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, October 9, 2014

Elder Eastman Arrives in Quito!

On Monday morning, we anticipated a phone call from Josh at the Salt Lake Airport.   It never came. We thought maybe he didn't have time to call, so we waited until the afternoon when he would be landing in Atlanta where he would have a layover.  No call.  But around 3:30, I went out to get the mail.  There lay a letter from him.  He wrote and mailed it on Saturday.  He said their travel plans got changed and he wouldn't be leaving until Tuesday.  Ah ha! That's why he didn't call.  He was still in Provo!

Tuesday morning came.  He called my phone around 8:40, and we chatted for about 7 minutes.  He sounded happy and excited.  He said he had ten more minutes, so I told him to call dad.  But Matt was in with a patient and missed the call.  We tracked his flight that morning and into the afternoon.  Matt was really hoping that Josh would call him.  And finally he did!  Josh told Matt that he talked with the lady next to him on the plane a little bit.  She had a thick southern accent, and he couldn't understand her very well (get used to it buddy!).  She had asked him if he was "in the service" (probably because he looked so clean cut and official), and Josh didn't know what she meant by that.  But he said "no" and that he's a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Good answer, Josh.  I'm sure he didn't talk a whole lot (he's still the same Josh), but before getting off the plane, he knew he should say more.  So he asked her if she knew about the Book of Mormon, and she said she didn't.  He had bought a paperback copy at the MTC bookstore before he left, so he pulled it out and explained a little about it.  He said she could have it, and she accepted.  What a great start in the mission field!  Way to go, Elder Eastman!

Because we were tracking his flight, we knew it had landed on time at 10:30 pm Quito time... 9:30 our time.  We were getting ready for bed then, and we were a little emotional thinking of our son so far away in a foreign land.  We had faith that he and his companion were being welcomed there by members of his mission, and that all would be well with him.

Now we had to wait again for official word that he had arrived.  No email all day Wednesday until around 6:30 pm.  Here's what he said.  It's not much, but that's ok.  We are still hoping to get an email soon from his mission president with a picture.

Hey family!  So i am aloud to email you really quick just to let you know that i made it to quito just fine.  Its super cool here.  Not exactly what i was expecting but still super awesome.  the traffic here is pretty crazy.  Kind of reminds me of what its like in india but just not quite as crazy.  I am pretty sure im getting my companion assignment tomorrow so im pretty excited about that.  right now we are having dinner at the presidents house.  So ya everything is going good here!

Elder Eastman

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