We are working hard and doing our best...

April 25, 2011
My Fam!!!
Hey Happy Easter to you all!!! lol Actually we didn’t do anything special for the weekend. The people here did celebrate it on the weekend. They call it here semana santa, or holy week that is. Pretty much everyone is Catholic so it made teaching really interesting lol. Really it’s so crazy how strongly the people here worship the Virgin. There are so many churches and every church has a Virgin. The people go to the statue of the Virgin and start praying to it and doing all sorts of things. It’s very interesting their beliefs. They talk more about the Virgin than they do about God or his Son Jesus Christ. Anyway just thought I would let you all know a little about that. ok so ya I’ll call you guys on Mother’s Day right and you guys will just return the call right? I’ll call your cell phone now that I have the number. Ok so no, me and Cody are not in the same zone, I am in Cuenca and he is in Catamayo, the place that I was at like 6 months ago. I did get to see him this last week though and that was way cool. We took some pics so I’ll be sure to send some to you guys today. Ok so mom talking about school. Yes I am way down with taking algebra again!! I need to redeem myself from that bad grade that I got that semester!! Also, I think here in the mission I have learned how to study a lot better. I believe that is something that I didn’t know how to do very well before leaving. I know that I will get a good grade in that class. ok so also I would love to take Spanish, but it would have to be a Spanish that is a harder class, because I am pretty sure it would be way too easy for me if I took one of the basic classes for people that don’t know Spanish. lol It’s pretty sick to be able to say that I can speak Spanish fluently now!!!! lol with my new companion I have been practicing a lot and learning a lot of new words that are really hard, but my Spanish is even getting better. lol I still don’t talk like a Latin, but I get myself along. lol But ya so mom 4 or 5 classes sounds good to me!! I have faith that you will do a great job planning that all out for me. I can’t believe that we are actually planning my schedule for school and I can’t believe that it’s actually getting close. lol it really scares me!! oh before I forget mom thanks for putting that 50 dollars on my card. I don’t think that I am going to need it because they gave my companion his money today so now we are good. I will save it to be able to buy some cool stuff to bring home for you all!! But in the next few months I won’t think about that. lol so mom I have been thinking lately about what I want to do for a living. Really I have been thinking about it a lot and I think I have come to a conclusion!! After doing some deep searching and pondering, and really thinking it out, I have made up my mind that yup I have no idea what I want to do!!! lol no just playin, but seriously I really don’t know. I mean I would love to do something with therapy or sports, but I’ll have to look into it further. ok so what’s new??? Well I already told you guys that I am training again. That’s pretty fun. It’s a lot different training a Latin.lol but I am enjoying it. We are working hard and doing our best. We are also be very obedient like Jordan told me to do. lol Today we went and played a big game of ultimate frisbee!! It was pretty fun but let me tell you I am so tired. lol really it’s been awhile since I have run like that!!! I mean I might be a lot thinner but I am way out of shape. I believe me and my comp are going to start running 3 days a week starting tomorrow so that I can get back in shape. I might need to buy some running shoes because my bball shoes are garbage now. But I heard that where I am at is double the elevation of Utah so if I get in shape here I will be good when I get home. lol its like 8 thousand feet here which it way high I think!! lol idk ask dad!! ok so what else can I tell you all about. ok So on Monday we went to a zone conference. That’s when I saw Elder Storm. But it was way cool, we got to listen the Elder Nash of the Seventy!! He talked about the atonement of Jesus Christ and it was sooooo powerful, really I felt the spirit soo strong in that conference. He also was talking about what we can do better in our teaching and how we need to teach people and not lessons. Adapt our teaching to the investigator. It was really good and I learned soo much. Wish i would have known this stuff when I was starting off my mission and not when I am ending it.lol but really it was way cool and I learned so much!! And it seems to be working. ok so my comp is still writing and I don’t really know what to say or do right now. Man I am sorry that I am so bad at writing but I just don’t know what to write about!!! Right now we are teaching a few people but right now there is not much to tell you about as of investigators. We are looking for new people to teach because we only have a few good people as of right now. I’ll tell you more about that next week when I write again. ok well I really don’t know what else to say so I guess I’ll just say that I love you all very much and I’m looking forward to talking to you all again on Mother’s Day. Thanks for everything. I hope you guys have a safe and very enjoyable trip to Utah and that you all learn a lot. Tell whit I said hi and that I love her!! And to everyone else!! ok nos vemos!!!

