1/16/10
Well, Trent, I hope you enjoyed that nice cold camping trip, because there's none of that happening here. We're getting into the hottest part of the year, and oh boy is it hot out there. What a blessing it is to have air conditioning here in the office for these few months, haha.
Sounds like a pretty cool institute class, Mom. Or pretty crazy and hard to understand. The last time I read the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon in Spanish, I had NO IDEA what was going on. I basically just skimmed through it because I could understand at all. And it was a real relief getting to the end of it. You'll have to share with me what you find out!
Things are going well in the office, a lot more calm than last week for sure, but still busy enough to keep me moving. The misionecuadorguayaquilsur.blogspot.com blog I did create (with Elder Sawyer, who, by the way, is back out in the field working and feeling great), but it's not going to be updated until next christmas :) They only use it as a christmas card to parents. So yeah. BUT, I am currently working on a snazzy brand new website for the mission, so when that gets done you'll have to check it out.
Luis' baptism went really well. We took Mayra, one of our investigators, and she really enjoyed it. It was interesting because everyone at the baptism was introducing themselves to her and asking her when she was getting baptized. I think that helped her to realize that it's not something weird that we do, but everybody's just like, "Hey, I got baptized a few weeks ago! Everybody's getting baptized! When are YOU getting baptized?!" And by the end of the night she was like, "WOOHOO 23 DE MARZO, VAMOS!" So yeah, that was good.
Martha, right, just didn't go under the water all the way. She has a dead leg that she doesn't have any feeling in and Elder Maldonado said that it kept floating up out of the water. And, she didn't like the water. After the fourth time she said her heart was starting to fail... yeek. But they gave her a blessing and finally on the last one, they just did it really fast and got it over with. Crazy.
It is really nice working in a ward where the members help out a lot. It's especially nice having someone to accompany us to just about every single lesson. Last Sunday it started raining like crazy. For a couple hours it was just pouring and we didn't have any umbrellas or anything. Just walking around in our nice clothes. But we also had two members with us that are AWESOME. They accompanied us the whole night, even in the rain. We were all drenched by the end. But it was a lot of fun, and they were more than happy to do it.
So what have you all done recently to help the missionaries out in your wards? If your heart sinks into your stomach when I ask that, then I have a proposition for you. I'd like you to give them a call and ask when you can go and do visits with them. Especially the couples. It is so incredible when we have a happily married (and sealed) couple to accompany us to someone's house because everytime they can seriously feel the light emanating around the couple. It gives a serious witness of the happiness that families can have in this life: exactly what we teach to everyone! So will you do that for me? It would make me more than happy, because I know how happy it will make the missionaries over there! And I want to hear about your experiences because I know they will be beyond wonderful. THANKS!
Okay, that's all folks! Or as "El Cerdo Porky" would said, "Eso es t-, eso es-, eso es t-t-t-odo, amigos!"
Love,
Elder Thayne
Sounds like a pretty cool institute class, Mom. Or pretty crazy and hard to understand. The last time I read the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon in Spanish, I had NO IDEA what was going on. I basically just skimmed through it because I could understand at all. And it was a real relief getting to the end of it. You'll have to share with me what you find out!
Things are going well in the office, a lot more calm than last week for sure, but still busy enough to keep me moving. The misionecuadorguayaquilsur.
Luis' baptism went really well. We took Mayra, one of our investigators, and she really enjoyed it. It was interesting because everyone at the baptism was introducing themselves to her and asking her when she was getting baptized. I think that helped her to realize that it's not something weird that we do, but everybody's just like, "Hey, I got baptized a few weeks ago! Everybody's getting baptized! When are YOU getting baptized?!" And by the end of the night she was like, "WOOHOO 23 DE MARZO, VAMOS!" So yeah, that was good.
Martha, right, just didn't go under the water all the way. She has a dead leg that she doesn't have any feeling in and Elder Maldonado said that it kept floating up out of the water. And, she didn't like the water. After the fourth time she said her heart was starting to fail... yeek. But they gave her a blessing and finally on the last one, they just did it really fast and got it over with. Crazy.
