Week 75 Ecuador

Dear Family,

I love all of your beautiful faces. It makes me super happy when you`re all happy and doing well. Funny how that connection works, huh? 

Well, it`s raining here in Duran but spirits are high!

Aside from what I said in my Voice Rec. we are anxiously looking forward to two Baptisms this week (some hard-set Catholics converted by the Book of Mormon!!) Irina and Kevin. 

Following that we have like 12 possible candidates for baptism this month of March, we`ll march forth with Faith and do all in our power. As a Zone we`re looking to complete a goal of 17 Baptisms and 19 Rescues this month. Rarely do Zones complete their goals and it would be a huge Testimony builder to see this Zone that has fallen short of its potential for so long come up and grab hold of it by helping so many genuine people come closer to God.

So, play on, laugh on, work on! Keep looking forward.

We have leadership Conference tomorrow, always a thrill. Other big news... An apostle is coming to our mission June 11th. Yes! Elder Estupinan dies 29th of March  :(  ..and, General Conference is like 1 month away. What more could you ask for?

2/29/16 Voice Recording

Happy Monday family. We worked a lot, and we learned a lot this week. It was very successful… a lot of feelings running around. This morning, although I’ve never been one to watch much sports or basketball, or much of one to play it, Elder Estupinan is a good basketball player, and with March Madness starting up in the United States we took it as a finding opportunity. We’re putting together a basketball tournament bracket here in the ward. The youth, adults, whoever, can form their own teams, and then submit into the bracket. We’re going to get a little ward trophy, and over these next three weekends we’re going to run a little tournament. Hopefully helping the recent converts, the less actives come, getting some new investigators. It’s a fun idea. We’re really hoping it works out good. Don’t be afraid to change things up to get new results. 

Well, continuing onward I’m going to give this week to you jumping around like an emotional roller coaster, cause that’s how it is in reality. I had an eye opening lesson learned the other day as we gave our recent convert, and current mission leader a blessing. For ten days now he’s been in a drug relapse. He was a cocaine addict for 27 years, and gave it up cold turkey six months ago to get baptized. Although he has the mental toughness not to consume, his body has developed a dependence on the drugs, and after not consuming in so long he crashed. Now he had to undergo detoxification treatments, and the biggest thing is the family doesn’t have money, so it’s kind of sad. We gave him a blessing, and I know some of the members are helping him out, but we were talking with him for a minute, and he’s realizing the consequences of his decisions for so many years. It’s a big lesson for me too. I’ve never seen personally a drug abuser and the affects, so it was kind of an eye opener for me. I just remember the old DARE program…Don’t do drugs. We’re praying that he can recover, that he’ll pull out of it. 

The following day I wasn’t in the sector because we had an exchange with the district leaders. I was with Elder Johnson. He’s from Utah too. He’s got a scholarship to go play football after. I can’t remember, I think he’s going to UVU at first, then he might go down to Snow College or something. He’s a good guy. He has like six weeks more than me in the mission. He’s just a solid dude. I was giving him a hard time though, he’s really uncertain about his decisions. He’s a district leader, but I’ve talked with President Riggins, and the only reason he’s not a zone leader is because he can’t be firm in his decisions. So I was talking to him…I say whether you’re going to succeed or mess up, do it 100 percent, and back yourself up. If you have logic behind your decisions, then nobody’s breathing down our necks if we mess up. It’s like a football play, when you’re in the huddle and they call the play, you line up, maybe the defense changes formation, but the play is called, you’re going…just go with your decisions! I think it helped him out. Sad moment though, when they called us last night and told us that he was being transferred to an area that’s having a lot of problems right now in the mission. There’s a lot of disobedient missionaries there. I think that’s a result of the type of families that really do influence a lot the missionaries that make bad decisions. I think there was an emergency change in that sector. They pulled an elder out. In other words, he’s walking into a fallen sector where an elder has done something bad. He’s going to have a tough situation…has to pull it back up, and gain the trust of the members. I feel really bad for him, but God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers.

