Arrival in the Mission Field




Waiting for luggage.

 

Elders Barker, Colovich, Flukicker, Freeman, Johnson, Kelley,

Malmberg, Moron, Neiman, Dye, Zeldon, Grasley, Cava, Peterson, Romwell,

Rivas & Sister Wells



Spanish speaking sisters. Thanks for the bike Aunt Jo(sephine)!



Called to serve, elsewhere

Sister Breanna Wells has been called to serve the remainder of her mission in the Phoenix, Arizona (Spanish) mission. She leaves December 27th. She will arrive just before a group of greenies from Provo.

First Baptism of May- May 3, 2010

Hno Pablo at his bautismo.
(Disclaimer: This is a picture from a previous baptism, not the baptism Brea reports in this email.)

Hello Everyone,
So this week we had a multizona in Layco, which meant that we had to ride on the buses for two hours to get there. E´Bol told us we had to leave at 5, and then he and the ZL´s didn´t show up until 6 so that was a dirty trick. Oh well, he told the other elders in our district the same thing. We waited at the Torre for an hour, and Hna. Arroy got some sweet pictures of it. It’s really pretty when it’s all lit up. At the multizona I saw Hna. Torres and her new companion. That was kind of weird since she used to be my companion.

We continue to teach a bunch of lessons to a bunch of people who are totally ready to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So this last Friday was Stephanie´s birthday, and I´ve been a total bum about mailing my letters and finding out where the post office is, so here is a little shout out to Steph, I love you lots and I´m sorry I haven´t sent your birthday letter yet. Oops, I´ll get on that soon.

On Saturday we had another baptism. It was the husband of the woman who was baptized last week, so it’s now a complete family! Yippy, and now when their awesome little girl turns eight he´ll have the opportunity to baptize her.

Yesterday President Perez drove down here and had interviews with Hna. Arroy and me and that took a while. Then we went to the appointments we had scheduled and neither person was home, so we started knocking doors and found some cool people to teach. Pretty much that’s my life on a mission. I love you all so much.
Love, Brea

It’s a hot, hot, hot world- April 26, 2010

Holy cow, it is so hot down here in Espiga (yeah, its spelled with an e...I found that out this week)! I never know the temperature but I know that it’s really hot! So, for the past month or so I’ve been having some trouble with my ankle hurting, so I talked to the mission nurse and we tried a few things like icing it and ibuprofen, and then we checked to see if I had gout..I didn´t. Now I’m on some antibiotics that seem to be helping out, so it seems to have been some weird kind of infection. But, as I said, it’s been feeling better the past few days. On Wednesday the mission nurse told me to take a day of rest for my ankle, so that was boring. We did some service by cleaning our chapel. It’s huge, or at least the normal size of an American chapel, which, down here, is huge. Oh, our Saturday was fantastic. We had a wedding and after the wedding the bride was baptized. Next week the groom is getting baptized too, as well as another investigator we´ve been teaching, so the people here in Espiga are really prepared for the gospel!

Yesterday I went on divisions/splits with some of the members in the Ward. One is preparing for her mission and she´s going to be a wonderful missionary. We visited some of the inactive members down here, which are a lot. Hna. Arroyo went with one of the other Hnas. in our ward who´s also preparing for a mission to another part of our area and found some more of the inactive members. So, as you can see, the work down here is really moving and keeping us busy with appointments, which makes it really hard to find time to contact people and knock doors, but we´ve got investigators, which is good. I love you all so much. How’s life in the United States?
Love,
Brea

Aspiga…Dos April 19, 2010

Hermana Breanna's new haircut

Apparently I can never spell the name of my area right on the first try, but I’m in Aspiga II (hey I was only one letter off this time). Oh padres, thanks for the Appreciation day wishes. (We celebrate half-birthdays and call them Appreciation Days.- Padre) When I read them at first, I had to stop and figure out what month it is and realize that today is my appreciation day.

This week has been really good. We’ve had to get to know the area....again. It seems like when I’m feeling like I’m getting familiar with an area, I get moved to a new one, crazy sauce. The people here are so nice and so humble. We’ve had a jam- packed schedule and we just got here. Also, one of the investigators we inherited is ready for baptism this next Saturday! After her wedding of course. And one of the people we found this week has a date for baptism for the first of May! God has for sure prepared the people of San Vicente for the gospel. In reality all we’ve been doing this week is finding inactive members, finding out where our boundaries are and knocking doors. The first night here there was a scorpion in our bathroom and Hna Arroyo smashed it with her shoe, and then at a member’s house there was a bat that flew in. The mom was all cool about it but the daughter was freaking out, like me. Oh, yesterday Hna. Arroyo y yo completed 5 months in the mission! Hurray! haha, Hna Arroyo entered the MTC the same day that I did, and came to El Sal one change before me. She’s from Guatemala, is 25, and is super nice!

