2010_04_19 Finding New People

Week 6 Babahoyo - Written on April 19, 2010

So guess what I am still in Babahoyo and I am still with Elder De Leon. This last week has gone by so fast I can´t believe that I only have three changes left. That is 18 weeks. It is going to go by so fast. In the changes, Elder Dayton left and Elder Amaya and Elder Aucapulla. We got in place of Elder Amaya, Elder Hansen from Texas. He is fairly new in the mission. I think that Elder Olson and Elder Casas are going to train this change, but they haven´t said anything sure yet, but I guess we will see.

We had our baptism Saturday, so I ended this change with five baptisms, not bad at all for opening the sector with Elder Alvarez. We have a lot of new people that we are getting to know that we have high hopes that they will be able to progress and be baptised this change.

We have been working a lot outside of Babahoyo. We have been going to Jujan and to the Reform and a few other places to find people that haven´t ever heard the gospel. Here in Babahoyo there have been missionaries for more than thirty years, so just about everybody knows who we are and has listened to the missionaries at some time in their life. We are trying to know other places so that we can find new people and we are having lots of luck. We found a new investigator that we challenged to pray about Joseph Smith and she did it and received an answer and we are going to work on preparing her to be baptized. She just needs to come to church. Yesterday she didn´t come because she forgot about going to church until it was too late. The church here is from 8 to 11 am, so it is hard for a lot of people. They think like I did when I was young, that if I get up early all week long to go to school that I deserved a day that I could sleep in and they all use Sundays to do it. I have found out that if you get up at the same time every day even though you are tired in the morning, your body gets used to it and you feel better all of the time. Well I hope that all is going well with you out there and I am really surprised about dad’s talk. He never was one to talk much in public, but twenty minutes that is really pretty amazing for him.

Well, I love you lots!
Elder Goode

Hi Curtis,
Great to hear from you. Congratulations on your baptism. That is neat. Can you tell us more about the person you baptized?

Tell us some of the neat experiences you are having with teaching the gospel. What else exciting is happening down there? Give us a typical day in the life of a Zone Leader.

Love you lots,
Mom

I baptised an eight year old girl. She is the niece of Wendy and Sandy. Her name is Estefania Nayely Piza Arbelay. Her mom is a sister of Wendy and Sandy, but she isn’t a member of the church because she is living with a man. But they aren’t married, but it isn’t the dad of Nayely. It is another, so Nayely lives with her grandma and with Wendy and Sandy so we were able to baptise her, because technically her mom and dad aren’t members so that makes her a convert baptism so that was cool. We are having lots of success. We have been doing lots of exploring. We decide that we are going to go to a place to see what it is like and then we start to contact people. And then we ask the people for references where we can go to visit what people we can visit. And they usually tell us someone and we go visit this person and then we ask them for a reference and we go and go until we run out of time and it is time to take the bus back to Babahoyo so that we can work the evening in Babahoyo. But we have been led to some chosen people working like this. I know it is a little different how we are working, but it really helps. I also found another way to teach the Book of Mormon that is helping us to introduce the people to the Book of Mormon and they are accepting it a lot easier. We usually introduce ourselves and then talk to the person for a bit and find out what religion they are and if they assist the church and then we ask them if they like to read the bible. And if they say yes, then I ask them if there was another book like the bible that talked about Jesus Christ if they would be interested in reading it and they usually say yes they would. And then I tell them that I happen to have another book and then I start to tell them about it and they are usually really, really interested in knowing more about the Book of Mormon. For me the days are normal. I really don’t do anything differently. I get up, get ready, study and then leave to work, eat lunch, keep working and then at night I go back to the house, plan, eat something and then get ready for bed and then pray and sleep and then repeat. Well I hope that answered your questions. If not, let me know. Ok?

Bye,
Elder Goode

Well the Reform in Spanish is Reforma, so maybe that is why you didn’t find it, but Jujan is a city. It reminds me a lot of Balzar because it is kinda by itself and ghetto in that there isn’t much there. The Reforma is about five minutes outside of Babahoyo and then you have to walk a half hour on a dirt road to a place where there is about twenty or thirty houses. The other missionaries have baptised a lot of people from this place, so we aren’t having much luck there, but we got the idea to find other places where they haven’t ever heard the gospel from this place. A missionary found it and him and his companion baptised about twenty there, so we are hoping to find a place and do the same, baptise lots of people, but we will see how things go.

