New Area - Lots to do!

Hey there everyone!

I'm a little short on time today, there's lots to do right now...

Last Tuesday before District meeting they informed me that I'm the new district leader, so now I'm worrying about three other sectors apart from my own, the good thing is that I've been the companion of a few district leaders so I know what to do and have a pretty good idea of how I want to do it.

In the mission I've discovered that I'm OLD.  I feel like basically anyone who is over 30 and lies about their age.  I tell everyone that I have 18 months in the mission to avoid people calling me Trunky.  I AM NOT TRUNKY btw, I refuse to be a crappy missionary in the end of my mission. besides, there's WAY too much to do to be a crappy missionary.  There simply isn't time to be lazy around here.  Lazy is for p-days, and p-day is only 10 am to 6 pm on Monday.

My sector here in Babahoyo is a small little ward called 18 de Mayo.  The wonderful thing is that ALL THE STREETS ARE PAVED!  Which means I don't have to worry about dirty shoes and dust like I did in Duran.  Yay!  We have some good people that we're working with too, I look forward to the future to see what happens.  President Riggins however did tell me that he put me here to fix some things, so I'll be banging things out with a hammer in my time here as well.  Feels good that President Riggins trusts me like that.  :)  I personally think I lack a whole lot to be a "good missionary," but I'm doing my best.

I think I said everything I can think of about Elder Rojas in my last email... but if there's something that you want to know ask away.  Here's a terrible selfie of us in front of the Temple in Guayaquil:

I've been bogged down with a cold for a couple of weeks now, and I managed to eat something on Saturday that made me sick all day long and throw up in the night.  But I'm doing what I can to pull out of that now. there's a vapor rub made by the Chinos here called Metol Chino, it's basically my best friend right now.

That's about it.  As always, I'll write next week.  I need to get to work now.

Love you all!

Cameron

Regresando a Los Ríos

Hola!

Last night we got a call that we were kind of expecting, I got transferred today.  After spending five and a half months in Duran in the beautiful Arbolito, I boarded a bus (I still hate buses) and got sent back to La Provincia de Los Ríos.  I'm in the City of Babahoyo, I've only been here a few hours so I cant really say too much about how it is here.  From what I've learned as an outsider is that Babahoyo is that capital of Los Ríos and that when the rain comes it gets pounded.  We will see about the rumor of the rain when El Niño gets here.  It looks like I'll be here for Christmas, so I'm going to start making friends as fast as possible.

My new companion is Elder Rojas.  Again, I've only been here for a few hours so I cant say really say too much about him either.  However, we did talk an the bus ride:
Hes from La Paz Bolivia, he has three months in the mission meaning that he just got done with his training, I'm his second companion and his first experience with Transfers.  He break dances from what I've heard.  We are going to have a lot of getting to know you time as we will be together constantly for the next couple months.

I have a habit of staying long periods of time in my sectors: I was in Buena Fe for about 7 months, Guayaquil for about 6 months, and Duran for five and a half months. Looking at the numbers and seeing that I only lack 5 months in the mission, Babahoyo very well be my deathbed.  However, lots can happen in 5 months.  We will see what happens. :)

As far as health goes, all is well.  Apart from the fact I have a nagging phlegm in my chest that makes me cough.  That's just a result of the seasons changing.  -or at least that's what they tell me.  The season changes aren't that extreme in Ecuador, its always hot and  wherever and whenever.  The difference is that it gets a little cloudier and more humid in late October/early November.  In January-March it rains a crap load and continues being devilishly hot.  I guess I could say I'm used to it, but Ill be missing the cold for another while more.  ♪♫ I'm dreaming of a White Christmas... ♫♪

All is well here. from what Elder Rojas tells me we have lots of good families and tons of work to do. Cant wait. :) I'll write you all next week and let you all know a little more about the new sector.

Tell me all about Thanksgiving!

I love you all. :)

-Cameron

(This week Ill be ponderizing D&C 123:12)

Feliz Navidad

Hey there everyone!

We've broken out the Christmas music and depending what happens in transfers next week we'll setting up a decorations too. Ecuador started getting ready for Christmas in October because since they don't have Halloween or Thanksgiving there isn't really any other commercialized holiday for them to get ready for, so, Christmas starts in November around here.

I do miss thanksgiving, there are lots of great things that come with it, but we're also pretty happy about Christmas, although it's hot, humid, and the missionaries don't have family close by... The truth is that Christmas is one of the most tricky days of the year. :P BUT that's ok because we're doing something even better out here; missionary work!

Not too shabby either, we got to baptise our golden investigators this last weekend. :D

Isabel and Krystal have been investigating the Church for about a month and a half.  We got along well in the first visit where they proclaimed "I feel a lot better talking to you guys than the Jehovah's Witnesses!" They read the first 14 chapters of the book of Mormon without us even telling them to.  Right now they're almost finished with 2 Nephi

The members bug us about them because of that little bundle of joy in the red shirt.  That's Jahir, my best friend.  I have to be very clear that he's my friend and not my son because the members ask sometimes. 

We actually aren't sure how he came out like that... He's Isabel's son and he's 100% latino, but he looks like a gringo.  We contacted her because she was standing in front of her house with him waiting for the water truck to pass by, the blonde hair caught out attention.  Go figure...

Isabel has a son and Krystal has a mother and a sister who are will probably be the next to be baptised, I however probably won't be here due to the fact I probably have transfers next week.  I've said that before though...  the problem is that I'm terrible at predicting transfers. As the good book says: "Believe in God..."  "...believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." -Mosiah 4:9

Things around here having been going pretty good, we're working hard and staying low on stress for the most part. I hope all is well back home!  don't be too busy! 

hay que desfrutar la vida también. :)

Love, Cameron 

Día de Muertos

Hey there everyone!

