June 5, 2017

My last email.  

dont feel like this is real...

This week went great our investigadores are suddenly starting to be more interested in the message this week. alot of them finally accepted to be baptized! One lady that has been taught on and off by the missionaries for about 30 years said " i think its time now" with a seemingly sigh of relief

another while we were teaching sincerely asked his son if he too would like to be baptized and he said YA!! 

Got word too that in Quevedo a lady that has not been able to be baptized for like 6 months but believes in the church and everything even goes to institute is getting baptized because her fiance moved out of the house (they are getting married in December) he moved out so that she could get baptized sooner!  shes getting baptized this Saturday! 

Well because its my last email i have to say thanks to my family. they have all ways written to me and have always been there in thick or thin i really love them and feel truly blessed!! 

thanks to my bud Darrin too He is a stud always been there

i freakin love the mission i think is the best place to prepare for life. im so grateful that i went and enjoyed the experience of being a missionary!! i truly love it here and it sucks that i got to leave but im happy i get to see my family again!! 

 bye

 

haha thanks dad for the email love you guys a ton thank you for always being there!! cant wait to see you 

haha love you mom il see you in a week haha 😀😖 

well i got to go see you in a week!

 

 

May 29, 2017

its been pretty fun here with elder Jarvis, We keep trying more and more to get better.  i think its a temptation to speek in English too much haha. in the rules it actually says you should always speak your mission language, so thats been one of our goals this week.  Elder Jarvis and i have had lots of fun this week too. he is super funny and shredds on the guitar haha.  

this week was the district conference here in Ventanas.  It was president Riggins last district conference in Ventanas.. they are going to miss the crap out of him.  Honestly if President Riggins is talking i already know that everyone is going to love it.  He talked alot about how the district has alot of potential to be a stake they just have to work together. he talked about an orcestra.  We all play different istruments and somtimes we just dont want to play our instrument because we dont like how it sounds all by its self but if you put it together with everyone else you have a very sweet symphony!!  that is so true. that has alot to do in our family lives as well if we all work together and always watching the director that way everyone is in tune. the song will be wonderful.  that analogy can work in almost every situation.  also the district president spoke he talked about when they first called him to be a branch president he didnt even go the first meeting haha he said that they had made a mistake.  They sent someone from the district to talk to him and he hid from them haha but they finally sat down with him and talked to him and told him that the Lord had called him not any man.  So this newly called branch president knelt down that night and asked God if he had really called him.  He said he got that warm feeling in his chest and it made him feel like his heart wanted to jump out.  not going to lie i think i cried when he said that. haha

we took an entire family to the church on sunday too!! it was so great first we ate breakfast at their house but we cooked.  We made american omelets. they were super good and the family was super pleased haha so pleased that they attended church haha we are going to teach them today pray for us so it will go great!!

well i got to go this is my second to last letter probably haha nuts right well i love you guys a ton and have fun at galoon.   tell dallin Elder Jarvis said that new ride i never got to ride is super dope so ride it for me

May 22, 2017

You'll never believe it. i got transfered again!! im here in Ventanas again! in the same Branch that i was in before!! I love it here!! I remember that i only had one tranfer here before and i wanted to stay for more time but looks like the Lord really doess love me!!" He sent me back. i know that im only going to be here for 3 weeks before i go home but im dying pretty good!! Im with a new companion named Elder Jarvis! he is from Orem Utah and knows a bunch of people from Lone Peak!! he is a really chill kid i can tell he has got his head in baptizing people and honestly looking back on my past companions ive noticed that the ones that i enjoyed the most are the ones that have not just their actions in the work but even their thoughts!! the house that we are in is great too its my old companion from the MTC and a new chileano missionary!! I really love it here.

This last week in Bellavista was great,  We taught alot of people this week!! 

 

(I told him...I think the Lord needed you to get a little of taste America in these last two comps so you will actually get on the plane...haha)

 

hahaha i know right i totally thought that too!! i got to go thanks a ton for all that you do!!

 

 

May 15, 2017

Weeks been good! i really love it here in Quevedo!  We found a new investigador on Friday named Jessica, she has a sister that is a less active, we went to the less actives house to invite her to an activity for mothers day that we were going to have in the church and we were inspired to ask if she knew anyone else that would be interested in going to the activity and she said maybe her sister that lives next door but then said no she is a monster and will never want to come but we were like The Gospel changes monsters!! haha so we knew her and she is like the opposite of a monster!! she is such a sweet lady!! she gladly accepted to come to the activity with her kids.  She attended!!! it was so great the next day we invited her to baptism and she gladly accepted!! She said that she had never attended before simply because no one has invited her! so it was really great!

well sorry for the short one choa nos vemos

well i got to go sorry i couldnt write more love you guys 

May 13, 2017

MOTHER'S DAY SKYPE TALK!!!

