Black Year Gone

In west Lago Agrio born and raised
In the jungle is where I spent the most of my days,
Chillin out , maxin, ya relaxin all cool
And all teachin some scriptchas outside da school
When a couple of JWs, who were up to no good,
Started makin trubble in ma neighborhood
I got in one little fight and Pres got scared,
He said ya movin wit Elder Roney in cold air.

(to the tune of Fresh Prince)

Well people I certainly had a....different Christmas.  We were locked in our house from 6pm on the 24th and the 25th and we couldnt leave for anything whatsoever.  So, Elder Roney and I called in some Pizza Hut and had a jollly ol time.  We ordered double pepperoni and Chicken BBQ for those who were wondering.  It was rico.

It was special becuase I recieve the letters from Gmas grandkids party and the advent calendar all before Christmas, so it was great to read your letters that day!  I also recieved the letters from the best ward in the world #CedarHills17 right before Christmas as well!  Thanks to all who wrote a letter!  And who can forget the killer time I had to skype home!  It was super good to be able to talk to the family! (Sorry my head looked really big on the screen haha).

This week we were able to find TWO new families that live in the same house.  The "wives" are sisters and their "husbands" are just super cool.  Just got to get both couples to get married now.  We are starting to see some success as far as finding goes.  Wish us luck to be able to gelp them progress! Their names are Ana, Nestor, Erica, and Edwin.

  A bird pooped on my shoulder during a contact to a stranger and on Sunday a young woman in one of our wards asked me why my cheeks are so chubby..... Gotta love the sense of humor in Quito.

I have now gone a whole calendar year without touching American soil.  2016 will be different in all aspects of my life.  I love being a missionary and spreading the Gospel.  Just seeing people start to progress gives me a smile that I cant wipe off my face.  The happiness that the Gospel brings in just so contagious :)  How can it not be true?

Have a great New Year! Forgive and Forget last year and move towards a great 2016!

Elder Lomeli

Proud to be American

Christmas Dinner :)

Our stocked Christmas Tree

Ecuadorian Porta potty

Only 72 Hours Till Christmas!

Hey hows it going.  So Pday was changed to today becuase my zone had the Christmas lunch with President Richardson.  I sadly did not get to go :(  But  I got to go work in Carapungo for the day (where I was when I got punched by the drunk guy on Mothers Day).  I got to teach a missionary there the sector since he was new there and I already knew the sector.   

So get this, Elder Roney and I are a lot alike.  We both hate living dirty, we both really like country music, and we are both white. Makes for a dangerous duo for Satan here in Comite del Pueblo.

 This week we were able to have a baptism too!  His name is Johnnynson and he asked me to baptize him when I had barely known him for a day.  It was really cold water but a great experience.  He has a super strong testimony :)

Thats about all for the week.  Have a great Christmas!  Great job on the Eagle Dyl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Lomeli



Happy Bday Elder Roney!

Christmas Dinner selfie game

I couldnt resist.  Name is Jazzy :)

Padre e Hijo

Frat Bus Missionary Edition

Christmas in the City

You better watch out, you better not cry,
You better not pout I´m telling you why,
President, is coming, to town!

He sees you when your sleeping,
He knows if your up late,
He knows if youve been bad or good,
So go baptize in a lake!

Written and scored by Elder Lomeli.  Accompanied on the base guitar by Elder Roney.  All rights reserved by President Richardson.

Well I had me some changes yesterday!  I am no longer in the coast, but back in Quito. In the sector Comite del Pueblo and Collaloma.  Thats right, I will be working in two wards and they are both on the worlds largest hill known to mankind.  Gonna be FUN!  My new companion is Elder Roney and he is from Northern Virgina almost by Washington D.C.  He is in the same group as Elder Liendo, so he is my step-son.  I will finish his training :)

Back in the coast, the Karinas as they are affectionately called passed their interviews!  They will be baptized this coming Saturday!  Kinda sad that I wont be able to be there, but we are super happy for them!  Thank you all for your prayers for them!

So this last week we were able to take a two day vacation to come to Quito (before I had changes) for the Christmas dinner with President and Hermana Richardson.  We ate some delicious turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy.  Made us all kind of sick becuase the food is way different to what we eat everyday :)  We had a good game of White Elephant, sang carols, and played with President´s dog named Jazzy.  To make this all better, the new zone that I´m in hasnt had their dinner yet, so I will get another one! Haha!

