¡Ese Hombre Se Mojará!

Well Im a little more dry now, but not too much.

This week has been a pretty busy week.  We were able to work a lot in the streets trying to contact people to teach.  We even met a lady that blatantly lied to us and we called her on it. She said she didnt know how to read, but I asked her to read the title on the pamphlet.  Either a miracle happened or she thought we were stupid. She then accepted the pamphlet and a possible visit this coming week.  She thought she was smart, but I wasnt born yesterday....just two days ago.  Gotta do what ya gotta do to get an investigator right?

To quote John Wayne and Elder Barnes (last comp) : "Life´s hard....its even harder when youre stupid".  That just ran through my mind all week and made me laugh :)

We have some real progress with Jorge!  We have been passing by his house to finish all the lessons with him so he could have his interview.  It was scheduled for 2:00 in the afternoon and he wasnt home.  We TOTALLY flipped out.  We had to tell the DL to not come and we would let him know what happens.  I was calling him all afternoon, but Jorge´s cell was turned off.  We were sitting there frustrated, then Elder Kimball said he had a "revelation".  He said that he hadnt called Jorge yet so he was gonna give it a try.  Whats the first thing I hear?  "HERMANO JORGE, COMO ESTÁ?!?!?".  Of course he answered for him hahaha.  We hurried and called the DL to come at 6:00 that same day for the interview.  We pretty much lead him by the hand to make sure he got there, but he passed and we will have a baptism this next Saturday!  We are too excited!

That is pretty much the week we had.  Lots of rejects, being chased by dogs (that will never change), and our mamitas falling almost everyday.  We are still happy and trugging along.  We will find a new person here real soo, I can feel it!  I know that the Lord is preparing people everywhere in the world to accept the gospel, it just up to us to find them.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true. 

I hope the family had a good weekend in Lyman!  Hope I will make it for next year! Have a great week!

Elder Lomeli

P.S. Picture: Native cow death trap

I'm All Wet...

Ahhhhhh! A Clock! -Ed

Wow I cant belive its time to write again.  Passes so fast.  The mission just grows up so fast.  This week has been WET!  It has rained almost everyday and continues to rain up until right now.  Its crazy, but at least there is no dust now!

So first off with Jorge! This guy gave us a scare this week!  We have passed by his house almost everyday to make sure that he is reading and fulfilling with his commitments.  We did a tour of the chapel on Friday and and for sure felt the Spirit! He knelt in the sacrament room and said he really felt a tranquility and that the Church was good.  We pass by to visit him the next day and he said that he was gonna follow the Catholic Church instead, but wanted to keep the Book of Mormon.  Good thing that we had Wauki there with us to help him want to keep progressing.  After calming him down, he came to church the next day, and was invited to a family night with the Patriarch and Bishop Castañeda that same night.  He says he feels really welcome in the ward and wants to continue!  He has his interview planned for this Saturday! Pray hard for him!

I was also asked to give a talk on Sunday.  The bishop gave me the go ahead to really give it to the ward cuz they arent very converted.  I talked about the theme that we have as a mission and how they can apply that into being missionaries everyday.  The theme is "Lead by Example, Serve by Love, Fulfill with Obedience, We Will Return with Honor" it makes more sense in spanish BTW.  They said they liked it and I hope that they and those of you at home can try to be missionaries in ANY moment and in ANY place.  It will give you a real sense of the love of God in your life.

We just got back from a zone activity where we played dodgeball with both toilet paper and with water baloons.  Needless to say I took four people on by myself and won for my team.  And the Sister Leaders think that its fun to poke fun at Elder Lomeli, so they dumped TWO buckets of water all over me.  They are lucky that I can only shake their hands haha.  One of them kinda reminds me of Janessa Broadbent in almost all aspects except for the fact that she speaks spanish.  They got a HUGE prank coming at them, and dont worry, their scriptures will remain unharmed :)

I love being a missionary and everything there is about it.  Its sad that it goes so fast, but so worth it.  I know that this Chruch is the true Church, and that it is directed by God himself.