With love, Elder Keables!!

Monday we went to a zone conference. That’s when I saw Elder Storm...

I got a brand new comp and his name is Elder Garcia..,

April 18, 2011
oh fam!!!
ok mom so I wish I had more time to write but I only have like a few seconds. Also things have been really crazy for me in these last few days. Ok so today are transfers, but they did them on Friday and guess what??????? I had my third baby boy on Friday!!!! lol Yah, I got a brand new comp and his name is Elder Garcia and he is from Panama and the city of Panama, but ya he is way cool and a really good elder. lol That is soooo crazy that Whitney is having twins!! I don’t know what to think. Crazy! Ryan 12? I don’t believe it. lol ok mom I need to ask you a favor. Can you put money on my card this week because I don’t have any money. I have had to travel to Guayaquil to get my comp and back, and also today we have to travel again. My comp doesn’t have any money at all so I have to pay until they give him money on his card and then he will pay me back, but I don’t know if I’ll have money for next week so if you could put it on for this week and then send me a message for next week. That would be great. I might not need it but I am not sure. I’m sorry to ask for money. I don’t want to, it's just that things have been so crazy and I am waiting for my money and don’t know if when they are going to give it to me. Anyway I love you and miss you all. If I have more time I’ll write later. Love you,

Elder Keables

I just want you all to know that I am doing great...

April 11, 2011

hey fam!!!!

ok fam so what’s new??? That’s crazy that Jordan is getting back on this Sunday!!! That’s crazy how fast time goes by. Jordan was there for 4 months right?? Wow so that’s cool that Janae and Julia will be hanging out with me for a few months during winter break before they take off. Then I’ll be all alone and that will just be really weird!! It’s crazy that these guys that were in the same seminary class as me are getting back from the mission. Well it’s good I still have 4 really long months before it’s my time. lol why does that sound so soon? That’s scary!! Anyway don’t want to think about it. However I am really excited to be able to talk with you all this next month. Wow Mother’s Day really came quickly no?? ok so talking about basketball- I am soooo pumped to be able to play again. This last week I weighed myself and found out that I have lost almost 20 pounds. lol don’t tell my coach that. But it’s cool because i am sure ill be able to get that weight back in a heartbeat. lol I have a lot of confidence in the fast food restaurants back in the states. lol no I’ll just have to work out like a mad man but I’ll get big again. ok so I just put on some sick pics that we took today and also that we took during the week. So as you can see we had another baptism this last week. We had the baptism on Thursday and he got confirmed on Sunday at church. but ya it was a really cool week. The hermano that got baptized was the one that got married last week. His wife is Catholic right now but we are working with her. She is really receptive and really a nice lady so I think later in this month she will be able to get baptized. ok so do you know what is crazy??? so last week we helped them get married right. Well I found out that she is only 20 years old so the same age as me. lol when I found that out I really wanted to cry and it freaked the heck out of me. lol I helped someone get married that is as old as i am! lol freaky!!! It’s even scarier after listening to the talk that the prophet gave. lol returned missionaries go get married. lol. That’s crazy.lol ok so about the other pics, so today we had a zone activity and we all went to this place called Cajas which was really a lot of fun. We went down there to take a lot of pics and also to fish a little bit. But the fishing didn’t turn out too well so we ended up just taking a lot of pics together which was a lot of fun. lol There is one pic were we are all looking out into the clouds. Just to let you know, these guys are all my boys!!! We go ball it up pretty much every Monday that we have time, and I love it because pretty much they all know how to play ball!!! Today was really a fun day. It’s nice to be able to take pics without worrying that someone is going to kill you and take the camera. It’s just so nice to be out in the mountains!! I love it!!! Also, our zone is way cool so that just makes it so much better. lol. ok well I was just thinking I would like to have a little time to write Taylor a quick message so am going to end this message a little short so that I have time to write him. But I just want you all to know that I am doing great, I love you all very much and miss you all. I am sure that in a few days we will be talking on the phone, but until then I hope you all have a great week and also just live the life. lol oh and in case i don’t see you, good morning, good evening, and goodnight. lol you know what that is off of? lol ok love you all!!!