When we got back to the coast the Elders from another sector had a baptism planned but looked like it was going to fall through.  We all go to their chapel and make a game plan.  Two went to look in the mayhem of people for the kid, two prepared the chapel, and the other two when around inviting members.  After all that we had the baptism!  And the kids mom started crying as her son came out of the water.  Really neat experience.  

I love this Christmas season!  And now that I am in Quito, its cold so its a little more like home :)  I know that Christ lives!  I like this missionary thing.  Dont think I wanna stop :)  Have yall a great week!  Good luck with the Eagle Dyl!

Elder Lomeli

Sorry, no fotos.  Camera is in the house and the top of a mountain really far away.  Next week :)

Let It Rain Let It Rain Let It Rain!

"So they wanna get to know me do they?  They wanna spend a little "quality" time with the Grinch!"

Well folks, Christmas is in the air here.  Lots of ENGLISH Christmas music being played and people asking me what its saying in the song.  Its great becuase I can sing along and no one understands :)  People here actually have Christmas TREES, not palm trees so it gives a little tast of home.

We are working hard with Elder Lieno in our sector right now!  Karina and Karina came to church again, and it was even Stake Conference!  I can admit that I went to very few stake conferences growing up, so if an investigator goes, their gonna be golden!  We also found a new family this week and they accepted a baptismal date for the 2nd of January!  Their names are Ever and Mariana, and to make their situation even more golden, they are MARRIED!  Super hard to find a married couple out here so its a big indicator from God that we need to not lose them and help them progress.

We were given special permission from President Richardson to stay at the stake center to watch the Christmas Devotional.  (We got home at like 10:00).  I loved the simplicity of the messages and the Spirit they brought.  Pres. Ucthdorf, your the man!  And it was funny to see the guy from MoTab get tongue twisted when the camera was put on him :)

Lets remember the real reason for CHRISTmas!  #HaNacidoUnSalvador.  Christ lives to make man free from all the pains and afflictions we have.  I am super grateful for his example in my life.  

Have a great week!

Water literally dropping of our faces!

Chaulafán...Not Crackers

Happy Thanksgiving Charlie Brown!

Well the good news is that I didnt eat crackers and water.  I ate fried rice at a chifa instead.  To be honest, I forgot it was even Thursday until another gringo reminded me haha! So we headed to the nearest restaurant and made the most of it.  We had no turkey, but we did have some chicken and mayber cat or dog. Im not completely sure.

This week the winter rains started.  It gets REALLY hot here right before it rains.  Then itll rain SUPER hard for about and hour or two, and if we arent in a lesson we turn into wet dogs.  Of course I gave my umbrella away right before the rainy season.  But then after the rain it just heats up again and the steam makes us sweat underneath the soaked clothing.  The joys of the mission :)  Sometimes people even invite us in becuase they feel bad and we get a free lesson out of it!

This week we were able to see lots of the fruits of our labors.  We have 4 people with a baptismal date, and 3 of them came to church!  One is Christofer who is 9.  He is the son on Christian who is a recent convert that was baptized with me and Elder Apaza two months back.  He plans to be baptized the 20th of December.  Karina and Karina continue to prepare for the 19th and loved church! And the last one is Atahualpa and he wants to be baptized on the 2nd of January.  He listend to the missionaries about 7 months back, but went on a super long vacation.  But he is excited as well.  Pray for these people to be able to be baptized this month!  President Richardson wants us to have a "white" Christmas, but with baptisms since we dont have snow.

Today for Pday it was raining, so as a district we went to the really small mall here and played UNO and had KFC that was a little bit better today.  I love being a missionary.  This is the time when everyone wants to be with their family, but I like the idea of uniting families in the Gospel.  Its such a blessing for us back home, so I hope to make that possible here.  This church really is true!

Ok thats enough. Gonna go stranger stalking....I mean talking :)  Hope nobody died on Black Friday.  People here think it turns into a fullout battlefield!

Have a great week!

Elder Lomeli

UNO at the Multiplaza!

Our Bishops daughter :)