"Excited to get to work"

Hi Mom and Dad! I only have a minute to write you to tell you that I've arrived in El Salvador. I'm really excited to get to work, and I love you a lot!

Elder Hilton

 

 

 

We also got an email from his Mission President, President Glazier, with his mailing address and a few pictures:

 

Elder Alden Hilton

Misión El Salvador San Salvador Este

PO Box # 3362

San Salvador, El Salvador

Central America

 

 

 



 

His preparation day will be on Mondays. We are excited to hear from Elder Hilton again soon!

"The best part - giving away a copy of the Book of Mormon"

Dear family,

 

     Another good week here at the CCM has gone by. This is our last week here. Next time I write, I will be in El Salvador. I'm really excited to go. I'm not sure when the next time I write will be. It's possible that I might not write next week and have to wait for the next P-day.

    

     Our trip into Guatemala last week was great. The best part - giving away a copy of the Book of Mormon. After going to the market, they took us to a big courtyard and just set us loose. Elder Beecher and I were really excited/nervous and ended up wasting some time just standing there figuring out who to talk to. Finally we ended up talking to someone named Kevin. He was so nice, and he accepted a Book of Mormon, committed to read it and pray about it, and gave us his phone number. It was so cool. For the rest of the day we kept thinking about him and praying for him.

 

     This morning was our last trip to the temple. In all, we got 83 names done. I'm so grateful that we had the opportunity to go to the temple so much. It really has been a blessing.

 

     During our lessons this past week, we started to use the Plan of Salvation thing that Aimee made for me. It really helps, and all the other missionaries wish they had something like it. Thanks Aimee!

 

     Love you all!

 

Elder Hilton

 

 

"Another good week at the CCM"

Dear family,

    It's been another good week at the CCM. I've learned at lot. I can now pretty much understand Español - as long as it's about the Gospel. Anything else, I can barely understand. On Tuesday we had a devotional where one of the mission presidents in Guatemala came and talked to the CCM. I really enjoyed that. And I was able to understand him, without even thinking about it. It's kind of mind-boggling to think about. I still struggle speaking in Spanish though.

     I'm writing today because tomorrow we're going out into Guatemala tomorrow. We're getting a little tour of the city, a little shopping, and we're hoping to get a chance to place some copies of The Book of Mormon. They used to provide regular opportunities for that, but they had problems with missionaries just getting some fast food instead of working. But we specifically asked if we could, and they said we could.

     Tomorrow the majority of the missionaries leave. The Latinos only stay for 2 weeks, so we've already had 2 groups of them come and go. The new group arriving Wednesday will be our third and final group. Everyone is getting impacient and just wants to get out of the CCM. They say it feels like a prison. That's why there's so much excitement for our venture into Guatemala tomorrow. That's not exactly the way I feel. I really don't mind just sitting around studying all day without going more that 100 feet from the same building. But I do want to go. I just want to get to work. Our president always talks about work, work, work, and makes us excited for it, but we're here. I'm working on putting that excitement to work into studying.

     It's cool have such a small group of missionaries here. We're about to get to know the presidente much better. Every Sunday evening, he has all the nortes (under 30 right now) in his apartment for a family-home-evening type thing. That's really cool. We're not going to be able to do that much longer though, because the ratio of nortes to Latinos is going to completely switch soon, because the nortes are just getting out of school, and schools starting back up for the Latinos.

     In other news, I've figured out how to make paragraphs! I just have to hit the 'Save Draft' button, and it will start a new line.

     I love you guys!

Elder Hilton

"Instant Brotherhood"

Hi guys! So I'm beginning to get more used to the routine here.
Everything seems much more normal now. Just lots of practice and learning. We're getting much better at teaching. One thing my companion and I are learning is how to teach together. I tend to dominate the lessons, which I really did not expect to happen because I tend to not talk much, and he's really outgoing. But we're getting better, and you can really feel the spirit in the lessons. The rededication was really good. I directed the music for the opening song, I Know My Redeemer Lives. I was glad I got to do that, because it was being broadcast throughout central America and I from what I have seen so far, no one else here knows how to conduct. Our song, The Olive Tree, went well too. Oh, and speaking of singing, in one of the new groups of nortes (as in people from the US) there were two guys from BYU Men's Chorus. I didn't really know them, but I recognized them and it was like instant brotherhood. I love going to the temple here. We've done the work for a total of 42 people so far. And any time someone mentions the temple or family history I always feel the spirit. I love you guys! Elder Hilton