27 Aug 2012 Happy 21st Birthday!

¡Hola familia y a todos que leerán este correo! ¡Gracias por desearme un
Feliz Cumpleaños!

Hi everyone! Yep, according to all the mail I've gotten today, it's my
birthday! Woo hoo! No worries, I didn't forget! It's been a good day today,
even better because it's P-Day, a good way to celebrate a birthday! I was
able to buy a nice ice cream cake along with some ice cream, because who
doesn't love ice cream? So I'll be able to have a nice treat later on! Some
members of the ward here have also said thay have a birthday treat for me
as well, so I'll find out later on!

Well, I told you all last week I'd have news about a new companion, well,
the news is that I still don't have a companion, and continue working in a
trio, which has been alright for me. I've also been able to go with members
of my ward to work in my sector, because being in a trio means working in
two sectors! And I'll tell you, that gets to be really tiring walking back
and forth all day! So I'm taking advantage that there are several members
of the ward who are preparing themselves to go on a mission to be able to
work more in my sector. I consider it a good pre-mission training!

I'll keep it short for this week, but thanks for all the birthday wishes,
I'll make sure to enjoy the goodies I have tonight!

I love you all, take care, have a fantastic week!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

20 Aug 2012 Chao Elder Garcia

Hola familia! Sorry for the delay, but we have been out and about around
Guayaquil today, as Elder Garcia was saying goodbye to several members in
other wards. He leaves tomorrow afternoon, so he was given time today to be
able to send his well-wishes. I even managed to see some members I knew, so
it was good to catch up with them. We had a pretty good week, with
yesterday being Stake Conference, so we attended in the nice stake center
which is close by. I'll be getting a new companion on Wednesday, meaning
tomorrow I'll be in a trio with the Elders in the neighboring sector. We
are making plans for a baptism for the beginning of September, along with
finding more people to teach! Oh the craziness of the mission! I think
after this week things will get back to normal, at least I hope so!  So
next week I'll have the information on everything that's going on! Thanks
again for the early birthday wishes, yeah, next Monday is the day! I'll
have to buy me something to celebrate. Cake and ice cream anyone? I'll have
to see how that works out!

Not a ton to write about today, but all is going well, it'll be a busy
week! I hope you all have a great week!

I love you all, take care!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

13 Aug 2012

Hello family! Wow, I can't believe it's Monday again, it feels like just
yesterday I was writing you! It was a pretty good week here in the ward, we
had a baptism yesterday of Susana, 83 years old. She has family who are
members, and they said it's been an 18-year-long wait for her to get
baptized, as that's the amount of time they've been members of the Church.
It was a very special baptismal service, I really felt the Spirit strongly
yesterday. I think all of you asked if I have a new companion yet, and the
answer is no. Elder Garcia will be leaving next week, completing the
month-long extension he had. In terms of what will happen next week, who
will be my companion and all, well, I have no clue! It'll be another case
of those "emergency transfers" that happen rather often here in the
mission. So next week I'll have an update of all that happens with that!
This week we're just going to go out and talk to as many people as possible
to be able to increase our success here in the sector, and so that my new
companion and I will have an abundant number of people to teach.

I'm sure that this week will pass by just like the last few have, a blink
of the eye, and I'll be writing again! Well, to Mom and Ky, have fun at
Bear Lake! Soon enough I'll be able to go! Ha ha! Ah yes, the treats from
Elder Burger's family: DELICIOUS! There's still some left, so I'll be able
to enjoy them for a little while longer! I hope RSL can pull it together
this week and get back to winning! Glad to hear that Brock is doing good,
sounds like his talk was fantastic! Tell tham I say hi! Tell the
neighborhood campers I say hi as well!

I love you all, take care, have a fantastic week!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

6 Aug 2012

Hello family once again from sunny Guayaquil! Wow, yet another week has
flown out the window, which I think Mom mentioned, and it's true! Now 19
months down, 5 to go, definitely worth saying  "And down the stretch they
come!" We had a pretty good week in finding and teaching more people, and
we're even more excited because we'll be having a baptism this weekend!
We're putting all our energy towards the work of the Lord, helping more and
people to come unto Him. And Elder Garcia keeps mentioning he wants to
finish strong, in two weeks he goes home, so he wants to leave the sector
strong, with good results! It's definitely a test of diligence, sure, it's
not running 100 meters in under 10 seconds, but blessing as many people as
possible in two weeks. I don't know if you can compare those two things, so
I hope you all can understand what I'm trying to get at! The old addage,
and something I've written in my journal more times than none, is there's a
lot to do and only a little time to do it.

Thanks for the early birthday wishes too, although it's still three weeks
away! I'm sure I'll be reading many of those in the weeks to come! Have a
safe trip to Colorado, say hi to everyone for me! I even received an early
birthday present today. Elder Burger's grandparents had sent him a pakage
with some German ham and sausage, but because he is back home, his package
arrived, and he mentioned to the office Elders that someone will need to
inherit said package, well, that someone would be me! We had to go to the
office today, so I was able to pick that up!  A definite score! That's a
good way to start off the week!