I hope the family has fun in Lyman.  Shoot a rabbit for me and dunk Cameron 100 times for me.  Oh and I hope the SF Giants keep on their winstreak :)

Have a great week!  READ THAT BOOK OF MORMON!!!!!!!

Elder Lomeli

Mouse Hunt

Que tal mis queridos amigos y familiares!?!?!?!?!

Well, this week we are particularly happy for many a reason.  We were able to keep working in this great work for our Lord and keep finding new people to teach.  And, things are going really well with me and Elder Kimball.  He talks a lot about BYU and sports so we can keep a conversation going pretty well.  We also quote lots of Greg Wrubell BYU sports announcements, so that keeps things lively!!

So to explain the title.  We get home from a long day of walking and I go to make something to eat.  I noticed lots of little black things on the top of our microwave and I knew we had a problem.  I said that I think we have a mouse.  We moved the table that had the microwave on it and out scampered the little theif.  He was TEENY!!! Could have fit three of them in my hand.  We chased him all around the house with a broom and an electric fly swatter that I have.  We blocked off rooms, moved furniture, and made a real ruckus.  Long story short, he was able to escape.  We are on high alert now even though we are two of the biggest human beings in the town fighting against the smallest mouse I have ever seen.  We sleep with the fly swatter in between our beds now.

This week we have an investigator progressing!  Its not Luz Maria, but she is doing a lot better healtwise.  Thank you for your prayers for her.  But the new person is named Jorge.  He is a 62 year old guy we found contacting.  He accepted a date for August 1st.  He loves to learn, learn, and learn more.  The only problem is his wife.  She kicked us out during a visit and thought we were conspriring against her with her husband or something.  On Sunday, we went to invite him to church, and his wife who is CRAZY, TOTALLY changed!  She pretty much asked for us to ask her permission to visit.  Then, out of no where, she came to church too!  And they said they both loved it!  They will progress nicely.  God really does answer prayers!

We also found a really good family this week that is willing, but will require some patience.  The Familia Males.  The husband is confined to his bed with reallly bad leg pains.  We taught them the first lesson and sawed and chopped their firewood for them.  That really gained their confidence, but they didnt show up to church. We will figure out why soon.  They cant read, and the husband is really closed, but we have faith that the wife will be able to progress.

I hope all is going well for everyone reading this.  Thank you for all your prayers and support.  I know that this church is true, and that Jesus is the Christ.  Hope you all have a great week!

Those of you who know the movie MOUSE HUNT, yeah.....that was us.....

Elder Lomeli

No Mamita? No problem...we can cook

Duck Dynasty pants while mine were being sewn

Cuicocha (guinea pig lake) below the volcano Cotacachi

Sacrifices at Cuicocha :)

More sacrifices at Cuicocha :)

Double Gringo Cheeseburger

Herro! 

Finally got my new compaion this week!  Elder Kimball is from San Antonio Texas, has a little more than a year in the mission, and loves the Spurs (kill me now).  He came from my old sector in the orient and arrived here in Otavalo on Tuesday morning.  The normal highway is under construction, so he had to go through TWO other missions to get back to our mission haha.  He is my second gringo comp and we both just wanna work hard and go to McDonalds.

This week was extraordinary though. I hadnt been able to get to know the sector too well in the last change, but we decided to work our butts off.  We contacted a ton and found a ton of new investigators to teach.  It felt really good, and we have goals and plans to work even harder this coming week.  We, even though we hardly know each other, are able to teach really well.  I have a good feeling that we will turn this sector around.

On Saturday, we have to contact two hours a day.  In Agato, there are maybe 15 people in the whole city on Saturdays because everyone goes to Otavalo.  But, the very first person we contacted ended up being an investigator with a baptismal date!  His name is Jorge, is about 60, and he accepted everything we taught him.  He accepted the baptismal date right off the bat and was really excited to come to chruch.  Sadly, he wasnt able to come to church becuase he had to watch the house and make sure nobody robbed it.  We will keep working hard with him though.  

About hermana Luz Maria, she was feeling too sick to come to church this week.  That being said, she still has lots of great desires to come to church this next week and progress.  It will just be a little struggle with her husband because he drinks a lot and doesnt want to take her to church ever.  Please pray for her to get better and to want to keep progressing in the Gospel.  

