Mom wrote on Monday, Mar 2009 00:48:10 -0600
How did you lose your Censo? Tell me the truth. Did you get robbed again? Did they take your wallet? I just can't imagine how else you would lose something so important. Please explain in detail.
I was in a bus and my white bible with my Censo and twenty dollars fell out of my pocket in the seat. That is how I lost my Censo.
Which CDs of music does Elder Alcocer like best?
(no answer)
Which elders did you eat with in Guayaquil? Why were they down in Guayaquil that day?
Elder Abriel and Elder Williams were in Guayaquil, but we ended up not eating with them, but they were there to take Elder Nordgran to the office, because he is the new Secretary of the Mission.
Why do they call the Secretary of Materials the Pouch Monkey? Is that a term used for everyone who holds that position or just his particular Elder?
That is the term that everyone uses for the name of the secretary of materials, not just this one, all of them.
Are you happy?
Yes
Are you healthy?
Yes
How is your stomach doing? Do you still have diarrhea?
I am doing much better.
How are your feet doing? Are your shoes still in good shape?
Yeah my feet are fine. They don´t hurt, so I don´t do anything to them. If it isn´t broke, don´t fix it.
Are you taking allergy medicine now or doing okay without it?
No, I am doing fine without it.
Are you taking your vitamins each day?
No, but the abundant rice I am eating every day has tons of vitamins and minerals that the body needs, so I am fine.
Are the mosquitos getting bad yet?
No, they aren´t.
Have you sent me a CD of photos? A letter? A card?
No, no and no.
How are you coming on memorizing all of the scriptures?
It is coming a little slow, but it is coming.
How are Rony and Ginger doing?
They aren´t progressing. They did get married, but we have dropped them for now as investigators.
How are Ricardo and Maria doing? Did Ricardo get prepared to perform the baptism of his daughter? Has that happened yet?
The baptism will be in May. They are working on it. They aren’t coming to church every week, so we are working on that right now.
How is your branch in Relicario doing?
They are doing good, no problems.
Has Mariella made any progress towards getting baptized?
No. We dropped Mariella, too. She stopped progressing when we told her she needed to get married or leave the house she was living in.
I love you so much and I am so very proud of you.
Love always and forever,
Mom
Showing posts with label Relicario. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Relicario. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
2009_02_02 Week 15 Balzar Mom
I didn't send Curtis a list of questions this week, just a few in my regular email to him which he didn't answer in his email. Thus his email is short. I guess I will go back to the questions next week again. It seems we get more information that way. He did include two photos with his email this week. This is Curtis with his new companion, Elder Christian Alcocer. Notice that he has lost some weight. He looks really good, except for the sunburn. It doesn't look like he is using the sunscreen he took with him. I will have to ask him about it next week. He is either sweating a lot in this photo or just come in from the rain. I don't remember sending that tie with him, so I am not sure where it came from. Another question for next week. He does look good and healthy and happy and that is comforting for his mother to see. Hey! How is everything? Things in Ecuador are good. We have been working hard here in Balzar. We have found people to teach, but we are still having trouble finding people that will progress in the gospel. We only have one person right now that is progressing towards baptism. Her name is Mariella. She lives in Relicario. Her sister is a member and lives in the Casa Capilla or house church that we meet in in Relicario. She wants to be baptized, but she is having some doubts, but we are helping her to overcome those. After she is baptized, we are pretty sure that her two daughters will be baptized, too. One is 13 and the other is 11 and there is a niece that is 12 that we have met, too, that seems interested in the gospel or I guess I should say the gringo that preaches the gospel. Fetch! The girls here, especially the young girls 12 or 13 years old are all in love with me, I swear.
Things are good. I killed my first mouse in Ecuador the other day. It was in our house.
Notice that Curtis is holding the dead mouse and seems pretty happy about it. I guess this is as close to hunting and killing animals as he is going to get for a while. I am sure they made a good time of it as evidenced by the funky atire. Brooms would not be his weapon of choice, but I guess you must make do with what you have. We have the movie "Mouse Hunt" on DVD and I remember watching him as he watched that movie. He was laughing so hard at the antics of that sly little mouse in the movie. I am sure he would never want one of those creatures to get the best of him. Poor little creature! He was probably frightened to death by such a giant pursuing him.
I do notice that his pants are muddy at the bottom which is probably what they are looking like most of the time now with the rainy season upon them. He is wearing his shower shoes. I imagine he wears them around the apartment a lot. He didn't tell us if he found boots in his size or not. Maybe next week.
I made a cool thing to hold incense while it burns the other day out of a piece of bamboo. It is pretty cool.
Monday, January 5, 2009
2009_01_05 Week 11 Balzar Mom
Carol wrote to Curtis Monday, January 5, 2009
Curtis replied that same day.
Hi Curtis,
Please tell us more about your baptisms. Did you have another one this week? Who was it? Tell us more about the people you have baptized recently.
The last people we baptized was the Ricardo and Maria and their son Carlos. They are an awesome family. Now we are preparing Ricardo to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. We meet with them usually in the evening, our last appointment and every time even though we tell them not to they feed us. Usually cola and crackers with fresh cheese or sandwiches. It is good, but not necessary. They are the last family that we baptized. We also are preparing them to enter the temple, but that won´t be for a year, so they have time.
Have you performed the baptisms or confirmations?
I personally have performed 4 of the 6 baptisms so far in my mission; Antonia, Allison, Ricardo, and Carlos. Elder Bejar baptized Maria and a member, the husband of Hermana Alvarado, our mamita de comida for Wednesdays, baptized Carlos de Barco.
Do you have any more new investigators? Tell us about them.
Right now we are struggling to find new investigators but we are working on it.
How are the people you met last week in Relicario coming along?
They didn´t come to church this week and Thursday when we went to Relicario to visit they weren’t there, but the family that is members that we were going to meet in their home wasn´t there either, so it is ok. Sunday everybody came to Balzar for church, so it is ok that this new family didn´t come. We are going to visit in Relicario 2 days this week, Tuesday and Thursday so we will meet with them this week hopefully.
What is the best experience you have had these past few weeks?
Baptizing a family so they can be together forever, that is the best experience so far.
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you?
(no reply)
Tell us anything else you think we would like to know.
(no reply)
Tell us more about your companion.
He is interesting. The food he prepares is different; tomatoes and radishes with avocado with a little oil. Mix it together and put it on top of a pile of rice. He likes to joke and have fun with other people.
How big does the branch have to get before they will get a meeting house?
The thing that has to happen first is they need to have I think 6 or 8 people that hold the Melchizedek Priesthood and are active before they can form their own branch. Right now they are part of the Balzar Branch, but they meet separately because it is much closer for them this way.
When will they get a Branch President called who is not a missionary?
When they have enough priesthood holders to form their own branch.
What do you do with the tithes and offerings that are gathered in Relicario?
We collect them and take them to Balzar with us and they are taken care of the following Sunday, because before we leave for lunch after church Sunday we help President Ruiz to count the tithing and enter it in the computer and then transmit it to Quito to a regional headquarters then President Ruiz takes the money to the bank Monday morning.
Do you have to enter it into the computer in Balzar or do you take it to Balzar for the other branch to take care of it?
We take it to Balzar and enter it in the same with the other branch.