It is really nice working in a ward where the members help out a lot. It's especially nice having someone to accompany us to just about every single lesson. Last Sunday it started raining like crazy. For a couple hours it was just pouring and we didn't have any umbrellas or anything. Just walking around in our nice clothes. But we also had two members with us that are AWESOME. They accompanied us the whole night, even in the rain. We were all drenched by the end. But it was a lot of fun, and they were more than happy to do it.
So what have you all done recently to help the missionaries out in your wards? If your heart sinks into your stomach when I ask that, then I have a proposition for you. I'd like you to give them a call and ask when you can go and do visits with them. Especially the couples. It is so incredible when we have a happily married (and sealed) couple to accompany us to someone's house because everytime they can seriously feel the light emanating around the couple. It gives a serious witness of the happiness that families can have in this life: exactly what we teach to everyone! So will you do that for me? It would make me more than happy, because I know how happy it will make the missionaries over there! And I want to hear about your experiences because I know they will be beyond wonderful. THANKS!
Okay, that's all folks! Or as "El Cerdo Porky" would said, "Eso es t-, eso es-, eso es t-t-t-odo, amigos!"
Love,
Elder Thayne
1/9/10
Subject: It's raining It's pouring...
Well, the rain has started, officially. And finally! Hopefully that means they'll quit doing power outages again (when I told you they had stopped, it was only for a week, haha). It's only been raining for a couple hours, but the streets are already flooding. Maybe a little bit of trouble with drainage...?
Anyway, this week just about killed me. You see, it was my first week as secretary without Elder Cambra to direct and guide in every action. And it was really scary! It's always tough on new secretaries because, well, the first week of the transfer is the hardest and there's tons of work to do. But so many things happened this week that I never had to do when Elder Cambra was here. I was running around like a mad man all week nonstop. So yeah, it kept me on my toes.
Okay so I didn't tell you a whole lot about my sector last week, but this is pretty cool. It's called Las Peñas, and it basically covers all of downtown Guayaquil. It's HUGE, and we hardly even touch a small part of it. Like I said, last week, it covers Santa Ana Hill (the one with the lighthouse) and the hill next to it (called Carmen), where there's a big statue of a black Jesus on top. I haven't been up there yet, but someday I'll get there. But the coolest thing about the sector is the ward. THIS is a missionary oriented ward. And it's incredible. Talk about a big group of people that just want to share the Gospel. Other wards here tend to be a little disorganized, but this one has really got its act together. My first night there I got a nice typed out letter on letterhead telling me that I would be giving a talk on Sunday with my topic and everything, and signed by the whole bishopric! The members here give us all sorts of references and we've got an awesome ward mission plan. We have TEN ward missionaries, so there's always someone to go visit people with us, and they teach all of the recent converts so we don't even have to spend hardly any time teaching them. Anyway, yeah. Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend a lot of time in the sector this week, but it should be better next week. I think there's a reason that they put the two busiest missionaries in the office in this sector! My companion is Elder Kjar, he's from Mesa, AZ. He's pretty easy-going. He likes computers and programming and stuff. I think he'll be an awesome companion. I was a little sad leaving Elder Zuñiga, because he was really a great companion. But oh well, I'll be fine. :D
Random thought: Elder Maldonado baptized Martha Areas (remember her?) last Saturday in 25 de Julio! She finally got over the evangelical church and decided to get baptized. But he said that he and another person had to baptized her 8 TIMES before it worked out. And after the 4th time, they gave her a blessing right there in the font to help her do it! YIKES. But hey, how exciting!
Tatiana got baptized last week (and oops I need to send you photos) and it was an awesome service. I was asked to play the flute for a special musical number and I was like, hey how convenient, I have a flute! So that was fun. Tonight her brother, Luis, is getting baptized and Elder Kjar and I are going to take an investigator to it. I'll be sure to send the pics!
Okay, well that's all! Have a good week, and Mom, don't get too overwhelmed with that relief society stuff!!!