You remember the area in El Salvador where there was the flood/mudslide thing last October/November, well that is in my area. The people are living in tents in this one part of our area.

Oh my goodness Andra, you have a Facebook. Crazy sauce! If Mel wants to she can hack my Facebook and add her (if she remembers the password), or she can wait until I get home, like everyone else. Oh poor Rhonda the Honda (Melanie's car). She was a good car, but part of the plan of happiness is that we must all die. It’s a fact of life.

Thank you for all of your love and prayers. I pray for you all every day and miss you lots and lots. Have fun and remember that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true!

Love,
Brea

Three for Three- April 12, 2010

Hermanas Torres and Wells in a Mexican Resturant

Oh my goodness, this day has been on crack! But not really.

Let's start with earlier this week, though. After writing to you all we spent some time with one of the members from Ayutuxt because she´d been missing us really bad and President said it was alright.

Then, on Tuesday, we went to an inactive member's house and she was getting ready to cook some crab, which meant making sure they were dead and cleaning them.  So we helped her out with that and then she let us eat some and they´re sooo good.

Wednesday we hung out with our district leaders, had a run-in with the police, ate some Mexican food. HAHA. One of the police officers here is our district leader´s brother and so they saw each other and then gave Hna. Torres y yo a ride to go eat. We most definitely got some pictures with the El Salvadorian police.

Thursday was our last district meeting together, so it was kind of crazy and fun. The Elders started dancing and it was funny as all get out.

Friday we were supposed to go to the distribution center with our recent convert but he couldn´t show up, so we bought his Bible for him.

Saturday was completely nerve wrecking because at 10 p.m. we were told if we had changes (transfers) or not, and I did! But they wouldn´t tell me where.

Sunday was crazy, filled with packing, eating at people's houses, and church, where we had a bunch of investigators.

TODAY! We had to be at the church at 6 a.m., so we had to wake up at 4:30, but the coaster (the bus) didn´t get there until 7. a.m.  I´m now in my third area in three months, and yes, we were blinded again. I´m here in Aspiya II, San Vicente with Hna. Arroyo, and she was in Cuscatalan at the same time that I was, so I kind of know her. Oh, also I got a package from Dad today, as well as a manila envelope.  I´ve still yet to open them. Hmm, I´m not sure what else to say.

I love you all sooooooooooo much!
love, brea

Easter and General Confererence- April 5, 2010

Oh my goodness, this week has been completely crazy!

So, on Tuesday we moved apartments because our landlady thought that it was alright for her to enter the apartment whenever she wanted to and that's not alright, so we moved. We are now one building over and only on the 3rd floor now. Apparently here, the individual apartments are owned by different people.

This week was really hard for missionary work because every one is on holiday this week.  That means most people are on vacation and there's, like, no one in the streets. On Thursday and Friday there were processions, or Catholic parades for Easter. They had this glass casket kinda thing with a Jesus figure inside. Hna. Torres seemed kinda offended by the whole thing, but I kind of thought it was beautiful how they actually worshiped Christ at this time of the year instead of a rabbit.

Street painting for the Easter Procession (picture from Brea)

As most of you know this weekend was GENERAL CONFERENCE and it was awesome. Yes I did get to listen to it in English, in a side room with four other American missionaries. It was fantastic, but we always were like, "what's going on?" when we left the room and there was Spanish again. The Elders were totally funny to sit with for 8 hours--they´re totally crazy! We got little desks to use to write on and we felt all school-like and just had to take some pictures. Anyway, I absolutely love, love, loved Elder Holland´s talk. He´s so good at giving machete talks. When I heard Elder Anderson (of the Seventy) talk about the saints leaving Navuoo it reminded me about when we visited and walked down the Trail of Tears and how I cried the whole way...but that was because I had just gotten my fingers smashed in a car door.

Missionaries listening attentively to General Conference

When we got home from the Sunday sessions there was an awesome thunder storm. I absolutely love thunder storms. They always remind me of the time we all sat by the sliding glass door with the lights off and watched the storm and then we laid in the living room and listened to Bill´s thunderstorms CD. Oh gosh good time.

Anyway, that's pretty much how my week was. Today we had a pinata shaped like Barney that we smashed to pieces. Any who.
I love you all lots!
LOVE, Brea

Missing the modern conveniences- March 29, 2010

Women in El Salvador washing clothes in the river.

Oh my amazing family! You all really are the best family that I´ve ever had.

As the subject would imply, I miss washers and dryers like no other. We have to wash our own garments and that is in a stone sink and it takes for ever, but at least it makes it so my forearms are getting strong.

