Week #93 - What? A Date with Elder Lang?

Hey, Hola como estan?

Well, I am not going to lie... I liked talking to you guys as well.  It was awesome!!!! You guys have all grown and I can see how you guys have changed!!! It's amazing.  I guess we will see each other in 8 weeks ;D

Umm...don't even worry about the trip to the Bahamas.  I am sure that Hayden and all of you guys will just love that trip!!! Make sure that y'all put on sunscreen because you don't want skin cancer.  That would be very ironic!  You don't want that!!!!

If you guys are planning a trip to Hawaii that is fine with me.  I will totally do whatever you guys do.  I am sure that it will be totally awesome!!

Well to answer your questions now-

1- What size of clothes do you wear now?

1- I am not exactly sure.  I could give you guys a guess but to be exact I have no idea.  I was thinking that we could buy the clothes in that first week when I get back so we could get the sizes exactly right then.  But if you want I could send you a guess.

2- As you are nearing the end of your mission do you have any regrets?

2- You know what?  I don't!  The only one I might have is when I wanted to come home about a year ago when Hayden first got cancer, but it's not that big of a regret because if it weren't for that experience I probably wouldn't have found where I am now!! So, no I don't have any regrets!!

3- Have you ever used any magic tricks on your mission?

3- Ja ja ja ja ja - no not really!!! Umm no I can't remember if I have used any.

4- Do you get a copy of the GC Ensign in the mission so you can study it?  If not, do you want me to send you one?  What about your companion?  Does he need one?  

4- I will do everything in my power to get a copy of it and if I can't find one then I will tell you guys.

So now about my week-

This week was pretty normal.

Tuesday was a normal day.  We really didn't do anything too awesome.  We just tried to visit an investigator named Andrea.  She is supposed to be baptized on May 23rd so that will be awesome but nothing else has really happened today!

Wednesday we had a Zone Meeting.  I brought the root beer extract and we made root beer as a Zone.  That was cool!!!  Most of the Latin's didn't like it!! Oh well?!  The Zone Meeting was cool.  We talked about our real purpose as missionaries is that we need to baptize!!!  So that was really cool!  We also had an exchange.  I was with Elder Lang and we bought some ice cream and we ate it on a fancy table that I set up.  Afterward I figured out that I basically went on a date with Elder Lang!!!! Ja ja ja ja!  

Thursday was a normal day.  We really didn't do anything!! Or it's just that I couldn't remember it very well.  But we worked hard so don't worry!! ;)

Friday we had a ward activity about Mother's day and it was awesome.  There was dancing and music and a lot of mothers!!! So that was way cool!!!

Saturday was the day where I totally scored the sweet soccer goal!!! ;)  After we cleaned the chapel we went to visit some less active people!!!  So it was a pretty basic day!! But it was awesome!!!

Sunday was a normal day full of meetings.  I taught gospel principles and it was good.  Ao that's pretty much the highlight of my week!!! ;)

Well this has been my week.  I hope you enjoyed!!! I loved talking to you guys!!

I have one question-

1- Could you guys buy all the Percy Jackson books? I think I am missing a couple  of those books and I remembered them yesterday and I kinda want to read them when I get home!!!

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

LOVE,

Elder Farley

Ice cream "date" with Elder Lang. :-)

Beautiful Guayaquil Ecuador

5.10.15 - Mother's Day Skype with Garrett

It was so good to talk to Garrett on Mother's Day.  He looks great!  He sounds happy!  He doesn't really want his mission to end, yet he is determined to work hard until the very end.  He is most concerned about becoming the man Heavenly Father wants him to become before his mission is over.  We reminded him that he has his whole life to become that man, but his missionary service gives him a running start.  He is so cute!  He asked us several times if we are going to be having a friends and family B-BQ when he gets home and we assured him we would.  So, be looking for that invitation soon. :-)

He comes home in 8 weeks!  We can't believe it.  We are so proud of him.

Best. Mother's. Day. Ever!

