La Semana Loca

Sunday July 17

Everyone told us that the initial mission tour would be the craziest week of the mission, but then this past week came with transfers...which they call "crazy week".  We had an extra large group going home from their mission this week (maybe the largest of our 3 year mission here) with 28 leaving.  Besides feeding all of these missionaries at their outgoing dinner, the big challenge with 28 missionaries is for Blake to have a meaningful interview with them...supposed to be about a half hour.  And with all of our missionaries spread out all over northern Ecuador this is a bit of a challenge.

Traditionally, the president has had all of the mission exit interviews at the office, but Blake decided to switch that to our home here since he has a nice office here and the Elders and Hermanas love to come to the mission home.  And Blake does not want to fight the Quito traffic if he doesn't have to.   So Friday afternoon, Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon, we had all sorts of missionaries over with their companions, some coming in from the coast or the jungle and bringing all of their luggage with them.   

As I think I mentioned before, Cole has become quite popular in his short time here because of his cookie baking skills (not to mention his piano abilities).  Whenever he saw groups of missionaries coming, he started firing up the oven and putting out muy delicioso chocolate chip cookies.  It is also very nice to have these wonderful young people in our home.  They make it feel more like a home, and less like an apartment where we will be staying for 3 years.  

It is also quite a challenge to have 28 leave, because as my numbers-aware husband said, "15% of our mission just left."  And most of them were North Americans, so in one fell swoop, our mission just became predominantly Spanish-speaking.  Yikes (for those of us who are still learning Spanish)!  We are going a bit down in numbers, so Blake also had to close some sectors, but we will be slowly going back up over the next few months.  

As for the big meal on Monday, we brought up 3 round tables from our storage unit in the basement and squeezed 35-ish people into our dining room.  It is still quite a challenge to cook anything here because we are finding out what recipes work in Ecuador, and what baking things work at this extremely high altitude.  So we ordered in lasagna from a restaurant, made an enormous fruit salad (the fruit here is wonderful), washed all of our green salad stuff for the world's largest green salad (the missionaries are told not to eat green salad anywhere else but the mission home), and had some garlic bread and dessert.  

The office Elders showed a little slide show and we got to hear final mission testimonies from all of the missionaries.  I told them that I could almost pick out which missionaries were finishing up their missions when we went on the mission tour, because of the look of happiness, confidence, and contentment in their countenances.  They really were an amazing group.  And we only had them for two weeks!  The families of two missionaries came as our meeting was wrapping up (they basically come up the elevator...if we tell the guard to let them up...and then the elevator opens up and they are here in our place).  Kind of a fun front door!  

We said goodbye to them at 9:30 pm, and then started work on the new missionaries coming in the next morning.  We had to leave at 9 am for the missionaries coming in from the Colombian Missionary Training Center, landing in Quito about 10:30 am.  The new airport is now about 1 hour from our place, without traffic.  The old airport was right in the center of Quito and the old Quito mission president said he could look at his huge window of his apartment and see the plane fly in and then leave for the airport, but no longer.  

It was so fun to meet these 9 new wonderful missionaries.  It was so wonderful to give them a hug (I hugged the Hermanas and Blake the Elders), and try to make them feel at home and that they have someone here who loves them.  It is interesting to have Spanish-speaking missionaries immediately connect with you and you with them.  

A bus then drove them here to our home and we had a easy lunch of Papa John´s pizza and fruit.  We had then write their families a short email, fill out some paperwork, and have a short interview with Blake.  

Three of the nine are North Americans, four are Peruvians, one Chilean and one Colombian. One Hermana is the only member in her family, another comes from a very active LDS family.  She brought gifts from her mother for Blake and me...very sweet.  We had an easy spaghetti dinner with them that night and then they off to try some contacting and working with the zone leaders.  

The next day was a day of training and visa-obtaining.   Then a big formal dinner of BBQ chicken, rice, etc.  I had Cole experiment and do a peach cobbler and this altitude is killing us.  It is really hard to bake here at 9270'.  At the last second, the peach cobbler was not done (after almost an hour in the oven), and we went to Plan B and served ice cream with Oreos.  The assistants (two Elders) are good to help with the serving and the mission nurses (two Hermanas) came that last night and helped so much with the serving and cleaning up.  