This week has been really chill, with not very much going on. We´ve gone with our DL´s a few times to help them with one of their investigators who doesn´t want to talk with them so much, but is alright with talking to the sister missionaries. We visited them twice and are going to stop by again this week and make some cookies with them. On Saturday we helped out with a YM/YW´s activity and that was a lot of fun. Other than that, we talk to people in the street, make appointments and then find out that they are phony addresses and such. Oh well, all in a week´s work.

Oh, just so you know, Mom, I always get your emails, the week that you thought I didn´t get your email I did. Sorry that my letter sounded like I didn´t.

This week is a week of vacation for pretty much everyone in El Sal because of Easter...I didn´t know that that was this week. Haha. Anyway, I´ll write you all again next week. I love you all so very much.

Love, Brea

Another week and another baptism

Hello People I love,
This week has been completely crazy! Last week Hna. Torres and I went with Hna Rivas (she´s the wife of Elder Rivas who is in the Seventy) to her hair dresser to get a haircut because hair dressers here are kind of ridiculous and he was supposed to be really good. He was alright, but cut way more of my hair than I wanted, because I just wanted an inch or two off since I’ve been growing my hair out. It’s now impossible for me to put my hair in a pony tail just because the back is too short to reach. Also, it’s a bit longer in the front than in the back, kinda like Victoria Beckham´s hair, which I’d normally be alright with if it didn´t make it so I had to do my hair every morning.

On Tuesday our whole district went to a bunch of our various investigator´s houses and taught them. I´m not really sure why we all went together, but it made for a really busy and tiring day. That day we committed a man to be baptized on Saturday. Wednesday we had a multi-zone conference and Doc. McArthor, the doctor over all of Central America, was there and talked to us about being safe with food. Papi Pérez talked to us about keeping the rules and making sure we fill out our baptism forms correctly, someone hadn´t done their math right and had baptized a 7 year old.

Friday was hectic and on Saturday we were supposed to have a baptism but he got into an accident, so we had to postpone until Sunday morning. Sunday Morning we had the baptism and then we worked crazy hard that afternoon and then had some awesome dinner at a member´s house.

Today we played volleyball and then most of the Elders played soccer. We then went to our normal cyber café, but they didn´t have any power, so we had to come to central for one. That’s pretty much all that I´ve been up to this week. How has life been since mom got home? How have you all been? I love you all very very much!
Love, Brea

Gringa in El Salvador

My darling family, how I love you!! Last week after I wrote to you we ate Mexican food and everyone got a burrito, except me. I got a gringa and everyone thought that was hilarious seeing as I’m the only gringa in our zone. It’s all good and was amazing tasting! It was pretty much what we call a quesadilla, but like 10 times better.

OHhh also, I got your package last week about 10 or 20 mins after I finished writing you. The socks work great, and the sweethearts tasted ridiculous like always. Also, yes I did get a letter from Lauren, the only problem is we don´t have a post office in our area and we´re not sure where the closest one is, so I’m working on finding that.

This week was more of knocking doors and the members here are fantastic! They´re really willing to go to lessons with us and give us references and feed us. They´re awesome, so hint hint that's what missionaries need. Members who are willing to go with them to appointments with investigators and food.
On Thursday Papi Perez came to our zone meeting and talked to us about...something, I can´t really remember. The importence of lecciones para encontrar I think. Then on Saturday we had a random emergency zone meeting where the zone leaders talked to us about how we don't have any baptisms yet for this month (at the end of the day the zone had 2 for the month) and how that is not acceptable and how we need to be doing better. We talked about all of our investigator and what we should do to help them and all that jazz. Most of this zone is new to the area and that's because, I think, there haven´t been as many baptisms as they want for here.

Sunday was good and one of our investigators came and he seems really great. Today, Hermana Torres had to go to immigration and make sure she still legal for this country, which she is. That took up the morning and now here writing to you! I love you all so very much, and Andra, thanks for the letter! I absolutely loved it! You all need to know that I love this gospel and this why I’m here. Because I know that this is the only true church on the earth and that through Jesus Christ we are able to live with our families forever if we´re willing to follow his example and live the commandments he has given us. I love you all so much, I’m praying super hard for all of you!
Love, Brea

Mi premero semana aqui en Atlacatl!

¡¡¡My most amazing Family!!!

So my area is aqui (here) in Atlacatl, Layco which is a suburb of San Salvador. It’s a pretty good sized city, about the size of Ypsilanti. We have a few investigators that the other sisters left for us, but they left cryptic messages on how to get to their houses, like approximately the 5th house on the left or the 2nd or 3rd pasaje after the market. It’s hard to find people who have started to hear about the gospel and want to hear more when we don´t have the address. Our apartment is pretty nice for El Sal. We do not have hot water, and the shower doesn´t have a shower head so it’s just a stream of cold water. We live on the fourth floor and the bishop´s house (that's where we go for lunch because his wife makes it for us) is also on the fourth floor of a different building, so we have a lot of stair climbing to do every day. We´ve been knocking doors quite a bit and the district leaders came over one afternoon and knocked with us. Everyone comments on how I don´t talk very much, but what´s a girl to do when she doesn´t understand what the people are talking about.

