Sounds like Spring Break was fun. Fences and projects and the smell of manure. Builds character.
Alright so this week was a shot in the butt and bucket of cold water to the face. Whew. So let's see this week we started off doing some divisions so that we could get some of the interviews done for two of my investigators. So I was in San Juan which, kinda like Channing's sector, is pure hills. Actually all my sectors in Ecuador have had tons of hills. Not tons, just one big continual one that goes up and up. But anyway, I was in San Juan and we taught some awesome people and I gave a blessing to a lady who's husband abandoned her 15 days ago. But those with the broken hearts and contrite spirits are those that really accept the gospel from what I've seen.
That's why we contact up in the hills where the poor and troubled live. But while I was over in San Juan with Elder Maughn we were walking down one of those hills so I was looking at my feet right? Cuz I was walking down. And the Ecuadorian and the Elder from Utah were in front of me so I was just following them. Then BAM!!! Ouch what the heck? A stupid arch thing that's sticking out over the sidewalk. They walked right under it of course but this gandering goose had to ram his head right into it. So I was kinda laughing about it rubbing my head and then I look at my hand it's covered in blood. Daaangiiit... And Elder Maughn looks at me as this big glob of blood just rolls down my forehead. So the member who was with us went and got some toilet paper and I sat there in the store with the toilet paper to my head and bought a bottle of water to wash my head off. Then the mother of some investigator came over and told us that she didn't want us to visit her daughter anymore and I just looked at her with my blood soaked toilet paper. You betcha lady! But then we went and visited the daughter one last time anyway and ended up giving her an interesting blessing. Talked to a few people who were illegal immigrants in the States and then headed back to my sector.
Two days later we went jogging to the back to get some money and when we came back to the house I was coughing like mad. I've been kinda off and on sick since I got here in Quito (the stinkin buses and their smoke and just the tons of people I'm in contact with everyday I think) but that day was a little worse than usual. We went to lunch at the house of some members and I some how lost my appetite. They were shocked because I always eat everything! But then I got the chills and was still coughing like mad so we left to get some pills at a pharmacy but as we did it started raining. So we walked through the rain, bought the pills, went back, and the members gave me some hot lemonade which was nice.
But then I got weak, I asked for a blessing, acted like I was better, and we left to go visit a less active. As we walked my head started pounding and burning and my whole body ached but we finally found the house and I dragged myself up the stairs to the fourth floor. She let us in but I just couldn't do it anymore. "Thank you for this time but I'm just gonna kinda lay down for a bit and my companion is going to share something with you all" So I just sat there in the chair with my eyes closed and my head burning like mad and coughing. But my companion taught them for an hour and we left. I dragged myself down the stairs and slowly walked looking for a taxi to take us home.
We got by the house and started calling the district leader to see if we could do divisions because the thing was we had a baptism that night and I was supposed to baptize him. But they couldn't come. We called members. They couldn't come. Could somebody fill up the baptismal font at least? Nope. Right. And during this I was sitting on the sidewalk, because I couldn't stand, and some guy with dreadlocks just kept asking me for money. But it wasn't like I could walk away or run or anything so I just sat there looking at him, kinda like when I was with the deaf guy in the back of the truck.
So we went to the house, then left again because we had to fill up the baptism font and get everything ready. And outside my house was the man with dreadlocks. TENGA!! 22 cents be happy go buy some bread. We finally got to the church and I just went to the sacrament room laid down on a bench and tried to sleep. But I couldn't. My head was pounding fire and I was worrying about the baptism, the service project we couldn't go to, the people we didn't teach, and the bishop we hadn't called yet. But after two hours a member showed up and he left with my companion do some calls and get the clothing and yeah Elder Recalde did the baptism, there were 8 people there, and I slept through it all in the sacrament room. But I went down later to thank them all for coming but almost passed out so they took me home and gave me some medicine and I slept good and I sweat during the night and had some awesome dreams and woke up much better!
Speaking of the dreams! I dreamed that part of being a missionary was that you could fly so I was all flying around Quito, some dude with dreadlocks was messing with me so I flew a way, I was lost so I flew up a few hundred feet to see where we were at, I flew by our cousin Troy's house and he told Brittin that he missed those days flying around as a missionary but she didn't understand because he said it in Spanish. Then I was a chimp and Ryan Campbell's dad hid bananas all around the city and I found one on an electric pole so I climbed up to grab some but these other two chimps tried to get their first so I had to try to shake their grip. The poor chimp then feel down (with the bananas) and lost his arm and leg. He then shared the bananas with other chimps, so I felt bad and tried to give him back his leg. He hissed and screamed and ran off so I felt like a bum. Then I was walking in the street and there were animals with the head of the bird from Up and body of a rhino and it liked to smell me and I hated it so I went into a house but it stuck it's big head through the window just to stare at me. GUH! Then I was talking to aunt Joann in a towel only to say goodbye and realize that my towel didn't cover my backside. That was embarrassing.
And so far I'm doing pretty good again! Even though it's rained like mad these last two days (there were rivers in the streets and we were outside contacting one day and the other trying to go peel potatoes for a member) and I've been soaked to the bone I've been getting better. We only realized that none of the investigators we have now are progressing and we need to find many more people and we need to have much more help from the members. But I got to baptize Saturday! Two baptisms this week. So that's cool. Spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down.
So that's the week mas o menos. I told the ward council that we need their help and they told me we're the 4th pair of missionaries to say that and I told them well that`s a sign that somethin aint right then so I think we'll make some progress there. We contacted like mad men last night so we have a pretty good week coming up with new people to teach and we're using the Book of Mormon to show everyone that Christ taught their ancestors (that weren't Catholic) too and that it's the key to knowing if it's all true. But sometimes they just don't want to put forth the effort. But it's alright!! We'll keep looking, keep teaching, and keep baptizing till the llamas can't sing. Felt like I learned a lot this week about patience, the will of God, and how to trust the spirit more. All in all it's just another brick in my wall. Build me up baby!
But I hope everything is going well for you guys as ya head back to work and school. I also hope Peyton Manning stays away from the Broncos. But thanks for the letters and for being awesome, love ya all, and adios!!
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