This week though, I felt something that I hadnt felt before.  We were teaching a lesson to a teenage guy and we were about to share the First Vision.  We were teaching and it was my turn to share the experience of Joseph Smith.  I felt that the kid wasnt feeling the Spirit too strong, so I invited him to look at nothing but the picture and pay attention to his feelings as he listened.  I tried to speak slowly and with feeling and something came over me.  I felt really calm and warm inside and I knew that it was the Spirit testifying to me that Jospeh really did see God the Father and Jesus Christ.  It felt so good that I wanted to recite even slower to keep that feeling.  Really powerful moment.  The young man then accepted the baptimal invitation!  But, he came to us the next day and said that he is going to work in Guayquil for summer but will come back in September.  We may not be able to see him be baptized, but we for sure planted a seed in him.

I know that this church is true and that everyting in it is true.  I also know that CTR clothing is a really good place to buy missionary clothes because I have almost a year and my shoes are just now starting to wear down (yes I wear the same pair everyday and I aint ashamed of it!).  I would like to invite everyone to study and pray about the First Vision.  Its truely amazing.  

This week, I feel really good to take the advice of Napoleon´s grandma and make myself a dang quesadillllla.  I ate one like erryday and twas divine!  Have a great week!

A house divided: Spurs vs Lakers/Giants

Cleanin like an Ecuadorian: water and broom

Found Elder Colfack!!!!  #LPOD

True Joy

Ñuca amigocuna!  Alli guta ringuichi?  Ñuca Alli pachaka :)

I hope all had a great week!  Well, its obvious that I made it through the crazy week last week.  We had a few drunks interrupt a lesson or two we played dodge the drunks walking home each night!  We made it out alive though.  The drunks out here are just hilarious.  One guy threw rocks at a bird, hit it, then came up to show us that he caught the bird.  He was really amused and then threw it at the ground, but, the bird flew away before it hit the ground.

So this week, we have a person that is progressing!  Her name is Luz Maria and she finally came to church!  She is partially blind and needed someone to take her to church but she loved it all!  It was kinda funny because when we were taking the sacrament, she put 25 cents on the sacrament tray to tip the deacon :)  We will work out the kicks with her, but she wants to keep coming back!

And something amazing happened with the member that fell into his alcoholic habit a few weeks ago.  He felt really bad for falling, but he determined to get back up and fix the problem.  We went with him to have an interview with the bishop, and the bishop gave him the OK to put the garment back on and partake of the sacrament!  It has been months since he was able to do the two of those things.  It was right then and there that I felt the most joy than I have ever felt.  I got a sense of what our Father in Heaven feels when we do the right things.  I considered it "true" joy.  I hope to be able to fell that more often throughout the rest of my mission.

We had changes today was well.  Elder Barnes left to go to Quito and I am staying in Agato.  I will be receiving Elder Kimball.  He is coming from the orient, the same city where I started so he will be here later.  I will tell you all more about him next week!

I know that this church is true and I am super glad to be a part of it! And even better to be able to share it!  Keep reading the scriptures and it will bless your lives!

P.S. When we were walking home  a few nights ago, we were ready for anything to happen.  We quoted Inspired Guns and said that we would punch people in the inner thigh.  Please Elder, your from Cedar Hills......South Central East Side!!! :)

First time eating  cui!!!

Reaching the top of our sector

Companionship study + sugar= Mustaches :)

Opening the BDAY present :)

19 and In Ecuador

Hey everyone hows it going!  I would like to start this letter with an amazing discovery we found this week.  Everyone says that in Ecuador, there isnt much money and things like that. Some would even say that Agato, which is in the backwood mountains, has even less.  But, we found that these people are really fortunate.  Each one has a BACON MACHINE in the yard, and some even have two or three!  We are going to come back here and revolutionize this place with bacon!  Just put whatever in, and bacon comes out! PIGS are great :)

This week we were able to have some great initial success with a few people.  First with Luz Maria.  She is the cousin of a member that has diabetes and is almost blind.  She lives close to a Pentecostal church and they have been kind of obligating her to go to church there.  She said that as soon as we walked in her home, she felt something different, but good.  We were able to share the Restoration, invite her to church, and invite her to baptism.  She accepted all of them!  But she wasnt able to come to church becuase her husband came home druck and couldnt walk her to the chapel.  She is way prepared though and will progress nicely!

