Monday, December 26, 2011

Let's Get It Started!

Elder/ Hermana LaMarca, Elder Brock, Me, Marquez, Liberato, Pereyra, Castro
Jimenez, Moss, Linares, Silva, Ñacato
Retuerto, Alvarado, Leonardson, Cruz, Neilson

Dear Family,

It was so wonderful to hear you all last night.  My companions told me I must have broken a phone record (three hours) but at least I got in all of my ñañas.

Elder Jimenez and Elder Ludlam
Well, I guess you know most of what’s going on.  I forgot to tell you about our Ward Christmas party.  It was pretty wild.  Las Américas had the best performance.  They did a choir and sang some songs in Quechua as they did a choreographed Nativity scene with angel, shepherds, and a few cholas cuencanas.  I thought things were getting a little out of control when Monay did a Mannheim Steamroller’s Joy to the World number until another ward did a dance number to the Black Eyed Peas' Lets Get it Started.  I am not sure how it tied in with Christmas, but… oh well.  They only thing they didn’t realize is that they were not dancing to the original song but rather a parody, Lets Get Retarded in Here.  They thought they were so cool.  A little lesson in one of the many reasons pirated music is a bad idea.  It gave the gringos present a good laugh, though.
Elder Marquez likes Barcelona, too

Thanks again for the call.  Transfers will be coming up soon.  I don’t know if they will do them this week or after New Years.  I feel better and more excited now that we had our little chat. 

Elder Marquez is getting a kick out of what I am writing.
Well, I’ll send you some pictures and hopefully some videos.  Thanks for the Christmas Pictures.

Elder Ludlam

Monday, December 19, 2011

Talk to you Sunday! Feliz Navidad

 
Dear Family,

How are you all this week?  I hope you are enjoying winter break.  Everyone here is asking me if it is snowing in Seattle.

Juan Reyes
This week we found a man named Juan Reyes.  He is kind of timid but has accepted a baptismal date.  He has been especially receptive to the idea of receiving a remission of his sins and pleasing the Lord.  We are really lucky to have found him.  We are having some problems with Nancy.  I think we are fighting some hidden Testigo (Jehovah Witness) influences that she doesn’t want to admit it.  She keeps inviting us to their meetings.  She wants a one for one deal.  I think we need to talk about the nature of receiving commitments and covenants from the Lord.

4 pm sounds like a good time to call.  I think you are two or three hours before Ecuador time.  I am not sure what I’ll do about shoes.  Mine are getting pretty "holy".  Missionary humor.

Sorry, but I don’t have much time to write.  Talk to you Sunday!

Feliz Navidad~
Elder Nano

Nan's question for family:  Why do I always have companion problems?  (I am hoping for some kind of motherly machete).

Monday, December 12, 2011

A Good Week in Cuenca

Dear Family,

Are the Evans the family that is from Cuenca?  If you could send a brand shiny new pair of army-strong missionary shoes, that would be a wonderful Christmas for Nan.  The camera hasn’t shown up either.  I was also thinking of something else I would like for Christmas.  In one of your last letters you wrote about how dad was recording violins.  I would like a Ludlam violin/Ava piano concerto to listen to on all my new music equipo (equipment).

We had a good week in Cuenca.  We found quite a few new people.  We met a new couple, Ciro and Nelida.  We went over to lunch in the house of  the Familia Cando on Tuesday .  They had invited over Ciro and Nelida, their friends, because they were having marriage problems.  They want a divorce, but we read to them in the Book of Mormon about the Doctrine of Christ and what we need to be save our souls (and their marriage).  Ciro had some problems about becoming like a child and not guarding rencor (holding grudges) and got kind of upset and left, saying that there was no alternative to divorce. 
Making Tacos with Elder Castro (2nd from left)

We kept talking with the wife afterwards and she told us that she had this feeling that there would be no happiness in getting a divorce.  She said earlier that week they had an appointment with the lawyer to finalize their divorce.  She said she knelt down to pray and plead that she would not have to go through with it.  When she got to the appointment, someone had forgotten the necessary paperwork which bought them some more time.  We haven’t been able to go to deep into the message of the restoration, but I think they felt the spirit testify really strong when we read the Book of Mormon.  The hermana agreed to meet with us tomorrow again and asked us to call the husband to try and get him to listen to us again.  When we called, he said that he had a conversation with his wife and they would both be looking forward to the visit tomorrow.  They are both ministers of their local congregation, but so far have been really open to listen to us.

We also had another reference named Nancy.  So far we’ve only been able to teach her once, but she came to church this week.  She is sympathetic with the JW’s but this week we did the Final Judgement in Gospel Principles (class at church on Sunday), so it was a really good opportunity to compare ancient and modern revelation side by side.  We’ll have to see how well she took it this week.  W also found a few young men in a part-member family called Sucuzhañai.  Javier, the son of 20 years, also came to church.  (Church attendance is twice as exciting in Cuenca).
Cristo Rey

I am afraid I won’t be able to do a pre-llamada (usually he calls us first to give us a phone number) this year.  You have to call here.  We are going to be encarcelados (imprisoned) again this year although this time it will be for even longer.  We have to be in the house after lunch on Friday and have to stay there until Monday.  We only get to leave for Sacrament meeting.  The number of the house is 011-593-87591154.  "011-593-" is the international code and 087591154 is the house number.  You have to get rid of the "0" at the beginning, though.  Looking forward to talking to you.  I don’t know if you want to send some questions ahead of time for speed and efficiency with our 45 min limit.

Well, love you a ton,
Mister Elder Ludlam

Monday, December 5, 2011

Training in Machala



Dear Family,

Who is that penultimate handsome devil ?  
Elders Linares, Marquez, Leonardson, Moss, Jimenez, Nacato, Silva, Lamslud, Liberato
How are you all this week?  I spent the last few days in Machala.  We had a training session with President Montalti.  He talked a lot about expressions of love for our investigator.  He said "not only do the investigators need to feel the spirit in the lessons, they need to feel the missionaries love for them."  I think it is something I can work on.

We are having trouble getting people to church, particularly with Rosa, the single sister I told you about last week.  She wants to go but something always comes up and suddenly taking the sacrament becomes not so important.  Elder Christofferson has an article about always remembering Christ and the Sacrament that I want to use.  He talks about how part of the sacramental covenant is making sure that Christ always takes a priority in our lives along with scripture study, prayer and Sunday worship.  Elder Marquez, my district leader, also helped come up with a plan to bring members along to every visit to help her have a stronger commitment to not leave town at the last minute.

The ward here is still really new so all the members don’t all know each other.  We had a big activity last week where we all went out and looked for the people on the ward lists that we weren’t really sure who they were.  We participated as well because it was a good way to get to know the area.

Last night we had a pretty interesting lesson.  We learned there is a Haitian community living in our ward.  Some of them are already members, but there are still many of them who have not talked with the missionaries.  Since the earthquake took out all the universities in Haiti, they all are here in Ecuador to study.  They told us the reason they chose Ecuador is because it is the only country where they could show up in the airport and ask for a visa.  Spanish is not their first language, so there is a little communication problem, but we are able to make ourselves understood.  We are still getting to know everyone, but last night we talked with Franky.  He is currently going to a lot of different churches and is looking for the truth.  I am excited to be able to talk to them again.

Hope to hear from you soon.  My stack of 7 Dear Elders from November/December should be getting here any day now. 

I am looking forward to putting in practice what I learned in Machala.  Lots of efficiency things.

Well, love you all!  Call number 3 is coming up!

Love Elder Ludlam