(WEEK 36) And that's the way the cookie crumbles

So we were just walking in la Quintana and this 40 year old guy randomly pops out in from of us and starts calling us devils and is trying to cast the evil spirits out of us. Some sort of street exorcism. So we're evil apperently hahaha... But I never get offended, I only laugh afterwards...

So we've been trying to find less-actives lately and we finally found Jermania! We've always heard she was solid and have been searching for her for 2 weeks and we found her on accident when her daughter walked by their house. Score. We've also been giving tours of the chappel lately too. I kinda forgot how effective they are, but when you do them, the investigators are so much more likely to show up on Sunday. Also we finally found Silvia again. She randomly goes out of town a ton without telling us haha. But this time we officially committed her and her daughter to be baptized on the 10th of May.

I made a ton of cookie dough one day and I brought most of it to familia Pazmiño's house so we could use their oven and made a giant cookie. It took up a giant pan and was filled all the way to the top too haha. We ate it while sharing some mormon messages as an FHE. On Friday the Elders that were in Zona Calderón for the last change were invited to a breakfast at the mission home on this last Friday. The last change they got a ton of Rescatados(Rescues) as a zone. Which is basically when you teach all the lessons to a less-active again, get them an interview with the bishop and they start attending church again. But a lot of us were not invited so that morning we quickly made a huge breakfast of our own with bacan, chocolate milk, and a giant omlete with ham, cheese, more bacan, and hot dogs. Oh, and there was ice cream. I think we won... Gracias. On that same Friday we did our giant activity with the other two wards and missionaries in our district: Jeopardy 2.0 Android 3.2.4 Galaxy S5 con Afterparty. And words can't discribe how awesome it was. You'll just have to imagine the Celestial Kingdom, and only then will you be even close.

On Saturday Joseph Espinoza was baptized by a friend of his in the ward named Christian. Joseph is an awesome guy but just by his nature and personality I thought it would be a good baptism but kinda so-so on the spiritual part. But I was dead wrong. After I gave my little talk and after his baptism he and his mom both stood up and gave super strong testimonies. SUPER STRONG. I was shocked and touched at the same time. He really did change a ton since we first met him about 3 weeks ago. Best baptism of my mission so far. On Sunday he was confirmed and I also did my first two interviews with two brothers from the missionaries in the Collaloma ward that will be baptized this Saturday. They both passed perfectly, and are totally prepared.

Eso fue mi semana. Gracias por todo. Justo Recibí un paquete de Pascua de las oficinas hoy día. Lo que pasó es que se fue a Esmeraldas primero, pero ahora lo tengo. Seguir adelante

(WEEK 36) And that`s the way the cookie crumbles

Holy fish. (WEEK 35)

Starting off with something fun, here during Easter weekend(Holy week), they eat something called Fanesca. It's basically a year-old dry fish that they put in a soup. It actully doesn't taste too bad but it smells so dang terrible...

This week was another conference week. First we had a conference in Quito with the zones: Calderon, Ofelia, and Oriente Norte. We talked about a ton of stuff including how to better teach the Apostacy so the investigators see a need for a Restoration. Then we learned how to better teach the first vision as well. I learned a ton of stuff about the Great Apostacy that I didn't know before and also a way to teach the first vision that brings the spirit everytime. Then we ate Papa John's :D On Saturday and Sunday we had stake conference and a 70 came down to our stake. He basically cracked a bunch of jokes hahaha, like a boss... On Sunday we recieved a transmission from the States. Someone from the Primary presidency, Elder Nash(70), Elder Holland, and Elder Scott from the 12 talked to us. And it was all just for Ecuador. Elder Nash and Elder Scott speak perfect spanish, the primary president didn't really try to speak spanish, and Holland tryed at the first and last minute of his talk. His spanish kinda sucks hahahaha. But they all gave great talks and I love how Holland bore his testimony the best he could in Spanish at the end so the saints here could hear his voice testify to them in their own language.

I gave my lesson in the district meeting on Charity using a ton of scriptures and some stories. Then we played Jeopardy as a district. Elder Guevara and Elder Espinoza won. And I was surprized cause I thought Elder Santos and Elder Gebs would destroy. Speaking of Jeopardy, between two wards, Collaloma and Comité del pueblo, we´re planning to do Jeopardy again. But it's called: Jeopardy 2.0 Android 3.2.4 Galaxy S5 con Afterparty... So you can guess how awesome it'll be. Elder Santos made up the name. On Friday we did splits, Elder Gebs and I in his sector and our companions in mine. Not much happened haha because we had to be at the chappel for a while so Joseph could get his interview from the ZL's. He passed but they want us to wait a week and do the baptism on the following Saturday. But it'll be better because we can prepare him more. During the splits Elder Santos and Elder Risco got robbed. $40 from Santos and $20 from Risco. I've been told my sector is dangerous at night but nothing has happened until now.

Other random things, There was a random street fight between to guys in the street that swung their arms like windmills, it was entertaining. On Tuesday it was raining super hard like half a mile away from us, but not one drop on our heads. However the next day we got rained on super hard haha. On Saturday I heard a ton of American music, it was super weird. So now April 19th is American music day. Today we went to Mitad del Mundo. I balenced an egg on a nail, watched water fluch strait down rather than clockwise or counter-clockwise, and took a ton of pictures there. I was standing in two hemispheres at the same time, which now tops 4 corners(Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico).

