Mom Emailed Curtis Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:49:14 -0700
Subject: 2008_12_22 Merry Christmas Curtis!
Curtis Emailed back that morning.
Hi Curtis,
I have not sent you any other emails today because I wanted to make sure you had time to email us and discuss when you could call. We are all at home today, so we hope to be able to chat with you for a bit.
The day that will work best for all of us is Tuesday, December 23rd. We will go to Smithfield that day. If you call at 6:00 our time, 8:00 your time, that should work. Michelle gets off work at 6:00, so she could get there just a few minutes after you call. Rob would also be able to get there about that time. So anytime after 6:00 for us would work that night.
If that is not good, we could also do tonight. Will either of those nights work for you?
Love always,
Mom
Tomorrow, Tuesday should work ok. We have an appointment at 7 that usually goes until 9, but I will see if we can visit earlier and leave in time to get to the phone in time for 8 or maybe a little after 8 like 8:10 or 8:20. Will that be alright? Last week I didn´t get off fast or early the cyber lost the internet and didn´t get it back until the day after so there wasn´t much I could do. Sorry.
Okay. That will work. We will be up at grandma's earlier in the day if you should have to call sooner, but later would be better. The phone number there is 435-563-5709.
I understand about the cyber. Braxton just called. He is at the church for Basketball practice and the poweris out there. I am glad it is not out here or I wouldn't be able to email you.
Have you gotten any packages yet? Or more letters?
I will receive my packages this Wednesday. When I visited the temple, the pouchero or the elder that takes care of all of the letters and packages, was there and he had me sign two papers and he took my censo (my Id for Ecuador) and went to get the packages. He called today and said that it cost 33 dollars to get the packages and he told me to tell you to only use the green stickers from now on. He said it is much easier.
Okay. I will be good and follow the rules. I am glad you will get the packages. Can you open them when you get them or do you have to wait till next Pday? Did you get any more letters?
Have you gotten the third package? I sent it with a green sticker.
No, I haven’t received the third package, but it will come without problem, maybe this Wednesday, too. I will have to wait for Pday to open the packages, but that is ok, not a big deal.
Surely they will make an exception for Christmas. You won't be doing a lot of teaching that day anyway. I hope you get them okay. Sorry about the problems with them. I can see what a pain it is if they have to have your senso to pick them up. Do you have any Christmas plans this week?
Thursday, we have a Fiesta in Relicario at 2 in the afternoon and then another one in Balzar at 5. And Wednesday, in the evening, our mamita is cooking a Christmas Dinner for us. She bought a turkey that weighs about 18 pounds that she is going to cook.
They are probably going to change the rules about the mamitas de comida. Change it so that we eat each day in a different house of members and we won’t have to pay the mamitas either, so it will be good, if they do change it. Right now, I think that they are testing this idea in a few zones in Guayaquil, but I am not for sure.
I had read that in one of the blogs of another elder in your mission. He wasn't sure it was a good idea. He worried that the quality of food would go down. I guess it will save you some money, but I wonder if it will be a hardship on the mamitas.
I am glad you are going to get some fun Christmas experiences there. I think you will remember these special experiences all of your life. The times you spend with the members and your investigators will be special. Did you have your baptism yesterday?
How was your temple visit? Where did you sleep in Quevedo? Tell us about it please.
The temple was good. I understood a lot more this time than the time before when we arrived. We stayed in the house of the zone leaders. There were 8 elders there. It was crazy, especially because I was the only gringo. All the others were latinos, so I was the "but" of a lot of jokes. We spent the night in Quevedo, got up at 1:30 in the morning and left for Guayaquil. We got back to Quevedo after the temple and the zone conference at 8 and spent the night again in Quevedo. Then we left in the morning for Balzar and worked all day in Balzar and then the next day we got up and left for Quevedo again for the district meeting. So we were in Quevedo for 4 days straight so we didn’t get as much done in Balzar as we would have liked to, but that is ok.
That sounds great. I am glad you got to go to the temple again. Most missionaries don't get to go while they are on their missions, so it is cool that you got to. The day you arrived, did your trainers get to go to the temple or just come there to pick you up? Was the zone conference good? Was it 4 hours long like the last one? Did they feed you?