Alright, back up to a high point with a quick shout out to Darby! Happy 22nd birthday, although I wrote you a little note. I dedicated to day to you, and we went out and found three new investigators. Yes, I love you. That’s how we make things happen. 

Well, yesterday we had nine investigators in church. That might be a personal record for me, I can’t really remember, but it definitely gives us a lot of candidates for baptism. I’m really praying for a family, or at least a future elder that can be baptized, but we’re really excited. March could be the most successful month that I’ve had so far in the mission, and it should be. We’ve been working the past two months really good. Elder Estupinan is going home at the end of the month. He’s dedicated to work it out, so we’re really excited. We’re looking to complete the goal in the zone, and that does not happen very often. We still need to help the other missionaries keep pushing to put baptismal dates and goals with the people, so it can become a reality. Missionaries occasionally ask still how do we have success, how do we baptize, how do we do all these things. All I can tell them is all you can do is the best you know how, and then I believe that God truly blesses our efforts, and according to our sacrifice, diligence, and prayers of faith, God pours out his Spirit upon the people that they accept us. 

I’ve been reading a lot lately the Book of Mormon. I decided to read it again here in the mission, and I am inspired by the faithful missionary work of Alma and the sons of Helaman. I feel that desire, the urgency to find people, to teach them, and baptize them. I’m going for Alma chapter 38 right now, where Alma’s talking to his son Shiblon. I’ve been reading for five or six weeks now I think. It’s a blessing that you have time to study in the mission. After this I will have read all of the scriptures in the mission except for Doctrine and Covenants. I’m going to finish out the mission with Doctrine and Covenants I think. I don’t know, or wherever I land. There’s always good applications and studies wherever you look. 

 Well, I love each and everyone of you. You’re in my heart. Your in my prayers. You’re often in my testimony that I share with the entire world, so keep doing great things. Choose the right, and we’ll keep going forward. Take care. Have another wonderful week. 

Week 74 Ecuador

Leadership conference a couple weeks ago.

I sent these last week, but maybe they didn't make it through.

2/22/16 voice recording

Hi family. Well, I’m tuning in with the voice recorder this week to let you know how the mission life is going. We’re doing really good. As far as basketball goes, we’ve got another round coming today, but last week we had our first loss. We had eaten an entire pizza before going and playing basketball, like right after, and that was a poor decision. We came out 2 points down. But, we’re actually going to turn it into a finding thing. A bunch of the youth in the ward want to learn how to play basketball, so we’re going to find some time to go and teach them and tell them to bring investigators and stuff. Always thinking of new ways to find people to teach. 

Talking about the zone first, I guess we’re doing alright. We’re having our ups and downs getting ready for this month of March. As a zone we’re pulling through with some baptisms, and staying right there with the rest of the mission, so we definitely lifted the zone a little bit from where it was. We had the assistants come to our house this morning, and they studied with me and E. Estupinan a little bit on how we can help them out, new ideas for our sector. Always helping us out, it’s good. 

A little something out of the ordinary was the mission got together to listen to an Australian psychiatrist who specialized in serial killer investigations…pretty crazy. Well, it sounds cool right? He is now called as a full time missionary, specializing on the mental health of the missionaries in Northern South America. His presentation was alright. It was more of a hassle of time and money for me getting around, but he’s still working on his spanish, that didn’t help the presentation. Still trying to get that down, I remember how that was. He did remind us of a great concept, that we do not have control over many of the circumstances that we’re in, or things that happen, only how we choose to react to those things. That makes up half of the result right there. That we really can control a lot of the outcomes. We can choose to be happy, and a lot of other things, be optimistic, and keep working. I truly, truly am a strong believer that you get what you give. If you’re willing to pray and receive inspiration, and go to work, then you’re going to have success. I really believe that. I think God is a very fair person. I’ve seen it in other zones, and now I’m seeing it in this one as well. We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re climbing. We’re getting there. 

