2009_02_23 Week 18 Balzar Mom

Hey, how are things going in Utah? I am doing good. I am in Balzar still for another six weeks. I am pretty sure that this will be my last transfer here in Balzar because if I stay one more Elder Alcocer finishes his mission, so I will get to stay one more after that to teach another Elder this sector.

You liked the letter I sent last week? It was cool to see the power of the Priesthood in action. Rony and Ginger are doing good. They are now at the point where they are wondering if they really want to be baptised or not. Their marriage will be this week. We had trouble getting all of the papers that we need to have them get married. Here in Ecuador, it is illegal to not vote. Every person is supposed to vote. When you vote you receive a paper that says you voted. In Spanish this is la papel de votacion. Ginger didn´t vote, so she needs to appear before the tribunal to pay a fine, then she can receive her papel. Rony doesn´t have this paper, but he is only 16, so he doesn´t need this paper until he is 18, the legal age to vote. So anyways, this Wednesday we are going to Quevedo with Ginger to help her get this paper, then Thursday or Friday they will be married and Saturday baptised.

We have another marriage Friday for another investigator. His name is Kilo Sambrano (Sambrano means to plant). He will be baptised on the 7th of March. We have three families that are progressing good in Palestina now. We think that they will get baptized, too, but in two of the families they aren´t married, so we need to teach the law of chastity and then commit them to live it.

We had an inter chambio two weeks ago. I was in Balzar with Elder Verastagui and Elder Alcocer in Empalme with Elder Moran. With Elder Verastagui I taught the Macias family the law of chastity and committed them to be married, but the father doesn´t want to get married, so we have a problem, but we are working on it a little bit at a time. The other two families, we are working with them to receive an answer to their prayers and to come to church, but this is difficult. The people don´t want to come to church. It is tough, but we are working on changing this a little at a time.

Bye. I love you!