I have not eaten any armadillo yet, or even heard of the option of doing so, but I try it the first chance I get. Mostly we eat a lot of beans, rice and they LOVE papusas down here. They´re pretty much the food of El Sal. They´re like tortillas that have cheese or beans or meat inside. They´re actually really good. (pupusas recipe)


Nothing much else has happened in our new area. A lot of getting to know the members and finding out where people live and trying to find new investigators. Hey, question. Did you guys ever get the letter that I sent you? I sent one to the other Hna´s in my zone in the MTC and I know that they got theirs because one of them is here now and I got to see her on Wednesday which was nice for the both of us. Just wondering. How are the missionaries in Chili doing? Specifically the ones in Antofagasta because that is where all of the Elders from my district in the MTC went. Wow, that's crazy sauce about the earthquake, but I know that God watches over us no matter what. How are things at home? Has Andra gotten an email like I’ve requested, or at least thought about writing me a letter of any sort, snail mail, email, smoke signal....I miss her!!!! How’s it like in the great state of Washington? I love you all and love hearing from you. I send my love, and maybe someday I’ll send another snail mail letter. Hugs and kisses all around!

Brea....your favorite sister missionary

¡Cambios! ("Transfers!", literally "Changes!")

Sister Wells and her missionary companion, Sister Torres

So today we had changes (transfers) and I´ve been in my new area with my companion for maybe an hour now. Let me tell you more. This morning we finished packing and we took all of our belongings to the Stake Center, and then around 2:30 the bus full of missionaries that were getting transferred today pulled up and we got on and had to say goodbye to Hna. Nidia, that was really sad. There was Hna Torres, myself and one other sister on the bus. We drove around and then pulled up to the church that has the Distribution Center in it and Elder Brotherson called off the names of the people who needed to get off of the bus, and Hna Torres and I were two of them. We are staying companions but we´re opening a new area here in Lyico....that spelling is for sure up for dispute and I have no clue how its spelled yet, or the name of our specific area. So, that’s what’s been happening today, but I’ll find out more and tell you more about my area next week, you know, once I’ve actually visited it.

So this last Tuesday we went and did service in the morning and that was completely fun! We went with our whole zone and we walked there from the chapel, and that took 40 minutes. Once there we helped demolish part of the house even though there was still a bunch of stuff inside but the man told us to tear it down. Then on Thursday we had interviews with Presidente Pérez and that took a really long time, but was good. He talked to me about the 2000 stripling warriors and how their mothers taught them a lot of really good things and even though I’m not a mother now...something about that, I didn’t really understand. Ha-ha, but then he talked to me about how life is one day at a time and so is this mission; that I have to take it one day at a time. Saturday was completely fantastic!! We went to the church and helped the YW YM with their service activity which was picking up the trash on the street where their church is, and it really needed it. From that I got a sweet sunburn but it was gone by Sunday. Also, the most important part of Saturday, one of our investigators got baptized! It was a mass baptism because we had Stake Conference and right before there was the priesthood session and right after was the adult session, so there were five baptisms in all. On Sunday we had Stake Conference, and it was broadcast from Salt Lake, and we heard from Elder Costa from the Seventy, Sister Cook from the YW Presidency, Elder Christopherson from the Quorum of the Twelve, and President Eyring from the First Presidency. The talks were pretty good...from what I could understand. Then everyone who had been baptized on Saturday was confirmed members.

A note about packages. This is what I’ve learned from talking to some of the Elders. Unless you put stickers of the Virgin Mary and or Jesus Christ on the package, it takes it about a month or two to get here. IF stickers are used then it takes about 2-3 weeks. This is just what I’ve been told. Mail on the other hand doesn´t take that long, about two weeks. PLUS dearelder.com has it so that you can mail me a letter through pouchmail for FREE. ITs true, and it doesn´t take very long to get here, I’ve already gotten two letters that way. So, just so you know.

Anyway, not much else has happened this week..but it’s been pretty eventful. I love you all soo much and love love love hearing all about your lives. How are the snow and the cold? Sometimes I wish I had some coolness, but I’m getting used to it being 90 outside and think its chilly when its 70. How is Washington and Utah? How is school and work? And what in the world is Andra up to?!? I never hear from her or about her!
I love you,
Brea

An uneventful week- February 22, 2010

Yeah family! I love you all SO much!

