Transfers to Ofelia, Quito Week # 82 - 22 weeks left

 Hey!  This is a just in case letter!  So, now is 9:30 AM, and in a few minutes I`m off to Quito!  Why? 

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes! AND I`M A ZONE LEADER!!!! AUUGHGH!!!

Yes, so If I get time today I`ll write y`all a full letter, but If I dont have time due to travel, you`ll know why!  Off I go!

-Elder Sanders
letter we received  later  today.

Dearest family,

 WHAT A WEEK!

Luckily, I have a little bit of time to write everyone before our P-Day ends, but right now I`m in Ofelia, Quito, with my companion Elder Bloxham, a swell lad from Pocateli Idaho who was studying at BYU.... and who is also in my group!  Yes, we have a feeling that we are going to die together!  (I mean DIE as in finish the mission together... it`s just some mission slang is all! :) )

Elder Sanders painted this as a service project for a member !

x-ray of his foot

Elder Sanders painting the mural

Ward surprise party

The city of Sacisili , the market place

So, here are some main points:

- Wednesday:  MEGA-SERVICE project with the family Cha, we finally did the mural painting in thier car-wash, and it did turn out wonderful! Best service ever!  Talents really are meant to help progress the work of the Lord!

- Thursday:  We began the morning visiting Sacisili, a small town 30 minutes from our house, which is famous for having markets.  2 members brought us there, and we loved it!  Later on, we had our zone meeting, played dodgeball, and I sprained my ankle!  It didn`t seem so bad at first, but by the end of the day, I could not walk on it at all! Soo...

Friday: I had to rest my foot, and went to the hospital for an X-Ray.  It was rather exciting.  But we didn`t really get to do anything related to mission work.... besides study at least!

Saturday:  The Top-Festival continues!  And the ward threw a surprise Birthday party for my companion, which wasn`t kept very secret and he knew about it beforehand anyways, but it still turned out wonderfully!  

Sunday: We had church, a couple investagators attended, including the Dad of the family cha (his son Ruben was also given the Aaronic priesthood!!!)  and we had a lunch/party with the family Sal, and had some great food.  She also gave Elder Kingsford and I some neat authentic Ecuadorian shirts as gifts!  They were timely, for we received changes and I was shipped off the next day!  

 

So that was my week in a Nutshell, full of excitement, but unfortunately with not too much on the mission work in Latacunga, which I will miss dearly!  That`s the longest time I`ve ever spent in a sector, and the longest I`ve been with one companion, the end of october to now.  Neat, right?  So, Looks like I`ve got to learn this new sector, and figure out how to take care of a zone of missionaries!  It`s a new world! But I look forward to it, and hope that it goest well. Oh my mission is going to be divided in July,  Quito North mission will be created  !!!!  Pretty exciting !!!!

Until next week,

-Elder Sanders 

photos:  Our masterpiece of the soap.monster washing a car at `Auto Limpio` , 2 pics of our excursion to Sacisili (in the photo of what looks like a outside food courtyard, take note of the Goat Head soup on theplatter in the front!) , the x-ray of my non-broken foot,and photo of the house of the family Sal

Week # 81 remaining : 23 weeks

GREETINGS!!!! One and all! 

First off. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEIKAYLA!!!!
The world rejoices at the celebration of your reaching 16 years of life on Earth!

And also to Ashlyne!  Patriarchal blessings are one of the best gifts of life!  I recommend you read it at least once a week, and begin to study it, writing in it notes, scripture references, and diary entries of the promises there becoming realized as you continue worthily in your life.

Well, just as the title says, this was a Lazy Week! Why? Well, we were only out proselyting for about 3 of the 7 days this week. So, to show you all, here we go! Day by day!

Tuesday:  Carnival continues to rampage Latacunga.  We promptly had to stay inside.  BUT! Luckily inside also includes the downstairs store of our first counselor!  So we helped him make some T-Shirts to sell in his store. We made the designs, and then we all worked on the shirts! here were the 2 that he wanted us to make, and they sure are swell!

