Week #78 - Great Baptismal Interviewer

Hola, como están?

Well, I will start off by answering your questions--like we always do ;)

1- Did you have a baptism this week?

1- YES, we did have a baptism. His name is Holge Jacome.  It was a little funny with his story because when we got here to Babahoyo he just called us and asked about his baptism.  He asked about all the details and everything so we said to him, "like, wait, just wait!!" jajaj!! So we actually waited a little while to baptize him but THIS week we did baptize him!!! It was cool! ;)

2- What was the most memorable part of your week?

2- Well, the most memorable part of the week was when I interviewed somebody to be baptized,  The thing is that he isn't married so I explained to him all about D&C 132 about being a God and I also explained about how it all starts with getting married and then getting baptized. So I explained all of that to him and then a couple of days later he asked his wife to marry him!!!!! WOW WOW WOW!  That made me so happy!!! You don't even KNOW!!!

3- How is it opening a new sector?

3- It's a little different but its all good.  We are having baptisms and so that is cool!!! I like it!!

4- I sent you a package this week, so be looking for that in the next few weeks.

4- Okay, thanks I will look for it!! ;) 

Well, now I will explain about my week--

Tuesday we had a district meeting and I taught about the way we should contact people so we can have better numbers.  It helped them a lot  because after that the numbers SKY-ROCKETED!! It was pretty amazing!!! And then after that we went to Montalvo and we taught a couple of people there!! Today was really normal actually--but it was so fun!!!

Wednesday it was a fairly normal day.  We were just getting to know all the members and we taught our investigators, and we taught a family named The Family Reyes who want to be baptized.  They aren't married so we are going to help them with that.  But they are progressing and they are really cool! ;)

Thursday all we really did was go to Montalvo and teach a bunch of people.  That was sweet!!! ;) Then I had the interview with the man who wasn't married.  This was really cool because his kids actually got baptized as well so I did the interview with them and then with him.  It was in his interview that we talked all about temple marriage and he got super excited to get married!!! :)

Friday we had an exchange for a day so I was with Elder Benavides, he is from Colombia! He is really cool!!!: Friday was super normal because we visited a lot of people and we taught them the doctrine of Christ so that was basically our day.

Saturday we had the baptism of Holge Jacome!! WAY COOL!!!!! Also, the man that I interviewed asked his wife to marry him this day!  :)  This gave me so much joy because that means he understood what was taught in the interview!!  That made me think that I can understand what God teaches me!! So I made some goals so that I can do EVERYTHING the Lord has asked of me!! I WILL DO IT!!;)

Sunday was a normal Sunday full of meetings.  Two sisters from our zone went home.  They finished their missions!!! The weird thing is that they are from my group.  We started the mission together.  That was way weird, but that is the mission!!!! :)

Well this has been my week.  I hope you guys could feel the joy that I feel while I do the work of angels. ;)  I love you guys a ton and I hope that you always have a wonderful week!!!

YES, I will pray for Morgan!!! ;)

LOVE,

Elder Farley

Week #77 - Getting to know Babahoyo

Hola!!! Como estan?

Well I will start off by answering your questions-

1-  What is Elder Robinson’s first name?  Where is he from?  Any other information on his parents that will help me contact them?  An email address?

1- Well, the truth is that I gave him your email and Facebook when I was leaving so I didn't get a chance to ask for his mom's info.  He does have your info so I would be patient!!  His name is Connor Robinson and he is from Star Valley, Wyoming.

2-  How is your companion, Elder Quiroga?  Tell us details about him.  Please send a picture of you guys together.

2- Well, he is really cool!  We get along very well.  He is from Bolivia, Cochabamba and he only has two weeks more than I do in the mission.  But we get along great and we have full animos to work in the vineyard of the lord!!

3-  How is your new district?  How many missionaries in your district?

3- It's way cool!!  We have 4 sectors and 8 missionaries!!  They are super cool.  The zone here is super united!! 

