Week #43

Why hello there family!  I am just doing oh so peachy-keen!

So, that phone call went way too fast!  But my, was it stupendous!  It was SO good to see everyone, my sisters, parents, and cousins!  What a swell afternoon! I´ll have to treasure the memory of the phone call until Christmas time I suppose, because that will be our next Skype-chat!  But it was as nice as a bowl of peaches and cream... 

So!  Other than that, we had a great week, it seems as if right as our change is starting to end we are getting super blessed!  We received a reference and found a new family, where the grandparents are Catholic, the sons are Evangelist, and 2 others are inactive members of our church.  Right now, we are teaching the inactive parents´  children, who are SUPER excited to be baptized!  They were asking the missionaries if they could get baptized, and it was great!  So far, we have 2 with a baptismal date, John who is 9, and Nelly who is 11.  And they came to church on Sunday!  Our first church assistance of the change!  So I just hope that Elder Bardzinski and I can stick together for this next change so we can see everyone go through for baptism. 

As for our other families, we have 2 others, the Familias  The family Fuen were the ones that listened to the missionaries a few years ago, and right now the daughter seems very ready for baptism.  The family Cahas a wife who was baptized at age 14, but is inactive because she´s been attending the nearby Catholic church with her parents for many years.  It´s just tough because apparently she doesn´t remember anything from her conversion to our church, she doesn´t even remember her baptism!  How tough is that!  And as soon as we can find her husband when he´s not working, we´ll tell you how he´s doing.  But we have High Hopes!

As for this week, we did 2 service projects, visited a lot of members, and today we took a trip to the waterfall in our sector.  It was mighty!  And now, we are going to enjoy the rest of our P-Day.  Also, this last Sunday while we were at church, during my companion´s talk the members started pointing backwards and whispering stuff. I took a peek, and beheld a large group of American college girls outside.  Crazy! Turns out they were BYU students down here for the nursing program, and they attending Sacrament with us, and we got to meet a lot of them afterwards.  It was ´pretty´ nice (pun!).   But, I didn´t see anyone I knew from home, but still great to talk to peers in my native tongue!!!!!!!!!!!! 

WELL! I´m low on time, but to close I gave a Marvelous talk on Mother´s day during church!  All about how Mother´s have the divine responsibility to raise their children to live in the gospel and guide the church by their example.  It made me feel all spongy inside!

BUT! I love you all, have fun at school/work, and farewell!

-Elder Eden Sanders

PS- photos

here are photos of-

1-our mother´s day activity at the church
2-a snapshot of our service project type, building a roof with cement!
3- and us at the waterfall!

Week #42

Good Afternoon one and all!  I`d say that this has been a stupendous week!  Very busy, and rather tough!



Ok, this week was rather good, we did some contacting and visited a lot with the members, all for the purpose of trying to find someone to teach.  So, without success, we decided to sit down and have a major study session on what we can do to find new people.  And then it struck like lightning!  My companion received revelation that it would be swell to try contacting with a member, to give us a hand with Quichua and to serve as an extra witness to the gospel for the people.  So, this last week we gave it a shot and brought out a member that is preparing to serve a mission.  We only hit 2 houses until magic struck! We had found a family of 5!!!  Apparently, they had listened to missionaries about a year or so ago, and they are interested to start listening again!  WOOT!!!   So, keep the family  in mind, for shall return to teach them this next week.

So, in our sectors there are only a few buses or so, but we find that we are walking the majority of the time.  And we are just plain tired!  (Only missionaries that work hard feel tired, haha!  :) ) , But, our area is pretty safe so we usually travel everywhere on foot without worries of being mugged by anyone.    And yes, my companion and I are just a mighty team of wonder!  We are getting along great, and we both are working hard.  I`m actually in his last days, because he goes home in 2 changes! GASP! But it would be great to stick with him here until he goes home, for this place is just spiffing!


