Actually, there are two kinds of language here in Ecuador...

December 7, 2009

Hey Family!
Hey how are you all? Another week has passed by! I can’t believe in less than three weeks I’ll be able to talk to you guys. I am way excited about that! Ok so I have a lot to say. First, I have a confession to make!!! My comp is not as nice as I made him sound or helpful. I didn’t want to write you guys and tell you all the things that were bothering me or the things I was struggling with. Mostly because I didn’t want mom or any of you to get worried. But I’ll be honest now, because things are a lot better. Really the first month or month and a half I wanted to go home. Actually, the first week wasn’t so bad, but the rest were really hard. But things are getting a lot better now that I can understand the language better. But really my first month or so I wanted to go home so bad. Really I don’t know how I didn’t. Lol I know it’s bad, but it was hard. I don’t have to say much about my comp to explain the type of person he is. All you need to know is that his favorite movies are Lord of the Rings, Star wars, and Harry Potter. The music he likes is the music of these movies. So at sometimes in the apartment I feel like we are about to get attacked by goblins, and the other I feel like we are fighting to save the galaxy, and another I feel like I’m flying with unicorns on clouds. Lol Let's just say I dislike the music a lot! I’ll just say he is very unique in his own little way. But really I don’t think he is as bad as Elder ______, because some days we get along great, but not a lot. It’s funny because Elder Johnson is one of the missionaries in our district who had my comp for a trainer. When I met Elder Johnson for the first time at the beginning of my second change, he gave me a big hug and said how are you doing? I looked at him and was like, “Wait does he now how I feel? Did he have the same problems as I do?” That was two weeks ago and I found out that he did feel the same way. I was able to talk to him again today at the church. We played basketball at the church today with one of our investigators, Jose Madina, and it was way fun. But ya so I talked to him, and he really is like the nicest coolest guy in the world. He has two more transfers than I and he can talk in Spanish so well. Oh and he is one inch taller than me, I think. But ya we talked today and he was able to give me some tips. He said he had the same problems with Elder Salcedo. He said there had been times that he would lock himself in a room and just start crying, and I’ll admit that I have done that. But mom I want you to know that I am fine and everyone else. Things are way better! I put this at the front so if you wanted to not put it on the page it would be easy. Lol Anyway I want to tell you about José Madina. Ok so once again, we didn’t have the baptism, because we need to work some things out with the bishop and the mission president and also with the zone leaders. They all had different opinions on what to do with him, because he didn’t go to church every time we wanted to have the baptism, but the last two weeks he has gone. Yesterday he went to church and the Christmas devotional. Today we played basketball with him at the church with 4 other missionaries. But he is soo ready for the bp. Really he is way excited for it, and so am I. I love going to his house to teach him because he always is so excited to see us and tell us what he has read. When I call you guys in a few weeks remind me to tell you more about him because its hard to explain in a letter, when you have so much to say and so little time. Carmon Cortes is doing great we have her bp set up for the 20th I think or 21st. We still have to teach her a lot before her bp. Ok so I’ll tell you a little bit about the language. It’s hard!!! Actually there are two kinds of language here in Ecuador and one I know really well, and the other his really hard. First, is gospel related language, when we are teacing lessons and I’m in church I can understand almost everything that is going on. In church yesterday I was able to understand practically everything. The other language is more difficult. This is everything outside of gospel related subjects. I’m getting to the point were I can almost always follow these conversations. I know what they are talking about, but I don’t know everything. I miss a lot and it’s very annoying. The worst is trying to talk in this language. Talking is so much harder than listening. Really I can’t talk, it’s so hard to conjugate every single verb, and know the vocab and do all these things at the same time. I thought when I first got here that I would just pick all that stuff up. I found this not to be true. I didn’t study much my first month because I thought that this would all come. But it still hasn’t and I’m still struggling. I think everyone one else that I talk to learns more English in the conversation than I do Spanish. There is this guy that works in this little teinda or store by my house. When I first got here I don’t think he knew any English, but instead of my learning how to get stuff in Spanish he just learned to works in English. He is always asking me how to say this and how to say that. Lol anyway so everyone says in about 2 or 3 months more I will start thinking and talking in Spanish. They say u understand first and then you learn how to talk. All I need is to wait or have patience. Ok so I though of what I wanted to say. So what else can I tell you about??? This week was kind of normal for me, not too much happened, it went by way fast. Oh I almost have used one more bar of soap. Lol and my shoes look like someone have actually worn them a few times. Lol only thing if need now is to know Spanish. Oh I still don’t know about the phone call, but I’ll know all the information by next week. The one thing that I do know is that we have 1 hour to talk and I don’t think any more. It’s so weird because people have their Christmas trees out and their decorations, but its still way hot. Like way hot. I have a feeling that this Christmas is going to be way different. Oh hey so I listened to the CD that was Jordan’s favorite, and now I know why. It’s amazing! Really it motivated me so much. Actually, I have almost listened to it twice. Tell Jordan thanks because I love it, and it’s a lot of help. Well we gotta run now, but I hope all is going great back at home. Mom, Dad hermanos yo extrano usteds mucho! I am doing great here in Ecuador, and this time I’m serious, love you all!

Con Amor, Elder Keables

Hey again! I have a little more time, so I just wanted to share my testimony with you guys. I want you all to know that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he restored the gospel of Jesus Christ through the power of God and that he translated the book of mormon throught the power of god. I know that when we read the Book of Mormon and the Bible, we grow closer to our Heavenly Father, and we can feel his love and his hand in our lives. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. I know that Jesus Christ is our older brother who loves and cares for us. I know that he is our redeemer and through him we can be freed from sin. Through him we can return to live with our Heavenly Father and our families for eternity. I know that Jesus has felt or pains or sorrows and he knows or weaknesses he knows our struggles. I know that he has walked a mile in our shoes because he loves us, because he wants us to have the opportunity to live with him and our Lord and our Father again. I know these things to be true with to do mi corazon, with all my heart. I have felt the hands of my older brother and my father more times than I can count in these past few months. I know that prayer works and that it’s an opportunity we have to put our faith and our trust in our Lord. I know that through our prayers we can receive help and guidance in our lives. Through prayer we can learn of our Heavenly Father. I know that God answers our prayers when they are sincere and true and from the heart. I know that this is the work of the Lord, because he has magnified my words to have an effect in ways know I could not have done by myself. I know that he is watching and protecting every one of the missionaries and their families, and that he knows and loves me and you personally. I know that everything I am, and everything that I ever hope to be is because of the Lord. I know that all the blessing I have in my life are gifts from the Lord. I’m so grateful for the gospel in my life. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission for the Lord and share the happiness and joy and blessing that the gospel brings in my life with the people here in Ecuador. I am so grateful for my friends and my amazing family. I am so grateful for all these blessing that the Lord has given me in my life. I love you all, and miss you all.

Love, Elder Keables