We spoke with Caleb on Saturday May 13 for Mother's Day.  IT WAS SO AWESOME!!

He said that he isn't serving as AP anymore.  When Elder Godoy came to visit a few weeks ago, he released all the APs that were not serving in the office.  The white missionary handbook doesn't really say they can have APs in the field, so he released the ones that were not in the office.  Caleb said he will miss the opportunity to work with so many awesome missionaries, but he loves loves loves working with Elder Martinez in Quevedo.  Because Caleb served in Quevedo before, he is enjoying catching up with the members that he worked with before.  He is hoping a family he worked with before is able to be baptized the week before he comes home on JUNE 13 (29 days in case you are counting!).  They have been reading the Book of Mormon everyday at 5am and have seen blessings because of it, which has led to them setting a date for baptism.

Caleb has definitely become a lover of the scriptures as he has served his mission.  He has surprised himself at how much pleasure he now takes in studying the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We had a wonderful talk about how the Book of Mormon has been not only a blessing in each of our individual lives, but also that of our family as we continue to feel the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ as we study the scriptures.  We also talked about what taking the sacrament means to us each week.  It was such a blessing to share our testimonies about the Gospel with this last time to Skype.

Caleb has loved serving in Ecuador!

Not a great pic...Last Skype of the mission.

May 8, 2017

hey i just talked to my companion and we think it would be better to talk on saturday but not sure at what time so it would be between 10am to 4pm but not exactly sure the exact time i think it would depend on where we talk but it would be at that time. 

this week was great the area 70 president came his name is elder godoy. I got to talk to him a little he is a really cool guy. He talked alot about when he was a missionary and when he was a mission president. i really loved it.

he also ate lunch with us and elder martinez and i sat right next to him!! he talks alot about the mission and it kinda suprises me because it was such a long time ago and it kinda worries me because i honestly dont remember all the things that happened in my mission haha but any way its all good. that was the highlight of the week!! 

ill talk a little more when we talk. i got to go now but i love you guys and hope all goes well

May 1, 2017

I got transferred to Quevedo again!! im still running around as an assistant but just in Quevedo!! President assigned me to work as an assistant in just the Quevedo South and North zones! so i can do interchanges with just about anyone in the both zones. President told me to teach them how to work with the ward leaders!! haha literally yelling haha i love him so much.  the ward im working in is called Bellavista. and my companion is named Elder Martinez from Texas.  the story of  this guys mission as just been hard, he trained 2 elders that went home before they finished their 12 weeks, but not because of him!! i actually chose to work with him haha!! he is probably the hardest worker ive ever met and is super obedient, his words are i just came to work for the lord!! so the fact that his 2 companions havent stayed was definitivly not his fault but he kinda feels bad for it... but it is really fun because he really got babtised only 3-4 years ago, his mother and 3 sisters. his mother is from mexico but he was born in Arkansas and then moved to texas. he grew up in texas playing football and knew the church there. he got baptised at 15 with the rest of his family, then when he moved to Utah at 18 and finished his senior year there in Midvale, Sandy.  that is where his family is.  Its awsome because its not like he had his whole life in the church so he still learned a ton!!  I love when he figures out some doctrine really well because he gets really happy!! He likes football a ton. we played today! he already knew spanish but like spanglish so ill try to correct him on some spanish error and he gets all defensive haha its so funny.  

anyway the changes are because there has been a bunch of elders that have gone home in this last week.  the elder that i was working with last week i showed all the love i could possibly give him and even helped him repent of some of the crap that he did here on the mission with other missionaries.  anyway the results are that he has a mental issue and he said, Elder Blackhurst i think these last 2 days that I got to have with you ive actually felt like a real missionary!! he said that he has never felt like that before. anyway he was really distructive as well he always questioned obedience and fought if he didnt get his way, he doesnt really have an inner feeling of guilt for anything! so he just doesnt care about obedience. i really just treated him like a little child because that was basically his mind set.  when i told him no it was like no elder you know that bad with like a baby voice and it totally worked so i think he has like some disorder. at the end he himself decided it would be better if he wasnt here.  so he was sent home. i told him that i would continue to write him because someone like that is prone to inactivate :( so i will try to write him.  he is from peru. 

 

on monday night president basically showed me the holes that he had because all the elders had left so he just asked where do you want to serve haha i told him with elder martinez!!! he is such a dope guy! he is from Rio Grande city from a spanish speaking branch over there

 

April 24, 2017

Caleb didn't have much time to write a letter but we were able to email back and forth for a few minutes.

6 Elders in an apartment meant for 4..haha...crowded much?

The one with the green shirt is Elder Oyler.  Elder Oylers little brother had a birthday so Elder Taylor made a cake for him that we ate haha

Well Elder contreras went home as well.  the one with the yellow shirt is my companion and Elder Oyler is my companion as well, we are in a threesome.

