Monday, March 30, 2015

(REMAINING DAYS 134)

So one day we were just walking in down- town Otavalo and we hear pig sounds out of no where. Then we notice that the guy walking in front of us was walking with a small pig in a bag. We followed him for a while just to hear the pig sounds. I wanted to ask him what he was doing but I was laughing to hard. Maybe I haven't matured yet haha.

This week we did divisions with Companía. Elder Ramírez and I went to his sector. So we were kind of deep in the fields. The cool part of their sector is that it's lakeside, really sweet. Everyone speaks Quichua there too. I noticed that even the members all speak Quichua even when we're around. They only speak Spanish to us to ask us a question haha nothing else. The best part of the divisions was that there shower is amazing. It actually has gas unlike our shower. So it was the first hot shower in a while because the gas tank truck stopped passing by our house haha. I actually have a routine for showering in ice cold water now.

Also this week we had to go to Quito to renew my companion´s visa. While I was waiting for him to get done, I met Elder Gallego waiting in the offices for his companion to get done too! So it was fun talking with him again. I still konw Quito like the back of my hand so it was strange going back there again, but I like Quito. This was a pretty spiritual week though. In the meeting we talked about unity and faith. And some other topics that had to do with that. I did a thing where the missionaries had to take their nametags off and asked themselves inspired questions like, "Why am I here?", "What legacy do I want to leave behind?", "Is God satisfied with my offering?", and things like that. Some of the missinoaries shared really awesome things as well. Definatly something I'll remember. 2 of us playing the guitar was fun too haha.

Right now we have a couple good families progressing. for example the familia Valensuela-Lita. We taught them about the book of Mormon this week and I've never heardso many curious questions in my life about the book, the church, and us. We left the house and realized that they now know more about missionaries than many members haha. But they are going to come to general conference with us and accept the challenge to "come and see" the prophets and apostales of God. I'm really excited for my last general conference in the mission. I expect it to be the best.

Also, we ended this week basically broke because we ate mopre like kings and took a lot of taxis. So my companion took my brownie mix and mixed it with water to make my like a brownie-shake. But it only had brownie miz and water. I didn't know what to say but it wasn't that bad haha. We could be poor throughout the whole mission but make it though with his ideas haha.

Hoy me voy a Quito de nuevo por el consejo de la misión. Tengo la impresión que este consejo va a salir mucha revelación y cosas espirituales por la conferencia general también. Allí vamos viendo. Mas es otra oportunidad de poder estar en la casa de los líderes de zona de Quito y bañarme con agua caliente jaja. Bueno, en serio, muchas gracias por todo su amor y apoyo que me han dado. Siento que el Señor realmente me está cuidando y llevando de la mano. Los quiero mucho y espero que estén erecibiendo bendiciones en la casa.
¡Chuta! Kaylie ya está compromitida! Bacanazo jaja

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

(REMAINING DAYS: 139) "Then I turn, and see the dog peeing on his backpack he left on the ground! "

It`s only been raining all week long! Especially on Tuesday and Wednesday. On those days it literally did not stop raining from6:30am to 10:30pm. The bad news is that my indistructible shoes have a little hole in the bottom now so for those 2 days I got home with one foot dry and the other soaking wet. But the shoes are fixed and all good now. This week we were outside of our sector a ton because we had to inspect the houses of all the missionaries in the zone and take pictures of the hosues to send to the mission office. Plus we sacrificed our sector on Friday to help the sister find new investigators, but even with all that, it wasn't that bad of a week as far as proselyting goes. 

My companions birthday was this last Tuesday. Ending the day, we went to a part of our sector that's kind of far away called Quichinche. There we have a family of investigators that we are teaching. As we are finishing the lesson, (which was a doorstep lesson because for the moment the husband wasn't there and we can't enter a house without him) a dog walks up to my companion, my companion (who speaks little English even though I teach him slang) says, "What's up, dog?" Then he starts teaching again and the investigator starts laughing. Then I turn, and see the dog peeing on his backpack he left on the ground! Hahaha! I was almost rolling on the dusty road laughing. Then I told him happy birthday haha. But it was a good day though. We found a new family, I bought my companion lunch, and the mission president's wife called him at niht to say happy birthday. He's been walking around with a small hand bag now haha.

Last week the challenges of the zone were 1. Total lesson to investigators, 2. contacting referals, and 3. baptismal invitations. So this week we trained on all of that and it turn out pretty sweet! Usually trainings are expected to be just kind of normal but I think everyone, including us, benefited a lot from it. Plus this week we did really good as a zone, so I'm proud. We got over 600 contacts as a small zone, so that was a plus as well. This next week we have some sweet plans. First off, there's a guitar in our house. So on Friday we¡re going to bring it to the zone council and my companion is going to strum while I play on the neck of the guitar (My companion plays better than I do) for a training on "Companionship unity" hahaha. We'll see how that goes, we've already practiced a little at night.