We got your package with the CDs of pictures. Thank you. They were really great, but someone stole the letters. The tag on the package said it had CD and letters. :)
The package with the CDs only had CDs in it, so nothing was missing. Our trainers just picked us up. They didn’t get to go through the temple. We ate in the temple. It was good, soup, rice, pasta salad, broccoli cauliflower and chicken in a stir fry of sorts, and cake for dessert.
Please write a quick note to each of your brothers. They are waiting "impatiently" to hear from you. I figured you didn't send the letters, not that they actually got stolen. :) A paper letter or card now and then would be nice.
I have some more Christmas cards to send to you; One from Brent Rose, one from Darlene King and one from Garvene Garrett. They won't make it for Christmas, but I told them you would be glad to get them anytime. Bishop King is still in the hospital in intensive care. He has Pneumonia and Congestive Heart Failure. He isn't doing very well. Darlene is doing much better. She was at church yesterday.
I have to go. I love you all very much. I’ll talk to you tomorrow at 8 my time, 6 yours. Ok. I love you lots. Bye.
We love you, too. Have a really great week! Talk to you soon.
Love always,
Mom
This is a second conversation that Mom and Curtis were having in between the one above.
Mom, Can you do me a favor? Can you send an email to (Kelsey, he missed her name) with the address to my blog in it and tell her that I asked you to send it to her? Thank you.
You want me to send it to Kelsey?
Yes, please if you would.
Yes. I will send Kelsey the blog address. Are you writing to each other?
I write her a letter every 2 or 3 weeks and occasionally I recieve an email, but that is about it.
I will send her an email with the blog address. Dad ran to the store. He is on his way back. He says hello and to tell you he loves you. I don't know if he will make it back before you are off. Please say goodbye before you go today.
Can you print anything from there? I have some cool Christmas stories I would like to send you, but only if you can print them and read them later. I don't want you to take our time reading them now.
I can print them if you send them so I can open them in Word.
Here are the Christmas stories. I hope they will help you feel the spirit of Missionary Work at Christmas time.
We love you so much and we are so proud of you. You are setting such a great example for your brothers. They love you so much and they love to hear from you each week and read of your experiences as a missionary. Tell us the kind of things in your letters that will help them want to go on missions and serve as you are doing. Make them want to be a missionary like you are.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Elder Goode's Favorite Poems
God, Speak to Me!
The man whispered,
"God, speak to me."
And a meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.
"God, speak to me."
And a meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.
So the man yelled
"God, speak to me!"
And the thunder & lightning
rolled across the sky.
But the man did not listen.
The man looked around and said,
"God, let me see you."
And a star shined brightly.
But the man did not see.
And, the man shouted,
"God, show me a miracle."
And a life was born.
But the man did not notice.
So, the man cried out in despair,
"Touch me, God,
and let me know you are here."
Whereupon, God reached down
and touched the man.
"Touch me, God,
and let me know you are here."
Whereupon, God reached down
and touched the man.
But the man brushed
the butterfly away
and walked on.
The ZodeDid I ever tell you
about the young Zode
about the young Zode
Who came to two signs
at the fork of a road?
at the fork of a road?
One said: To Place One,
and the other: Place Two.
and the other: Place Two.
So the Zode had to make up
his mind what to do.
his mind what to do.
Well . . . the Zode
scratched his head.
scratched his head.
And his chin.
And his pants.
And his pants.
And he said to himself,
“I’ll be taking a chance
“I’ll be taking a chance
If I go to Place One.
Now, that place may be hot!
Now, that place may be hot!
And, so how do I know
if I’ll like it or not?
if I’ll like it or not?
On the other hand, though,
I’ll be sort of a fool
I’ll be sort of a fool
If I go to Place Two
and I find it too cool.
and I find it too cool.
In that case I may catch
a chill and turn blue!
a chill and turn blue!
So, maybe, Place One
is the best, not Place Two.
is the best, not Place Two.
