Sunday Escort Service

Greetings children! So this week was good! We were able to have the baptism of 2 people, Salvador(his name is "Savior" how cool), and Ester. Before the baptism we had the wedding service then they got baptized. they were found by the missionaries in september last year, but had to wait a long time to get divorced from their old spouce then to get all the papers ready to get married, then baptized. They have testimonies that are honestly stronger than half the members here... Salvador cried just about every time he prayed or talked about baptism, because he was scared to die without being baptized. They are super amazing people. and the iceing on the cake is that a guy from the ward baught us all pupusas to celebrate.

other than that nothing too crazy. the wife of our chef just turned 20 and her favorite food are shrimps. so our chef made us shrimps again.... super amazing.

we should have another baptism this saturday as well! and maybe the following as well! See ya kids. dont do drugs,

Elder Vaughan

Pics of the baptism and wedding and eating pupusas after the baptism.

Sunday Escort Service

So this week was fairly interesting... 3 people got killed a block away from the church building... We had to escort people to church, because they were too scared to go. But we all chill here. Jesus has got our back.

On tuesday we saw our chef in the street (the guy that makes us lunches) and he he said to us "Hey! I want to break a rule today!" So he told us that he wanted to make shrimp for us (we´re not allowed to eat seafood here in the mission) he explained the sauce and everything and lets just saw that after a year of no fish I was tempted and we gave in. I ate shrimp for the first time in a year and I was in love. Sorry for breaking the rules, but it was super delicious.

Cool lesson this week. So think about the Book of Mormon. I don't remember where the scripture is but it says "Al grado que guardáis los mandamientos, prosperareis en la tierra." (you translate). So let's look at the commandment of the sabbath day, the things that we should do or shouldnt do.

Read the scriptures pray sing go to parties or other passtime stuff (sporting events) visit the sick other stuff you can think of.....

The scripture bassically says that you will prosper in the world depending on your obedience to the commandments. So if I am only good with 50% of this list of things. I will only prosper or recieve 50% of what I could normaly recieve. I'll let you guys do more evaluating on your own lives there.

Also in 2 Nephi 5. Nephi seperates from the bad people in his family to have peace with those that will keep the commandments. We too need to separate ourselves from the bad influences to be able to keep the commandments. (read it on your own time)

Have a great week children

Elder Vaughan

My district, the new addition to my desk, my shoelaces after 1 year, we ice bucket challenged people, because they lost a bet.

Mother's Day

So this week, nothing too crazy happened. Wednesday is mothers day here, so we went outside of the mall with a little banner thing that said happy mother's day and we took some pictures with families there. Below is a picture of the activity. Then Sunday we had stake conference. Six months again I had stake conference in this same stake, then I returned and saw a bunch of people I knew before. A girl that I had contacted and started teaching is now baptized and all the families from before are inviting me over for dinner. In stake conference one of the 70 spoke. someone from Guatemala. He talked for like 45 min or so... One of the things I remember that he talked about was that he warned about the usage of social media and as well as sabbath day observance. He said that too many people are losing blessings that are waiting for them, just because they have to go buy a soda or something from the store, and that social media distracts us from the most important things in our lives from family church and all that falls in between. He said that we should try to create some ways in our homes to control the social media so that it doesn't take over our lives. He also said that as missionaries (also applies to every person) we should represent three things. 1: our last name, 2: our nation, 3: Jesus Christ. Don't be bringing shame to your family, nation, and most importantly to Christ.

Also happy mothers day.

Elder Baughan

A dope family from Ilopango that I saw, and me and some of the guys taking pics with families for mothers day outside of a mall.

Return to Ilopango

So President just loves to move me around here. After 1 change in Santiago de Maria, I got moved back to Ilopango. I now have 5 areas in 1 year... My companion only has 3 months left in the mission and he has 5 areas as well. My companion is Elder Garcia from Mexico. He was in my district in Chalatenango 2 changes ago and now hes my comnp. So before I was in the area "Las Canas, Ilopango" and now Im in "Alta Vista, Ilopango" My area is just the other side of the street of my old area. I attend church in the same chapel as before, just at a different hour. So I said goodbye to everyone from Las Canas, thinking I would never see them again only to return 3 months later. Its cool though because its been my favorite ward so far. I hope to stay here for 6 or so months, but we'll see what happens.

When I saw the bishop up from las canas he said to me with a big look of suprise "HEY! Que onda vos?!" (Hey whats up) Its how people talk with close friends or family members. (Or how the gangsters talk with everyone) so that was cool. His baby boy whenever he hears "elder" he says "Vaughan" did I tear up when I heard that? Just maybe. No jk. another baby is WALKING. When I was here he didnt walk, no he walks! I'm weirded out here.

FINALLY I am no longer the district leader! And thank goodness, because our district consists of the DL, ZL, sister leaders, and the APs. And me and my comp... we are the Junior companions of the district... haha oops.

Later kids. Don't forget to love your mothers this week.

Elder Vaughan

Pistol laser pointer, santiago de maria, the bonilla family, Edwin with the kids, melvin, daniel, and bryan. The view from my new house, ZL in san miguel Elder Murillo.

Russian Soccer

This week we've been teaching a little girl that's 8 years old and her family is less active. She's pretty sweet, and is going to get baptized this month. We also have been teaching a 13 year old girl that is the sister of a recent convert, and we're thinking that she's going to get baptized in a few weeks as well. Nothing to crazy to report on in this week. We had a ton of lessons, and things overall are going pretty well. On the bright side I saw a guy with a Chik-fil-a shirt which was super cool. On the down side I had this really weird dream. I think I was in Russia and everyone was in these big tents watching soccer. SO I went to watch soccer, but first I had to buy a soccer jersey of the Seattle Sounders. I went to buy and they told me that it costed $70... So I didn't buy it because I'm cheap... Then I went into the tents and EVERYONE BUT ME had a Seattle shirt. EVERYONE. I was mad. So there's my dream for y'all this week. Have a fantastic week and dont do drugs kids. (a guy told me marijuana is good and I need it. He told me in english...) I said okay sounds good. Jk I said no.

Pday was awesome today so check out these pics. Cool look out point with the district, some art work from the locals...., incase you wanted to know how to use the bathroom..., lunch with the crew, and with a view, in the path to the lake. The green lake. its green because its filled with sulfur, because its not only a lake but a VOLCANO. que chivo hombre. our view during lunch today. Bummer because it was pretty cloudy.

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.