Today the bishop took us to play mini golf in a place called "Cabañas del Lago"; which is this awesome hotel/waterpark on the east side of San Pablo lake. I got 2nd place! The bishop got stuck on hole 8 for like 10 minutes haha, pictures to come... Oh! funny thing (At least for me), in the district there's an Elder named Elder Estrada, he's mexican and today we found him and his companion in the bus. He's going home in 2 week and he's really trunky. So we sat by them and all of a sudden, they start to contact 3 teenagers. I thought, "Hmm... maybe he's not missing the house that much... Maybe he still has strong desired to share the gospel" One happened to be a member. But he started the contact with by taking out playing cards and doing a magic trick, the trick worked and then he said after, "¡Ahora tienen que aceptar fecha bautismal!" My companion and I just bust up laughing in the bus. Then he said that we have something called the priesthood, which means we can see into the future. He writes a number on the rist of one of them and makes me select a random card, it just happened to be the same number as the number written on this kids hand. Then he starts flipping cards around the bus and I can't stop anything because I'm laughing too hard... I'll only have to be in charge of him for 13 more days anyways haha.

Los quiero muchísimo y deseo que tengan una semana buenaza. ¡Saludos a todos!

(REMAINING DAYS: 144) Short People

While I was walking along between appointments with my companion this week. I noticed how short the indigenous people are here. The Latinos aren't even that short, but the native Otavaleños are tini. It's awesome, I feel like a giant. All of a sudden the song "Short People" by Randy Newman. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up and imagine yourself in my shoes then laugh out loud.

On Tuesday we had a 6 hour zone conference from Presidnet and sister Richardson and the assistants. They taught us about leaving an example of dilignece, an awesome way how to teach the Sabbath Day, and a good tactic to use to help people keep commitments. Sister Richardson used a ton of doctrine when she taught about the Sabbath Day and used a scripture that said something like sending fire from heaven down at your doors that would never end if we don't keep the Sabbath Day holy. Maybe I'll start edifying with that one haha. After that we had the meeting with the stake presidnet of Otavalo an President Richardson to talk about how we can improve the state of the stake. So Tuesday we only had time to do one contact, and it was the tazi triver that took us to the church for the meeting haha.

We had divisions this week and I finally got to go deep in the country where all the Lamanites are that mainly just speak Quichua. (Most speak Spanish, but only to us. When we're not around, everyone and their dog speaks Quichua). I was doing divisions in Agato, but I also got to go around 2 other wards, Imbabura, and Compañía. It was only an 8 hour divisions but we found people that now are progressing and have a baptismal date for the 11th of April, so that's awesome. This week the assisants and presidnet also did divisions with us. Elder Linderman went with my companion, Elder Mazzarelli, and Presidnet Richardson and Elder Santana (My old companion) went with me for just an hour. We visited one of our families that has potentail. We taught lesson 1: The Restauration and it was powerful with us three. I felt a super strong spirit.

This week we had an activity "Theater Night" where we watched the 1 hour movie of Joseph Smith. It was good for the investigators we have, along with some members that haven't seen it yet. In church I was the 2nd speaker and I talked about fasting and how it applyes to the atonement. It was like a 12 minute talk. I've given a lot more talks in Spanish that English now... This week we found another potential family called la famili Valensuela-Lita. We rang their doorbell on Tuesday and set an appointment for Friday night. In Friday we taught them lesson 1: The Restauration and they were very open and accepted the message. They didn't come to church this week but I feel really good about the family. I know they can progress soon.

Other than that, Friday morning I finished Jesus the Christ. So that was a milestone for me. I think it has like 793 pages. Recently I started reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish again (This time I'll read it from cover to cover) and I'm trying to read all of True to the Faith too. I calculated it and I should finish all of that by mid-June at the pace I'm reading. Then I'll accomplish my goal: Read the Bible (New and Old testaments), Book of Mormon (English and Spanish), Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, Preach My Gospel, The Missionary Handbook, Jesus the Christ, Our Search for Happiness, Our Heritage, and True to the Faith in the mission. BOOM.

Disculpen, esta carta fue demasiado grande jaja. Pero ¡estoy bien feliz aquí en Otavalo, Ecuador en las misión! Estoy viviendo milagros y el Señor me está convirtiendo a un mensajero de la verdad. Tengo un conocimiento más fuerte de este evangelio y estoy ganando experiencia que yo nunca hubiera podido lograr si yo no estuviera a la misión. ¡Muchas gracias a todos que que me hayan apoyado! ¡Les quiero mucho!

(REMAINING DAYS: 144)










Friday, March 13, 2015

(REMAINING DAYS: 151) Who let the dogs in?

So weird things happen on a regular basis here in Otavalo. On Sunday we always sit in the back with our investigators. This Sunday I randomly heard barking and then saw 2 dogs run into chapel right before they passed the sacrament. So as reverently as possible, my companion and I chased the dogs out. But one stayed and hid under the back bench. We had to patiently wait for the sacrament to end and then we got in out haha. I love dogs in the States but I hate dogs in South America, there not the same...

