Week 27 - Cotacachi - Interesting Celebration of Six Months

I have hit the mark of six months, and boy have they been crazy. I thought back mainly on the experiences I have had that I will not necessarily have after my mission. One of those experiences was this last Thursday. We ran into two different missionaries that practically told us that we were wrong and that we don't know what we are talking about. It was interesting to see how hard they were trying to convert us. I probably won't have that experience after my mission!

Another was just yesterday. We were in a community that is the end of our sector. Pretty far. We had a sweet lesson and were able to set up a baptismal date. She is the girlfriend of one of the members in our ward. They both walked with us to the bus stop to wait for a bus to Cotacachi. We waited and talked for about an hour. We figured that there might not be a bus that'll come, so we started weighing our options. Option one is that we buy a taxi to Cotacachi ($5). We really did not want to do that because we didn't have that money. The other was to wait. We went with the third option. The truck taxis always return to their station, which isn't that expensive. We started looking for one of these. We found the first one, but the problem is that we had to sit in the bed of the truck. We didn't have another intelligent option. As I sat in the bed of a truck, looking at the road roll behind us, I started thinking of all the experiences I've had that I'll never have again after my mission and the reason for this email. I will start making a list in a notebook, of the good and bad. 

One of these missionaries was a woman from the States. So, if anyone is keeping track, I have three lessons in English and 20 contacts I've talked to in English. Can't say I was expecting that six months ago.

Love you all and hope this week you can live your convictions and defend your faith!

--Elder Ogden--

Week 26 - Cotacachi - Almost Six Months...

It has been a crazy fast time as I near my six months since being here in Ecuador. This week was no exception.

I have realized that I do not like confrontation at all, especially when people challenge my beliefs. We have ran into some missionaries from other churches that, I believe, are trying to convert US. It has been very interesting. I've realized that I don't like it because I start to literally shake. But, I know what is right. I know the path God wants me to follow. 

I hope you all got to watch the special conference with our new prophet President Russell M. Neilson. I love and sustain him and his two new counselors. I know that he is called by God and is the only man to hold all the keys of the priesthood as Christ established in his church. We can learn so much from his past teachings (especially this last conference about the Book of Mormon) and from his future teachings.

Yesterday was a very interesting day. I guess my mind was out of the world, which isn't a good thing. We headed to a community that is 30 minutes away, so I usually sleep. When we arrived, my companion and I slept for 10 minutes after. We were lucky the bus didn't leave with us on it. We went to the appointments, and headed back to Cotacachi for another community. We arrived and took a bus to another "city" to go to the community. The problem is, we needed to just stay Cotacachi. So, I ended up paying for the taxi because it was my fault we went farther away from the community. We then started walking to our appointment. I started walking to an appointment we had more in the night rather the one right then. I couldn't help but laugh at how funny it all was. It did, however, take forever to get to our appointment, when it wasn't necessary. 

I hope all of you had a great week!

--Elder Ogden--

Llama face! 

My companion offering a sacrifice, me

I like this

Polaca. Very good.

Week 25 - Cotacachi - Miracles

Mis querido hermanos mios,

This week we saw a huge miracle, one that has grown my faith more than I can say. We have had a hard time contacting people and finding new people to teach. We started out this week with absolutely nobody. These last three days, we were able to find ten! We were in a community that is "close" to Cotacachi and went to find references from members. It didn't start out great; the member we were planning to join us wasn't home and a huge fog came in (because we were on the Cotacachi volcano, really high up). However, it all changed with our first door. We knocked and the hermano immediately let us inside to share a short message with him. He then pointed us to the directions of a lot of people we needed to pass by. After that, we taught two and two until we needed to go home. It was an absolute miracle and blessing, one that will help me throughout my mission.

It was interesting walking back. It is about an hour walk back to our house so we had to leave fairly early before 8 to, hopefully, be in the house by 9. However, my flashlight ran out of batteries and so we had only my companion's flashlight to help guide us. My flashlight ended up working, but right when we were back into the lights when my companion's light was just out of batteries as well. It was very interesting, but gladly safe.

We also had the opportunity to watch the funeral of our beloved prophet, in Spanish of course. I loved it and how much it was focused on the man the prophet was and the example we can follow from it. We also will have a chance to watch and listen to our new prophet tomorrow and hear his counsel and his words.