We´re having a problem with investigators not going to church. So we're hoping to find a solution to that. Joseph will be baptized on Saturday at 8:00pm, Silvia will either be baptized the same Saturday or the following. And we'll continue to try to find more investigators this week so we can have a ton of people with a date before the change in two weeks.

Eso es todo. ¡Les quiero! Y mis hermanos en el campo, siguen haciendo milagros y traer almas a él 

(WEEK 35)

(WEEK 34) Comité Mormon

So last Tuesday we walked by a guy in the street and he tried to test my English on me. He said, "How." in place of "hello" or something... So for now on I'll greet in the street using random spanish words like, "Cual." or "Para qúe."

This week I had two leadership meetings. The first on Wednesday and the secondon Friday. Normally they're just on Friday but on Wednesday the ZL's wanted to set goals for the zone and each district and they also wanted every DL to talk on obedience this week. So I had to change nearly everything and plan it the morning before haha. On top of that I was surprized to find my mission president there in our stake center. He joined my district meeting, which was also my first hahaha. A bit nerve-racking but I love my mission president, he's a really good guy. The District meeting went well too. We set personal and companionship goals and did a bunch of practices. I shared the zone goal for the change: 44 baptisms, and 12 in our district. Set your goals high, bretheren... We didn't have time for a game but next week were going to play Jeopardy, I already have it set up. That's right chicos.

Silvia finally got home from her month long vacation. She'll most likely be baptized on the 26th of April. Joseph is a miracle. We thought he was a member. But when we asked him how long he's been a member, he told us he wasn't. So we taught him lessons 1-4 in the chappel in 3 days! Which would be: the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, Tithing and fast offerings, and Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. He already knew basically all of it too. I set up his interview with the Zone leaders for tomorrow. (I love free-bees :D). Juan now has all the lessons as well. He just needs to go to church. I always quote the sister missionary from the Preach My Gospel: District 2 DVD's in my mind, "JUST GO TO CHURCH!" We haven´t been able to find Yolanda for like 2 weeks now. She disappeared from the face of the Earth. We've also finally been contacting our references from members. Next week we'll have a lot of focus on less-actives.

Today we had some intense soccer games between District 1 and us(District 3). They won the first game 5-4. We won the second 5-3. So we had a kickoff to determine the winner. And we won it 2-1! Next week we'll play district 2. Bring it on!

My dad challenged me to drink warm goat milk this week. And I cannot refuse, nor back down. So along with the soccer, BRING IT ON!!

¡Les quiero todos!... Y Boo-boo, buena suerte con las chicas ;) Sí, ya sé que eres un imán para las chicas hahahaha.

(WEEK 34)

(Week 33) Centrados en Cristo

This week was a busy week! But like always an awesome week! On Thusday I didn't get the chance to teach my district for the first time yet cause we had a mini zone conference that day. We got a new zone leader named Elder Meriles and he's awesome. He's from somewhere in San Francisco bay(I forgot exactly where) and also Hna. Wright is in the zone now too! Now I have 2 missionaries from my district in the MTC that are in my zone in the mission! Also like I said last week, Elder Acevedo(Our old district leader) left and Elder Gebs is now the companion of Elder Santos.

On Friday we had the leaders meeting in Quito. We had to leave super early in he morning to get there on time. All of the zone leaders and district leaders of the four zones in Quito were there, as well as the assistants and President Richardson and his wife. I saw a ton of familiar faces (Elder Magalhaes, Elder Murphy, Elder Acevedo, and plently more.) I felt like a house cat amongst lions and tigers hahaha. It was really good though. First Hna. Richardson talked about learning English and how that's now a standard of the mission for the Latino missionaries haha. Then Pres. Richardson talked about a lot of good things including how to correct a missionary that's making wrong choices. We also heard from the assistants and some zone and district leaders. We practiced the baptismal questions as well. Specifically question 4, which is where the problems can happen haha. It was really useful for me since I haven't done one yet. The whole meeting was really good and useful, I felt the spirit constantly. After the meeting the other two district leaders in my zone and my zone leaders ate at Nuevo Toronto, a buffet baby! I ate 4 plates filled with food and then I felt terrible for the rest of the day haha. Elder Tirado threw up, pobrecito.

Conference was awesome! I have a ton of notes crammed in my journal I got from the President in December. I would have been fine watching it in Spanish but as all the English speakers in the zone, we set it up in English. It's not the same listening to a translator while their mouths don't follow the sounds. Plus it's not the same without the voice of Elder Holland haha. Our mission president loves us and we were able to watch all 5 sessions.

As far as the work, it's going great down here! The week`s numbers were a little lower because the only two normal days this week were Tuesday and Wednesday. But It'll pick up this week... We dropped Dalton. I hate doing that but it had to be done. He refused to progress, but we'll always be there for him if he needs us in the future. Silvia should be baptized either this week or next week, it depends on her travel plans. They're going to split our sector the next change and it's very likely that my companion and I both stay but we'll have different companions in the split sectors. The bad news is, 85% of our investigators fall in a spot called Carmen Bajo. And when they split the sectors Carmen Bajo will be one sector. So I want that sector hahaha! But at the same time, I do like having some new investigators.

Mi compañero tomó la leche de cabra directo de la cabra! Eso Chuparìa, ¿¡verdad!?Me dijo que estaba muy caliente! HAHAHAHA! ¿Quién haría eso? De todas formas, ese es mi semana! Les quiero, y hasta pronto!

(Week 33)