Cute dimples

Mom and Dad are loving this!

Week #92 - Earthquake in Ecuador

HOLA!! Como estan?

Well first off I am so glad that you guys loved my voice recording.  When I recorded myself I was really nervous because I didn't know what to say nor did I know how to say it.  I kinda forgot English for a little bit!!! Ja ja ja, but everything is ok, I am super glad that you loved that!!!

So about that Skype call--I WILL CALL SUNDAY AT 5 Ecuador time, so be waiting for that it.  It would help me a ton if you could send me the information of my Skype account right before I call.  It would be a ton easier for me to call you guys!!!  Thanks a bunch! ;) 

And yes I will do just as you ask for Mother's Day!!!  I will give it to the wife of our Bishop!!! It will be awesome.

And just to let you know, yes I have been talking with Brady about rooming together at BYUI.  So if it's possible to room with both of them that would be awesome, but if not, that's ok!!! ;)

JAJAJA did Chase really break his arm?  That little shenanigan boy is getting into trouble! Ja ja ja! I hope he is ok!!!!  I am kinda surprised that he didn't cry or anything.  If he was Dad he would have fainted just looking at the x-rays and they would have had to remove Chase from the table and put Dad there in his place!!! Ja ja ja ja ja ;)

This week for us has been pretty cool.  One day it rained so hard that everything got soaking wet when we were only in the rain for five minutes!!!  That was fun!!!

Tuesday we had our District Meeting and my District Leader asked me to teach the District about how we can teach our investigadores better.  So I shared about Ammon and how he was such a great teacher.  We all narrowed it down and decided that it's the spirit that we need in order to teach our investigators.  It was awesome!!!!!! So, after I taught my segment, our District Leader taught us about getting members to help us with referrals!!  So, that was pretty much the coolest District Meeting that we had this week!!! ;)

There is a cool story about how we woke up this morning!!!  At like 6:20 am I woke up and my bed was shaking and I thought it was my compañero shaking my bed.  Then I saw that he was in bed and was not shaking my bed.  He woke up and then I thought, "it's an earthquake, I should probably stand under a door", but then it stopped.  It was kind of frightening because it was shaking hard!!!  But it was way cool and an awesome mission experience. ;)

4.28.15 - RT News:

5.8 magnitude quake strikes southeast Ecuador

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeast Ecuador on Tuesday, sparking panic, AFP reported. The earthquake occurred at 6:20 GMT in Guayaquil, in Guayas province, and the rumble could be felt in neighboring provinces. The depth was 71 kilometers, according to Ecuador’s Geophysical Institute. There were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage.

Wednesday we had an exchange and I was with Elder Lang!!!  As we were contacting people we saw that one house had like pornographic images on their garage.  I dared Elder Lang to ask the guy if he has a problem with pornography.  So he did it! JA JA JA JA!  But the guy didn't hear him so Elder Lang just moved on with the normal contacting approach.  It was so funny!!!!!! JA JA JA JA!  Then in the night we were teaching a family that had abandoned the church and are now Jews.  It was sad to see how hard their hearts have become so I hope they can see how wrong they are so they can come unto Christ.  I hope they do!!

Thursday was the day where it rained really hard.  In my sector there is a really big hill and right before it started raining we were on top of this hill visiting people. As we went inside of a house it started raining really hard so we decided to just stay in the house for a while until it died down.  But it never died down!  So after like an hour and a half we left and we went to a family night where we testified of the importance of the family home evening program.  So even though we were soaking wet we were able to feel the spirit and that was cool!!!  Then we played a really cool game and the family really liked the game so that was cool to help them with that!!!

Friday was a normal day.  We just visited a lot of people and we were able to teach some good families!!!

Saturday our lunch was very interesting.  One of our investigators invited us to eat lunch and she gave us "Salchicha".