Dear Curtis,

How are you doing? Did you have any baptisms Saturday. My talk went really good yesterday I was to talk about 10 minutes but I went 20+ minutes. I have not been feeling very well I went to the doctor on Wednesday I was home from school 3 days last week. I’m still not feeling very well. I am really tired. Mom has been really busy this past week with her new calling. I think things will settle down as time go by. Tell us what is happening in your area with the people you are teaching? Are any more getting closer to baptism? Use your time wisely now. Now is when you will be the most effective. I will check back later. I love You!

Love,
Dad

I had my baptism it worked out really good. It was the first time that I have had to repeat a baptism in all of my mission. She was a little girl. She comes up to about my waist. When I baptized her, one of her feet came out of the water, so I had to do it again and this time I stepped on her feet so that they wouldn´t come up. So that was a first for me. I am really impressed that your talk went for twenty minutes. I´m sure that it was really good. I´m sorry that I couldn´t be there to hear it, but don´t worry mom gave me the shortened version in her letter. I love you lots and hope that all is well.

Love,
Elder Goode

Short, but Sweet!

Week 7 Portoviejo

Did your Zone have any transfers?

Yes, I had a transfer Thursday. They called Wednesday night and told Elder Carlos that he was going, so Thursday we had to go to Guayaquil and I got a new companion, Elder Garcia. He was in Quevedo South in Primavera. His trainer is Elder Walker and now I am his second companion. Elder Felt got a transfer, too. He is now with Elder Avila from Guatamala. Elder Turley is going home, so we will have a new Zone Leader and Elder Romero left and Elder Xec is here now.

Tell us about your baptism.

We baptised Juan Pablo. It was kind of sad that Elder Carlos couldn´t be there, but I had my first baptism with Elder Garcia.

Tell us about your investigators.

We are visiting the same people still and trying to help them progress.

Have you made any progress in getting permission for Luis?

We are trying, but it just isn´t working out too well. His dad is always drunk when we go to visit.

Well let me know what else you want to know. I think I will call on the 25th because President hasn´t told us what days we can call yet, so I think he will tell us on Thursday when we can call.

Excited for Dexy's Baptism

Week 20 Valencia to family

Hi everybody. How are things going? I am doing good. Sorry that I haven´t written in a while. This week we are planning on a baptism Friday night, so we are way excited. Dexy llaqueline (it is said Jacalin) Paez is going to be baptised and she is way excited. Well I hope all is going well with you let me know what is up, ok?

Bye,
Elder Goode

2009_06_01 Week 9 Valencia Dad

Dear Curtis,

How is everything going? This is our last Monday of school for the year. The birds have been doing good. I won the 400 last week and this week I had the first 13 from ID Falls. We ship on Thursday for the 500 Saturday. I have got the garden almost all planted. Everything is in except the second planting of corn. I will do that this week. I have waited 3 weeks, so it won’t be ready all at the same time.

Braiden reported his mission yesterday. It was really good.
Jordan Oliver got his mission call. He is going to Houston Texas South English speaking. I have gotten rid of the horses. Star really went downhill this winter. Blaine McDermott took her and a lady in Hooper took Lightning. She is going to ride her with the Back Country Horsemen, the group Don Bradshaw rides with. So she will be close. I still have the horse trailer and the tack. I don't need to haul hay. That is a good thing. I will be waiting to hear from you. I will check back later. I Love You!

Love,

Dad

Hey! How are things going? I am doing good. Hey, I am glad that you were able to get rid of the horses. Now you need to sell the tack and the horse trailer. Have you gotten the chance to put my motorcycle on KSL to sell it? Things are going good. I found out that last week when we had our baptism we baptised one of five in all of the mission. I got a letter from the President today that says thanks for the hard work and that the mission really needed the baptism. I think that that is really cool. Well I hope everything is going well.