Here in Ecuador we don't really have Halloween because the El Presidente del República said that its a North American holiday and that here in Ecuador it distracts from the national day of the coat of arms (Día del Escudo) Therefore, Halloween here isn't that fun, however, there were still Halloween parties and masks in the stores, and the neighbor kids (knowing that I'm north American) knocked on our door asking for candy.  I was ready for them.

Things around here have been alright.  We are going to have two baptisms this Saturday of two people who came to be really good friends of ours.  We are very excited for it. :)

It's also Día de Muertos here, which translated (day of the dead) sounds like a horror movie title, but it's basically a three day long Memorial Day.  In honor of it all we went to the zoo.  :D Things around here have been going really good, we are moving forward in this work one step at a time and getting things done.  Which is good because I hate not getting things done these days.

It's a...thing.

Selfie?

If ever I end up being lazy after the mission someone has to make me eat my words, because I hate being unproductive these days.

I hope all is well back home.  Write me and tell me about your Halloween!  Did you do anything fun? From what dad was saying, it sounds like everyone did something different.

I love you all and I will see you later!

Cameron

Service Projects and Burritos

Hey there!

This last weekend the Zone got together with the Stake and the City and we did a big service project in the Sun.  We pulled weeds, cleaned up trash, and swept the sidewalk in one of the main roads in the south part of Duran.

It was good fun, but it the end, we all got badly sunburnt.  I´d send a picture of my snow white chest and my latino arms and head, but I figured missionaries shouldn´t be taking shirtless selfies, besides, I have an Ecuadorian rice belly the no one really wants to see.  When I was with Elder Gutierrez he always made a point to remind me that I´m fat.  When I wake up in the morning he often tells me ¨ESTAS GORDO!¨ as if it were my fault.  just you wait, when I get back to 4200 feet above sea level I´ll be shaking it all off.

...Tal Vez...

During the time I´m here I´m not really worrying about the rice belly thing, I do exercise every morning and walk, like, 20 miles every day.  I eat the lunches because I´m required to (that and I really really like the food here, I eat just about anything and everything) and I make myself fancy breakfasts because I love me.

Ever since I got here I´ve really been missing the huge breakfast burritos that me and dad would always buy.   Here in Ecuador Burritos, Tacos, enchiladas and all the stuff doesn´t really exist.  Those foods are traditional in Central America.  last week while I was buying food I thought to myself ¨Why don´t I just make a huge breakfast burrito?¨

and so I did...

I love me!

The truth is that everything here is going great.  My health is good and we´re working hard.  As always we´re expecting great things in the future.  The next transfers are in three weeks.  We had interviews with President Riggins last week and he made it sound like I´ll probably have a transfer this time.  Transfers are always bittersweet.  I´m going to enjoy the time I have left here in Duran. :)

Selfie of me and the best Bishop ever!

I hope all is well back home!  I hope you all stay away from getting colds and that dad will start to feel better too!

Talk to you all next week!

-Cameron

Ponderize God´s love for us

Hello!

Last Tuesday I got pouch!  A letter from grandpa and something very unexpected.  THE PACKAGE CAME!  I was very very happy that day, but I couldn´t really tell you guys until today... because p-day is on Monday.  The new shoes have saved my life, they are very comfortable and they don´t hurt my feet like new shoes normally do and the blisters and my feet might finally start healing, though, I think I´m going to get a pedicure when I get back.  I´m not too sure if pedicures help for not, but the words pedi and cure together sound like a good thing.  xP

I got the new camera and the Frisby, I´d send pictures (because I did take pictures) but my adaptor chino that I got for $2 isn´t working, I´ll probably have to buy something I little better for next week. :P

I was ponderizing Moses 7:28,27,32,33
It´s sort of long and mixed, but president Riggins showed this to us a few weeks ago and I wanted to ponderize it.

¨28 And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?

 29 And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?

32 The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;

 33 And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood;¨

This scripture shows us a little bit of an extent of God´s love for us.  He weeps-God in the highest, with all glory and all power, weeps when we fail, when we sin, when we don´t repent.  He has given us everything and is sad when we don´t follow his commandments and love one another.  Don´t you ever think that God doesn´t care, he does.  He cares about every single one of us.

I´m kind of short on time today, sorry about that.  I hope all is well back home! All is well here.

Talk to you all next week!

Cameron

Stake Conference

Hey there!

Dad tells me that you´re all ponderizing.  I started last week with 2 Nephi 2:27 which is all about agency.  I have one in the book of Abraham this week, but I don´t remember the reference, it was something that President Riggins showed us the other week and I wanted to study it a little more.  I´ll let you know about it next week.

This week was the Stake Conference here in La Estaca Duran Norte.  They changed out the stake presidency which was cool because an Area Authority came.

Elder Christopher Waddell of the Area Seventy came to interview the new stake president and to speak in the sessions.  He´s the first counselor del área Sudamérica Noroeste, he´s been living in Lima Peru for four years for his calling, but he told us that this was his last Stake Conference in the Area because he is going to be put into the Presiding Bishopric -I´m not too sure if that´s a secret or not -but he told us, so... no es culpa!

He talked to us about the sabbath day.  He said that the twelve apostles and the first presidency all prayed in the temple before awhile back and asked the lord what the church needed to do to progress.  All of them received the impression that if the church would progress, we need to observe the sabbath day. It was pretty interesting to think about.  Are we observing the sabbath day as we should?
The answer is personal for every one of us.

With the stake conference and things we had a pretty cool week, I didn´t get changed out on the last transfer cycle so I´ll be hanging out here in Duran for the next month or so.

...Yeah, I´m pretty sure that´s all I have to say.  I hope all is well back home!  Enjoy fall break, I´ll be here... in the heat and humidity. (I miss seasons)

-Love, Cameron