On the other hand, though,
if Place One is too high.
if Place One is too high.
I may catch a terrible
earache and die!
earache and die!
So Place Two may be best!
On the other hand, though. . . . .
On the other hand, though. . . . .
What might happen to me
if Place Two is too low?
if Place Two is too low?
I might get some very
strange pain in my toe!
strange pain in my toe!
Then he stopped, and he said,
“On the OTHER hand, though. . .
“On the OTHER hand, though. . .
On the other hand, other hand . . . . .
other hand though!
other hand though!
And for thirty six hours
and one half, that poor Zode
and one half, that poor Zode
Made starts and stops
at that fork in the road.
at that fork in the road.
Saying, “Don’t take a chance.
You may not be right.”
You may not be right.”
Then he got an idea
that was wonderfully bright!
that was wonderfully bright!
“Play safe!” cried the Zode.
“I’ll play safe! I’m no dunce!
“I’ll play safe! I’m no dunce!
I’ll simply start off
for both places at once!”
for both places at once!”
And that’s how the Zode,
who would not take a chance,
who would not take a chance,
Got to No place at All,
with a split in his pants.
with a split in his pants.
Monday, December 15, 2008
2008_12_15 Week 8 Balzar Dad
Dad emailed on Monday, December 15, 2008
Curtis emailed back that same day.
Dear Curtis
How was your week? Did you have some baptisms this week? Kavin did not go hunting with us on Wednesday. Todd asked his friend Phil to go with us. It was the best day of hunting we have had this year. It would have been good for Kavin to have gone. He would have liked it.
Christmas is coming fast. Friday the 19th, is our last day of school, so we get two full weeks and three weekends off this year. When are you going to the temple this week? When do you leave to go and when are you getting back?
Clain went with Skyler Saturday Hunting out at Howard's Slew where you and Skyler go. It was snowing and windy. They got a few ducks. I am going to try to go hunting a couple of times over Christmas break.
I Love You and am proud of what you are doing.
Love, Dad
No we didn´t have any baptisms this week. We have one next Sunday. This week is crazy. We have to go to Quevedo Tuesday night and spend the night there and then Wednesday at 3 in the morning all of our zone and two others get on a bus for Guayaquil. We will get to Guayaquil about 7 inthe morning and then we go to the temple first thing. Then we have our zone conference after the temple in the temple hotel. And then we eat in the temple cafeteria and then leave and head back to Quevedo. spend the night in Quevedo again, go to our district meeting Thursday and then after we return to Quevedo. (I think he meant Balzar).
Love you lots,
Elder Goode
That sounds like a busy week. It should be a good one. How long are you going to be on today? I have to go do lunch duty in a few minutes.
Curtis emailed back that same day.
Dear Curtis
How was your week? Did you have some baptisms this week? Kavin did not go hunting with us on Wednesday. Todd asked his friend Phil to go with us. It was the best day of hunting we have had this year. It would have been good for Kavin to have gone. He would have liked it.
Christmas is coming fast. Friday the 19th, is our last day of school, so we get two full weeks and three weekends off this year. When are you going to the temple this week? When do you leave to go and when are you getting back?
Clain went with Skyler Saturday Hunting out at Howard's Slew where you and Skyler go. It was snowing and windy. They got a few ducks. I am going to try to go hunting a couple of times over Christmas break.
I Love You and am proud of what you are doing.
Love, Dad
No we didn´t have any baptisms this week. We have one next Sunday. This week is crazy. We have to go to Quevedo Tuesday night and spend the night there and then Wednesday at 3 in the morning all of our zone and two others get on a bus for Guayaquil. We will get to Guayaquil about 7 inthe morning and then we go to the temple first thing. Then we have our zone conference after the temple in the temple hotel. And then we eat in the temple cafeteria and then leave and head back to Quevedo. spend the night in Quevedo again, go to our district meeting Thursday and then after we return to Quevedo. (I think he meant Balzar).
Love you lots,
Elder Goode
That sounds like a busy week. It should be a good one. How long are you going to be on today? I have to go do lunch duty in a few minutes.
