January 30, 2012

Candice,


Sadly we cant have bikes here, kinda a bummer. But it
is still fun to see others using them, even though they are usually just thrashed. I saw one fixed gear the other day though, but you wouldn't be able to tell because normally people take a lot of pride in their bike, but his was just gnarly and rusty.I am jealous about the film festy and the valentine party, that sounds so fun. Well, I hope you are doing well, and make a good choice for the valentines dinner. If I was invited I know who I would bring. How are you doing with your prayers and scripture reading? Just do it for one week and you will see. Major change. You have nothing to lose, not even your social image! haha (: I love you, and wish NOTHING but the
best for you.

Ian

TURTLE NECKS!

February 13, 2012

 Everyone:


So today was the 7 month mark, and we went to a waterfall. really cool. Looking at the pictures, it probably looks like hot south american jungle, but it is really mild, like home. with eucalyptus trees and low shrubs. the water was rather warm too. so beautiful.

To Candice:

hehe clothes, food, school, babies, sicknesses...sounds like your life is just about the same as always except for EUROPE! so cool! i want to go to iceland sooo bad. that was my pick for the mission....but there are places here that are just as cold and that are just what I imagined iceland like...tons of grass and volcanic black rock with a lake or two. We met two folks from france today at a market in otavalo. I asked what was better for them, english or spanish. English. they lived in australia for 12 years. I asked what he likes to do. Digging. haha sweet man, me too! For gems; like rubies and saphires. Awesome! That was why he lived in Australia. We also went to a waterfall today. I'll send pictures of that.
The cheese family isn't home much, so that is going nowhere fast. But we found another family, Sahona, and the son (8) is a champion Michael Jackson dancer. He is incredible! All over the place with his music-video-obtained moves, truly magic. I have gained a new respect for Michael Jackson.
Yes, being District leader is still hard for me, I just feel like all the other missionaries have so much more to offer than I do, and I just want to learn from them, not the other way around...oh well.

I'll never find someone like you,
Elder Blackwelder

March 5, 2012

So, a quick week, no doubt. A new month too, we are planning a big mission wide goal called "Miracle March" and we had a mini zone conference on saturday and our zone Leaders told us all about it. It's basically a goal to get ALL the companionships up and running properly. I am getting adjusted to all my responsabilities and am enjoying it all. I have been very happy lately, realizing that I am not responsible or required to be perfect. It was a big weight that I have felt taken off my shoulders, seems like it should just be something simple, something I already should have known, but I suppose it was just a reminder. We have a new missionary in the Zone, well 2 actually. One is the new Zone Leader, the other is a greeny fresh from the MTC in Mexico. They are both very unique and have strong quirks...but it will all be great. I went to Tulcán yesterday to do some baptismal interviews with the new Zone Leader, Elder Anderson, and we spent the night there (at 12,000 ft elevation). In the morning I went on  run with Elder Pande, the missionary who works there, and I was huffin and puffin hahaha it was fantastic. Then, Elder Pande and I went fishing! haha we had been planning something like that for a few weeks now, and finally did it. 

We bought some cheap $6 poles with reels and line and headed to a place called Tufiño, on the river that divides Colombia and Ecuador. We weren't sure if the fish were Colombian or Ecuadorian...haha but we didn't catch any anyway. But while we were exploring better fishing spots, we found a trout hatchery (criadero de trucha)! It was so cool, I recognized it from a distance with the different pools with an input of water and an output. There was a cool little hut that had the egg laying section I imagine. there was a house next to it, so we knocked to see if we could toss our lines in....(: the lady answered but said no, because she is just the caretaker, it is someone else's project, called Gisis I think-you can look it up- but we got to take a little tour.
We're working with a really funny old lady named Elsa Guerra, she is supposed to get baptized this saturday, but it will probably get moved to the following week, the 17th. All is well here in Sagrario.

