The Ecuado Q.U.I.T.O Mission

Hello Family!

So this is something that I learned the first day i was here but I just kept forgeting to tell you about it.  And this has been taught by President Christensen multiple times since then.  And this is how I know that im pretty much in the best mission ever.  So these are some of the atributes that the best and most effective kind of missionaries have.  

Q = Querer (want)

U = Unidad (unity)

I = Inspiración (inspiration)

T = Trabajo (work)

O = Obediencia (obedience) 

And i have learned that obedience is the most important one because without obedience we "quit" being great missionaries.  

So thats just some cool thing about the name of my mission that i thought I would share with you guys.  

This week was a pretty good week.  Nothing to crazy happend though.  We started teaching a new investigator this week who was a reference from of the Hermanas that makes us lunch sometimes.  Her name is Libertad.  She is really active in her other church though.  And her church teaches alot of good truths like sharing the gospel with others, baptism by emersion and stuff like that.  So that could be kinda tough to get her to come to our church.  And the way she became interested in this church is that her friend (this Hermana that gives us lunch) told her that we do baptisms for the dead.  So guess what our first lesson with her was about.  Yep baptisms for the dead.  Kind of a not normal first lesson but she really liked it and we set up a time to teach her again.  So thats good!  

We also had Stake Conference this last saturday and sunday.  I couldnt really understand a good amount of what people talked about so i didnt get a whole lot out of it.  But it was still good.  President Christensen and his wife spoke in both sessions.  So that was good to here them.  Quick fun fact that i learned recently about the President is that a while ago he worked for the church and at one time he was in charge of all the tithing for the whole church and got to work with the Prophet and First Presidency alot while he did that.  So thats pretty cool!

The next interesting thing that happened this week happened today.  That is that we got to go to the Basilica as a district today.  The Basilica is the super cool and massive Catholic cathedral in the center of Quito.  We got to walk around inside and even got to go up the big spires.  Its a super cool building and really pretty.  Altough the things they have in there are quite different from the things we teach in our church.  But it was pretty interesting to see these things.  I took a bunch of pictures so ill send some of those.

Oh also at the begining of this week me and the other new missionaries got to go up the Panecillo which is the cool statue at the top of the big hill in the center of quito.  So i actually got to do alot of cool things this week!  I met my mtc companion Elder Fuller too.  So that was fun to be able to talk to him and see how he was doing.   

And i think that is pretty much all for this week!  

Elder Eastman

P.S. Family,  Yes i got your letter mom and the one from the grandparents.  I think it was the begining of this week that i got your letter mom.  Also thanks for it.  I hung that picture of me up on the wall by my desk.  

Also I will definitely keep Alex in my prayers.  Thats gotta be super tough.  

Oh and i bought a back pack recently

Hello Father!

Im doing pretty good! Always trying to do my best and get better at teaching and with spanish.  Most of the people here are always helpful and encouraging with me learning spanish.  But one thing that i really dont like is when people ask why im in a bad mood or angry.  They think this because i dont really say a whole lot when we arent teaching a lesson.  And im quiet during this time because my non religious conversational skills in spanish are pretty terrible.  And Im never really in a bad mood or angry but when they ask this it kind of puts me in a bad mood.  So i try and just brush it off and forget about it and keep trying to teach good lessons.  

Being in a good mood always makes missionary work so much better and find that i teach better when im in a good mood.  So i always try and pray to be in a good mood during the day.  

That is good that youre going to try and have more Christmas spirit this year!  Also i like what you said about the Atonement and our freedom.  The Atonement is definitely one of the most important things that we are teaching about.  

I love you too!

Elder Eastman