 

ya it was bad we were living 6 before.  the apartment is made for 4.  Honestly its just so bad haha but its ok because we all try to clean as much as we can. elder taylor was our district leader.  he was great!! but he was in the ward next to me and the wards here in Guayaquil are really small.

We got a new bishop this past week.  wow the spirit is so strong in those meetings, hearing the old bishop and old counselors give their testimonies and hearing a new bishop testify with his new counselors! 

hey i got to go. had some great experiences with a lost elder.  it was kinda sad, he wants to go home, its a long story but we had some great conversation.  hey my flight plan came  😬  i think the mission sent it to you too. 

 

Just for some back story...Elder Taylor (far left in the black shirt) is from our stake here in Highland.  He and Caleb went to different high schools so they didn't know each other prior to serving together.  Elder Taylor completed his mission a couple of weeks ago (and still has a hint of a Spanish accent when he speaks English) and gave his homecoming talk on April 23.  Rob and I were able to attend and meet him afterward.  He is a great young man.  Very humble.  He shared some great things that the mission president, President Riggins, is teaching them.  When we introduced ourselves to him afterward, he was happy to hear about Caleb.  We were more happy since he has seen Caleb more recently than us!  Haha!  He said that Caleb taught him a few things and even taught him how to make eggs (which seems funnier now since I know he made the birthday cake). It was great for us to get a glimpse of someone who had developed a friendship with Caleb in the mission field.  We loved it!

April 17, 2017

Wow surprise visit from an apostle!! Last monday in an assistants council with president, president mentioned that Elder Christofferson is going to be in town for the Guayaquil South Mission.  He told us that it would be weird if he didnt invite us also.  So we waited not really expecting anything and president got a call on Wednesday saying that he invited all the zones with in 3 hours of Guayaquil. Luckily the mission is super small so the whole mission was invited and we all got to listen to an apostle!! Elder Christofferson is really cool!! He speaks spanish so he did the whole thing in spanish!! And speaks well also!! That is a real testimony to me that the Lord counts on his children to continue useing their talents to hasten the lords work!!  Elder Christofferson served his mission in a spanish speaking country and i imagine that he still studied after he got home from his mission!  

Anyways he and a General Authority Seventy named Elder Montoya and their wives and spoke to us!!  They talked about a bunch of different topics but a few stood out to me more than others.  He said If we really love the people we teach we will teach them truth, We are here to teach not to be taught, If they dont want to listen make sure you are good with filling out the area book because maybe they will be more ready later on.  

He also spoke of teaching skills,  Sometimes we focus so much about covering material that we forget about the person that we are teaching!! I so glad the he said something like that because I am always worried about that in the mission.  Its just poor teaching... Getting through the lessons is like a homework assignment!! Boring They will never listen to us. We have to love them!! 

Anyway that was probably the highlight of the week because thats the second apostle that has came!!  We didnt work in the sector this week cause we were with president Riggins traveling for interviews.  Its really neat cause president has us interviewing too about some topic that he worries about and a lot of what we said in the few interviews before we listened to Elder Christofferson we spoke of some of the same things!! Obviously he said it way better but it was fun to see another testimony! 

I know Christ Lives i love him very much and i want to please him!!  I know that he suffered for me on the cross and died and then resurrected on the 3rd day. That gives me a lot of hope because the death has no victory!! Imagine! Something so cruel, dark, and mysterious like death cannot win because Christ already beat it!! I know he lives and loves us and forgives us for our mistakes! love you guys a ton and i love you dad!! I know it was your birthday on Saturday!! I thought about you all day and i really appreciate having a loving earthly father and loving heavenly father! Wow im really blessed!

hey i got to go! but i love you guys so much and i pray for you daily! The Sarco family is not going to be baptised for another year but the good part is is that he is going to get divorced to his last wife the bad part is is that his last wife doesnt want the divorce but doesnt want him. cause if something bad happens to him she gets a bunch of money... Evil.. she'll know judgment day... anyway because she doesnt want to he has to wait a year to be married with the women that he is with now. 

bye love you guys!!

April 10, 2017

mom, your going to make me cry.  I think ive gotten that same promting... its not that ive lessend the love i have for them but im defitevly not focusing on increasing the love i have for them

ya you almost made me cry...

hey ive got to go im really sorry i didnt say any thing

April 3, 2017

Hola Familia

Hey guys this week has been great! I absolutely loved General Conference!! We actually had a few conferences this week.  2 zone conferences, leadership conference, and the general Conference!! haha full conferences.  But i cant lie a lot of spiritual experiences!! In the leadership conference one of the bigger points that we touched was what are we doing as leaders to help the companionship's that are not getting along.  We showed a demonstration of a companionship teaching but not getting along.  my companion and i got to do the demonstration.  My companion was teaching and on the projector behind us it showed my thoughts.  they were  thoughts about the experiences in the week that were not so unified.  For example in one picture i was cooking and my companion was reading a cook book, in another picture i was ironing and studying Spanish at the same time and my companion was playing with toys.  but in when i started to teach (i started off by saying what my companion wanted to say was... showing that i really didn't trust in him) the projector showed the my companions thoughts.  me sleeping, my companion cleaning. me eating pizza and my companion filling the area book.  it was super funny...  So the point of all this is that we CANNOT just think in our heads, "oh he´ll never learn" or "my companion is just disobedient and i´m going to be obedient". It doesn't work like that.  It always effects our teaching always!!  The holy Ghost does not reside in un holy places.  Holy is his name.  