Elder Thayne
Well, the rain has started, officially. And finally! Hopefully that means they'll quit doing power outages again (when I told you they had stopped, it was only for a week, haha). It's only been raining for a couple hours, but the streets are already flooding. Maybe a little bit of trouble with drainage...?
Anyway, this week just about killed me. You see, it was my first week as secretary without Elder Cambra to direct and guide in every action. And it was really scary! It's always tough on new secretaries because, well, the first week of the transfer is the hardest and there's tons of work to do. But so many things happened this week that I never had to do when Elder Cambra was here. I was running around like a mad man all week nonstop. So yeah, it kept me on my toes.
Okay so I didn't tell you a whole lot about my sector last week, but this is pretty cool. It's called Las Peñas, and it basically covers all of downtown Guayaquil. It's HUGE, and we hardly even touch a small part of it. Like I said, last week, it covers Santa Ana Hill (the one with the lighthouse) and the hill next to it (called Carmen), where there's a big statue of a black Jesus on top. I haven't been up there yet, but someday I'll get there. But the coolest thing about the sector is the ward. THIS is a missionary oriented ward. And it's incredible. Talk about a big group of people that just want to share the Gospel. Other wards here tend to be a little disorganized, but this one has really got its act together. My first night there I got a nice typed out letter on letterhead telling me that I would be giving a talk on Sunday with my topic and everything, and signed by the whole bishopric! The members here give us all sorts of references and we've got an awesome ward mission plan. We have TEN ward missionaries, so there's always someone to go visit people with us, and they teach all of the recent converts so we don't even have to spend hardly any time teaching them. Anyway, yeah. Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend a lot of time in the sector this week, but it should be better next week. I think there's a reason that they put the two busiest missionaries in the office in this sector! My companion is Elder Kjar, he's from Mesa, AZ. He's pretty easy-going. He likes computers and programming and stuff. I think he'll be an awesome companion. I was a little sad leaving Elder Zuñiga, because he was really a great companion. But oh well, I'll be fine. :D
Random thought: Elder Maldonado baptized Martha Areas (remember her?) last Saturday in 25 de Julio! She finally got over the evangelical church and decided to get baptized. But he said that he and another person had to baptized her 8 TIMES before it worked out. And after the 4th time, they gave her a blessing right there in the font to help her do it! YIKES. But hey, how exciting!
Tatiana got baptized last week (and oops I need to send you photos) and it was an awesome service. I was asked to play the flute for a special musical number and I was like, hey how convenient, I have a flute! So that was fun. Tonight her brother, Luis, is getting baptized and Elder Kjar and I are going to take an investigator to it. I'll be sure to send the pics!
Okay, well that's all! Have a good week, and Mom, don't get too overwhelmed with that relief society stuff!!!
Elder Thayne
1/2/10
Well, it's here! It didn't seem like it would ever come, but wow, 2010. That new movie, 2012, came out a little while back and everyone always asks us about it. Is the world really going to end in 2012? Haha, you just wait and see. But it's crazy another decade has already gone by. And can you believe I'm going to be turning TWENTY this year. YIKES. My back hurts already...
This week everyone got all their años viejos (monigotes) finished up and ready to go. Captain America was still being worked on on the 31st, but it turned out really cool! There were also some other really big ones, like King Kong, Optimus Prime (from Transformers), Iron Man, and even Michael Jackson! I'm sending pictures of all of them. I got really lucky, because all of the really big ones are in our sector (or close to it) so I got to see almost all of them. But there's also the little (well, about human size) ones all over the place. There's one street near the stake center where the whole street is lined with them, for about 10 blocks! It's crazy, they never end! Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of them, but take my word for it, it's really cool. On Wednesday morning, I went with E. Zuñiga and E. Guerrero to go running. We went to our sector in a taxi, ran around the sector, taking pictures of the big años viejos along the way, and then we ran all the way back to the house. I just about died. But it was fun ;)
New years eve was just about 6 times crazier than I could have ever thought it would be. I was SO tired that night and I was trying to go to sleep. But everyone else was up talking (more anxious than I was because they knew what was about to happen), so I didn't sleep much, but at about 11pm we started hearing explosions. They went on for an hour until midnight. Then, once midnight hit, wow. The whole city exploded into flashing light and sound. Everyone lights their año viejo on fire, then they throw firecrackers into the fire. But these aren't like the weak firecrackers we use in the states. These things explode! (This is a rocket, Buzz! Rockets EXPLODE!) And it was absolutely crazy. Where we live is a really calm part of town, right behind the hospital. So we couldn't actually see anything. But even so, it was sooooo loud. And the whole sky was just flashing with light. I saw some videos from missionaries that live where there are more people, and it was absolutely NUTS. Anyway, that was pretty loco. After an hour or two, it all died down and we went to sleep.
