That’s why I am still here...

December 27, 2010
Hey Fam!!!
Christmas has gone by and we are quickly moving on to a new year!!! Wow, actually the phone call went by so fast even though I talked for more than an hour. I really enjoyed being able to talk to everyone and hear how they are all doing. Everyone sounds great and even a little different. Ryan most of all sounds so much different. Man my little bro is growing all up. lol it’s going to be so weird to see him two years older and wiser too. lol ok mom so I want to thank you for the packages that you sent me. I absolutely loved them. Really I am just loving the CD’s of music- they are way cool. Also I was so surprised to find letters from AJ, Justin, Hoy, Sep and all the rest. It’s good to hear how they are doing and to know that they haven’t forgotten about me yet. I give it only a few more months and they won’t even remember who I am. lol no Reading those letters was really the best part of the package. lol Also the candy and the shirts and the tie. Thanks mom the tie is so sweet. I put it on for church and everyone gave me compliments. lol Oh and also I gave the package to Elder Tocamo my zone leader, and he seemed to really enjoy the package. He was the perfect one to give it to, because he didn’t get anything for Christmas, so thanks a lot mom. It was really a great Christmas despite the fact that I was hundreds of miles away from you all. It’s so crazy to think that the next year I’ll be there and I’ll be going to the house of Taylor and Cody to talk to them. lol and I will be able to talk in Spanish so the fam will have no idea what I am saying. lol I am going to enjoy that oh too much. lol ok it’s cool hearing from Coach Critch because it’s been so long and it’s nice to know that he is looking forward to my return. lol Lol I can just see it... he is going to be stoked to see me put on some bball shoes and pick up a ball to play, but when I throw the first air-ball he is going to be surprised and when I shoot the second he is going to start to regret waiting two years to see me play. And when I shoot the third he will probably just kick me off the court. lol it’s going to be epic. lol but I can’t wait. ok but I am going to just keep working on my game. Also I am going to just keep working and focusing on the mission and after worry about that stuff. ok well to tell you the truth I can't think of that much to tell you all. Really I feel like the phone call pretty much just did the job. I am really looking forward to this Friday, and I am sure you all know why. Here in Ecuador it is soo crazy the way they do things or all the stuff they burn. I now have my camera so I’ll be taking a lot of videos and pics and sending your way. Anyway I want you all to know that I am doing great. I miss you all so much but just know that I am enjoying the mission like crazy and I am working hard. You’re all in my prayers and I know that the Lord is blessing you all and watching over you all. Also I know that the church is true and that the Book of Mormon is true. That’s why I am still here. I love you all!!!

Much love,
Elder Keables

Merry Christmas, Elder Keables!

I love you all and can’t wait to hear your voices this sat on Christmas...

December 20, 2010
Querido familia.

Loco!!! I can’t believe that Taylor is going to Argentina. That’s so sick!! When I first saw the video and he said Guayaquil I almost died. lol that was not even cool! But still I am so stoked because that means that we will be able to talk in Spanish when he gets back. Who would of thought that Cody, Taylor, and I all would go to Spanish speaking places and that me and Cody would get called to the same place? It’s so crazy to think how much time has gone by, things are really beginning to change. We are all going to be Spanish speaking fools.
ok so mom talking about the calling card, today the zone leader called us and we have to stay in our house Friday from 2pm until sat 2pm. I am not to sure why but they want us to stay in our house during this time. They said it would probably be better if you called our house while we are in the house. We will have to be in the house during this time so it would be cool if you could just call the phone that we have in our house. I have the number with me and I’ll give it to you as soon as I find out what is the area code. This lady is looking for it right now so I’ll be sure to let you know. You can call to our house if I give you the number right??? I think it would be cheaper if you guys called us- a lot cheaper. Ok she just told me ok so you guys can call this number.. ____ after you will put 4 or 2 depends on what kind of phone we have and put this number ______ ok so mom can you try called that number tomorrow at 8 in the morning to see if it works. If it doesn’t work I’ll call you. But I want to see if you can call straight to the house and at that hour I’ll be in the house studying. Ok good Have questions?? If things don’t work out I’ll call you ok- cool.
Ok so to answer your other questions. No I still haven’t gotten the camera yet but I imagine that they will give it to me tomorrow at the district meeting. It’s because he gave it to the elder in the office when I left so I am still waiting for them the send it to me. Pretty sure I’ll get it tomorrow. Ok so I also have heard that they sent Cody or Elder Storm out of Guayaquil, I think he is in Machala but not sure. That is out of my zone so I think I won’t be seeing him in this change, for sure not in the month. I am hoping that I’ll see him in January or something like that. I am still in the same place with my same companion Elder Zimmerman, he is from Utah. He is a way cool guy. Ok to answer another question that dad asked me in the last letter that I received from you guys. The day that I am supposed to go home is the 23rd of August. My mission got extended a week or two. But ya just so you all know.
Ok so I want you guys to look up something on youtube that the guys from are ward made. It’s a music video of back street boys. lol Its because they had a ward activity and in the activity they did this video. lol its super funny!! ok so look ok Adoltos Solteros Barrio la Pradera. They are all guys from our ward and also the person who shows up in the truck to pick them up is our bishop. lol so you guys should enjoy that. Ok so on Saturday we had another activity as a ward. It was a talent show. lol people kept asking us if we were going to do something and we just told them to go and see and that we had a surprise. Well I wasn’t too sure what we could do because really I don’t have any talents. But then I remembered that time at the trek and the show or skit that we did. The only problem was we had no one to do it with and no time to practice. Well on Saturday we showed up with the idea of just watching the shows and supporting the ward. But come to find out like 15 minutes before it started they signed us up for the first show. So me and my comp quickly rounded up a two quys and one’s girlfriend who we are teaching who is going to get baptized in jan. But ya so we went to a separate room and started practicing. I explained the whole thing through we practiced for like 5 minutes and went out and did it in front of the whole ward. lol and I gotta say it was a success!! lol they loved it. After it was all over I took the mike and said thanks to all the mamitas or the ladies that give us food everyday and told them I hope it never happens like that. lol then said thanks from our part and that their food is always really good. lol they all really enjoyed it and I am pretty sure we will hear a lot about it in the weeks to come when we eat at their houses. lol but ya it was really a fun time. Also they got pretty much all the show on tape so I’ll see if I can make a copy and send it to you all. esta bueno. lol esta bien..
Anyway so talking about the work- it’s going great. We have 3 with baptisms dates for January and we are teaching a lot more. I’ll tell you all about that on Saturday. Anyway I think it’s time to go but I’ll be waiting for your `phone call tomorrow in the morning. If things don’t work out and you can’t call me don’t worry I’ll be calling you from some pay phone to work things out. I love you all and can’t wait to hear your voices this sat on Christmas. I hope you all have the greatest week ever and enjoy every minute of this very special date. I love you all and I am so grateful for everything you all do for me. Nos vemos mas luego!! chao. peace out!!!

Love, Elder Keables

Pictures from this Week...

An excerpt from Cody's message home last week...

Spencer refers to a portion of Cody's message that I copied and pasted into my message to him today. This is what Cody had to say last week-

So this week has been pretty great! It has absolutely flown by, like
crazy fast! I cannot believe i am going to be entering the field in
like a week! So crazy to think about not being in the CCM! I am sure
this will be a really fast week as well. So this is what I am hoping
for: Spencer is going to be waiting at the airport to pick me up with
the president and then on the way to the mission home he will say "oh
by the way this is your new companion, Elder Keables" and then we will
just wreck Guayaquil and baptize the whole town... Lets just put it
this way, ya know the pictures in the back of the Book of Mormon?
There will be another one for Me and Elder Keables. I am thoroughly
convinced that this is what is going to happen, I mean it makes the
most sense, why wouldn't they want us to baptize the whole city of
Guayaquil?