2008_12_15 Week 8 Balzar Mom
Mom Emailed Curtis on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:38:28 -0700
Curtis Emailed back that same day.
Hi Curtis,
We would like to have you call on Thursday night. That is this week, on the 18th if that will work for you. Rob, Shara,Taylor, Michelle and Jeff can all come down that night if it will work for you. They will not get here till 6:30 or 7:00. I know that is getting really late for you. If it needs to be earlier, Michelle will leave work early to get here sooner. Will that work and what time is best for you? If not, we could do Friday, the 19th or Sunday, the 21st. Those days don't work as well for everyone, but they will adapt to work with your schedule.
is there a time that I can call the next week? when it is closer to christmas. I will have to ask permission in order to call this week and the time to ask would be this wednesday when I have an innterview with president gamboa but then I won?t be able to tell you if I am calling or not. the next week would be much better if you could.
Where will you be calling from?
The house of president Ruiz he has a phone that they allow the public to use and it has a meeter on it to tell how much time you have used and how much it costs so I can call you on this and then you can call back
How long are you allowed to talk on your phone call? I need to buy the right length of calling card.
I can only talk for 45 minutes no more
When is your companion going to make his phone call?
on the 25 in the evening
Have you received any packages yet? Did you call the office about them?
no I haven?t recieved them and no I didn?t call about them
Have you received any more DearElder paper letters? I have sent you one or two every week since you left.
yes I recieved 8 last wednesday and read them today
Did you get to baptize Christopher this week? How old are Allison and Christopher?
no we didn?t christopher is ten and allison is 12
Did your investigators come to church this week?
yes we had ten investigators at church this week
Tell us more about your investigators that are progressing and scheduled for baptism, please.
Carlos de Barco he is scheduled to be baptised this next sunday he has had much time with the missionaries but he studies in guayaquil which makes it hard to schedule time to meet with him but we have been working hard to schedule this and it is pretty sure that he will get baptised
The Family of Ricardo and Maria they are great investigators they need to get married but we are working on that we need to get mariah a papel de votacion to prove that she voted so that we can get the papers they need to be married they also have two kids that can get baptised too so on the 27th they are getting baptised if they are married by that date. they love the missionaries and we have lots of fun with them lots of good jokes
Tell us more about the four times you have hit your head. Did you get hurt badly? Did you laugh or cry?
the first time I hit my head it hurt we were leaving the barber shop and they have a metal door that is similar to a garage door that you can pull down this is what I hit my head on. The second time was in a bus the celing in the busses are short so I have to bend over a little bit to enter since I was bent over I didn?t see the hand rail that is monunted to the roof of the bussed and I hit my head on this this one hurt but not that bad I didn?t realise it untill later when I was scrathing my head and found a scab that this one had caused me to bleed. the third was the door to the house where allison and christopher live and it didn?t hurt but every one laughed at me and I laughed too. the fourth was a tin roof and it was more of a bump than a solid hit so it didn?t hurt at all.
How are your clothes holding up? Is the hand washing hard on them?
my clothes are fine no problems so far just the nametags on the socks are coming off that is all
Are you dreaming in Spanish yet?
no I haven?t really been dreaming in my sleep or if I have I don?t remember it
What was the best thing that happened to you this week?
(no answer)
Have you done anything Christmasy, like Caroling or baking cookies for your investigators? Do you have an oven?
no we haven?t done anything christmasy and no we don?t have an oven
Are you happy and healthy? Has the cold gotten better or worse?
yeah I am happy and healthy my cold is doing much better I have been using zicam that I bought in the mtc and it is helping a lot
Do you need anything?
no but in the next package you send send me a couple more tide pens they are life savers.
I love you lots.Mom
Hi Curtis,
Shara and Rob can't come down on Christmas Eve like normal because Rob's brother, Jason, is a fireman and that was the only day he had off. They are having the Gibbons party that night. I just emailed Shara to see when they could come down. It will have to be Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. Unless we do it on Christmas day and do it from Lewiston.
Michelle and Jeff are coming down for Christmas Eve and morning, then they are driving up to Island Park for the weekend with his family at a cabin. We could possibly all go up to Lewiston on Christmas day before Michelle and Jeff head north and call from there.
