My Favorite Conversations

These pictures are from Elder Martin, they are from like a week or two ago. We went to a place called Cuicocha, a lake in a crater. The pictures are from Elder Martin's camera. He isn't my companion, but my ZL. We spent kind of a lot of time with them last week on exchanges and on the pday activity.

 

This week started slow because Elder Walker and I were a little sick. Things got better and we got in some good lessons with some less actives. San Roque is still tough for me because it is so different than my other sectors. We are trying to contact folks just in the streets, but they aren't very responsive. The good thing is that my companion likes to have fun so gettin back home and studies in the mornings are fun and it helps carry me through the dusty days. We have 2 service projects planned for this coming week for Tuesday and Wednesday. I am pumped for the services, it is fun to work in a different way. There isn't a whole lot of news here, things are just pluggin along. We learned a little bit of Kichwa yesterday from a sister who teaches Kichwa. That'll be fun to apply this week. My favorite conversations are explaining the basics to people about their eternal identity and destiny; something that most other religions don't touch on.

Week 2 in San Roque

Things are flying by. We are doing our best to get to know all the members, less actives, WHILE finding new people to teach, but it is coming along OK. It has kind of been the routine for 20 months. Elder Walker is from Farmington, Utah and we have a lot in common. The things that are fun about here is the amount of service projects we get to do because everyone has fields to harvest, houses to build, or any sort of other tasks. We harvested some peas and beans on Wednesday, wired on the rebar supports for building a second floor of a house on Friday, and then on Saturday we were putting buckets of materials into the cement mixer and then it would be hoisted up to the second floor for construction. That one was the hardest. 3 buckets of rock, one of cement powder, 3 of sand within 2 minutes. We were just working like dogs. I am beat today.

We had a baptismal goal set for 3 kids of the Picuasi family, but it seems like there is a lack of desire for the whole family to come back to activity in the church. If you guys could pray a little bit for them it would be great.

I am a litte down on the health, I have a fever but things are looking up.

We had a really fun secret pday activity with the 4 missionaries who did not go and play soccer last week. we went to Cuicocha, a crater lake with 2 islands in the middle. I would send the beautiful pictures, but there are like 20 people on this same internet connection and it takes like 30 mins to upload each picture. I sent a letter like 40 mins ago to Adam, but it still hasn't sent.

Love

Elder Blackwelder

San Roque - A land of skirted women and braided men

I love my sector! These pictures are from my rooftop and everything behind me is my sector. Up to the top of El Volcán Imbabura. You may recognize the volcano from when I was in Ibarra...it's the same one. My sector is just one long slope going up from a river down below up to the top.

 

Elder Walker is awesome and is way pumped to work. Things were tough this week because we were basically opening up the sector. Elder Walker and his past companion had 2 wards to work in, but they worked mainly in one because there were more members there and they got a lot of references. Sadly, Elder walker hardly knew San Roque at all, so we have been working a lot in getting to know the members and less actives along with the sector.
 It has been a long week. I got a bloody nose I think every day, probably because of the altitude and it is not as humid as Tena. But I got on the ball and carry a roll of tissue around in my backpack. I have been trying to learn as much kichwa as I can, and it has been really fun. Every adult speaks kichwa, and the majority of the kids do too. All the church meetings are in Kichwa, and I just love it. These are my people. I spoke in sacrament meeting and told them all that it was really hard for me to leave the wonderland of Tena, but once I got here I could feel a draw to them as a people. I wanted to tell them that ever since I was little I have preferred to have long hair, a manifestation that my spirit is part of their culture (all the men have long braids of shiny, thick black hair), but I thought it may not be appropriate from the stand.

In getting to know less actives, we visited the Tituaña family. The wife is a returned missionary from like 20 years ago and 8 years ago he got baptized and then a year later they were sealed in the temple but shortly thereafter they went inactive and have been for about 7 years... I had asked the husband how many children they have (most here have at least 8, one guy in the ward had 14 kids-11 girls and 3 boys. 3 of the girls passed away, and all the oldest ones are married and have the same ratio of offspring) and he responded 1 little girl (Sulay, 8 yrs) and a little boy who passed away shortly after birth. As we continued talking over corn and beans in came some relatives from Quito. After finishing dinner, we started the lesson. But it was weird because the wife felt bad that now the missionaries are visiting HER and HER family and she had done the same as a missionary. The things we were teaching weren't having much of an affect on them, which is what happens after years of inactivity, but then I just said "Look, you guys have made some serious promises to the Lord. The temple isn't a joke, you both know that. I'd like to tell you a brief story about my life. After finishing a year at the University, I left on a trip with my oldest sister to spend time together before coming here on my mission. After leaving the city, we were in an accident and I woke up in the hospital with a deep feeling that my sister had passed away. I was able to talk with my mom on the phone and she reminded me that we are an eternal family, sealed in the temple. That sealing is only valid for those who complete with all the things that God requires. I know that my sister did all she needed to do, in fact she paid her tithing for the upcoming month the day of the accident, she received her endowments even though she wasn't married, she did her visiting teaching days before pàssing away. I know that she was ready. And now, it is my turn. I have to do my part. I know that I can see her again if I do my part, and that is what I want more than anything. Hermano y hermana, you guys have a little one who is waiting for you. He received a body and fulfilled all that he was sent to do. He is sealed to you and is waiting. Will you do your part? I know that the Savior lives and allows me the chance to repent and do my part so that I can be with my sister again." I had never talked so direct to someone before. It felt so right and all the words came out perfectly, like never before. I know that the spirit speaks through us, I know that it spoke through me. I know that President Ghent receives the revelation to know where I need to serve. As much as I hated to leave Tena, it has all been swallowed up in loving service. Well, that was my highlight of this week. Hope it came out right in english.

I love you guys, I know that I have an eternal family.

Con Amor

Elder Blackwelder

Imbabura

Sorry that I didn't write much yesterday. I had to get on the bus quick and get here as soon as I could. I left at 10 am and arrived at 6:30...I don't know why it is so tiring to sit in a bus, but I was wiped out. Elder Walker is great, he is humble and calm. There are a ton of missionaries here opening new sectors because of the influx of missionaries in the world. My zone is called Imbabura and used to have 10 missionaries working 9 wards, but now, there are 18 missionaries, one companionship per ward. I am in the ward San Roque and love it. All around my house is just farmland, I sit at my desk and look up to see the rising flanks of the Imbabura volcano. My sector is just one extensive hill and just keep going up the whole volcano(: everyone here speaks kichwa and often say they don't speak Spanish in order to not have to talk with us...but we'll see what can be done. I'll try to take some pictures and send them to you in the afternoon. We are having p-day today because yesterday the Zone Leader and my companion were running around getting all the new houses ready for the incoming missionaries, but next week it will all be back to normal. Well, that's the update for now, I'll write again later on.

 

Elder Blackwelder