4-  How many missionaries are there in Babahoyo?

4- There are 8 sectors in Babahoyo and that means there are 16 missionaries.  Super que chevere!!

5- Give us details about your first week in Babahoyo.

5- It's way coo here. Our ward that we are in is so huge and we are opening a new sector.  There weren't missionaries here before so we are starting from zero.  We already have plans to baptize someone on Saturday.  This week we basically spent our day in a place called Montalvo.  It's like an hour away and its in the mountains--it's awesome!!!  So we were working there and it's super beautiful!!!  But, so far I am liking Babahoyo--a lot!!

6-  Please take lots of pictures of Babahoyo, the culture, landmarks, your new ward, your district, etc. :-)  You don’t have to send them all to me, just make sure you take them because I want to make you a comprehensive photo album of your mission.  So I don’t want you to miss out on any memories you have made on your mission.

6- I will take a bunch of pictures!!!

7-  Who do you want to buy shoes for?  It will be much easier, and less expensive, if we just put money in your account and you buy them there.  Can you do that?

7- Well, I have one new pair of shoes that I haven't worn yet, but I don't like the style so I was thinking that you could send me money so I could buy myself shoes, and a belt, because I will need new ones soon!!!  I want to send him that one pair of shoes that I don't like.  That is what I will do!  Because he wants a pair of shoes from the states!!!

So NOW I will tell about my week-

Tuesday we got to our new house and our bathroom was clogged really BADLY so we spent the majority of the day trying to unclog the toilet.  This was obviously after we went to district meeting and all I did there was get to know the people in my district and we talked about numbers, people who have baptism dates, people who don't have baptism dates, and things like that.  After the meeting we went to Montalvo where we first were looking to know the area, the people, the members and the less active members.  Then at night we went home, planned and we went to bed (toilet unclogged-- SUCCESS!)

Wednesday we spent all day looking for members and getting to know them.  In fact our week was rather the same!!!!

Since we are new and we don't know anything we have spent the majority of our time getting to know members and helping them build stuff.

Basically that is all we did this week-- unclog toilets, provide service, and getting to know the people!!

Sorry if this email is a little lame.

WELL, this has been my week.  Just know that I love every single one of you!!! 

LOVE, 

Elder Farley 

Elder Farley in Babahoyo

E. Farley and E. Quiroga in Babahoyo

The Elders with a friend?

Week #76 - Transferred to Babahoyo

HOLA!!

Well I will start off by answering all of your questions-

1-  Did you get pictures of los anos viejos?

1- No I did not.  I can't remember why I didn't get picture of that, but I didn't, sorry!!

2- What language do you pray in?

2- Spanish is the language I pray in.

3- What language do you study your scriptures in?

3- Spanish is the language I study in.

4-  Last year at this time the Grillos were out.  Are they back again?  Please take pictures of them if they are.

4- Yes, they are back but there are hardly any.  Last year there were literally millions and this year there are none!!!

5- Tell me about the specific people you are teaching right now.

5- Well we have a bunch of families we are teaching.  We have like 4 or 5 families but none of them are progressing super fast.  They are hardly progressing, so our goal is to change all of these families to be so that they are like a family of gold!! So that is what we will do.  They are named, Families; Jimenez, Aguirre, Correa, Tribiño, and I can't remember their last name but the dad's name is Ike.

6- What are the names of your Zone leaders?

6- They are named Elder Pascual, he is from Guatemala, y Elder Hernandez, he is from El Salvador.

7- Ask President Riggins what we need to do since we are picking you up.

7- First, he says that he wouldn't recommend it because I will be a missionary and we wouldn't be able to do anything.  But he said that if you guys really wanted to come that you would need to talk to church travel and tell them your plans and they will re-imburse the plane ticket that you spend on me.  You should talk to the mission office so you can tell them what's going on.

8- What are your personal goals for 2015?