Alrighty then, you guys asked what`s one detail of an aspect from the mission, so here`s a bit on contacting!  So, in the morning, when we are planning and find that there are holes between lessons planned, we decide to devote that time to contact!  We usually trek out to a place where we haven`t spent much time or don`t know very well, and start knocking on doors.  (Or we could talk to people on buses, in stores, or in the street, but I like door contacts the best).   When we find someone who answers, we usually ask how they are, and give them an introduction on who we are and why we`re there.  And from then on, we usually act based on how we feel.  Sometimes we testify, sometimes we share a part of a lesson, or we even `machete` them (AKA chastize) a little, always asking if they are interested or if we can come in to share something with them.   About 90% of the time it`s a rejection, whether they reject us before we can speak or after we testify a bit, but the majority of the time we just plan a return visit, and we seldom get into a house within our first contact with them.  But hey! It happens, just like the family we found this week!

But!  I fear that is all the time I have for the moment, so I`ll just have to see you all, IN PERSON, this SATURDAY!!! MEAT!

-Elder Sanders

PS-
photos!
Here are some pics of a ward mission work activity that we had, my companion wearing Ottavalian attire in our house, me in a junglish part of our sector, a quick letter for mom, and me EATING A SNAIL! Just like candy!

Week # 41 Edens 20th birthday

Merry day, one and all! 

 SO!  This week was as swell as a mighty squid!   So, I`d say that I had a rather swell 20th birthday, I truly do feel as if I have advanced!  Double digits all the way!    So, before I get into any contacting or stuff, Elder Bardzinski and I had a swell little party in our house.  We bought a couple mini-cakes (which were oh so delicious but nothing like my Dad`s teramasu, I hope that`s how it`s spelled!)  and I had balloons, blew out the birthday candles, and...  built with Sponge bob legos.  TOTALLY AWESOME!    Nothing quite as extravagant as the family parties at home, but, it was rather swell.

  Alrighty!  So, I don`t remember if i explained it earlier, but we technically have 3 sectors to work in. which also means 3 wards, and 3 area books.  (for any missionaries reading this, you all know how bad ONE area book can be! :)  )    But, this week we were focusing on a sector called Quinchuqui, which is placed conveniently on a mountain with large hill's, spaced houses, and corn fields without end!  We had a pretty ok time up there, because every time a kid or teenager answered the door, we were received with uncontrollable giggling instead of a good contact.  I guess people think it`s funny to see two white guys up in the mountains, and unless we found an adult, contacting there was useless!

  But, for better news, we found a new family!  He was a contact from 2 weeks ago that we thought wasn`t very good, but we found him and met his family, and they are interested!  Well, it`s true that when we found him he was a punch drunk and we were cordially served salty soup filled with esophagus, intestines, and liver, (one of the few times I didn`t finish my food! ;P )but,  they are a family very much in need!  SO WE ARE EXCITED!!!

Well, that is all the big news for the week, but I also did Receive the CHRISTMAS TREE In the mail, and I loved those pictures you all sent me, they were utterly stupendous! Well, until next time my dear dear family,

-Elder Sanders

PS- PHOTOS!

Here are pics of:

-Me in Quinchuqui

-My companion and I in our awesome masks!

-Pics of my ´birthday party´

-Contacting a Mayan Civilization (actually one of the coolest houses ever!)

-A pic I drew of Christ during sacrament (after attending 2 wards in a foriegn language, you need something to do :)  )

-A scarf making machine that a member has, actually, that alot of members have.

WEEK 40 !!!!!!!

Hello Family! Tis I, your Dear Elder Sanders! 

So, this week was rather good, and eventful.  So, I can´t say we had much success with investigators this week, because we were quite busy with many other things!  We had 3 meetings, 2 service projects, and- my companion struck sick!  Wednesday night he arose at one in the morning and ´expelled´ all the rice, potatoes and meat we had eaten earlier that day, and he was throwing up all night!   So, yes, we were trapped in the house, and I studied and drew while my companion was bed ridden all day!  Egads!  But, never fear, for I took care of him as a mother takes of her child, and he has recovered and is ready to work again.  I never thought I´d be so happy just to be outside contacting...