I really loved that you guys both mentioned elder Rasbands Talk.  I really enjoyed it too!! It funny because he basically gave the same talk when he came to visit us.  It was very inspired, but the cool part is, is that he dove into the doctrine a little more with us.  He basically explained that there are a few influences that persuade us to make decisions, whether they be good or bad.  The Holy Ghost, The Light of Christ, The Natural Man, and the Devil.  Sometimes its not necessarily Satan that is persuading us to make poor decision, or just not make good ones. It is sometimes our natural man that is an enemy to God.  And other times its not necessarily the Holy Spirit promoting us to make decisiones, but it is good influences that surround us.  

I´ve been reading the book of Mormon lately and it was in 1st Nephi 4:12-14. The Lord dramatically tells him to slay Laban. Nephi being a just and righteous man that truly loves righteousness and hates sin said no. but i love how the Lord desided to place the word ´remembered´. One of the main purposes of the Holy Ghost is to remind!! Ive literally heard words just like the ones Nephi heard!! He was just reminded to keep the commandments!! and then in the verses the follow he thought then he knew then he obeyed!! The questions that we must ask ourselves now are, am I thinking (meditating) about, knowing, and obeying the ´reminders´ that the Lord is giving me?  That is what the Lord does that is how he works.  He allows us to choice whether we are going to obey him or not.

I really love this work! Im really grateful that the lord letts me be here!  I hope the lord keeps his promise and keeps reminding me of his commandments! Cause i got a bad memory haha.  i love the gospel and love what it has given our family and i love you guys a lot and love the Lord!! I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet!! 

Have a great week

 

oh and read the living Christ!! the apostles mentioned it twice in the conference!! that means something!!

 

read it as a Family

i got to go bye love you guys

March 27, 2017

the week was pretty nuts.  Something im doing with the book of mormon lately is marking all the attributes and cariteristicas of God and of a leader. there are a ton. In almost every verse in the Book of Mormon has at least one attribute.  

Here on the mission ive learned to study to understand the true God.  Because when we understand him and know him we are truely converted.  If i could give a missionary just one tip before his or her mission i would tell him KNOW GOD. Be like him. ive honestly learned so much from that. and that is something that President Riggins has stressed for almost 3 years now. and it converts missionaries. 

this week we went to Quevedo Sur, and Milagro. and Ventanas for a meeting haha so much traveling.  I think i was in a bus for at least 12ours this weeks. but it gives me time to reflect and study

March 20, 2017

hey family Im doing good over here i really love it here.  We couldnt find this week, its kinda sad cause we need to be finding more but thats alright.  We are really looking for the less active families that have members of the family that are not members.  that is ideal because more baptisms come out of partial member families!  

We are about to have Zone conferences again. Im pumped we are going to talk alot of teaching because the mission has gotten alot worse at teaching.  And the mission numbers show it.  In may we had over a 100 convert baptisms, now in December we had less than 40. but we found more in december, put more baptismal dates, and there were more people attending church. So its the way we are teaching them.  According to the interchanges that we did with the zone leaders we saw a reflection of that. Even some of the zone leaders are struggling in the way they are teaching.  So these zone conferences are really going to be focused on that!! thats exciting.  Also we did 2 interchanges this week one was with Duran norte and the other in Quevedo norte so in my last 2 sectors.  It was fun seeing all of the people again.  I kinda feel sad because do you remember Medardo?  Well we found him and it looks like he is not taking the right roads. he picked up the habit to drink again. I really feel sad for him but on the other hand i really feel happy.  because i know that my savior died for him and that makes it so he can repent and jump on the right road again.  A video really brings me a lot a peace in my mind. its called why we need a savior. it came out christmas 2015. 

Even tho it came out such a long time ago its i still remember the first time i watched it because it really simplifies the saviors atonement so that even a little child could remember it. We showed the video to a family that is a little uneducated a while ago and here there is a lot of people like that.  I dont think Ecuador has that great of a education system.  In Guayaquil its better but either way its kinda sad.  So the people like that we need to use a lot of videos and pictures so they can understand.  We asked them before we turned it on to look why we need the saviors atonement.  We made sure they understood the question and played the video and the spirit filled the room.  I wanted to ask them the same question that i gave them from the start but i was prompted to ask just how they felt they responded that they were really grateful. we asked why and they said because thanks to him we can turn around and start over. 