Wednesday:  We get to work!  Bryan, out 16 year old future baptism, is doing swell.  All we need is to get written permission from his parents, and this next Saturday, he`ll be good to go!

Thursday:  Zone meeting, and some normal missionary work.

Friday: Special training meeting with president Ghent!  Wonderful!  Some of the things we learned were on obedience, repentance, and observing your investigator.  While teaching, it`s necessary to begin by doing 3 things: Observe, listen, and discern.  We don`t teach lessons, we teach people, according to their needs and true desires.  So, at the start of every first lesson, we find their `need`, whether it`s something to do with marriage, freedom from sin, or any other problem, and show how baptism can help them overcome that problem, and in the first lesson, commit them to set a baptismal date as a goal.  He also taught us one thing on how to resist temptation.  Here`s the practice:

20 seconds.  It`s pretty short isn`t it? 

Try holding your breath for 20 seconds, and count in your head.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Much longer time, isn`t it?    

So, every time you are faced with a temptation, to break a commandment, give in to temptation, or do something that requires much judgement, take 20 Seconds of Bravery, and give yourself 20 seconds to think of a plan, or good reason not to give in to that temptation.  and that time span gives you enough time to get a hold of yourself and avoid committing that sin. 

Neat, right?

Saturday:  Many fallen lessons, a ward activity, and a ward dinner!  YES!

Sunday:  Election day in Ecuador!  Which means, danger for North Americans!  We can`t go outside!  So we rushed to church in a car, and right as we walked in the first counselor told us, ^Elders!  You two are giving talks today, apparently the secretary forgot to tell you.`  Whoops!  But never fear!  Elders are always prepared!  I actually gave a talk on preparing to serve a mission. Here are the 3 things everyone needs to take with them before leaving on a mission:
1- Testimony
2- Worthiness
3- Desire to Serve

And after church, we didn`t do too much because my companion and I were slightly ill!  so we relaxed and watched some preach my gospel DVD`s.  A very fine day!

Monday:  We woke up, Feeling much better, and I ate a whole box a Mac- n`cheese for breakfast.  (quite tasty) and my companion finally got his own Quena!  Now we are both musical flute masters!  And here we are!  We have a lesson tonight with a new investigator, so I hope all goes well!

Well, It seems that is all for the moment, So I wish you well!  Have a stupendous week!

-Elder Sanders

PS- PHOTOS_

Well, as you can see, we were inside A LOT this week, so they are rather crazy!  They include us playing our beautiful Quenas, the finished cut of the project I started last week, a pencil sketch of how spiritually powerful missionaries are (we can wrestle grizzly bears!), and the shirts we made.  A fun week!  I can`t wait for more!

Week 80 Carnaval !!! 24 weeks left

Alrighty!

 It has been a mighty fine week!  Not too much to say for new investigators, but we have had some new success.

Thanks to all that wrote me! 

Well, for the first news, this week is Carnival! In Brazil it`s a gigantic parade like in Rio, but here, IT IS A WAR ZONE! Water balloons, crazy foam cans, Espuma loca!  We are rather barraged, in fact, to a point that we can`t even leave our house today!  So, I`ve had a lot of free time!  Yesterday we went with the family Salgado to see 17 miracles in the stake center (BTW, AMAZING MOVIE!!!) and we had the window down, and before long- SPLAT! A large plume of foam had entered the window and plastered us!  We thought it was funny, but were`nt smart enough to close the window because a second spray of the foam blasted us all harder than the first one.  We adapted, and closed the window.  But still fun!  I actually made a large Poem-Comic-Story Bill Watterson style about how it is!    I`m attaching it separately!)

But we did have some great success Sunday, for we had 2 great new future baptisms! 