I sure hope they get to see each other before too long or they are both going to be going crazy!
~Jeanette

Cody is coming to Guayaquil tomorrow!

December 13, 2010

Fam!!

1 Day!!!!!!!!!! Holy heck Cody is coming to Guayaquil tomorrow! That is so crazy!! This is probably one of the most exciting days of my life!! lol I hope I get to see that man this week. ok before I continue, I thought you would like to know that they haven’t told us anything about the changes because they are going to do them tonight. So we are just waiting for a phone call. I really don’t think that me and my comp will be seeing any changes with us, but I am sure there will be a few changes in the district and also in the zone. I totally agree with Cody- if they put us together we are going to baptize every last soul in this city. I am pretty much going to write the president that. I’m just going to tell him if he wants baptisms, he has to put me and Elder Storm together. Man I just love the sound of that Elder Storm, Elder Keables and Dan Jones or something like that. I can’t remember his name but he had so many baptisms in England. Anywho, ya THE THREE BEST MISSIONARIES EVER!!! Cody has got a point.
Ok mom- so to answer the two questions that you had about the skype, and also the money. I already took the money out and paid Elder Halls because he needed it for his trip home tomorrow. Also I asked about skype and we are not allowed to use the camera part. So I think that it would be just better to call home this time. But don’t worry, this time the president didn’t put a time limit so I should be able to talk more than an hour. lol Our new president doesn’t seem as strict on that as the last one so that is cool. Wow Christmas is coming so quickly it is just crazy!! Really I can’t believe that it is my last one here in Ecuador. I think it’s just better not to think about it. lol
Ok so about the baptism. Everything went great this weekend and Antonella was baptized on the 11th and was confirmed a member of the church yesterday at church. I’ll be adding some pics that we took at the baptism with this letter at the end (he forgot to add them). Her uncle baptized her and the bishop did the confirmation. That same night there were three other people who got baptized from other wards. It turned out really good. At first we were a little scared because not one of the bishops from any of the wards was there and we can’t perform the baptism if the bishop is not there or someone from the bishopric. But they all showed up a little late, and everyone was able to get baptized.
Ok another thing that was cool this week is that me and my comp taught a family from New York, Brooklyn. The parents were born in Ecuador but the kids were born in NY. They had come down to Ecuador to visit their family. We taught them in Spanish because the dad didn’t know very much English and all of our stuff to teach with is in Spanish. Really it’s hard teaching in English so we just taught in Spanish. But it was cool talking to them and answering their questions. We also left them with a Book of Mormon so that they could take it back to NY. Super nice family. The funniest part was listening to them speak in English. They had some crazy accents that made me laugh.
Mom, I love you, and I’m thankful for all that you do. I hope that everything goes great in this next week. I have got go but I’ll be seeing you all or talking or writing the next week. Thanks for everything!! Love you all

Love, Elder Keables

I love this sector, and I love this work...

December 6, 2010

Hey there Fam!!

Hey how are you all?? How are things going back at home? Are you all getting ready for Christmas and all that good stuff? Well I am doing great like normal. Things are just moving on and time is going by just so dang fast. I think today I won’t have a lot of time to write because today in the morning we had this Christmas banquet or something like that. We got to listen to the president talk for a little bit and after that all the missionaries in all of Guayaquil had a really good lunch made by some hermans from the church. It was really good and it was a really cool conference. The only thing that kind a stunk was that they did it in our church building, so me and my çomp had to be there way early to open it up and we had to wait like an hour after and clean it all up. So we were the first and also the last to leave and it was p-day so we got left with just a little bit of time to do the things that we have to do today. But it’s all good, it’s just part of the mission experience. Ok so about your ideas about the phone call. I’ll see what we can do. I’ll ask around to see if we can use skype and I’ll ask Elder Halls if you can just send him a check. Also I’ll be looking for nativity scenes for you. Ok so that is so sick that Taylor is now just playing the waiting game. That is so good to hear. Definitely you have to send us (me and Cody) a video of him opening his call. Man that’s so crazy. So if he gets it in just a few weeks, like in the end of Dec or the first of Jan, then he will be leaving like 5 or 4 months before I’ll be home. That is soo crazy!! It will be a long time that I won’t see him unless he gets called to come to Ecuador Guayaquil South. lol probably not going to happen. Man only one week more and Cody will be getting here. I am soooooooo stoked, you have no idea. I can’t wait to see that guy. Ok

Ok so what can I tell you all about that happened this last week? Ok so we still have two with dates. Antonela is going to get baptized this Sat, so could you be praying for her so that everything turns out good? Also, we are teaching Adriana. She will get baptized the week after next and also if you could pray for her. They are both really great and want to get baptized but it’s just hard because there is always opposition before. We are also working really hard with a few other people and in these weeks that are coming we are going to be setting some more dates. We hope to put one today with a young man named Estiven that has 20 years. We will see how things go this week. I love this sector and I love this work. I am sure we will have a great week.

Ok mom so don’t worry about the worms and all that. I was just playing around. Really it wasn’t as bad as I made it sound. All the worms were dead and really I am doing fine. There are no worms in my feet. I just tried to make it sound as intense as possible. Ok so we saw this crazy lady this week and it was funny to see the reaction of my comp. because I saw her from a long way away and I told my comp, “I bet this lady is crazy.” He didn’t believe me until we walked by her on the other side of the road. When she saw us, she went off yelling at he top of her lungs in some language that I am sure was not Spanish. lol She had this staff in her hands and if we would have gotten close enough she would have clocked us with that staff. I am sure of it. lol my comp got a kick out of it lol and I think he was a little scared. She really looked like a witch. Anyway that was pretty interesting. Ok well I am going to finish this letter right now. We have to get ourselves ready to work. But I want you all to know that I love the mish, I love all of you, and I love the Lord for all the blessings that I have in my life. You all are the biggest blessing ever!! That’s why I am here because I owe it to the Lord. Love you all and will be talking soon. Until next week!!!

Love this guy!!!,

Elder Keables

I felt like a ninja turtle in there...

