Week 59 - Ibarra - Mijo y Mas Elderes

So I now have a new companion. Like, brand new missionary companion. His name is Elder Ellington, from Ohio. He is an awesome guy. He has had a rough way to start the mission losing a lot of things (I know how that is), but it is getting better. He has some really great and new ideas which I always enjoy to have in new companions. He enjoys music and can play the ukelele, which I'm sad we don't have one to hear him play. I'm really excited to work with him and learn from him!

We also got a new companionship in the ward, and, because they are new, they don't have a house. For that reason, they are chilling at our house until there is a house that comes up. I'm really excited to have two other elders in my district. However, these past couple of days have been interesting with two more elders living in the same house. We've already had some pretty funny moments.

So, the craziness of this, the first week of the change. Monday we were stuck in the bus terminal in Otavalo waiting for a missionary to come. I was with an elder that was the district leader. Tuesday we had half of the day here in Ibarra and the other half in the other Elder's sector called Karabuela (grandma face). Wednesday, we had a training for the district leaders in the mission. Thursday started in Karabuela, then to Cotacachi (to talk to the missionaries there. It was so cool to see everything again), and back to Ibarra. Friday we went to pick up our trainees. Saturday we went to a zone council in the morning and had meetings in the afternoon. 

I'll tell you what, it was a hard week to go to work. Very stressful. Still is a little bit with new elders, but I hope things will start calming down. I think that is about all that happened this week. Love you all! 

Me with a ukelele before my companion got here

Table tennis (mini)

The elders didn't take pictures of my companion and I. Sorry! 

Week 58 - Ibarra - Sorpresa y Tristeza

So, surprise! This was the end of changes and now I'm in my 11th change (not like anyone's counting). However, I didn't leave my sector, but my trainee, Elder Leighner. I'm actually pretty sad I was only with him for six weeks; it went by too fast. The other surprising thing is that I'm actually going to be training again. The new group that is coming is going to come late because they just recently received their visas. Now, I'm waiting for my companion to come with an Elder Choque, because he is also training. We still don't know when they will be getting here, so it'll be a fun, interesting week. 

We did have a great week to end the change. We got to meet some new people that have new problems that I haven't had to help with before and I was relying a lot on the Spirit this week to help me out just to know what to say and how to go about things. I'm greatful for a good companion that we could walk and talk about investigators and how it is that we were planning on helping them.

We also got caught in a big rain storm. It always seems to be near the end of the change. It was fun because all we were doing was passing by different people we are teaching and inviting them to come to church. That was really fun.

That's all for this week. I'm preparing to travel to Quito a lot this week again. Love you all!

A cool Jarassic Park jeep

Yes, Pizza Hut again. We felt so sick after eating all of that.

Week 57 - Ibarra - Los Milagros

This week we felt the power of the Spirit as we worked harder to make it a good week, but it can't go as we always want.

I had the great opportunity, and a little intimidating chance, to have companion exchanges with the Assistants to President. I went with Elder Lopez, who has already been one of my Zone Leaders. I actually enjoyed a lot being with him. He had an excitement about everything that it was actually a little contageous. We turned out having very little time to do anything, however, due to the excitment to work and the guidance of the Spirit, we were able to talk with about 26 people and teach two new people within two hours. It was amazing and it made us both really excited to keep working. However, I did have to travel back to Quito and travel back to Ibarra within the same day. Still recovering.