8- Well, my goals this year are simple; I want to build the kingdom of God here in Ecuador by becoming a better missionary. I want to become truly converted to the gospel, and last is that I want a girl friend!!! These are my goals!! jajaja

I need to tell you guys something super important.  ELDER ROBINSON AND I ARE GOING TO ROOM TOGETHER AT BYU IDAHO. THE MOTHER OF ELDER ROBINSON IS GOING TO CONTACT YOU SO WE CAN ROOM TOGETHER!! So be looking for an email from her, or a message on Facebook.  If I am not mistaken her name is Kathy Robinson.

Well, now let me tell you guys about my week-

Tuesday I went to the Kennedy with Elder Robinson for a meeting of leaders.  We were there a good while--basically the whole day.  We learned a lot and we felt the spirit a lot!! It was epic!! Then in the night we had some baptisms!!!  So the kid named Gustavo Zamora was baptized and along with him was baptized his family!! It was so cool seeing all of them get baptised!!!!  We felt the spirit even stronger in the baptism.  Elder Robinson and I said that we are going to go back to Ecuador to see them get sealed!!!

Wednesday was a normal day.  We visited all these families and we invited all of them to come to church and they all said yes so we were hoping that they would all come!!!  This is basically all we did this day!!!

Thursday was a normal day.  We visited a lot of people and we helped a lot of people with service.  We were walking down the street and the workers were taking the street apart to rebuild it.  We saw a store, owned and run by a small family, and they were rushing inside the store to move huge sacks of rice inside the store.  So we stopped and helped them until they got it all in.  We finished just in time for the workers to finish the road!! That was a cool service activity!!!

Friday we just did everything we could to visit all the people we had invited, but nobody was there.  Nobody was home and I don't know why.  So it was a slow day!

Saturday we visited everyone we had invited and we talked to most of them and they all said that were going to go!! We just needed to wait till Sunday to see.

Sunday nobody came to church!  BUT Gustavo did get confirmed a member of the church, and we did have quite a lot of less active member come to church, so that was all good!!!  Then the rest of the day I said goodbye to all of the families that we were good friends with because the leaders informed me that I had changes the next day.

Monday I packed all my things and I left Guayaquil and I went to Babahoyo.  Just so you know, I am not with Elder Zelayaran anymore.  I am now with Elder Quiroga and he is from Bolivia!! So, I am writing you from Babyahoyo!

So, I DID HAVE CHANGES AND I AM NOW IN BABAHOYO WITH ELDER QUIROGA FROM BOLIVIA!!!

Well, I think Vergeles has been the best sector out of all of them!! I will miss that sector!!

I don't have my camera because its all packed away but I will send picture next week.

I love you guys a lot!  Keep being awesome.  Don't ever forget who you are.

LOVE,

Elder Farley

Babahoyo, Ecuador (NE of Guayaquil) - Garrett's new area

Garrett is still a District Leader

Week #75 - Happy New Year - Los Anos Viejos!

HOLA como estan?

Well, I will start off like always by answering your wonderful questions!!

1- Any suggestions for our 2015 Family Theme?

1- What are your goals for this year as a family? The first idea that come to mind is, "The Gnarly Farleys".

2- Have you heard of any other parents coming to pick their missionaries up from your mission?  Does Pres. Riggins even give permission for that?

2- I have heard of a ton of people who picked up there son or daughter from the mission!

3-  We can’t decide if we should pick you up so that we can see Ecuador, or if we should let you just come home like normal so you have the traditional homecoming at the airport.  We see pluses and minus to both.

3- Honestly, if you guys came down here to pick me up, or if you didn't, I am good with anything.  It really doesn't matter to me!!  You guys make the decision and I will do whatever, but I need to know what you are going to do because the mission is going to ask me how I am going to go home.  And more specifically if you guys are going to come down to pick me up!! So, I would need to tell them.

4-  What would you prefer?  If you come home like normal, then we will want to take you on a trip to Ecuador with us (at some point) so that we can sight-see and meet people from your mission to our hearts content.  Kendall can even come with us.  I am only bringing this up now because if we are coming to get you, we need to make all of our arrangements now.  Please be honest and tell us what you prefer. 

