25 June 2012

Guten tag familia! Wow, sounds like another great week has passed by for all of you, and it was a pretty swell week for us as well! The baptisms I mentioned we were going to have this week happened last week, after a clarification of some things with our leaders. It's always nice to be able to have everyone on the same page! The only bad part is that we don't have many people to teach, but that's not a problem that lasts too long, as we'll be finding some new people in this week. It's been quite a good little run over the last few weeks with having a few baptisms, meaning there's been lots of blessings as well. So we hope to be keeping all the success up in the upcoming weeks!

Wow, a lot of wildfires lately, huh? It is that time of year again, hope everything isn't going too crazy there! Sounds like it's pretty hot there, too, near 100 degrees! Wow! I'll take the weather here in Ecuador for the moment! Thanks for the update on Nana and Papa, I'll definitely keep them in my prayers this week, and you all as well that your trip will go just fine! Please send me a lot of pictures! :) I've even attached one so you can show everyone I'm doing just fine! Yes, I'm a little jealous, just so you know! :)

Last week we weren't able to hear from a General Authority, the chance we'll be able to is some time in July, so stay tuned for news on that! And can you believe next week is July! AAAAAAAH! That means I'll hit the 18 month mark! Wow, another month is down (almost)! Lots to do in a little time!

Well, I love you all, have a fantastic week! Talk to you all this time next Monday!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

18 June 2012

¡Hola familia! Wow, sounds like this past seven days were quite fun! Looks like the weather is awesome back home! Thanks for all the photos! The yard looks totally different! And a bronze medal to go with it! Wow, good stuff! Oh, and a late Happy Father's Day to you Dad!

Yet another week has zipped by (I'm running out of adjectives to describe how fast time is going by :)), and it was a pretty good one as well! It was a rather good week to teach our recent converts some more, as now we have quite a few! We also found some new investigators who feel can progress quickly, so we will see how that goes in this next week. One of those investigators was definitely a Spirit-inspired contact, so there's got to be something good coming from that! We're still working with a couple of investigators and their family, helping them all get active in the church once again so the investigators can get baptized, for the end of this month is the goal for them. Our focus now is finding people to teach so that July can be just as great of a month as June has been. Another thing that's been nice about June, it's been a lot cooler outside! For example today, it can't be more than 75ºF outside, it's been cloudy all day too, so that is a welcome change! It'll be like this for a little while longer as the "cold" is here, ha ha!

Well, that's about all from here in Guayaquil! We are to be having a General Authority come and visit us this week, but we don't know who it will be! Oh, the mysteries of the mission! Next week, a report on that and more!

Take care family, I love you all! Have an excellent week! ¡Chao!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

11 June 2012

Hello family from a sunny, but not terribly hot Guayaquil! Wow, it's been a fantastic week working here in the sector, and it all culminated on Saturday night with THREE BAPTISMS! There were also two ward baptisms Saturday night, which made for a fantastic experience for everyone who attended! Also a fantastic experience for two Elders in our ward who leave this Wednesday for their missions, and tonight they'll be having a ward-wide Family Home Evening as their Farewell. Exciting times here in the Amazonas 2nd Ward!!! We're still pressing on, ready to find, teach, and baptize more people here! Wow, is it really almost the middle of June, I don't believe it! Today was actually a transfer day, but Elder Burger and I are the lucky ones, staying here in the sector! Good thing, as we're both enjoying our time together! I'm still trying to learn a little of German, I remember some phrases I've learned being around the German students in high school, but they're very few and far between! It's better indeed to just ask the German himself!

Well, not too much more to report on this week, but it really was a good week, hoping for a lot of the same this week and in this new transfer! 

Attached are some photos of the baptisms, and Elder Burger's fix for his broken chair. As always, I'll be trying to get some photos for this next week!

Love you all, have an excellent week! 

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

The Fix!

4 June 2012

¡Buenas tardes familia! ¿Como están? Yo estoy bien y muy feliz!

Well, it's been an interesting, but fun week here in Amazonas 2 with Elder
Burger. I'm learning a little bit of German, but just a little, it's a very
difficult language to learn. Right now we're only albe to work only 2 or 3
hours a day because of a health problem he has, but that's not getting us
down or anything, because we actually had a rather productive week in
putting some baptismal dates and preparing for what will now be three
baptisms this coming Saturday. It was only to be one, but we've been able
to get permission to baptize two other investigators who actually don't
live in our ward boudaries, but are attending our ward every week. So it
has been pretty exciting getting that news, and now all the preparation
that goes into getting everything ready should make for an exciting week!
The Spanish term for having many baptisms in one night is "Noche Blanca"
(White Night- for all the white clothing you will see for those who are
getting baptized), but I'd call this one a Mini Noche Blanca, but soon
enough there will be a full on Noche Blanca! It's going to be a great start
to the month of June, the 17th month of my missionary service. I'm not sure
where exactly all that time has gone, but it sure has went by fast, and
continues to do so!

The photos this week, well they're of the funny sort: Elder Burger was
comfortably sitting in his chair Saturday during our studies when all of a
sudden, a rather odd noise sounded, and when I looked up, he was on the
floor! His chair, which was kind of old as it is, broke right in the
middle! I don't have a picture of the repair, but he tied rope around the
chair to hold it in place, so all is not lost in this case, although a new
chair will likely be on its way.