Love you all,
Elder Blackwelder


To Candice,


I love you and am sorry about your fall. It is scary to think how fragile life really is, to think that you passed an experience that could have ended you life in an instant makes life a bit different. Makes you wonder, "if were to die, would I be ready? Did I say what I needed to say to a certain person? Did I achieve what I really wanted? Am I going to make my life different now that something like that has happened?" All questions that I have meditated deeply and have come to various conclusions, but it is still powerful to think about. I'm sorry about your glasses, I know how you feel ):


Love Ian

February 27, 2012

I am going to answer your questions first:

Yes, it was a good week, Elder Rocha and I have been working out some kinks in the companionship and i am glad that we are going to be together another 6 weeks, transfers were yesterday. The district experienced a change...it grew! now there is only one district in the whole Zone, so i have the same dominion as the zone leaders...kinda strange. But this week I talked about using the members more, not just for asking for references, but teaching the how to become missionaries. The policy that President Hinckley established was "every member a missinonary", but many members don't know exactly what to do. We talked about how to teach them how to make a contact, what are the basics of the church that they can teach (articles of faith basically) and how to be a good fellowshipper and help their friends come to church. It went really well, I felt like it was succesful. 

     I was thinking about that the other day, that in reality, I feel like my shirts look the same as when I was in the MTC. We wash at a member's house, they have a washing machine, then we bring it all home and put it on a rack that we have to dry out.  I use 3 shorts sleeves and one long sleeve every week, the long sleeve for when I use my suit on sunday and if it is cold during the week, and the shorts sleeves I wear 2 days in a row. It is a good system and I still have many more white shirts in my suitcase. But there are some areas in the mission that are just hot and dusty and I heard most missionaries change thier shirts at lunch because of the dirt sticking to sweat...awesome.

       I love it here in the sierra though, so beautiful. The volcano Cayambe was making itself visible on sunday morning as we went around town waking up the sleepy investigators, it is so magnificent and snow covered. 

     I was talking with a guy at church yesterday about Iceland and that I wanted to serve there on my mission because I have some viking heritage, he was kinda confused because I am American...it's funny because most people don't understand that the gringos that they are familiar with are not native to north america...haha they all come from other countries.

     I would imagine that the Blackwelder cousin's house in Orem would be quite crazy, but it is sooo cool. They have a trampoline indoors and a climbing wall...and like 20 rooms too haha.

Today in the morning, we made cookies in the chapel from a Betty Crocker mix that Elder Challis got in a package from his grandma. Super good. We did a service project this week for a member, helping him build a new house out of cinder block and I got super burnt on my neck where my collar tan line is...haha so funny how different the sun is here. We got shirts as a zone with a drawing of each of us as an indigenous from our respective countries (U.S, Ecuador, Panama, Honduras) but mine came with my name mispelled, and a bit small, so I am going to send it home to Thom.

Well Love you all,

Elder Blackwelder

February 20, 2012

 Letters to dad and mom:

Dad,

Haha I love Anza! that's cool uncle Don got to go. Here in Ecuador is a holiday called Carnaval, everyone has work and school off and they throw water balloons, eggs, flour and all sorts of things at whoever is in the street. Kinda fun. I met some guys at the Colombian border who were fishing, they use bread mixed with tuna for bait for the trout, up to like 3 or 4 pounds. The river separates the two countries. Funny old guys. We're spending the pday here in Tulcán, 12,000 ft! haha it is so awesome to be here and not have to have hiked all the way up, I always love how the air is so different and chilled.

Sorry it is short, but I love you, thanks for helping me out in everything.

