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).