We had a really awesome miracle this week. We've had some troubles lately trying to find new people to teach. It makes it that much harder to teach people, have people progress, and eventually get baptized. We felt like we weren't completing our purpose. So, we went to work. We knew we would have an entire day without any work in our sector; we had to work harder to find new people to teach. It was 8:00 and we had only found one, we needed at least two more. We knocked the first block and we couldn't teach anyone. By this time it was 8:20. I thought, alright, we will contact all the way back to the house if we have to. We then knocked the next door and a family opened up to us and we could teach three sisters. We were so happy with that, we thought, let's just keep going. We knocked the next door and met a youth that doesn't have much of a belief in God or in Christ but was really interested in the Book of Mormon. Another one. I thought, we'll maybe we'll just go to the end of the block if we keep having success. We knock the next door, and a mother and her daughter came out to talk to us. They were interested in having an eternal family, considering the whole family is 13. We taught two more new people. I thought about being out after nine, but we couldn't. It was just that the Spirit was with us and was blessing us with so many blessings that we wanted to just keep going. However, if we disobeyed, we wouldn't have the Spirit. So it was better to return home. That day we found seven new people and were able to give out all the Books of Mormon that we had. It may seem like a little miracle, but it was a miracle we definetly needing to keep our Spirits up. I know I am greatful we endured to the end so as to receive the help that we wanted and needed.

We heard the exciting news that a new companionship will be coming to our sector as they prepare to split the ward and make a new stake this next year. I'm super excited for the progress we are seeing in this ward because of all the sacrifices they make for the missionary work. I also hope that the YSA watched the powerful face to face with Elder Cook. It was amazing. You can think that you were watching it with your favorite person in all of Ecuador! Love you all! 

Quito

Just chilling with the Elders in Cayambe (for the third time!)

Just a casual picture

Beautiful

So, we had to cram one truck of eight elders and another truck of four sisters and my companion and I. You can't see them, but that is why he is practically sitting on me. 

Week 56 - Ibarra - Crazy Week

Happy Labor Day everyone, (that is, in the states it's labor day)

We had a really crazy week with a lot of different things and events that took place. This email shall describe some.

First is we had our First Verifications for my companion Elder Leighner (more to make sure that I'm teaching what I should as a trainer). It went really well. There were some things that I need to work on better, but Elder Leighner is doing great. His Spanish is just growing and growing everyday. We did, however, have to travel to Quito for these verifications. Another. Travel. But, it was nice getting to stay in the secretaries' house. Funny thing is, the two secretaries we stayed with are in my group! We had a blast with them. They also just so happened to have tennis raquets in their house. Yes, I did play around for a long bit.

We also had an interesting experience. This last weekend was the temple trip for our ward. They ended up coming back here Sunday at three in the morning. What does that mean? We had to start church super late because a) lack of members, b) lack of bishopbric. It was interesting as five minutes till church and only ten members were seated and ready. I can understand why everyone showed up a little later. 

This week, one of our people with a baptismal date showed up to his interview and found he didn't remember something and wanted to delay his date. It was actually pretty hard for us. He was progressing really well and had gotten over his addiction to smoking. However, as we were focused on that, we didn't realize that he didn't understand a core doctrine within the church. I do, however, admire him for admitting to that and taking the initiative to say something so that he could truly be ready for his baptism. It was sad, but a good moment. I know that we need to do the same. If we are unworthy for something, let us fix it so as to feel the healing power of the Atonemtent in our lives. 

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!

Yes, tennis

Just playing a minature trumpet. No biggy.

Just two guys in a cave above a waterfall

Boo

Cascada de Peguche (una otra vez)

Modeling

A little wyoming fun

Really cool mural

Week 55 - Ibarra - Sandillas

This week had really high ups and really low downs personally and in the missionary work. But, we were able to see many small miracles to having a father listen to us for the first time after not wanting to listen, to seeing the testimony of the people we are teaching grow. I certainly do love this work and love the Gospel that we are a part of!

This week we had a missionary work activity which was SUMMER GAMES! I know many of you have already returned to school, but you can't tell the difference here :D. We started by having a water balloon tossing contest with towels (which did not turn into a water balloon fight thankfully), having a competition to see who could find the most clues (that included a consequence, getting wet; depending on what you paper said depended how wet), and ending with volleyball. It was a really fun activity and it seems like many members enjoyed it! Just sharing a little American culture around the world. 

