Week #26 - "Firerehea" & Stomach Flu

Hola!

Mom, I am the BEST missionary in this mission--Period! :-) No, just kidding.  I am an ok missionary but that is cool that the office missionary said that. Those guys in the office are cool. Les quiero--that means that I like them.

Well I will start off by anwsering your questions:

1- Yes, we do have a cell phone.

2- Well Elder Trejo is really cool.  He kind of looks like Austin, but he is more muscular.  We have decided to join the military together.  He is in the Phoenix Stake and his Stake president is President Porter.  He is in the Aguilar ward.  His full name is Mahonri Trejo and his parents are Mexican, so yes he is Latino.

3- I really do think Elder Cano has some kind of mental disorder. And nope--no progress with him.

4- My goal is to baptize 1000 people this year (well at least 100).

5- Well honestly we really don't have investigators, and I think it's because of Elder Cano.  He has taught false doctrine before so that has hindered the work.  This week we are focusing on reactivating the less active members. If you want to baptize you first have to reactivate!!

This week was the same as all the other weeks.  We also had Stake Conference and that was really cool so this week we were in Milagro a lot.  But really our week was normal.  Nothing really happened except that we are just looking for new investigators.  Something really weird did happen this week though.  Last night I couldn't sleep and I was just tossing and turning. At 1 in the morning I woke up and I had "firerehea" and then I threw up out of nowhere!  The rest of the night I was having "firerehea", but now I feel fine.  I thought that was really weird!  That was the first time I have thrown up in a LONG time. 

But yea our week was just normal. Really we aren't having a lot of success because Elder Cano is like a little kid.  I really want to have success so I kind of need a new companion because he just is not ready to be a missionary.  And that is the truth! 

Hey, I need a favor-

Can you send me a pair of Sanuk hiking boots but in black because my shoes are going bad and a pair of boots will last me a while and they can last in these storms and this MUD.  That will really help me. THANK YOU!!!!

Well I don't have my camera today because of that throwing up thing.  So, NEXT week I will have pics.

LOVE 

Elder Farley- 

Week #25 - I was violated!

¿Hola como están?

Well, like always I will start by answering your questions:

1- Bueno, nothing happened with transfers.  I am still with Elder Cano in Simon Bolivar.

2- Well honestly every day is a spiritual experience if you live your life accordingly to God's will.  When you don't live your life like that then your life becomes hectic and you start doubting and your faith starts to fail, and every day isn't a spiritual day.  I promise you guys that when you live the commandments and study your scriptures every day, blessings will come and your lives will be better.  Alma 26:27- "And I will give you success" - the Lord promises us this as well.

3- I don't have my camera so I can't send the picture of the grillos yet.

4- Alma 40-42 are fantastic chapters and that is what I have been studying this week.

5- Bueno, for all of my life I have wanted to join the military but all during high school Dad practically banned me from those military things, so my desire had died down.  But, when I meet Elder Trejo he told me that he is going to join the military and when he said that I knew I had to do the same thing.  I read my patriartical blessing and it makes perfect sense as well.  So, when I get back I will be joining the Army and be shooting for the Army Rangers with Elder Trejo.  I don't know what I will do about school.

Well, this week has been normal.  We have been having a lot of exchanges because everyone knows that my compañero is super dificult to work with and they are trying to give me a break.  So for about three days this week I was with Elder Trejo, he is from Pheonix/Peoria area, and those days have been a little breaks for me because I have been stressed out and I am just at the end of my rope with my compañero.  But all is good so don't worry children.  But really that has been my week this week--just babysitting my compañero.

Umm... something funny did happen to me this week.  It happened one day when we were having our nightly planning meeting.  On this day there were a lot of grillos.  While we were planning I felt something run across my butt crack. I stood up sooo fast and checked my seat for something that could have touched my butt, but I didn't see anything.  I decided that I should check in my clothes, so as I was changing, you won't believe what I found!  IN my clothes there was a giant grillo! This story is funny because that meant a grillo violated me. I got raped by a grillo!

Well I am sorry but this has been my week-- just a battle agansit the forces of evil.  Tell Kendall to check her email.

LOVE

Elder Farley-

Week #24--BTW- "I know what I want to do for my career!"

Bueno, hola familia como están?

I will start off by answering your questions:

1- Yes, 3 of our investigators came to church.  It isn't as good as last week but it's still good.

2- Yes we have 2 baptisms scheduled for the 25th of January.  Their names are Kerly and Salvador.

3- Nothing has happened with transfers yet, but the ZL's got switched so I think here soon there are going to be big changes but that is just a guess.

