A Record of Elder Eastman's Missionary Service in the Quito Ecuador Mission

A Record of Elder Eastman's Missionary Service in the Quito Ecuador Mission

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Week 4 MTC

So some pretty sweet things have happened this week!  First on sunday we got to go to the temple re-dedication which was pretty cool.  We had to buy our own handkerchiefs.  Then we had a devotional by Gordon D. Brown.  I've never really heard of him before but it was still really good.  One thing he said that I liked was something like, you can be a succesfull missionary if you learn to stay positive.  Always staying positive is going to be pretty hard but it's going to be super important too and also in pretty much everything else in life.  

So I learned in sundays choir practice that about 1,200 Elders will be trying to get into the choir for priesthood session of General Conference, and only 364 of them will be chosen to be in it.  So I pretty much just accepted that I wouldn't be making it in. So I was a bit disappointed about that.  Then on Monday I got a bit of a surprise.  I got a little letter saying I've been accepted to be in the choir for general conference!  Not exactly sure why i was one of the few chosen to be in it because in the survey it asked how much previous choir experience we have had and if we've had voice lessons before and I chose the lowest option for both of those.  But anyways I'm soooo excited to actually be in the choir! So dad be looking for me when you're watching it!  Practice for this starts tomorrow and we have it everyday for the next week and sometimes twice a day.  Pretty awesome!

Next cool thing that happened this week was on tuesday.  Because for the devotional M. Russel Ballard came and spoke to us!  That's two General Authorities in a row for tuesday night devotionals!  He gave a really good talk pretty much just giving us some advise that he had about mission things.  Some of those things were, the importance of setting goals every day, staying close to family, how precious is one soul? and the Atonement, and that we are shouting the good word of the Restoration.  So that's pretty much the coolest things that have happened this week.  

To answer your question, yes, we have been going to the temple every p-day and it's been super nice.  Except it's been incredibly hard to stay awake the whole time.  But don't worry for the most part I've been able to stay awake the whole time.  Just paying attention the whole time can be kind of impossible.  

Time here has been going by super fast!  I think we only have one full week left!  And this sunday is our last sacrament meeting here because the sunday after that is general conference.  I still haven't gotten my visa yet so i'm kinda just assuming i wont be able to go to ecuador right away.   But getting temporarily assigned to somewhere else wont be too bad i think.  

This week we started teaching this guy named Victor.  Pretty sure he's not a member.  He's studying philosophy in college so he really likes learning about our church and reading the book of mormon.  Except we're thinking it's not because he wants to come closer to God and just because he likes having the strait information about things.  He has a hard time understanding faith and how to have it.  He wants to know where the gold plates and urrum and thumim are because if he could see them he would believe these things alot easier and wouldn't need faith.  We told him we dont know exactly where they are but we dont need to know where they are to know that the Book of Mormon is true.  And then we shared some stuff from Alma 32 and other scriptures about faith which he really liked.  But he still thinks it's going to be difficult to have this faith.  We told him to pray about these things to know that they are true and that we know that he'll receive and answer.  He said he'll do this and also keep reading the Book of Mormon alot.  So that's good!  

Well I think that's everything for this week!  

Elder Eastman

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Week 3 MTC

Hola Papa!

Estoy muy felicidad para usted y su espanol!  Espanol es muy deficil cuando usted no saber mucho! It's also pretty frustrating for me when I'm teaching someone and i want to say a certain thing that i know will help them but i dont know how to say it in spanish.  Alot of the time i just have to "dumb" myself down a bit and explain things more simply.  But its been getting alot better!  Im happy that i actualy understood most what you said in spanish.  Here at the mtc we do a thing called SYL which stands for Speak Your Language (It's HSI in spanish).  For this we are just supposed to speak spanish as much as we can and try and use everything that we know how to say.  This can be pretty difficult sometimes because English is just so much easier.  But i think it helps alot.  So maybe you could try and speak what spanish you know all the time too like at home and other places besides work.  

That's a bummer that youre injured!  I havnt really been running either.  But ive been playing alot of soccer so that includes alot of running in it.  

Everytings been going just great here!  Thanks for the prayers and such! 

Con amor tambien, Su Hijo 

Ps.  Here we are asked to memorize the first vision in spanish and ive acually done that!  It was super hard for me to do it but im super glad that i did.  


Hola me Mama!