The next day was interesting. There was NOBODY in the street. The roads that are usually packed with traffic were completely empty. Not a single store was open, and you could actually hear birds singing. The office building guard came back from looking for breakfast in his collared shirt and jeans, completely unshaven, and totally chuchaki (hungover). We went to eat lunch at Chifa (chinese food, where all the chinese people in Guayaquil work) because they celebrate a different new year so they were open. We did some things in the office, and headed to the sector at 6. The sector was just like around the office, only dirtier. There was garbage and ash all over the place, and black spots every five feet along the road, and of course, nobody in the street. It wasn't until about 8 when people started coming out of their houses. We didn't teach a single lesson last night, but we did do some interesting contacts, so it was fun. And that was my new years experience :D
This week Elder Zuñiga and President did all the changes for next transfer. And lucky for us, we get to the be the first ones to know. So here's what's happening. Elder Sessions (my zone leader right now, he went running with us to the lighthouse last week) is going to be the new assistant with Elder Zuñiga. They'll be working in Garay. Elder Kjar (pronounced like care), the financer, will be my new companion (another gringo), and we will be working in his sector Las Peñas. That sector includes the lighthouse, and there are a lot of members that live up there that we'll be visiting. And it's likely that he will be my companion for a long time. Possibly until I leave the office. Let's see... Elder Sawyer is finally leaving the office. He's been feeling better lately. And Elder Cambra is headed to Milagro, a city just outside of Guayaquil.
As far as money goes, I think I'm alright. I haven't used a whole lot of money from my account at home, but I think I'm just planning on working a ton when I get home. I'm gonna need it. HOWEVER, if you want to drop $15 in my account to buy a card reader, I won't complain ;)
Oh, investigators real quick (this is getting long):
Tatiana (22) and Luis (16) - Don't remember if I told you about them. This transfer, the area presidency changed the rule of having to have investigators attend church 3 times to get baptized. Now they only have to attend twice. Welllll.... we met Tatiana and Luis two weeks ago. Long story short, Tatiana is getting baptized tonight and Luis next Saturday. It's so fun finding those people that are so ready and prepared to hear the gospel. Tatiana read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it and has an unbreakable testimony. She continues reading every day. Luis has also been reading and attending activities with the young men at church and is ready to be baptized.
Freddy - is still battling with his addictions. He's been making progress, but still messes up every once in a while. We've been visiting with him very frequently, and we've even started teaching his mom too. And now we know everything. He has a terrible relationship with his dad, who won't even talk to him or even let him sit at the dinner table with him. Freddy lives in his own section of the house upstairs and spends most of his time there alone. His dad says that he's given him the chance to change and quit his addictions but he wouldn't do it. So now he's so mad that he won't even try to notice that Freddy IS changing. Freddy's mom told us that he had been looking at churches before we met him, but all of them had promised to change his life and none of them ever did anything. When he found us, he knew it was right immediately. His life is changing, and he and his mother are both VERY pleased. We're looking at setting a baptismal goal for him well ahead in the future so he has something to work toward. But we want to get rid of his addictions completely, so he feels comfortable before getting baptized. It's amazing how the commandments and the teachings of the Gospel really take peoples lives and put them on the right track. It's gotta be true, right?