So this week has been pretty much chill chill chill and not much has happened. I still haven´t gotten any packages, even though I have been told that I might have one in the office (at least that's what one of the AP´s said, but he doesn´t remember saying that) but it hasn´t gotten to me yet. Hna Torres said they might be waiting until this Thursday to give out packages since this Thursday is the day we have interviews with the Mission President. This has been a super uneventful week. We knocked a lot of doors, and talked to people but nothing exciting. It has been a really normal week, and the most uneventful one so far. One of our investigators is going to be baptized this Saturday but we´ve known that for the past week, so not really a “this week” event. I got some crazy cat calls this week, but I’m starting to get used to that seeing as the fellas here like to use the little English they know to say things to me like, ´hey sweetheart’ and ´hello, how are you´, that's pretty much all they know how to say. I know, being a white girl here is rare, and they´re all what is this white girl doing here? I’m the only north American girl in my zone, but there are 4 other north American elders here, so at least I have someone I can actually understand and talk to sometimes.

Sorry this letter is so short, but this week has been uneventful. Next time I write I´ll have more to say, seeing as I’m getting transferred next week....as the rumor goes, but it’s a pretty plausible rumor. I´m not sure if we get to write next week or what, but I will write you soonish and I love you lots and lots. I hope all is going super well in the many places that you all are, and I keep you all in my prayers.

Con todo el amor en mi corizon,
Brea

From Padre Wells- FYI, We received a letter from the Mission President informing us that Hermana Wells had arrived safely in El Salvador. Since it took so long for the letter to get here, I have realized what a blessing email is.

Happy Anniversary- February 15, 2010

Hey Mom and Dad, Happy anniversary!

As you can probably see, I have a new email address because myldsmail was updated and sorta merged with Google so my new email is like my old Gmail and I have a new email. That’s why this letter is just to you, because I cannot figure out how to send the same email to more than one person. I´m working on learning how to do that. (chiste, I figured it out! yeah me!) This week has been pretty fun. Last week Monday is when we went to the DS and got some sweet garments. Apparently if you go down a size you don´t need a tall or a petit...or at least that worked for me seeing as they didn´t have my normal size. This week while in my personal study I was reading in Alma 36 and I’m pretty sure it’s my new favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon, for now. It’s all about Alma and when he was destroying the church and then an angel came and struck him down and he repented. It a great chapter on repentance and how easy it can be to repent of our sins and receive the joy that God wants us to have.

Funny thing, so we get our mail on Thursdays because that’s when we have our weekly planning session and district / zone meetings and apparently this Thursday is when they got the dear elders. Well, Melanie had sent me a dear elder my first week at the MTC and accidentally sent it here instead of to the MTC, and guess what! I got it! Yea, I finally got a letter while here, so I got one from Mel and one from Steph. (no I haven´t yet received the package you sent dad, but I’ve heard from one of the APs that I have a package waiting for me in the office, so I think I have to wait until Thursday to get it.)

So Max now has a baptism date, which is super exciting! It’s for the 27th, and that’s our last weekend here, so good thing it’s not latter. I think Hna. Torres and I are getting transferred this next time (I think she has tried to tell me that, but I’m not completely sure.) Our area is crazy crazy small, as in it has two streets, and then the pasajes (I think they´re called that) so we´ve almost tracked the whole area, and have to do street contacts (I do not like street contacting!) So that is exciting news.

Today we had "secret friends"; we were assigned them last week, so we exchanged gifts today. I had an elder, so I got him a pretty cool watch. I got a volleyball and a bar of chocolate from Elder Robinson, he´s the zone leader. Next week we´re getting Jersey´s and they´re sweet looking and are from the University of El Salvador. Hopefully I can figure out a way to email pictures.

Yesterday, at church, I forgot to wear my name badge and it was completely weird. I´m not used to going out in public without it, and Hna. Perez (the mission president´s wife) was there and it was weird. ha-ha, but it made for a crazy fun time trying to hide from people the fact that I didn´t have my plack on. Oh and Sunday was also Hna. Torres´ birthday, so happy birthday to her. WE don´t really do anything crazy, I gave her a card with my Michigan Quarter in it (she´s collecting the US State quarters and thats one she needed)

Saturday we did service with the AP´s. We cleaned the storage area´s in Hna Nidia´s house (the house we live in) They were crazy cluttered because she has a LOT of stuff and that took all morning but it was fun.