You said you live above the City Offices in Balzar. Do you live on the main street of Balzar then?
We live next to the city offices in Balzar. Our street is not the main street that is the one that runs through town and on to Empalme and Quevedo, but our street is the popular one for the people to party on at night during the weekend cars with loud music and people drinking everywhere, ya that is our street!
Why are there so many buildings that are half finished?
The people here work from paycheck to paycheck but it depends on what they do. Some get paid daily, others weekly or every other week, so when they have money they buy material and work on the building. When they don´t, they don´t work on the building, but I don´t know why the people start building and don´t finish. There are lots of houses that are only part way built all over Balzar.
Did you meet any new missionaries at the temple or zone conference? I have been emailing with mothers of some of the missionaries in your mission. There are nine that have kids in your mission. Have you met any of them?
Elder Blake Bartolomei - in Manta He was my companion in the MTC
Elder Michael Crismon No
Hermana Desiree' Draeger - She will arrive there this month
Elder Nate Elwood - in Babahoyo. Ya, I talked with him on the bus on the way back from the temple. He lives in Logan near the hospital. He was in my Chemistry class the first semester I had at Utah State. He likes to hunt and fish too.
Hermana Rachel Foote - just got home from her mission No
Elder Darren Haymond - No
Elder Dan Mitton - in Babahoyo No but if he is in Babahoyo he was on the bus with us to the temple.
Elder Robert Ogden - he has red hair No
Elder Tyler Walke - in Babahoyo, he flew to Ecuador with you. He was on the bus with us to the temple too.
I love you lots.
Mom
Hi Curtis,
Thanks for the answers. It is busy today, so it took me a bit to get to your email. What else has been happening there? Did you get to see the DVD we sent you?
Ya, I watched the DVD. It was cool to see photos of everybody in the ward.
So things in Balzar are good, no problems. This is probably the last week I will have with Elder Bejar, because next Monday is transfers, so I will probably get on the computer later in the day because we will have to get up at 5 and take a bus to Guayaquil and then take a bus back to Balzar with my new companion, so it may be later. I don´t know for sure I guess we will see.
Oh, Elder Bryan finishes his mission this transfer so you can talk to him about his mission. I don´t have his information but I am pretty sure that you have his moms email address.
I will try to contact that other elder you told me about and Elder Bryan after the wedding. Are you fairly sure that Elder Bejar will get transferred and you will stay in Balzar?
It was pretty cool when we were at the church watching the DVD. All of us had tears in our eyes. Did you like our family piece?
Hey my time is up. I gotta go. I love you all very much. Tell everybody Hi for me.
Elder Goode
I love you too. Sorry, we didn't get to chat much today. First day back after a holiday!
Love you lots. Have a great week.
Mom
Curtis replied that same day.
Hi Curtis,
Please tell us more about your baptisms. Did you have another one this week? Who was it? Tell us more about the people you have baptized recently.
The last people we baptized was the Ricardo and Maria and their son Carlos. They are an awesome family. Now we are preparing Ricardo to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. We meet with them usually in the evening, our last appointment and every time even though we tell them not to they feed us. Usually cola and crackers with fresh cheese or sandwiches. It is good, but not necessary. They are the last family that we baptized. We also are preparing them to enter the temple, but that won´t be for a year, so they have time.
Have you performed the baptisms or confirmations?
I personally have performed 4 of the 6 baptisms so far in my mission; Antonia, Allison, Ricardo, and Carlos. Elder Bejar baptized Maria and a member, the husband of Hermana Alvarado, our mamita de comida for Wednesdays, baptized Carlos de Barco.
Do you have any more new investigators? Tell us about them.
Right now we are struggling to find new investigators but we are working on it.
How are the people you met last week in Relicario coming along?
They didn´t come to church this week and Thursday when we went to Relicario to visit they weren’t there, but the family that is members that we were going to meet in their home wasn´t there either, so it is ok. Sunday everybody came to Balzar for church, so it is ok that this new family didn´t come. We are going to visit in Relicario 2 days this week, Tuesday and Thursday so we will meet with them this week hopefully.
What is the best experience you have had these past few weeks?
Baptizing a family so they can be together forever, that is the best experience so far.
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you?
(no reply)
Tell us anything else you think we would like to know.
(no reply)
Tell us more about your companion.
He is interesting. The food he prepares is different; tomatoes and radishes with avocado with a little oil. Mix it together and put it on top of a pile of rice. He likes to joke and have fun with other people.
How big does the branch have to get before they will get a meeting house?
The thing that has to happen first is they need to have I think 6 or 8 people that hold the Melchizedek Priesthood and are active before they can form their own branch. Right now they are part of the Balzar Branch, but they meet separately because it is much closer for them this way.
When will they get a Branch President called who is not a missionary?
When they have enough priesthood holders to form their own branch.
What do you do with the tithes and offerings that are gathered in Relicario?
We collect them and take them to Balzar with us and they are taken care of the following Sunday, because before we leave for lunch after church Sunday we help President Ruiz to count the tithing and enter it in the computer and then transmit it to Quito to a regional headquarters then President Ruiz takes the money to the bank Monday morning.
Do you have to enter it into the computer in Balzar or do you take it to Balzar for the other branch to take care of it?
We take it to Balzar and enter it in the same with the other branch.
You said you live above the City Offices in Balzar. Do you live on the main street of Balzar then?
We live next to the city offices in Balzar. Our street is not the main street that is the one that runs through town and on to Empalme and Quevedo, but our street is the popular one for the people to party on at night during the weekend cars with loud music and people drinking everywhere, ya that is our street!
Why are there so many buildings that are half finished?
The people here work from paycheck to paycheck but it depends on what they do. Some get paid daily, others weekly or every other week, so when they have money they buy material and work on the building. When they don´t, they don´t work on the building, but I don´t know why the people start building and don´t finish. There are lots of houses that are only part way built all over Balzar.
Did you meet any new missionaries at the temple or zone conference? I have been emailing with mothers of some of the missionaries in your mission. There are nine that have kids in your mission. Have you met any of them?
Elder Blake Bartolomei - in Manta He was my companion in the MTC
Elder Michael Crismon No
Hermana Desiree' Draeger - She will arrive there this month
Elder Nate Elwood - in Babahoyo. Ya, I talked with him on the bus on the way back from the temple. He lives in Logan near the hospital. He was in my Chemistry class the first semester I had at Utah State. He likes to hunt and fish too.
Hermana Rachel Foote - just got home from her mission No
Elder Darren Haymond - No
Elder Dan Mitton - in Babahoyo No but if he is in Babahoyo he was on the bus with us to the temple.
Elder Robert Ogden - he has red hair No
Elder Tyler Walke - in Babahoyo, he flew to Ecuador with you. He was on the bus with us to the temple too.
I love you lots.
Mom
Hi Curtis,
Thanks for the answers. It is busy today, so it took me a bit to get to your email. What else has been happening there? Did you get to see the DVD we sent you?
Ya, I watched the DVD. It was cool to see photos of everybody in the ward.
So things in Balzar are good, no problems. This is probably the last week I will have with Elder Bejar, because next Monday is transfers, so I will probably get on the computer later in the day because we will have to get up at 5 and take a bus to Guayaquil and then take a bus back to Balzar with my new companion, so it may be later. I don´t know for sure I guess we will see.