November 29, 2010

My Beloved Family

Hello there my beloved family!! How art thou in thy days? ok wow it’s way to hard to write like that. That’s just another proof that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God because any other person I know would get tired of talking like that in less than a page of writing. And just think, I could barely write two sentences and people think that Joseph wrote more than 500 pages. I don’t believe so. Actually, I know that he couldn’t do that, and that he didn’t do that because he was called of God and ordained of God to bring forth his Gospel in these days. I’m just saying… Anyway so how are you all?? I am a little bit surprised that I haven’t gotten a letter from you today yet. I imagine that something happened and you don’t have enough time to write me. But don’t worry about it- no big deal. I am doing just great here with my comp. We are just loving the mish every single day of the week. Hey so you said that Beth was getting baptized on the 11^th of December- that’s pretty cool because we are going to have two baptisms that day too. We are really excited because it’s going to be a white night o noche blanca which means that it’s all the stake and that all the missionaries are going to have a baptism or a few that night. So we are really excited and also that means that Cody will be getting here in just a few more days after that. Gosh, I love the mission. Hey remember that video that you made of Jordan’s mission? Ya well I just showed it to my comp and after watching it I always feel so lucky to be here in the mish and having so many experiences. I really can’t explain in words how great these last months have been of my life. They are times I will never forget for all my life. Also, I have made so many friendships that I will cherish for all my life and for more than that. It’s true- time goes by so fast, and I don’t want to waste any of it. This last week was really a good week. Yesterday in Ecuador they had this thing where they go by all the houses and license all the people, or they ask questions about so many different things. It’s the same thing that they do in the United States but they just do it through the mail there, but here we had to stay in our house all day until 6pm. There were people from the marines walking around outside with FAT guns!! They didn’t let anyone leave their houses and they had students enter the house and count the people and ask questions. lol me and my comp talked like the whole time and also read in the scriptures and all that good stuff. lol it was a very long day in the house, but we still had a good time. OH mom, before I forget, I have a question. Have you put that 40 bucks on my card because only two more weeks and Elder Halls is going home and I want to buy his camera. Let me know by next week so I can take it out and buy the camera. Man I miss my camera so much. Even more after seeing all the pics that Jordan took. Another question. Mom how are the pics that I have taken so far? Have a taken a lot?? Are they good pics that I will enjoy after the mish? I feel like I haven’t taken any pics at all. Sometimes it’s just hard because it so dangerous here. Anyway, just tell me what you think and I’ll try and do better. ok so two things happened this last week. First we put another baptism date with Antonela Vargas, and she is going to get baptized on the 11^th of December. She will turn 10 on the 7 of Dec. so she is excited to have her baptism right after. Also, for Thanksgiving me and my comp bought a hamburger and they were pretty dang good, if I don’t say so myself. lol hola soy jhon un futuro misionero de la estaca pradera muchos saludos de mi parte bendiciones. lol y seguro que el va a ser un buen misionero. lol That was one of the guys in my ward. He said that he is future missionary from our ward and he says hi and gives you blessings. lol they are sitting right at my side on the other computer and wanted to say something. lol but anyways that is pretty much all we did for Thanksgiving. oh also all the youth in our ward came by our house at night to bring us food that they had made that night at an activity. lol did I ever tell you that here we can’t eat lettuce and also pig and strawberries? There are a lot of things here as missionaries that we can’t eat because in makes us sick or it’s not safe. We have to be very careful with what we eat here and what we drink. Oh one more thing that happened that was interesting this last week. So on Thursday me and my comp went to do service at a member’s house, and we worked all the morning. After we got finished with that service, which was scraping paint off of a wall. After that we went to our momasita or the lady that we eat with on Thursdays and we went in regular clothes. When she saw us she was so excited because we came ready to do service. Somehow she had it in her mind that we were coming to paint her house, and she was so excited that we had remembered about the service, which we didn’t. We had no idea that we were going to help her out, and it was already like 1:30 in the afternoon. lol so after we ate, I asked her if we could come on Sat in the morning and she was like ya esta buen. lol so when we got there on Sat, she had a new job. lol this job sucked soo bad. She wanted us to clean out her water tank that is underground. lol she opened it up and it was so sick! It’s the water that they use to clean and shower and everything. Like water from the spicket. lol it was so sick. When I saw it I thought, “Are you joking? I am going to get a worm in my foot or something” No joke- when I got down in there, I saw like so many worms and stuff. I was sure that I was going to die. No joke- and the worst was that she told me to take of my shoes and I was like esta loca. lol but after she convinced me for a few minutes I finally realized that there was no other way so I jumped in. The good thing is that I have looked at my feet almost everyday now, and I haven’t gotten anything. lol so I think I am going to live. lol I really thought that I was going to get a worm in my foot or something like that. Everything just turned out great, and I felt like a ninja turtle in there. lol but ya that’s about all the stories that I have for this week. Well, I think that it’s time to go now because it’s almost 6 o clock. lol anyway I just want you all to know that I am doing great here in the service of the Lord. I love you all and I am looking forward to talking to you in just a few more weeks. I hope you all have a great week. Love you all. les quiero y estoy muy agradecido por todo lo que hacen para mi.

Love, Elder Keables

Really my comp is really a cool guy and I am loving the time I have with him...

Dear fam!!! and friends!!

Hey wow thanks mom the for packages! I got my Christmas packages on Tuesday and now I just have to wait forever to open them!! No joke it such a big temptation to open them early but then I know that Christmas would really just suck, so I think I will wait. Wow that’s only like a few weeks away! That’s so crazy! lol anyway so we had a really good week. We had a lot of lessons and we taught a lot of people. We also but a baptism date for the 11 of Dec and we are going to try putting a few more in this week that is coming. The girl who has a date is named Adriana. She is catholic and has had trouble changing her ways. She has been going to church with her boyfriend who is member for quite some time so she knows a lot about the church and I’m pretty sure that she has felt the Spirit more then a few times while in church. It’s funny her and her boyfriend are pretty serious so she always has questions about the temple and and marriage. I think the sound of being together for time and all eternity with her boyfriend really has a big impact on her interest in the church. In the last two weeks of church we have had classes about families and also marriage in the temple and I really have learned so much and now have a better understanding why marriage in the temple is so important. It’s hard to explain why it’s so important in a letter but I really have a testimony of that. But at the same time it’s so scary to think about the two next big steps in my life, marriage and getting a job!! loco!! I think I am going to just stay in the mish for a few more years!! lol but ya anyway moving on. So we have more people that went to church and we are going to invite them to get baptized in the week so I’ll let you know how that goes. ok so me and my comp have been working a lot with the members and they have been helping us out a lot. I think we are slowly gaining their confidence poco a poco. lol but really things are going great.

ok that is the best news that I have heard in such a long time that Taylor will turn his papers in this week and that Cory already has his in. man when I get back they will both be in the mish. Tell Cory that I said, “That a boy! Keep up the good work!” And when he gets back we’ll go fishing!! Also tell Taylor that I love him!! lol but, N.H.!!! lol wow that’s so cool that Jordan is going to Mexico! I know that he is really going to like that!! Learning Spanish is the bomb!! I love Spanish and just want to get even better after the mish. ok before I forget I just want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving and want you to know that I’ll be thinking of all the good food all day and even probably week. lol

ok one last story so my comp was going to the bathroom, so while I was waiting a really good idea came to my mind. I thought it would be funny to hide in the apartment and see what my comp would do. lol Sooo funny. I hid where I could see him come out of the bathroom were he couldn’t see me. I thought for sure that he would be able to find me but I think my spot was better then I thought. lol he came out, dried off his hands and walked out to the other room to look for me or talk to me. when he realized wasn’t there he returned way fast into the room where I was and started looking under the beds. There are only two rooms and the bathroom in our house and he couldn’t find me and I could seem him perfectly. It was sooo funny until I started to see the panic in his eyes as he kept looking but couldn’t find me. lol but you know me, I am too much like mom that way, and I hate to see people suffer. or better said that when she plays a joke she is already admitting to joking before you even realized that she was playing on you. lol pretty much I had to jump out and show myself before he got too scared. lol it was soo funny though. It turned out better than I thought and he took it pretty well. lol really my comp is really a cool guy and I am loving the time I have with him. Really, I am just loving the mish. Anyway I think I am going to let you guys go because I really don’t know what else to say. I will say this though, that I love you all and miss you all. I’m looking forward to opening those packages and calling you all in a few weeks. Love you all. The church is true!!

Con lots of love,

Elder Keables

I love the mission!

November 15, 2010

Dear Fam!!!