It was so wonderful to hear the testimonies of these brand new missionaries.  We told them that we will always have a strong kinship with them as they will be our first group of our mission.   And a good group, they seem to be.  We so appreciated their strong desire to do what is right and some have sacrificed so much to be here.  

Thursday we went down to the local chapel by us and watched them get their first companions (trainers).

The trainers are an amazing group of missionaries, hand picked to help train these new young ones.  In the training with the trainers, I told them of Elder Neal L. Anderson's talk on the "Faith to Baptize Converts" and how as trainers, they can be like mission presidents and give high love and still have high expectations.  Also, Elder Anderson challenged the mission presidents to guard the flame of faith and the flame to believe in baptism and miracles.  I admonished the trainers to do the same.  Don't tell the new young missionaries that they can't do certain things.  Let them expect and perform miracles!  

Then we sent them off into the mission field.  Kind of gave me a lump in my throat.  We ask such big things of these young people, and they are doing it!  .   

Friday, Blake went to the office for the first time for a full day of work since we have arrived...you can imagine how much he has on his plate.  Dallin drove us around as we went and stocked up on more stuff from the store, medicines, and looked at two schools.  We looked at one high school close to our house which is an international school, all in English. Cole has been accepted to another American School (Academia Cotopaxi), but we wanted to check out another one (Allianza), to have something to compare to.  

We also went to a nice Spanish language school, that Cole and Bethany are starting tomorrow.  Cole has said he will do four weeks of Spanish training, and Bethany will do two weeks.  I am delighted that they are so brave and wanting to dive in and really learn.  All of the ex pat families here tell the same story...the kids who learn Spanish have a much better experience.  So Cole is jumping in with both feet and Bethany is being brave enough to go with him!  I will see if I can join them too.  

Yesterday, on our preparation day (P-day) we went to the Mitad del Mundo (middle of the world) where the equator goes north of Quito.  The have lots of exhibits and museums there and it was fun to see up close.  

Blake got a new hat.  As you can see, the iPhone app said we were not exactly on the equator, but pretty darn close.  The sign actually said that the equator is a 5 km band that surrounds the globe, not a pin point line...so we were there!

We are trying to hit all of the big tourist spots before Dallin goes home.  

Today for church, we went to a new Ward and chapel, as Blake is trying to meet lots of new bishops and stake presidents.  It was a bit funny, as he was invited to sit up on the stand, the bishop asked if he would like to speak.  He said, "Sure, if there is time."  He then saw the bishop scratch out the name of the last speaker, and then gave Blake 20 minutes at the end of the program.   I hope the other person didn't prepare much.  Ha!  

Things are awesome here.  Each week is an adventure.  We love it.

Dana 

Finishing the Mission Tour

During our first few days in the mission, we held meetings with four zones of missionaries, so in our first full week we needed to complete our tour.  Our mission is fairly large geographically, so this is no small task.  Monday the 3rd of July we began the drive out to the coastal city of Esmeraldas, which was supposed to take 5-1/2 hours, but with the traffic, road hazards (some of the roads had eroded due to the earthquake, etc.) and Blake's stopping for treats and fruit stands it took about 7-1/2 hours.  It was an adventure!  

Here are some shots of the scenery.  

Our Assistants introduced us to red bananas and iced coconut milk. 

We spent the night in Atacames, and had a little trouble with the Waze app, which works very well in Quito, so couldn´t find our hotel.  After driving in circles, we found two little grandmas sitting out in front of their house and asked them where to find Hotel Club Del Sol.  They pointed us in the general direction of the place ("está por allá").  We still couldn't find it and drove around a bit more until we saw the grandmas again and one of them said, "I will walk you there."  We gave her some of our chocolate and fruit we bought earlier to say "gracias".  Here is a view from our hotel...right on the beach but we didn´t have time to enjoy it this trip. 

