Week 59! "The Baptismal Jumpsuit..."

From 3/9/15

Usually Sundays for us are pretty crazy! Yesterday we left from one sector super early in the morning to make it to the church meeting in another at 9 am. The missionaries we in charge of singing "Bienvenido día santo" as a special musical number. Did we practice beforehand? uhhhh....of course!!! You know those 3 minutes of prep time between 9 am and when the presiding priesthood gets up to start the meeting?...Those were QUALITY 3 practice minutes right there where we went to another room and fiddled a little with the notes.

 

The problem: when we got up to sing, Hermana R and I forgot what it was we had practiced. Ahem.

 

Elder O has a super great voice. He started off with a solo! Woo. Awesome. One mother (I kid you not) even bent over to her small child to hush him so that she could listen to the wonderful musical number by the missionaries.

 

Then, Hna R and I started singing the chorus....when we weren´t supposed to. We hushed quickly, but I tried to recover by coming into verse two accompanying Elder O by singing the harmony. But, as I did, Hna R elbowed me in the side and said quietly but firmly, "Cáyese! Cáyese! No es su turno. Cáyese!" (in other words, "Shut up! It´s not your turn to sing yet") and shook her head side to side, indicating for me to stop singing. I was thrown off! The alto notes took a turn for the worst....but now what could I do? Me tocó a continuar! So I continued...Then all 4 missionaries came in at the chorus and last verse of the song.

 

When it was all over, me and Hermana R embarrassingly grabbed our mochilas (backpacks) and scurried out the church house door....relieved to have an excuse to leave since we had to go straight to the other ward at 10 am). jejeje It wouldn´t have been SO OBVIOUS if she hadn´t have elbowed me in the side and told me to shut up IN FRONT OF EVERRRRYYYONE. jaja

 

But, after the block meetings in the other sector came the payback:

 

We had to hop on a bus that only comes every 25 minutes or so to make it to our lunch mamita after church. I got on okay, but the bus took off and closed the doors, leaving Hna R yelling and running from behind.

 

"STOP! STOP!! THERE´S ONE MORE! STOOOOOOOOOP!" The bus driver finally looked back wearily and sloooowly stopped the bus. I peered out around the door, newly opened, and saw Hna R sprinting from behind to catch up.

 

All the people who saw what had happened at the bus stop were motivating her on, "GO GO GO!!!" They shouted. Until finally, about 300 feet later, we were reunited once more. :p jajaja

 

Oh the adventures...

 

Well that´s all for this week. Love you all and take care!

 

Hna Fernelius

 

"We currently have a MIRACLE person! :)

 

She has a fecha [baptismal date] for the 28th. She has 2 asistencias [gone to Church twice]. She lives alone and is about 42. Her father is a church leader in Quito and came all the way here to hunt the missionaries down so we could visit her. The night we got the reference, we were heading to consejo de barrio [ward counsel] at the casa capilla [Church]. The Elders called saying a man was there and was waiting anxiously for us to arrive to introduce us to his daughter.

 

We met with him at the church and he took us to his daughter´s house. There we met and took out another cita [appointment] with her. She has been prepared by the Lord for a long time! When we first visited her, she accepted a baptismal date. We presented the handout 'Camino de Fe' and she took it in her hands, looked at it, and replied, 'That´s interesting. I´ve seen this in a dream before.'

 

She was referring to the staircase structure of the steps preparing for baptism. The hermanadora [fellowshipper] who came with us that night is the PERFECT hermanador because they both like craft work and clicked that night so well. Also, due to health issues, she has obeyed the Word of Wisdom for her entire life (which is otherwise a potentially big desafío [challenge] here).

 

The other evening her father called us from Quito to ask how his daughter is progressing. We confirmed to him the good news that she is preparing for baptism (though he had intended many years before to introduce the church to his daughter and she hadn´t accepted it then).

 

He is such a hopeful man and was filled with enthusiasm and joy. He mentioned that he would love to accompany us to a cita, and to let him know when it will be that we go visit her. I asked, 'You would come all the way from Quito to join us in a cita?'

 

He responded without a second thought, 'Yes, Hermanas!'

 

Wow! We have an hermanador from Quito. :p

 

We are so blessed here. She is one miracle, along with another family that was rescued and whose youngest daughter was baptized this weekend :)"

 

At consejo de la mission [mission counsel] last Tuesday. We were in Quito for TWO meetings....Leaving Monday morning and getting back Wednesday super late at night....we were wiped from all the travel. And more meetings Thursday and Friday....yikes!!! But this week we have full time awaiting us in both of our assigned sectors!!! It´s go time. :)

What a mini´conferencia de la zona [mini zone conference] looks like.