I’m great! How are all of you? How is life going back in the Good Old U.S.A? Is it starting to look a lot like Christmas?? Because it’s starting to look like it here, and it’s freakin me out!! lol Hey so mom yes I did get a message from Cody, and it sounds like he is doing great in the MTC and seems way excited to come here! oh and don’t worry about the camera money too much because Elder Halls is not going to leave until the 12 of Dec so you have some time!

ok so it sounds like things are just moving along as normal there back at home! It’s good to hear a little report on the life of everyone in the family to see how they are doing. ok Jordan going to Mexico? That is soo sick, and to tell you the truth since the time you told me that Jordan was going to do that, like a few months ago, I have really thought that would be so sick to do! I am not even home yet and I already am thinking about taking trips to other countries to get to know more and learn more. lol I’ll wait until I get home to think too much about that, but yes that would be so sick!! That is so weird that there won’t be any Keables in the primary when I get back from the mish, and that Ryan will have the Priesthood! Loco!!

ok so what’s new here in Ecuador or what’s happened in the last week since the last time that I have written you all? Ok so my companion continues to make me laugh so hard. Today for p-day we went to go eat lunch at a local restaurant and we got rice and this meat and some soup and my companion looked at me out of disgust and told me that he was kind of hoping for a break from eating that kind of food. lol something that I have found out is that he is a very picky eater and doesn’t like a lot of stuff like rice or beans, which is what we eat here every day! lol it’s so funny to see him trying to force the food down. As you can see in the picture, my comp is super thin, so he has no room for the food. Sometimes when they aren’t looking I have him shovel some of his rice on my plate so he won’t die. lol In this last week he has been coming out of his shell a little bit more and talking, so that’s been nice. lol He is really a funny guy!

Talking about the work- It is going good. It’s been hard because the missionaries before us weren’t working very much, so when we got here it was like starting from ground one, but things are starting to get a lot better and our numbers should start going up in this week that’s coming. We have some really good investigators, and we are planning on putting dates with them in this week that’s coming. As of right now, we don’t have anyone with a baptism date, but after this next week, I am sure that we will have a few that will have accepted. But really the work is going great, and my comp every day is learning and getting better at Spanish. The mission is making a few changes in the way that we teach, so we are just trying to put all these things to practice so that we can have a lot of success. Really we are working hard and trying to be as obedient as possible. I really love our new sector and I hope that I have some time here to work and have baptisms. All the members are really cool and they are always trying to help us out. Right now what my companion and I are trying to do is gain the confidence of all the members and motivate them to work in the missionary work or to share the Gospel. We want there to be more than just two missionaries in the ward; we want all the members working with us, so instead of having just two missionaries we will have 100 and something. That is our plan. hey you guys should do that same thing at home. Remember that every member is a missionary and start helping the elders at home out find and teach people. Really do it! Give them references, then go with them to teach!! I promise blessings!! And so does the Lord!! We NEED to share the Gospel, and we should always look for opportunities to share with our friends. Because what we have is true and no one else has it or knows it, but they can if we open our mouth!! I love the mission!

ok well I don’t really know what else to write to you guys about so I think I am just going to end it here. I love you all and I’m so thankful for all the things you all do for me. I feel so blessed to have friends and family like you all, and I feel even more blessed to be here in Ecuador and share what I know to be true and represent the Lord our Savior Jesus Christ, to be in his work and have his name over my heart everyday! I love you all and miss you all!

From, Elder Keables aka Que-Hables !! lol they all say that!!!

We already had a good first week...

November 8, 2010

Ok wow where to start? To answer some of the questions that dad had. Yes there are two new elders that took our place in my old sector. My old companion is here in Guayaquil working with his new comp. I have only seen him one time since last week, but he seems to be doing really well. Ok thanks mom for the Christmas packages. I am super excited for that. I can’t believe that Christmas is coming. Yesterday I saw a Christmas tree and I thought it was a joke, but then I realized that it’s only a few weeks away. lol I am excited. Pretty sure that I will be here with my companion that I have right now. Ok so about my comp. So he came straight from Peru to here. So pretty much he just finished what Cody is starting up right now. He said that he liked Peru a lot because they got to leave the limits and go work in the street twice a week. To tell you the truth he is speaking way better Spanish than I was when I first got here. It’s still really hard for him to speak and the people really don’t understand that well, but in a few weeks he will get used to things and start speaking better. Oh, so his name is Elder Zimmerman and he is from Utah. I am way excited to be his trainer and help him get used to the mission and teach him the way of Ecuador. lol He really is a way cool guy and I am sure that we are going to work really well together and have a lot of success. We already had a good first week. I am way excited for this week to keep working in the sector and get to know the members and everything. We have a really cool ward, and the members are all way nice and always looking for ways to serve the missionaries. We have so many people that are willing to go out and teach lessons with us. This Sunday after church just about every young man in the ward came up to us after church and asked us when they could help us with lessons in the week. I really love this new sector. Also, we have the best zone leaders in the whole mission- Elder Halls and Elder Reese. They are way sick and so helpful. On Tuesday when I went to get my new companion the zone leaders went to our house and cleaned it all up and left candy on the front door step with a note for my new comp saying welcome to the mish. It was so nice of them because the two missionaries that left, left the house in a mess, and I didnt have time to clean anything up. Also, I got to go and do 2 sessions in the temple this last week. I went on Wed. with all the new missionaries and their trainers and on Thurs with all the district and zone leaders in the whole mission. It was so nice to enter the temple and feel the Spirit that is always there. Ok so more about my comp. So he is really a shy kind of guy. I am trying to get him to teach more and to talk more but he just looks so scared. He is super humble and super nice, just a little bit shy. But I was probably the same way when I got here. Something that I have noticed a difference in me is that I feel so much more comfortable talking with random people. I feel like I have gotten over my fear of talking with strangers, or its just a lot easier now. It still scares me sometimes. Anyway, so dad asked if my new area is new for me. Ok so remember when I was in Centenario? Well, actually where I am at right now is like 5 minutes down the street. It’s actually really close. Oh so I’ve got to tell you guys something that is so funny. Ok so training my companion reminds me so much of how I was when I first got here. No joke -everything he does reminds me of what I used to do. I walked around just freaked out of my mind over this place. And I am sure that it shows when you read my letters from the first month or two from the mish. Ok so something else that is funny. Right now there is this shorter fat guy sitting next to my comp and keeps asking him questions. My comp looks freaked out by the guy and keeps looking at me, asking for help or he wants me to save him. He asked my comp if he was writing the girlfriend, but I don’t think my comp understands him, so is acting like his not listening. Lol or he just smiles and looks the other way. Lol oh it reminds me of the first part of the mission. I remember when I first got here I would always look at my comp in the lessons whenever I couldn’t understand or I thought I was saying something wrong. Now it’s the opposite. My comp is always looking at me when he wants to say something or when they ask questions. Wow, it’s so weird training. Lol Man, to tell you the truth I cant wait until Cody gets here! It is going to be so sick. I am sure that I will see him soon after he arrives. It’s going to be so sick. Ok so right now I am going to send you guys a pic of me and my new comp that we took today in our house. As you can tell I just got a new haircut, and I am looking pretty DANG GOOD if I don’t say so myself! Lol jk ok well if think I am going to finish up this letter, because want to write something short for Cody! I just want you all to know like always that I love you all and miss you all very much. I hope you all have a great week and I look forward to hearing from you the next week. Love you all!! The church it true!!

From, ELDER KEABS, KEABLES

I am way excited to be his trainer and help him get used to the mission...

One of My Favorite Pictures from Spencer's Mission...

I love this picture because Spencer has always had compassion for those who have hardships. This was a family that had only a small brick home with no running water and no indoor bathroom.

I am going to TRAIN!!

