Today is El Salvador's Independence Day

¡Feliz día de independencia, mi querido país de El Salvador!

I still remember my first Independence Day in El Salvador. I had just arrived in the country and was in my first area in la colonia Santa Lucía, Ilopango. September 15 was a Sunday, and before church started, members of the Relief Society passed out blue and white flowers to all the women. To start off sacrament meeting, the bishopric had everyone stand and sing the national anthem. There was also a parade passing right in front of the chapel. (However, we were too busy having church inside to watch it.)

At the time, all of these events went over my head. I didn't understand much Spanish and was still a little bit in shock, trying to adjust living in a foreign country. I remember thinking, It's cool how patriotic they are here, but funny... I don't remember us singing the national anthem last Sunday. I wonder how often they do that?

It wasn't until the following year, when my second Independence Day rolled around, that I understood what the occasion was. My second Independence Day was a Monday, usually the missionaries' "preparation day" - a day dedicated to cleaning the house, writing our families, going grocery shopping, and running errands so that we could focus 100 percent the rest of the week on the Lord's work. I was excited because I thought my companion and I might be able to watch part of the parade, but then the mission president dictated that p-day would be moved to Tuesday that week, and required all missionaries to stay inside and do extra scripture study during the parade. I was a little disappointed, but we obeyed President. I know the decision was probably made for our own protection.

The light on the hill

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

- Matthew 5:14-16, KJV

I was here today:

This beautiful building in Logan is a temple to God. It's different than a church meetinghouse (most church meetinghouses are called "templos" in El Salvador, leading to some confusion about what "temple" means to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Temples are often built on hills in token of Jesus' teachings, recorded in Matthew chapter 5.

The temple is a place where worthy people complete ordinances. An ordinance is a formal act a person takes to show his/her dedication to God. God has commanded us to complete several ordinances, including baptism, confirmation and marriage. Therefore, the temple is all about bringing us closer to God.

To preserve the sacredness of the temple, each person must have a special recommend to enter. Anyone can qualify to get a recommend. God explained the requirements in a revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith:

And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church. (Doctrine and Covenants 20:37)

I was also here on Friday:

The Salt Lake City Temple is one of the most well-known LDS temples.

A connection to the past

As missionaries, we were always excited when local young adults came home from their own missions. These newly returned missionaries were used to walking long hours, striking up conversations with complete strangers and guiding gospel discussions. They also typically didn't have jobs yet and were more than willing to go out visiting with us.

This week, a flashback took me back to the day we went out with a newly returned sister missionary from Apopa. She was the younger sister of Majorit, one of the members of Barrio Refineria (Refineria Ward). She’d arrived home only a day or two before, and from personal experience I now understand how lost she probably still felt.

Hna Infanzon and I arrived at the chapel to meet her prior to beginning the day's work. I will always remember the wide smile that lit up her face when she saw us, and the longing in her eyes because of our missionary nametags - those precious plaquitas that represented countless spiritual struggles and triumphs, total dedication to God and love for those you served.

The longing must have won out, because when she gave me a hug of greeting, she didn't let me go right away. I started to release her after a normal amount of time, but her hold tightened and she started to get choked up, so I gave in and hugged her back.

After a minute or so, she released me and stepped back, wiping her eyes quickly with the back of her hand, and gave Hna Infanzon a regular hug of greeting. She was okay after that, and we had a great afternoon together.

In that moment, I felt my spirit connect with hers and I felt honored to provide a brief connection to her past.

Now that I'm home, my place is reversed, and the sisters that serve near my home now provide my connection to the past.