The branch president kids climbing the tree by their house. They look like little ants. Here´s what happened:

"Mom! We´re going to swim in the rio [river]!"

Mom - "Only for 20 minutes!"

<Kids rip off their pants while racing out the door to the river>

As they jumped off the tree, we got them to yell one time "FOR NARNIA!!!" and another time "PARA LAS HERMANAS!!!!" jaja They are so fun to watch. And especially these kids because they are so obedient! They spent a long time cleaning the pigs on the finca [farm] before going out to play. Awesome!

[See the previous 5 photos for the following account]:

M and his daughter V:

M came in this white shirt to the baptism, but none of the jumpsuits the mission leader brought were fitting him comfortably. After fiddling with them a bit and trying different things, he came out of the bathroom and held the jumpsuits in his hand saying, "Don´t worry hermanas. I already gave permission for the Elders to baptize my daughter."

I probably shouldn´t have, but I put my hand firmly on his shoulder until he looked up at me squarely, and the words I had not prepared came out:

"Hermano, if you can baptize your daughter, we will do anything it takes so that you can."

An idea came to mind and flowed out directly following that sentence:

"Can you fit your legs into the jumpsuit?"

He said he could.

"Okay, then what we can do is you can put on the jumpsuit up to your waist, and keep this white shirt on that you have right now."

There were comments about how he didn´t bring another white shirt to change out of once this one got wet. My reply (jaja):

"Only the bottom part is going to get wet, not the whole thing." (i.e. "What does it matter?" :p)

He seemed to like the idea because his countenance brightened up a little bit again. He put on the jumpsuit to his waist as suggested. People commented on the little tail he had sticking out because of the sleeves folded over in the back of the jumpsuit at his hips. I once again looked at them all and suggested, "Well, why don´t you tuck the sleeves into the inside of the jumpsuit so it doesn´t hang out?"

M did baptize his daughter. And I don´t think there was another soul in the room that noticed the jumpsuit sleeves tucked into the waist back. The Lord is so merciful to help us come up with solutions in the moment even though at times there appears to be none.

This family was a miracle in the first place because they live so from the rest of our sector. M was the one who came and contacted the Hermanas (a week before I got here)! He informed them that he and his wife and daughter were less active. But....they were super solid and have great testimonies.

All this time I have felt like we were visiting an active member family. Their daughters remind me a lot of us when we were little and the connection I feel to this family is just that: very familiar-feeling. It was such a miracle and a blessing to be a part of this family´s progress and finally seeing V and her father make it to this point...his 9 yr-old daughter´s baptism :)

M is very blunt but also very funny. He reminds me of Dad.

These pictures for me are just...priceless :)

Oh! And my picaduras [mosquito bites] that are healing!!!!! I´m trying everything under the sun to get my legs better again. These mosquitoes eat me like crazy! But, it´s getting better! :)

And, the view outside our window (this picture is from this morning) :)

 

Week 58! "Short and Sweet..."

From 3/2/15

Sorry family and friends. There is no time to write this week. We got to Quito late and had some errands to run, leaving no more time. But I did have some pictures to send though I didn´t think I did. I hardly take my camera out now that we are living between 2 sectors and 2 houses and I don´t want something to happen to it.

 

MIRACLES are ABOUNDING!!!! I love the strength I feel working with my companion and exerting myself, though without God I am nothing....very weak without God. Yes, very weak. But He is making me strong :)

 

I have a testimony of prayer. They really are answered.

 

Love you all have a great week!

 

Hna Fernelius

 

We´re cool and have the coast as our sector. What what!! :p We ate lunch there last week BUT we didn´t step on the sand, we promise :) [It's against her mission rules to "step on the sand"].

A service project Tuesday.

How locals nail wood down.....



How WE nailed the wood down!
 

 

Week 57! "The Double Lives of Two Sister Missionaries..."

From 2/23/15

Last week we had interviews with President. He came to the coast and my only question was whether he could "foresee" a little of what would happen with me the last few cambios of my mission. I am pretty much pumped to give it my all, though my body is starting to get a little tired. My desires and determination is way too strong and I want the big adventures and race to the finish to come now that I have experience in the mission as well. I didn´t say all this. All I said was "I have animos to keep learning". I just feel I have so much left to give! :)

This Sunday morning Hna F and I met up with the Hermanas from an area nearby, because one of them was also finishing her mission. Hna F and her met up and stayed for the early ward´s sacrament meeting while I went to the other area with Hna R. It was weird leaving Hna F. She´s got a strong presence and personality, so now I had to mentally prepare myself for taking over my sector again.