November 1, 2010

Hey family!!
Hey I am having a baby!!!! LOL CAMBIOS!!! ok so I have so much to tell you, because so many things have changed in just one week. But I am going to start of answering the questions that you had for me. ok first talking about the camera I have an idea. ok so I was talking with Elder Halls who is my new Zone Leader that is going home the same day that Cody is going to get here. He told me that he would be willing to sell me his camera for 40 dollars. It’s not really super nice but it’s what I need. And 40 dollars is way cheap. He bought it here for 80 because he also got robbed. So I think I am just going to buy it off of him for 40. It has videos and holds a lot of pics. So mom you don’t have to worry about the camera. I only need like 40 bucks to buy that one off of him. Ok so I really don’t have anything that I need. It would be sick to have some beef jerky again. I really don't need any clothes. Really what I would like the most is candy bars. The candy bars that they sell here that are from the U.S. like Milkyway or Snickers are more than one buck for just the small ones. So lots of candy bars and stuff to snack on. But other than that really I am good. The thing that I want most is money so that I can buy things to bring home. There are so many things here that I want to buy and bring home. I’m just waiting for a few more months to go buy. Oh one other thing that I would like is music on a CD like really good church music or Disney music. But that’s pretty much everything.

Ok so I told you that I am going to have a baby!! I think Jordan knows what I am trying to say. lol So guess what??? I am going to TRAIN!! My new companion is getting here tomorrow, in the morning. I am sure that he is a gringo because only gringos are coming in this change. I still don’t know who he is or were he is from. I’ll have to give you all the information the next week. ok so another big change. I am no longer in Catamayo serving or in Loja. Ok it’s kind of a long story but I’ll try to explain as fast as I can. Ok so on Tuesday this week the zone leaders called us and told us that we had to pack all of our stuff and go live with them, because our house was too dangerous to live in. They said we had to live with them until we found a new house in Catamayo. So we went to Loja, and every day we had to take a one hour bus ride to Catamayo and one more at night to go back to Loja. So we moved all of our stuff and we went to the house of the zone leaders. There they have two extra beds for us and we just stayed there. Every day we traveled to Catamayo to look for a new house and to keep working in our sector. Ok so on Thursday night the zone leaders got a phone call from the assistants and they said that Elder Mienter – zone leader, Elder Orozco-my comp and me had to pack all of our stuff because in the morning we had to leave for Guayaquil for an emergency transfer. So we packed up and took off the next day. Thursday night we all got assigned to our new sectors, and I ended up staying that night in the house of the office. Friday morning my two new comps showed up to take me to my new sector in Guayaquil. So pretty much I am now in a new sector that I don’t know at all, because they took those two elders out today and said that I am going to open the sector and train a new elder. So pretty much I am going to have a baby! Lol looks like I beat Whitney and Tyler and I’ll be the first with a child. Lol no, that’s just want everyone says here in the mish. Lol but to tell you all, I am way stoked. I am so looking forward to working in this ward and also with a new missionary! It’s going to be so sick!! Oh and you can tell Lili that I will be sending letters again because I have returned to Guayaquil. The president wants to see me get robbed a few more times!! Lol no I forgot how much I missed the city. Cool cool. Anyway I think I am going to go because I’ve got to write the president and the keyboard that I am using is really starting to grind my gears and rattle my cage. Lol it’s making me angry. lol Anyway I just want to say that I love you all and that I miss you all a tons. But I love the mission, and I am not ready to go home or even think of it yet. Lol - love you all and thanks for everything!

Con Amor, Elder Keables

The coolest thing was to see the change in the investigators face...

Hey!

Hey family and friends, how are things going back in Chico, California? I hope things are going great and that you all have had a better week than I had! lol I really can’t lie to you all but this last week has been kind of a hard one. I mean it was also a good week because I passed it in the service of the Lord, and I know that all the sacrifices that I make or the trials that I face, the Lord is always with me and that I will be blessed. Ok so this last week someone broke into our house and stole a few things of ours. Also they broke into the house below ours where a family of 5 lives and robbed a lot of stuff. They stole from me my camera with all my pictures that I have taken in that last 2 months or so and also that Discman that you sent me in the MTC to listen to music. So now I don’t have a camera or any way to listen to music. I wish I could send that picture that I didn’t send last week, but I lost all the pics that I have taken. I can not really explain to you how mad I felt when I realized that they had stolen my camera. It was such a nice camera. I guess the good news is that when they robbed our house we were outside working and teaching. When we got back our neighbors were standing outside. They told us that they had been robbed and that our door had been broken open. When we went into our house someone had gone through all my stuff in my desk. The weird thing is that they only robbed my desk because my companion’s is right next to mine, but they didn’t even touch his desk. Really, and he had his camera in his desk and also his wallet with like 60 bucks and a few other things of value. But it looks like they came in and took off in a hurry because they didn’t open and look through everything. They did steal from my companion some speakers that he bought for like 20 bucks and his pin drive with all his pictures from his whole mission, which really stinks badly for him. Really I am not too sure what to think. I am still kind of mad about what happened, but there is nothing that I can do to get the stuff back or to get my camera back. Mom, I know you were talking about doing something for Christmas but maybe instead of sending me a package you could put money on my card so that I can buy a new camera. I’m not sure how much one costs, and really I don’t want to buy one that is expensive because it’s just so dangerous here. I don’t really know, it is just an idea. I’m really so angry about what happened that I really just want to find the house of the people who did this and burn it down. Lol but that wouldn’t be very Christ-like so I think I am going to have to resist. But it definitely has crossed my mind a few times. So that is one reason why this week has been kind of hard. Also, I lost my voice so I sound like a little girl when I am talking or someone who has been a chain smoker for 50 years. It’s hard enough for the people to understand my gringo accent in Spanish but even worse that I can’t barely speak. Also in this last week quite a few people have rejected us. There really are so many Catholics that live here. I really don’t understand how there are sooo many Catholics. They all say that they are so Catholic and that they don’t want to change their religion. But they just don’t understand and they don’t want to change their ways. It’s hard to explain how I feel about the subject. Lol but I don’t want you all do think that the mission is bad or that I am not liking it because that is not true at all. I love the mission even though things happen like this. There was also I few cool or good things that happened this week. We all went (or all the branch) went to a park and played games and had some really good food. We were there for a few hours and it was so nice to kind of have a break and play some games and get to know the members. Just didn’t have my camera to take pics. QUE BESTIA!! Also in church we had 3 investigators and they seemed to enjoy church. Two of them are going to get baptized in this week or we hope so. One of them has a few problems with the husband who is Catholic. The other, we still have to teach her a few things. But if everything thing goes really well this week to make up for the last week, we should have two baptisms. The good thing is my comp has a camera and he can put all the pic that he takes on my pindrive. So I still have a few pics. Ok what else can I tell you guys about? Oh mom so I have a question for you. So I heard through the grapevine that Julia or Janae, one of the two, has a boyfriend, is that true? Is he Mormon? Lol I need to know these things. Ok that is about the only question I had. Ok well to finish I just want to tell you guys about a short experience that I had this Saturday. Me and my comp had a lesson with an investigator that we found like two weeks back. We had already taught about lesson 1 or the Restoration of the Gospel, and we had asked her to read Moroni chapter 10 and pray. When we went to her house we had a lesson plan that we were going to read a few parts of the chapter with her. She said that she had read but didn’t really pray specifically about the Book of Mormon. So we read the scriptures that we had planned and talked about them. We talked about the invitation that they give and the promises that we receive. Really, I don’t know how to explain it but in that lesson I could feel the Spirit so strongly and I had no doubt in my mind that she could feel it and my comp. As we read and bore our testimonies I felt the words come and I knew what I needed to say and I saw the same thing happening to my companion. It really was so amazing and there is no way that I can say I didn’t feel the Spirit. The coolest thing was to see the change in the investigators face and actions during the lesson. At the beginning she didn’t seem too happy about listening to us and seemed a little bit annoyed. But as the lesson went on, and we answered her questions, she changed completely. And as she finished her prayer, I could tell that she had felt the Spirit and that she was grateful that we had stopped by, and most of all that she had a little bit stronger testimony in the Book of Mormon and our Savior Jesus Christ. I can’t really say that we taught so well because really what taught was the Spirit and the Book of Mormon. I just want you all to know that we are in the work of the Lord and that he loves us. The Book of Mormon, prayer and the Holy Ghost are the tools most important in our conversion and our testimonies. Anyway I think I am going to end it there. Mom let me know about what we can do with the camera. Oh also mom I took out money today, and I think I only have 6 dollars. I shouldn’t need money for awhile but I just wanted to tell you so you know and so that you can check. I don’t think I went over! There are 6 dollars there. Anyway mom, dad, and everyone else I love you and I hope you all have a great week and that you all are safe. Love you and miss you!

