Jan 13: The Jungle of Puyo

Wow, this place here is incredible, I feel like I'm on vacation here. It's so pretty. The first time we walked into my house here in Puyo we found a huge frog jumping around and a lizard doing his own thing on the wall. It's super hot and humid here, so we sleep without blankets or sheets or anything, I was so hot my first couple nights I barely slept. At night time you can barely talk cause the wild bugs are so loud. It's probably rained every single day but rained so hard, you can't leave your house without an umbrella or else you'll regret it. You also don't wanna leave without a flashlight cause you can not see at all during the night time. Everyone says there are wild monkeys around and jaguars in the jungle but I still haven't seen any.

Our zone is divided into 2 sectors. One sector is in Baños and areas over there which is about 3 hours south of us, and the other includes Puyo and Tena which is another 2 or 3 hours north of us. The Zone is massive so on Thursdays, we have to travel down to Baños for a meeting with the district there, and on Fridays, we're in Puyo for another district meeting for the Elders here and up in Tena. So it's a lot of traveling, not even to mention we have to do divisions with every companionship in our zone.  

Puyo is a small branch of about 90-100 people, and the branch is a huge mess. It hasn't grown in years. All the ward members pretty much hate each other, they hate the branch president. So it's a very low baptizing area because nobody helps out or is willing to help out.

My new companion is Elder Burga and is from Lima Peru and is about to finish his mission in 11 weeks. This week spent a lot of time exploring the jungle, and we helped a ward member kill some pigs. We ate raw giant worms called Chontacuros, which was very nerve-racking but worth it. We're both super excited to be here, to be in such a beautiful place with an unlimited amount of fun things to do. 

A scripture for this week is in 1 Nephi 17:13 which says

“And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.”

I know this is true, I know that God is our light even in the wilderness or the jungle, that if we keep his commandments and have faith in him, he will guide our path just like he guided Nephi and his family to the promised land. 

Love Elder Rich

My new suit

chanchitos (baby pigs)

A selfie

Chontacuros

This was on the way to a lesson

Welcome to Puyo

Jan 6: Welcome to the Jungle

We had a super fun new year, we decided to buy one of the "monigotes" that was listed at $25 dollars but we spent 30 minutes negotiating to the price and we bought it at $12. It was SID from Ice Age, but it was cool cause they had toys from every single show or movie. I'll throw in some pics below. On New Year's Eve, we were stuck in the house the whole day, so we made cinnamon rolls and cooked them at our church. That night we took Sid up to our rooftop and chopped off his arms and head with some rebar then burned him. While Sid was burning, we cracked open our Welch's cider and had one for the boys. It was cool too, cause at 12:00 everybody in the whole city lights their monigote on fire killing and burning the old year away. There were so many fireworks going on too. The city went nuts.  

The rest of the week was normal, we didn't end up having our baptism, we changed it to this Saturday. We visited some good people and ate some more rice and beans. And Jefrett blessed the sacrament on Sunday, he said the prayer for the bread and messed up cause he was so scared, but he got it his second time. 

Last night we got the changes call, and ima be taking off to the Jungle. It's a place called Puyo, about 5  hours into the jungle. The bishop we have now is from Puyo and he was telling me everything about it. That I'm going to die of heat, it's so humid, there are so many bugs, snakes, tarantulas, monkeys, birds. They eat raw worms all the time too, that'll be pretty fun. But also they speak different dialects and the missionaries need to learn some of the dialects to teach to them. I am super sad to be leaving Ambato, the members when I told them cried and cried and that even made me cry. Elder Hunter will be staying here again, so tonight we'll just be saying more goodbyes and crying even more. I'm super sad to be leaving this area, I have never enjoyed a sector more, loved my comps, or loved a ward as much as this one. The whole ward is devastated, but it's all a part of God's plan and I know there are people in Puyo waiting for me, and ima get them. 

I hope everyone who reads this has a great week!

Love Elder Rich

some examples of the monigotes 

SID

Fireworks

2020 it is

New Years cinnamon rolls

on my way

Dec 30: The Good's and the Bad's

Well, we celebrated Christmas in the house since we were not allowed to leave that day unless members picked and dropped us off at our house. So we spent time making Eggnog, Caramel Popcorn, and cookies. We ate turkey breakfast and spent the whole morning there, and spent the whole afternoon with our Venezuela friends, Enrique and Reynaldo which is where I called the fam and ate all the Christmas candy my family sent me.

The rest of the week we worked normally. The whole country is getting ready for the New Years and they buy these things called "Monigotes" which are practically any type of cartoon figure they can make out of newspaper. From Shrek to old people sitting in wheelchairs. Anyway, they beat up these Monigotes and burn them at 12:00 which represents all the good and bad that happened that year. So we have to stay in all day New Year's Eve, but we bought a Martinelli's to drink so it will be a party. 

We're planning on a baptism on Saturday, and this probably marks my last week here in Ambato I'm guessing since we have changes next week and I've been here for 3 transfers or about 4 months. So we're gonna make the best of this week cause we had 7 new people in church and a total of 10 on Sunday and a couple of them we already put them on date for baptism. 

Jefrett also received the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday.

