Final Countdown

"What are you doing home from your mission? Are ya sick pal? ........Are ya still worthy?"

"Dad, Im supposed to be home!"

Just a laugh, dont worry!  Just a quick update. We still continue with the Macias family with a date for the 10th but they didnt come to church. We even did a chapel tour with them the night before and still nothing.  Just gotta keep going.

Since this is my last letter that I will send home, I would simply like to share my testimony.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true.  I know that God lives and loves us all personally.  Christ is ALWAYS there to pick us up when we fall and help us fix whatever we have to fix.  I think that is the thing that I have come to know most on the mission. The Atonement is real.  There are many things that I was able to fix and get better at, yet there are many things to do in that regard.  No other Man on earth is capable of giving His life so that others could live forever.  

People CAN change.  I have seen hearts of rock turn to broken hearts.  Also drug addicts, alcoholics, and delinquents change their lives for this Gospel.  Repentance lightens burdens.  If anyone needs to repent, DO IT.  Dont delay.  I know that God forgives sins and mistakes.

Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God.  The Book of Mormon is true. It changes lives.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the current prophet of the Lord.  Leaders in the church are called by inpsiration, not application.  

Families can be together forever.  The Priesthood of God works miracles if used worthily.  Missionary work is the best thing ever!  There really is no satisfaction greater than helps souls come unto Christ.  How can this not be true?  I know that God answers prayers and makes things known unto us as we ask with real intent. Patience, obedience, and humility are traits needed to see miracles.  I know all of this to be true, and I do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Lomeli

Couldnt help it :)

After he said he would come to church :)

Cow Pied

Oh hey father! Bless me for I have sinned!

I cant help you with that....wrong church.

Hey we did it!  We found people this week!  Saturday and Sunday we were blessed to find 2 families that accepted us to visit them!  We basically decided to not touch as many doors and look for old investigators in our area book.  Silvana accpeted a date for the 3rd of September and we are going to go by today and talk to her 2 daughters as well!  We also found the Macias and Masqui families.  

I cant lie though, its been pretty hard here for the last 2 months.  And I know that it will continue to be hard until the end.  Seems like everything in this world is getting more and more dificult.  Elder Wirthlin in his talks, mentions the law of recompensation.  We should never feel that our efforts, desires, tears,etc. are wasted in striving for worthy goals.  We may not recieve the blessing now, but we WILL recieve it. The little moments of joy we experience are way worth the years of struggle and strife.

Other than that, all the members here in Cayambe are saying that Im trunky and all that stuff, but I really dont feel like the end is near.  I do feel like I am a little more physically tired, but this work is too special and too true to even want to stop talking and sharing about it.  

On a funny note, this week me and Elder Chistama decided to play rock soccer while we were walking, scoring goals and the rocks passed between our legs.  So Elder Chistama thinks he is funny and kicks a cow pie.  BUT the cow pie was still wet.  Thus, he had a dirty smelly shoe, and I had dirty smelly pants.  Thanks compa.

Phillipians 4:13

Elder Lomeli "Lamoni"

Cow pie aftermath

The District SANPUNBE in the middle of the world

Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride!

Mock, yeah! Ing, yeah! Bird, yeah! Yeah, yeah!

Damas y caballeros, we went to Hawaii this week!  We had a super cool activity planned by me and Elder Chistama.  It was kind of a Plan of Salvation based thing with a Hawaiian twist. We watched some clips of a plane crashing then we said that everyone had died.  We had some activities where the people won or lost points and we then judged into the three kingdoms of glory.  And for the refreshment, I made grilled pineapple :)  Ecuadorians think its weird, but some said that they were gonna go sell some!

On a sadder note, that kid Kairon that we found last week told us to not come by.  He thought it was going to be like an Evangelical church, but when it wasnt, he said no.  Oh well though, what can you do?  Keep truggin along.

