Week 72 - Quito - Bien rápido la semana

This week went by so crazy fast. We had a lot of activities and I'll try to get the just of it. 

Christmas went by really smoothy (and with a video call to the family!) We also had some good members that gave us dinners and i'm sure my companion and I gained some weight this week...

We had the priviledge to be with the asistants to our mission president and learn from them. What is funny is the two asistants are from my group (those that came with me to the mission field. That was super fun and we had a great time together. 

We got to have another car wash and wash 7 taxis and a police car which was super cool! This also was the last time we will attend for three hours! We super happy that we can now have a home based church supported program. As for us as missionaries, that gives us an hour of personal study time now on sundays! I'm pretty excited.

Well, the viudas are coming and we should probably get going. Love you all! Have a fantastic New Year!

Week 71 - Quito - Christmas Chatting

We got to talk with Stanley on Christmas Eve - it was wonderful to hear his voice and laughter.  He shared his memorization of the Living Christ with us, first in English and then in Spanish.  He said it is easier for him to memorize if he first memorizes something in English.  His testimony was sweet, his story of cockroaches popping in the microwave and ants in his electric razor was disgusting; but he is still working hard as a Zone Leader as he has done 9 baptismal interviews and loves that his companion can help him.  We spoke briefly about getting him ready for Utah State as he will be home in July, but he is still focused on his mission and accomplishing the Lord's work.  Love him!

Week 70 - Quito - Conferencias y Confirmaciones

We had two awesome conferences this week! The first we had was with President Murphy for our Christmas conference. It was so great as I was able to see my two trainees there as well! We had some great fun and got to sing the "worldly" christmas songs (i.e. Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is coming to Town). Of course, Elder Ellington (my second trainee) accompanied us on ukelele. It was super fun trying to remember those songs. We also had a christmas devotional with our stake, once again with President Murphy. It went really well! My companion and I sang with our ward and I got to play "Peace in Christ" on the piano as accompaniment for the missionaries. It was so powerful as we took time to remember the reason why we celebrate Christmas.

We also were super happy for the confirmation we had in the ward this last Sunday! Alexandra Carranza had kind of a rough start. She had received the missionaries about a year ago and even passed her interview for her baptism. However, one thing led to another and she decided to not get baptized at that time. Then my companion got here a while later and saw many teaching records just tossed on the ground. One of those teaching records was hers. When I finally came, we went to visit her. She was still having a slow start. We knew everything that had happened before and we decided to be very direct with her to see if she really wanted to be baptized. The day we wanted to set up a date is when the Elders from the coast came to join us. So I wasn't without my companion but we had a great companionship study and off we went. We came and decided to share Mosiah 18: 8-10 that discusses the covenant we make at baptism and what is stopping her from being baptized. As she began reading, she began crying. We asked her if she would get baptized the 15th of December and she said, "Yeah. Let's do this." Both my companion and I felt that the Spirit truly guided that lesson. And how greatful we are for that because now she is confirmed and is preparing to enter the temple and be sealed with her kids that are already members of the church.  

As you can see, it was a super busy week. But we had a super fun week and very spiritual. I hope you can have a great week as you #LightYourFamily! I know I will but it'll be just a week after :). Love you all!

Week 69 - Quito - ¡Iluminando a Todos!

So this week was changes and...we both are staying! I'm pretty happy about that. My companion is such a fun guy to be with. However, we had to wait and send missionaries all day today. I did get to see a lot of friends I have made during the mission and my two trainees!!! It was a very happy time

We had two chances to give service this week. One was a plan we had to #LightTheWorld. We, as a zone, went to one of the bus terminals where a lot of people pass by and sang carols and talked with people. It was so much fun! I felt so great afterward, as did every other missionary. It was an awesome activity that we could do to share the light of Christ. The other was for #LightYourCommunity. This one was unexpected. We went to pass by one of our recent converts in the ward when the former bishop greets us at the door. He told us we couldn't share at that moment because they were going to fill up bags of candy for an old folks home. We offered our help and they were willing to accept. That was also a lot of fun. We just put a bunch of candy in bags, and, as you can tell from the picture, I also received some candy (but not a bag!).

We also had the opportunity to ask some questions of some of the rules within the church that we didn't have answers to. The member we talked to went so deep into doctrine. I was honestly so amazed and awestruck. I wanted to learn more, but I realized, I can't. We as missionaries have a very specific library from which we can read. I realized at that moment that it is just better to focus on my own conversion and testimony, so that it'll be strong to front the things ahead. I hope all of you con focus on that too, fortifying yourself. 

I love you all and hope you have a snowy week! 

 

A nativity with Thing One in the manger xD

Talking in the terminal with everyone!