 I know that we dont have to dwell on the same sins that we have committed before.  He gives us a chance to forgive and forget and start with something better. I love the savior i know that he surely loves me more than i love him because he is always focused on the goal of getting me to the fathers kingdom.  Im trying to be better everyday and i know that i have weaknesses and alot of them but i have to work on them.  I love you guys alot and just by your examples to me you guys have shown me what a true leader is and trust me more than once i have felt like a parent here hahah i love you guys so much 

March 15, 2017

It's official!!!

Monday 12 June 2017
American Airlines AA 902 Departure 12 June 10:59 PM Guayaquil, (Jose Joaquin De Olmedo)
(+)
Arrival 13 June 04:24 AM Miami, (Miami Intl) (+)
Tuesday 13 June 2017
American Airlines AA 1002 Departure 13 June 07:10 AM Miami, (Miami Intl) (+)
Arrival 13 June 09:18 AM Dallas, (Dallas Ft Worth Intl) (+) Terminal: 0

Tuesday 13 June 2017
American Airlines AA 1597 Departure 13 June 11:10 AM Dallas, (Dallas Ft Worth Intl) (+) Terminal: 0
Arrival 13 June 12:53 PM Salt Lake City, (Salt Lake City Intl) (+) Terminal: 1 - Terminal Unit 1

March 13, 2017

haha ya mom your right. i was reading my patriarchal blessing and it says that the lord will guide me AS i make these types of desiciones so i guess you're right i should just be patient. 

This week was a good week. We are teaching a family named The Sarco family. They are super great. Elder Contreras and i found them looking for members and getting to know the ward a little more. We used the directory and found this member named Jennifer. the members told us that it is a partial member family and that her parents are not members so we were like ya alright lets go.  Maximo is the dad he is a super humble guy his wife is named Rocio.  Maximo is a little shy but Rocio is not too bad.  They are super loving grandparents. Rocio goes to church quiet a bit. they knew the church a long time ago but they never got baptised cause they a not married and they were married before to other people but they were never divorced so legally if they want to be married they have to divorce and then get married. But it takes a while if the divorce is not mutual.  So they are both working really hard with a ward member that is a lawyer.  I really want them to be baptised the 15th of April. (dads birthday)  I know they can do it!! Brother Sarco attended the church for the first time.  He said he has attended a baptism but never the church.  We works so hard.  We even woke up earlier to eat breakfast with them and then we headed to church. 

Also 2 weeks ago a bulgarian canadian came to church.  He grew up in the orthadox church in bulgaria then this family moved to Canada.  and he says his mom taught him a lot about God. But then he said that he later stopped going to church.  We teach him in English because he doesnt know Spanish.  Its pretty fun this is the first time i've taught in English.  In church too i have to translate everything. He is a really bright kid. we taught him the restauracion and he really liked and surprisingly knew a lot about it. It seem logical to him that all the other churches talk about God and partially have the truth but none have authority because it was lost when the last apostles died.  

my companion is not Elder Contreras any more. my companion is Elder Hernandez. He is from Bogota Colombia!! he has a colombian accent like bad everyone here knows hes from Bogota just by the way he speaks.  its so funny.  anyway this happened 2 weeks ago its just its been busy so i have not written much sorry.  

I had some interchanges this week. i did one with Elder Acarapi on tuesday and Elder Hidalgo on Thursday.  It was fun to do interchanges with my old companions, because you can see the different attributes that they have picked up over time with other companions. Also Elder Contreras ends the mission in 4 weeks.  He is really trying to finish strong.  We still live in the same house. the house is made for 4 missionaries but we are cramming 6 haha its pretty tough haha.  

well family i love you so much i know you pray for me i think about it everyday. Thanks to you guys i know that this church is true im so glad God decided to put me in a family that supports my decision to serve the lord.
 

a leadership meeting. all the zone leaders and asistents

with my companion 

with the Sarco Family

March 6, 2017

im really sorry im in such a rush. Its hard because i really dont have time to write anymore i have to print your letters just so i can read them.