So yall know that my mission is coming to an end.  Today they sent me my travel itenerary.  Snap it all happened so fast!  Ill be getting home around 9 ish.  Never really thought this moment would come, but it has and now just have to roll with it and finish strong.  It has been pretty rough in this sector.  First time that I have experienced something like this in the mission.  Im going to take Elder Wirthlin´s advice: "Come what may, and love it".

Remember who you are, and what God expects you to become  -Thomas S. Monson

Elder Lomeli

Gotcha! 

Eating "La Merienda" with our mission leader Jackson

Whazzzzzup?

Wanna know how I got these scars? How?!?!?!?!......Otterpop

Who wants to know something cool?  If you dont Ill tell ya anyway.  We found someone with a baptismal date!  The other two families that we found arent married and one of them doesnt want to listen.  The new guy on the he block is Kairon and he is 18.  We found him talkin to them strangers and all, and he said that he wanted to be baptized like Christ was.  I think my mouth was open when he said that.  We wanted to make sure that he came to church to we went and took him with us!  He has a date for August 13th.

In our house, there isnt much to use to do work outs so we went out and made a barbel with cement and a steel rod.  Schwarzenegger watch out.  I am going to make my comp go running with me. Hope he can keep up haha.

Other than that we passed our time in meetings, and I went on divisions witht he Elders in Punyaro.  I went with Elder Brown who is from AZ and let me tell ya, if you got a cow farm he will make you rich.  Does a cow call like none other.  He carried on a 5 minute conversation with a little calf hahahahaha.

Today for Pday the Wauki in Agato invited us to lunch and he invited us to lunch again in three weeks and he is going to make us cuy! Its guinea pig for you who dont speak the celestial language. Too pumped!

I know that this church is true!!!!!  A little tip for youth preparing for a mission.  Alma 4:19 is the only way to do things.  Just share your testimony!  

We make weights to get big.

FHE in Cayambe

The Machine that Washes

It was my fault Lloyd, I did it, you heard his last words......Not if you count the gurgling sound. :)

Hey so good news! In our new house we have a machine that washes our clothes and makes them clean again!  No more mamitas or scubbing them on cement to clean! Yay!

You know how our sector just got a ton bigger? Yeah well, we have been super busy teaching less actives and we got a rescue this week!  Her name is Bertha and she is one of the pioneer members here in Cayambe.  We kinda got scared when she went into her interview that SHE was going to interview the branch president instead hahahaha.  She is awesome and will help to turn the branch around.

We were also able to find two couples that accepted a baptismal date!  The first one is Leonel and Vanessa and the second is Miguel and Rocío.  They all accepted to be baptized on August 20th, but neither of the coulpes are married. Ugh.  We are still going to work hard with them though and not let them go.

Now that there are sisters in my district, I have to always be extra happy and willing to support them, so we went to their baptism on Saturday! But the weird thing was that there were a ton of young women there from Iluman (where I was when I first went to Otavalo almost 18 months ago) and they remembered me. It was kind of werid so we got outta there as quick as possible.

The Sexy 6 still goes on.  No visible results yet, but ya mismo.  Elder Chistama is doing well and kind of camera shy.  All his pants were wet one day and he had to study in shorts, with a shirt and tie.  He locked himself in the bathroom to avoin the photo.  That photo was gunna make me famous!

Anyways, the book is blue, the church is true, and Moroni is always on the ball.

Have a super great week!

Elder Lomeli

All hail the machine that washes!

Bus names are super weird here hahahahahahaha

The Sexy 6

There is traditionally a bad habit that missionaries fall into.  Its something called "Moms not here so Ill eat whatever I want".  The consequence of this is something called love handles, double chin, and kankles.  I fortunately do not suffer from any of these.  However, I gotta whip myself into shape, hence the last 6 weeks of sexy.  No more salchipapas!

Well, I survived changes and its offical, I will DIE here in Cayambe and Elder Chistama will kill me.  We are now also the only two Elders in all of Cayambe becuase they shut down the other sector due to lack of missionaries.  We also got to move into the bigger and better house that has a washing machine!  We are going to worship that thing so hard.  And for the first time in over a YEAR, there are sisters in my district....Any advice?

