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...