Love Elder Blackwelder

Another tough week for me mentally. I'm interested to know when it was that you felt that. One night i just felt it all so real, exactly how you said it; she was so vibrant, but it all is just captured in pictures. The pictures of her are very different, other people tell me they see a difference too, than those of Tess or Candice. Her eyes hold all the goodness of her life here on earth. I can't look at the picture on her funeral program without crying, where she is looking at the camera direct and has her hair back, and its hard to tell if she is smiling, or kinda sad, kinda like "well, i finished, now it's your turn to keep going". I loved going to her house on weekends and taking a break from everything. I have never been one for friends ALL the time, and her house was always the best retreat. We would sing, and cook, and then sleep forever. And I always made her go get gelato with me! haha I knew she wanted it, but couldn't make herself do it. I always felt so respected by her, like I was her Older brother. Her waist was always perfect for hugging, she loved those. And her teeth so white and always smiling. Her scar on her nose, lazy eye in pictures...she was the best! and even though I know it's not over it is still hard to believe it wil be so long until we meet again.

I haven't become the missionary I want to be. I realized that here in Ibarra, and I was really racked thinking about it. Then, at church, there was this young black guy, like 23 or so, who I hadn't seen before. I think he attended the other branch on Sunday, but he was just so happy. I thought, "I'm supposed to be like that, I have always been like that". I got to talk for a long time with him, and he served in Honduras 3 years ago and told me all his good experiences and just kinda helped me in general with understanding the mission life. And now I feel better, but the 23rd is coming this week, those days are always kinda difficult, but I think it will be ok. Today is the holiday Carnaval, where everyone throws waterballoons or other liquids at everyone in the street. We bought some foam sprays and hid them, so people drive by, think we have nothing, then we chase them down in the traffic and get em good. We have a baptism this weekend, a 9 year old whose mom is inactive. We've been trying to get the mom back to church with the help of the ward council, but it has been tough because she had a miscarriage in November and she lifted something heavy recently and had to go to the hospital because of some major bleeding...so...we're just kinda waiting for her to get better before she can come back to church. We have been having district meetings outside because it has been really nice weather, but today is kinds drizzly. We are here in Tulcán, on the border with Colombia. It is cool, I found some guys who were going fishing in the river between the two countries, they were just like crusty old fishermen from home, things aren't always different I guess (: Sorry I always write about the daily life stuff, it is just what I feel like you guys find most interesting, but I will try to write more about people and how we try to help them.

 

Love

Elder Blackwelder

Need some advise

Ian's letter to mom:

thanks mom (:

The cheese guy is named Merson Ortega, he works from the province of Carchi which is where almost all dairy products come from here. He sells all of his cheese in Colombia, i think because there aren't good farms there so he can get a better price. He is gone a lot and so we can't teach the wife when she is alone...so little progress there ): I never knew that Alyse was pregnant!! 9 months ago...i was still home too....oh well. Blackwelders and Myers always right behind each other with babies....not much time to write today, but always time to read because we print out the letters in the morning and read them during the day and write at night, but today we got a late start because we cleaned the bathroom. The other missionaries who attend the same chapel as us are the zone leaders. They have been teaching a family Celin, the mom is marcia and she got baptized on sunday, and President Ghent showed up too which was cool. But Marcia has two sons Lenin and Gustavo who are also investigators, but smoke weed mixed with cocaine everyday. They have been working a lot with them to get them to stop, but still are so physically attached to it. They hate it, but can't stop. I was wondering if you could ask Larry if he has any advice. The Elders working with them, one is from Guayaquil and has seen a lot of things with his friends, and the other is from Saint George, so they need some advice..

love you

Elder blackwelder

Ian's cousin Larry's response to Ian's request for help with addicts:

Ian, Hey buddy!