Oh, Elder Bryan finishes his mission this transfer so you can talk to him about his mission. I don´t have his information but I am pretty sure that you have his moms email address.
I will try to contact that other elder you told me about and Elder Bryan after the wedding. Are you fairly sure that Elder Bejar will get transferred and you will stay in Balzar?
It was pretty cool when we were at the church watching the DVD. All of us had tears in our eyes. Did you like our family piece?
Hey my time is up. I gotta go. I love you all very much. Tell everybody Hi for me.
Elder Goode
I love you too. Sorry, we didn't get to chat much today. First day back after a holiday!
Love you lots. Have a great week.
Mom
Monday, December 29, 2008
2008_12_29 Week 10 Balzar Mom
I have added more of my conversation with Curtis to the bottom of this post. I only had time Monday to post part of it. Sorry it is a little disjointed. We had several email threads going on at the same time.
Mom wrote to Curtis Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:47:57 -0700
He wrote back that day.
Hi Curtis,
Tell us about your Christmas Eve? You said you got your packages, so you must have had a District Meeting, then you had a Festival (I am not sure that was the word you used) in each of your two branches and a Christmas Eve Dinner. Tell us all about that day, please.
We went to our district meeting. I received the three packages and then we went back to Balzar. In the house, I opened the packages. Then we ate a little, not much though, and then we took a bus to Relicario. We visited in Relicario for about two and a half hours because the members in Relicario invited a family that is not members, so we visited with them and made sure that they were invited to church Sunday. After we took another bus to Balzar and went to the church for the Fiesta. It was good. We had a little program. Elder Bejar and I sang a duet and then we watched Joy to the World and then we ate chicken with rice and a salad of onions and tomatoes and peppers. It is actually pretty good. After we ate, Elder Bejar and I left for a Cyber Cabina so he could talk to his parents. While he talked, I memorized more of the proclamacion for the world, and then we went to our house.
Tell us what you did on Christmas Day please. Lots of details please.
See above this is Christmas Day.
Did you like the packages?
Yes they were great. Elder Bejar really likes pistachios he had never eaten them before now. The pens are awesome. Elder Bejar was surprised that you knew what his first name started with.
Was there anything that did not arrive okay?
No, everything arrived just fine. No problems at all.
What did you like best?
The notes from everybody that was way cool to be able to hear from everybody in the family.
Did you take photos of the Christmas tree after you hung it and decorated it?
Yes I have pictures of the tree on the wall don´t worry.
The little puzzles were for you to share with kids you meet down there. Do you want me to send some candy or anything else that you can give to the kids? Is that something that is okay to do?
Yeah it is ok, but you don´t need to. There is plenty of candy here to share with the kids. I can buy the huge bags of assorted candy for a dollar or two.
Did your companion like his Christmas stocking and gifts?
Yeah, he did. He says thank you very much. (He said this in English.)
Has he ever had a Christmas stocking like that before?
I don´t think he has, but he knows what they are for and the tradition.
What did Elder Bejar's parents send him for Christmas?
He hasn´t received a package from his parents while he has been here.
Did you have your baptisms on Saturday? How did that go?
Yeah, we baptized three people, Ricardo, Maria and their oldest son Carlos.
Did you take more photos at the baptisms? Did you take photos of Allison's baptism?
Yes I have photos of both baptisms. I just need to make another cd and get it sent.
Do you have any more investigators that are progressing or that you have challenged for baptism?
We have a few. Irina, she is 9, but her mom won´t give her permission to be baptized, but she has lived with her grandmother for over a year so legally her grandmother is her guardian and can give her permission to be baptized, so we are planning on this Saturday.
Is there anyone that we can pray for? What specific needs or challenges do they have?
We need help to find more people to teach right now. We don´t have many investigators that are progressing. We need to find more.
How many investigators came out to church this week? Did you teach a Sunday School class to them?
In Balzar, we had two investigators and they have been investigators for a long time, for about 4 or 5 years. They know Elder Ika, the one that emailed you. In Relicario, the family that came to our Fiesta came to church also and brought more of the family with them, so we had 7 investigators in Relicario.
Did you do anything special for your members or investigators for Christmas? Elder Walke's blog said they had a cool activity in the park in Babahoyo, where a member dressed up as Santa and they took photos with the children and Santa. They got the addresses of the kids so they could deliver the photos and give a short message to the families about Christ. It sounded fun, though it was a lot of hard work. Did you do anything like that?
No, we didn´t do anything like that in Balzar, but on the 24th below our house Santa was there for the people to take pictures with. He was below our house, because we live next to the city hall of Balzar.
What plans do you have for this week with New Year's Eve? Do you have to stay inside because of all the partying?
No, we don´t have to stay inside the whole time and the only thing that we have planned is another dinner with the Ruiz family, that is all.
Is there anything you need or want me to send to you?
No, I am good, no problems and I don´t need anything.
Is there anything you would like to have, but can't find in the store?
Just a pocket knife, but that is not a necessity right now.
I will transfer some money into your account for the packages and the $50 that the Gailey's gave to you. I will try to do it this week. Dad said you mentioned buying a belt. That would be a fun souvenir. Are you still looking for a knife?
Yes I am looking, but have not found one yet. Here in Balzar, they don´t sell much in the way of knives. Elder Bejar says that when the people want to buy a knife, they go to Manavi to buy it.
One of the missionary blogs mentioned that you are supposed to be getting the Liahona every month. Are you getting it? If not, should I sign up for a subscription for you?
We don´t receive it every month, but our Branch President does and we borrow his copy and read it during lunch.
Are you happy and healthy?
Yes, I am happy and healthy.
Has it started raining a lot yet? Is it getting hotter?
Yeah, it is getting hotter, but it hasn´t started raining yet.
Will you please share your testimony with us.
I love you so very much. You are such a fine example for your brothers, cousins and for many others who are reading your blog and sharing in your mission. I talked to Daniel Greenwell and his mother, Rita today at church. Daniel has his call to Calgary, Canada. They have been reading your blog and he is so excited to get out there and start serving his mission. They want to create a blog to share his mission experiences also.
I am so happy for Skyler. I am so excited for him to get to go and serve. I know he will be a great missionary, too. I have felt all along that things would work out for the best for him if we just had enough patience. I hope he will go and serve with all his heart, mind and soul like you are doing.
At the Parkinson Christmas party on Friday, we didn't do gifts like we have in the past. Instead we put together some kits for the humanitarian center. We did newborn kits, hygiene kits and school kits. The kids got to help assemble the kits. It was good to give instead of getting because we are all so blessed and we reallly didn't need more gifts. I took my laptop and a projector up and showed the photos and videos you have sent home. It was good for everyone to get to see what you are up to. I put it on a slideshow so it just kept playing over and over while we did the kits and tied a couple of quilts and other activities. I also took some paper and markers and many of the family wrote you letters or drew pictures for you. I will mail them soon for a Valentine surprise. They may get there a few weeks before that. You will love the drawings. They are really cute.
I love you son. I am so very proud of you. You are the BEST!!!
Love always and forever,
Mom
You didn't type your testimony. I know you have one. Will you either type it or write it and mail it to us?