Love,

Elder Goode

2009_05_25 Week 8 Valencia Mom

Hey how are things going? Saturday we had a baptism, Oscar Ante Rodrigo Guanotuña. I baptised him and then the same day we confirmed him a member. Elder Bartolomei interviewed him to see if he was ready to be baptised. It was his first interview. Oscar was definitely ready to be baptised. After his baptism I felt so excited to be there for that special moment in his life, that I could help him come to know his Heavenly Father and his Savior Jesus Christ. It was amazing. The spirit was there so strong and so powerful. These moments are what the mission is all about; helping the people that you know and care about; the people that you meet and love; to know that God has prepared a plan for us; that he loves us and wants us to be happy. I am so glad that I could help Oscar and I look forward to helping more people come to know the plan that God has prepared for us. This is what it is all about. We are starting out right now with just about a whole new program teaching people, so it will be a little bit of time before we will be able to see the fruits of our labors.

Hey Curtis,

That is cool. I am glad your baptism finally worked out. I have prayed all week that it would go well for you. Is Elder Bartolomei now your District Leader? That is cool, but a lot of responsibility for him if he is a new District Leader and training a new missionary. How are things going with your new companion? Tell us about him please. Send some photos if you can.

Elder Bartolomei is not my district leader. Elder Martinez is my district leader, but Elder Martinez couldn´t arrange to be here for the interview, so they asked Elder Bartolomei if he would do it.

So my companion is from Otavalo. He is from a big family. There are 15 in his family including his mom and dad. Most of his family is living in other parts of the world. He has family in New York and in Miami and many other places. I think in Colombia and a few other countries. He lived for a year in Miami selling clothes, but then his Visa ended so he came back to Ecuador.

Yeah that is about it, but yeah I gotta go. I love you very much.

Bye,

Elder Goode

I love you, too. Work really hard this week. I hope to get much more information from you next week.

Love always,

Mom

2009_03_30 Balzar Week 23 Dad

Dad wrote on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:12:13 -0600

Dear Curtis,

How is everything going? The weather here is bad, snowing and cold. I finally got the other curtain done for the other side of my young bird pen and it works good. Anything new and interesting happen to you this week? How did you lose your Censo? We had a good Sacrament Meeting yesterday. Mom told you about it.

Next week is our spring break we get a whole week this year. I hope the weather is better then. Grandma and Grandpa are still in Arizona. Kavin is going to bring them back this year on April 18th. Will you get to watch Conference on Saturday and Sunday? I have a Dr. appointment at 2:00 on my back the MRI showed that I have two buldged disks. He will tell me what he wants to do today. I have got to go get oil and a filter for the Dodge during my prep period so I can change it during 3rd period. I will check back later I Love You.

Love,
Dad

Hey how are things going? Things are going good I lost my Censo because it fell out of my back pocket with my mission manual (white bible) and twenty dollars. I didn´t get robbed again. Don´t worry. I hope everything goes good with your back and you can get it feeling better. Saturday we will take our investigators to Quevedo to watch the General Conference. Sunday we will go to Vinces to watch the conference. We are planning on a baptism this Friday if everything goes well. His name is Javier. His wife is a convert of one year.

2009_03_23 Week 22 Balzar Mom

Hi! How are things going today?

I got an email from Skyler today saying that he is engaged and that he will be getting married the 25th of June. I am happy for him. I am glad that he is finally settling. Maybe now he will be a little more calm. Maybe he won´t be so wild now, but who knows.

So how are things? I am in Guayaquil right now, because I lost my censo, so I had to come into Guayaquil to denounce my censo, so that I can get another one. So I am here, but there are a couple other elders here that are in my zone. So we are going to eat lunch with them today, here in Guayaquil.

I got two of the three packages today and I will get the third this Wednesday. The pouch monkey is named Elder Salazar. He was taught how to be the Secretary of Materials by Elder Alcocer. He is the one that called you. I told him thanks and let him try the deer jerky. The packages arrived unopened and everything was fine. The camera was fine, too. We had a baptism this week. His name is Jorge Luiz Vasquez Bueno. He is the older brother of a member, but this member is inactive and has problems with the Word of Wisdom, so we are working with him, too. The baptism went good.

