Semana Verificación (week 13)

So this week I spent mostly in Quito. It was my 6 week verification. So I traveled back up to Quito from Thursday to Saturday. It takes about 8 hours by bus to get there. But it's all good cause Elder Richimondg and I joke around the whole time. I tried to teach him some English toungue twisters like; "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" and when he tries to say it it{s just like, "Wud chuck wud chuck chuck wud chuck" and I'm just like, "Ooh! Perfecto Elder Richimondg! Su Ingles esta perfecto!" haha. We finally got there around almost 10:30. We always stay at La Luz when we travel to Quito. It holds like 12 missionaries. There's just beds everywhere.

On the verification day we first traveled to the church and listened to a bunch of lessons and other messages pertaining to the 12 semana program. Basically it prepares us to train a new missionary after 12 weeks. However that doesn't mean that we all will. Then we went up to Panecillo hill which is a huge hill in the center of Quito that overlooks almost the whole city. It's where President Kimball offered a prayer and dedicated missionary work in South America after David O. Mckay authorized it. There's a huge angel statue on top too. I have some sweet pictures of it. After that we had to go to the hospital with the mission nurse because Elder RIchimondg's shoulder has been hurting him for a while. It turns out he had nerve damage in his shoulder and neck. So that's a ton of fun.

I got to see some friends from the MTC like Elder Guild again. So it was sweet to heat there stories. Elder Guild is on the coast in Esmeraldas and they have to be in there apartments by 8:00 cause it's so dangerous there. We were laughing about the fact that our Spanish still isn't good haha. After that we had La Luz to ourselves cause everyone else could travel home that night cause they don't live 8 hours away. So that was fun. We traveled back on Saturday and were welcomed my a dinner fiesta with steaks and awesome food at Presidente Marco's house. Now it's time to start working in Coca again.

Yesterday was the beginning of the new change. My companions and I are all staying. Elder Magalhaes gets his new companion finally. I think his new companion will also be a new missionary. Elder Richimondg will continue to train me and I'll share Christmas with these guys. (To answer the Christmas question: By Skype) The weather will continut to be hot through Christmas haha. The weather is basically the same year-round where ever you are in Ecuador. Quito weather is perfect but I'm not there haha.

This week we continue to work with our new investigators and hopefully Patricio and Diana will finally be ready for this week. I haven't been able to teach Antonio yet because of the Verification trip but this week we'll teach him a bunch. We{re also working with a lot of menos activos right now. Members that regularly attend church are very antious to have more members there. I think we'll need a bigger chappel though. It's crowded as it is.

Les quiero! My family is the best! And keep doin' work my fellow missionary bros!

P.S. That candle didn't just look like a firework dad, it was one. Haha yolo, Ecuador!