Week 22 -- Christmas

Hola familia-

Bueno, I will start off by answering your questions:

1.  So, what did you end up doing on Christmas Day?  Did your Zone get together?

1- Well honestly nothing--we just slept at Elder Arias´ house with our district leaders and that was it, nothing else.

2.  Did you receive a tie from President and Sister Amaya for Christmas?  Did you hear about any Elders receiving ties for Christmas?  If so, those came from me! :-)  I mailed about 200 ties to President Amaya for him to give to all of the Elders in your mission.  I sure hope everyone got them.  Merry Christmas! :-)

2- No, I didn't hear of anyone who recieved a tie, neither did I recieve one.  And I did know that--it's cool.

3. Did you ever receive your Christmas package from us?  

3- No, I didn't receive the package but I am expecting to get it tomorrow.  Thank you in advance for the presents.

4. This week is New Year's.  Have you heard anything about the Ecuadorian tradition of the burning of the ano viejo dummies?  I remember that Layna Comsa told us about this tradition of when people build paper dummies that they burn on New Year's Eve signaling burning the old year and having a clean slate for the new year.  You will have to tell me if you see any of that on Wednesday night.  Take pictures if you do!

4- No, I haven't heard anything about the New Year's tradition but I am seeing a TON of paper statues and I know that they are going to be burned soon.

5.  Did Elder Cano have an interview with President Amaya?  How did that go?

5- No, he didn't have the interview but everything is all good.  I just have to be patient with him and he will change sooner or later.

Bueno, I will ask my questions now:

1- Do I really look like and act like Uncle Aaron?

2- Davis really got an i-pad mini?

3- The aunts and uncles really played out the story of Jesus?

4- Are these questions REALLY annoying?

5- Really, my spanish is good?

6- Katherine Wagner is really home already?

7- My compañero knows Michelle Wagner.

8- How is the new Hobbit movie?

Bueno, I will now tell you about my week: 

Well, this week was pretty standard.  Tuesday we talked together on the computer, and after that we went to Milagro because there were like 10 other people who needed to have interviews. Then we stayed the night with the other Elders. Wednesday was a day of rest because Presidente said so, so for Wednesday we were in Milagro and we slept in Milagro until Thursday because we missed the last bus to Simon Bolivar. Thursday morning we came back to Simon and it was a normal day--nothing too exciting.  We basically contacted the whole day in Jujan--a city in our sector.  It's about 40 mins by bus from Simon Bolivar.  Friday was just a normal day.  We visited people and taught the gospel.  Saturday we had a branch activity for christmas and that was really fun.  Sunday was a normal day also. 

A really cool and kinda funny experience that happened on sunday goes as follows: we were walking and usually all of the drunk people say "hi" to us. So we were walking and this guy was sitting down and we said "hello" and he asked us to come over to him so we did.  He looked kinda familiar btw, so we started talking and him.  He was super drunk!  He started telling me all about his life, he kept on saying "I want to change and become better", then he said that he was the brother of a person we baptized and he attended that baptism. The whole time he was talking he was on the verge of tears. We told him that we could help him change. He just went on and on and on about how he wants to change and be taught the correct way. So we planned a visit with him for an other day.  Then his friend came over on a motorcycle and he said that he had to go.  We had this really awkward hug, and he got on the bike and he just about passed out and took off.  After we walked away, a little ways down the road we saw him again but this time he was in front of a store and he told us to come over there, so we did and he told us that we could buy whatever wanted and that he would pay.  Oh sweet I thought!  So we got a Gatorade and we had another awkward hug and we went our seperate ways.  I thought that was really kinda funny and cool at the same time.

Bueno, if you guys feel like you should move to Prescott then you should do it.  I really don't care as long as my friends can be there for my homecoming and I can be there for their homecomings. 

Can you guys pray for the Familia Rodriguez Lopez?  They are a golden family but they just need to get married and then we can baptize them. 

LOVE,

Elder Farley_

Week 21 -- Opening the door with his mind!

Bueno pues!!

Well, to answer your very important questions:

1- I will call you guys through Skype at 4 in the afternoon.

2- I will call you from a computer store in Simon Bolivar.

3- We will have 40 minutes to talk.

4- No, I don't know what your Skype number is.  Can you help me with that?

5- This is most important! TUESDAY, I will call you guys at 4 in the afternoon through Skype.  That is TOMORROW, NOT WEDNESDAY.  I am calling on TUESDAY because Wednesday everybody is busy so it's best for me on Tuesday.   Tell me what is best for you guys.

Well I don't know what to say because tomorrow I will call you guys, but I will say what I can.