More specifically in our sector we have three baptismal dates for the 12th of March. We have some other investigators that we want to also put baptismal dates with in March. For the end of March, we’re preparing 4 future elders to receive the Melkezedik priesthood. We’re actually working with a couple families too, that they can get sealed. Man, that would be so, so awesome if I could go to a family sealing in the mission. I’ve always wanted to do that, but everyone here is afraid of the temple, they’re afraid of making promises with God, or their spouse, or anyone. They don’t want to tie themselves down. You have to help them understand, and we’re trying to help them do that more and more. A lot of people don’t ever get sealed here, but something we’ve got to help them understand and see, and go make it happen. 

Although me and E. Estupinan are usually very successful, we ran around and had our minds in different places this week hopefully trying to help out the zone and ourselves, but we didn’t end up having any new investigators this week. That kind of hit us hard. It’s a pretty big part of the work finding new people to always be teaching. We’re supposed to get like 10 in a week, and we didn’t have a single new investigator this week, but we’re working with ideas, we have some new plans, and we’re going to keep working. We’re actually kind of taking on a big task to do the things that none else could finish here. Things that will definitely leave a lasting mark on this ward. There’s like 600 members in this area, but a lot of them have moved, and nobody sends their information, so we’re actualizing everything, everything, everything. It’s not exactly fun, but somebody’s got to do it, and we’re taking charge of that. That’s a lot of work too. We’re going to get all that stuff updated. Out with the old information, and in with the new. The new elders, the new sealings, the new temple work, and lots and lots of new converts. Whoo!

Ok, two kind of funny stories. One night before the district meeting when me and E. Estupinan were going to be teaching, we started going off on motivational speeches, like what we wanted to say. We were here at the house at 10:00 at night. I started pulling out motivational speech videos, like Rocky Balboa. We were pretty loud, we didn’t even realize. Then the second counselor to the bishop, living a block from us, was walking back to his house at that time. He gets to his house and calls us. The phone rings and I answer hello. He’s like Elder Wilson this is Pepe. He can speak english, but he has an accent. He’s like are you two fighting? Are you fighting with your companion? I was like no, no, no. We’re not fighting, we’re just getting pumped up for our meeting tomorrow. He’s like oh, ok, ok. It was super funny that he thought we were fighting, but no we don’t really fight. We get along really well. We were just relieving our stress…vocally!

The other funny story is, well this isn’t funny. We were teaching two of our investigators, and they have a little baby, and while we were teaching they kind of lost track of her, and she broke a glass door. She fell in the glass, and cut herself pretty good behind her ear. She was bleeding all over, and the mom grabbed the baby and put pressure on it, and ran for the clinic. We’re like oh shoot, so we started sweeping up the glass, and everything else, and then we just left. We went by later that night, and the baby had gotten some stitches, but every things good now. They’re still believing in God, and wanting to get baptized, so we’re good. 

Well, those are the biggest things. We’re keeping the missionaries in line, doing surprise visits, dropping into their house in the morning to make sure they’re dressed and studying. We’re helping them out with their planning and work. Always seeing how everyones working. I read a really good talk about knowing the Godhead, I think in english by Elder Holland. I think it was in the Liahona in January of this year. If you didn’t get a chance to read that, it would be super good. 

My personal health and happiness… I’m eating a lot of strawberry banana smoothies. I think I’ve got it down to a science, how I like to make them. I’m enjoying that. I do honestly enjoy the frequent rain that we have. It’s kind if nice except for when it really, really comes down. Then it makes it kind of hard to work, when the streets fill up with water, but that doesn’t happen to much. So, physically I think I’m doing pretty good. Those P90X videos are going to get work this week. Goodness gracious, kind of scares me. I just need a little more time, there’s not enough time to do a full workout, but I can definitely wear myself out in a half hour, so no worries there. Spiritually I gave myself a kick in the butt yesterday, Sunday. I was angry I guess you could say as I passed by the Familia Comba for church, and no one answered to door. Both E. Estupinan and I were hardened until we got to church and found them there waiting for us. I have to trust more, be more believing of the people. I’ve honestly been struggling to pray lately, or at least with real intent. It’s like when I go and do interchanges with other missionaries I pray. I pray that I can help, and we have success, but then I come back and I don’t have the faith to make it happen in my own sector, or I let my guard down a little bit. When your not praying, or feel it’s a routine, or can’t focus your mind to have a sincere conversation. Even as a missionary when we’re reading, studying, serving the people it can all be a bit routine, and unfulfilling unless we consult with God, or the Lord and make him the center of all of it, and then he’ll bless our actions, he’ll guide us more directly. So my goals this week is to pray more sincerely, and not do it because it’s the routine thing. 