4- The truth is that I am good with either of them!!! I think both would be super cool!! You guys can decide. (But I think you guys should--but if you don't its alright.)

5- What is one thing you love most about Ecuador?

5- I LOVE THE FOOD AND THE PEOPLE!!! They are both awesome!  I have made so many friends here and I have fallen in love with the food!!

Well, now I will tell you guys about my week--;)

Tuesday we started our day a little early and we went around and talked to all of the big businesses and we thanked them for working so well in their jobs.  Then we shared with them a booklet or something similar.  It was really cool because in those short conversations I could see their countenance change from a bitter face to a happy joyful face.  It was a great experience!!! Then for the rest of the day we worked to help the people come to church.

Wednesday we did the same thing.  We went around to all of the businesses and thanked them and then shared with them a gift.  Then we went to about everyone we could find to invite them to come to church.  But because it was December 31st, NO ONE was home.  They were all getting ready for their parties.  So, we went to visit all of the members and wished them a wonderful new year.  This day they gave us sooo much food!!! ;)

This week Presidente changed P-day from Monday to Thursday so we just stayed home and rested all day!!!

Friday we left to work and we tried to visit as many people as we could but hardly anyone was home because everyone left to go on a trip so it was kinda hard to find a person who wasn't busy!! But we did our best and we taught some people.

Saturday we did the same thing.  We worked as hard as we could but because it was still vacations here there were not a whole lot of people around. But we taught some people!!!  We also learned that a convert that was baptized a year ago has fallen away from the church.  That was frustrating! Also this day, this kid told us that he thought Joseph Smith was in hell and that the Book of Mormon is false.  This has saddened my heart greatly because he had helped us teach people just a couple of weeks ago!! So, Saturday I was sad and a little disheartened, but at the same time I felt strength because my testimony was getting stronger and I felt a power in the gospel!! I will do what is in my power to help this young adult.

Sunday was a day full of meetings like always!!!

Well, this was basically my week. I hope that you guys can feel what its like to be a missionary through my letters!!! BTW-new year is crazy here!!! There are so many explosions and fireworks and people burn huge statues in the street and right before they do that they fill them with fireworks!!! There is so much going on that it is literally a mad house!!! It is called los anos viejos.  

Los Anos Viejos (the old years)

Ecuadorians make effigies (statues) made from clothes stuffed with straw that represent them and their sins or faults from the old year.  When they ring in the new year, they burn the effigy symbolizing the ending of their old selves and the beginning of their new selves in the new year.

Then the next day NOTHING is open everything was closed and we could do anything!!!! It was awesome!!!

Well, I love you guys and I pray for you guys.  I love you a lot!

LOVE,

Elder Farley 

Week #74 - 2nd Christmas in Ecuador

JA JA JA JA! Hola como estan?

First off, DAD, you would look so good with a handlebar mustache!! WOW--you really do.  Dang! I am a bit jealous!!! Ask Mom if you can keep it.  :)  But really you should consider doing that!!! You look so sweet! :)

Wanna-be cowboy with slight handle-bar mustache

Now I will answer your questions-

1- How are you feeling now?  Did you get over your fever?

1- Well, I do feel a lot better.  Not a hundred percent but I feel a lot better!!! I sure hope that you guys could feel all of my love during our Christmas Skype call. :-)

2- How did you like the Christmas gifts we sent you?

2- I LOVED them!  I loved the puzzle letters and the plan of salvation card and everything else--they were so cool!!!! I love the BYU Idaho shirt even thought its huge on me--its still awesome!!! I ended up sharing the food with everyone that lives in my house and boy was it good!!!!! ;) Thanks guys.  You guys are really good people!!! ja ja ja!  I love you guys!!

3- What was one of your favorite letters from the letter garland gift?