Okay, I'm all worn out. I love you all tons, and don't worry Mom, I'm laughing :D
Elder Thayne
This week everyone got all their años viejos (monigotes) finished up and ready to go. Captain America was still being worked on on the 31st, but it turned out really cool! There were also some other really big ones, like King Kong, Optimus Prime (from Transformers), Iron Man, and even Michael Jackson! I'm sending pictures of all of them. I got really lucky, because all of the really big ones are in our sector (or close to it) so I got to see almost all of them. But there's also the little (well, about human size) ones all over the place. There's one street near the stake center where the whole street is lined with them, for about 10 blocks! It's crazy, they never end! Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of them, but take my word for it, it's really cool. On Wednesday morning, I went with E. Zuñiga and E. Guerrero to go running. We went to our sector in a taxi, ran around the sector, taking pictures of the big años viejos along the way, and then we ran all the way back to the house. I just about died. But it was fun ;)
New years eve was just about 6 times crazier than I could have ever thought it would be. I was SO tired that night and I was trying to go to sleep. But everyone else was up talking (more anxious than I was because they knew what was about to happen), so I didn't sleep much, but at about 11pm we started hearing explosions. They went on for an hour until midnight. Then, once midnight hit, wow. The whole city exploded into flashing light and sound. Everyone lights their año viejo on fire, then they throw firecrackers into the fire. But these aren't like the weak firecrackers we use in the states. These things explode! (This is a rocket, Buzz! Rockets EXPLODE!) And it was absolutely crazy. Where we live is a really calm part of town, right behind the hospital. So we couldn't actually see anything. But even so, it was sooooo loud. And the whole sky was just flashing with light. I saw some videos from missionaries that live where there are more people, and it was absolutely NUTS. Anyway, that was pretty loco. After an hour or two, it all died down and we went to sleep.
The next day was interesting. There was NOBODY in the street. The roads that are usually packed with traffic were completely empty. Not a single store was open, and you could actually hear birds singing. The office building guard came back from looking for breakfast in his collared shirt and jeans, completely unshaven, and totally chuchaki (hungover). We went to eat lunch at Chifa (chinese food, where all the chinese people in Guayaquil work) because they celebrate a different new year so they were open. We did some things in the office, and headed to the sector at 6. The sector was just like around the office, only dirtier. There was garbage and ash all over the place, and black spots every five feet along the road, and of course, nobody in the street. It wasn't until about 8 when people started coming out of their houses. We didn't teach a single lesson last night, but we did do some interesting contacts, so it was fun. And that was my new years experience :D
This week Elder Zuñiga and President did all the changes for next transfer. And lucky for us, we get to the be the first ones to know. So here's what's happening. Elder Sessions (my zone leader right now, he went running with us to the lighthouse last week) is going to be the new assistant with Elder Zuñiga. They'll be working in Garay. Elder Kjar (pronounced like care), the financer, will be my new companion (another gringo), and we will be working in his sector Las Peñas. That sector includes the lighthouse, and there are a lot of members that live up there that we'll be visiting. And it's likely that he will be my companion for a long time. Possibly until I leave the office. Let's see... Elder Sawyer is finally leaving the office. He's been feeling better lately. And Elder Cambra is headed to Milagro, a city just outside of Guayaquil.
As far as money goes, I think I'm alright. I haven't used a whole lot of money from my account at home, but I think I'm just planning on working a ton when I get home. I'm gonna need it. HOWEVER, if you want to drop $15 in my account to buy a card reader, I won't complain ;)
Oh, investigators real quick (this is getting long):
Tatiana (22) and Luis (16) - Don't remember if I told you about them. This transfer, the area presidency changed the rule of having to have investigators attend church 3 times to get baptized. Now they only have to attend twice. Welllll.... we met Tatiana and Luis two weeks ago. Long story short, Tatiana is getting baptized tonight and Luis next Saturday. It's so fun finding those people that are so ready and prepared to hear the gospel. Tatiana read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it and has an unbreakable testimony. She continues reading every day. Luis has also been reading and attending activities with the young men at church and is ready to be baptized.