This last week we had our first meeting and interview with President Murphy.  He seems pretty cool and is kind of a crier.  He expressed though his love for us and hopes to elevate the mission even more.  He will do great.

Me and Elder Chistama also spent three whole days in Quito this week.  I was dying from parasites, so I got checked out.  HAHA NO IM KIDDING.  Elder Chistama had to get his visa so he could stop being here illegaly then we had a verification meeting since he is new to the mission thing.  But one of the days I spent in the house of one of the ZLs (Elder Plant from Riverton and also from my group) while my companion went out to work.  Elder Plant got his wisdom tooth taken out of his face to I got to babysit him while he was loopy.  He wasnt that loopy though becuase they only gave him a shot in his gum and yanked the little sucker out.  Good times.

The work goes forward in Cayambe.  Still no investigators coming to church, so we are pushing for that.  We also are going to be focusing on the less actives as well.  Pray that EVERYONE, young and old, male or female, will come to church.  

Hasta ver,

Elder Lomeli

Fritada (fried pig) BEFORE the Sexy 6 BTW

You saved my life, I am eternally grateful #DotheDew

Made In America

"He loves his wife, shes that wife, that decorates on the 4th of July, and says,

every day is independence day!" -Toby Keith

I hope everyone is having a great 4th of July!  Hotdogs, baseball, fireworks, popcorn, popsicles, and pop music.  Makes the US awesome.  I cant lie though, Ecuador is pretty dope.  I love this country, I really do.

This week was a bit better than the last.  We are still trying to find people to teach, but this week we found some people that are more willing to listen.  We just need to keep praying and finding is all!  However, here in Cayambe the other two elders baptized a great family!  The Zambrano family is from the coast and they passed through lots of trials to make it to the waters of baptism.  I had to buy quite a few of the siser´s delicious empanadas so they could get married.  They were so happy after!

Us gringos were super excited for today to come, so on Friday in the well-being meeting, we sand the Star Spangled Banner as the opening hymn.  You could say that patriotism never dies!

I have been reading a small talk by Elder Ballard about mental toughness.  I dont quite know how to translate into english, but the last phrase that he states is "Think you will baptize, and you will baptize!"  It has animated me a ton to keep going.  

Joshua 1:9

Elder Lomeli

Got da shooz shined :)

Taxopamba

Doc! Youre not gonna believe it! We gotta go back to 1985!.....I dont belive it!!!

Well well well.  Im gonna be a little straight forward in this one folks.  This week was hard.  Lots of contacting with no real success, and Oscar and Wendy decided to stop visiting with us.  Frustrating to say the least.  We are still chuggin along trying to find a family that will accept us and accept a baptismal date.  

We went to Taxopamba today as a district for an activity.  Its a waterfall by Otavalo that is super cool.  We took tons of pics and ate some pizza after.  PUNYAMBE!

Also we were visisted by my companion from Agato Elder Kimball.  He and his parents came and took the four elders of Cayambe to lunch.  Super awesome and talked about a few memories.

I was comforted a bit by a few scriptures that my zone leader Elder Matute shared with me. In Alma 21 it talks about how the people didnt want to listen to Ammon and his brethren. But when they kept going, and kept being diligent they were given much success.  I hope it comes soon after a good effort on our part.

Enjoy Stadium of Fire and TIM MCGRAW....So Jealous

Elder Lomeli

Catch me Elder Valentine!

Sloppy Joe´s

Hey so thanks to al for the Birthday wishes!  It was a good day and ate like three cakes...  Well, my face was smashed into a cake three times to be exact.  I love the members here a ton in Cayambe.  My district even bought me a cake!  20 years old now, still lots of things illegal for me dang it.

Update on Oscar and Wendy!  We might need to call an amber alert cuz we havent been able to find them all week.  They did mention to us last week though that they want to get married and baptized!  Just. Have. To. Find. Them. First......