February 27, 2017

No letter this week. :(

February 20, 2017

hey mom im an awful writer! I forgot to tell you that we moved!  President really wants his assistants to have an example sector so he suggested to us that we move to our sector so that we could work in the sector more!! so we prayed about it and we felt very motivated to move!! and i know it was a better decision.  so i cant take a pic of the sliding glass door sorry haha.  Also even tho it is hard we are taking our pdays on monday so we have more time in the sector!  We dont really have pday its like a few hours to do a bunch of things haha.  the secretaries just barely sent me the day that they are making me go home.  the 13 of June.  im pretty mad they are robbing me a whole month!! We can extend our missions 6 weeks in this mission but if i want to extend i would have to extend 12 weeks because president doesnt want anyone going home in July because of the new president that  comes in. and i dont want to do that because i want to start school. bummer. So it looks like i have to go home the 13th.  Also i think it would be a great idea going to Suu with allyssa.  do you remember elder Ashman. he is a zone leader in Duran Norte now (in my old sector) haha.  I did and interchange with him this past week and i asked what his planes were.  He said he also wants to go to Suu so ill have a buddy there besides Allyssa. So it sound good but i would like to know i little more about Suu because i really dont know anything about it! hah

but i want to look at the bright side of everything because maybe God just wants me to home at that time.  idk

Great experiences this week in the sector we taught alot i had alot of Fun.  a family named Family Romero a family that the missionaries have been teaching for like a year.  the dad got into a motorcycle accident and fractured his leg.  when he got home from the hospital he called us and asked us to visit him!! so we did and we went to his house and he was a little sad because the day before he crashed we talked about doing activities so that they could get married and babtized! and he is sad because this happened! but we talked and tried to help him to build his faith!! he read ether 12.27 and asked him if he felt that he truly needs help from God and he said now more than ever (now i know why God needed him to crash) He is more excited and he just wants to give it all to God.  I know that they will be married! i also know that if we really put our faith and our dependence in Jesus Christ we will be very blessed!! I know that Christ loves me and wants me fear him above all things and serve him.  Thanks mom for the packages to i got them today!! love you

It would be fun to study with Josh anyway

ok i have to go im going to be late a an appointment.  We have a appointment at 500 today.

 

yes its definite tranquila (REALLY!!!  He tells me his coming home date is June 13 and I asked if it is definite and he tells his mother to CALM DOWN!  Seriously???!!!  Haha!)

February 13, 2017

This week Jesus got babtised!! Jesus was an investigador that was born ready!! His mother named him Jesus because he was a miricle baby! He almost died at birth and so did his mother but they both lived!!  We found him because a member came to church on new years with this kid!! He is just a stud all he wants to do is obey God!! He is a little loco tho !! haha but thats alright he is 19 and really wants to go on a mission!! His family doesnt even want to talk to us and that is a little hard for him because he goes to church and sees families their.  But he has the determination to help them, his little sister is the only one that listens to him and he is helping her read the book of mormon.  I really know that this Church is true i know that a real prophet leads it!!  Im absolutly positive that God and Jesus Christ came to Joseph Smith to call him as a prophet. I know that Revelacion is real and i know that if you have not come to knowledge that this church is true its because you have never asked!! (2 nephi 32:4) 

 

I asked who everyone is...Elder Contreras is on the left, then Jesus, then Caleb.  One of the other two is an investigador named Joseph!! he is awsome. i think he felt somthing really strong when he saw Jesus get babtised.  We just have to get him new freinds. luckly in Guayquil this ward is great!! they are such studs.  We had a invacion on sunday, the whole ward got together to contact!! We got 50 references only in the sector!! these guys are nuts about the missionary work!! they have a ward goal of 50 babtisms!!

I asked if the sister missionaries are still in his sector... yes they are super great!! one is from Colombia and the other from Utah. there are a ton of sisters here from Utah!! I never knew the sister from PG but the one i was in the MTC with already went home. Im old :(

I asked if Jesus's mom came to the baptism...no i was really upset about that!! he didnt want to tell his mom that he was getting babtised so he didnt tell her ugh. i hope she doesnt get mad, hes 19 so he can make his own decision.  I even told him about your experience about joining the church.  He should really tell his mother. and yes its a giant moth.  btw, we didnt tell his parents cause his parents hate us or somthing.  they run from us and never give us a chance to talk to them

The giant MOTH!!

I asked if he had visited any other cities this week...We had Zone conferences here in Guayaquil this week!! it was fun.  Elder Conteras and i taught about the importance of finding youth!! turns out most of the general athoraty 70 were babtised from 9 to 25 years old!! there is a big pattern.

 

well i have to go i love you guys sorry i cant answer all of your questiones. 

 

Here are a couple more pics just for fun!

 

 

 

February 6, 2017

I asked Caleb how people say Caleb's last name in Ecuador.  He said...blaaackchursssst.  It's a hard name to pronounce in Spanish.

it was great! we are going to have a babpism this week named Jesus!! Jesus Cevallos.  he is a great kid.  His name is Jesus because he was miracle when he was born.  He told us that his mother almost died giving birth to him and she survived and Jesus was born the mothers name is maria. she is not yet listening to us cause she is not the most open woman haha but Jesus is really great and is working to be baptised..