I´ll mail my testimony to you, and I meant that while I have been with Elder Bejar he hasn´t received a package.
I thought you had said on the phone that the district meeting, the two fiestas and the turkey dinner were all going to be on Christmas Eve. Did you do all of that on Christmas day? What did you do on Christmas Eve?
No, I mixed the two days sorry. District Meeting was the 24th. We visited some investigators after lunch and then went to dinner and I called again. The 25th we studied and then had our weekly planning session and then after a little lunch we went to Relicario and then Balzar for the Fiestas.
In the photos you sent, there is a map with arrow sticky notes on it. You have written on them. We think we have figured out some of the places. Is this right?
You live at the red arrow.
The church is at the blue arrow.
The green arrows are your mamita's homes.
The single one is the place you eat on Wednesdays. What is the name of that sister?The two green arrows are where the Ruiz family live and where Sister Valdez lives.
We can't tell what the yellow one is.
We can't tell what the purple one is.
You said you are needing to find more investigators. What are you doing to find more? Do you go tracting or talk to people in the streets? Do you give out Books of Mormon? That book I sent you has a lot of ideas for things you can do to find more people. It talks a lot about just making more contacts. The more people you talk to each day, the better chance you will have of finding someone who is willing to listen.
We knock a lot of doors, but the best way for us to find people to teach is through members, but they haven´t been helping us out much lately. But in Relicario the members are doing great. We have lots of new investigators there. We just don´t have the time to visit in Relicario every day.
Great. So it is not as far to the Ruiz family as I thought. It is a ways to Sister Valdez with the laundry. How do you carry your laundry there and back? I noticed in the photos you have some containers holding some of your laundry. Do you carry those containers there to put the clean clothes in and your dirty clothes in your laundry bags?
No we drop our dirty laundry off on Mondays in our bags and then we pick it up clean on Friday or Saturdays and then we drop the dirties off again the next Monday.
It will be good if you can teach all of the people that came to church this week in Relicario. Tell us more about that Branch. You said you meet in a member's home. Do you have the meeting inside? Where do you all sit? Is it crowded? Do you have regular sacrament trays? What do you use for a Sacrament table and table cloths?
How big does the branch have to get before they will get a meeting house? When will they get a Branch President called who is not a missionary? What do you do with the tithes and offerings that are gathered? Do you have to enter it into the computer in Balzar or do you take it to Balzar for the other branch to take care of it?
We have Sacrament trays and a white table cloth that we put on the table. Everybody sits in chairs or stands or sits on the floor. We meet inside the home of one of the families. It is good. This next Sunday is Fast and Testimony Meeting, so the members in Relicario come to Balzar for church, so we don´t have to go to Relicario next Sunday.
Oh. I thought you said earlier that you dropped it off and then went proselyting in the area while she did your laundry, then you picked it up and took it back home. Is it awkward to carry it all the way through town? There doesn't appear to be a straight path to get from your home to hers. I guess it makes sense that you have so many clothes now if the mamita has half of them all the time.
It is time to go I love you all lots Thanks for the packages and all the notes they were good. Bye.
Love,
Elder Goode
Okay. We love you lots. Braxton is almost done typing an email for you. I hope you can wait long enough to read it. Have a great week. Send us a paper letter if you have time.
Mom wrote to Curtis Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:47:57 -0700
He wrote back that day.
Hi Curtis,
Tell us about your Christmas Eve? You said you got your packages, so you must have had a District Meeting, then you had a Festival (I am not sure that was the word you used) in each of your two branches and a Christmas Eve Dinner. Tell us all about that day, please.
We went to our district meeting. I received the three packages and then we went back to Balzar. In the house, I opened the packages. Then we ate a little, not much though, and then we took a bus to Relicario. We visited in Relicario for about two and a half hours because the members in Relicario invited a family that is not members, so we visited with them and made sure that they were invited to church Sunday. After we took another bus to Balzar and went to the church for the Fiesta. It was good. We had a little program. Elder Bejar and I sang a duet and then we watched Joy to the World and then we ate chicken with rice and a salad of onions and tomatoes and peppers. It is actually pretty good. After we ate, Elder Bejar and I left for a Cyber Cabina so he could talk to his parents. While he talked, I memorized more of the proclamacion for the world, and then we went to our house.
Tell us what you did on Christmas Day please. Lots of details please.
See above this is Christmas Day.
Did you like the packages?
Yes they were great. Elder Bejar really likes pistachios he had never eaten them before now. The pens are awesome. Elder Bejar was surprised that you knew what his first name started with.
Was there anything that did not arrive okay?
No, everything arrived just fine. No problems at all.
What did you like best?
The notes from everybody that was way cool to be able to hear from everybody in the family.
Did you take photos of the Christmas tree after you hung it and decorated it?
Yes I have pictures of the tree on the wall don´t worry.
The little puzzles were for you to share with kids you meet down there. Do you want me to send some candy or anything else that you can give to the kids? Is that something that is okay to do?
Yeah it is ok, but you don´t need to. There is plenty of candy here to share with the kids. I can buy the huge bags of assorted candy for a dollar or two.
Did your companion like his Christmas stocking and gifts?
Yeah, he did. He says thank you very much. (He said this in English.)
Has he ever had a Christmas stocking like that before?
I don´t think he has, but he knows what they are for and the tradition.
What did Elder Bejar's parents send him for Christmas?
He hasn´t received a package from his parents while he has been here.
Did you have your baptisms on Saturday? How did that go?
Yeah, we baptized three people, Ricardo, Maria and their oldest son Carlos.
Did you take more photos at the baptisms? Did you take photos of Allison's baptism?
Yes I have photos of both baptisms. I just need to make another cd and get it sent.
Do you have any more investigators that are progressing or that you have challenged for baptism?
We have a few. Irina, she is 9, but her mom won´t give her permission to be baptized, but she has lived with her grandmother for over a year so legally her grandmother is her guardian and can give her permission to be baptized, so we are planning on this Saturday.
Is there anyone that we can pray for? What specific needs or challenges do they have?
We need help to find more people to teach right now. We don´t have many investigators that are progressing. We need to find more.
How many investigators came out to church this week? Did you teach a Sunday School class to them?
In Balzar, we had two investigators and they have been investigators for a long time, for about 4 or 5 years. They know Elder Ika, the one that emailed you. In Relicario, the family that came to our Fiesta came to church also and brought more of the family with them, so we had 7 investigators in Relicario.
Did you do anything special for your members or investigators for Christmas? Elder Walke's blog said they had a cool activity in the park in Babahoyo, where a member dressed up as Santa and they took photos with the children and Santa. They got the addresses of the kids so they could deliver the photos and give a short message to the families about Christ. It sounded fun, though it was a lot of hard work. Did you do anything like that?
No, we didn´t do anything like that in Balzar, but on the 24th below our house Santa was there for the people to take pictures with. He was below our house, because we live next to the city hall of Balzar.
What plans do you have for this week with New Year's Eve? Do you have to stay inside because of all the partying?
No, we don´t have to stay inside the whole time and the only thing that we have planned is another dinner with the Ruiz family, that is all.
Is there anything you need or want me to send to you?
No, I am good, no problems and I don´t need anything.
Is there anything you would like to have, but can't find in the store?
Just a pocket knife, but that is not a necessity right now.