We have a baptism on Saturday.  It is this old guy named Segundo Arias so that is really cool.  This week there were some cool experiences.  Two of them come to mind.  First is that on Sunday we needed to get into our house to get a pamphlet for Segundo Arias but we were locked out.  So basically I kicked down the door with my mind and we were able to get the pamphlets and give them to Segundo.  I thought that was really cool.

The second experience is that we were door contacting and we knocked on this door and two women were drinking beer and we started talking.   They offered some beer to us and right then I said  "you guys are sinners, and that is an abominion in the eyes of the lord, have fun in hell.¨  Basically I said that because I was truly offended that they offered me beer.  After I said that we just walked away.

Well honestly that is all I have because TOMORROW we are talking on Skype. :-)

LOVE

Elder Farley-

Here was my response to this email:

Are u calling at 4 your time? Search the Skype directory for Jenny Farley in Peoria, AZ. We will be ready! Ummm...I think u need to be more patient and loving with people when u door contact. Now their impression of the missionaries will be hostile. U want it to be a good impression. 

I LOVED Garrett's response to me:

Mom... you know how Dad expands every little story into something huge?  Well, I did the same thing here. :-)  It was very loving--don't worry mom!  And yes 4 on my time--I don't know what time it is on your time.

2013 Christmas Eve Skype call with Garrett

Week #20 - Being a trainer is hard!

Hola familia como están

Mi vida es maravillosa, comenzare como respuesta sus preguntas (My life is wonderful, I will start by answering your questions)-

1.  What do you do for exercise in the mornings?  I would imagine with all of the walking you do that you might not need to do anything but lift weights.  

1- Usually I just do push-ups and some sit-ups.

2.  What has been the most interesting meal you ate last week?  What is your favorite food there?

2- This last week I ate a cow's elbow, and that was.....interesting. My favorite food here is called Seco de Pollo.  It's super good.  I can't describe it but it's really good.

3.  What is Elder Cano like?  We know he is from Tegucigalpa and that he is 6’8”, but tell us about his personality and how it is to be comps with him.  

3-  Honestly, Elder Cano is like a little kid.  It is SUPER hard to teach him.  At times I get sooo frustrated with him because he is like a little kid. But I have patience and honestly in my opinion I think at the end of December or beginning of January I will get transferred, but that's my opinion.

4.  G-ma Farley asked me to ask you if you could get her and I a small nativity set from Ecuador?  She collects them from all over the world and she would like one from Ecuador.  I would too if you can find them.  Thanks!  Did you receive our Christmas package and the Christmas package from the Farley girls?

4- Yes I received the package.  It was really cool. Thanks and I will look for a nativity set for Grandma. 

 

5. How was the temple?

5- The temple was awesome.  I saw the new temple video.  It was soooo cool. I love the temple here in Ecuador.

6.  Why can't you send letters? 

6- Honestly I don't know why I can't send letters.

Well, my week was a little crazy. Tuesday my comp had to go to Guayaquil for something. So me and Elder Arias were comps for the day.  That is when I ate the cows elbow. Tuesday night all the Elders and Sisters in my Zona went to Guayaquil for the temple.  Wednesday we attended the temple and that whole day was spent in Guayaquil. Thursday we came back to Simon and it was a normal week.  We walked, taught and had a baptism. The little kid that got baptized se llama Adrian and he is really cool.  A brother in our branch baptized him.  Then on Saturday we went to Milagro because an Elder in our Zona left his mission.  His 2 years were up so that was kinda cool to see that.  Honestly that was my week.

One cool spiritual experience is that on Sunday I had to give a talk but this week was so crazy that I kinda forgot about it until like 20 mins before church started.  The Presidente asked me if I was prepared and I said "claro Presidente" (clear President) then I said a quick little prayer and my talk was really good.  It was about D & C 4 and I thought it was really good.

Well that was really all my week. I am just absolutely loving my mission.  I am loving every second of it.  Thanks for all the support.

My questions:

1- Can you send me copies of my art work?

2- How is Morgyn?

3- How is George?

5- What does Kendall look like--I forgot?

LOVE 

Elder Farley-

Hang loose Elders!  Elder Cano on the right -- Garrett's comp

Pondering the significance of the temple or maybe just looking cool?

I love this picture!

Christmas fun with the Zone and President and Sister Amaya

Baptism of Adrian

Week #19 -- New Companion Elder Cano and Garrett is a trainer

Hola ¿como esta?

Well I will start off by answering your questions like I always do:

1- Yes I can skype you guys. The week before Christmas I will tell you what time I will skype you and then you can just wait. Pero es un bueno idea si ustedes saben the time differences (but it is a good idea if you know the time differences.)

2- No I did not recieve the package yet.