I asked how Jesus learned about the church:  he is 19 and he showed up to church on new years

well i got to get going i love you guys a ton sorry i didnt write anything this week to you guys i will talk to you guys next week.  I will write an awsome letter that will blow your mind next week haha

January 28, 2017

thanks for the letter mom. ya its pretty fun to be in the car with them. This week we did interviews and because we had a world wide missionary conference that change missionary work a lot!! the brethren have decided to up  the anty!! They are giving a lot more liberty to he missionaries to choose what they do with their time.  That is awesome because they want to focus on 3 main changes in the missionary work. 1. Health, luckily our mission was already living a lot more healthier.  The brethren have decided to give missionaries 30 minutes more to exercise. but the funny part is, is that our prophet missionary president already knew that. The rule that was established before is that all missionaries have to be studying by 8, but our missionary president about a year ago said that that is not enough time. so he changed it to 830, so that we can exercise longer and eat a better breakfast.  The missionary department of the church just barely changed it.  2. Productivity.  The missionary department have decided that missionaries should be able to leave the house at 10 am.  the mornings are sometimes great opportunities to teach. Many families are at home in the morning but are not during the afternoon.  but its not going to take away from out study time either.  Everyday we have to find time for companionship study, language study, and if you are a new missionary the first 12 week program. but they can be smartly placed during the day, like at hours that are less productive, like here 2 pm is the worst hour to visit in Ecuador, everyone is asleep or don't care haha. But 4 and beyond are wonderful hours to visit!!! so we could possible study at 2 pm, visit families or participate in service projects during the morning if it is better for us.  3. Developing life habits that will help us after the mission.  The brethren are fully aware that we are not going to be able to study the scriptures at 8 am everyday after the mission so they are teaching us to plan our day intelligently. 

so after the world wide transmission. President planned zone conferences with all the missionaries so that way they dont take the changes wrong!! haha 

Well love you guys a tone and i always think about you i really happy to be a missionary at this time i love serving the lord and serving others. 

 

they don't take a siesta but after eating a giant lunch and then sitting in your hot un air conditioned house at temps of 90 and above and supper humidity, doesn't really make a pleasant visit haha

 

January 23, 2017

😀😀🕯🕯🍧🍨🍰🍩🍫 Well i cant find the birthday cake imogi so this will have to do.  

well mom i think you might be one of the greatest persons on the face of the planet!! I really love you alot and hope you had a really great birthday.  On your birthday i was in the car with president because we had interviews. president has to interview all the missionaries in the mission every 6 weeks. and has to inspect the houses every 12 so we combined the house inspection with one of the interviews and does it just with hermana Riggins and the other interview is a sit down interview with president, hermana Riggins, and us because we like to see the progress and teach and edify all the missionaries.  So we went with him to Quevedo and Vinces. It was a lot of fun, definetly the most sitting ive done on my mission but alot of training missionaries 😀.  But i got to think alot of how great you are as a mother.  I really dont know what the deal is but president and hermana Riggins really remind me of you and Dad.  haha  They both act like parents to me!! But i want to thank you for all the great influence you have given me and teaching me to be kind.  The biggest and most important thing i can think of that you have taught me, not the only thing cause you have taught me so much, but just the most important that has served me so much not only on the mission but even before is the little acts of charity that we can give to people. Colossians 3:14 it says that we should put on Charity. that really stands out to me because our natural man is not charitable.  It does not value the worth of others. therefore we should put it on!! it is not included in the package when we started this life haha. It is somthing that we must constantly devolop.  luckly i have a great mother that has provided a way that i can learn to put on this Charity.  Thank you so much for all that you do i know that you are always looking for the best for us and we are so lucky to have you as a mother.  I know that you are truely looking for the best in us. 

Love you mom

January 14, 2017

hey real quick what is Tjs email? do you know it? if you do, do you think you could pass it to me?

sorry i had to leave real quick. We are still contacting references so we are still really busy. 

thanks for getting me the email.

wow thanks dad for that letter. that really was motivating.  I really like what you said. the only thing that really matters is to serve. make a difference on the life of another. more valuable than money or anything else. Thank you for the way that you guys taught me. thanks to you i know what is wrong and i know how to discern for good and bad thanks to you wonderful influence.  

January 7, 2017

Hey family!! love you guys. my pdays today haha sorry i know its frustrating.  Normally they are on Saturday but sometimes i dont have time for them.  So they end up being on Monday.  

