Quito part 2

Hey all!! 

This week was another crazy but excellent one. Due to some divisions, and 2 conferences in Quito, I was only with my comp/in my sector for like 3 days, but they were solid ones! This week (last week of the change...) we are back home in the sector for the whole time together so we are excited to get things done!! A lil recap of the week...

Tuesday we had a specialized zone training with President Christensen. It was pretty short and was basically a review/add on to Elder Waddell´s mission tour--it was a solid training. Highlight...Hna Christensen´s snickerdoodles! Jaja! <3

Thursday I left to Quito again with Elder W, at about 8 am. We got into Quito, got lunch, and then headed up to the Quito North Mission for the multimission conference. All the Quito North mission was there, all the missionaries from Quito from our mission, and some leaders from the further away cities. It was sooo good seeing some mission buddies, and some MTC buddies from the other mission! I also met my grandson, Elder S. He is also from Colombia...I got a pretty Colombian blood like, haha! He is great, and Elder B is killin it too. They baptized a family we had been teaching right before I left...the 20 year old daughter was a nun for a year before we found her...epiccccc.

Friday we had the district leader conference in Quito. The conference was great. Learded a ton and am excited to apply all I learned. The mish is dope cause as we learn more we keep learning that there is so much more to do/improve on. 

After the conf on Friday, I headed to the hospital for a quick medical appointment. The feet are doing good, dont trip! Switching back to my original shoes, give me a little more foot space. Bloody feet. (as in Harry Potter term...they arent actually bleeding. not that much...)

Had a solid weekend here in Santo Domingo. Our normal Sunday lunch fam was outta down, but Bishop came in clutch and hooked us up. I love being a missionary, hah!

So my question of the week (from CareBear) - do you ever dream in Spanish? 

These days I kinda dream in Spanglish. My comp told me I usually speak half and half when I sleep talk, so Im guessing I dream in both too. Last week he told me I got angry in spanish and then started talking mellow/happy again in english. Maybe I have a different personality for each language when I sleep...? All I know is that I love sleep.

Love you all! Go Cougs.

ES

12 weeks and even the skinniest Colombians can get bulked ;) hahaha

¿are you down?

Wattup.

Another week in the books. Time is flying faster than ever and starting to freak me out a little bit. Someone told me there was life after the mish but I`m still not sure if I believe them...but for now.........

It was a solid week. Hit up a cool little 2 days getaway to Quito with a buddy who started the mission with me and is currently serving in my zone, Elder W. It was so fun traveling with him and being comps for 2 days while our comps stayed and hit a little pavement (or, dirt). He is a great dude and is heading to the Y after the mish, DOWN!!!

The lil trip to Quito was super chill. I love that city and it was SOOOO great just being back for a few days. Got some visa work done, hung out with a few buddies from my group, ate some BOMB burritos at a restaurant called Tarzan in downtown Quito, hit up some McyDees breakfast, and had a nice 8 hours of travel time to relax/check out some sweet views. 

This week I will be heading back to Quito for 2 days again for a leaders conference. And will maybe head down a day early for doctors appointment to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Dang toes....haha!

We had a few excellent baptisms this week! A is the son of a great dude who had been less active for about 25 years, and just about 4 weeks ago had a huge change of heart and is now strong in the church and was able to see his youngest son be baptized. They are a great family and we love them so much. Now its time to work on the mama and older brother so that they can be an ETERNAL FAMILY. Are you down?!

Thats about it. Love you all and love the Lord. I am down.

ES

"We Believe in Meetings"

Well, it was another SOLID week out here in Santo Domingo. The week flew by because we basically were in meetings/conferences all week...let me tell you about em.

First, on Wednesday we had the ``mission tour conference`` with Elder Waddell. It was amazing! He is such a humble and powerful man, I learned so much and received so much inspiration/answers to my questions. I was also selected as one of the 10 missionaries in the mission to get to have a personal interview with him before the conference started....it was AMAZING. Being able to sit down face to face with him for 20ish minutes was truly epic. He taught me so much and made me feel soooo good about what I am doing and why I am here in Ecuador...definitely a big booster to keep me rollin for the next 10 months. Truly an inspired man and an unforgetable interview. Epic.

On Thursday was a standard district meeting...learned how to apply some things Elder Waddell taught us.

Saturday and Sunday was Stake Conference. We got to hear President Christensen and his wife speak AGAIN, and the Temple President and his wife speak, and Elder Espinosa of the 70....a ton of great talks and we were able to have 2 families attend conference with us so that made it even better! And the Stake Center has AC.......DOPE!

Well, thats about it. Hit up CARLS JR for lunch today...just opened this week. Double Western Bacon Cheeeeeee baby!