That's all for this week, more to come the following.

a Shasta in Ecuador

a merry Christmas truly from yours

Christmas with Enrique

Christmas dinner

COME-LON Venezuelan food

Dec 23: A Christmas Miracle

Feliz Navidad!

On Thursday night we were hanging out at our church and all of a sudden we see Jefrett walk in. We said what's up to him and asked him what he was doing at the church. He responded, "I'm here to get baptized." He continued by saying he had read the whole Book of Mormon in 2 days and that night received an answer that the church really is true. He was so excited, it was so cool. We both didn't believe him at first, but he shared that the night he finished the Book of Mormon, he asked God to reveal if it really is true and if he needs to get baptized. And during the night he had 3 separate dreams in which God spoke to him telling him that number one, the church is true and two, he needs to get baptized. 

So we got all his final preparations in, his baptismal interview and Saturday he came to the church and got baptized. I was honored to do it, he said he wouldn't get baptized by anyone else but me. After his baptism, our bishop invited him to share his thoughts, feelings, and testimony of the church. He happily accepted and shared that there was a while back he was going to get baptized in the church, but he didn't feel well about it so he made the decision to not get baptized and just continue going to church and living his life. But the other day the missionaries invited him to read the whole Book of Mormon and ask God if it was true. He decided to read it and put his trust in God that he would hear and answer his prayers to let him know what he needed to do. And he explained that when he finished reading the book, he asked God to just tell him what he needed to do and that night, God responded and here he is baptized in God's true church. He bore strong testimony that he knows this church is true because God told him. 

A short Christmas scripture I wanna share is in Isiah chapter 9 verses 6 that says:

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  

I know God lives and that this is his church. I know God answers prayers if we have the faith to act on the answer he gives us. I know Jesus Christ is everything and without him, we would be doomed. May we all give thanks this Christmas season for Him.

Love Elder Rich

The biggest stud I know

Wishes coming from us here in Ecuador

 The Panas

 Feliz Navidad

Dec 16: A baptism on Friday the 13th

Another week over, another week closer to Christmas. VAMOS!

We visited Andre a ton this week getting him ready for his baptism. Andre and his mother, Maria Del Carmen, went inactive almost 13 years ago and really had no determination to come back. Her other son Aaron served a mission in Peru and got back 6 months ago. He had tried over and over to get them to come back to church but they always replied with no, until one day they finally came. We began to visit them, teach them the lessons and our visits were so powerful. Aaron would cry and testify so strongly that they knew they had to come back to church, and Andre knew he needed to get baptized. During the service, Aaron told us "Thank you so much man. This has been a dream I've always had, and it's being completed today."

Jefrett also promised us to read the whole Book of Mormon in 15 days, and when he receives a witness that's it's true, he'll get baptized on the 4th of January. 

That's about it, don't forget to find ways to tell someone you love them for the Christmas season. Thanks for the love and support. Catch ya in 273.

Andre

Venezuelan burgers

Aaron

Dec 9: Lucky 13

We had 13 investigators at church, it was pretty incredible. We extended a lot of invitations to almost everybody and even passed out church invitation cards and people came. A lady in particular named Carmen came with her son. We found them last Monday when our lesson bailed which is weird cause the family we would have visited is always there, but for some reason, they didn't answer. We decided to contact a few houses, and while we were knocking on a particular door Carmen was walking on the street and she began yelling "Elders! Elders!" She said she had listened to missionaries almost 5 years ago, but they both got transferred and other missionaries never passed by, until us. We taught her 2 different times, and also brought her to a family home evening with our Bishop and she loved it. 

We also did a good amount of service moving people and painting cement walls. 

We have a baptism planned for this Friday for a kid named Andre. He's super prepared, and we taught him pretty much everything this week that he needs to know to pass his interview. His mother went inactive maybe 10 years ago, but our lessons have been super powerful, so powerful that we all cry. She's come to church with Andre 4 weeks in a row and he's happy he's finally getting baptized. 

That's all here in Ambato, I love this place so much. 

Love Elder Rich

Volley in the rain

Helping Genesis move

her daughter Dominica

painting cement walls

Dec 2: No Bakes, Caramel Popcorn, and Banana Bread

It's transfer week, and happy to say Elder Hunter and I will be staying another one together. I'm super happy cause we are having so much fun and success in this area. We are gonna go dunk squad these next weeks. 

Well, Jefrett has decided he doesn't want to get baptized we really aren't sure why or how to help him. So maybe we'll drop him for some time and try in a couple of weeks. But he comes to church anyway without us saying anything so well see what happens. 

We had a lot of time this week, so we decided to see what our mothers actually taught us by cooking some snacks. You could say my mother is a great mother, but I do not know how to cook very well. But we made No bakes, caramel popcorn, and some banana bread mainly because we just wanted to sit down on a couch and watch the Utah football games. And since we can't do that, we just sat down on our beds depressed eating our food.

The scripture for this week is in 3rd Nephi 5:13

Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.  

For these next 9 and a half months, this is my purpose, to declare the word of God to his people here in Ecuador that they might have everlasting life. It's a dope calling. 

Already in that Christmas spirit

Thanksgiving dinner

Picking spinach

took a trip to a river

 the act of making a Venezuelan pizza