Freddy - is still battling with his addictions. He's been making progress, but still messes up every once in a while. We've been visiting with him very frequently, and we've even started teaching his mom too. And now we know everything. He has a terrible relationship with his dad, who won't even talk to him or even let him sit at the dinner table with him. Freddy lives in his own section of the house upstairs and spends most of his time there alone. His dad says that he's given him the chance to change and quit his addictions but he wouldn't do it. So now he's so mad that he won't even try to notice that Freddy IS changing. Freddy's mom told us that he had been looking at churches before we met him, but all of them had promised to change his life and none of them ever did anything. When he found us, he knew it was right immediately. His life is changing, and he and his mother are both VERY pleased. We're looking at setting a baptismal goal for him well ahead in the future so he has something to work toward. But we want to get rid of his addictions completely, so he feels comfortable before getting baptized. It's amazing how the commandments and the teachings of the Gospel really take peoples lives and put them on the right track. It's gotta be true, right?
Okay, I'm all worn out. I love you all tons, and don't worry Mom, I'm laughing :D
Elder Thayne
Christmas Pictures
Goodbye Elder Tezen
Jersey from Elder Kjar
Packages
Playing a Tune
The Office Crew
Christmas Tree with Presents
Thanks fam!
12/26/09
Yeah, well hey I just talked to you on the PHONE yesterday. So there's not a whole lot to say because you already know that everything is just wonderful here.
Christmas was good, we spent all afternoon in the sector meeting with members and investigators, but it was all just kind of normal for the most part. Here the bigger holiday is on the 24th, Noche Buena, where everyone gets together with their friends and family and they have parties and drink beer and listen to loud music. And then at midnight, they all have a huge turkey dinner. We went over to the bishop's house and ate with them. They made us an awesome dinner with ham, noodles, and of course rice. We got permission from the president to stay out a little later, and the bishop took us home at about 10:30.
This week, a few more missionaries finished their missions and went home. On Wednesday, I took Elder Tezen to the airport and shipped him off to his house. He had to go at three in the morning, so that was absolutely wonderful.
And on Thursday morning, Elder Zuñiga, Elder Sessions (one of our zone leaders), and I ran a mile or two to the lighthouse at 5 in the morning and took pictures of the sunrise. We got some cool shots, so I'll send you the photos. But I can't send them today because Elder Tesimale took his card reader with him and now we don't have one. So I'll see if I can't buy one this week.
Okay well that's it really. Keep on writing. Love you all mucho!
Elder Thayne
Elder Zuniga, Elder Sessions, Elder Thayne
Pirate Looking over the Rio Guayas
Going up to the Lighthouse
Christmas was good, we spent all afternoon in the sector meeting with members and investigators, but it was all just kind of normal for the most part. Here the bigger holiday is on the 24th, Noche Buena, where everyone gets together with their friends and family and they have parties and drink beer and listen to loud music. And then at midnight, they all have a huge turkey dinner. We went over to the bishop's house and ate with them. They made us an awesome dinner with ham, noodles, and of course rice. We got permission from the president to stay out a little later, and the bishop took us home at about 10:30.
This week, a few more missionaries finished their missions and went home. On Wednesday, I took Elder Tezen to the airport and shipped him off to his house. He had to go at three in the morning, so that was absolutely wonderful.
And on Thursday morning, Elder Zuñiga, Elder Sessions (one of our zone leaders), and I ran a mile or two to the lighthouse at 5 in the morning and took pictures of the sunrise. We got some cool shots, so I'll send you the photos. But I can't send them today because Elder Tesimale took his card reader with him and now we don't have one. So I'll see if I can't buy one this week.
Okay well that's it really. Keep on writing. Love you all mucho!
Elder Thayne
Elder Zuniga, Elder Sessions, Elder Thayne
Pirate Looking over the Rio Guayas
Going up to the Lighthouse
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