Well tell Skyler good luck and that I send my love. Tell everybody that I love them.

Thanks,
Elder Goode

2008_12_30 Birthday Card for Braxton

Braxton got a card from Curtis today in the mail. He was so excited to hear from his big brother.

Nov. 3, 2008

Dear Braxton,

Hey buddy, how was your birthday? Things are crazy here in Ecuador and I'm sorry I forgot your Birthday, but I'm sending you a present late. I'm sure you will like it.

How is soccer going for you? The mission is going good for me. I had a young man accept to be baptized last Saturday, the day of your birthday. I wish I could send you a bottle of Inca Kola. It is way good. You would like it a lot. I'll bring some home at the end of my mission for you along with some Pony Malta. Both are yummy. Take good care of my puppy. Take her hunting lots, ok? Start preparing for your mission. It comes sooner than you think. I love you lots Buddy.

Elder Goode

This was on the back of the card.

I'm really sorry this is so late Buddy. I sent this once with one of each type of coin and they sent it back so I am going to re-send it without the coins. I'm sorry Buddy. I love you lots.

Elder Goode

He sent the card through the return pouch mail and sending any money in the pouch is illegal, so I am sure that is why it was returned. Maybe he can send the coins with his next CD of photos in a padded envelope through the regular mail.

2008_11_24 Week 5 Braxton & Dad

To: Curtis Goode
From: Braxton Goode
11/24/08 02:30 pm

Hi Curt I am doing great. You won't believe what happened last Wednesday. Dad, Todd, and Me went hunting to try and get my swan and dad checked me out of school after third period because I had a presentation to do. We sat for almost the whole time without anything flying but about fifteen minutes before the end of the hunt a single swan came in from the north really high it saw our decoys and it turned west and then turned to the east and it turned back headed west over the boat. It was dropping height very quick and it came over me and I knocked it down with one three inch shell. Mom sent you some pictures of it. It wasn't very old but it was still a good bird. I hope you are having a good time and teaching the people what they need. I can't believe how quickly it is going. I am happy that I got it though.

From: Craig Goode

To: Curtis Goode

Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:00:43 -0700

Dear, Curtis

How has your week been? I have the house done the rain gutter back on and all together. Well We, Todd and me took Braxton out Wednesday duck hunting at Ogden bay unit 1 north pond and set up. We got there at about 12:00 noon. We wanted all day and no ducks we sat there all day. Then about 15 minutes before closing time we heard a swan so we got ready after a few minutes a single swan came so we stared calling when it saw the swan decoys goose with white bags over them it wanted in bad it circled and started doping and came right over us. I had Braxton get ready when it was just right I had him shoot and we got it. Mom sent some pictures Let me know if you were able to open them. How has the teaching been going? I think mom had Braxton email you before he went to school. Let me know if he did? I Love You.

Love Dad

hey I got the pictures they are awesome I am so happy that he got his swan it looks like a good bird. he sounded so excited in his email make sure that you get it measured so there aren´t any problems the work is going good we have a baptism this Saturday the mother of Antonia that was baptized a few weeks ago

2008_11_17 Week 4 Balzar Mom

Mom Emailed Curtis on Sunday night.
Curtis emailed Monday, 11/17/2008 9:30 AM
Subject: Week 4 in Balzar

Hi Curtis,
I hope you have had a great week. Tell us all about it. I will ask less questions this time. Answer them and then tell us more about what you have been doing, please.
Did your baptism go okay on Saturday? Tell us about it.

The baptism went well I was the one who performed the baptism and then yesterday we had the confirmation in relicario. it was good antonia is her name she is 54 years old I think. On the 29th of this month we are having another baptism for antonias mom her name is Jesus she is 82 years old.

How are Sonia, Fernando and Cattie coming along?

Sonia has stopped progressing we are having a hard time catching her at home now. Fernando we are having a hard time catching at home as well. Cattie is still progressing but it is hard to teach her for very long because she has a baby girl about 6 months old that needs attention.

Do you have new investigators?