4- I only have 1 picture of the grillos and yes I will send it to you.

5- Yes I got the package and I love it.  The pants fit great and I love the ties.  I also LOVE the mashed potoatoes and the beef jerky, thank you!

6- Yes I am writing some of my friends.  I am writing Austin and Annie (a friend of a friend here in the mission).

7- No, there are no improvements with Elder Cano.  In my opinion he is NOT ready to be a missionary, but I need to learn something from him so all is good.

8- No, we were working super hard so his suggestion to read verse 30 was like a compliment.

9- I have seen so many miracles!  Every time I drive to Milagro I see a miracle (Milagro in Spanish means Miracle in English).

Well I hope this answers your questions,  

My week has been standard.  Tuesday we got a new Elder in our zone and his name is Elder Trejo.  He is from Arizona!  He and I are super good friends here.  He and I are like missionary soul mates. :-)  If we were compañeros we would wreck. Yea we are really good friends. 

Wednesday was a strange day--we were in Guayaquil for interviews with the Mission Presidente because my compañero really shouldn't be a missionary because he just isn't prepared. He is 22 and he is worse than a little kid.  I don't feel like I am training him, I feel like I am babysitting him.  So Presidente interviewed him and hopefully that will help but so far it hasn't helped much.

Thursday we had exchanges with my DL and that was an ordinary day.

Friday was the same--just an ordinary day.  Oh, I found out what I want to do for my career!

Saturday was the same--we just walked, taught and testified. We found a brige that looks like the bridge in Indiana Jones.

Sunday we went to church and I gave a talk.  The rest of it was a normal day--nothing too new--my life here really is the same.

Now for my questions:

1- At a store you can get my artwork scanded in and then printed out and it looks legit. I want one for all my artwork?

2- I will look for a tailor.

3- How are my guns?

4- How is our family?

Love, Elder Farley

P.S. I wrote Garrett back and asked him about his career choice and all he said was that he wants to be in the military.  Ummm...are you serious?  I will be writing him about this next week.  Now I am going to worry all week.  Sheesh!

He didn't say what this was called but he said it was delicious.

Garrett on the Indian Jones bridge

Week #23 - The Attack of the Grillos!

Bueno!! Hola como están?

Well, I will start off by answering your questions:

1- Umm I think transfer are next week but I am not sure.

2- This week my most spiritual expirence was at church and I will share that in more dets later.

3- I have done some shopping but no sight seeing, after my mission I want to come to the Galápagos islands.

4- No, I am not taking a ton of pictures, but I am taking a few.

Bueno now my questions:

1- Did you send me hard copies of my art work?

2- When will you guys move?

3- Did you guys see the new Disney movie? The other day I saw movie posters for these movies and I remembered that they came out this month.

4- Umm can you send me more ties? Like 4 more ties--I love ties!

5- Can you send me more shirts and pants--like two of each?  The ones I have are too big.

Now my week:

Well this week was pretty standard. Tuesday we were on exchanges so I spent the new year with Elder Ugarte--he is my Zone Leader.  It was normal except the only difference is that the grillos have attacked! Grillos are giant crickets that fly around and eat clothes and they are everywhere. Seriously it feels like a plague!  There were millions and they were every where, all over me and under my clothes, and it was SUPER GROSS. We are still killing the bugs in our house. For about three days when the sun went down GIANT GRILLOS were everywhere. It was like a plague but this happens every year so the people think nothing of it. It's gross!

Wednesday we just rested because Presidente told us to just rest so we did. We studied and rested and visited members but nothing else really.

Thursday we went back to work.  We visited familias and got permision for people to be baptized and it was a full day of work.

Friday was the same full day of work but this day I started feeling sick and now I have a cold.  But don't worry, I always get colds when the weather changes. 

Saturday was another full day of work but today we needed to work harder because we wanted our investigators to attend church. So we worked hard this day.  It was awesome because we even found another person to teach.

It was our goal that on Sunday all of our investigators would attend church. We heard that all of the other sectors had nobody attend or only one person attend church.  We wanted to do better than that.  Well, our work paid off because we had 7 people attend church.  This was my best day because my DL shared with me a scripture--Alma 26: 27.  That really helped me and it gave me more incentive to work hard.  Then after church he shared with me Alma 26: 30.  I know that working hard in a good cause will bring good results. 

Well this was my week.  I love you all and encourage you guys to study Alma 26.

LOVE 

Elder Farley-

Elder Cano in an area called Jujan.  Interesting bridge!

Garrett at the Ward Christmas party

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