Well in the office its all good, the missionaries that are here are super funny!! I like being an assistant because i get to do interchanges with other missionaries!!  this week we had a zone conference in Milagro.  And after the zone conference we did a division with the zone leaders, It was a very fun experience 1 cause ive never worked in Milagro so it was something i had never seen before and 2 we had a very spiritual experience in a lesson.  It a lady named Carla.  She has been an investigator for a while and we had planned to teach the plan of salvation. We came in to the visit and started teaching and stuff and it was alright. she wasn't that open to our message. I could tell cause she was hardly paying attention. she kept playing with her hair and stuff. it was like ya she doesn't care to much about this, but i waited until the spirit told me what to say. I dont think the other 2 elders i was with caught on cause they just kept teaching and doing what dad calls kicking a dead horse haha. but one of the elders started teaching about life on the earth and our purpose. and while he talking about it he committed her to go to church which was awesome! cause that is what triggered it!! she got a big fat smile on her face and i was oh there it is!! So we talked about attending church!!  (by the way here in Ecuador there are a lot of people that believe in Christ to a certain extent. They believe in a Christ that doesn't require us to act) So that being said i knew that she was really showing her faith by going to church. I asked her how she felt in the church and we talked about why she felt that way.  She said that she feels that she is learning principles and teachings that will help her and the life of her baby girl.  And to me that sounded a lot like you mom!! We helped her realize for herself that those types of feeling come from God. And why would God send such strong feelings to a person if he didn't want them to follow them!! She realized that the church was true that day. and the best part is that we didn't tell her.  She felt it. I am just an instrument in the hands of God!! The holy Ghost is my boss not my tool!! God controls every lesson that we teach. if we pray for it and want to serve instead of being served!! 

I know this church is true because the Holy Ghost has done what he does best, confirmed!! I definitely feel the love of Christ in this church. I feel it when i pray and when i read the scriptures. especially the Book of Mormon.  I know that Joseph Smith was called of God to restore this holy church so that it could perfect us. (dont know if that is a word or not but its true) Truly this is preparing us for the second coming of our redeemer. So we can be clean in the presence of our Eternal Father.  Love you guys thanks for all of you prayers i really do feel them and i am very grateful for them!

January 2, 2017

Well i dont have too long to talk. weve been busy all week trying and honestly stressing about the 1000 references that we received from the activity for Christmas. The great spiritual experience that i had was a really nervous one too haha. So this past week we had a double zone conference in Quevedo and we watched the world training video in febuary of 2016.  President wants all the new missionaries to watch it too. I really loved it!! wow so many things i didnt understand before and now i do. Its not just the language too. Its my experiences. I felt the spirit way stronger. Also during the video i noticed that president Riggins stood up and walked to the back of the room and i also noticed that he was holding his back like he was in a lot of pain. After the video ended he told everyone to go to the other room where all the other missionaries were. (there were 2 rooms because the latins watched it in spanish and the north americans in english so we could understand it 100%). He told everyone to go except me and 3 other bigger elders. When everyone left he told us that he had a major pain in is back so he laid down on his back and told us to stretch his legs out. He did a few stretches and then stood up and asked for a priesthood blessing. That's when i think all 4 of us were like uhhh whos going to bless the president hahaha. I was kinda nervous. President couldnt sit down cause his pain was really bad so he stood up and he is a tall guy so one of the super tall elders anointed him and after the anointing I'm pretty sure we asked the same question haha, but i thought in my head I'm pretty sure it wasnt just me that said it either but i thought You have preisthood use it!! So i did. i put my hands on his head and i got to give President Riggins a blessing. I was pretty dang nervous and so i did it in spanish so i didnt have to think about the english word but even tho i was really nervous i didnt feel like the words were mine. I felt inspired and i felt the promise that my mouth would be filled of what i needed to say.  And ya i know hes not like the profet or anything but for me it was a dang cool experience.  He called this morning saying that he feels alot better and that it looks like the blessing worked so thats great! I love the priesthood! 

We think these are the 4 APs (Assistants to the President)

Caleb played Joseph in this Nativity scene.  His mission joined with the West Guayaquil Mission at the amphitheater (pictured below) and created these Nativity scenes with local families.  I guess all those Nativity re-enactments at Grandma Sandra's all those years really paid off.  He also played Joseph the Christmas of 2014 at the Blackhurst Christmas party, which was his last Christmas before his mission.

Looks like something other than rice to eat!

These two pictures are of the Amphitheater in Guayaquil.  It is huge even on Google Earth.

 

Looks like a mission Christmas party.

well there is a few of them for you guys!! Sorry ive been so bad at sending them! well i got to go now but i really love you guys a ton and always praying for you!!! Choa Familia Les amo

 

These are a couple of pictures from Duran and several more from Quevedo, the two areas before he went back to Guayaquil.

 

This is Caleb's last day in Duran.  This is Brother Silva's baptism (the one who had to be baptized sitting down because the water tower was broken and they had to barrels to get water into the font).

 

Saying a few goodbyes in Duran.

This is what a church chapel looks like in Quevedo (and most of South America).

Caleb is flat footed in this picture, his companion to his right, is on his toes.

This corn is in the middle of town in Quevedo.

Familiar Carl's Junior

President and Sister Riggins are in the middle of the front row.  Probably a zone conference in Quevedo.

This resembles a workout bench.