After completing a puzzle in our apartment
Elder Caleb Barton, his companion, Elder Aravena, and I
At the chapel with friends
This work makes me smile :)
Can you see me?
Yes, I have my Christmas tree up before my birthday!
October 13, 2014 Quito, Ecuador
Hello Family and Friends, This week was a little long but really good. Being in Quito is very different than being in Santo Domingo. It's cold, rains almost every day all day long, and the food is very different. Who would have known huh? However, I love Quito. It reminds me of the movies in reality ---with a taste of France, London, and Italy all intertwined. I can't believe that I'm actually here. There's a part in my sector that reminds me of "Mary Poppins" when the old lady is sitting on the stairs of the big cathedral across from the bank and sings,"Feed the birds tuppence a bag." In my sector there is a huge Catholic church that is just gorgeous and very old. However, there are always people about feeding the birds (doves). The mountain people of Quito who speak Quechua come down every morning and sell bird feed so that others can feed the birds "tuppence a bag." This week we had another baptism! We baptized a Colombian woman named Blanca Nieves (or in other words Snow White). She has dark black hair and looks very similar to the depiction of Snow White. She is doing well and has a strong testimony of this gospel. She shared it with everybody at her baptism and brought the Spirit to just abide with us. Her daughter will be baptized this Saturday :). The things I'm learning everyday here are just profoundly strong. I feel very close to my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I wish I had English or Spanish words to describe it, but alas I do not. This mission is hard. I walk in the rain everyday and this week we had 3 days where we only had 1 or 2 lessons. Some people are very friendly and open, and some are not. However the scripture in Ether 12:4 gives me hope. I love the word hope. It means that we have a sure determination and knowlege that Heavenly Father will bless us in our efforts to do the right thing. However, we MUST go forward with faith first. We MUST try on our own, and we MUST pray, read the scriptures, and go to church to partake of the sacrament. We have the wonderful opportunity to repent every week by remembering our covenants with our Heavenly Father, but sometimes --do we remember that gift? I pray that we may remember the gift our Father has given us. He gave us His Son-- even Jesus Christ --so that we may all live again and have eternal life. How great is my joy! And I only give praise unto my Father in Heaven for this wonderful message of glad tidings. May we share our testimonies with all men, and find the peace and joy that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings. Love you all, Elder Hall |
Wow! Is that early? Somehow I thought you'd leave on a Wednesday -- guess I was wrong.
Ya nope-- on Monday. Thank you for your prayers because all the prayers were answered today. So much joy and relief.
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Well one is- when and how did you find out? |
And 2: you sure you don't wanna stay at the MTC for the whole 2 years? I could deliver packages every week, and you eat well and have chocolate milk....
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