Hna R is from Bolivia. She was in the ARMY there....0_o Tough cookie, she is. And very funny. We spent the day Sunday between the two areas, trying to work together in both sectors...like 30 minutes bus ride apart. Both sectors are SUPER big, well, one more than anything. The Hermanas in the bigger area are the only missionaries in the mission Ecuador Quito Norte that have a PLAYA (beach) in their sector. They even have a little island that you have to take a boat to get to....well, obvious, isn´t it?..:p

Anyway, the branch yesterday thought I was the newly arrived missionary to be with Hna R. So they made me get up to the pulpit and present myself. I chuckled to myself:

"Suckers," I thought, "They think I´m the new Hermana! jejeje".

So, I got up, presented myself as a visitor and that I worked nearby. And projected a lot of hopeful aspirations of the branch and ward to the members there if they kept sharing their testimonies.

Later that day, I considered what it would actually be like to work in that area. It would be....a challenge. Because it´s huuuuuge. And it´s still a rama [branch] for a reason. But there are a lot of good members and good potential there. I told Hna R that the missionaries of this branch need to receive a lot of revelation to know how to work there, and would definitely have so much exito [success] because the potential is so big.

At night, we were waiting for the call from our leaders to know who would be our new companions! Elder G, our zone leader gave the news. Hna R would be receiving.....!!!!!!!!!!! Well, she already had received her new companion. It would be me!! We looked at each other a little confused. They explained:

"Hna R is now an Hna Líder and the two of you will be working in BOTH sectors." ....Wut.

There are no new Hermanas coming to the coast. Me and Hna R have both previous areas as our sectors now. We aren´t sure for how long or why exactly. But....wow. All those impressions and thoughts leading up to it was maybe God hinting at us that we were to be companions now. How is it going to work out? Me don´t know. But we mapped out what a typical week would look like and now have an idea. We are going to be traveling quite a bit this week. Today we already bought double supplies of a few things to have a set in both houses. Some nights living in the one area, some nights living in the other. jaja! This is going to be cool.

There are two Hermanas more in the coast 2 hours from us. They live farrrr with a little group of elders in comparison to the rest of the zone. They are staying companions, but one of those Hermanas will be training this cambio as well. So, 5 Hermanas in the coast!!! Wooojoo! This definitely rocks! :) I´m looking forward to it.

Soon we enter into Milagros de Marzo, so I know this will be good :)

So, that´s the dip for the week.

Love you all!

3 Ne 5:13. Have a great week! :)

Hna Fernelius

C is a deaf, mostly blind recent convert who we teach using our hands and writing. Here, Hna F is writing out the hymn we were going to sing and he read it while we sang. It was so cute!

The Zone!

Another Sister headed for home this transfer.



Yes, this house doesn´t have walls. Dirt floors. This is a common thing here. And HAMMACKS. Love livin' the life.

Week 56! "A Song and a Prayer"

From 2/6/15

This week is carnaval!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! PARRRRRTAAAAYYY!!!!
Well....ahem....kidding. But man, the people here KNOW how to play in water and have a good time. All the stores are closed because people have vacated to go to the beach! We saw one truck with a loooong truck bed in the back. On it were two full grown men wading in a large blow-up pool as the truck drove on down the street! jaja Now that´s how it´s done!!

It was neat this week because Hna F is experiencing a lot of "last"s....as in, the week that comes she will be heading back home to the states. It´s horrifying, but wonderful all at the same time. And as I am part of this experience for her I have been able to see how much God loves His missionaries.

For example, last week we went to visit a less active teenager who we hadn´t seen since I got here. The first time I saw him he was just....disrespectful. This time, he listened attentively, treated us with respect, conversed normally, and everything!!! It was weird. Then, he told us an experience he had:

He was having a rough day and was preparing to go to school. He said bye to his mom and headed out, yet, he didn´t actually ever go to school like his mom thought. Instead, he walked to our house and sat outside on the cement sidewalk. He said that, as he sat there not knowing what to do, he heard Hna F´s (beautiful) voice ringing from the second floor out the windows. (I´m glad I probably couldn't sing loud enough for him to hear me...jaja) But, it was that music that we sang that helped him to feel the Spirit and just....reflect. He felt peace through the hymn we sang (I don´t know which hymn it was).