My little meditating hole in the wall

Week 68 - Quito - El Espíritu Puede

We have been trying to set up a baptismal date for a while and what helped us out a lot was the Spirit. I was with Elder Nielson during this time, for the conference with Elder Gavarret. We had a quick planning session getting right down to what we needed to do. We showed up and as we started our How to Begin Teaching, we realized that she needed more direction in her life. Thanks to the guidance of the Holy Ghost, we had planned on sharing Mosiah 18:9-10. Once she started to read the scripture, she started to cry. We explained to her that if she gets baptized, then she can have that guidance just as her kids, who are already members, have received. She looked at us, listen to the Spirit, and said "Okay. Let's do it." Elder Nielson and I were very grateful for the guidance we received from the Holy Ghost both during our companionship study and during the lesson. I love the Gospel!  

We also had our conference with Elder Gavarret, part of the first quorum of the 70. I'll tell you what, he was awesome. He very wisely went about correcting us, showing us what we are doing well, and where we can improve. It was great! He also showed us a little bit of football :) . He told us about celebrating too early with all the awesome people we have with a baptismal date. That's when we watched the very sad part of the Utah vs. Oregon game where the guy dropped the football before entering the end zone. It was a very good lesson. He said that even though we couldn't have turkey, we could continue the traditions in another way. It was super funny.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving Day! Love you all! 

Thanksgiving dinner...on Sunday.

Thanksgiving lunch...on Friday

I had to spoil myself, just a bit.

Week 67 - Quito - Trabajando con Cemento

This week was another week I got to do something that I don't think I'll ever get the opportunity to do again: remodelying with cement. All of the houses here are made of cement (because it is cheaper). That means inside the house it gets really hot when it is hot outside or really cold when it is cold outside. We were invited to help out with a service activity, and I happly agreed (I wasn't with my companion at that moment; companion exchanges). What they didn't tell me is that we would have to help them remodel the door frame with cement. Really, neither I nor my companion knew how to do it, but my companion had seen his dad work on it so he new the justs of it. I was just his apprentice. When we ended, we actually did a great job and were able to fix the problem. Something I don't think I'll ever have to do.

With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I hope that we all remember the many blessings God has given us. I know I am greatful for this Gospel, for where I am and what I am doing, and all of you for giving me support, motivation, and humor in some moments. Most of all, I'm so very greatful for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the example and sacrifice he gave so that we too may become like Him. Thank you all so much!

Not sure if any of you heard but it snowed in near the center of Quito this week. Some say we may get a white christmas (something that never happens). My companion and I are praying the snow will come to us! 

Week 66 - Quito - #ÉxitoEnElEsfuerzo

So I found out more cool things about Quito, specifically our ward. We have an ex-member of the quorum of the seventy (Hermano Araya), the web designer for the church for Ecuador, and possibly the new Temple President for the Quito temple. Pretty cool, right? With the Quito temple, the man that is leaving this week to be trained to be the Quito temple president informed us that the property is bought. I'm fairly certain it is outside of our sector, but I'm not 100%. I'm just happy we are hearing more and more things that are happening.

I also learned a lesson this week about effort versus results. I have been struggling quite a bit to not focus on numbers and not base my success on such. I just sat, at one point during my personal studies, and just meditated about the importance of effort. I realized that as a society, we focus a lot on results: if someone doesn't get a good test score than they failed, or if the stocks of one company dramastically decreases, the company faces the reality of going out of business. However, what I did realize is that those that have been, and are, successful have never given up. We see many examples of this in the Book of Mormon (Ammon, Alma the younger, Nephi, just to name a few). At first, they didn't have the result wanted. But they understood the importance of a consistent effort, giving their all. And so, I learned that lesson the most this last week and have focused more on such. Because of that, I feel better at night, knowing that I gave the best effort I could. Thank you President for your help!  

Hope you all had a great Veteran's Day and have a great week. Love you all!

Alpargates

Who's excited for two hours???

The ward I left in Ibarra

Four elders one house

Just doing what we do

New companion

Normal Quito

Week 65 - Quito - La Vida de la Ciudad

Quito is much more different than anyother part of my mission that I've served. I will say though, I'm loving the City Life. Not just because I ate at my first McDonald's for the first time in 15 months or because it is easy (because it is harder), but because there are so many people and so many different things to do. I've enjoyed this a lot this week. I still love the quiet out-of-city life I've had, but it is fun having so many things going on. However, it is way more difficult here than I've every experienced. I'll have to change a lot that I have done so that we can have more people to teach and have them progress.

I hope everyone is getting ready to #LightTheWorld this year. We are still a ways out, but we, as missionaries, are already planning on the things we will be doing this upcoming Christmas. I'm super excited about the ideas the church has given us and for the resources they are giving us as missionaries. 

