Getting to know the Mission

We had meetings with new missionaries today. They arrived yesterday on the same flight overnight that we did! The meetings today were an orientation. They were from 9-2:30.
We went over rules for food, security, finances, how to use time wisely and setting goals. I'll have to type in some of the secuity issues! We've already broken some rules! The Elders and Hermanas were paired up with a trainer and away they went on two buses; first to buy some comida and then to their areas. There were 16 American Elders. It was so fun to talk to them and get to know them. Some of their Spanish is not not any better than Pattee's!
I have learned a lot in the 8 days since we arrived. Jim is doing great! Everyone comments on how well his Spanish is.

We met an American member who invited us to dinner tonight!! And tomorrow we have been invited to Thanksgiving dinner with an American group of members and some American Elders! Who'd have thunk?
One family works at the embassy, one in mining, one is building a coal fired power plant, one is in outsourcing, one works in marketing with an airline, and one is private company working with state police. That's the great thing about the church, where ever you go you have instant friends!
When we met our Bishop, he told us "no worries" there's lots of Americans in our ward. It's called the Campestre Barrio.

Our biggest concern this week is getting money transferred here so we can pay rent and buy a car. (We'll have to explain the used car issues down here....) We have to have a car for security purposes. There's not much public transportation in the areas where we will live or the project. And it's too far to walk to the site from our casita. And we wouldn't want to be walking in the dark either, ever.
Because of Thanksgiving the transfer of funds has been delayed.
But poco a poco. Little by little!

November 22, 2008
We went to the Sononate Stake for their Stake Conference meetings and to attend 32 baptisms from that zone. There are 20 missioneros in that area. (a handful of American young men) We also were able to witness a marriage of a family who will be getting baptized later this week.
The next morning we went back for the Sunday meetings. Jim and I both spoke!! Can you beleive that? They don't mess around! The Mission President said, "And now it begins....."
I wrote my short little message and testimony out so I could read it. Jim, thankfully, corrected for me. We actually spoke twice that day as their conference was split because of numbers. We were the only gringos. Everyone was overwhelmingly kind and gracious. We are like celebrities because we are Americans here helping to build their temple!

Arrive in El Salvador!

We are creating this blog for our friends and family who may be interested in our experience of serving a 2 year mission in San Salvador. We are missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Our primary service here is to assist in the construction of the San Salvador temple.

A little bit of backtracking to get caught up-

November 17, 2008
We arrived in San Salvador at around 7:00 in the morning, having left L.A. at about 2:00 AM. The plane was full. We had managed around 2-3 hours of sleep.
Going through customs was very easy. We were the only gringos on the plane! We stuck out like sore thumbs in Jim's suit and my skirt. (That's the idea!) We were the only ones in the line for "foriegners". President and Sister Lopez picked us up. President Logez is the mission president for the El Salvador San Salvador West/Belize Mission. We emailed him and asked him if we could stay with them until we found a place to live. We have a very comfortable room with wireless Internet, and the food is plentiful-too much and too yummy! We are being emersed in the world of missionaries and the organization of 180 young men and women in two countries! It is so fun!!
The first day here we napped and then experienced Price Smart. Central America's Costco! It was the same, but different!! We also shopped at a local market and they had everything we'd ever want or need. We noticed prices were about the same except for fruits and vegetables; they are cheaper.

November 18-20, 2008
These days were filled with meetings with architects and contractors from Utah and El Salvador and the project manager from the church. Most meetings were in Spanish but the last meeting was in English. It was very nice of them to speak in English!! Jim really enjoyed these meetings.
The architect/construction manager in San Salvador has been especially helpful to us. He gave us a temporary phone to use with prepaid minutes and some people in his office took us around to look at apartments. They have said if we need anything to just call them. The architects and constractors are a very respected firms here in San Salvador. It is an honor to work with them.
We also went to the temple site and walked around. It is hard to envision 3 construction projects going on at the same time on the same site! There will be the temple, a chapel and a 7 plex apartment/office building.

We found a perfect casita to rent yesterday. As soon as I walked in, I knew this was where I wanted to live! We had viewed apartments in highrises but they didn't feel as comfortable to us as a little "townhouse" . Us "country bumpkins" feel much better on ground level....