This week we had to clear out a lot of people from our investigators pool because most of them are not doing the commitments we give them and/or can't go to church because of work or school. So we dedicated to contacting in the street a lot and asking everyone and their dog for referals. I always feel really good after weeks like this even though we didn't have a lot of people in church. We'l get some soon though. The good news is as a zone we are actually doing pretty good right now. Nearly all of the sister missionaies and some elders in the zone got sick earlier this week, but then we gave a ton of preesthood blessings and they got better and teared in up for the last couple of days. So I'm not worried at all about the zone. Everyone is working hard.

Monday we went to the misson council in Quito and we arrved at La Luz, which is a famous missino hotel even though I haven't slept there since I was in my first sector in Coca. We had probably one of the best mission councils I've ever seen (It was my 9th). President Richardson talked about mostly diligence but he broke it down so well. He kind of edified us as leaders of the mission but I left the meeting happy and wanting to work harder than ever. Kind of like a Elder Holland talk haha. We left that same night and got back to our sector around 10:00 pm. On the way back, we travelled with the zone leaders from Ibarra and we tag-teamed the taxi driver. I was one of the more powerful single contacts I've ever had. The best part is... He's a referal for Condado!! So Elder Gallego and Elder Wrigt will get right on that... To prevent us from seeing bad movies that the bus drivers put on against our will, president lets us but Disney movies to watch on the way to Quito and back when we trave. So we watched Big hero 6. I was basically the first movie I've seen since I left the States that came out after I left. I liked it too! Thanks Kaylie!

Mamá, quizás se está preguntando si compré una cámara. La respuesta es sí jaja. Pero costó mucho menos que la cámara que compré en la jungla. La cámara que compré en Coca me costó $210. Éste Sony que me compré aquí solo me costó $165 después de buscar por el centro de Otavalo por 1 hora. Entonces voy a enviar más fotos ya. Whooo!!! Hoy fuimos a la cascada de Peguche fue cheverazo... Se me esté pegando full jergas Ecuatorianas, es como si yo naciera aquí. Más con las jergas que mis compañeros Chilenos, Colombianos, Mexicanos, y Peruanos me enseñan. Mejoraré jajaja.

¡Los quiero a ustedes muchísimo! Quizá no puedo expresar como me siento mucho por palabras en esta carta no mas. Pero quiero que todos ustedes que me apoyan mucho sepan que los quiero mucho y espero que todo vaya bien con su semana. ¡Cuídense!

(REMAINING DAYS: 151)




































Monday, March 9, 2015

(WEEK 78) Imbaburapak

Now I know what the area is like so I can update you better. So, sometimes at night when we are ending the day, an insane amount of fog drops down and you can't see a dang thing. It's even worse when you are out of the city and there's almost no street lights haha. It's only happened a couple times and only after it's rained but dang, it's sweet but I'm going to get lost haha. We are actully planning on doing divisions with the Elders in Agato soon. I've only heard stories about that place. Like it's so out there that the missionaries basically have to constantly cross through corn fields. I'm sure that'd be an adventure with the think fog. We'll see!

I love the house too. The only bad thing is that we've been taking cold showers all week long haha. Normally the showers here are electric showers where the water is only warm when it comes out slowly. Luckly, this shower, like my old sector in San Carlos, has a gas shower, which is like 10 times better. The only problem is, we don't have gas hahaha. We'll figure that one of soon. We also have a washing machine on the roof of the building haha! The owners of the house are members so we just share it with them. They live on the 2nd floor, we live on the 3rd, and no one else lives with us. So it's pretty great. Plus we have a guitar in the house haha! So after we plan at night I'm always playing on that. I figured out that I've basically forgotten how to play the guitar haha. But I'll try to improve again. There's weights in the house too so I've been doing better exercises. I gotta get buff again before I go home (I love how I'm a liar and said that I was buff).

Other things: The power went out last week so I didn't have time to send all the pictures of my last week in Quito. But I'll send them now... 2 weeks ago Elder Wright gave me Mountain Dew. I almost kissed him hahahaha. He got it from a package sent through another missionary. So that was a taste from heaven that my tounge hasn't felt for about 18 months... This week we had the sone council when we talk about the goals for the following month. This month we're hoping to have a "Miracle in March". Today I have to travel to Quito for the mission council. It's always the first Tuesday of each month. But this time I'm not in Quito, so that means I can party with the other zone leaders from Otavalo, Imbabura, and Ibarra in La Luz! (Which is a missionary hotel in Quito).

Tenemos algunos investigadores que no tienen fecha bautismal, pero que pueden progresar de pronto. Entonces, les informo cuando estén bien y cuando yo les conozca más a los investigadores y miembros. ¡Pero el barrio is bien bacán! Como ya dije es un de los pocos barrios por acá que no habla quichua. ¡Que rico es poder entender la reunión sacramental todavía! Amo al campo de Imbabura y amo la misión. ¡Les quiero mucho!