I read that you are going to the temple this week on Wednesday. Tell us more about that. What time to do leave on the bus to go? Are you sleeping the night? What other activities are planned besides going to the temple?
Are you still there? I feel really bad about the packages. They should have been there by now. Please try to do some checking to see if you can locate them. They left the airport in Miami on November 24th, so they are in Ecuador somewhere. I can't track them any farther than that. I tried, but I can't find the right place to look. I will see if Gary Jenkins can help me with the tracking. Please check on your end.
Curtis, Could you do Sunday night, the 21st? We could go to Smithfield and you could call there? We could go up after church, so anytime in the afternoon or evening would work that day.
We could do Monday or Tuesday if that doesn't work. We would have to drive to Smithfield and have you call there. Michelle gets off work at 6:00, so you could call at 6:30 and everyone would be there by then.
Choose the day and time that works best for you. The phone number in Smithfield is 435-563-5709.
(No answer to any of these. He must have been out of time. We will have to setup a phone call by email next Monday.)
Curtis Emailed back that same day.
Hi Curtis,
We would like to have you call on Thursday night. That is this week, on the 18th if that will work for you. Rob, Shara,Taylor, Michelle and Jeff can all come down that night if it will work for you. They will not get here till 6:30 or 7:00. I know that is getting really late for you. If it needs to be earlier, Michelle will leave work early to get here sooner. Will that work and what time is best for you? If not, we could do Friday, the 19th or Sunday, the 21st. Those days don't work as well for everyone, but they will adapt to work with your schedule.
is there a time that I can call the next week? when it is closer to christmas. I will have to ask permission in order to call this week and the time to ask would be this wednesday when I have an innterview with president gamboa but then I won?t be able to tell you if I am calling or not. the next week would be much better if you could.
Where will you be calling from?
The house of president Ruiz he has a phone that they allow the public to use and it has a meeter on it to tell how much time you have used and how much it costs so I can call you on this and then you can call back
How long are you allowed to talk on your phone call? I need to buy the right length of calling card.
I can only talk for 45 minutes no more
When is your companion going to make his phone call?
on the 25 in the evening
Have you received any packages yet? Did you call the office about them?
no I haven?t recieved them and no I didn?t call about them
Have you received any more DearElder paper letters? I have sent you one or two every week since you left.
yes I recieved 8 last wednesday and read them today
Did you get to baptize Christopher this week? How old are Allison and Christopher?
no we didn?t christopher is ten and allison is 12
Did your investigators come to church this week?
yes we had ten investigators at church this week
Tell us more about your investigators that are progressing and scheduled for baptism, please.
Carlos de Barco he is scheduled to be baptised this next sunday he has had much time with the missionaries but he studies in guayaquil which makes it hard to schedule time to meet with him but we have been working hard to schedule this and it is pretty sure that he will get baptised
The Family of Ricardo and Maria they are great investigators they need to get married but we are working on that we need to get mariah a papel de votacion to prove that she voted so that we can get the papers they need to be married they also have two kids that can get baptised too so on the 27th they are getting baptised if they are married by that date. they love the missionaries and we have lots of fun with them lots of good jokes
Tell us more about the four times you have hit your head. Did you get hurt badly? Did you laugh or cry?
the first time I hit my head it hurt we were leaving the barber shop and they have a metal door that is similar to a garage door that you can pull down this is what I hit my head on. The second time was in a bus the celing in the busses are short so I have to bend over a little bit to enter since I was bent over I didn?t see the hand rail that is monunted to the roof of the bussed and I hit my head on this this one hurt but not that bad I didn?t realise it untill later when I was scrathing my head and found a scab that this one had caused me to bleed. the third was the door to the house where allison and christopher live and it didn?t hurt but every one laughed at me and I laughed too. the fourth was a tin roof and it was more of a bump than a solid hit so it didn?t hurt at all.