de, Elder Keables with love.

Just to let you know, these guys are all my boys!!!

I loved the conference, it really was amazing!!!!

April 4, 2011

Hello my beautiful family!!!!

Hey what’s new this week??? Well it sounds like everything is pretty much the norm back in the states. Things are just going well here with me. I loved the conference, it really was amazing!!!! I gotta admit that I am looking forward to listening to the next one in English, because it just not the same listening to it in Spanish. I mean I understand it but it’s better being able to listen to their voices. But yes it was really great. Oh the guy that talked about the guy from Guayaquil was actually the mission president a few years back for our mission I think. But ya it was cool hearing that. lol ok so yes its really cold here because we are way up in the mountains. I mean, it’s one of the coldest places in Ecuador, and let me tell you it feels way good. I do love my new area but the people here are way harder to work with or they’re just not as receptive as the people in Guayaquil, but it’s all good. That doesn’t hold me and my comp back from doing work here in Cuenca. Ok so ya I have seen pics of Baily Wasden and that kid looks so different. I can only imagine what Jacob and Katie and Daniel all look like. TREES. ok so right now I am sending a few pics and I would just like to add a little comment on each one. ok 1. ok first pic so we got these two married this last week so that he can get baptized this coming week. Ya it was not easy because he had more than 3 months in the program of the missionaries but we put a date with him and talk with the wife about when, where and what time. When that day came I called another elder in the district Elder Despot, because he had his passport and so did I so we were the witnesses. Tomorrow they are giving us dinner to celebrate the marriage and Thursday he is getting baptized. Yahhh!!!! It’s going to be great. oh if you could can, you pray for him and his wife so everything turns out good. We are going to put a date with her soon. 2. ok so this is the zone!!! we all took pics because the zone leader is going home actually today so he wanted to take pics. oh the zone leaders name is Elder Carrillo and he is from Mexico and he give machetes como loco. Really he likes to get on everyone’s case about things. but he is a cool guy. lol 3. ok so what can I say, it was a grove of trees and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of taking a pic like that. lol 4. so we played basketball down at the church today again and we bought two of the biggest pizzas ever and as of right now I am still dying a little bit from eating so much. ok so I think that is enough pics. lol ok so what else can I tell you about? So the conference was great but it was kind of hard because we invited so many people or investigators but not one of them showed up. So that was kind of sad and when no one shows up then that means no one is getting baptized because they have to go to church first because in the church they feel the Spirit and they get baptized. But we will just keep working for this next week. ok so what else is new with me. So there are a lot of missionaries that are Gringos that are in our zone but I don’t think that any of them are from Utah. lol but yes in Guayaquil there were a lot from there. ok so mom I gotta tell you about this because its kind of funny- so my basketball shoes and two of my church shoes already have holes in them. I only have one more pair of shoes that are still good. Well I still use all of them but only one works in the rain. But mom don’t worry because they will definitely last me until the end of my mish. lol I’ll send pics of those next week. lol time goes by way too fast. ok well I don’t know what else to talk about. Oh I got a package from Lili which was sweet. lol ok time to go, I love you all and miss you all very much. Have a great week and I’ll write you next week. Love you!!!

with love, elder keables

This week's pictures...