Thanks for telling me about how Christians doing!  That sounds pretty cool!  Everything here has been going really good!  Laundry is going good and so is making my bed.  I've been writing in my journal every day with a bit about the unimportant stuff too.  I have gotten into my other suitcase a few times for more garments and more socks.  But thats it.  Also thanks a bunch for the new socks and shorts and shirts!  I only have to wear my suit on sundays and for the devotionals which is good.  And i'm pretty sure ive read 2 nephi 4 quite recently and i agree that its super duper good!

So the best part of this week was definitely the devotional we had this tuesday.  A. because i got to sing in the choir and B. because Richard G. Scott came and spoke to us.  It was so cool to be so close to him and be able to hear him speak.  He gave a really good talk about the importance and power there is in prayer.  

So no big deal but we found out a few days ago that the elders in the mtc will get to sing in the priesthood session of this upcoming conference.  I dont think theyll be able to fit all the elders in the mtc in the choir but im really hoping ill be able to make it in.  

No my VISA has not come through but i still have 3 weeks left so hopefully it will.  The only other elder in my district going to quito is my companion.  But ive met a few other guys around here going to quito too.  

P.S.  I need some more of that body wash stuff cause i'm pretty much out.  Also i definitely need some non-garment underwear to wear during gym.  It gets super hot outside while we're doing our stuff and it be super nice to not have to wear two shirts.  Also sorry for not writing a letter yet.  Ive just forgotten to do it so far because we're only aloud to write them on p-day.  But ill try to remember today.  

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Week Two MTC

Hello Family!

Things have been going very well here!  Yes I have been getting your dear elder letter and they've been very nice.  The days have really been blending together now and time has been going by pretty fast.  Another new group of missionaries got here yesterday and it's always fun to see them and say hola to them.  Spanish is still super hard but i think it's getting better.  Teaching is really hard for me too because I can never understand what is being said so I never know what I can even say.  This is kind of frustrating but i still like doing it.  Even though it's hard to understand what's being said it still have a lot of fun being in there and trying to say things.  When I am actually able to say things it feels really good.  A few days ago I think, one of the missionaries in my district in my apartment thing went home which was pretty sad.  And now I'm in a trio companionship which is actually pretty nice sometimes.  

It's been super nice to be able to feel the spirit so much here.  I love having devotionals every sunday and tuesday.  They're always really nice.  And singing with all the missionaries is super fun.  Singing Called to Serve and We'll Bring the World It's Truth are my favorite I think.  There is coir practice every sunday and tuesday too and ive been going to that and it's super cool.  Except this tuesday I wasn't able to make it in because it fills up pretty fast.  Hermano Meza always shares the best testimonies ever at the end of lessons.  They're always so powerful and spiritual.  

Well I still really like it here and am really glad that I'm here now.  My companions and district are always super fun to be around.  And even though it's great being here I can't wait to actually get out of here and be in Ecuador.

Love Elder Eastman

Oh i just remembered I could use some more athletic shorts and maybe some shirts because i only have 3 shorts and we have gym time every day.  Maybe some more nike long socks like my red ones too.  If you dont want to buy more thats fine I dont absolutely need them but it would be nice :) 

Thursday, September 4, 2014

First Week in the MTC

Hola mi familia! So I only have like 15 more minutes left of email time so im sorry if this isnt the best email ever.  

Everything has been going super good so far!  I really like it here.  My district and zone is super fantastic!  My companions name is Elder Fuller.  He's from Heber.  My teachers name is Hermano Meza and he is very very good at teaching.  He hardly ever speaks english so i dont understand a lot of what he's telling us.  Ive been getting better at it though!  So im not actualy on the main campus of the MTC hardly ever.  Just for devotionals every sunday and tuesday and then for emailing.  My class room and residense is on the west campus of this mtc.  I'm very happy about that too.  The bedrooms are alot nicer and i only have to share a bathroom with 3 other elders.  I've been told the food is a bit better on main campus but the food on west campus is still normally pretty good.  Everyone here is really nice and i've made alot of good friends.  Teaching only in spanish is very difficult but luckily my companion took 4 years of spanish in high school.  So he just ends up being the one who says everying that we didn't previously write down.  All the days have been just blending together so i dont really remember what we did on specific days.  Lo siento!  Well i think its pretty much time for me to be done so adios todas personas!

Elder Eastman

Ps. I met a girl on sunday named Hermana Westman. That was pretty much the coolest thing ever. (because of her name!)

(my companion is the one kissing his tie)