2.5 Gallons...

Elder Crump here, checking in from the best mission in the world.

Life is the greatest and the work just keeps moving forward. This week we did a whole bunch of contacting because we are in desperate need of new investigators and it’s been getting a little out of hand the excuses we have started to hear. At least it makes it semi entertaining so we don’t get down on ourselves while doing it.

I think the worst part was when we tried to contact one of the neighbors of a member here in the ward. We got the info and the member doesn’t tell us anything about them. Just says ‘Ya go visit them, I’m sure they would like the gospel!!’ So the next day we are headed to go see them and when they come outside of the house I just wanted to book it! Haha! Needless to say, they were 2 prostitutes so our conversation didn’t last too long. We go back to the member and asked why in the world she sent us there and she just says, totally serious, ‘I thought they would benefit from your message as well!’ -.-

So besides that, the week was a real spiritual one. I have been reading a lot about the Restoration of the Gospel and how to teach it to someone who already goes to a church. It’s hard to say, you don’t have the priesthood, or you don’t make covenants in your church when we contact people. But we also do need to be direct. I realized that it all comes down to being sincere and finding that perfect truth that the people need to hear. It’s not about telling the people what they don’t have, it’s about testifying to them what they are missing out on. How is it that the Restoration of the Gospel is going to affect their lives right now...? What would change if they came to our church? As a result of all this studying I have just felt so much power while sharing the message of the Restored Gospel to people and know that I’m doing my job as a missionary. It’s just so important for us to know and have a personal testimony about how it is that the First Vision affects our lives today. The message of it all hit me when I remembered the picture that we have on the wall at home of the Sacred Grove. I’ll attach it in the email. I now have a totally different outlook on what that picture means to me and hope you guys can understand it as well. 

An investigator we have named Walter works in Don Pollo, a little KFC type place that is by our house. We have been trying to get him to go to church but it’s been difficult for his work schedule. So we went over to see how he was doing while he was working and while we were talking, the guard of the restaurant comes over and he’s like ‘Hey Elder! Do you remember me??’ I literally had no idea who he was, but ends up I had taught him a year ago when I was in Chalchuapa. (Even though he didn’t want anything then.) The guy is all super happy and starts telling Walter about what amazing people we are and that he needs to listen to the message we have. It was a good testimony for Walter to see. It’s just crazy because while I was teaching this dude in Chalchuapa, I thought I was just wasting my time, but maybe I just had to teach him so that he could help Walter out now with his testimony of us as missionaries! It’s super sweet how the Lord works in mysterious ways to help his children accept this gospel!

2.5 Gallons.  Well, that is the current amount of water necessary so that I can take a shower. In Atiquizaya the water goes out pretty frequently and so we have to take showers with the water we have stored up in water jugs. Last Friday we helped a member haul a bunch of dirt and we were filthy afterwards, and when we got home there wasn’t any water. The problem was that we had forgotten to fill up the jugs. 5 gallons of water between two missionaries means 2.5 gallons a piece! It was the only option we had! Haha!

I love you all so so much and pray for you guys every day. I know that this is the only true church upon the face of the Earth and that I have been called of God to share this message with the world. I know that the gospel literally changes peoples’ lives if they let it. I have seen it time and time again here. I hope you all have a fabulous week and strive to share the precious truths you have in your lives with all those around you!

Elder Crump

Getting ready to watch General Conference.

Don Pollo where Walter works.

All three elders, who now work in Manantiales, also had
served in Pushtan so they made themselves t-shirts.

In front of a Catholic church in Ahuachapan.
Elder Rivera, Elder Laing and Elder Vasquez.