Well, not much else to report on this week, apart from that it will be a
great and busy week, that's what makes a mission great, always keeping busy!

Love you all, tell everyone I say hi yet again and that all is well!

Until next Monday, ¡CHAO!
--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

Elder Burger

28 May 2012 Another New Companion-A European!

¡Hola familia! Wow, what a good week this was for us here in the sector! I've mentioned this many times in the past, and once again, that with success come changes! Yep, Elder Castillo was transferred this morning in one of those "emergency transfers". He's actually in another sector not too far from where we are, so I might be able to cross paths with him sometime soon. Take note of this one, my 16th companion is Elder Burger, it sounds like an English name, but he is actually from Nuremberg, Germany! He has just about 5 months on the mission. I've definitely had my fair share of foreign companions, but I think this one takes the cake. I never thought while here in South America I'd have a European companion, but now I do! The list of stories I have just keeps on growing! This is certainly one of them. Luckily Elder Burger speaks pretty decent Spanish, that's due to the fact that his family is actually living in Paraguay, but he left from Germany. I know, sounds a little strange, but interesting nonetheless.

Interestingly enough, I actually felt a little of this "cold" the people talk about here in Guayaquil the last few nights. It's what we'd call cool, but it's nice change from feeling the heat all day and night! In terms of the mission work, all is going well, managed to find an interested investigator thanks to a member of the ward. It's a really good thing when the members bring their non-member friends to Church, it's one big step in them learning about the Gospel, and we like it because it means we have an investigator with one of two required attendances before they can get baptized. So this week we'll be doing a lot of the same, finding those and keeping those we can and have prepared to be baptized in the coming weeks. Who knows, maybe I'll learn a little bit of German too!

Well, apart from crazy transfers to an early edition of October Fest (ha ha!) all is well here in Guayaquil! And June starts this week! That means 17 months on the mission! The time just keeps winding down faster and faster. We're always reminded to keep track of how much time we have left, and I am about 224 days from ending, it sure is going to go by quickly.

Take care, love you all! Tell everyone I say ¡HOLA!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur



Elder Castillo and Garrett



21 May 2012

¡Hola familia! Another week down on the mission, wow it sure was a busy one as well! Oh yeah, before I start, I did see Chelsea win the Champions League! I kind of freaked out watching the penalties, I won't lie. So I was pretty happy the rest of the day!

This week, as I mentioned, was pretty busy, meaning it was a good one! We have some more investigators to teach, who have family who are members of the Church, so that makes things easier for us in terms of teaching, because the investigators have someone to help them along as they learn more of the Gospel. We're also taking good care of our converts, who are doing great! It has been such a blessing to be able to find "the Lord's elect" while serving here in the mission. It's an awesome feeling to find those who are ready to accept the Gospel in their lives. I've seen many people who have made sometimes drastic changes in their lives to live according to the Commandments and Gospel. Not only for those who aren't members of the church, but also those who are perhaps less active. We visited a less active sister and her family this past week. She had been having some family problems and was giving up hope in that things would turn around. We then offered a prayer with her, asking Heavenly Father to help her overcome the challenges she had, just a really simple, heartfelt prayer. We also left the commitment for her to pray with her family in the night. Two days later, we visited the same family, and the difference in the sister's face was incredible. She had quite a big smile on her face, and mentioned to us how good she felt, that it had been a while since she had felt so good. Elder Castillo and I were taken back a bit by the response, and it built my testimony of prayer even more, that God really does listen and is ALWAYS willing to help, as long as we ask Him sincerely. Wow, I sure hope to have many more experiences like that in the seven and a half months I have left here in the mission!

Every day seems like it's the same thing over and over again, but there is always something new that I learn, albeit something really small and perhaps not important. I'm trying my best to keep my journal updated with these experiences, I recently started my second journal at the beginning of this month, so I'll be good to go for the remainder of the mission! But is May really starting to come to an end? I thought it just started! That's how it is when things are busy! Here in Guayaquil it's still trying to rain every now and then, a surprise rain shower almost left us out to soak, but we got inside pretty quick!

Congrats Ky on graduating this Wednesday! Wow, it's been two years since I graduated, I can't believe that! I want to see some photos! No worries, I'll try and get some more photos this week for you all as well!

Tell everyone I say hi!

Love you all, take care!

 

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur

14 May 2012

 Hey family, long time no talk to!

Well, this week's entry will be rather short, as I talked to you all yesterday! Yes, we did have the two confirmations yesterday as I mentioned, so that makes the lucky number 21 in confirmations for me! Attached are some pictures of the baptism and some others I've been able to snap in the last couple of days of the amusement park that is, well, was by our house. It's being taken down as I write this, so everything should be normal by tonight! Ah, the picture with the car and the singing kid I talked about is also there, the kid is kind of hard to see as the car is blocking him out. Elder Castillo was making fun of the kid, saying he was crazy, But the pictures I have there are pretty interesting, so I hope you enjoy them!

The only bad thing about having the two baptisms is that were really low, almost out of investigators, so this week we have to find a lot of new people to teach to keep our heads above water! So that's the goal for this week!

Not much else to write, but you all know how everything is going!

More next week!

I love you all!

--
Elder Garrett Cederquist
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Sur



The Music Car