Week 25: The Man From Gringolandia

Hello everyone,

I had my first change of the mission this week.  I am now in Zona Ilopango, District Valle Nuevo, sector Valle Nuevo 2.  My companion is Elder Yaxon (ya-shon) from Guatemala.  He's a super good missionary, but only has 3 more changes left in this mission including this one.

So far I love it here, because my area is way smaller than Ilobasco 3 was, so I don't have to walk forever to visit my investigators.  And we have members in my area!  And they love us and give us food, so they are all awesome in my book.

Aaaaand I spent all of my email time responding to personal letters, so I don't have time to tell you about my week, other than that a member told me that I come from Gringolandia (Gringoland) and I thought that was super funny.

All of the pictures except for the last one are from a service project we did.  The first one is 4 generations of missionaries: me, Elder Hood (my trainer), Elder Vallecillo (assistant to the president and Elder Hood's trainer), and Elder Zabaleta (my zone leader and Elder Vallecillo's trainer.)

I'll tell you about all of the other stuff that happened if I remember to next week.  

Also, I realized about half an hour after leaving the cyber that I forgot to mention something!  Why I called this email "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year".  Late March marks the beginning of an amazing time here in Central America: mango season.  Here you can get mango all year, but most of the year they are small, green, and sour.  Sounds nasty, but they're actually really good.  Anyways, the mangoes are finally in season, and they are delicious.  And since the ward mission leader in Ilobasco knows that I love mangoes, he always had some at his house to give to us when we go there for lunch.

 Love you all, and stay good!

Elder Colton West

El Salvador, San Salvador East Mission

4 generation picture: Elder Zabaleta, Elder Vallecillo, Elder Hood and  Elder West
 (each was the trainer of the one to their left)

Service Project

Elder West's "don't mess with me I have a machete" face!

Elder West didn't say, but guessing this is his new district in Ilopango

The wonderful Hidalgo Family of Ilobasco taken the day before he left.
Sister Hidalgo did their laundry and cooked their noon meal.
They are Elder West's 2nd family!