I also had the final party thing with President and Hermana Richardson.  We ate lasagna and told funny storeis from the mish.  The winner was Elder Jeffrey though.  Lets just say that the parasites got the best of him haha.  Then we had a last testimony meeting and a going away video with pics of all of us.  Then on the way back to Otavalo we watched Taken 3 on the bus.  Prime.  To finish that day off we went to Sloppy Joes.  Its a burger place run by an AMERICAN, so the burgers are big and good!  

The cyber guy is playing 80´s classics right now so its a little hard to concentrate.  Elder Chistama is doing great. We get a long really well.  We are both quiet for the most part, but when we do talk we laugh :)

Lets Get Rockin!

Elder Lomeli

Last Dinner with the Richardsons!

When youre on divisions with Elder Lomeli, yer gonna sleep under the stars :)

Cake smash #1

Cake smash #2

Daráse Caminando Ve!

Van Pelt says that when Joseph went into a wood to pray, he was overcome by an evil dark virgen. Haha

Hey Hey Hey so I have been sending tons of things into the offices today so I will try to get everything in!  This Tuesday President will have a going away party with all the missionaries from my group.  He will only do this for the missionaries going home in July and August, since we will have almost completed 2 years with them.  Its gonna be sick.

Update on Oscar and Wendy.  They are acting super bipolar right now.  We did a chapel tour with them and Oscar recieved an answer that the church was true and everything.  We were pumped because he was really unsure about getting married to Wendy and being baptized.  But, Wendy, who was pumped before the chapel tour, totally closed off.  We dont know really what happened but neither of them came to church and have kind of been avoiding us.  We are going by today to see if we can talk to them.  Pray for Oscar to have the courage to be married and for Wendy to recieve and answer about the church.  They are(were) so close!

Elder Chistama is learning a ton!  We get along great and we are noticing the weirdest thing in the world about dogs here.  Somehow, someway, they always manage to take a poop ON TOP of the rock.  Grass nor dirt does it for them.  American dogs are a little behind I believe.

I have been reading in Mosiah(my favorite book in the BOM) and liked the story of Alma the Younger.  Its amazing to see how he was the vilest of sinners, but was able to repent and be clean again.  Its the same for us.  God WILL forgive us if he turn to him and repent fully.  It all comes from the knowledge that the Atonement allows us to claim mercy and break the bonds of justice on the condidtion of repentance.  If there is still a dark little corner in your life that you need to clean, DO IT and DO NOT DELAY.  Mosiah 16:5, if we dont repent, it would be as if there was no redemption.

Gonna be 20 this week.  Gosh Im old...

Elder Lomeli

Still dont know how the dogs do it.

Contacted it!

Mijito #3

You guessed it folks, along with all other missionaries in my zone.  I think I know have the record of companions from PERU!  My comps name is Elder Chistama and he is from Arequipa Peru. He is 25 and is one of the fruits of my mission loins.  One thing that is really cool about him is that he likes to clean and be clean!!! I think he is the most like his daddy.

So we have some new peeps with a baptismal date! Oscar and his girlfriend Wendy!  They have a date for the 25th of June, but are going to try to get married on the the 18th!!!!!  Oscar is rasta and has those cool dreds so he is pretty dope.  

When I went to pick up my companion they sent me ALONE!  They would have been better to set a three year old off alone in Times Square.  It was kinda scary but since I knew Quito well enough I was able to arrive ok.  I even invited myself to dinner...ALONE, ALL BY MYSELF.  Pollo Gus tastes better when you can eat in silence and enjoy.  But dont worry, I came to my senses pretty quick and ran to the house where I had to stay so I could breath normally again.  Better to stay with your compa.

I done been a little sick with a cold, but I tried an Ecuadorian remedy to fix it. Boil Coca Cola and add lime and drink it while its still hot right before bed.  Works like a charm.

I love this missionary thing. I think Ive said that before but Im sad that its gonna come to an end.  Gotta enjoy to the end!  God Speed.