We have many new investigators but it is the investigators that are progressing that are the ones you are wondering about. we have a few but they aren´t really progressing all that well right now

Did anyone come to church this week?

One of our investigators his name is carlos de barco he has been investigating for a while and he wants to be baptised but he doesn´t have a lot of time because he studies during the week in guayaquil so he is only here in balzar some weekends but we set a date for the first saturday in december for the baptism so we will see what happens

What do you do on your Pdays?

study in the mornings email about 11 buy stuff for lunch after and cook lunch in our house then we write letters and do other things that we need to around the house or go to any stores that we need to and then about 5 we take our laundry to the momita to be washed and at six we start prosolyting

Have you done any service? Tell us about it.

yeah this friday we had to have the district leader interview antonia for the baptism during the interview the other 3 elders me my companion and the companion of the district leader helped Fernando the son of antonia to move dirt into the foundation of the house he is building it took about a half hour to move all of the dirt

How is your small branch doing this week?

They are doing good much of the people were there this week and it was good I gave two talks this week one in Balzar and then the same talk again in Relicario on Prayer it was good.

Can you get microwave popcorn, fruit loops, peanut butter, Oreo Cookies, and jerkey at the store?

I haven´t looked for microwave popcorn but probably not but we can get dried corn and pop it on our stove though. No peanut butter we can get much of the same cereal as in the states or cereal similar to it. they do have oreos here but no jerky that I have seen.

Are you healthy, strong and happy?

Yes mom I am healthy strong and happy.

How is your Spanish coming?

it is coming as the people say here poco a poco or a little at a time

I love you lots.
Love, Mom

Hi Curtis,
Thanks for answering my questions again. Tell me more about what you have been doing. How come you quit emailing so abruptly last week? You didn't even say good bye.

I ran out of time and was being obedient that is all. It is going good here what exactly do you want to know about what I have been doing?

I thought you didn't want me to ask so many questions! Congratulations on your baptism. That is neat and really cool that you will have another one. I knew you would be successful with the elderly people. You have always had such a great love for them. Tell me about your very best experiences this week teaching people.

this experience was kinda awkward but it was good. we have been teaching a man that is living with a woman they aren´t married but the man is married to another woman he would get baptised but he needs to get a divorce first from his wife they have been separated for ten years I think once the divorce is final then he should be able to be baptised. the other day we taught them the ten commandments the lady is a catholic but she has been listening to our lessons and seems really interested well we taught the ten commandments and then when we got to the commandment to not commit adultery we changed and taught the law of chastitiy and then went back and finished the ten commandments the law of chastity was hard to teach not only because it was awkward but also because I haven´t studied the words for that lesson very well but I was surprised that I was able to explain what the law of chastity was in my own words without help from my companion of course after I explained it my companion went back through it to make sure that they understood it but still I am coming along in the language

That is awesome. I am sure Heavenly Father was blessing you with the gift of tongues to be able to communicate with the people so they would understand the message. That would be a hard lesson to teach even in English. Have you learned many of the other lessons yet? Is that what you are working on in your daily study sessions?

Yeah we have six pamphlets that we use during teaching I´m sure you can find them in english fairly easy they are the restoration the plan of salvation the gospel of jesus christ the law of chastity the law of tithing and the word of wisdom in preach my gospel in chapter three there are all of the lessons that we have to teach and I have pretty much taught them all now.

Good. I am sure you will get better and better at teaching them as you study and get more practice at it. What seems to be the hardest part of the gospel for the people to accept?

I don´t know for most people they are catholic and they have already been baptised probably for them to accept that their baptism isn´t valid that it is incorrect

That would be hard to change what you had believed all your life. Do many of the people drink alcohol and smoke?

a lot of people drink but not a lot of people smoke which is good

Yeah. Good for you, too, that you don't have to breathe it in as you teach and leave smelling like smoke. Have you done any activities with your district, gone site seeing, or had any district or zone conferences?

we have district meeting every week in quevedo on wednesdays tomorrow we have a zone conference in quevedo so we will be in quevedo twice this week well my time is up I gotta go I love you all a lot and miss you too Elder Goode

We love you, too. Have a really great week!
Love,
Mom