Ecuador at last!

Hello Fam Fam,

Goodbye to Elders Mecham and Farrell in Lima airport

Ecuador at last!  We flew in on Tuesday afternoon, to what I am told was one of the hottest days in a while.  This is good news-- to know this is as hot as it gets.  We were picked up by Elder Griswold and Elder Guerrero (so I guess if you want, you can corroborate my story with his site).  Ten minutes out of the airport, I got to see Elder Griswold proselytize our taxi driver.  I guess the taxi driver belonged to some 666 church, and he and Elder Griswold went back in forth quoting scripture.  The taxi driver started pulling out chapters and verse numbers as he explained his beliefs.  Elder Heaps and I just sat in the back seat looking like deer in the headlights. 

The first day we got to study and hang around the office because Pres. Montalti was not there.  Elder Heaps and I are the only new missionaries, and since the MTC kicked us out in the middle of a transfer, the office was not ready to deal with us.  That night we got to go out tracting with the Assistants, which was really cool.  I think they gave me a skewed perception of how easy missionary work is.  I was really surprised at how similar our practice lessons in the MTC were to how real investigators would react in a lesson.  I remember thinking during our practice lessons, “A real investigator would never say that,” but sure enough, that is exactly how they reacted-- even in my first lesson. 

My trainer, Elder Gonzalez

We have been sleeping with all the office missionaries in their air conditioned mansion. The second day, we met the President and he gave us our new companions.  I will be working with Elder Gonzalez, from Buenos Aires, Argentina.  When he learned we would be companions, he said, “Do you know what yerba mate is?  Good.  Tonight we are going to start our companionship with some mate.”  He is really good to work with and has given me many opportunities to share in the lesson.  When he isn’t talking, I know that it is my turn to go.  When we are in a lesson, I can usually tell what is going on, but when we are just having a regular conversation, I can only pick out bits and pieces. 

I have now had the chance to teach some of the investigators a few lessons.  Even in just a few days you can really see a change in them once the start making commitments to follow the commandments.  I have been really surprised how quickly they make the necessary changes in their lives.  I am already drawing close to these people, but it looks like Elder Gonzalez and I will be heading out on Monday to a new sector to finish out the transfer.  We may move downtown where Elder Guerrero is working now or we may even be sent to Loja.

When we go out tracting, there are little kids everywhere playing in the streets.  They have these little goals they set up that just turn into road blocks.  There is one little girl that likes to test my Spanish knowledge every time we go by her house.  “How do you say giraffe in English?”  What does manzana mean?”  She likes to correct our pronunciation of English words.  One time Elder Heaps asked her, “How do you say ´nariz´ in English?”  She kept on saying “No sé ,” as in I don’t know, so Elder Heaps would say, “It’s nose,” and she said “No sé, that’s how you say it,” and ran back into her room to get her English flash cards to show us she was right. 

The Solana chapel

Well, hope to hear from you all soon.  Thanks for sending that conference question game, Mom. That was fun.  I am afraid your package did not make it to the MTC in time.  Make sure that if you send anything by US postage, you ask for a green sticker.  I don’t think you need to do anything for FedEx, though.   Tonight we have a ward activity.  They call it an open house, and we are having a talent show.  The Relief Society is doing a merengue number, which I think you’d like, Mom.  It should be fun.  Well, I’ll talk to you next week.

Love, Elder Viktor