We have some very awesome people that we are teaching and seeing the fruits of our hard work that we have put in. We are starting to see a lot of people progress and realize the importance (and the majority of the time, effects) that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring. We were teaching one family that are not married about the importance of keeping the Law of Chastity. The sister we were teaching pointed out, in the pamphlet we gave her, that it says the blessings we can have can be ours if we act now. That part, now, stuck out to me. God needs our talents, our abilities, and our gifts that He has given us. But we don't know when He needs them, so we need to do what is right NOW so that we will be ready. I have certainly tried (and failed sometimes) doing my best to be ready in the hour God needs me to be ready. We know that we are closer to the coming of the Savior so we need to act now. If we fail, we can remember the conference talk "Seventy time Seven" from this last conference, "Success is failing and failing without the loss of enthusiasm". So, let's keep going. Marching forward. So as to see our Heavenly Father's face once again.

Love you all and have a great week! 

Just carrying a large bag of watermelon. No biggy

Yes. There is still the spirit of a little kid in me. 

A parade because everyone was so excited to go back to school, I think

Week 54 - Ibarra - Viajes, Cansadísimo, Personas

Hello all you lovely people. I feel like it has been a while since I have sent anything, so here is another two week email.

First off, my new companion. My new companion is Elder Leighner from Chicago, IL. He was stuck in the States (Washington D.C. South Mission) due to visa problems and is happy to be here now. He equally loves Star Wars as I do and has not (and WILL NOT) reveal any truths behind the eighth movie. Nor should you. His Spanish is actually really good and it seems that it grows drastically every day we are proselyting. Of course, he understands better than he talks (which is normal) and so now we are working on pronunciation. 

Two weeks ago, I had a lot of travels. Monday and half of Tuesday was traveling back and forth from one part of the city (another sector called San Miguel) to our sector, and back again. Tuesday evening, the elder I was with and I went to Quito to split off and sleep at another Elder's house to receive our companions the next day. We then woke up early Wednesday morning and traveled to the center of Quito, where we received our trainees and then...headed back to our sector. Thursday, normal. Friday in the morning I was headed back to Quito for a District Leader training. We came back the same day. Friday, somewhat normal. Saturday we had to travel to the stake center for our Zone Leadership Council and came back midday. Let me just say, the lack of sleep and jet lag are real. I'm still recovering a little bit. For those of you that have to travel for work, I know your pain. Well, maybe a little bit more. 

For this week, we found a hidden community that if someone had not drawn for us a map we would've never known it existed. We also had companion exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I went with Elder Harris (from PG, UT and from my group) which was a blast and I feel we both learned a lot from each other. We then had a Zone Conference which was spectacular and super long (it took up almost the entire day; 11 hours outside of my sector that day). We both are hoping and praying for just a "normal" week this week before my companion has first verifications. But, it isn't looking very good. 

I want to talk a little enduring to the end. As we read in D&C 76, only those that are faithful to the end with receive the Celestial Kingdom. Enduring to the end is key. In my Book of Mormon studies I am at the part when Jesus Christ has just come to the American continent. However, it wasn't a good time before that. The earth had completely changed form. Cities were burned, others sunk into the sea, and others buried by mountains. All of this destruction from one key idea, enduring to the end. We read before all of that that Nephi (the son of Nephi, who was a decendant of Nephi who had left Jerusalem with him family Nephi) tried to help out the people. Their struggle was, belief, fall even farther away, return to God, fall into the depths of despair. They couldn't endure and because of that many of them (until the time of Jesus. Eventually all of them) perished and died. It is vital for all of us to continue, as President Nelson has always said, on the covenant path. In the end, it is the easiest path to follow. So, keep following it!

Thank you all so much for your emails. I love reading, and usually write back, to all of them. Love you all so much and have a great week!

I present, my only son (Brave reference)

New Zone Shirt

Playing chess. hint, I lost pretty bad

Week 53 - Ibarra - Craziness

So crazy thing happened, they started welding right in the middle as we were writing and the computers would turn on and off. So, I will write more about what happened this week, next week. Love you all! 

--With that short of an e-mail, here are a few pictures to enjoy that President Murphy posted to Facebook--

New Companion