Con Muchisimo amor,

Elder Keables!

I still have a few pics!

Hey so my comp has some pics that he took with his camera that I just passed to my pindrive. So I still have a few pics! Here is when we were doing service for that family! I had a better one, but this will have to do! Also the one where we are all sitting in a circle is this Saturday’s trip to the park. bueno tengo que ir.

love you all!

It was really an honor for me do be able to a part of this experience so important and special for him.

Yo Fam what up!!!
Hey hey everyone!! Here I am writing just like I promised I would do.
Ok first thing is first, mom I got a letter today from you and also
from Lili, and I loved them. It was so good to hear about what’s going
on back at home. And let me tell you so many things have changed. So
many people are getting married and it’s so weird. Really it sounds like
things are going great back at home and everyone, although they look
different, haven’t really changed. It was so funny to hear about what
all the guys did at Jed-Smith, lol I wish I was there for that. BN40.
Lol that’s so sick. I love camping. Ok so mom thanks for the photos that
you sent from the Facebooks of my friends. It was so cool to see
what’s going on back at Chico. I think this letter has been one of my
favorites. Lol another thing that’s crazy is that Tori Wasden has lost 70
pounds! Good for her. I really hope that she keeps that up! Ok so
David Halladay is married? What the heck? I mean that is sooo cool for him, but so weird for
me. Lol things are going to be so different when I get back. we’ll see how much
it will cost to get my coat fitted. Hey, so I am going to send few
pics your way. Ok so one of the pics is of the house that we live in.
It really is a huge house, but there is so much dust. We live in the
second story. Lol it’s so big. Also I sent a baptism pic. The sister
missionaries in my district had a baptism this week that past. I had
to do the interview. The kid's name is Washington. The sisters taught
him and everything and the dad was going to do the baptism but he
couldn’t, so he asked me to do it. It was really an honor for me do be
able to a part of this experience so important and special for him. Me
and my companion and the two sisters sang the song Armies of Helaman
but in Spanish. It was really an amazing experience. After that we went
to the house and had cake lol my favorite part. JK, it was the birthday
of Washington’s sister so we had cake and family home evening. I love
the people here. They are all so nice. Really it the best thing about
the mission is that everyone is so nice and cool. The last pic is when
me and my companion did service for a family in our branch that is
really poor. It was really a rewarding feeling to be able to help them
out and fix their house that is now more comfortable for them. Really
it’s sad because the two kids in the pic and their mom live in this two
room brick building. They have no place to shower or go to the
bathroom. So we have been working on that. Now they have a new
building to wash there ropa or clothes and go to the bathroom and
shower and everything. I am sure it’s a big upgrade for them. The older
brother is such a hard worker. It was funny when we were there working
another member went to help us. As we were there working the member
which is an older guy super funny name Hermano Quito had to go to the
bathroom. There was no place to go and no paper so he used the paper
from a bad of cement. Lol ya- cement just like we use back at home. It
had the cement dust and was like cardboard but he took off with that
in his hand. Lol I couldn’t help laughing at him as he returned. Lol so
funny! Ok so you probably want to know why I went to Guayaquil this
last weekend. Well I had to go and get my license because for a few
weeks I was walking around Ecuador illegal. It’s because the one that I
had was only good for the first year so I had to get it renewed. Lol
it’s the last time I have to do that here.!! Crazy!! But I didn’t see
much damage from the riots! It looks pretty much the same. Bueno I
was in the rich side of town. Lol TELL TAYLOR I SAID GET TO WORK ON HIS
PAPERS!! I just had to put that in. I am so excited now to find out
were he is going. Tell him to leave as soon as possible because if he
doesn’t it will be 4 years without seeing him. And he better not be
there still when I get back. He has to go somewhere to learn Spanish
so we can all talk to each other when it’s all over!! Sick. Ok so I
really don’t know what else I can tell you all about. Changes are
coming up and I think I am going to get a new comp in less then 2
weeks. Which kind of stinks because Elder Orozco is really a good
companion.. I am loving my time with him. I don’t think we have ever
had problems together. He is a really good missionary. Oh so dad I
want you to keep me informed on what’s going on in sports there because
I am dieing to know. And I’ll keep you informed about the weather here.
It’s rainy with a slight chance of snow. No joking lol it is raining
here. Today is the first time in 12 months or more that I have felt
cold. Lol I put a jacket on. Lol first time in a year. Lol anyway i
think that’s about everything. Lol to finish I would like to end with a
scripture if that’s ok. Alma 7:27. In this scripture or chapter it
talks about what Christ did for every one of us. He did it out of love
and humility and obedience to His father. Every feeling and pain or
affliction that we have ever felt in our lives. Every trial that we have
confronted he has felt. He knows who we are and what we feel. He did
everything for us out of pure love and only asks a few things in
return. In Alma 7:27 it talks about what the Lord asks of us. We should
apply these things in our everyday lives. We need to be reading the
scriptures and applying them in our lives so that we can receive the
strength that we need. The Lord promises us so many blessings as we do
these things. As we become the person that it talks about in the
scripture. I testify that the Lord lives and that he loves us. I testify
with all my heart that through Joseph Smith the one and true Gospel
has been restored. It should not be a secret and we should never be
ashamed or timid to testify of it. Everyone needs to hear this message
and everyone will. I know that the church is true and we have been
chosen in these latter days to go forth and testify of these things. WE
as in everyone, we have the knowledge. Mom, Dad I really want to thank
you for teaching me these things. I feel so lucky and honored to have
parents like you. I would not be here if it wasn’t for what you guys
taught me. For the examples that you gave me. I now know why the
Gospel is so important to you both and I hope I can be the example
for my kids like you have been for me. I can’t thank for Lord enough for
making me your son. I feel like I owe everything to you both and to the
Lord. I love you both so much and want you to know that you are in my
prayers everyday along with the rest of the fam and friends. I love
you all!!
With much love,

ELDER KEABLES

Really the best thing about the mission is that everyone is so nice...

Washington's baptism



My house in Catamayo, Ecuador
A fun birthday gathering!
Spencer mentions another picture in the message above, but he accidentally downloaded two pictures of his house and didn't include the one of the family that they helped. Maybe next week!

I don’t think I’ll have time to write you today because...