3- Yes I am still in Simon Bolivar and Elder Mercado is gone.  He is serving in Guayaquil and now I am a trainer.  I am training Elder Cano.  He is from Honduras Tegucigalpa, and he is extremely tall. He is almost 7 feet-- he is like 6' 8". And being a trainer is harder than I thought.  Especially because my Spanish isn't that good so I need to be patient and pray for the gift of tongues especially for teaching my comp and our investigators. 

4- Yes I watched the Christmas Devotional last night - it was really good. 

5- Yes I will send you guys a picture of my toe but this week I forgot my cord so I can't send pictures but next week I will send a bunch. Yo les promote (I promise).

Now I will tell you guys about my week.

Lunes y Martes (Monday and Tuesday) I was compañeros with Elder Arias and on Tuesday night we went to Guayaquil to meet our new comps. And wednesday in the tarde we came back to Simon Bolivar and went to work.  I am a trainer now so it's really hard because for a week or two I have to do everything pretty much and its in Spanish.  So other than that my week was really good. The rest of the week we just worked and invited 5 people to be baptized so that was really cool. Honestly that as my week, nothing really much happened.

An experience that I had this week was really cool. On Firday we were teaching a sister that wants to be baptized but she can't because she isn't married.  We were teaching and during the lesson I felt promped to have a prayer on our knees and have her offer the prayer. We did and as she was saying the prayer I was praying that she would receive an answer and right when I finished my prayer she started bawling because the spirit was so strong. I almost started to cry! también holy cow that day was so strong in the spirit.  

So honestly that was my week. I love this mission with all my heart I couldn't ask for anything better. I know this gospel is true.  Oh btws - this week we are going to the temple.

oh my questions: 

1- So how does Kendall translate?

2- Where is the other Garrett from?

3- And I really don't know what I need, maybe more pencils with lead, another journal because I am about halfway through with the green one, and I don't know--surprise me and if you send me jeans I like LEE jeans and I am probable a 35, 36 ish

LOVE 

Elder Farley- 

Week #18 - Transfer week

¿Hola como estan?

Well, as usual I will start off by answering your questions:

1. Name 3 things you are most grateful for.

1- I am grateful for food, sleep, and the ability to serve the lord.  Not only to serve Him but to dedicate my life to Him for the next two years.

2. What happened with transfers?

2- Yes transfers are this week so Elder Mercado got transferred but I don't have my new companion yet. I am staying with Elder Arias (his compañero got transferred as well) until Wednesday when I will know who my new compañero is.

3. If you are transferred, what will you miss most about Elder Mercado?

3- I will miss Elder Mercado as my first compañero.

4. How are your slacks fitting now that you have lost some weight?

4- Yea my slacks are fitting fine. They are a little loose but they still work fine. My jeans are really big on me though so I might need a new pair of jeans soon.

5. Tell me something interesting about Ecuador that I don't know.

5-  Something about Ecuador is that almost all the people are irresponsible. I really can't trust them but I love them so it's kind of hard when they say 5 minutes before church starts that they will be there, but then they never show.

Pues ahora mi semana: (Now for my week:)

Well, my semana (week) was really good. On Tuesday we had the corilation missional (missionary correlation) meeting with the mission leader in our rama (branch). Elder Mercado knew he was going to get transferred so he told me "you do all the talking". I asked "why" and he responded "because i am leaving muy pronto you need to be his friend." "ok" I said.  Our leader missional isn't very good. He doesn't really do anything to help.  He is a good person but a bad leader.  So we went there to his house and I told him all about our investigators and all their problems and it was going just fine. Then I don't really know how it happened but I asked him if he knew the story about Lehi's dream and he said that he didn't know. So I asked Elder Mercado to explain the story and he did a great job.  He explained about the 4 different types of people in that story. Then I basically macheted him with love and explained what a leader missional is and how he should help the rama. It was very powerful. I felt the spirit so strong.  After that, in the closing prayer he asked God to help change him and make him into a better servant. So that experience was really cool.

Another really cool story is that on Friday we found this lady and we started talking to her and she told us that her husband died and that she missed him really bad. So we taught her about the plan of salvation and again the spirit was really strong. Holy cow! I really think she will get baptized but we need to talk to her again. So this week was really cool for us.

Another story is that this woman came to me and said "I want to be baptized!" So that was really cool but she isn't married to her boyfriend so we have got to get her married. The boyfriend doesn't want to get married so that is a problem.

The rest of the week was really standard--we walked, taught, and testified.

Now my questions:

1- Is Kendall learning Spanish?

2- How is Chase?

3- And no, Christmas isn't really that big down here.

4- Just keep me updated.

LOVE

Elder Farley-