I will transfer some money into your account for the packages and the $50 that the Gailey's gave to you. I will try to do it this week. Dad said you mentioned buying a belt. That would be a fun souvenir. Are you still looking for a knife?
Yes I am looking, but have not found one yet. Here in Balzar, they don´t sell much in the way of knives. Elder Bejar says that when the people want to buy a knife, they go to Manavi to buy it.
One of the missionary blogs mentioned that you are supposed to be getting the Liahona every month. Are you getting it? If not, should I sign up for a subscription for you?
We don´t receive it every month, but our Branch President does and we borrow his copy and read it during lunch.
Are you happy and healthy?
Yes, I am happy and healthy.
Has it started raining a lot yet? Is it getting hotter?
Yeah, it is getting hotter, but it hasn´t started raining yet.
Will you please share your testimony with us.
I love you so very much. You are such a fine example for your brothers, cousins and for many others who are reading your blog and sharing in your mission. I talked to Daniel Greenwell and his mother, Rita today at church. Daniel has his call to Calgary, Canada. They have been reading your blog and he is so excited to get out there and start serving his mission. They want to create a blog to share his mission experiences also.
I am so happy for Skyler. I am so excited for him to get to go and serve. I know he will be a great missionary, too. I have felt all along that things would work out for the best for him if we just had enough patience. I hope he will go and serve with all his heart, mind and soul like you are doing.
At the Parkinson Christmas party on Friday, we didn't do gifts like we have in the past. Instead we put together some kits for the humanitarian center. We did newborn kits, hygiene kits and school kits. The kids got to help assemble the kits. It was good to give instead of getting because we are all so blessed and we reallly didn't need more gifts. I took my laptop and a projector up and showed the photos and videos you have sent home. It was good for everyone to get to see what you are up to. I put it on a slideshow so it just kept playing over and over while we did the kits and tied a couple of quilts and other activities. I also took some paper and markers and many of the family wrote you letters or drew pictures for you. I will mail them soon for a Valentine surprise. They may get there a few weeks before that. You will love the drawings. They are really cute.
I love you son. I am so very proud of you. You are the BEST!!!
Love always and forever,
Mom
You didn't type your testimony. I know you have one. Will you either type it or write it and mail it to us?
I´ll mail my testimony to you, and I meant that while I have been with Elder Bejar he hasn´t received a package.
I thought you had said on the phone that the district meeting, the two fiestas and the turkey dinner were all going to be on Christmas Eve. Did you do all of that on Christmas day? What did you do on Christmas Eve?
No, I mixed the two days sorry. District Meeting was the 24th. We visited some investigators after lunch and then went to dinner and I called again. The 25th we studied and then had our weekly planning session and then after a little lunch we went to Relicario and then Balzar for the Fiestas.
In the photos you sent, there is a map with arrow sticky notes on it. You have written on them. We think we have figured out some of the places. Is this right?
You live at the red arrow.
The church is at the blue arrow.
The green arrows are your mamita's homes.
The single one is the place you eat on Wednesdays. What is the name of that sister?The two green arrows are where the Ruiz family live and where Sister Valdez lives.
We can't tell what the yellow one is.
We can't tell what the purple one is.
The single green arrow is the Ruiz family. The other two are the other mamitas. The top one is the mamita Alvarado that cooks for us on Wednesdays and the bottom one is the mamita Valdez. The purple one is the store where we buy all of our things. It is called the Tia and the yellow is the Clinica where they rehab drug addicts and alcoholics. We help there when our ward mission leader is here, but he has been in Guayaquil the whole time I have been here, so we don´t go to the clinic. But our Ward Mission Leader was at church Sunday so maybe he will start helping us out now.
Ok. Thanks. I wasn't sure how you were going to fit all of that into one day, after we talked on the phone.
You said you are needing to find more investigators. What are you doing to find more? Do you go tracting or talk to people in the streets? Do you give out Books of Mormon? That book I sent you has a lot of ideas for things you can do to find more people. It talks a lot about just making more contacts. The more people you talk to each day, the better chance you will have of finding someone who is willing to listen.
We knock a lot of doors, but the best way for us to find people to teach is through members, but they haven´t been helping us out much lately. But in Relicario the members are doing great. We have lots of new investigators there. We just don´t have the time to visit in Relicario every day.
Great. So it is not as far to the Ruiz family as I thought. It is a ways to Sister Valdez with the laundry. How do you carry your laundry there and back? I noticed in the photos you have some containers holding some of your laundry. Do you carry those containers there to put the clean clothes in and your dirty clothes in your laundry bags?
No we drop our dirty laundry off on Mondays in our bags and then we pick it up clean on Friday or Saturdays and then we drop the dirties off again the next Monday.
It will be good if you can teach all of the people that came to church this week in Relicario. Tell us more about that Branch. You said you meet in a member's home. Do you have the meeting inside? Where do you all sit? Is it crowded? Do you have regular sacrament trays? What do you use for a Sacrament table and table cloths?
How big does the branch have to get before they will get a meeting house? When will they get a Branch President called who is not a missionary? What do you do with the tithes and offerings that are gathered? Do you have to enter it into the computer in Balzar or do you take it to Balzar for the other branch to take care of it?
We have Sacrament trays and a white table cloth that we put on the table. Everybody sits in chairs or stands or sits on the floor. We meet inside the home of one of the families. It is good. This next Sunday is Fast and Testimony Meeting, so the members in Relicario come to Balzar for church, so we don´t have to go to Relicario next Sunday.
Oh. I thought you said earlier that you dropped it off and then went proselyting in the area while she did your laundry, then you picked it up and took it back home. Is it awkward to carry it all the way through town? There doesn't appear to be a straight path to get from your home to hers. I guess it makes sense that you have so many clothes now if the mamita has half of them all the time.
It is time to go I love you all lots Thanks for the packages and all the notes they were good. Bye.
Love,
Elder Goode
Okay. We love you lots. Braxton is almost done typing an email for you. I hope you can wait long enough to read it. Have a great week. Send us a paper letter if you have time.
I always have way more questions than he has time to answer. Oh well. We love to hear from our missionary and we are grateful for all he does tell us.
Monday, November 10, 2008
2008_11_10 Week 3 Balzar Mom
Mom wrote on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:56:11 -0700Subject: Week 3 in Balzar
Curtis replied on Monday, 11/10/2008 10:08 AM
Hi Curtis,
It is Sunday evening. It has been a good day. Church was good. It was the Primary program for Sacrament Meeting. This afternoon, Dad and I went up to the church to hear a piano recital by Martha Aston. She is almost done with her master's program. Next week she will do her final performance for her Master's program. Tonight's performance was like a dress rehearsal for that. She played for almost two hours and all of it was memorized. I cannot believe how much music she has memorized. It was amazing and very beautiful. This music was all classical stuff from other composers. I know she has written many of her own pieces, too. I would have liked to have heard more of her own compositions and more church music, but it was really good.