We woke up Tuesday morning and felt a moderate earthquake.  Felt just like home...earthquake California style.  We got ready and drove back to Esmeraldas for the zone conference.  Every time this seems a bit overwhelming and like we are exhausted, we walk into a chapel and see the faces of these darling missionaries, and it so lifts our spirits.  They are a remarkable group of young people.  

The coast is hot, sticky, humid, muggy, and poor, and all of these missionaries feel like it is such a privilege to be there.   We each gave our talks (in Spanish) and Cole and I played a piano duet.  Funny to play a duet and have one of the keys fall off in my hand when playing! 

It was wonderful to visit with the missionaries as Blake did his interviews.  The stories that these missionaries tell are inspiring...many of them (especially those from South America) are new members of the church of just a year, serving and hoping and praying that their family will join the church.  You can't help but get teary eyed when they describe their home life situation and their desire to bless their families through their service here.  Here are the missionaries we met in Esmeraldas.

After a nice Ecuadorian lunch and the interviews we got on our way, hoping to make the long drive to Ibarra before dark.  The drive from the coast to Ibarra would not be too bad, except for the fact that there are really no places to stop along the way...just little shacks on the side of the road, people selling bananas and coconuts,and lots of stray dogs. It will take a little while to get used to the many dogs running wild everywhere and the very young kids walking and playing by the side of the road.   

Our little caravan of two cars didn't get to our hotel till about 9 pm again.  I decided that the drive is like driving through the mountain pass between St. George and Mesquite, but with only two lanes, lots of dogs, houses or shacks, children, and chickens!

Wednesday was full of two zone conferences.  One in Ibarra that morning and then on to Otavalo (a half hour away) in the afternoon for two more.  Otavalo is famous everywhere for it's indigenous people who are incredibly faithful to their culture, but who have also joined the church in droves since the church came here 50 years ago. It has one of the oldest and largest markets in South America where the Otaveleños support themselves with their beautiful handiwork.  Many beautiful saints in their native dress and long braids walking the streets.  One of the church members stopped by and brought us some gifts because he heard we were coming.  

As we walked into the chapel, the missionaries all shouted a welcome chant they had memorized and had posters made and hugs and handshakes were shared.  It would be difficult not to love them.  The kids and I left right after the the conference and did not wait around for interviews so we could drive back to Quito in the light.  About a two hour drive, we were thankful to get back to the mission home.  

I found someone taller than Blake!  There are actually three missionaries right now that are taller than he is, but all will be going home this month or next.

Thursday morning we had to wake up at 4 am to catch an early flight out to Coca, in the jungle, or selva.  I thought we would be flying in a puddle jumper but was so thankful for the fact that we actually had a big plane to take us there.  Coca is a little town, built up when the American oil companies came here to explore.  The economy is a bit depressed there now due to the oil slump.  

We took a little taxi to the chapel (a little house converted to a chapel) about 5 minutes away.  We have two small branches of the church out in the eastern part of the mission (they call it "el Oriente").  Both branches are small...average attendance of 90 in one and 110 in the other. 

They are thankful to have built a little baptismal font recently in the Coca building so they don't have to baptize in the river, which sometimes has snakes and crocodiles.  Ugh.  The elders there were such a remarkable bunch.  They don't fly out there like we did.  They take an 8 hour bus ride through the mountains.  It is a big compliment to be sent out to the orient since they are so far removed from the rest of the mission.  Only missionaries who are self-sufficient and obedient can go there.  You could really tell they were a good group. 
  

Travel tip:  if you want exotic cuisine...come to Ecuador!  Dallin, Cole, and Blake tried fried tree worms, or larvae.  The indigenous people come into Coca selling any thing they can to make money and fried worms are one thing.  Bethany and I were happy to be the photographers.  One of the Assistants ate one live (and wiggling!).  Cole did not want to bite the crunchy head and was forced to.   Other exotic things we have heard a lot about...cow's foot soup (not bad if you remember to shave off all of the hair on the cow's foot), pig hide soup, fried bugs, intestines, etc. I think rice and beans sound pretty good to me.

