WEEK 57: 13 Month Transfers

 Martha and Bryan baptism

 Isla Triniteria

Najera family

9-12-16 Letter

Well this week there are transfers. Elder Paim is being changed to Centenario, Centenario and is going to be the new Assistant! He is going to be working a lot in the mission office. Super exciting. I am also going to be getting a new companion, Elder Erickson, and I am going to train him to be a Zone Leader! Hes from Utah and he is going to finish his mission in about a month so in mission terms ´I´m going to kill him´ Im grateful for this chance to train and help him to finish his mission strong. Well another thing that is happening in the Zone...they are going to take out the missionaries de Isla Trinitaria so for awhile we are only going to have 10 Elders here in the zone. I think its only going to be for a few months because next month arrive 18 missionaries and in November arrive 24 missionaries so we are going to be opening a ton of new sectors. So I spent 2 days last week in Isla Trinitaria to know the area and meet the people the Elders have been teaching so we are going to be working a little bit more in this sector as well...

So Sunday after church we went so Elder Paim could say goodbye to a bunch of the families of the ward..and every house we went to gave us a ton of food to eat..like I was probably offered atleast 5 pounds of rice, and so many postrys but it was awesome haha. 

OH GUESS WHAT! Martha and Bryan were baptised and confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints yesterday! Funny story...so we had postponed their baptism for this week but Friday they called us and informed us that Elder Paim was going to have transfers..so we told them Friday so it wouldnt surprise them and the mom told us si o si that Elder Paim had to be there for the baptism so we baptised them after church! It was a great baptism service..Tons of members went, we bought a cake and cola, and even some friends of them that arent members went so we are going to start teaching them as well! Im so happy I could help this whole family be baptised..First Anthony and then his mom and brother! I love being able to serve the Lord in this capacity and I know that He makes this conversion process possible for everyone we teach. Something Hna. Martha shared in her testimony is that when we met them and started teaching them the family was destroyed, there wasnt any unity or love in their home. And she said that now the family is whole different, that the Lord has unified the family and made them whole. I love that so much because its true. This Gospel helps families, and every kind of problem they can have because the Church focuses in the family..its the most important thing that God has given us so that we can progress and learn and become better people. 

WEEK 56: HOLA!

 Andersson and parents with Elders

 Elders with Bro. Moreda

Painting a door

9-5-16 Letter

Well this last week was great! Ive already got 2 months here in Batallon and I feel like I finally know the sector and how to get around and get to the members houses. As far as progressing investigators were still teaching the Hurtados and the Vazquez family, and Jugo and we picked up teaching Jonathan again! So Martha and Bryan didnt come to church this last week so we are probably going to postpone their baptism for another week or so, they were sick and didnt want to get up early. But they are still reading and praying and going to the activities so were excited for them. Also Andersson´s family came to church this last week, both of his parents! His dad didnt have to work so he was able to come as well and they had a great experience. We visit them like every other day during the week and he is a chef so he always cooks super good food for us! This last week he did a pasta alfredo with chicken and a salad and rice.(Picture included) It was amazing. The mom introduced us to her family that lives next door so now we are teaching them as well and they are progressing! Honestly, almost all the references we get are from investigators and theyre always golden investigators so we are working with them now as well. One thing that we have been doing again to find new people to teach is that we are giving english and portguese classes and it has been working a lot as well. The people love being able to learn little things to say in other languages. Its another way we have been having success. 

Another cool thing that happened this week. Tuesday we did splits so Elder Paim could do a baptismal interview. So we get to the house of the Vazquez family for our appointment and they cooked a HUGE dinner for us, which is weird because here lunch is the big meal. So she cooked us rice and beans with fried chicken. Here its called arroz con menestra y pollo broster. And of course the ´´medicine´´ Coca Cola´´ It was funny because it was Elder Sandovals birthday so we told him we had planned it for his special day.ll send some pictures dont worry. So this plate is what they eat here almost every single day but I love it...I am defintiely going to bring it to the states with me. 

This last week we had another meeting with President Moreno and our Stake President, President Caza. We were able to talk with them about each ward and its challenges and strengths to try to help them improve. The mission is focusing a lot now on service. We are implementing plans in our zone to do bigger service projects every week for people that live here in the stake, and we are trying to get everyone involved. Its one of the things different about our church, we are so service orientated, and I know its going to help us share the gospel in positive way. Another cool thing is that President Caza told President Moreno to send us to the Galapagos because we are working super hard so look out we might be going soon! 