3- I really loved three in particular.  The first was the "Testaments of Miracles" that you guys wrote.  I loved that because that gave me a good idea of how it all started.  I found out things that I didn't know before, so I truly loved that!!  The second one is the one mom wrote me about when I was a baby and when she bore her testimony to me--that was really cool!!!  And the third letter was from Dad.  He wrote about his experiences in his mission during the Christmas season and that gave me some ideas of what we could do as a zone.  Unfortunately we could not accomplish it because there was no time!! But I did love them all.  ;)

4- I believe that you had a baptism scheduled for December 27th.  Did that happen?  Who got baptized?

4- The thing is, he didn't attend church last week so that pushed his baptism date a bit further back.  He will now be baptized on January 6th!!

5-  Tell us about an experience this week where you saw the Lord's hand at work?  Be specific!

5- On Saturday I had some good plans to help out my district.  I was going to go and help them work so I could get a good idea of how they work so I can help them better.  So I had plans to go over there and help while my campañero stayed and worked in the area.  I had several people that were willing to help and we had enough people to help that we had back up people  as well.  So as the time approached we went to go get the people so we could split up, but everyone that we got to help us didn't show up or they came but they left early and it turned out to be a disaster. That meant that I couldn't help the sisters in my district. I was still feeling somewhat sick so I got super mad, super fast, and I was completely stressed out!!! I knew that with that attitude I couldn't work with the spirit, so I called president and he helped me calm down and he helped me feel the spirit again and I was able to work just fine and we accomplished what we wanted to do!!  So this would be the experience that you asked for!!!

Well, now I will tell you about my week-

Tuesday we went to the temple in the morning as a mission and it was a fun experience. While we were in the celestial room president punched me in the face!! I will explain--so I kinda forgot to bring my temple recommend to the temple and I had to wait for them to look me up in the system.  So presidente asked me what happened and in the celestial room he kinda punched me in the face--like it was a joking around friend punch, not like a punch punch!! Then afterward we went to the stake center and we cleaned it really good!! Then in the night we went, as a mission, to a stake center and we ate dinner as a mission.  The food was really good!  I had like three plates of food!! Then we had the program. THAT WAS AWESOME!!!  There were such great song performed by the missionaries and we felt such a great spirit in there!!  The songs that I was part of were toward the end.  Our performance was SOOOOO COOL! We did it almost flawlessly, and when we finished everyone started cheering so loudly!  I felt so cool!  I kinda felt like Simba being born and then being presented as the next king!!! Or kind of like JB--one of the two ;) JAJA! BUT IT WAS AWESOME!!!!

Wednesday it was a normal day.  We worked as best as we could but unfortunately there hardly was anyone in the houses. But in the night the bishop gave us food--REALLY GOOD FOOD!!! He gave us turkey and chicken corden blue which was so good.  I haven't had that in forever!!!!!  Then after that we had another dinner with the stake presidente who lives in our sector and that food was also very good.  This was our day!!!

Thursday we had a party as a zone and we watched movies (with permission from presidente) and we cooked food and we had a gift exchange and we talked.  But I was sick so it was an ok day. P.S. favorite part was talking to you guys!!

Friday was a normal day--we worked as hard as we could but again hardly anyone was in their houses!!!

Saturday I told you guys what we did previously!!! But it was fun!!

Sunday we had full meetings and we went to church and this was our day, pretty basic!!!

Well, this was my week.  I hope you guys can experience the missionary work with me!!! I love you guys so much!  You will never know how much that I love you!!!! ;)

P.S. Yes you can come to Ecuador if you want ;)

LOVE,

Elder Farley

Elder Zelayaran & Elder Farley on their way to the Mission Christmas party

Elder Farley & Elder Sink at the Mission Christmas party

E. Sink, E. Farley, & E. Vance at the Mission Christmas party

"Santa Clause is Coming to Town" performance group - Garrett was the beat boxer

Christmas Dinner at the Bishop's house

Garrett's Zone with President & Sister Riggins and Elder & Sister Uceda