It was then that made him reflect on his behavior, on the way he has been acting with the hermana missionaries for months, and change.

That lesson was one of the most spiritual ones we´d had last week. Largely because the Spirit of repentance is exactly one of the strongest spirits we can feel in our lives.

It was a great week filled with tender mercies large and small. Especially for Hna F. For example, with "A" (the teenager), we visited him the first time not having ANY idea of how we were going to get through to him. But, the night before this visit we made, Hna F said she prayed and studied specifically for him. And then....that. His experience that we had no idea had occurred one month earlier.

Wow, changes are real. And God really blesses His children.

I love you all and hope you have a great week! :)

Hna Fernelius

At parque infantíl last Monday!!

And .....the basketball court where Dad played with his investigators :)

Hno A and the red rose he picked for me and Hna F on Valentine´s Day :)

 

A family that came all the way from Quito just to surprise Hna F and say goodbye!!! Wuuut. That´s love and dedication right there.

Hna N finishing patacones to go with our Sunday lunch cevuche! yuuuummmm :)

Week 55! "Cheetos Are....Plastic?!"

From 2/9/15

Hi family!!!

 

First off, please let everyone know that this month is "Fe de Febrero traerá milagros de Marzo". It´s where we make some sacrifices in order to reap blessings for our life and mission. And I´m going deep in this year. One of my sacrifices is to only have 1 hour to write to my family and President of the mission. The rest of the time I plan to study for investigators and other things. I love responding to my friends and family, but I have faith in following through with this sacrifice. :) Thank you!

 

That said, I don´t have much time left to write to you. I was going to cut out writing emails home altogether but decided in this case that wouldn´t be wise. For example, there is important information that needs to be transmitted. Also, in my setting-apart blessing it mentions the role that emails to and from home would play in my life and for my family at home. So, 1 hour limit it is :)

 

Family, did you know that if you light a cheeto with a match, it drips plastic?! We learned that from a man that gave a health capacitación on the bus back from Quito on Wednesday. We went home and tried it....it´s true.....And we CONSUME that?? YEAH we do!

 

In an area of our sector we rode in a member´s car to a cita [appointment]. It´s more nature-area there and less mud-city. As the car inched it´s way up the windy dirt road, two small boys turned away from playing on a dirt soccer court and grabbed hold of the tail end of the car. We rode up the hill, laughing and cheering them on as their little heads simultaneously bobbed up and down and they followed the car up the trail. They smiled so big and so CUTE and we turned around give them cheers and thumbs-up. Several hundred feet later, they both let go and turned to their left to go up another dirt path home. What a priceless, "Kodak moment"! I just didn´t have my camera on me at the time. Rats. But, I just had to tell you. It was so cute! They had to have been 8 and 9 years old.

 

For my birthday, the zone leaders surprised me with a can of peaches. I was SO HAPPY! A can of peaches is expennnnsive here. It´s like $3.75 or something....and way better than a torta (cake). jaja It sealed the end of a rather strange day, honestly.  But it was a good day :)

 

Hno A [the one that knew my dad on his mission] is struggling with his health. He is such a quiet, loving guy. I gave him the assignment to fix my watch, and he did. It´s in better condition than it was before. :) I love the man. For more reasons than one.

 

We have a goal of finding a progressing family! We pray constantly to find them. Hna F is ending her mission, so we have high goals! Please pray for her....for her animos [motivation] and for the miracles she seeks. It´s hard ending a mission, but she is going strong and is an example of diligence and determination to me :)

 

I love your emails! I love your faith and personalities. I love the people you naturally are and naturally strive to become. Love you all!

 

Have a great week! Keep working hard and the Lord will continue to guide and bless us :)

 

Love,

 

Hna Fernelius

 

"...we have been working with a mom and daughter for some time. This week has been challenging since they have been largely in the hospital because of a complicated birth.

 

'S' was disappointed yesterday when we explained that if she didn´t go to church for the 3 hours, we would have to put off her baptism for another week. She was concerned about her mother, who she needed to bring breakfast to in the hospital. We testified of faith and the power of prayer. She went to her room and said a prayer while we said our own. As we began walking together to church, she told us she had forgotten her I.D. at home. Hna F and I decided to hurry back while she continued on to sacrament mtg. As we hurried to get it, she called us not 2 minutes later, an air of joy and relief in her voice, 'Hermanas! It´s okay, my aunt called and said she´s at the hospital to help my mom and give her food!'

