I love this place, and I love this language, and I love this people...

January 18, 2010

Family!
Hey family los tiempos! Lol ok so guess what? I have more time to write today! Lol. We decided to write a little earlier in the day so that we had a little more time to write our families. Anyway so I have so much to tell you guys I really don’t know where to start. Ok so New Year’s was crazy here. During the day on New Year’s there were people in the streets everywhere. Everyone had their big new years doll things (or here they are called ano villegos) outside. When we were walking in the street there were kids running around with piggy banks asking for money to pay for the dolls that they had made. For the bigger ones that sometimes were taller then a three-story house, the people would run out in the street with a fat peace of wood and stop all the cars. The cars couldn’t pass unless they put money in the box. Anyway so we were walking in the street and there were so many kids that wanted to me to give them money. Really you couldn’t walk one block without like 20 kids running after you asking more money. And sometimes if you don’t give money the parents would get way mad. So I decided that I was going to get 50 pennies and every time they came at me I dropped a penny in. lol A lot of them were mad that it was only a penny. So ya that was pretty much what happened all day. Also a lot of the little boys would dress up as girls with balloons under their clothes to help out lol and ask for money. Lol so all day we were bugged by the little kids. At night I really can’t even explain how crazy it was. It was like the whole city was on fire. Really I got some crazy videos that I’m going to send you guys. There were fires in the streets as far as I could see up and down. People were throwing huge bombs and fireworks in them. It pretty much was impossible to sleep, so we didn’t even try. Lol but ya I can’t really explain it, so you will have to see the videos. Ok so that was my New Years, what else could I tell you about?? Ok so my comp. My companion is cool. He is a really nice guy and we get along great. He is a hard working and very obedient. The only bad thing about us being companions is we talk way too much in English. My first few days, pretty much all we did was talk in English. Mostly because it had been so long that we have both talking in it. Ok a lot longer for him, but right now we have it worked out that we talk Spanish outside of the house and we talk English inside the house. But sometimes that changes depending on the situation. Lol Que mas puedo decir? He has 19 months in the mission so time is getting close for him. He can speak Spanish way good. I can’t remember what I told you guys last week about him so sorry if I repeat. He is actually pretty tall which is nice. I think he said he was 6.1. it’s funny because so many people stare at us when we are walking down the street. It’s funny because probably at least 20 times a day someone will say, Hello my friend or mister. I found out that those are the only words that most of the population knows here in Ecuador. Actually, I found that out like my first week. Ok to answer some of your other questions. Am I happy? I am sooo happy! Really I don’t think I could be happier. Lol really I love this place and I love this language and I love this people. Everyday it gets a little bit better, and I start to love it a little bit more. Am I healthy? My comp likes to work out too, so now I’m working out a lot more regularly. My comp has a jump rope, so I have used that this last week about 3 times. I’m still working out every morning and eating really good also. Really I’m doing great with health. Oh speaking of health, I took the bomba 2 days ago. I took that pill that is supposed to kill everything in your stomach. So yes I feel healthy. Teaching is going great also. I feel like there is so much that I need to be able to learn in Spanish to be able to teach the way that I want to, but it is going great. I can share my thoughts a lot more and say what I want to, when I want to. It’s still hard to share stories and personal experiences, but I still try. Lol ok so I found something out that I thought was kinda funny. So did you guys know that my comp is the leader of the district? Ya well he is and so has all my other comps. So all my comps have been leaders and what’s also weird is that they all have the first name Erick, Erick Spendler, Erick Salcedo, Erick Daniels. Lol they all have the first name. The other day I was tryng to find out who else have the first name Erick so I could know who my next comp will be. Lol. No I don’t know. Anyway enough about that kinda stuff I want to tell you about teaching and some cool things that I learned this last week. Ok first I want to tell you something that I thought was so cool. In the front of the BoM, in the testimony of Joseph Smith, he says that when the angel Moroni was talking to him he said that God had a work for him and that his name would be known all over the world for good and bad. Well I read that and starting thing how true that really is. When we walk up and down the streets there will be people that will start yelling Joseph Smith lover or worshiper. They well start yelling thing bad about him. It’s really sad, but at he same time it’s so amazing how that prophesy is coming to past. It’s sad that someone who gave his life for the Lord and his work has to have his name shamed like that. That people would say those things when all he has done is the work of the Lord. I wish everyone could know the truth and know the Josephs Smith was a prophet of God. I wish I didn’t have to listen to them say those things, but then I realized that its part of God’s plan. Ya I just thought it was kinda cool and sad at the same time. Ok so about the baptisms. Ok so we had a date for Victor Alaba set up for this week, but we weren’t able to teach everything that we wanted to. So I think we are going to change it from this coming week to the next. But he is still going good and things are still looking positive. We are still having a hard time with Jose as of right now, but I’ll let you know if things change. Anyway I’m out of time and I gotta go. I’m sorry if I didn´t answer all your questions, just let me know in next week if you have more. I hope all is going great with you all at home. I’m doing great, just want you to know that I love you and miss you all very much. Love you all.
Con Amor, Elder Keables