Should hit a little trip to Quito tomorrow and Wednesday, but still need to confirm everything.

Oh yeah, a volcano blew up. Cotopaxi. Last I heard all the missionaries are chilling, and there arent too many problems aside from a ton of smoke and ash. President and Elder Waddell had to travel 11 hours to the multizone conference after leaving Santo Domingo...7 hours longer than normal. But I am far from the Volcano so dont worry about me :)

Love you all! Keep being amazing people.

ES

Sup.

Hey all!!

It was another great week here in Santo Domingo. To be honest, had a few of the toughest days of the mish so far, but when all was said and done the week ended up just fine! God blessed us with some cloudy/moderate weather which was CLUTCH! I love it down here...even if I do sweat like crazy every day. Dont judge ;)

Well, today has been a little bit crazy for a pday. Some how got ourselves into a lil service project....on our 1 free day of the week....but hey, CALLED TO SERVE! Jajajaja. Had to help some converts get ready for a big bday party/celebration tonight. We are gonna eat real well tonight....so we arent complaining!

This Wednesday we have a multizone conference with Presidente Christensen and Elder Waddell of the 1Q of the 70...so that should be awesome!!! These next 4 weeks are about to be crazy. 2 zone conferences, trip to Quito to renew visa, trip to Quito for a leaders conference, meeting with President/mission nurses/the members that feed us, annnnnd our weekly district meetings every thursday. Hold on tight boys!!

Unfortunately didnt take many pics this week.... Our sector is pretty dangerous so I havent been carrying my camera, but will take it out 1 day to make Momma happy with some pics, deal? :) Quick thought/experience about that.... Here on the mission I am sooooo protected, it is crazy. On a daily basis I walk down dirt roads without street lights in very poor/sketchy neighborhoods with tons of people in the streets and often drunks/big groups of men....and almost never have felt scared/that my life was in risk. For over a year now I have been in situations that before would creep me out, but know I truly feel God´s hand guiding me and protecting me and have been able to do what I need to do for Him and know that He will lead the way. The mission is dope....so grateful for these short 2 years to learn like crazy and experience things that I will never be able to experience outside of the mission. The church is true and the Book of Mormon is....also true. Read it!

Love you all. Sleep and extra hour or two for your boy cause he is lacking!!

ES

Yo

Hey all. Guess what...running out of time again. So will be quick and just hit up some questions that the fam asked.

So, tell us about:

Elder V, from Chile

My new comp is sweet! He’s got just a few weeks in the mish but is already doing really well. He is really interested in becoming a great missionary and learning english so he is just my type!! (or companion...ya know...). He’s a short/hyper dude and way funny/good at magic. DOPE!

Your district

We are 10 missionaries in the district. 3 gringos, a homie from Honduras, a homie Nicaraguan, Peruvian, and sisters from Domincan Republic and Peru. And me and my comp. Had a sweet training on thursday and are all getting excited for a good/successful change!

Your new area

Well...its HUGE. And really ghetto and a lil sketchy. Some jungle parts, some parts that look like africa (super rough conditions), and a lil area that is normal houses. Its hot as heck but I’m adapting bit by bit!

The new food

The food is soooooo good! We eat with the bishop every day for lunch, and with the bishops mother in law at night every day....and they both cook AMAZING. So happy to eat every day haha.

Your new ward

New ward is dope. About 140 members attending, a lil smaller than the last ward. Some awesome families. And we are the only elders in the ward so we get all the priesthood support. DOWN!

The people

Costenos...they are dope! Talk way different and have a funny life style. Some way cool/humble fams and some awesome new families we found this week!! Found more new people to teach this week than any other week in the mish! 

What you hear from Elder B

Elder B is training another Colombian and saw a pic of them....seems like a sweet dude! Will hopefully hear from him in a few weeks when I roll into Quito for a visa.

The humidity

Dont even wanna go there....but its DANG humid/hot. But I love it....kinda.

Your investigators

Got a few that are progressing really slow who we are helping get a little more motivated, and found/taught almost 20 new people this week. Trying to get a nice new pool of people to teach!

You mentioned you're DL of 10 missionaries, are all of them in Santo Domingo?

Yup. 6 Elders from the neighboring ward, and then us and the sisters from our ward. But all are here closeby.

Any good places to eat that are unlike Quito cuisine?

The food is way different and better. But is tough to describe. Basically every little store sells ice cream and tons of fruit and coconut water/juice....so it def has some bomb tropical foods!

Well...im outta here! Sorry for the Q&A haha...but just know all is good and I survived the most exhausting week of the mish and loving it down here!

Elder