Second was with Luis.  He is the son of an old investigator who claims he is a straight up catholic and will never change.  We said that we would come over and read the Bible with him and he accepted.  We read Ephesians 4 which explains the foundation of the church that Christ established.  He accepted another visit, but we asked him if he would be interested in reading another book like the Bible but written here in the Americas.  He responded that he would and we will bring him the Book of Mormon and help him move along that way.  He wont come to church yet, but we are sure that he will feel the power of the Book of Mormon and will want to change.

My birthday was definitely one to remember!  We had our zone meeting with President Richardson and they all sang to me and gave me a cake.  We then went to Wauki Amaguaña´s house and we had a chicken dinner and cake.  We used the party hats and blowey things as well (thanks Oma :))  Now I feel old but thats ok.  Elder Barnes said he would get me a walker when we get home.  We have been eating birthday cake for breakfast everyday since....oops :)

This week I was reminded that it is not the numerical value of the work that we do in our lives that matter.  The meeting with President and a division with the ZL´s this week made me realize that if I give it my all, the Lord is please.  It reminded me of President Uchtdorf´s talk a conference or two ago.  If we feel pleased, the Lord is pleased.  If we find little acts to do everyday, we will feel the love of the Savior and have a feeling of what he would do for that same person.  Dont be afraid, just do it and dont regret it.  Just remeber D&c 6:36.

So this week will be the party for San Juan!  We will be eating lots of cui (guinea pig) and other exotic native foods.  The people here celebrate this holiday to end the harvest.  They say there are lots of drunks, dancing, and fights!  Cant wait!

I hope all fathers had a great fathers day!  I know that without my dad, I would not be where I am.  I know that.  Thank you for all you have done for me and will continue to do for me throughout my life.  I love you!

Hope you have a great week....cuz we´re all dudes.

The Agato Approach

Alli shamushka kapaichi waukigocuna y panigocuna!  Ñuca charini compañeroka chinogo y charin ishcay sequecuna.  Gushtanchi la obra misional.

Hey everybody, I just thought Id give ya a tast of quichua.  It says "welcome brothers and sisters, I have a companion that looks chinese and he has two eyes.  We love missionary work."

This week was a lot better than the last becuase we actually got to work in our sector and not be confined to the house!  We were able to find a few investigators this week, but in the next few there are going to be lots of parties and holidays in the Otavalo area.  It will be kinda hard to be able to find people, or sober people for that matter.  So that is where we will make our Agato Approach to try to make it through this next week haha. Dont worry, we wont be kidnapped....they are all half our size.

We were able to find a new family to teach this week!  We were walking to an appointment and it fell through and we noticed another family cleaning up their yard. We immediately helped them out.  We found our the the dad is a less active and the wife isnt a member. They are the Maldonado Guaman family and they love coming to church and love to listen to the missionaries.  The wife has lots of questions and doubts, but is willing to listen if that means she can be with her family eternally.  We hope to see the hand of the Lord work with them to help them progress!

This sector is going to be a gold mine here in a few weeks.  We are making tons of smores and french toast for the members here to try to get them to help us out more and find more people to teach!  We love to preach this Gospel and help the people out here in Agato.  That is also part of our Agato Approach....SERVICE.  If we are serving our fellow man, we are serving God. (Mosiah 2:17). That is so true.  Though we may not be seeing too much success right now, we can still make a difference serving those around us.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes!  My birthday happens to fall on the biggest native holiday of the winter here...San Juan.  We will party it up haha!  Hope you all have a great week, and DONT FORGET TO READ THAT BLUE BOOK OF AWESOMENESS!

 How they haunt the forests here....baby heads

Chillin with our bud Jaime in corn pile

Homemade corndogs with Wauki Amaguaña

Photo shoot at Lago San Pablo