Week 5

So this week since not too much new happened as far as investigators go. I decided I would give you a little Ecuador lifestyle email. But just to keep you up to date, the Toapanta family are silver investigators. They aren't golden because they have only come to church once (yesterday the mom had conference calls she had to do all day and the kids didn't want to go without her) and so now their date is pushed back yet another week, but they are still way awesome because they ask really good questions. The mom at least has recognized the spirit in her prayers and she completes all the commitments we invite her to! As mom's favorite scripture says something about we doubt not because we know that our mothers knew it. I think about this scripture a lot because the kids are doing awesome, but the mom is killing it and I can tell that the kids are feeding off of it! As far as Rafeal goes he does his commitments as well but only has one assistance (attendance at church) but he's doing good! 

So onto the Ecuador life. To start off with transportation, I take buses everywhere because our sector is hugeeeeee and if we walked it would take about 2 hours to get to the bottom of the sector if not longer and at least 4 or 5 to get up since it's all up a mountain back to our house. So we take buses everywhere! 

Food wise its ight, but Dustin made me least look forward to it by saying it's not very good, but what does he know. Anyways so here we have what's called a pensionista. It's a member of the ward who we pay $25 every two weeks and she makes us lunch everyday (tuesday thru saturday). What's awesome about this is when I first showed up she asked me what I like so I said steak and chicken so I get that about everyday there, but such a small amount of meat compared to rice. I told her I don't like fish so I haven't eaten that there luckily! But she makes dope aji sauce! It's the best hot sauce I have ever had in my life, so last sunday I asked if she would teach me how to make it. So on tuesday she taught me! Then she gave me a ton to put on my eggs every morning! Let me know if tomate de arbol exists in the US cuz if it does I'll hook you up cuz I know all my fellow spicy catz back home want the goods! Besides eating at her place I eat a lot of bread. There is a panaderia on about every corner. So good bread is about 15 to 45 cents so I'll get some of those for dinner. Except this week. My comp and I ate at an all-you-can-eat buffet and it turned out to be a lot. So since monday I've been living off $2.50 a day, which is enough for all my bus passages, but I haven't been eating dinner. Good news is new apoyo is on thursday so I'm doing good don't worry! But onto the nasty foods. They make this fish soup, that I know all my fellow fish eaters back home will love because every missionary here loves it, its called encebollado.- When we come back and visit I'll take you to the local hot spot haha. Anyways my least favorite of them all augita. STRAIGHT UP NASTY!!! Its this herbal tea that you load up with sugar. Seriously this one family gave it to me and I drank it, and then the next day I was sick. So the next time I left the house after I got better this family offered me it and my comp said I turned pasty white when I smelled it. I told them i couldn't have hot drinks and she said I can make it cold and I was like shoot it's all good, no thanks haha. I think she got offended, but I think she would be more offended when I vomited all over her rug. But yeah, everyone offers us that and so far I've drank it twice. I'm good about finding my way out of that one. But seriously nasty I legit hate that ahha. 

Besides busing we walk everywhere and like I've said my sector is on a mountain so there is no flat land anywhere, so that's a bummer. But at least my butt will look way good once I leave this sector! 

Weather here is crazy! Leaving the house you never know if its going to rain! We are supposedly in the rainy season but some days it sprinkles for 5 minutes then done. Others it straight down pours for hours and some no rain. But the temp is usually good! So I don't sweat a ton, haha. 

I cant think of anything else about Ecuador to share. Sorry this letter had no spiritual experiences, but people ask me these questions so I figured now would be a good time to answer them.  

Anyways times are tough and good at the same time! Everyday is the hardest mental battle of my entire life more than anyone could imagine. Everyone warned me this would be hard but no one warned me about how hard it is being away from everyone you love. Anyways I think I'm figuring it out, but it's real tough. I know the church is true though and the people here need to know that too! I love you all tons! Talk to you next week! 

Me making Aji with Hermana Tupe!