Salchicha is intestines filled with rice and cooked in blood.  For me it was hard to eat because the smell was so bad.  It smelled like a dead animal.  I had to take one for the team though so I ate it.  I hope the investigator is satisfied about that meal!! (I hope she didn't see me almost gagging each time I took a bite of it.)  Her name is Andrea Salcedo and she actually has a baptismal date for the 23rd of May, so that is really cool!!!

Sunday was a normal day.  We just had lots of meetings and we did service!! Andrea needed help drawing a picture for her daughter's homework so we helped her with that.  I really enjoyed the service because it was different!!!  The drawings turned out way cool!! I will send a picture of the drawing I did!!! ;D

Well, this has been my week.  I am sorry if it's a little lame, but I really do enjoy the mission.  I am really nervous about ending my mission because I have no idea how the rest of my life is going to turn out. ;)

Well I love you guys and we will see each other in a week!!! ;)

LOVE,

Elder Farley

Week #91 - Audio Recording Message

HOLA!!!!

So this week I tried something new.  One of these attachments is a voice recording so I hope you guys enjoy it. ;) Let's hope it's not too lame ;)

I will start off by answering your questions-

1 - Did 14 year old Pricilla get baptized last week?

1-Yes she did get baptized!!! I sent a picture of her and her sister so you guys can see what she looks like.  But she is so cool!!!!!

2 - Did you see Richard, your homeless friend again?  Did you do any beat boxing with him?

2- No I haven't seen him again, but I am waiting for the day when I can see him again because he is awesome!!! I want to take a picture with him because he is awesome!!!

3 - Have you had any in-grown toe nails lately?

3- No I haven't had in-grown toe-nails for about 3 or 4 months and I hope it will stay like that for awhile because they suck really bad!!!

4 - Are you allowed to work on family history while you are serving as a missionary?

4- You know what?  I am not sure at all.  I would say no- but I have no idea.  By the way, I will be home in three months so I can work on it when I get home!!!

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

Tuesday we actually had changes, but me and my compañero didn't have changes.  We did help some other Elders get their stuff ready and we went to help them with their transfers.  We went to the terminal and it was really fun to see the other Elders!!  So, that was fun seeing them and talking to them.  Then in the afternoon we just worked like normal and it was awesome.

Wednesday we had our District Meeting.  We talked a lot about completing our goals that we make.  My District Leader shared about how if we make goals we need to complete them!!  So we all made sure that we will try to complete our goals this week!!!

Thursday it was a normal day.  We just woke up and studied and then we planned a little bit and then we went out to work and we worked all day.  It was quite a normal day!!

Friday we had an exchange and I was with Elder Arias again and we did normal things.  We just taught the gospel to the whole world, or at least we tried too!! Ja ja ja!

Saturday the biggest thing that we did was we had a baptism.  Pricilla was baptized and her baptism was awesome!  The spirit was so strong!!!  It was awesome! I included a couple of pictures.

Sunday was a normal day.  We just had a bunch of meetings and a couple of recent converts where conferred the priesthood.  So that was awesome!!!

Well this has been my week.  I hope you guys enjoyed it alot!! I hope you guys enjoyed my voice recording a lot too!!!!!!  I just want to let you guys know that I love you all with all my heart!!!

LOVE, A LOT!!!

Elder Farley

Baptism of Pricilla

I can't figure out how to load his audio recording.  If you would like to hear it, please email me and I will send it to you.

Week #90 - "Croked-Nose" Farley

HOLA!!!

Ja ja ja ja ja!  You guys are truly tv stars now!!!!  That's awesome!!  I am very grateful as well that I was able to be healed so quickly.  That was a very cool experience.  Yes, I did write that experience in my journal so don't worry about that mother.  Are you serious that we will talk in THREE weeks for Mother's Day? Wow time is flying fast!!  I have no idea where the time has gone!!  But, I guess that we will talk in three weeks!!  What will we talk about because after that I will be home in like 7 weeks?  Oh well.