Hey mom! I don’t think I’ll have time to write you today because me and my comp had to go to Guayaquil yesterday and today we have to spend 9 hours in the bus. I’ll write you tomorrow for sure, but mom about the suit coat, there are so many places that I can do it really nice and cheap, but I will need some money! Other things maybe for Christmas would be nice but here there are so many people who makes suits and it only would cost like 100 dollars to make a really sick nice suit custom made. It would be so sick! Just an idea. I know I don’t have any money at all to buy stuff like that but I could pay you back when I get home. It’s all good. I still have like 10 before I go home, so we can talk about that later! Anyway I’ll write you tomorrow. I love you all!!

All in all it was a great p-day!

October 11, 2010
Hey Hey Hey, fam!

What the heck! Are you serious? Big Worm got hitched!!! I really can’t believe that! ok I also heard that Sep also got hitched! Who else has gotten married in the last few months?? Really I find that so hard to believe that they are married. That means that they have to be parents! And that they have to work and provide for the family! They are so young! They are my age!! Weird!! It’s like a reality shock. It’s so weird to think that after the mission that’s the next big step that I have to take in my life. I still feel so young! Wow that really just took me off guard. I mean that is so cool for them and I am happy for them but it’s just so weird. I am getting so old and I really don’t like it. Lol jk. Wow. Ok so mom to answer the question that you had for me yes I did get the letter about our family history. Thanks a lot. It was cool to read it and learn a little bit about that. Also, it’s cool to be able to say that I have just a little bit of Latino blood in me. Lol sweet! Hey so I am sending some pics of what we did today for p-day. The whole zone went to this city like an hour away from where we all live. At this city there were so many gringos there. No joke they all live there but they are all hippies to the max!! It was weird to see so many gringos in one place here in Ecuador. When we got there we first found some courts to play basketball and we played 3 on 3 two games. Our zone leader knows how to play basketball so much, so it was actually a really good game. I covered him and he covered me. The others really mas o menus knew how to play so it was really fun. The only bad thing was when I was playing someone passed me the ball and it hit my finger nail and bent it way back. It started bleeding and everything but you know me I am such a man that I kept playing lol jk. After that I was going up to make a lay-up and my ring that I have that says Return With Honor got caught on a bolt and it almost ripped my whole finger off. No joke it cut into my skin pretty good and also it bent the ring pretty bad. It still works and I am going to fix it, but I really did some damage to my finger and my ring . lol I am so lucky that it didn’t cut the whole finger off because if it would have got caught it would have cut my finger straight off really easily. Honestly thinking about it now, I am sooo lucky because it would have been so easy to get stuck in-between the bolt and the backboard. Wow. Lol Anyway talking about something else. It was so good to play basketball again. I miss it so much. Also we went to eat at a Mexican restaurant that was way good. Oh another thing about this city is that there are people that live there that have more than 100 years, and there are a lot. There was a guy that lived up to 126 then died. Everyone says that it’s the water, but I am not sure. If you want to learn more about the city you can look it up. The name is on the side of the bus. I would write it but I would spell it wrong for sure. Lol but all in all it was a great p-day! Ok so that is so crazy that Jordan was a zone leader for 18 months! That just makes me look like a fool!! Lol actually I had an interview with President Montalti this Saturday and it was really good. He really is an amazing guy. Also, he told me that I should prepare myself for more leadership opportunities. After he said that I almost peed my pants. Lol it just scares me a little because I can’t imagine being zone leader and teaching all the zone lol in Spanish. Lol that would be hard, but at the same time a privilege. Lol we will see. Oh I got your letter this week about Brian Passantino and it sounds like he is doing great in the MTC. Ok well I am going to finish this letter a little bit short so I can write Cody ya. So I just want you all to know that I love you all and miss you all! I hope you all have a great week.! Love you all!
With lots of love and Cariño Elder keables

The whole zone went to this city like an hour away from where we all live.

The robbers took advantage of the opportunity and they went crazy...

Como le va family!
Hey family how are you all? How are things going back at home? Busy? Lol cool cool well things are going great here! You guys had a lot of questions so I am just going to get started. Lol ok the thing going on in Ecuador political is crazy or was crazy. It really didn’t affect us that much but the missionaries in Guayaquil, it did a lot. So pretty much the president cut down on the police’s money or bonuses that they get for Christmas and everything. So the police got mad and they all stopped working in a of Ecuador. So that day all the robbers took advantage of the opportunity and they went crazy. Really almost every ATM was turned from its spot and robbed. They took off with the whole thing. More then 4 banks were robbed. Almost every big store or little store was completely robbed or looted. I saw videos and there were people running down the streets with anything they could carry. Almost all the buses were robbed, cars were robbed and people were murdered. It was crazy! It really was like the movie Batman in Gothom City. It was crazy to see the city just go crazy. All the missionaries had to stay in their houses. lol they asked us to stay in the house too, but after said we could leave. Ok so did we catch fish last Monday? No we didn’t, because the two guys we went with left the hooks at home. Lol so we only had string and stick. So we ended up playing in the mud and I am going to send a pic of that. Lol it was fun because we took a lot of pics. Also, it’s really pretty there. Ok so about the water in the house. I really can’t tell you why they turn the water off, all I know is that they always turn it off. In my house before we had hot water because this little machine was connected to where the water comes out and by electricity the water is warmed up. Lol almost all the houses of the missionaries have those machines but ours. Lol so we shower with cold water. But it’s cool because in my house before with the machine, I almost always shocked my head because the showers are so small and when you turn the water on all the lights in the house go dim so you can’t really see. Lol its so ghetto. Lol but it’s cool- you get used to the stuff here. I am forgetting what it’s like at home. Lol ok another question. Is it rainy season? In about 2 or 3 more months its supposed to rain a lot more. Right now it’s really dry and we haven’t had rain for a long time. Actually, here one time it started to rain. Lol this last Saturday it was raining for the conference. But it only rained for just a few minutes. Ok so talking about the conference. How good was it? Really I have come to love the conferences here in the mission. They are so motivating. So many times as I sit and listen to them speak I feel like there are so many things that I can do better and it helps me realize how imperfect I really am. I felt like so many times they were just talking to me. As I sat there I was trying so hard to concentrate and listen to everything that they were saying. but it’s so hard because they would say one thing and as I applied it to my own life I began to think of ways I can change or how I cant become a better missionary or just a better person. I would be so off in my own thoughts that I would realized that I was no longer listening to the speaker. So I would start to listen again until they said something else and my mind would start thinking about that. Lol but I did learn so much and tried to write down those thoughts that I was having, knowing that it is really important personal revelations that I was having. I learned that there is so much that I need to do, so much that I am not doing. Really just sitting there listening I couldn’t help but to think wow, how cool would it be to have the testimonies that they have, or be able to speak with such power or authority as they do. They truly are servants of God with authority. It’s hard to think that someone could listen to their words and say that they are not called of God or that what they are teaching is not revelations from God, but as I think back I remember that really after all the years listening to conference I really don’t know if I had a very strong testimony of them or of anything. But I can truly say now that I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and that he has been chosen and prepared by the hands of God to be his prophet in these days. I know that the church is true and those who talked to us in this last weekend are servants of God and that have been called by Him. The things that they taught this last weekend were inspired by God and as we put them in practice in our lives we will be blessed and we can become more like Christ. I feel so lucky to be here in the Mission and have the best experience in my life, really to change my life and serve in the true work of the Lord. After listening to the conference I thought to myself, I think if I was a missionary for another 30, 40 or all my life, I might be able to teach like those who just taught. Lol it would be so sick I would be I fire ball missionary lol I would have like 500 baptism! Lol that would be so cool lol but I guess I’ll just have to keep working at it. Lol maybe one day! Ok so I got a little off track. How do I like being district leader? I like it a lot. It’s true there is more responsibility, but it’s for the good. Last week I had to teach for the first time in district meeting and it went pretty good. Today for pday some of the district got together and we went to look or explore a castle. I am also sending pics of that! but ya I really like being district leader and to tell you the truth I wouldn’t mind staying at this point. I really don’t have any desire to become zone leader. Lol I like were I am at. Oh one thing that I would love to do is train, not this change but the next. There is this really cool missionary that is coming. Maybe you have heard of him, his name is Elder Storm! Lol I am so stoked for him. hey so the next week I am going to write something for him and I want you to send it through Dear Elder ya cool. I would send him a letter but I don’t thing they have a post office here. Lol I am looking for one. ! ok well I think I should get going. Because I have wrote too much. Family, friends, and even enemies lol I miss you all and I love you all. But know that I am loving the mission and that I am working for the Lord our God in his service. Thanks for all you do for me! Love you all!
P.S. I love my new sector because I can take so many more pics! These are just a few of my favorites in the last 2 weeks. I have sooooo many more that are so sick!!! lol the mission is the bomb!
With a little bit of love and all my heart! Lol
Love Elder Keables