Braxton had two indoor soccer games yesterday. They lost the first one and won the second one. On the way back we stopped and got pizza and crazy bread for his birthday party. He had four friends over to play games. They had fun. I did pears while they played. Many of them had started to spoil, so I didn't get as many jars as I should have. I got six quarts. I still need to do some apples. I think I will try to do some applesauce and jam this week. Hopefully I can fit something in. There is a lot going on again this week. On Wednesday, we are having a birthday party for Taylor here. Shara and Rob are going to come down and spend a couple of days and do some shopping. They are going to sleep here Wednesday night. We have Relief Society, Pack Meeting, and a program at the school on Tuesday night. We have Soccer Practice Friday night and another game Saturday afternoon. I have a wedding shower for Sam Hummell's fiance Saturday and dad and I have a ward adult party on Saturday night. Not much time left to do apples with all that.
I had a good experience Friday. I had to teach a presentation to my faculty at West Point Junior High on the PRS clickers. I think I told you about them in another letter. I didn't get a lot of time to prepare for it so I was pretty nervous about doing it. I prayed really hard for the few days before and Friday morning. Just before going in to teach the class, I prayed in my office that it would go okay. I went to the room and got all set up. I thought everything was fine, but I couldn't get the projector to work. One of the teachers noticed that I had missed plugging in one cable. Once that was plugged in, it worked fine. I started my lesson and it went really well. I was calm and the words flowed out smoothly and everything worked so well. The teachers and staff were having a great time and learning what I wanted them to. I was so pleased with the way it went. It was probably the most fun training I have ever been to at the school. I was so grateful for the Lord's help. I know I could not have done it without Heavenly Father's help. I went back to my office after and offered a prayer of gratitude. I hope you are using prayer every day in your life. I know it works. Heavenly Father will always bless us when we ask for His help.
How has your week been?
It has been really good this week I have been so busy it is crazy
What was your best experience this week?
This week on thursday we went to the cities of culimnes and relicario because we have investigators in these cities. The ones in culimnes are a reference we recieved from salt lake from a child of the parents of this family that are members and the people are way excited about the gospel so we will probably have some baptisms in culimnes in a few weeks.
What was another great experience?
The person we are teaching in relicario is the mother of a young man that was baptised before I got here she is getting baptised this saturday for sure.
How many lessons did you teach?
13 lessons with members present and 25 without members present a lot of lessons
Has anything bad happened?
No not really
Has anything funny or interesting happened?
I am still having a hard time understanding the people it is hard because they talk so differently but it is getting better. a lot of people will see me in the street and they will say Hi or hey you or some other random phrase of english but what is really funny is I will act like I don´t understand and respond with spanish hola como esta and the like it is funny to see their reactions. also the people here have a hard time believing that I am only 19 and no older
How are you feeling? Are your knees still hurting? I hope not. I hope you will get used to all the walking.
my knees are getting better they only hurt now when I have to sit in cramped spaces for long periods of time such as the hour and a half bus ride to quevedo each week
Are you losing weight?
I don´t know I don´t have a scale to weight myself but probably not because our momita feeds us really well lots of rice which I found out is very fattening
How are your feet doing? Are they cracked and sore?
no they are fine and I haven´t been using anything on them either
Tell us more about your apartment. What appliances do you have in your kitchen?
we have a small fridge about 5 feet tall maybe a microwave and a gas stove with four burners and a sink with running water which is really quite good for this area
What are you eating for breakfast and dinner when you get home in the evening?
cereal and milk or fried eggs or bread and milk or toast
Are you doing okay with only one big meal a day? Are you hungry at night when you get home?
yeah I am hungry but that is ok don´t worry I am fine
Have you learned to cook anything different or interesting?
I now know how to cook fresh rice very well it is really quite easy. it tastes so good when it is fresh the rice we buy is maybe been out of the rice patty a month at most so it is really fresh
What is the most interesting thing you have eaten?
probably boiled potatoes cut into small pieces with tunafish mayonaise and fresh chopped onions mixed in I have to say that this one is not my favorite dish here
When you have gone to your district meetings, have any of the elders received packages that you have seen?
yeah there are a few that have recieved packages usually they look like they have been through a war or that someone played soccer with the box for a while.
I have been checking on shipping packages to you. It looks like the cheapest way to send them to you is by using the Priority Mail boxes that the Post Office sells. They have flat rate boxes. You can put as much as you can fit into the box, up to 20 pounds for one price. You can send them with the green Customs label. I just don't know if they have to go through customs or not. The mission president made it sound like anything over four pounds had to go through customs. What do you know about the packages?
All I know is you need to use the green label not the white one that is all
Has your companion received any packages while he has been there?
no he hasn´t
Do the packages arrive unopened?
the ones I have seen arrive unopened
If I put only four pounds in one of those boxes, I will have to send you three or four packages and that will cost a lot more. If I can put more than four pounds in a box, I can probably send you just two for less money. What do you think?
I dunno Try one and see what happens just don´t put anything of really great value in them and it should be fine even if they open the box
I would like to try and send you one package this week if I can and another one next week. I want to make sure they get there before Christmas. You will have to open the boxes when you get them to make sure the stuff arrived then let me know. Then you will have to put some of it away till Christmas so you will have something to enjoy Christmas day. Is there anything else you would like or need?
I honestly can´t think of anything that I might need except a knife I can´t find anywhere that sells a pocket knife they only have kitchen knives and macheties here I just want one that I can put in my pocket and use for opening things and the like.
Are you still taking the Allegra? Do you want me to send more? Can you get allergy medicine in Balzar with the same medicine in it? Allegra is available over the counter now.
I will have to look but I haven´t been taking it so I should be fine right now
What kind of stores do they have in Balzar? Are there any big stores like a Walmart?
No there is one store that is a grocery store it is fairly large about five aisles and each one is fifty feet long and we walked past a fairly large hardware store the other day and that is honestly all of the big shops there are lots of little ones that sell different things the ones on the corner that sell most of the stuff you would need like food drinks and other small things but the big things you have to go to the main market for.
How far away is the store where you shop for groceries? Do you only shop on your Pday?
no we shop 3 or 4 times a week as we need the store is three blocks north and three blocks east of our house so not far
When you go to Quevedo do you do any shopping? Do they have bigger stores there?
yeah they have much bigger stores but we don´t shop there only have our meeting and then leave we don´t even go into the main part of town just a church on the outskirts of town
Have you checked on contact solution and vitamins yet?
no I have not yet sorry
How are your investigators coming? How are Sonia and Fernando doing? Did they both come to church yesterday?
no neither of them did we didn´t have many investigators at all at church we need to work on that for next week
Do you have any new investigators? Did any come to church?
we usually have lots of new investigators but not many that progress after becoming investigators but we are working on it
Can we pray for anyone?
sonia and fernando and Cattie Espinosa she has been investigating the church for a while now she stopped progressing a while ago but she has sharted to progress again so pray for her too.
What is the name of the smaller branch where you are the Branch President? Is it Cerritos or Don Boreo or something like that? I found a map that showed some of the smaller cities in your area. Both of those are to the south of you. There is a spot on top of the second name so I can't read it for sure.
the other branch is Relicario
How is your smaller branch doing? About how many members are in the branch? How many come out to meetings?
it is fairly small about 15 people were there for the first meeting but we haven´t been back since so I´m not for sure what is going on there right now this is one of the areas that the language barrier makes really hard for me
What are the names of the Branch President in Balzar and his wife? Do they have children?