This is very true what you guys said about becoming the man I need to become.  I have all of my life to do just that!!!  So even though I have little time left to make use of on my mission, I have a lot of time to become a man of God during my life-time!!!  Just like dad is, my role model. 

And now I will answer your questions- 

1- Is there anything in particular that you want us to send you in the last 3 months of your mission?  Remember that anything we send you, you will have to carry back home.

1- Umm..I have nothing in particular that I would really like to have, so I think anything would be cool!!!

2- Are there any treats or snacks that you want us to send you that you have been missing from home?

2- Maybe some sunflower seeds--BBQ flavored, or some cool candies that I can share with my compañeros.  But anything is cool!!

3- Have you taken lots of pictures of Ecuador, the mission president, the mission home, your apartments, people, etc?  You don't have much time left to capture a picture of these things, so I want to make sure you take all of the pictures you want now.

3- Yes, I think I have gotten all the pictures that I want.  I am just excited to share them with you guys!!

4- Do you have any upcoming baptisms?

4- Yes, actually we have one this Saturday!!!!  Her name is Pricilla.  She has 14 years of age and she actuallly came to us and told us that she wanted to be baptized so that was like WAY cool.  So if everything goes smoothly she will be baptized on Saturday.

5- Are you studying English with your companion?

5- He actually knows English, so the truth is that we don't study English that much.  But it's alright because he's a cool guy who knows English.

Well, my week has been awesome.  It was actually a very cool week and I loved it!! ;) ;)

Tuesday we had district meeting and my wonderful district leader taught us about  reverance and how through reverance we can receive revelation.  So, as I thought about it I was like, "wow that's so true!"  So, after we talked a little about that we did some practice teachings and we helped out some of the Elders and Sisters in our district with ideas of how they can better teach their investigators!!! It was awesome!  Then in the afternoon we went to visit people and it was awesome even though a lot of people weren't home.  I just love being here and I love talking to the people!!

Wednesday we had exchanges and I was with Elder Lang.  He is a great guy!!!  We visited people all day and we had some great lessons with members and with some less active people.  It was awesome!  But the only bad thing that happened was in the night everything we had planned just fell through and nobody was home so we couldn't visit anyone!!  So, we decided to go to the Stake Center and we were there for a little bit talking with some members then we decided to go look at our family tree in the family history center.  We looked at my tree and we totally felt the spirit of Elijah!!  It was awesome!!!!! ;)  We looked way far back and we got to the year 100 ad--it was awesome!!!  We found a man who was a Scottish king and his nick name just killed me with laughter!!!  His nick name was "croked-nose"!  Me and Elder Lang were just laughing hard and we made some little jokes about the "croked-nose".  It was awesome and then we went home!!!

Thursday was just a normal day.  We just visited a lot of people and some of them were home but most weren't home so it was kind of a bummer.

Friday we had another exchange and I was with Elder Arias from Colombia.  This Elder is my friend because we started the mission in the same Zone and he is just a great guy!!!  But anyway, we visited people all day and it was awesome.  I thought it couldn't have gotten better but then it did!!  In the night we stopped by the family Quijije--they are less actives.  On the way there we meet a homeless man.  He had a crazy unkept beard and his hair was wild.  Then he talked to us and his voice was just soo high. I couldn't tell if he was a boy or girl!!!  So we said "hello" to him and we went on our way, but little did I know that he was actually family of the family we were going to visit.  So when we got to the house where we were going, he followed us.  He just stood in the door and started singing!!  Then he went behind the window, I was sitting in front of the window, and he started doing this beatbox thing and started acting like he was on the international radio show and this whole time I was dying of laughter!!!  Then I started to talk to him and I found out that his name was Richard.  So he started singing again but this time he picked up an umbrella and used it as a microphone.  He cracked me up!!!! I also took a picture of him because he is my new friend!!! ;) Ja ja ja ja it was awesome!!!!!

Saturday was a normal day, we found the girl that will be baptised on Saturday so that was way cool!!!

