Easter Baptisms

"When I go home? Elder, when YOU go home, every one of those girls up there is going to be married and have three kids."

Its been a week of Miracles to say the least!  First off we will talk about the marriage of Fabian and Maricela.  We went with them to the register office on Tuesday, payed to money and made the appointment.  MIRACLE #1 The wedding appointment was made for the following day at 9 am! MIRACLE #2: President Richardson gave us permission to go two days in row to support them in their marriage.  The ceremony lasted like 5 minutes.  MIRACLE #3: We were able to put a baptismal date with their two kids, Johanna and Isaac for April 9th. MIRACLE #4: Fabian and Maricela were baptized!  Elder Ureta baptized Maricela and I baptized Fabian.  I made Fabian kneel in the font becuase he weighed too much for be to baptize him normally.  It was a great day.

MIRACLE #5: Elder Wells, a good friend from school is alive and well.  I saw Elder Call this week and he broke the news to me.  Hope all is well there.

MIRACLE #6: We have been working with Natalia who has a date for April 9th.  She and her husband (a member) were going to get divorced but the bishop was able to talk to them and help them work it out.  We finished the lessons and will have her interview on Saturday!

MIRACLE#7: Christ was resurrected on this last weekend almost two thousand years ago.  Making it possible for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father.  That is the greatest miracle of all.

Have a great week!

They got married!

 

Fooseball: Ultimate bachelor party

Fabian and Maricela got baptized!

It was a long week...

Cookie Toss

"Hi Im Kammy, a certifed nurses assistant, can I help? They said you slipped on jello." "No, I didnt slip ON jello, I slipped INTO jello." "Oh."

Hey, so not a whole lot happened this week, but what did happen was awesome!  We will start off with Fabian and Maricela who have a date for the 26th of this month.  We went over on Thursday night and they had a huge fight.  They were going to separate from each other.  They had the police called, a divorce lawyer on the phone, and two frightened missionaries on their couch.  All in all, we were able to help them calm down and listen to us.  We reviewed the Family Proclamation and offered to dedicate their home.  It all worked out, and they just barely called me to tell me that on Wednesday or Thursday they are going to be married to be baptized on Saturday!  I think Im gonna be a marriage counselor when I grow up.  

We also had the Stake Conference this weekend.  We had just left a cita to go get an investigator.  While on the bus, I felt something hit my leg.  I thought nothing of it at first, but then it got warm and wet.  I thought that some kid had urinated on my leg. (Parents pull down the pants of their kids, boy or girl, and make them do their business wherever they desire here)  I look down and to my delight, it was just puke!  Yes! I get to go see the mission president with an orange puke stain on my suit!  The mom didnt even say sorry or anything, she just looked at me with a stare that said "next time, dont put your leg there!".  #MissionMemories

My soccer skills are getting better.  I can take on one gringo, a bolivian with a foot infection, and a peruvian with a snow coat all at one time!  Sports Center here I come.  Oh and I found a good food combo: boiled potatoes and guacamole.  Try it before Bobby Flay makes it famous.

I cannot believe how fast time flies.  I love being a missionary!  I know without a down that this church is true and all that it entails.  I know that families can be together forever.  ¡Que les vaya bien!

Elder Lomeli

Sorry, no photos this week

Pimp My Ride

"My red car with four handlebars.....and an extra seat!"

Howdy Ho Ranger Joe!  Lets start out with the good stuff eh?  Natalia was able to come to church!  The only problem is that she works in the orient and left her Book of Mormon here in Quito and hasnt read.  We are going to be praying a ton for the Miracle of March to fall upon her and her testimony.  Fabian and Maricela werent able to come to church due to a work project that they had planned a month ago.  We visited them after and were heart broken that they couldnt go.  They had also had a pretty big fight and were to the point of not wanting to get married or baptized.  We talked about opposition and were able to help them work things out.  We are going to take them to a FHE tonight :)  The 3 of them keep progressing towards the 26th.

In our zone meeting we practiced how to do baptismal interveiws.

 An Elder from Guayaquil was interviewing sister missionary pretending to have 10 years.

