Update Update! Are you up to Date?

Hello!

This Past week has been pretty awesome, we have an investigator who takes in our lessons, applies them to his life, and does all his homework.  He gives me hope that possibly the people here can actually follow through with the conversion process.  The part that has me super excited is that he's committed to be married on the 25th!  A lot of people here are "Unidos no mas," I call it the sin of Ecuador.  The trouble is people here don't get married because it costs $56 and involves a bunch of paper work.  It's easier for them to just say that their united and call it good.  Which presents a problem because the rule is that we can't baptize people unless they are following the law of chastity, we lose a lot of investigators that way.  BUT CARLOS, Carlos is committed to marry with spouse (who's a less active member) and be baptized right after!  It makes me super happy.  If, however he isn't baptized... I'm coming home.  But this is the guy who actually reads the pamphlets we leave behind and gave up his earring when we told him it was a problem.  It gives my heart joy.

ANYWAYS.We got to meet our new president on Friday, he's super awesome and a true master teacher!  The only problem was that I couldn't understand exactly what it was that he was master teaching...  BUT I COULD TELL IT WAS REALLY GOOD!  After the meeting a gringo missionary came up behind me and said "happy forth of July!"  and I looked at my watch and whoa and behold, it was the 4th of July!  My first forth of July without fireworks, it was weird.  I'm pretty dang sure fireworks aren't aloud down here, but I did see a few when Ecuador beat Honduras in the World Cup.  That was a bad day for my companion.  Ecuador has since been eliminated from the world cup.  Which for us is a good thing. We can finally teach lessons and there aren't as many members wearing their jerseys to church.  The world cup is still a big deal down here though, it'll continue to be in the way of the work until it's over.  I will confess, however, fútbol is pretty awesome and I can't wait for a World Cup that I'll be able to watch.

I was walking down the street the other day and a slipped a little on something in the curb. I looked back to see what it was and I laughed out loud because I realized that I just slipped on a banana skin.  Classic.  Just thought I'd share that, because it's the little moments in life that matter. and to be honest, it made my day that day.

I know not what else to say, Spanish is super frustrating but the mission is awesome!  I'll attach a couple pictures and send you another email next week!

Love ya'll!

~Cameron

Missionaries at "Shopping"
In Ecuador, the malls are called shopping.  Not sure why... I can only assume it was a bad spanish/english misunderstanding that is now irreversible.