How are your clothes holding up? Is the hand washing hard on them?
my clothes are fine no problems so far just the nametags on the socks are coming off that is all
Are you dreaming in Spanish yet?
no I haven?t really been dreaming in my sleep or if I have I don?t remember it
What was the best thing that happened to you this week?
(no answer)
Have you done anything Christmasy, like Caroling or baking cookies for your investigators? Do you have an oven?
no we haven?t done anything christmasy and no we don?t have an oven
Are you happy and healthy? Has the cold gotten better or worse?
yeah I am happy and healthy my cold is doing much better I have been using zicam that I bought in the mtc and it is helping a lot
Do you need anything?
no but in the next package you send send me a couple more tide pens they are life savers.
I love you lots.Mom
Hi Curtis,
Shara and Rob can't come down on Christmas Eve like normal because Rob's brother, Jason, is a fireman and that was the only day he had off. They are having the Gibbons party that night. I just emailed Shara to see when they could come down. It will have to be Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. Unless we do it on Christmas day and do it from Lewiston.
Michelle and Jeff are coming down for Christmas Eve and morning, then they are driving up to Island Park for the weekend with his family at a cabin. We could possibly all go up to Lewiston on Christmas day before Michelle and Jeff head north and call from there.
I read that you are going to the temple this week on Wednesday. Tell us more about that. What time to do leave on the bus to go? Are you sleeping the night? What other activities are planned besides going to the temple?
Are you still there? I feel really bad about the packages. They should have been there by now. Please try to do some checking to see if you can locate them. They left the airport in Miami on November 24th, so they are in Ecuador somewhere. I can't track them any farther than that. I tried, but I can't find the right place to look. I will see if Gary Jenkins can help me with the tracking. Please check on your end.
Curtis, Could you do Sunday night, the 21st? We could go to Smithfield and you could call there? We could go up after church, so anytime in the afternoon or evening would work that day.
We could do Monday or Tuesday if that doesn't work. We would have to drive to Smithfield and have you call there. Michelle gets off work at 6:00, so you could call at 6:30 and everyone would be there by then.
Choose the day and time that works best for you. The phone number in Smithfield is 435-563-5709.
(No answer to any of these. He must have been out of time. We will have to setup a phone call by email next Monday.)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
2008_12_08 Week 7 Balzar Mom
Mom Emailed Curtis on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 19:08:16 -0700
Curtis Emailed on 8 December 2008
Dear Curtis,
Some questions for you to answer. Like I told you in my other letter, I will be shopping with the girls today. I will have my phone with me so I can get your emails. Hopefully I will have a signal and be able to email with you a bit.
Are you happy and healthy? Have you had any sickness?
right now I have a bit of a cold but it is nothing serious don t worry
Have you gotten your packages yet? If not, do you think you could contact the Mission Office and ask about them?
No I haven t recieved my packages yet yes I can call and ask about them but my companion said that the office elders will pay for them and take the money from my giro so don t worry
Have you gotten any more letters?
no no more letters yet
I got an email from a guy this week. He had gone to your page on the mission website. His message reads, "I to served in that area, it is lots of work to do thier. tell eulogio i said hi to him and his family. enjoy your mish. con amor years served 02-04. frank ika." Do you know anyone named eulogio? I think he means they are in Balzar.
Eulogio is the name of Presidente Ruiz the president of the rama in balzar his wife is my mamita de comida so it isn t a problem to tell them hi for hno ika
How did your baptisms go? Please tell us all about them.
they were good they didn t get to the church untill 8 30 and the baptism was supposed to start at 8 because church is at 9 but it was good first was the son of a member that lives in palestina then I baptised Allison and then the son of another member that lives in relicario christopher did not want to get baptised but next week he might get baptised we will see. in sacrament meeting they confirmed all three members of the church so it was good.
Do you have any new investigators that are promising or any more that are committed to baptism?
Yes we have six people with baptism dates Julio España, Carlos de barco, Florentino, Christopher, and a family Ricardo and Maria they have two kids that can get baptised but the kids don t have dates for baptism right now but we are working on it first we have to get them married this friday is the day we have set for their marrage. They love the missionaries every time we visit them usually every other day in the evening they feed us galletas a sweet cracker with cola or crackers and fresh cheese or galletas with jam every time.