Life here is crazy but it’s good when it busy. I love you all so very very much!
Love, Brea

Life is coolio!- February 8, 2010

Last Monday was coolio. After writing you y´all we went home and the bus rides were loco! Let’s just say that on one of them I had to sit on some random lady´s lap because there weren´t any more seats. Ha-ha, but I sent letters on Thursday, so the fam should get one and Will too, sometime within the next two weeks or so....I’m not sure but let me know when you get them. I sent them out on Thursday. Things had been pretty chill, mostly just appointments where I sit and listen and try to understand and keep myself from day dreaming...but somehow I day dream a lot. Not good, but I’m working on it. On Thursday (Thursdays are our days to plan and meet as a zone, or a district normally) we had a multi zone meeting, so there were a lot of missionaries there and we went to Apopa for the meeting. President and Sister Perez were there and so were the AP´s and they talked to us about a lot of stuff...mostly I didn´t understand but I think I got the jest of what they were trying to say. They went over rules and how we need to not eat crazy food or we´ll get sick. It was fun, I got to talk to some of the other gringos and like everyone they just told me to be patient with the language.

As of Friday Hna Torres has decide that I need to start being the senior comp and learn how to do all the senior comp things in case I get a newbie in a few weeks. I doubt this will happen but she wants me to be prepared for it, meaning we do better at planning so that I know what the lessons will be about and so that I will always have a part in them. Also, she made me do the nightly report one time, which isn´t that bad because the DL speaks quite a bit of English. I also I have to do most of the knocking on doors, and sometimes Hna. Torres will so to the other side of the road and knock, which I don´t like to much only because when people to come to the door (or the window, normally the window) and answer me, I have no clue what they´re saying or how to respond. Maybe that´s something I should work on for language study. This morning as a zone we had a water balloon fight which was pretty cool. We´re going to get zone jersey´s, not really sure why but I’m stoked for them. And for Valentine’s day we´re doing secret friends, meaning we each have someone else in our zone who is our secret friend and we get them something and give it to them next pday...at least that’s what I’ve gathered from the Spanish I can understand. Apparently sometime this week the zone is going to take a trip down to the distribution center so that we can buy some garments because apparently they will be on sale, a set for a dollar. That’s kinda exciting. Yes, that is the excitement in my life. Not much else is going on in my life. It consists of appointments, knocking doors and being really confused but it’s all good. I will continue to pray for all of you! I wish things were better at home, but life isn´t perfect. I love you all so very very much!

Love, Brea

Life in El Sal- February 1, 2010

I love, love hearing from you! Just so you know. This week has been pretty good. More knocking doors, talking to people and trying to learn Spanish. I´m understanding a bit more, but figuring out ways to answer questions is crazy hard. I can´t even imagine what it’s like when the language has a completely different alphabet. We found some more investigators and one of them seems really ready to hear about the gospel. Oh, correction from last week´s email, the area I’m serving in is Ayutuxtepeque...or something a lot closer to that than what I said last week. I´ll tell you about a typical day here. We wake up at 6:30, go for a jog with the dogs that live at our house with us (yea, I’d forgotten that I’m slightly allergic to pets...which just means that I’m kinda extra tired and have a runny nose so it’s not too bad) then we go to get breakfast at the house of the lady who makes us breakfast and lunch. Then we go back home and shower and prep for the day, personal study time and companion study and then we´re off at 10. We tract or go to appointments until 12:30 when we have lunch and then we have an hour to study or do things that we need to (for me that is sleep due to dogs) and then we´re off again at 2 for more appointments and tracting and such until we come back. We have an hour somewhere to eat dinner and we´re back to the house by 8 for an hour of language study and then planning and then whatever until 10:30 when we go to sleep. That is the typical day in the life of a Mormon missionary.

Oh and this has nothing to do with the above, but whom ever has the packages that I mailed from the MTC, could you look in there and find the one letter from Marie. In that letter it tells me what Lauren´s address is and I would really like to write a letter to her, I’ve just had trouble getting her address. Also, the reason the BYU t-shirt is in there is because I love it so I do not want it to get ruined here in El Sal so I sent I back so it can be safe. Just so you know.

Oh an exciting thing that happened this week is that one of our investigators wants to be baptized! I’m not completely sure when this will happen, seeing as he has trouble with smoking, but it’s exciting news. I feel like there isn´t much more that I’ve been up to. I really love hearing from you and last week when I said that you all write a lot I didn´t mean that in a bad way, its soo good that you write a lot. What have ya'll been up to? How is seminary going? How’s the new bed? How’s college life? How’s work? How are the callings in church? It’s your jobs to figure out which questions are for who. Oh, question for ya’ll, does Andra have an email address yet, or no? I feel like I never hear from her or hear about her life. How is she? How’s school and such? I want to know! Love love love, Hna B. Wells

P.S. If any of you get this within the next 20 min. feel free to reply and we can have a short back and forth. Love ya!