President Ruiz his wife is Elana and then they have four kids the first is Evan he is about 16 or 17 then mary elana she is 13 then amy she is 6 and then moroni he is 2 or 3 and full of energy
What is the name of the other sister who does your laundry? Is she a member? Do you have to carry your laundry all the way out there and back? How far is it?
Sister Valdez it is was acrost town probably a mile or more. yeah when we have laundry to do we have to take it all the way over there to her house
Do many people there have vehicles?
yeah lots of people have vehicles most have motorcycles little suzuki 100 or 150´s there are tons of these and a few have cars and trucks as well
The ward is doing a Christmas party on December 2nd. They are putting together a video of photos of families in the ward and their Christmas memories. They asked me to find out if they sent you a copy of the video on a DVD could you watch it? Is that against mission rules or would it be okay to watch at a member's home?
It would be ok for me to watch there is a tv and dvd player in the church that we have acess to
Does your Branch President have a DVD player or a member that you know? Do they have VHS? What about the church?
a lot have tv´s and dvd players I haven´t seen any vhs players here
Do you use any videos to teach the people?
yeah we use the video of the restoration all the time with people
Have you taken any photos down there?
yeah I have but I haven´t been carying my camera every day because I don´t want it to be stolen I haven´t been robbed don´t worry I just don´t want to take the chance
Are you understanding the Spanish any better?
it is better certain people are much easier than others to understand but it is coming along for sure
Please tell us anything else you want to share about this week.
Skyler called me yesterday. He said the insurance company denied his surgery. They are going to appeal it, but for now, he can't have it done. Without insurance the cost is $60,000. The church said that he can't even go to a state side mission as long as he is having kidney problems. He isn't going to go to SUU until next fall. They don't want him to start in the middle of the program. He needs to start in the fall at the beginning. He is getting laid off from his construction job this week. He said he had a couple of job interviews lined up for this week. He is just going to work for now. He sounded really sad about it all. I feel badly for him.
It is raining here tonight and getting colder. We may have a bit of snow by morning. How is your weather?
The weather here is partly cloudy at the moment with lots of heat and humidity and there is always the chance of rain in ecuador
I miss you a lot and think of you often every day. We pray for you morning and night and at every meal. I hope you feel our love and prayers. I hope they help you. We have prayed for Sonia and Fernando this week. Many at church ask about you each week and the family members all ask about you when we talk to them. We are all thinking of you and loving you. We are all very proud of you and excited to hear more about your adventures.
Love always and forever,
Mom
Good morning Curtis. Thanks for the answers. I am glad to hear all is well down there. Why haven’t you been back to the branch in Relicario? Who takes charge when you don't go there?
I am not really for sure like I said the language is a barrier two sundays ago they came to balzar because it was fast and testimony meeting but I don´t understand why we didn´t go to relicario yesterday
Okay. I am sure you will overcome the language barrier soon. Do you feel like you are understanding more of what the people say each day? Are the children easier to understand or the adults? I am sure they are very surprised when they find out you can speak Spanish.
yeah I feel like I am understanding more each day the kids and older people are hard to understand and some of the adults but most of the adults are getting easier for me to understand
That is good. What things do you do on Pday? Have you done any kind of service there yet?
Are you still there? How much time do you have left? Are you emailing other people?
Curtis replied on Monday, 11/10/2008 10:08 AM
Hi Curtis,
It is Sunday evening. It has been a good day. Church was good. It was the Primary program for Sacrament Meeting. This afternoon, Dad and I went up to the church to hear a piano recital by Martha Aston. She is almost done with her master's program. Next week she will do her final performance for her Master's program. Tonight's performance was like a dress rehearsal for that. She played for almost two hours and all of it was memorized. I cannot believe how much music she has memorized. It was amazing and very beautiful. This music was all classical stuff from other composers. I know she has written many of her own pieces, too. I would have liked to have heard more of her own compositions and more church music, but it was really good.
Braxton had two indoor soccer games yesterday. They lost the first one and won the second one. On the way back we stopped and got pizza and crazy bread for his birthday party. He had four friends over to play games. They had fun. I did pears while they played. Many of them had started to spoil, so I didn't get as many jars as I should have. I got six quarts. I still need to do some apples. I think I will try to do some applesauce and jam this week. Hopefully I can fit something in. There is a lot going on again this week. On Wednesday, we are having a birthday party for Taylor here. Shara and Rob are going to come down and spend a couple of days and do some shopping. They are going to sleep here Wednesday night. We have Relief Society, Pack Meeting, and a program at the school on Tuesday night. We have Soccer Practice Friday night and another game Saturday afternoon. I have a wedding shower for Sam Hummell's fiance Saturday and dad and I have a ward adult party on Saturday night. Not much time left to do apples with all that.
I had a good experience Friday. I had to teach a presentation to my faculty at West Point Junior High on the PRS clickers. I think I told you about them in another letter. I didn't get a lot of time to prepare for it so I was pretty nervous about doing it. I prayed really hard for the few days before and Friday morning. Just before going in to teach the class, I prayed in my office that it would go okay. I went to the room and got all set up. I thought everything was fine, but I couldn't get the projector to work. One of the teachers noticed that I had missed plugging in one cable. Once that was plugged in, it worked fine. I started my lesson and it went really well. I was calm and the words flowed out smoothly and everything worked so well. The teachers and staff were having a great time and learning what I wanted them to. I was so pleased with the way it went. It was probably the most fun training I have ever been to at the school. I was so grateful for the Lord's help. I know I could not have done it without Heavenly Father's help. I went back to my office after and offered a prayer of gratitude. I hope you are using prayer every day in your life. I know it works. Heavenly Father will always bless us when we ask for His help.
How has your week been?
It has been really good this week I have been so busy it is crazy
What was your best experience this week?
This week on thursday we went to the cities of culimnes and relicario because we have investigators in these cities. The ones in culimnes are a reference we recieved from salt lake from a child of the parents of this family that are members and the people are way excited about the gospel so we will probably have some baptisms in culimnes in a few weeks.
What was another great experience?
The person we are teaching in relicario is the mother of a young man that was baptised before I got here she is getting baptised this saturday for sure.
How many lessons did you teach?
13 lessons with members present and 25 without members present a lot of lessons
Has anything bad happened?
No not really
Has anything funny or interesting happened?
I am still having a hard time understanding the people it is hard because they talk so differently but it is getting better. a lot of people will see me in the street and they will say Hi or hey you or some other random phrase of english but what is really funny is I will act like I don´t understand and respond with spanish hola como esta and the like it is funny to see their reactions. also the people here have a hard time believing that I am only 19 and no older
How are you feeling? Are your knees still hurting? I hope not. I hope you will get used to all the walking.
my knees are getting better they only hurt now when I have to sit in cramped spaces for long periods of time such as the hour and a half bus ride to quevedo each week
Are you losing weight?
I don´t know I don´t have a scale to weight myself but probably not because our momita feeds us really well lots of rice which I found out is very fattening
How are your feet doing? Are they cracked and sore?
no they are fine and I haven´t been using anything on them either
Tell us more about your apartment. What appliances do you have in your kitchen?
we have a small fridge about 5 feet tall maybe a microwave and a gas stove with four burners and a sink with running water which is really quite good for this area
What are you eating for breakfast and dinner when you get home in the evening?
cereal and milk or fried eggs or bread and milk or toast
Are you doing okay with only one big meal a day? Are you hungry at night when you get home?
yeah I am hungry but that is ok don´t worry I am fine
Have you learned to cook anything different or interesting?