Elder Lomeli

Took myself on a date

Hijito Elder Chistama

Tan Bobo

Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey! So Danny and Diego got baptized on Saturday!  Danny chose me to baptize him and he was so nervous!  Good thing the water was warm or he would have drowned like the other kid a few weeks ago.  We also had a special music number singing I am a Child of God and in was pretty sick.  All in all it was a good week.

I am going to be staying here in Cayame like President said.  I will be training a new missionary again.  To be honest I would like him to be from a different country thats not Peru, but if it comes to it, oh well :)  I was really surprised to recieve this assignment but Im excited at the same time. We sent Elder Parker to the airplane and he will be touching ground in New Mexico sometime tomorrow evening.  He was about to cry but didnt.  Ill see him at BYU for sure.

A lot of this week was visiting members too.  We made some smores and had a surprise Bday party for a less active that we rescued.  We had some good laughs and last night we had to sleep three missionaries to 2 beds.  Rough when one smells snores and the other is sick with a cold and YOU are the one in the middle.  Experiences that I learn from that I hope to never have to relive haha.  

Keep it cool, keep it clean, and keep reedin the Book of Mormon´s son Mormon.

Elder Lomeli

Kids still got it: String art

Danny and Diegos baptism!

Choclo Frito

Hey so I dont got lots of time this week cuz we get back from Otavalo late but here we go! Danny and Diego passed their interviews this week! They are going to be baptized this coming Saturday! We are too pumped.  We also had a killer lesson with Oscar.  He was feeling pressured by us to be baptized and had stopped talking to us for a while.  We went over and had a super spiritual lesson with him.  We told him that we would put less pressure on him if he keeps his commitments!  He accepted and we hope that he will be baptized soon.

I had my FINAL INTERVIEW with President Richardson this last week.  We had an interview a litle big longer than normal since I have been with him for almost two years. He gave me one last piece of advice that has stuck with me: "Just enjoy it".  Sometimes I stress out about the little things and dont slow down to enjoy the blessings I am recieving.  He did say that I will most likely end my mission here in Cayambe, but to live it to the fullest.

Me and Elder Andonaire (Skywalker) have been a little "chiro" this week, meaning that there is little money.  So an hermana gave us some corn and we pan fried the corn....pretty delicious.  Thats what we ate this week with some oatmeal if we behaved good.  

We are doing well.  If you have any questions or comments, talk to my secretary.  She can be found when I find one :)

Congrats on the Eagel Dyl!

Elder Lomeli

Interviews are stressful

What ya gotta do when your bed has fleas...

Chuta!

"So you been out here long? Hah! An eternity... Ive almost got less months than youve got years!"

No dont worry. Im not trunky.  But this will be a short one as there is little time left! Crazy how much cool stuff there is to see on Mormon Channel.  This week we have made an attempt to visit the members and ask them lots of references.  We didnt have too much success, so we are going to do it again this week! Yay!  I also have a killer talk in church about the Sabbath Day and left some members in a daze.  But I felt it needed to be done and the branch president thanked me for it and was waiting for a while for someone to give a talk like that.  

We also got to go to a baptism for a kid in the ward! His name is Henry and he asked me to baptize him.  The water was FREEZING and the poor kid came gasping out of the water like I had just drowned him.  Umm...okay kid, we had investigators there and are now afraid of me.  Haha no just kidding it was a great experience and the Spirit was felt for sure.

Danny and Diego are doing well for their baptism.  Oscar on the other hand seems to be dwindling.  He commits of come to church but doesnt show up.  Pray for him that he can find a job here in Cayambe and have the desires to come to church.

I learned a lesson the hard way too.  We were walking up on the mountain to visit Danny and Diego and to save time, we decided to cut through a corn field.  Well, there wasnt a sign that said there was 4 inches of standing water under the inch of dirt.  Shoes got super wet and muddy.  Oh well though.  Mission probs.  

I love being a missionary.  Time goes fast and the work hastens on.  I know this is all true.  Proverbs 3:5-6.  