Mi premero semana in El Salvador- January 25, 2010

K, you all write a lot! So, I´m here and I´m safe. My companion´s name is Hna. Torres and she is a native. Let me start from the beginning though. We flew all night and got to e El Salvador at about 7 in the a.m. We got to drive by and see the temple and it’s amazing. We then became legal in the country and that took forever. Did you know that when you´re set apart as a missionary that makes it so you can nap in the chapel? Apparently it does because they told us to find a bench and take a nap in there. Haha, then we had one of the mission doctors come and give us all a little check-up and that was alright. We went to the mission home and had some great food. Then the Hermanas went to one of the local Hnas.´ houses and stayed there for the night. The next day we got our companions, all of the gringos got a Latino companion and that’s how it is all of the time here. I´m serving in Atuxtepequi....that might be how it’s spelled. (It's spelled Ayutuxtepeque. The name is directly above the label for San Salvador in the map.)

We live with one of the members and it’s the best place to live in the mission. We have hot water, a washer and dryer...it’s amazing! And a really big deal. We´ve been knocking doors because we were white-washed into this area and I don´t think it’s too bad. Maybe that’s because I have no clue what anyone says to me. I had papusas the other day and they´re sooo good. Um, the food here is alright but it´d be better if I didn´t gag every time I tried to eat raw tomatoes. (Yea, my biggest problem is with tomatoes and onions, fancy that.) Sacrament meeting was good, still didn't understand much, but that’s getting to be normal. I had to give my testimony, but I’m used to that. One of our investigators came to church! It was super cool.

I learned this morning that irons down here are a lot hotter than irons in the US, meaning that I melted a hole in one of my skirts this morning. How fun, but that will never happen again. Yep, sorry mom, I didn´t mean to, but just so you know it was not the awesome black one, but the super cool tan one. Um, my address is the one that I you have. That is the one you mail letters and packages to (if one happens to come my way, then peds would be greatly appreciated), because I guess we get transferred a lot, so this way we always get our mail no matter where we´re transferred to.

Just for the record, I have not yet felt any earthquakes. Hmm, I’m trying to think of if I’ve had any adventures. Nope, not really. But I do want to give a shout out thanks to Stephanie Rhodes for prepping me for down here. I love that girl to death! I’ve ridden on the busses (they´re more like vans), and they´re not too bad. My Mission Pres. is super cool and really nice. He´s actually in my ward that I’m serving in. His wife is so nice, too. Yep, that’s pretty much all I’ve been up to, knocking doors, teaching some people when my companion says key words which mean it’s my turn to talk in the little Spanish I know. But I’m super safe, trying to learn the language, and not letting my feet touch the ground at all. (See, Mom, I do listen to you.) I love you all lots and lots and can´t wait to hear more from you.
Love,
Brea

Leaving, on a midnight plane to El Salvador- January 18, 2010

So, my plane doesn't actually leave at midnight, but I'm guessing the one from LAX to EL Sal at 11:55 is close enough. I'm soooo excited that I'll be getting to talk to you today! Pero, I'm still going to write to you seeing as I love you so much. Hm. Today has been hectic seeing as I cannot finish packing until I wash my clothes, so I’m waiting on that. Yesterday we had to say goodbye to our Elders because they left this morning at 8, so we'll not see them again until they get back from their missions...if even then. Oh, random question could you let me know what my blog address is? Mama J was wanting to keep in touch and that is a good way for her to know what I’m up to. Nothing super eventful has happened other than saying goodbye to all of the wonderful people that I have met here at the MTC. I'm sad to be going because there is such a wonderful feeling and spirit here. When else can you be completely cut off from the world and feel the Holy Ghost so much. While here my testimony has grown so much. I know that my Savior lives and that he has done everything for me. That through the Atonement all of my sins can be forgiven and that the Savior knows exactly what I am going through all the time. When I feel inadequate and like giving up, I know that the if I turn to the Lord that he will help me through whatever I'm going through. That is why I'm out here, is to help other people gain that faith in Christ and to help them come closer to him. I know that these things are true.

I'm so nervous to be leaving the country for the first time (well, I guess I did go to Canada once, but it’s not really that different from the US) So I guess it’s the first time I’m going to a far away, majorly different country. But all will be well. I've met some of the Elders who are going to be in my travel group and they seem to be super cool and nice, and all of the Elders here look out for the Hermanas, so I'll be safe. Oh, update me one the news every once in a while. I hear that there was an attempted plane crash/bomb over Christmas in Detroit, what’s up with that? And why didn't anyone tell me about it? I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH AND CAN'T WAIT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY!
Love, Brea

Wahaha! One week! January 11, 2010

Ok, I'm so very, very excited to present to you my travel plans for El Salvador! So, I have to leave the MTC at 4:30, in the PM and my plane leaves SLC at 6:47 pm. SO there might be some time between being dropped off at the airport and leaving where I can call. We get into LAX 8:53pm and have a layover until 11:55p, so definitely time to call then. Sorry it’s so late, but I didn't make the travel plans. We fly all night long and arrive in El Salvador San Salvador at 6:45am. When we first got our travel plans everyone in my district got theirs except my two companions Hna Stout y Hna Karl, so the next day we went down to the travel office and they found out that the system had dropped them, but they did have travel plans. My companionship is all on the same flights but we're not in the same travel groups. Hna Karl y Hna Stout are in the same group but I’m in a group with who I think are all people going to El Sal San Sal East.