I now know how to cook fresh rice very well it is really quite easy. it tastes so good when it is fresh the rice we buy is maybe been out of the rice patty a month at most so it is really fresh
What is the most interesting thing you have eaten?
probably boiled potatoes cut into small pieces with tunafish mayonaise and fresh chopped onions mixed in I have to say that this one is not my favorite dish here
When you have gone to your district meetings, have any of the elders received packages that you have seen?
yeah there are a few that have recieved packages usually they look like they have been through a war or that someone played soccer with the box for a while.
I have been checking on shipping packages to you. It looks like the cheapest way to send them to you is by using the Priority Mail boxes that the Post Office sells. They have flat rate boxes. You can put as much as you can fit into the box, up to 20 pounds for one price. You can send them with the green Customs label. I just don't know if they have to go through customs or not. The mission president made it sound like anything over four pounds had to go through customs. What do you know about the packages?
All I know is you need to use the green label not the white one that is all
Has your companion received any packages while he has been there?
no he hasn´t
Do the packages arrive unopened?
the ones I have seen arrive unopened
If I put only four pounds in one of those boxes, I will have to send you three or four packages and that will cost a lot more. If I can put more than four pounds in a box, I can probably send you just two for less money. What do you think?
I dunno Try one and see what happens just don´t put anything of really great value in them and it should be fine even if they open the box
I would like to try and send you one package this week if I can and another one next week. I want to make sure they get there before Christmas. You will have to open the boxes when you get them to make sure the stuff arrived then let me know. Then you will have to put some of it away till Christmas so you will have something to enjoy Christmas day. Is there anything else you would like or need?
I honestly can´t think of anything that I might need except a knife I can´t find anywhere that sells a pocket knife they only have kitchen knives and macheties here I just want one that I can put in my pocket and use for opening things and the like.
Are you still taking the Allegra? Do you want me to send more? Can you get allergy medicine in Balzar with the same medicine in it? Allegra is available over the counter now.
I will have to look but I haven´t been taking it so I should be fine right now
What kind of stores do they have in Balzar? Are there any big stores like a Walmart?
No there is one store that is a grocery store it is fairly large about five aisles and each one is fifty feet long and we walked past a fairly large hardware store the other day and that is honestly all of the big shops there are lots of little ones that sell different things the ones on the corner that sell most of the stuff you would need like food drinks and other small things but the big things you have to go to the main market for.
How far away is the store where you shop for groceries? Do you only shop on your Pday?
no we shop 3 or 4 times a week as we need the store is three blocks north and three blocks east of our house so not far
When you go to Quevedo do you do any shopping? Do they have bigger stores there?
yeah they have much bigger stores but we don´t shop there only have our meeting and then leave we don´t even go into the main part of town just a church on the outskirts of town
Have you checked on contact solution and vitamins yet?
no I have not yet sorry
How are your investigators coming? How are Sonia and Fernando doing? Did they both come to church yesterday?
no neither of them did we didn´t have many investigators at all at church we need to work on that for next week
Do you have any new investigators? Did any come to church?
we usually have lots of new investigators but not many that progress after becoming investigators but we are working on it
Can we pray for anyone?
sonia and fernando and Cattie Espinosa she has been investigating the church for a while now she stopped progressing a while ago but she has sharted to progress again so pray for her too.
What is the name of the smaller branch where you are the Branch President? Is it Cerritos or Don Boreo or something like that? I found a map that showed some of the smaller cities in your area. Both of those are to the south of you. There is a spot on top of the second name so I can't read it for sure.
the other branch is Relicario
How is your smaller branch doing? About how many members are in the branch? How many come out to meetings?
it is fairly small about 15 people were there for the first meeting but we haven´t been back since so I´m not for sure what is going on there right now this is one of the areas that the language barrier makes really hard for me
What are the names of the Branch President in Balzar and his wife? Do they have children?
President Ruiz his wife is Elana and then they have four kids the first is Evan he is about 16 or 17 then mary elana she is 13 then amy she is 6 and then moroni he is 2 or 3 and full of energy
What is the name of the other sister who does your laundry? Is she a member? Do you have to carry your laundry all the way out there and back? How far is it?
Sister Valdez it is was acrost town probably a mile or more. yeah when we have laundry to do we have to take it all the way over there to her house
Do many people there have vehicles?
yeah lots of people have vehicles most have motorcycles little suzuki 100 or 150´s there are tons of these and a few have cars and trucks as well
The ward is doing a Christmas party on December 2nd. They are putting together a video of photos of families in the ward and their Christmas memories. They asked me to find out if they sent you a copy of the video on a DVD could you watch it? Is that against mission rules or would it be okay to watch at a member's home?
It would be ok for me to watch there is a tv and dvd player in the church that we have acess to
Does your Branch President have a DVD player or a member that you know? Do they have VHS? What about the church?
a lot have tv´s and dvd players I haven´t seen any vhs players here
Do you use any videos to teach the people?
yeah we use the video of the restoration all the time with people
Have you taken any photos down there?
yeah I have but I haven´t been carying my camera every day because I don´t want it to be stolen I haven´t been robbed don´t worry I just don´t want to take the chance
Are you understanding the Spanish any better?
it is better certain people are much easier than others to understand but it is coming along for sure
Please tell us anything else you want to share about this week.
Skyler called me yesterday. He said the insurance company denied his surgery. They are going to appeal it, but for now, he can't have it done. Without insurance the cost is $60,000. The church said that he can't even go to a state side mission as long as he is having kidney problems. He isn't going to go to SUU until next fall. They don't want him to start in the middle of the program. He needs to start in the fall at the beginning. He is getting laid off from his construction job this week. He said he had a couple of job interviews lined up for this week. He is just going to work for now. He sounded really sad about it all. I feel badly for him.
It is raining here tonight and getting colder. We may have a bit of snow by morning. How is your weather?
The weather here is partly cloudy at the moment with lots of heat and humidity and there is always the chance of rain in ecuador
I miss you a lot and think of you often every day. We pray for you morning and night and at every meal. I hope you feel our love and prayers. I hope they help you. We have prayed for Sonia and Fernando this week. Many at church ask about you each week and the family members all ask about you when we talk to them. We are all thinking of you and loving you. We are all very proud of you and excited to hear more about your adventures.
Love always and forever,
Mom
Good morning Curtis. Thanks for the answers. I am glad to hear all is well down there. Why haven’t you been back to the branch in Relicario? Who takes charge when you don't go there?
I am not really for sure like I said the language is a barrier two sundays ago they came to balzar because it was fast and testimony meeting but I don´t understand why we didn´t go to relicario yesterday
Okay. I am sure you will overcome the language barrier soon. Do you feel like you are understanding more of what the people say each day? Are the children easier to understand or the adults? I am sure they are very surprised when they find out you can speak Spanish.
yeah I feel like I am understanding more each day the kids and older people are hard to understand and some of the adults but most of the adults are getting easier for me to understand
That is good. What things do you do on Pday? Have you done any kind of service there yet?
Are you still there? How much time do you have left? Are you emailing other people?
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