And for other news, you all thought that you could have wedding fun without me right?  Well, I was not left out, for I too assisted a wedding reunion!  One of the members by our house just got married, and we got to go over and have a jolly moment with them.  Food, dancing, and LOTS of people!  It was pretty nice.

And well, it sounds as if you all are having a great time at home!  2 wedding receptions, dad´s off to see catheters in action, and Madison rocked it with her talk on Sunday!  Actually, that´s coincidental because my companion and I gave talks too!  I spoke about the people in Mosiah 18, and how our ward can be more unified and prosperous by following their example.  (it´s way good!)   And you need to tell Emily to write me a message, if you say I am to marry, then I´d like to hear from her!  :)

So, Elder Bardzinski and I are still doing great, and this sectors is just slapping us silly right now.  We have no investigators!  Because those we contact aren´t accepting, our members aren´t giving us references, and the only references we have received have failed.  So, we did a special fast (we just finished 3 hours ago) so we hope that we can get the lord´s help to start getting the mission work in our sector rolling. And my Quichua is.... coming.  I´ll tell ya when I can start to make sentences, right now I just know how to say brother/sister, see you later, good afternoon, etc etc

BUT!  This sector is just lovable, so I shall be sure to keep you all updated.  and!  I took a stop at the market today and bought some cool stuff!  The photo will be attached in a separate e-mail.

Well, that is all the time I have for now, so I shall be sure to see you all later!

-Elder Sanders

(PS- by the time you read my next e-mail, I SHALL BE TWO DECADES OLD!!) I´m super excited to put up all the birthday stuff!

PHOTOS!!
Here are some pics of us at the wedding reception, me at a zone activity (each companionship had to drop pudding/cake stuff into his companions mouth from way up on a chair!  It got in my eye, haha),   (SUPER FUN)  and me by the left over soda from the wedding party.  Enough carbonation to scare the Lehi swim team. :)

CIAO y   Tu Parishum!   (quichua for until later!)

Hello one and all! And ¡Alli Chishi!  (good afternoon)

I am still here in Otavalo, absorbing all that it has to offer.  Everyone here speaks Quichua, there are members everywhere (this place is nicknamed Utah-valo) and my companion is the bomb!  Also, the church meetings are great.  Why?  Everyone comes to church in their traditional attire (I`ll need to hunt down some photos) and all the talks are also in Quichua.  Yes, I do feel lost, but at the same time I feel way excited!  There are going to be great times ahead!  I can feel it...   but, not quite at the moment.  I guess contacting here is extremely tough and we`ve just been visiting members, all for the purpose of finding new investigators.  So, our main problem right now is that we have no investigators.  EGADS!   But, all hope is not lost, for tonight we are receiving a new reference.  It`s a family that wants to hear about the gospel!  Yes!  So we shall go after writing letters, and hope that it shall go well!

So, it sounds as if things in Utah (and Argentina) are going great!   You need to send me some pictures of the new carpet, and also of the weddings to come!  So many things are going on over there, and I`m (sort of) missing out on it all!  Especially the temple, whew,  I wish that there was one available down here.  Perhaps in the future we`ll see the temple of Otavalo, but, we`ll keep our hopes up.  I also hope that Grandma and Grandpa are doing well, and that the rest of our family are also having a great time.  

And, by the way, my companion is from a city called Melbourne, so we`ll see if our cousins know it.

We`re also doing well, working hard, and keeping the rules.  We had an activity with our zone today, and it was swell!  ¡Fùtbol!  So, I shall also be sure to write when the packages come, because for all the zones out side of Quito, there is a zone package that comes about every couple weeks or so, which usually has letters, pamphlets, book of Mormons, and packages.  The one for this week came and there was nothing for me, so in 2 or so weeks I`ll tell you guys if any of your packages are inside.

Well, I believe that is all for now,

-Elder Sanders

PHOTOS:

There are a few here from my old sector in Pelileo (because I didn`t have time to send them last week), but there`s also one of our clean house (it has couches!), one of the view from our window of Otavalo, !