We took the evening flight home and got back completely exhausted from our long trip around the mission.  But, Friday we would start the verifications (the training of the 5 week missionaries) at 9 am.  Blake and I gave some training and then drove with the missionaries up to a hill top overlooking the city....Panecillo.  The view is stunning.  You can see volcanoes, city, hills, greenery, etc., all in the distance.  

Panecillo is where President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated Ecuador for the preaching of the gospel in 1965.  We have the prayer that President Kimball gave and read portions of it with the missionaries and had them share their testimonies.  Very inspiring thinking of President Kimball being here.   

Friday afternoon we started exit interviews since we have such an enormous group of missionaries leaving this time...28.  Kind of funny for our first group to leave since we just got here.  Most of them are North Americans leaving so it seems like our mission is becoming much more native Spanish speaking.  Kind of painful since my Spanish is still so difficult.  

Saturday we got some chores done and went to the home of a wonderful family from St. Louis. It was so good to talk to someone about their transition to Ecuador who understands what we´re beginning to experience.  Cole was glad to talk to American teenagers. They had some good suggestions about piano teachers and English seminary class.  

That evening we attend a baptism for a young lady whose grandparents are members of the church.  She was thrilled to join the church.

Blake needed to read emails from all 184 missionaries and prepare for the transition of outgoing and incoming missionaries and their assignments to the various congregations, and has found that those things take a lot of time!  He was up quite late Saturday night going through the process for the first time.

Sunday, we attended a local congregation´s meetings and then returned to the mission home for additional exit interviews.  The missionaries in the office staff have been more than amazing.  They have helped so much with the transition.   They are here right now helping with exit interviews, handing out passports and travel plans.  

Cole, Bethany and Dallin have been very helpful. Cole bakes chocolate chip cookies for the missionaries when they come over (he will have to help me with the high altitude baking), and Bethany and Dallin have been great talking to the missionaries and helping them feel at home.  One of the sisters swooned at the chocolate chip cookie she ate and said it was a little slice of heaven, or home, to her.    

We have grown to love this beautiful country and its people, and especially our missionaries.  What a blessing it is to be here.  Not without its transition issues, but we are learning and growing each day.

Dana

Llegamos!

We have arrived!  Wednesday was an exciting day.  We arrived in Quito at about noon.  What a city.  Coming from drought ridden Southern California, the views coming into Quito were stunning.

We were met by President and Sister Richardson, who we are replacing, and their two Assistants to the President, who we will have the privilege of working with.

We live on the 7th floor of a complex, at exactly 9,280 feet elevation (per iPhone compass).  Here´s the view from our balcony our first morning in Quito.

We jumped right into meeting our 184 missionaries (this number will vary every 6 weeks).  They are organized into districts (of 4 to 8 missionaries) and zones (2 to 4 districts), with leaders assigned to each.  We met with the four zones located in the Quito area and introduced ourselves and talked about our goals for the mission.  We then had a chance to chat with each of them about their experiences.  Awesome young people.  Here is one example.

I think I´m the tallest one here!

We have Elders and Hermanas from much of Central and South America, in addition to the US.  Missionaries we met hail from Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala...and we have only met half of them!  

And, we have jumped right in to the local cuisine...farmer´s market on Saturday where we bought fresh, organic fruit and nuts, bakeries for postres and bread, and, of course, ceviche, plantains and arroz con mariscos!

We didn´t unpack until yesterday, and then went to a baptism of a neat family.  They could not be happier to talk about how the gospel of Jesus Christ has helped them in their lives.  They were having a lot of problems and were on the verge of giving up and saw the missionaries as an answer to their prayers.  They now feel they have hope that things will get better for them.  

Today we went to church at our geographic Ward (congregation) and also met with several local church leaders to introduce ourselves.  We leave tomorrow for a tour of the outer zones, toward the coast, the north and the east to meet the rest of our missionaries.

We couldn´t be happier.  Such good people here.