What is the best thing that has happened to you this week?
we taught the ten commandments with presidente Ruiz and his wife to the family of Ricardo and Maria presidente is so good he taught the comandment don t commit audultery he taught the whole law of chastity and commited them to be married this friday it was soo cool and then this sunday I was talking to presidente in his office and elder Bejar was outside talking to other members and Ricardo and Maria came in to talk to presidente about the things they would need for marrage the papers and all that and we commited them to be baptised on the 27 of december during this time it was amazing.
What is the most spiritual thing you have had happen to you so far?
(No answer)
Tell us about Christmas preparations in Balzar. What do the people there do to get ready for Christmas? Are there lights in the city or programs, or ward parties or caroling? Do they have advertising in the stores?
There is advertising in the stores yeah almost the whole time I have been here people put up lights and trees too but I don t know about caroling or ward parties the cyber I am in right now has lights up and decorations
Do you have any invitations to eat lunch with anyone on Christmas day?
We have invitations but we can t only with our mamita
What will your Christmas day be like there?
A normal day in the mission but we will share a message about Christ and watch joy to the world with the people we visit then in the evening we will visit our mamita and she is planning on preparing us dinner
Did you get to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional?
no we could only watch it if we had investigators and we would have had to go to quevedo too to watch it
Tell us about something funny that has happened to you or that you have seen.
so far I have managed to hit my head four different times here once on a metal doorway when we were leaving the barber shop the second in a bus the third in relicario a wooden doorway and the fourth a tin roof of a patio
How is your Spanish coming?
it is coming along ok I am understanding the people much better now
Have you seen any ducks, geese or swans in your area?
just the ducks that people have they are a form of domesticated muscovy duck there is also a type of whistling duck here too they are also called tree ducks
Have you seen any other animals, like deer, antelope, elk, moose or bear?
Cows pigs goats gecos birds
Do they have any kind of hunting in Ecuador?
not really that I have heard of or seen but don t worry I will keep searching
Please tell us anything else that you would like to or that you think we would like to hear about.
I sent you two disks of pictures last Wednesday in our district meeting. What day would be best for you to call me? I know a phone that I can use to call you that you can call back but you need to tell me when to call you I want to call when All of the family is there so figure out when the family will be together and then email me this time remember there is a time difference too If you want to buy me a Christmas present you could buy me The Money Maker it is a goose call made by Zink and just put it in the gun cabinet for when I get back you don t need to send it to me.
I love you so much.
Mom
Hi Curtis. Thanks for the answers. I sent another package this morning. It has letters for your mamitas. There are also Christmas cards with our family photo on. Give one to each mamita.
Sorry to hear about you hitting your head. There are some disadvantages to being a giant.
Your experiences are awesome. I am so happy you are having wonderful experiences like that. I know your testimony must be growing. Tell us more about your great experiences. I am driving to Cache Valley. I pulled over to type this. Type long paragraphs about your experiences please.
what experiences do you want to know about?
Anything. Good, bad, funny, spiritual
(No reply, so sad)
I love you. Have a terrific week. You are a magnificent missionary.
Curtis Emailed on 8 December 2008
Dear Curtis,
Some questions for you to answer. Like I told you in my other letter, I will be shopping with the girls today. I will have my phone with me so I can get your emails. Hopefully I will have a signal and be able to email with you a bit.
Are you happy and healthy? Have you had any sickness?
right now I have a bit of a cold but it is nothing serious don t worry
Have you gotten your packages yet? If not, do you think you could contact the Mission Office and ask about them?
No I haven t recieved my packages yet yes I can call and ask about them but my companion said that the office elders will pay for them and take the money from my giro so don t worry
Have you gotten any more letters?
no no more letters yet
I got an email from a guy this week. He had gone to your page on the mission website. His message reads, "I to served in that area, it is lots of work to do thier. tell eulogio i said hi to him and his family. enjoy your mish. con amor years served 02-04. frank ika." Do you know anyone named eulogio? I think he means they are in Balzar.