For more information about my companion. He's going to be going home at the same time as me which is awesome! He is a very quiet guy, which is good, and has a lot of experience about being a great leader. I'm super excited to see what more this change has to bring us. 

Love you all. Hope you all had a great Halloween and Day of the Dead (there were a lot of parties and drinking here). Hasta luego!

Week 64 - Quito - Nos Vemos Ibarra, Bienvenidos a la Sierra

So I haven't told you that there were changes these past couple of times, mainly because I thought I for sure wasn't going to get changed or that there would be any changes. However, I am currently writing in Quito as I got transferred to the capital. It went by too quick my time with Elder Ellington, but I'm excited for the work he is going to do there in Ibarra. I'm now with Elder Cuevas from Peru. We are both Zone Leaders in the zone Ofelia. Just the first day with this new responsibility has been something very stressful, but work. I'm looking forward to what this has to offer. 

This last week we had companion exchanges. I went with the other trainer in my district, which left our trainees together. I wasn't worried about them at all, but everyone else seemed to be really worried. We found out that they were right. So in our house, we have two doors. One for the house. One to enter the building. We had given the keys to the trainees so that they could go in and do some studies. We got a call from them just right as we were about to go out and work telling us that they locked themselves within those two doors. They had left their keys within the house so couldn't open up the outside door to leave and were currently trapped. We then had to go looking for a guy that could pick a lock. They were stuck in "middle earth" for an hour and a half when we could free them. It was actually really funny and is something I don't think we'll let them forget.

As many of you may know, as missionaries, planning is very important to us. We set up a goal and make plans on how we will achieve those, so that way we can view our progress and if we completed our goals and plans and if we should increase them. However, there are times that someone wants to do something, doesn't plan until the last minute, and it is a flop. I've had this experience with missionaries and with members. Please, plan things. It goes so much easier and everyone is much happier when we are able to do that. That is probably the one lesson I have learned in my mission, making and keeping goals and plans. I know if you set goals and make plans, the balance that we all look for will be reached. If you maybe need help in that sense, check out Chapter 8 of Preach My Gospel. It teaches the principles of using your time wisely. 

Love you all. Crazy we are almost in November. How fast time is going now.

Week 63 - Ibarra - Mas Conocimiento

This week was a very spiritually filled week more than anything else.

But, first lets start with the anything else. We were doing our weekly planning this last Friday, when I happened to look out our window and see this man with his sweatshirt and hood on hopping the church fence. I figured that was weird. He walked into the little walkway we have and then came back out and paced. We could tell he had something in the pouch of his sweatshirt, so we decided to check stuff out. We felt pretty cool as if we were going to find something super interesting and have to bust this guy. We were actually singing the song from Mission Impossible as we quickly ran down the stairs. Turns out, it was a YSA member who had forgotten his USB drive in the bathroom and wanted to see if it was open or not. We felt cool until we realized it was him and then just felt silly. But, a good story to tell, right?

Our Mission President, President Murphy, told us a great quote that I loved. He said, "The only benefit of choosing an easier option, is that it is easier." (I'm not claiming this to him, I just don't know who the true source is). It is a good thought to have in mind. Easy options don't help us grow. They don't help us push ourselfs. The don't let us realize the potential we could reach. they are just, easier. So, don't choose the easy. As President Monson has said "Choose the harder right than the easier wrong".

We also had the great opportunity to listen to our prophet, President Russel M. Nelson, his wife, Elder Stevenson, his wife, and Elder and Sister Fallabela.How I love our prophet! Sister Nelson, however, shared an amazing story about the preparation for the Special Youth Devotional. She stated, "When there is somthing that could change the balance of the forces good and evil, Satan throws all that he can." She shared the difficulties she and President Nelson had as they prepared the talk they shared at the devotional. From computers shutting down, to larangitis, to weakness. There was a lot they went through during that preparation. She shared that to our trials. When we try to do what is right, it seems that everything is against us. But she also helped remind us, there are more on our side than theirs. We have people on the other side of the veil helping us complete what we need to do to help others receive the blessings we have received. Don't give up. Have faith. Have hope. Endure to the end.

Love you all. Hope you all have a great week and focus on Jesus Christ this week!