Here's a message that was posted for the missionary moms from another Elder in Spencer's mission, Elder Jensen. Spencer got transferred from Guayaquil just in the nick of time. You will know what I mean when you read the account below of what happened in Guayaquil this past week.
Elder Jensen said:
"So this week was INSANE!!!!!!!!! So Thursday morning, we left like normal, and we went to go contact a few people to put an appointment. But it just felt weird, like the people were all running to there houses and stuff and we saw a bunch of robbers. So we went to a member’s house to ask them what was going on, and they told us that the police officers in Ecuador didn’t go to work because they want to overthrow the President. When we were there, our Zone Leaders called the member’s house and luckily caught us there (it was our mamita that day). They asked to talk with me and told me that I needed to run as fast as I could to our house. So we took off, got to the house, and stayed in our house for 2 days. Thursday there was nothing but gunshots and breaking glass. They were robbing everybody! IT WAS NUTS!!!!!! Because there were no police, the thieves decided to rob every bank, mall, drugstore, shop or whatever. They robbed just about everyplace here in Guayaquil. Remember that Guayaquil is the most dangerous city in Ecuador. But anyway, we just stayed in the house for 2 days. It was nuts. I guess that they were about to decide to take us out of Ecuador, had the police taken out the President of Ecuador. It was an interesting few days and it’s still pretty wierd, but it’s calm now. They just don’t know if it will happen again."
And this from Sister Jensen:
Hopefully things will remain calm! We don't want a repeat of what happened! My son is currently serving in a pretty scary part of Guayaquil (Los Guasmos). Ryan wants to be a police officer, and was probably loving all the excitement! I imagine things will be a little tense for a while. I'm curious to hear what other missionaries experienced.

Wow! How grateful we are that the Lord protects his servants! How blessed we are to have peace, knowing they are watched over.
~Jeanette

Pictures from this week...

It was really a sincere and true testimony...

September 27, 2010
Hey fam!!

Hey guys!!! How are you all?? OK- I am so glad that you got the CD that I sent you and that you enjoyed it. I am way excited for my new sector because I am sure that I'll be able to take so many more pics than I would if I was in Guayaquil. There are so many things to do here and so many places to see. I found out that our sector also includes two other little cities even smaller then the one we live in. On Weds we have a trip planned out to go to one of them and contact the people there. It's about two hours away so we will spend the whole day there contacted and talking with the people. OK that is the best news that I have heard in a long time. Taylor is working on his papers! I am so stoked to find out were he will go. After Cody's call I think anything's is possible. lol tell him I said keep up the good work. I am sure that Cody is starting to feel a little nervous just like everyone feels right before leaving. He is going to have such a blast in the MTC. and he is only going to be there 3 weeks and then he will go to the other MTC in Colombia or something like that. Man I am so pumped. lol
OK- so to answer some of the questions that you had mom. How is it with the Catholics? Well it's going great. We have one lady that we are teaching that has a date for the 3rd week in Oct. her name is Rosa and she is way cool. lol She always gives us food to eat when we teach her. oh Really there are a lot of Catholics but its normal. I thought it would be different then Guayaquil but it’s about the same. I know that we are going to have success here. It’s just going to take a lot of work and a lot of faith, but it’s not a bad sector because the missionaries before me had 3 baptisms in like 4 months. ok the members are way cool. There are so many members here, but only like 35 are active. It’s really sad because there really are so many members but they just don’t go to church. I heard that there are more then 200 but we only had 34 at church yesterday. The church building is so small! I’ll have to take pics and send them to show you all. lol it really is sooo small. I have gotten to know a lot of the members because everyday we eat with them. Oh and I have had some of the craziest food here. They eat a lot of different things compared to where I was before. So in this last week I have tried so many different foods. Some good and some bad. lol like yesterday we went to eat at this member’s house and she gave us this stuff. Really I don’t know what you would call it, but all I can say is it did not set well with me. It was like a huge pile of corn with potatoes and cheese all mixed together. lol after eating we went to church because the reunion was about to start. With about 5 minutes to the starting of the reunion I started feeling it. lol I had to take a long trip to the bathroom and when I was sitting there I heard them start the meeting. lol it was so embarrassing because I came in like 5 or 10 minutes late to the meeting and as I walked in the president of the branch presented me as the new elder in the branch. lol it was embarrassing because everyone knew that I was in the bathroom because there is only 4 actually 5 rooms including the bathroom in the church. lol so everyone knew that the food did me wrong. lol so that was my first impression that I gave to the members. lol no it really wasn’t that bad but I was freaking out at he time. But everyone is way cool here and way down to earth. lol what else can I tell you guys about? Oh, hey today is p-day so we have a trip planned out to go to a river that’s by our house and go swimming!!! Lol just joking- we are going to go fishing with some members. lol yup fishing- you all know how much i love to fish. I am so stoked. ok so I have something else to tell you guys about. So our house, like I was saying, is way rich and super nice, but at the same time there are a few things that kind of stink. First is that our house is right by a dirt road like the one going to Philbrook Lake and a lot of people drive on it. So in our house there is so much dust. lol no joke I cant do the Michael Jackson Moonwalk dance lake crazy. Everything is really dusty. OK other thing that kind of stinks is that randomly during the day and at night they turn of the water in our house. So we have to fill up a huge bucket of water in the shower so that we can wash ourselves. We don’t have any hot water so the way we shower is with that big bucket of water. We have a smaller bucket in the little bucket that we fill with water and pour over ourselves to shower. Really we just shower with two buckets of water and it’s always freezing!! But its cool- we get clean. lol so that’s another thing about the house. I’ll have to take a video of the house to show you all lol. and some pics. OK- so I am sending a pic that I took of our sector or of the city. We had just left a member’s house from eating lunch and that’s the view that they have. Oh so one thing more before I go. So on Friday of this week I did my first interview for someone who was getting baptized. It was an investigator of the sister missionaries in our sector. I had a nice little interview with her and she passed. She got baptized on Saturday the next day. It was really cool to be able to be the one giving the interview. It was an older lady and she was really nice. At the end of the interview I asked if she could share her testimony. She shared with me really how she felt and how glad she was to have the chance to be baptized and having found the sister missionaries. It was really a sincere and true testimony. She was soo ready for her baptism. Anyway I better be finishing this because I still have to write president. Fam, I love you all and miss you all so much and that also goes to everyone one else. Friends, family, and everyone, thanks for everything!!!
Love you all!!!

With love, Elder Keables