 

We went to church and S was so content to be there. There was a large smile on her face the entire time...and she passed her baptismal interview! It really was a miracle and an answered prayer :) I know it comes from an act and prayer of faith.

 

I have several things I´m sacrificing this month and next. I remember the miracles from last year and feel an increased need to reach specific personal goals for my life and mission. I´ve been really blessed on my mission!, but there´s more I must give to the Lord.

 

I spoke with Hna F, and she expressed her strong desire to find a family who progresses before she goes home. We have been praying in every prayer without fail for this family. I know we will find them.

 

Our relationship is really good. My heart has grown for my companion in miraculous ways. I feel our studies are so important because there, without fail we find motivating stories and talks from our heritage and modern prophets that testify of faith, sacrifice, and obedience.

 

I feel really good! I feel home here in a very real way. I love feeling the strength that comes from being the Lord´s missionary, and hope to improve every day."

Week 54! "Poisonous Frog...or Prince?"

From 2/2/15

Just wanted to say hi!! No more time to write than that for this week, but I love you all and hope you are doing well.

 

We had a specialized conference last week where President and the Assistants came to my area. It was really, really good :) Me and Hna F got to share capacitaciòn [training] with two zones on repentance and how to teach it effectively to investigators. I definitely felt the spirit.

 

Thanks for the love and birthday wishes. Thanks for always updating the blog. I can`t tell you how much it means. And it motivates me to always reflect on just how beautiful my mission and life have been for me and want to share from the heart. It also motivates me to write more diligently in my personal journal for the future :)

 

Have a great week! :)

 

Hna Fernelius

"Buenas tardes!

[Two investigators] accepted a baptismal date before, but it had to be changed because they weren`t able to make it to church for health reasons. They are really humble, which is why they accept the doctrine so readily.

It`s true what you said last week, that there is a special 'prepared' spirit in this area. There are many ready to progress. We just need to set our sight high and find them.

 

I am doing well. I love it here so much! The ward is great and I was in awe to see about 20 people get up Sunday to bear short, powerful testimonies. It was great.

I know this work is of the Lord, and lately I`ve been studying more of the life of Joseph the prophet and the history of the church. It amazes me the miracles and prophecies they received....but also the tremendous opposition they faced.

I love this gospel and I want to be a great part of the work and growth here in Ecuador. I feel the Lord`s hand in my life, guiding me, teaching, and training me. I hope it continues in great strides :)"

 

P.S.......................

 

............................my companion and I caught a toad with our hands a couple nights ago, and I told my zone leader in the nightly phone call we make to report our work that day (he`s American). He told me "YOU CAN`T DO THAT!"

 

"What? Why not?" I asked back.

 

He said that he had an investigator who`s kids picked up and killed toads and ended up with sores all over their hands....Wuuuut. We don`t have running water in the house, so I didn`t wash my hands really good after touching the giant toad.

 

I`m scared.

 

Later, another member in our ward told me that frog pee can also make you go blind. Gulp.

But, I`m still alive and can see just fine so...I guess I dodged that bullet.  AND I got a couple pictures out of it too. jejeje :)

 

[It's Tiffany's birthday this week - looks like someone was looking out for her....]

Service in a contact

Eating "Shawarmas"

 

Week 53! "THE Cockroach"

From 1/26/15

What a good week!

First of all, I got to know [two areas with beaches] because we had divisions twice this week for 24 hours each...which pretty much I got to spend the night :) jejeje The first division I went on was with Hna U [one of my former companions]...remember her? Well, she asked about every single one of you.

It was a very special experience being companions again for a day after not seeing her for about a year!! And, you know what, it was also a very tender mercy. She has changed....a lot. And for the better. When I was with her a year ago, she was fighting the urge to go home. When I was with her this week, she took initiative in every lesson and in every contact. And, in my personal opinion, she teaches way better than I do: clearly, directly, and thoroughly. I admire the change she has become. She even said that she is "secure" with the person she has become and feels the responsibility to be a leader (self-initiated). I cried - I was so happy!! The Lord really can mold and change any person to be strong in whatever area they feel weak. Being with her that day was tangible evidence of that :)

Also this week: A young lady in our ward who has cerebral palsy (I believe) always comes up to us to happily greet us. Saturday, Hna F and I were waiting for the jovencita [young lady] who was going to be baptized to arrive. We were getting concerned because it was getting late, so we went to a secluded area behind the church to say a prayer. We did. And as we wrapped up the prayer, we heard this young lady, L, come up behind us and start laughing HYSTERICALLY. I thought, "What the hay? We´re praying."