The first is a 14 year old named Bryan, who has attended church for about 4 months or more, but never had his parent`s permission to listen to the missionaries and be baptized... UNTIL NOW!!! He has been authorized!  And we are to teach him this week, and most likely baptize him before the end of the month,

and the second was a surprise.  Right after church ended, a member told us there was someone outside who wanted to see us, so we went to the front and met a young man with a MTV shirt, and hat, and the first thing he said was, `what can I do to be a member here?`   WOW! It was like a convert on a platter!  Figuratively... He later told us that he has had a rough life, wants to make everything right with God, and be closer to him.  And he said he lives right next door to the church, and sees that everyone is happy!  And he wanted some of that too.  So this week we`ll be teaching him, and we hope that he can progress forward too!

So those are the big notes of the week,  and err.... not much else. Maybe to explain the photos, because they are very Weird... (no surprise ha ha )  So the first ones are that we at last got a photo with the RARE ECUADORIAN RED BANANAS!! Great huh? They take a long time to grow, are hard to find, and taste just like a really Fat gushy banana! And they were good, we ate them with some home made burritos we made today.  Also, a photo with some new pets! (not ours of course, but our neighbors)  A swell little puppy that likes us more than it`s owners :) and a ridiculously large spider, too bad it wasn't radioactive or else we could`ve gotten to lessons faster using spider man powers :),  and lastly, a project I`m working on as gift for the Family Sal, they wanted me to draw them a masterpiece, and I thought it would be nice to do a rendition of the parents` relationship to the stripling warriors, it makes me think of missionaries leaving to go to the `field of battle`, but I`ll send the final picture once I`m done.

Well! 

And to help mom, here is some more testimony on the Atonement,

¨ What baffles me about the atonement is how it covers sin and error and sorrow from Eternity to Eternity, the ultimate vicarious work known to man, and not only that, but it is the pathway to our salvation.  Even if we could repent of all our sins, and do the best we could on our own, it still would not be enough to let us into heaven.  But the Atonement, pays for the rest of it, and has the power to bring us the rest of the way, completely by Mercy.  And just like is Says in Alma 7,  we can receive this mercy through the gospel of Jesus Christ, Faith, Repentance, Baptism, and the reception of the Holy Ghost.  And by that, there is no other way.   What joy for me, to declare this to everyone every day here in Ecuador!  I don`t know how many times I`ve invited someone to be baptized by using those verses in Alma 7, that any problem, doubt, pain, trial, or sin can be cleansed with baptism, because baptism is how we can gain access to the power of the atonement.

-Elder Sanders

The picture Elder Sanders is working on

Red BANANAS !

 Alma 7

 9 But behold, the Spirit hath said this much unto me, saying: Cry unto this people, saying—^aRepent ye, and prepare the way of the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God ^bcometh upon the face of the earth.

 10 And behold, he shall be ^aborn of Mary, at ^bJerusalem which is the ^cland of our forefathers, she being a ^dvirgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and ^econceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

 13 Now the Spirit ^aknoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the ^bflesh that he might ^ctake upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

 14 Now I say unto you that ye must ^arepent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

 15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth ^abeset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.

 16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will ^aremember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me.

 17 And now my beloved brethren, do you believe these things? Behold, I say unto you, yea, I know that ye believe them; and the way that I know that ye believe them is by the manifestation of the Spirit which is in me. And now because your faith is strong concerning that, yea, concerning the things which I have spoken, great is my joy.

 18 For as I said unto you from the beginning, that I had much desire that ye were not in the state of ^adilemma like your brethren, even so I have found that my desires have been gratified.

 19 For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his ^apaths straight.

 20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot ^awalk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round.

 21 And he doth not dwell in ^aunholy temples; neither can filthiness or anything which is unclean be received into the kingdom of God; therefore I say unto you the time shall come, yea, and it shall be at the last day, that he who is ^bfilthy shall remain in his filthiness.

 22 And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy order of God, after which ye have been received.

 23 And now I would that ye should be ^ahumble, and be ^bsubmissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

 24 And see that ye have ^afaith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.

 25 And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless, that ye may at last be brought to sit down with ^aAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the world began, having your garments ^bspotless even as their garments are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out.