Yes we got the water issue fixed in the apartment so now we are living great and the apartment is clean again. I am relieved we dont have to change houses because it gets in the way of our work time!

Well thats about all the time ive got so here are some pictures for you! Love you mom!

WEEK 55: PAYASOS

Payasos = Clowns

8-29-16 Letter

This last week was great! We have been working super hard with the ward directory trying to get around and meet ALL the members, actives and inactives. We still have another 15 pages to go in the directory but its been a good start! We have been able to find some super cool families less actives that we are bringing back to church..and we have also been able to find some new people to teach! One his name is Hugo, and his younger brothers are less actives, but he hasnt been baptised. We met him because he started working in the Stake Presidents store so we are already teaching him! And he went to church yesterday so he preparing for his baptism in about a month! As far Anthonys family, they came to church yesterday and are going to be baptised not this weekend, but next week! So pray for them a lot please! Martha and Bryan Vazquez. Anderssons family is doing well, the mom is progressing a lot more than the Dad because sometimes he has to work Sundays. But they are both doing well, they are reading the Book of Mormon together and praying together and going to church so its only a matter of time! They dont like feeling pressured so we arent trying to rush anything with them but they do have a baptismal date for the end of this month! 

Another thing thats been going on this week is that we havent had any running water in the house almost the whole week! So we have been taking showers at the other Elders house every morning. And today marks the search for a new apartment here in Guayaquil! Wish us luck! I have also been using the same clothes for 3 days because we havent had water to wash them haha thought Id give you guys an update! I love Guayaquil! But honestly other than the water situation thing everything here is going great!!!

I read this super cool talk by James E Faust this last week. Titled 10 things I want my grandkids to know before they go on a mission. It was great. One of the points I loved is that it said the key to missionary work is the effort we put in. You dont need to know all the scriptures, you dont need to be brilliant, you dont need to only focus in baptisms. We just have to give our best and take advantage of every moment we have to share the gospel. And this doesnt only apply to full time missionaries...it also applies to the members of the church! I dont know how to change this to English but one quote from the talk was ´´Lo que produce la conversion es la verdad simple y pura que el espiritu confirma, cuando va acompanado del testimonio de un humilde siervo del Senor´´ I invite you guys to read the talk!! Especially anybody that is preparing to go out on the mission field or has the desire to accept the call to serve. 

I took more money out this week because I found a place that can do adjustments in the shirts I have so you guys dont have to send me more shirts. The shoes are all holding up great! And for your questions Im not sure..all I know is contacts here are super expensive and hard to find but Ill try and see what I can do. 

I love you guys!

WEEK 54: HOT AND SUNNY

 Elders with new member Andersson!!

 Guayaquil Temple

8-22-16 Letter

We have great news! Anthonys whole family came to church yesterday for the first time! I finally see them super excited to follow in his footsteps and be baptised! Things are going so good they even invited us to dinner tonight! We have had some awesome lessons with them this last week...they already have all the missionary lessons so we are sharing and reading a lot in the Book of Mormon with them. Its honestly the key in missionary work. If the investigators really read and meditate on what they are reading in the Book of Mormon, they will be able to know its true. Its one of the most important things I've learned here in the mission field. And I know it can work with Dad so start reading the Book of Mormon with him!

Its going great as a zone leader right now. I do love the opportunity to work more closely with all of the Elders here in the Zone. We try to do divisions with a couple companships every week to train them and know who they are teaching. A really cool opportunity that we have as Zone Leaders is that we also work a lot with the Stake President and the High Council I think its called in english? More than anything we do our best to lead through example..sure sometimes its hard but its rewarding because I am learning a lot more about myself and how to be a leader. And when there are companionships that dont get along we do everything we can to help them out..and this last week there were emergency transfers and we got another new Elder here. But every Saturday we have Zone meetings with just our zone and we get to train them and help them get better in teaching and finding situations...I love it!

One thing kinda weird but funny that is part of the culture here... Los Ecuatorianos dont like committing to anything! So we always invite everyone we talk to church on Sunday, and tons of people to be baptised...But the majority of them reply with 'Si Dios lo permite, me voy domingo.'' Which means to say ' If God wants me to go, Ill be there.'' And its funny because of course God wants you to go to church and keep his commandments!!! Sometimes its a struggle because they also use it as a polite way to say no because another thing... Ecuatorianos dont like being rude so they always beat around the bush with things. I honestly think its better to just say No because then we know not to waste our time with some people we teach hahaha.

We also went to the temple last week!!! So we took some cool pictures. Also we are working with Anderssons family and they are preparing to get baptised next month! Pray for them please! I love you guys my time is up!