 Then came "Pregunta 4".  He had to explain to her what an abortion was and he just made a farting noise with his hands exploding out of his stomach.  Nailed it.

Im starting to gain weight.  I would say that its because the members are giving a little bit more food than before, but the truth is that I havent done any excercises for 2 weeks.  Just make me the next start of Super Size Me.

We also met a less active guy that is a retired motorcross racer.  He is the son of one of the members in Carapungo (were I was a year ago).  It was cool to already know some of his life.  He let us start his motorcycle, not drive it, and fed us chop suey.  Typical Sunday night for us.

I love being a missionary.  Its amazing how fast time flies.  Sorry fam, but I could do this forever!  Have a great week, and keep the commandments!

Elder Lomeli

Chop Suey

President´s Angels

Im Lovin´ It

"There´s 7 diferent kinds of sherbert, floating in that Spirte! Dude, that ain´t right!"

I started off the email like that because our zone had baptisms this week, so that meant that we could have a companionship activity.  Elder Ureta and I went to a mall call Condado Shopping and I ordered McDonalds for the first time in Eucador.  Fries and nuggets were the same, burger was nappy, prices were soaring, and the sprite had little floaty things in it...I testify that McDonalds is better in the states.

Other good news is that Elder Ureta and I are staying in Comite del Pueblo one more change!  We were praying super hard to be able to stay here.  The wards love us and are getting stronger.  Last night we advised some investigators that one of us might leave, and they told us to call them when we knew the changes.  The wife answered, and when the husband in the background heard, he screamed out "WAHOO!".  It could be heard throughout all the building haha.

We are working with 3 investigators who have a baptismal date for the 26th of March.  The first 2 are a couple, Fabain and Maricela (Fabian is WAHOO guy).  They are a reference from a recent convert.  They arent married, but have the goal to be married on the 11th of March so they can fully keep the commandments!  We have only visited them a short time, but have already hand many spiritual experinces.  The other is Natalia.  She is the wife of a member and they just moved into the ward.  The husband has the sickest wardrobe and hair-do, I just might copy him when I get home.  (Ill send a pic of him next week).  Natalia already has the goal to be sealed in the temple and raise her kids in the church, so we have a big responsibility to help her gain a testimony.

So, thats pretty much it.  I love this Gospel.  It brings more happiness that anyone can ever imagine.  Keep it real, keep it cool, and remember: Mormons can be Buddhists too.

Elder Lomeli

Halftime during lunch

Made encebollado for a FHE (they gave the recipe)

"I relate every topic to my mission, and the baptisms I had.  When I think about awesome people on and on, still makes me sad."

To start off, Jessica was BAPTIZED!  We went  by her house every single day to make sure that nothing was going to stop the baptism, and it all went well.  The font even had WARM water this time!  Jessica chose me to baptize her, so of course we made an extra effort to make sure the font was clean and the water was warm.  We had about 60 people attend the baptism, which is a lot for the ward here and it made Jessica kind of nervous, but she gave her testimony afterwards like a champ.  She really is converted to this Gospel.  Oh, and she may or may not have been super excited when she came out of the water that she hugged the person baptizing her....

I also had the opportunity of baptizing a kid named Jeremy.  His mom is a less active that we are teaching and he recently turned 8.  He chose me to baptize him as well.  When he came out of the water, he let out the bigges gasp youve ever heard.  Some thought I tried to drown the kid.  It was awesome.

Other than that, this week has been a great week of finding.  Lots of investigators that have potential to progress, and lots of less actives that are going to be rescued this coming month. The sad thing is that changes are this coming week, and I really really hope to stay here.  The wards are also being strengthened in the short time Ive been here.  

Elder Ureta found a new friend this week.  His name is Pack.  He named him Pack in honor of a missionary that went home a few months back.  Elder Ureta gets really excited when we go see him (see photo).  This week me and Elder Ureta have also become a lot closer.  We understand each other better and we are praying super hard so that we can stay together one more change to see the fruits of our labors.

With all the good things that happened this week, one cant help but think that this Gospel HAS to be true.  The Spirit has testified to many and to me about the truthfulness of this church and I love sharing my testimony.  We think that God has blessed us with that possible family of 4!  They are a reference from a recent convert and all we did was pass by their house and invite them to the baptism. AND THEY CAME!  Less gooo!!!