I hope and pray that all is well in wherever you are living and I hope this week we all can see the little miracles in our life. Love you all!

--Elder Ogden--

No pictures for this week because I forgot my SD Card converter and this computer doesn't have any input for an SD Card. Sorry.

Week 24 - Cotacachi - Interesting Week to say the Least

It has been a crazy week as we heard that my companion is going to Quito as a district leader and training and I am also heading to Quito to be an assistant to the President. At least, that's how we know that we don't have changes. I'll be in Cotacachi for another six weeks. 

This week has had its ups and downs, like life, but we are continually striving to do the things that we need to. We were also very saddened to hear of the passing of our Beloved Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I will certainly miss his teachings, and especially the way he was able to relate stories to the Gospel. However, I am happy to know of the plan God has for all of his children, and for the opportunity President Monson has to be with his wife once again. I am also excited to hear, follow, and sustain a new prophet of God that we can equally learn from and be guided by. 

We met two different families this week that asked us when the soonest date they could be baptized is. It was honestly such a relief to have after a hard couple of days of not finding anybody. We are coninuing to work on building a testimony, because that is where our conversion with the Lord comes from. 

I have also learned a valuable lesson these last six weeks as we have struggled and succeeded. Members are important. Member know people that we don't know. They have been able to help us find and teach new people and help people want to listen to our message. I feel I talk about this every Monday, but missionaries need you. The work will go a lot better if members and missionaries are working together to help bring the happiness of the Gospel to everyone we meet.

I hope everyone is keeping up on their goals for this new year. I know I fell short a few times this week, but we can change if we endure to the end! Love you all!

--Elder Ogden--

In response to asking about the ward Stanley attends, this is what he sent me:

Our ward, especially ward area, is very large. We have Cotacachi, Quiroga (a neighboring city that is basically part of Cotacachi), and all the surrounding communities that are on the Cotacachi volcano. Because it is such a large area, we only have one ward in our area. The majority of our ward are indiginous. Very few latins. From this, we hears as much Quichua (the native language) than Spanish. There are all sorts of ages as well in our ward. We do have two young men that are preparing to go on a mission that we have come and help us out. One of them has already gotten his mission call to Bolivia. Weird how long ago that feels it has been for me. We, as missionaries, actually teach a Gospels Principle class for all of our investigators. So, we only attend priesthood, which has started this new Come, Follow Me program.

Week 23 - Cotacachi - Fast but Ready

¡Feliz año nuevo! Espero que pueden tener un prospero nuevo año. This last year went by so fast, but there were so many good memories. I also have many awesome memories to come! 

I have come to love the song, I'm Trying to be Like Jesus. As I have looked back on the year and all I accomplished and became, I realized just how much I didn't accomplish and didn't become. I lack a lot. However, this song has stood out to me. I'm trying to be like Jesus. I'm following in his ways. The Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts saying love one another as Jesus loves you. Try to show kindness in all that you do. Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought. For, these are, the things Jesus taught. I hope that the goals you have set, or will set ;), will help you to grow your relationship with your God and my God and that you can become more like your Christ and my Christ.

For me to make my seven goals that I have, we had to have time. We ended up needing to be in our house by 3:00pm yesterday. Because of how crazy things were and the danger we were putting ourself in, we returned an hour earlier. Things are crazy here during these last two weeks. People blew off fireworks this Christmas, and continued to do so until the New Year. Not only that, people drink, a lot, and dress as women to get money from people driving. I've heard that it is a thing in all of South America. ¿Interesante es no?

We have been working with refrences from the members a lot this last week. We have been very successful with that. I hope that all of you can help out the missionaries by giving them names of friends, coworkers, or family that are not members, but that you would like for them to teach and visit. It'll help advance the work a lot if you are able to do this. 

Love you all and hope you have a great year and are able to become better this year!

--Elder Ogden--

I asked Stanley to send me a picture of him in his Christmas jammies we sent him so I can put it as part of our Christmas ornament for this year. Here he is strutting his stuff:

Venezuelan Pizzas. Never thought about using a tortilla for crust but was good. 

Our volcano Cotacachi with snow. Reminds of snow capped mountains.

My snowman I built today near volcano Cayambe.