¡El Verde Señor!

¡Que mas?

Well, this week has been kind of a crazy one!  It is still pretty humid here, but luckily our house always has water.  But for like two days this week we had no power.  No fans, no fridge, no clocks, and coincidentally the water doesnt get drawn up to our apartnment (3rd floor) when there is no power.  Kinda hard to sleep and study like that but just a perk of the nametag :)  I almost like this weather than the cold of Otavalo.  To top that off EVERY morning people walk up and down the streets selling bleach, verde (plantains), brooms, and fish.  THEY SHOUT AND WAKE US UP!  But how they say things just makes me laugh. :)

We have been working hard this week with lots of investigators! Hans (10 years old) passed his interview and will be baptized this Saturday! We are too pumped! Hopefully it wont fall on Friday again jk.  We are also working with Jorge.  He is the husband of a recent convert who really only wants to be baptized for his wife.  We are helping him with his testimony. Cristian is the brother of a member and is very open to the church and asked US if he could be baptized.  Adrian is also the brother of a recent convert family and he just has trouble coming to church.  He loves to learn though!  Cristian, Jorge, and Adrian all have a baptismal date for the 19th of September.  Please pray for them!

We were also able to have our interviews with President Richardson this week.  That is why I am writing today and not yesterday.  But what I loved what what Sis. Richardson told us about weaknesses.  She said that God gives us weaknesses to be more humble.  By confronting and conquering them we show that we need Christ more in our lives.  She also said that we need to give THANKS for our weaknesses.  By doing so we show thanks that the Lord has given us difficulties to make us stronger and more like Him.  Really powerful woman.  Y´all should talk to her someday.  They live in Sandy.

Well, thats about it for this week.  Elder Apaza has turned me into his personal trainer and he has lost about 10 pounds since Ive been with him.  He is just super funny.  Knows a lot of little funny phrases in English that make me crack up.

I know that this is the true Church of God.  I love the Stick of Joseph. READ IT!

Go kill it this week aight?

Elder Lomeli

One of Elder Apaza´s favorite phrases in English haha

La Co´ta Diga!

Hey people of other parts of the world!

Well now I have time to actually write something haha.  Ill kinda give a small recap of Agato.  We finished the change with a 12 year old girl named Mishel with a baptismal date.  If all goes well, she should be baptized this coming Saturday!!! Cant be more excited! Wish I could be there for it.  We also had a surprise Bday party for our good friend Luis.  We had to break some rules to go buy the cake, but we used the excuse "WWJD" :)  It was a great party and he didnt even know it was coming!

Now I am here in Esmeraldas.  I had to leave Otavalo at 8:00 am and I traveled by bus here to the coast. Arrived about 5:30 and got reminded almost 100% of what it was like in the jungle.  HOT AND HUMID.  I shower twice a day to not feel so sticky all the time.  We live about 30 minutes away from the beach and we can go on Pdays when activites are allowed so I hope that is soon!  The people here also speak faster and without the letter "s".  The word costa is pronounced cota :)  And the majority of the people here are black so I stick out VERY nicely.

We are currently working with a child whose mom was recently rescued.  His name is Hans and is 10.  He has ADD but learns very will with the pictures and things like that.  He should have his baptismal interview this next Sunday!  We are also working with Cristian who has been an investigator for a few months.  He comes to church every week, but because of work he doesnt have all the lessons necessary to be baptized yet.  He should have a date very soon!

So the new comp is Elder Apaza.  He is from Peru, but says he is from Arequipa.  If you dont know about South America, Arequipa is a provice in Peru and the people from Arequipa want to break off from Peru and make their own country....Kinda like Texas and the U.S.  He is a really funny guy and we laugh a lot.  He is a great teacher as well, and is very good at loving the people and making them feel comfortable.  He is one to tickle a funny bone :)

I am super excited to work in this new sector.  There is a lot of work to do but that is why we were called.  Just remember that if there is something weird and you dont feel good, dont call the Ghostbusters nor the Elders..call the man upstairs (Alma 37:37).  This has been on my mind all week and it is something that none of us should forget.  He is the only source of true comfort.  He will help us through His words in the Book of Mormon and the other scritpures.  I love this Gospel and know its true!!! 

Have a great week! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DYLAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our 100 year old less active Nicholas in Agato

With my bestest goodest friend Luis

The new guy Elder Apaza

EZZY

Hello family and friends,

Hey well I dont have much time, but I was changed.  I am now in the COAST!!!!!  In the sector of Propicia.  My comp is Elder Apaza so I now have another Latino so that is great!  I am feeling good and will write more next week!

Love you all!

Elder Lomeli

Our Ways are Not Gods Ways

Hello family and friends!

Well, this week had its ups and downs as usual.  To start off, we were working very hard with Jorge to get him prepared for his baptism.  We were informed Friday night that he had decided to not get baptized.  He feels that it was causing a conflict between him and his wife so it was better to remain in his old religion (Catholic).  We were initially upset by his answer but not too much.  We felt a witness from the Spirit that we had done all in our power possible and to not worry.  We are confident that he WILL get baptized, but further down the road.  Preach My Gospel teaches us a lot of things but not how to change someones agency.  Its all good though :)

As a result of that, we really feel like we were blessed this week with TWO more people that now have a baptismal date.  Their names are Mishel (11 years old) and David (12 years old).  They are both members of families where not all are members, and have support of both their families for now.  They both have a baptismal date for the 22 of August.  We are VERY excited!  We know that the Lord blesses us for our efforts, and if necessary with different people that are prepared.

This week I was able to go on divisions with the zone leaders.  I was able to go down off the mountain into the actual city of Otavalo with Elder Henriquez from Colombia.  He is a great singer and one heck of a motivational speaker.  We were heading to lunch and the mamita fell (they had all fallen in Agato this week as well...), so we just went to a Chifa :)  Then we spent the whole day pretty much walking, walking, bus, and more walking.  Even goes to show that the leaders in our lives have down times as well.  We got to his house with a bag of hambugers and had a good nights rest.  The weird thing though is that their shower is literally just a hole in the wall where hot water magically comes out.  

As it states in the book of Isaiah, our ways are not Gods ways.  We need to be patient and faithful in our trials.  We need to do all in our power and leave the rest up to God.  I know that God hears and answers prayers and not always in the ways we want.  I know that this Church is true and that we are part of it.  I love the Book of Mormon and the amazing message it contains. I also really liked something that Elder Henriquez said.  He said that all we need to do is be obedient and diligent,and wait for the Lord to bless us.

Elder Kimball is a little sick these last two days, so yet again I am playing the nurse for him.  Funny how I make him do things and the nurse is surprised when we have tried everything she suggests :)  Thanks for being a nurse mom and giving me free enrollment and the Lomeli Medical School haha :)  He has been a little tired and grumpy, but that in turn makes him more funny.  Today I got a hole in my sock, and he replied "DUH! THATS WHERE YOU PUT YOUR FOOT!"  It was hilarious.


This week we also had an acivity put on by us missionaries.  We played baseball and grilled hot dogs and ate cracker jacks (closest thing to it).  The members and investigators had tons of fun and we were able to get quite a few potential investigators out of it!  I of course smashed a homerun :)

Thats all for this week, and I hope all have a great one!  Changes are coming up this next week so we will see if I stay here in Agato or not!

Elder Lomeli

Me carving our "bat" ( was just a huge stick)

My buddy Jaime and his sick tie :)