Sunday was a normal Sunday full of meetings!!! ;)

Well, I hope that you guys can feel what I experience here in the mission!! Because what I experience gives me so much joy!!!!! ;) It truely does!!!

I LOVE YOU GUYS ALOT!!!!

LOVE,

Elder Farley

I love it that he is wearing his "Brave Like Hank" bracelet

Week #89 - The Power of God is REAL!!!

HOLA!! Como estan?

I can't believe it either that in three months I will be home.  All I can think now is that I only have three months to become who I need to become for Jesus.  I only have three months to become truly converted to the gospel!!  So I have a lot to do in these three months!!! And yes, I DO love that necklace!!  That's totally radical!!!

Well, I will start off by answering your questions-

1- Who has been your favorite companion?

1- I have no idea!!  That's a hard question because I have had 18 compañeros!! But I would have to say, out of the MANY compañeros that I have had, Elder Arroyo, the compañero I have right now is my favorite!!!

2- Do you serve in the rich or poor part of Duran?

2- I serve in a poor part of Duran.  My sector is Ferravario and it is in the center of Duran and it is on a hill.  That is basically my sector.

3- Will you email my Dad?

3- If I have time today I will write him an email!!!

4- What has been the most significant change in you so far on your mission?

4- The cold honest truth is that I don't know.  I haven't seen specific changes in me!!  I know I have changed but I don't know how.  I wouldn't know what to say to you about that.  Sorry!

Well, for my week it was actually kind of slow!! I was sick as well this week. :(

Tuesday we had district meeting, and my district leader taught us about working more with the members.  It was very good what he taught. I understand what he said and I understand the doctrine and all I have to do now is apply what he said. I just have to visit more members and help them so that they can help us in the future!!  So this week we tried to do just that.  Unfortunately we both got sick this week and it was very hard for us to work that well!!  But as far as the rest of our day goes it was quite simple--we visited a few families and we helped them come more unto Christ!! Pretty simple actually.

Wednesday was also a very normal day.  Not that many people were home so it was actually a slow day.  We had an exchange and I was with an Elder by the name of Lang.  He is from California and he is a really cool guy!!  We got along really well.

Thursday we had a zone meeting.  The zone leaders went to a conference with the Presidente and then in the morning they told us everything that Presidente wants us to know.  So basically what he said was that we as missionaries are angels and what angels do for God is the ministering work.  What that means is that we do the work of God here on the earth.  So that was really cool!!! I am like an angel.  Wow, watch out!  jajajajaja ;) 

Friday we gathered together with the assistants and they gave us cake.  Yea, I love it when other angels give us angel cake!!! jaja But they gave it to us for completing the goal!!  It was awesome!  They came to us and congratulated us for completing the goal and then we ate the cake!!!  It was awesome!!!!  Then the rest of the day nobody was home again so we didn't have much to do!!!  We really couldn't do anything!!!

Saturday I was sick.  I woke up and my head was just killing me and my body was  aching so bad!!!  We didn't work this day because I just couldn't work!!

Sunday I felt a little better!!  So we went to church and everything was great but afterwards I felt just so bad.  We decided we were going to go home and rest, but a brother from the Ward asked me if I wanted a blessing and I said yes!!!  So my compañero and Brother Chavez (that's his name) gave me a blessing and almost immediately after the blessing I felt 95% better!! WOW the priesthood is the power of God!!!  I am grateful for this experience!!! It was awesome!!!!

Well, I am a lot better right now.  I just have an upset stomach but nothing too bad that I can't handle!!!!  But that experience gave me more of a testimony that the power of God is real and that He does have all power!! I knew this before but it is different that I experienced it first hand!!!  It was radical!!!

Well, this has been my week.  I hope you guys can feel what I feel during the service that I give here in the mission field!!! I love you guys!!!

BTWS- I love the pictures that the hospital took of Hayden and the family!!! They are awesome!!!

Questions-

1- Zach Baird never went to Brazil?

2- Has anyone else gotten married?