Your Dad stopped over on Sunday and gave me a little update on your progress. Sounds like you're doing a good job and making a difference. I'm proud of you. Your investigator that are smoking cannabis and cocaine daily will be able to get the program but you're going to have deal with the dependency also. A good starting point is seeing if they can meet you and not be under the influence, little baby steps. Take it "One Day at a Time" and then it's not so overwhelming. Maybe they can commit to a whole day without using and then contact you the next day with an update. You can be their support sponsors and also spiritual guides. Smokable cocaine is highly addictive but more psychologically than physical. Cannabis is psychologically addictive only, no physical withdrawal. They can quit but it may not be right away, relapse is part of the process for most people. The true healing from this "brain disease" is spiritual in nature, finding help from a Higher Power, outside of themselves and you may be that for them at first. Love, compassion, acceptance and encouragement are key ingredients to recovery. Another thing to remember when working with addicts, you may never see them get clean or sober that's the facts. Sometimes all you do is plant the seed and when the time is right they will remember what you said and especially your spirit and how you were with them. You can be a source and inspiration for change with acceptance and example. I know you'll do a good job with them, you did with me.


I remember sitting in your backyard when I was in the first month of recovery. You, Briana, Tess and Candice were worried, asking what was I going to do with Locals Only, with Jim, etc. etc? I said "I'm not sure, I'm just taking it one day at a time. You walked in the house a drew this little caricature of me with blood shot eyes in my torn-up shorts and shirt looking like a bomb went off. It said "I take it one day at a time but lately two days attacked me at once!" I'll never forget how loving and understanding all you kids were while I was going through probably the toughest time of my life. Love is the cure all.


Well buddy dog! Get out there now and spread the love in the way you've been taught. Again I'm so proud of you.


Love, Larry

January 23, 2012

 my shoes

 my reflection on the bus (yes we do travel alone)

  My friends from my MTC group at the training meeting we had with president in otavalo

 my nasty kitchen in the cave we live in (the light in the photo is actual, it's like camping because there is a big shadow from the yellow light on the one wall. we're in the process of looking for another house)

 baptism of Kevin Moises

 the zone the day of transfers waiting for the bus

in the bus at terminal Quitumbe

the view from in the bus. I am glad you and dad checked out the drive from quito to ibarra, it really was quite incredible. I loved the desert to roling green hills change. Did you guys look on google earth?

Everyone-


So, my first full week in Sagrario Ibarra. It is very different than San Juan. Starting with the house, my new one has very few windows. It makes it very sad and dismal, and it has also been really cloudy and rainy, so that doesn't help much either. But it is all flat! no hills! However, it makes it very difficult to orient yourself. It is a really interesting city, and the people are much friendlier and much more willing to listen. My companion doesn't really know where things are either, so the only investigators we have are really close to the house, but occasionally we have lunch in the more extremities of the sector. We have a crummy map at the house that I try to study at night to get to know it all, but I have know idea where the boundaries are. I think on Tuesday we have a meeting with the branch president to get things like that settled. Oh, the branch. It is really great actually, a lot stronger I'd say than my old ward in San Juan, but there are a few things they are lacking (like a piano player in sacrament). I am actually excited though to be able to work in a branch because there is a real goal to be reached of becoming a ward. It was hard to leave the investigators and everything in San Juan, but I think I just need to learn to get over it.

We are working with the Burgos Family. They were found a few weeks ago by my companion Elder Rocha and another Elder who is in Tulcan, Elder Pande. The dad has a cheese company and is away from the house A LOT, so it is hard to find them all together. They are highly wealthy and have a very different way of conversing. Their house is Chinese themed with big fans on the walls for decoration and chinese style furniture. The folks here are considerably more wealthy than San Juan, but there certainly are some sectors of the poorer variety. I don't think I prefer either more than the other, they both have their ups and downs. My companion is a really good teacher. He only has 9 weeks in the mission, but I have learned a lot from him in lessons. He has a really different accent because he is from Brazil. He has been really sick lately, but I think we are going to start running in the mornings to get to know the sector a little bit better. We have a few other people we are working with besides the Burgos family, but they were the only ones who showed up at church. Elder Rocha and I think that once they get baptized, Hermano Burgos will be the first Bishop of the ward. They are really good investigators, just lack the time. That is about it for this week. I am just continuing to get to know Ibarra and the people, and getting used to my new responsibilities. 

Love you all

Elder Blackwelder