I know it’s all true though. We’re doing good. I hope all of you are doing very well. Excited to talk to you guys later. Ok, well love you

Week 73 Ecuador

Buenos Dias!

Glad many of you are joining me in the warm weather and Sunshine, feels great to get out in some shorts and flip-flops! Way to play your hearts out. Good luck on the Championship Bracket! Elder Estupinan and I are a little famous now in the community, all of the local basketball players know that we meet up at the park to play basketball at 4:00 every monday and they come to challenge us. Yes, I said Basketball; not my greatest sport but we`re still undefeated! 

All of the youth are on their ¨summer vacation¨ until the end of April. Keep studying hard and yours will be coming up. 

This week we did work, literally. Two exchanges with the District Leaders turned out for a lot of new Baptismal Dates! Only trouble is that many of the new people we are finding in the Zone just don`t want to go to church _ different culture down here. Many people work on Sunday or that is their only day to rest and do what they want to! No wonder my most used scripture is (Isaiah 58:13-14). Hard working people. Makes it tough though when they have to go to church at least three times to be baptized though.

I tried out one of those Segway things that has the two wheels you ride around on by leaning, I was pretty good at it and I want one! ha, no I don`t know how practical they are but it was fun. Elder Estupinan doesn`t have such a great center of balance and was off the Segway and on his back as quick as he got on! Whooop, ok, time to put that away haha.

Our Baptisms went very well and i can truly say I haven`t laughed so much as I have helping these two 16 year olds prepare for such an incredible moment. The youth here are powerful, I know they are in UT also. Elder Holland came to Quito this weekend and rumor has it our mission will be visited by an Asostle in June. Let`s hope they have time! Anyways, I didn`t do the baptisms but I did give a talk and SANG ¨If the Savior stood beside me¨ with a young women from the ward who has a beautiful voice and really saved us.

.. Next baptisms: Potentials for the 27th of this month and a solid family on the 5th of March_this family is a miracle I`ll save for a future story.

Touching on the biggest points, we went fishing today in a nearby river with a member who has some fishing poles. Only thing is these poles are for the Ocean, deep-sea style (as he has won several competitions in that department) so I opted to fish with line by had with a hook, weight, and shrimp tied on the end. Result: only catch of the day -- he`s a lot bigger in real life  ;)   ok, so maybe not mom`s 18¨ trout but the whole ¨Nino¨ with high dirty currents didn`t help either.

So, keep living it up and I`ll continue striving to live up to my special calling! I`m full of gratitude to have reached 18 months this week and 30 Baptisms!! 

Love you all

Week 72 Ecuador

We had a special leadership meeting today as 11 (half) of the Zone leaders in the mission got changed, and 11 new called up. Woah. President kept me and E Estupinan together here in Duran as Zone Leaders, we have a plan...more or less...to help out the mission work in the Stake here, and he decided he wants to see us carry it out. Pray for me! I feel good. We came out of a hole but we plan on having 2 baptisms this weekend (my lucky date: 13th).

I fasted Sunday, and we found a Chosen investigator as we call it. Her name is Irina, 26 and single, very pretty, has lived a successful worldly life we could say but feels there is more, and is bored with her traditional Catholic religion. Great! It was a miracle how we found her, and her family wants to listen too. Hopefully she'll be getting baptized the first part of March. 

I can ramble forever...I need to use my voice recorder again.

Anyways, for now

Love you

Some photos of where I've been working recently.

Week 71 Ecuador

I had pictures but they won't send from this computer...maybe later, or next week. Take care. :)