptized and her brother before leaving Chalatenango, and my new comp.

"Hot Blooded"

So nothing much has changed this week. The work in the whole district is slowing down, sadly. It's a pretty hard city, but we're still fighting. We`ve been trying to find new people but people just don't accept us. Our investigatores are slowly diminishing... but we`re still working hard. well except for Wednesday in the evening. I wasn't feeling too hot the whole afternoon. We got on a bus then I was hit with some big feelings of throwing up. 5 minutes on the bus then I was alright. We kept working for a while then returned to the house a little early. I went and layed down and started out with a fever of 101 or something, then it raised to 103.6 to finish off the night. Wooooooo. All is well now. Just the fun stuff of the mission is all. Next week you will know if I am leaving from this area or if my comp is.

Later kiddos!

Elder Vaughan

My ugly face when I'm trying to learn piano, trying on a baptismal skirt, and a sign that says "Welcome to Chalatenango".

Playing with Fire

Well, this week was rather average and not much happened. We had three days without working in our area, because we did some service then had a meeting in the church, worked in the area of other missionaries, and we went to the capital for a doctor's appointment for my comp. So yeah, in terms of numbers, this week was pretty rough. But we helped an investigator get married and the other elders baptized a woman as well. The sisters will have a baptism next week. So, things are alright here. The ward is pretty rough. They judge us a lot and I can actually feel the hate sometimes in the ward. It's pretty rough. But, hey we're still here with breath in our lungs and livin life. Have a good week!

Elder Vaughan

My comp playing soccer with a coconut in the street, me with fire, the district, and some other stuff

A Visit to the Lake

Well this week was rather bleh. Nothing much happened. It was probably one of the worst weeks we have had in terms of lessons and other numbers. We had to go to San Salvador (2 hour bus ride) to get my comp's arm checked out. So we didnt work at all that day. and we have to go again in 2 weeks and then who knows after that.

This area has been the hardest. When we ask members (in ward counsel) to visit investigatores they say that they will do it, then when we check up on it later they say that they went, then we talk to the investigators and no one had passed by... So that's pretty cool. Not all of them are like that though, there are some pretty cool people still. Being district leader sucks though because I get to bed late every night and the zone leaders get heated up with me when the numbers of the district are down, but hey we still living and fighting here.

Tomorrow I will have completed 9 months from the day that I left home, woooooo fiesta. My 3 latino companions have told me at some point during our time together "I thought you were really calm and normal but then I realized that you`re freaking crazy." :) The latinos are learning of the real J Vaughan.

Later kids, Elder Vaughan

Me and my comp at Lake Chalatenango, me waiting in the hospital wearing my comps tie, and my jacked up comp.