Extra Conocimiento

Week 62 - Ibarra - Cumpleaños Enfermedad y Verificaciones

This week was a great week to celebrate a big Two-O. However, the entire day, I was pretty sick. It actually started in the morning, before eating cake. But, we have some awesome missionaries and members that made it still a special day. We had two districts together this last Tuesday, and it just so happened to be one hermana's birthday as well. We got a double birthday! That's the picture with a bunch of people in it. Cake and brownies. Well, that didn't help my sickness. Then after a while, some members wanted to join us for the appointments we had that day. When we showed up, they also had a birthday cake, and a present, waiting for us. Second cake. They gave me some cuff links and a tie clip. It was super nice of them to give and I enjoyed them very much. However, that didn't help even more so with the sickness. And to top it off, almost literally, some members gave us a third cake (different because it was homemade). Well, I didn't eat the third one because I knew there would be no way. It rained for most of the day which honestly was so great! It has been too perfect these past couple of weeks with just nice sunny skies and beautiful days. It was nice for it to be rainy and gloomy (I know how weird that sounds but it isn't fun not having seasons). I know many of you may be wanting that as you are going into fall, but trust me, here it is nice to not have good days.

We also my companion's first verifications. I don't know if I have explained it before, but basically we just make sure that they can teach lesson one, that they are progressing, and have them go sightseeing (to the place where President Kimball dedicated Ecuador for teaching) while us trainers got to sit in a three hour training. How fun. But now everything is settling down and we'll have a calmer week this week, I hope.

Love you all. Thank you for the birthday wishes. Hope you all enjoy the cold and wet season!!!

One of the cakes

The awesome members 

The gift they gave

Week 61 - Ibarra - Conferencía y Enfermedades

So this week was kind of a slow week, missionary work wise. Three lessons throughout an entire week is not that great, but we keep going! My companion ended up getting pretty sick during this week, so he had to (by doctors’ orders) stay home for the day. Well, it gets really boring being stuck in a house as a missionary. SO one tries to make the best of it. I was very happy however to get back to work. 

This last General Conference was so awesome and super-fast! I loved the new change that we will have as a church and a re-focus on the name of Christ's church. How happy and lucky I am (and you are) to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Through this church and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we are able to find peace in trials, enduring and lasting happiness and joy, personal revelation, the love of God and all blessings accompanying that, second chances, etc. Isn't that just great! And that's not even all of the things that wait for us! How grateful I am to know that we are guided by a true and living prophet, Russell M. Nelson. He is called of God. He has all the keys needed for the salvation of mankind. The Book of Mormon is true! The very simple steps of salvation (known as the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is the only way we can make it back into the presence of God and receive the glory we are able to receive. 

I love you all. Thanks to those that sent birthday wishes! I hope all of you have a great week! 

The Missionaries in Ibarra

Our Gringo room. As you can tell it was a very poorly done shot...

Our foggy morning this morning. We got caught in a huge rain storm. 

Pictures from Facebook of Zone Conference:

Week 60 - Ibarra - Nuevito y Servicio

This week my companion and I had companion exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I was with Elder Aquino (Elder here no). He was a super fun guy to work and learn from. There was one point that we were going to the only lesson we had that day. I had told him that I was going to pretend to be a new missionary. It was super funny. I kept looking at him to "make sure" that I was saying the right thing. People than told me that my spanish wasn't that good but that I should keep working on it. It was funny, because at one point in the lesson, one of the people asked if I knew Kichua (the language of the natives). So I replied "Ñuca shooti Elder Ogden. Ima shoota kangi?" (My name is Elder Ogden. What is your name? One of the only phrases I know in Kichua). The people were super surprised, and that is when Elder Aquino lost it and laughed. It was so great. I then explained that I have more than a month in Ecuador. 

We had an opportunity this week to do a District Service. It was a blast. We cleaned up this plaza that had a bunch of trash and rocks. While we were cleaning, we did get to contact quite a bit of people. It was so much fun. And of course, we got ice cream afterwards. Yes, a picture will be included.

I wanted to share a video of me bearing my testimony, but the video was too long to send. So I'll just write it here. Being out on my mission, I've learned many things about prayer. Prayer is such a huge gift that I have come to love even more during my mission. I have come to grow a profound love as well for the scriptures. I know the scriptures are the gateway to knowledge and answers. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, saved for us at this time to learn from and to share. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, prepared to come to the Earth to open up the dispensation of the fullness of times. I know that President Russel M. Nelson is a prophet of God. I love him. I'm excited to hear his counsel this upcoming weekend. I know Christ lives. He is our Savior. He died for us so that we might live. He is the reason why there is hope, joy, and peace. I know that what I'm doing is the Lord's work. Not mine. Not President Murphy's (mission president) or President Nelson's. The Lord's. I love you all so much. I miss you all so much. But I know that God is protecting you. Love you all and remember me when watching General Conference! 

Mi hijito

  

Servicio

VR (yes, we got permission from President) 

Thai Book of Mormon

Ibarra

Bagel breakfast (they don't have bagles here so this was such a wonderful surprise.