LOVE,

Elder Farley

Elder Lang and Elder Farley

Week #88 - General Conference and Easter

HOLA!!!!  Como estan?

Well, I think I will start off by answering your questions-

1- How did you like General Conference?  What was your favorite talk?

1- I loved all of them!! But if I had to pick one in particular it is the one by Elder Ballard in Priesthood session.  He aimed it right at me and what I will have to do when I get back home.  So, basically that gave me an assurance that I will need to get married as quickly as possible when I get home.  Also, that I will have to do everything in my power to continue being as spiritual as I am now!!  So, that is what I will do.  I hope that I can get married quick!! :-)

2- What did you to celebrate Easter?

2- We didn't do anything.  Here in Ecuador they just cook some food that is called Fanesca.  It was good but nothing else.

Ecuadorian Easter Soup

Wikipedia:  Fanesca is a soup traditionally prepared and eaten by households and communities in Ecuador during Holy Week.

The components of Fanesca and its method of preparation vary regionally, or even from one family to another. It is typically prepared and served only in the week before Easter (Holy Week). It is a rich soup, with the primary ingredients being figleaf gourd (sambo), pumpkin(zapallo), and twelve different kinds of beans and grains including chochos (lupines), habas (fava beans), lentils, peas, corn and others, together with bacalao (salt cod) cooked in milk, due to the Catholic religious prohibition against red meat during Holy Week. It is also generally garnished with hard boiled eggs, fried plantains, herbs, parsley, and sometimes empanadas.

The twelve beans represent the twelve apostles of Jesus, and the bacalao is symbolic of Jesus himself.

Fanesca is usually consumed at midday, which is generally the principal meal of the day within Ecuadorian culture. The making and eating of fanesca is considered a social or family activity.

3- Do you want me to stop writing you at the end of your mission?  I am not going to lie, I would hate that.

3- Well, if you want to keep on writing that's ok with me. I was just asking!!!! I don't mind.  It is just 12 more time that we have to write!!  It's sad.

Well, now I will tell y'all about my week-

Tuesday we had our District meeting and basically what my District Leader did was that he told a couple of Elders in the District to teach a little bit.  They taught us that we should work more with members and that we should work more with the members of the Ward Council so that not only can we help them but that they can help us!!!  So it was good and my compañero and I made some plans this week to do just that!!!  Then the rest of the day we taught some of our investigators.  Her name is Andrea and she is super awesome.  She has a bunch of questions about deep doctrine stuff so its fun to teach her!!!

Wednesday we had exchanges and I went with my Zone Leaders.  I was with Elder Matamala.  He is from Chile.  He is cool, a little quiet, but he's cool.  So, we went to his sector and we worked just like normal--it was fun!!

Thursday we worked hard and there was a lot of sun so that was like hot to work in.  But it was cool because in the night it rained hard so that was refreshing!!!  In the night we had a family night and I had the chance to teach about the prophets. We were in the house of our Ward Mission Leader and there were some less active members and some investigators there too!!  That was really cool to help them understand more about the living prophets.  We invited them all to come to General Conference!!

Friday we had exchanges with some Elders in our District.  I was with Elder Juanes--he is from Bolivia.  It was fun but all day it rained really hard and that made it really hard to work in so basically we got soaked and we couldn't do that much!!  Sadly we do have a couple of those kind of days.

Saturday we watched General Conference!!!

Sunday we watched General Conference!!

Well, I am sorry if this letter is a little lame but I feel good about what I am doing here in the mission!!  I am very sad to leave this all behind, but at the same time I feel ready to fufill my duties as a Priesthood leader when I come home. I am ready for what life has in store for me.  I am excited to come home but sad to leave this behind!!

I hope you could all feel the power that comes from God as we do what he needs us to do!!!

THE LORD NEEDS US TO DO THINGS, not just hope for things to come to us because they will never come!! We have to act!

LOVE,

Elder Farley

Guerra family sealing

Crazy cat shirt!