Anyway, have a great week.  "Read some books!"- Nacho

Elder Lomeli

Elder Ureta and Pack

Jessica at her Baptism! 

Jeremy and his mom Katy

Singed Eyebrows

So the thoughts I had to when shaking Elder Hollands hand were similar to what Agnus said in Dispicable Me. "Its so fluffy Im GONNA DIE!".  But my words were more like this: "He´s so Elder Holland Im GONNA DIE!".  It was a really good conference with Elder Holland.  He talked a lot about how are callings are Apostolic and the importance of the task of saving a human soul.  And let me just say, Elder Holland is WAY more animated when he isnt speaking in General conference.  Slapped the podium like 5 times, said the words "stupid" and "idiot" (No Gma, he didnt say the whole phrase "stupid idiot" :) ).  But the main message that he shared was having to do with the fact that this is the only time in my life to have this calling full time.  I need to eat, sleep, drink, think, bleed, puke, and dream missionary work.  Elder Holland only shook our hand and wanted to know our name and where we were from, and from that he told us straight up that it was equivalent to a 20 min interview...That was a shokcer for sure.


We had strict rules to not speak to Elder Holland unless he spoke to us.  He didnt talk to many, but did to me.  He said "Hows that red hair doing?"  I think he just notice by sun-burnt head from the new hair cut :)

Good news! Jessica is going to be baptized this Saturday!  She passed the interview, but didnt come to church. We were freaking out and wondering where she was, but we worked it all out.  She just had a little family problem.  We are goin to her house every day this week to make sure all is well.  She is loving the Bookf of Mormon and cant wait for Saturday.  Can I get an AMEN?!

We were walking down the main street the other day, and my Elder Ureta sees two girls in their 20´s walk out of a store and suggets that we go contact them.  I agree and as we get closer, one of them says "Que mas loco?" or in other words " sup bro" in a MANS voice.  Cross that off the To Do list: Contact cross-dressers.

Its been a week with the usual highs and lows, but in the words of Elder Holland: "Salvation was NEVER easy."  I know this church is true and without a shadow of a doubt that the 12 Apostles are living Witnesses of Jesus Christ.  I believed it before, but I KNOW it now.  

Just started pouring rain.  Yippee.  Have a good week!

Elder Lomeli

Elder Holland and Elder Lomeli

Bridge of death we have to cross almost every night.  Hate bridges.

Hey. Hey you.  Yeah you. No, not you! You!  Yeah you with the face!  Gonna eat that donut?

Ladeez and Gents its been a good week.  To start off, Ive been having lots of weird dreams lately, but one of them was of my companion.  I dreamt that he was in the movie Planet of the Apes and the main monkey had his face....Never gonna forget that one:)

The investigator Jessica keeps coming to church and is progressing for her date on the 27th of this month!  We are super excited for her.  Every time we ask her about her baptism she says that she is still 100% sure.  We just have a few principles left to teach her then she can have her interview!  We were a little bit saddened though becuase Melissa live literally 5 feet outside of our sector and we cant teach her...We had to pass the reference :/  She´ll be baptized for sure though.

Since we are working in two wards we get the chance to work with lots of less actives.  I think we are working with about 30 or so.  About 15 of them come to church, but because of the size of our sector we cant teach them all in one week.  March is going to be a killer month here in Comite and Collaloma.  There are some investigators that are in the process of knowing the church, so we hope to see some success there.  Oh! and we may have found the family of 4!  We found them contacting and the dad let us in after some persuading.  The return appointment fell, but we made another one for this Thursday!  Hope its them!

So the sacrifice thing we are doing is taking a toll a bit. I now know why they call it a sacrifice.  Me and Elder Ureta wake up way early and are always tired.  Somethimes I study standing up.  I also found a good use for the nerf guns mom sent me for Christmas!  When Elder Ureta falls asleep, I go RAMBO on him!  Its the funniest thing ever :)

Elder Holland is already here. Gonna see him Wednesday.  Chau Chau!

Elder Lomeli

Milk in a...bag?

Car = Our Dream