God Speed,

Elder Lomeli

So capturing.....

Photo Shoot on Divisions with Elder Parker

Watch where youre walking, they said. 

 Henry´s Baptism!

C´mon Barbie!

Life in plastic, its fantastic!

This week was pretty good, especially since I could call home!  So good to know that all is well and that the food there is still delish.  We have three investigators with a baptismal date all for the 28th of May! Two are brothers named Danny and Diego who are 10 and 12 and then we have Oscar who is 27 (he is rasta!)  We are super excited for them and have lots of faith that all will work out.

It was a madhouse taking Danny and Diego to church though.  We took the bus about 20 minutes outstide of Cayambe and were waiting to take the bus back around 8:30, thinking it would give us enough time to get to church.  FIVE buses didnt stop to let us get on becuase they were too full.  First time Ive experienced that in the mission, cuz normally its like a can of sardines!  We got to church late, but we got there and they were able to retain their baptismal date ;)

Since this last week was 5 de Mayo, I made the hint to a family that we needed to have some Mexican food and celebrate.  They had me make burritos, but they made a point to not make it spicy (Ecuadorians cant take the heat apparently).  But it was delicious and they really liked it.  

Im not really sure what to do with my hands right now, because I said all the good stuff yesterday in the call.  This week "Im a Barbie Girl came on when were on a bus to Otavalo.  Being the only one that knew the words, I gave em a little show hahaha.  Then one of the counselors in the branch presidency here told me that I could be a Ken Barbie.  

Still gotta celebrate 5 de Mayo, even if its a day late 

The Golden Question 

Quemados Training Camp

We just go out of boot camp in Otavalo.  We played quemados which is basically dodgeball, but with toilet paper wrapped in tape.  For almost an hour we played THOSE WITH MORE THAN 18 MONTHS vs. those with less time.  In all, it was like 7 against 16, but those 7 could all catch, throw and throw hard so we won.  Fun to pound on the younger missionaries once in a while :)

We are having a bit of a hard time right now in the sector.  Its big and we are always having to travel to Otavalo and it eats time.  David didnt come to church, but we are looking for those that want to progress.  Pray that we can find someone that will progress soon, we kinda need it to keep the spirits up.  The house is clean though, so that helps :)

We are wet, tired, sore, and hungry.  Sounds like scouts but Young Men, its a whole new level.  You get all the fun, but you get to shower.  This work is great.  I cant wait to call this Sunday!  I love ya all....when yer asleep.  Have a great week!

Elder Lomeli

Ladies of the 80´s

"Im so excited! And I just cant hide it!"
"Oh Mickey yo so fine, yo so fine, ya blow mah mind! Hey Mickey!"

The cyber that I am in plays 70´s and 80´s classics every time we come in to write!  Like Elder Bednar said: "If you cant do anything about it, ENJOY IT."  

Anywho, this first week here in Cayambe has been a little rough and I was really starting to complain a bit.  But then God blessed us with a tender mercy.  We were able to put a baptismal date with someone!  His name is David and we just rescued his brother, so we hope to get him wet on the 21st of May.  

Elder Andonaire is pretty cool.  He plays lots of instruments and convinced me to buy a Kena, or a wooden flute thing.  He is going to help me learn how to play a few songs and himns.  It is made with bone and everything, so its the real thang.  I made him help me clean the house and we made a bargain that he will wash the dishes always and I will always sweep and mop :)  I win.

Also right now there is a pretty big thunderstorm outside and the lightning is touching ground (we are really high up) so it feels like little earthquakes.  We are hearing more and more news about the people in the coast and the country for the first time that Ive seen is helping out pretty selflessly.  If only we could all give like that even when a disaster doesnt strike.  If we are prepared, we wont fear, so how could we mulitply that to all of God´s children?  Answer: Mosiah 2:17.

Cayambe is famous for bizcocho.  Its like a really buttery cookie bread thing.  We are going to Quito today for a training that President called me to.  Cayambe out!

Elder Lomeli