Eulogio is the name of Presidente Ruiz the president of the rama in balzar his wife is my mamita de comida so it isn t a problem to tell them hi for hno ika
How did your baptisms go? Please tell us all about them.
they were good they didn t get to the church untill 8 30 and the baptism was supposed to start at 8 because church is at 9 but it was good first was the son of a member that lives in palestina then I baptised Allison and then the son of another member that lives in relicario christopher did not want to get baptised but next week he might get baptised we will see. in sacrament meeting they confirmed all three members of the church so it was good.
Do you have any new investigators that are promising or any more that are committed to baptism?
Yes we have six people with baptism dates Julio España, Carlos de barco, Florentino, Christopher, and a family Ricardo and Maria they have two kids that can get baptised but the kids don t have dates for baptism right now but we are working on it first we have to get them married this friday is the day we have set for their marrage. They love the missionaries every time we visit them usually every other day in the evening they feed us galletas a sweet cracker with cola or crackers and fresh cheese or galletas with jam every time.
What is the best thing that has happened to you this week?
we taught the ten commandments with presidente Ruiz and his wife to the family of Ricardo and Maria presidente is so good he taught the comandment don t commit audultery he taught the whole law of chastity and commited them to be married this friday it was soo cool and then this sunday I was talking to presidente in his office and elder Bejar was outside talking to other members and Ricardo and Maria came in to talk to presidente about the things they would need for marrage the papers and all that and we commited them to be baptised on the 27 of december during this time it was amazing.
What is the most spiritual thing you have had happen to you so far?
(No answer)
Tell us about Christmas preparations in Balzar. What do the people there do to get ready for Christmas? Are there lights in the city or programs, or ward parties or caroling? Do they have advertising in the stores?
There is advertising in the stores yeah almost the whole time I have been here people put up lights and trees too but I don t know about caroling or ward parties the cyber I am in right now has lights up and decorations
Do you have any invitations to eat lunch with anyone on Christmas day?
We have invitations but we can t only with our mamita
What will your Christmas day be like there?
A normal day in the mission but we will share a message about Christ and watch joy to the world with the people we visit then in the evening we will visit our mamita and she is planning on preparing us dinner
Did you get to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional?
no we could only watch it if we had investigators and we would have had to go to quevedo too to watch it
Tell us about something funny that has happened to you or that you have seen.
so far I have managed to hit my head four different times here once on a metal doorway when we were leaving the barber shop the second in a bus the third in relicario a wooden doorway and the fourth a tin roof of a patio
How is your Spanish coming?
it is coming along ok I am understanding the people much better now
Have you seen any ducks, geese or swans in your area?
just the ducks that people have they are a form of domesticated muscovy duck there is also a type of whistling duck here too they are also called tree ducks
Have you seen any other animals, like deer, antelope, elk, moose or bear?
Cows pigs goats gecos birds
Do they have any kind of hunting in Ecuador?
not really that I have heard of or seen but don t worry I will keep searching
Please tell us anything else that you would like to or that you think we would like to hear about.
I sent you two disks of pictures last Wednesday in our district meeting. What day would be best for you to call me? I know a phone that I can use to call you that you can call back but you need to tell me when to call you I want to call when All of the family is there so figure out when the family will be together and then email me this time remember there is a time difference too If you want to buy me a Christmas present you could buy me The Money Maker it is a goose call made by Zink and just put it in the gun cabinet for when I get back you don t need to send it to me.
I love you so much.
Mom
Hi Curtis. Thanks for the answers. I sent another package this morning. It has letters for your mamitas. There are also Christmas cards with our family photo on. Give one to each mamita.
Sorry to hear about you hitting your head. There are some disadvantages to being a giant.
Your experiences are awesome. I am so happy you are having wonderful experiences like that. I know your testimony must be growing. Tell us more about your great experiences. I am driving to Cache Valley. I pulled over to type this. Type long paragraphs about your experiences please.
what experiences do you want to know about?
Anything. Good, bad, funny, spiritual
(No reply, so sad)
I love you. Have a terrific week. You are a magnificent missionary.
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