But, we finished and upon opening her eyes, Hna F´s gaze went directly to the top of my head. She moved back a few steps and shrieked a little. My brain began storming....."There´s something on my head, there´s something on my head. Okay, I don´t know what it is. If I touch it, it might just creep me out or cling harder. Is it a salamander? Is it a moth or other large bug?...I´ll just carefully bend my head forward and hope it falls off."

So, that´s what I did, and I was afraid to look at the ground to see what it actually was. But, I was brave (pat on the back). I looked.

There, on the ground, was a cockroach the size OF.....like an eraser. Okay, so it wasn´t that big. And it was on it´s back, dead. BUT....L is scared of cockroaches! Apparently, getting a kick out of our reactions was enough to overcome the fear of finding a dead cockroach and placing it neatly on my head when we were with our temporal guard down...Good move L. Good move.

Also, we went home briefly Saturday to pick up baptismal clothes for N, who got baptized that evening. We walked in....and there was a bird in our house! It smacked itself ferociously against the windows trying to escape. Then, after running to grab my camera and take a video, it attacked my legs!!!! It finally made it´s get away through the kitchen and out the window there....I feared for it´s life. It looked so desperate. But wow.....what a moment as me and Hna F tried to encourage it out the window and battled it flying at us at the same time. jajaja

Okay, best moment of the week. We stopped by Hno A´s house because they were sitting near their window as we walked by [he's the one that had known Tiffany's dad during his mission]. We walked in. I can't help but feel very happy when I´m there now. I mentioned Dad´s reaction to him. He smiled.  Our conversation was very relaxed. I just stood there even though we weren´t talking about anything in particular. He mentioned he didn´t have Facebook, email, or phone....the only way to ever find him is actually physically knowing where he lives - interesting...

Then, he looked at me, and in a reflectioning way said, "I had a dream a long time ago. In my dream, a tall, American elder came up to me and shook my hand. The next day, I was sewing in my shop, and when I looked out the window, there were two elders that were coming to our shop. It was one elder and his new companion. That companion was your Dad." Woahhh.

I stood there watching Hermana A and smiling, feeling very grateful to be here living this experience. Then, he continued. "There are many elders that I have known through my life..."

He named the ones who baptized him...then he mentioned Dad. Of all the people to remember, he remembered Dad. His wife piped in and said, "he must´ve been a very special person for my husband to remember him so well." Hermana A then asked me, "Are you like you´re dad?"

I responded that I was. And he said, "There was a big spirit that went with your dad; he was a very special person. And a very good missionary."

Hermana A´s voice was next. Referring to me she added, "She´s proud of her father. Those are tears of joy."

I am so grateful to be here. Every day is a blessing. The people here are very friendly and open. For example, this week one taxi driver, one person who sat next to me on the bus, and one taxi driver gave us transportation -- without pay. The taxi driver guy even INSISTED we let him give us a ride, even though we assured him we only had to walk two blocks to our destination!

The challenge is not getting in, the challenge is helping them to progress. But, if we look, there are many willing to progress as well.

Love you all, and I hope you have a great week!!

Hna Fernelius

The residue of my Ibarra tan line....from being there on divisions [splits] only ONE DAY.

In the most wildernessy part of my sector. Most of my sector is houses and mud, but this part is more campo-y. With our newly sustained ward mission leader and his wife.

Last Monday we went to the beach. The weather there is much cooler! And, though we´re not supposed to get onto the sand...we definitely could to enjoy the view and eat KFC lunch jeje

Us in a mototaxi!

What...? Uhhhhhhh

Baptism!

The hermanas have a really big sector!!! Every part is a little different, but it´s all pretty.

The life....

Part of the zone eating after playing soccer for P-Day :)

A mamita [cook] here...jajaja yuummmm. It's a taste of the fun nature of the people here.

A cancha [soccer field] here.

Hna Q.  I was also with her yesterday and today because our compas had to make a day´s trip to Quito and back.

[No wonder "knocking on doors" is never very successful....]

["Preaching to the dead" - in 2015.  To understand this photo, you need to see the next one from Tiffany's dad's mission!]

["Preaching to the dead" - in 1986.  Tiffany's dad (and companion) were such dedicated missionaries that they spent this particular P-day doing missionary work among the dead.  It's particularly fitting that his companion in this photo is wearing a shirt from the area Tiffany is currently serving in, even though the photo was taken in a different area.]