Sister Dalton the YW pres came and spoke to us in RS yesterday and it was awesome! She spoke about virtue again but this time focused on being sexually pure. Then we had a really great sacrament meeting and a fantastic walk around the temple.
Hmm, what else did we do this week? I'm not really sure, other than the whole travel plans thing this week has been pretty mellow and not very much has happened. Well if it has then I can't remember. You'll find out, I'm going to send you a sweet packageish thing before I leave with some pictures in it.

So, I can mail the stuff I can't take with me (such as Melanie's coat) to jess for super cheep, so I’ll be doing that. Her meeting me at the temple/airport is against the rules. Pero, I will send her a box sometime soon so, most likely I’ll send it on Monday so that I don't freeze so much.

Another thing, PLEASE send my Amy's new address, I really really want to write Willy a letter but can't bc I don't have his address. Plus, you’ve never let me know what Great Grandma's address is either, so if you could dear elder that to me, that'd be awesome.

Pretty much my whole district is stoked to be leaving the MTC. We love it and all pero we want to be in the mission field more. Tell Elder Kim thanks for the advice, even though you couldn't remember it, I’m sure it was good. K, I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH and I’m so super excited to call you next week! You may also receive an email but I’m not really sure about timing and all that jazz. I always love to hear about your life and OHHHH YEAH! I need Jessica and Melanie's phone numbers, seeing as I don't have them memorized. Yea, send those also in that sweet dear elder that has addresses. Hmm, I’m not sure if I need anything else but if I have time I’ll email more. I love you; tell me what you've been up to.

LOVE, B to the Wells

Fast Sunday- January 4, 2010

This week has been a major roller coaster. After our Tuesday devotional we were in our class room doing the typical district devotional review when Brother Trapneil came in and told us that our Branch President’s wife died this past Monday. We're all really sad because the Branch Presidency’s wives are like moms to us. They normally come to check on us once a week and we all get really close to them, so that’s been hard.

Random switch, but on to what else we've been up to. Last week, Monday, my district got to clean the temple again and it was so good! Hna. Karl and I were the altar crew, meaning we cleaned all of the altars in the sealing rooms and that was fantastic. We enjoyed it more than cleaning lockers.

I heard rumor that it was New Year’s this past week. HAPPY NEW YEAR! The Sisters next door (in our residence hall) invited us over to their room and we counted down to ten o'clock. We shot off a popper, drank some Martinellies and just pretended it was New Year’s. Other than that, it’s just weird to think that it's 2010 already and I won't see any of you at all this year! Crazy weird!

One of my teachers, Hno. Goodman, has been out of town for the past two weeks due to the holidays, so we've been having lots of subs for him. One of them is Hno. Stocking and he is amazing. He taught us a lot about pronunciation in the Spanish language and is so funny (he looks like Bobby Lee from MadTV, and I’m not just saying that because he's Korean) and really spiritual. He's a fantastic pianist and while on his mish (mission) he made a music program that was all about the Restoration and he performed it for my district this week. It was amazing and we all felt the Spirit really strong.

We had fast Sunday, and it just flew by. My companionship fasted to know what to teach Mary (she's this woman that Hna Stout calls every week and talks to about the gospel while we're in the RC). It was pretty much just a good Sunday, and we got to see Mama J and that always lifts our spirits. I'll take a picture of Mama J and us and send it to you before I leave.

Alright family, I haven't really heard much from you this week. How was your raging New Year’s party?! How have the first 4 days of the New Year been? Random fact for you, but in 3 days I get my travel plans! I’m freaking out over here with excitement, so next email I tell you all about when to expect a call from me! and where I’ll be flying from and all about crazy long layovers. Tell me all about all of your lives.
Love,
Brea

Christmas Card

One of the Hanukkah gifts that we sent to Hermana Breanna and her district was a box of Christmas cards. They were instructed to write their testimonies in the cards and mail them to their parents. Of course, this was intended to be a Christmas present to the parents.

My dearest, darling family,
I know you all gave these cards to me, but I’m
sending this one back to you with a little part of my testimony in it. I know that this gospel is true. Why else would I be out here when I could be doing so many other things? This is the truth, the word that everyone needs to hear about. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, that prophets of old from the America’s wrote it and that it is for our time. That God has a plan for us and that we should do all that we can to do what God wants us to do. I know that God has a perfect plan for all of mankind and that we have lived with our Heavenly Father before and that we will again and that we will be an eternal family. I love you all so much. I know that these things are true.
(heart) Breanna