I love you all, hope you have a fantastic week! Talk to you next week!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

30 July 2012 Chao Elder Burger

Hi again family! Wow, it has been another fast week, kind of sad as well,
as we said "Chao" to Elder Burger on Wednesday. He wrote me today saying
he's doing good, so that was a nice pick-me-up. But I think Ky mentioned
it, it's Monday again! This week we were able to work A LOT, finding many
new investigators, teaching them, putting baptismal dates, all that good
missionary stuff! And July has also left the building! The good month of
August will be here in a few days, which I'm excited for, not just because
it's my birthday month, but because we have several baptisms planned, and
we plan to have more than just a few! After having what you could call an
extended down time, we're getting back into things, and the ward is
supporting us a lot, which I'm very thankful for. The bishop also is very
supportive. The orders from him to Elder Garcia: To help me pick up the
sector, which he says he is willing to do. We're off to a good start! This
week will be a good indicator as well! It's a good feeling being able to go
out and share the Gospel with people, and I've mentioned this before, but
the time goes by super fast! Now I'm about to complete 19 months! I'm out
of adjectives to describe how quick that time has gone by. I could say them
in Spanish, but the translation would probably be the same!

I'm glad to hear you're all doing well and that you all had a good week!
I'll be sure to have a good week too! Tell everyone I say hi! Tell Nana I
say hi as well!

Have a fantastic week, I love you all!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

Before I forget, we were able to hear from the Area President on Friday,
Elder Rafael E. Pino, of the Seventy. It was a nice meeting. I think the
only thing that you could consider bad is that the AC was working just a
little too well! But all in all, it was nice to hear from a General
Authority. Rumor has it an Apostle will be coming in August or September,
so in the next few weeks we should be hearing more about that!

Ok, that's all for this week, I love you all, take care, have a fantastic
week!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

23 Jul 2012

Hola familila! Wow, glad to hear you made it back from Colorado! I'm glad
to hear everything went well with the funeral service as well. Thanks for
the photos, it's good to see all the family is doing good. It's good to
hear that Nana is doing good as well!

Well, this week, not too much to write home about, but everything went
well. But the sad news is that Elder Burger will be leaving this week to
Germany to have an operation on his back. I'm pretty sad that he'll have to
leave, but it'll be good that he won't have the bother of an always-aching
back. Another Elder who only has 4 weeks remaining in his mission is now
with us as well, so  when Elder Burger leaves, Elder Garcia, from Mexico
City, Mexico (Mexico DF) will be my new companion, and then when he leaves,
well, who knows who will be my companion! Also leaving this week are the
sister missionaries who came with me from the MTC. I was able to talk to
them today as well, so you could say today I feel like I'm leaving too, but
not for five and a half more months! I should be soon receiving some
information about a return date, so as I've said before, stay tuned for
that!

Well, not too much to report on, other than all is good here, time is still
passing by really quickly! Tell everyone back there I say hi!

I love you all, have a fantastic week!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

16 July 2012

Hi family on what is a relatively warm day here in Guayaquil. Well, not
really too much to report on this week, as I was able to talk to you on
Saturday. It's good to know that everyone was able to make it, and I know
Papa is now not having to worry about sicknesses or pains. I know that our
family might not be of the same faith, but I know that he is where God
needs him to be, and that he is in good hands.

We had our baptism on Saturday night, so everything turned out just fine.
It helped me keep focused and in good spirits. I even gave a talk yesterday
in Sacrament meeting, the first time in a while I've ben able to do so. It
turned out good!

As I mentioned, not much to report on this week, we just keep chugging
along, making the most out of our time!

Please tell everyone I say hi and that everything is going just fine here.

I love you all, take care this week!

5 July 2012 P-Day Change

 

Hi Family! No worries, everything is alright, we just had a change in the
schedule, but just for this week. So P-Day is today, Thursday! Today, we
were able to go to the Guayaquil Temple, the first time I've been there in
one year and two months! Wow, it was quite a wonderful experience! Today, I
also complete exactly 18 months in the mission! Only 6 months left! And
these next months will surely feel like only days! All-in-all it has been a
fantastic day! Oh, by the way, I met a new missionary here who is from
Greeley! What a coincidence! He says he lives by Sunrise Park, which he
told me is roughly 4th Avenue, ask Nana, she'll probably know! Thanks for
all the pictures! Nana and Papa's backyard looks great! I like that the
birdfeeder is still there! Good to hear everyone made it there alright!
Tell them all I say "¡Hola!"

Everything is going great here, we're still having a good time, still
learning some German here and there, and helping more people come unto
Christ! July is off to a good start, we even ate hamburgers yesterday as a
small 4th of July celebration! Glad to hear everyone is alright, hope you
have a great rest of the week! Monday will be here before you know it!

Love you all! Talk to you on Monday!

(Attached are a few photos of the Temple from today!)