 26 And now my beloved brethren, I have spoken these words unto you according to the Spirit which testifieth in me; and my soul doth exceedingly rejoice, because of the exceeding diligence and heed which ye have given unto my word.

 27 And now, may the ^apeace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess, your women and your children, according to your faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. And thus I have spoken. Amen.

Week # 79 --- 25 weeks left

SO!!!! 

Due to absurd technical difficulties, I only have 5 minute to write to y`all, but I shall make it quick!

First! Last Monday Milton, the husband of the family that was baptized this week asked us if we could baptize him this next Saturday.  And we said only if we visited every day, and he said yes of course!  After a week of lessons, interviews and more, he was baptized! And was such a good convert, that we were able to do it without him attending church until the day of his confirmation!  (mostly due to the fact that he leaves to the jungle today and won`t be back until March, because he`s in the army)  But we are just Happy !

Aside from that, we had a top-tournament at the church with the youth of the ward, and my comp and I are VERY SKILLED!!! Tops here are as to game boys in the US, every kid alive has one!  And we can do some mad tricks with them, I attached a couple photos of us showing off. :)  Maybe I`ll bring some for Ethan/Zander and all the boy cousins when I come back... will be nice!

And today we are to visit a reference!  Actually, in 2 minutes!  We hope it goes well!

The other photos are of me drinking a coconut like a man and a homemade couch in our house. It`s partially comfy... but still better than no couch at all!

So, I hope that you are all well, SEE YALL!

Elder Sanders

PS-MOM-  I`m attaching separately one of my favorite talks on the Atonement by Bruce R. Mckconkie, you`ll love it!

Bruce R. McConkie's final testimony - April, 1985 - YouTube

► 15:50► 15:50

w

 

ww.youtube.com/watch?v=qn7boTBtn3w

This is one of my favorite talks!  It was one of the last ones Bruce R. McConkie gave before he died, and it`s so well done it`s considered as a `Gospel Classic`

  I hope you enjoy!

-Elder Sanders

Week # 78 --26 weeks left!!! Root beer arrived !!!!!

Eden drinking Root beer !!!! Happy BOY !

Greetings to one and all from the Eternal Spring!

  This has been a fine week, but I feel that first I must tell you about changes!  First off... I`d like you to meet my new companion, he`s from Bountiful, likes to fish, and is named Elder Kingston. 

*uh... it`s Elder Kingsford* 

What?

*My names Elder Kingsford.*

Ah right... WAIT!!! That is the companion I have now!  Hooray!

   So yes, we did not change!  So once again, we will reign in power and joy here in Latacunga for 4 more weeks!  I say four weeks because they cut down the change by 2 weeks to get in schedule with the MTC, so I guess that`s why all the missionaries are coming home 2 weeks early!  Good for us!

   And for other grand and glorious news, we did have 3 successful confirmations!  The family Sal, or... a portion of them, were baptized Saturday!  Her husband and son are the next to go, and have been delayed due to work trips for the army in the orient and waiting for their 7 year old son to turn 8!  But they both really want to be baptized too, so we`ll be working closely with them in this next month or so.

   And thanks for your letters, it sounds as if Paul is going to rocket off to Oklahoma majestically!  And it`s good to hear that everyone still loves the Purple Moon in Lava Hot springs! 

  And I did get one of your packages!  The one with the Root beer has arrived!  And we have put it to good use!  The other day we made 3 liters for ourselves and drank it with 2 days! IT was great, and then we also made some with the family Salgado, and they did like it too!  But unfortunately it leaked a little and got all over my hymn book and shirt, but at least now they smell like fresh root beer! 

So, it seems I`m a little short on time again, but I shall write you all come next Monday!  Stay sharp!



-Elder Sanders


Photos: Me enjoying home made root beer, the baptism, and the night of changes