Three Upcoming Baptisms

Hello Father! 
I'm doing really good.  And feeling good too.  I dont think I get allergies very often.  Although sometimes the outside of my eye lids get all ichy and irritated and then i rub them a little, and then they get swollen.  Not super swollen but it's still super annoying.  It happened to me yesterday.  But they're better now.  I dont know if that has anything to do with allergies.  I havnt gotten any headaches for a while either.  If I had to go to the doctor I would call the mission nurse and then she would set up an apointment for me with a doctor.  Then i would just take a trip over to the hospital which would probably be in Quito.  

The spanish is going pretty good.  I might be a bit stalled too though.  It can be hard to always keep learning more and more.  Sometimes i feel good with the spanish that I have and dont really feel like putting in the effort to keep learning more advanced things.  But I just have to force myself to start up again.  Sometimes I think in spanish.  But most of the time I think in english.  90% of the time I cant remember my dreams.  And the few times that I do I think they are mostly in english.  But there is a few where I think I've dreamed in spanish.  

That is a pretty cool object lesson.  I might use that some time.  

You're right.  I think it is my turn to write a letter in spanish.  Writting letters is hard mostly because of the lack of time.  But I'll try and get one writen soon.  

I love you too!

Elder Eastman

Hello Mother!  

I'm glad you liked my pictures.  Yes that is my companion.  Well the train hardly ever comes by.  But I'll try to avoid going on them.  Ok, I'll try and get some pictures of those people.  

Well this past week was a pretty good week.  We have a few people that are pretty well set for baptism.  First there is a boy named Tarquino.  He is 18 years old.  His mom is already a member.  If everything keeps going well he should get baptised on the 11th.  We have already taught him just about everything.  He has been reading the Book of Mormon quite alot.  He's already past 2 Nephi.  

Then there is a girl named Katherine.  She is 19.  She is also doing very well with reading and understanding the lessons.  She will also get baptised on the 11th.  She was a reference from one of her friends that is a member.  

Then there is another girl named Joanna Paukar.  She is 10.  The rest of her family, except for a little sister, are members.  She has come to church many times already but her parents want her to be baptised on the 18th because of school things.  So she'll get baptised on the 18th.  

And that's all the people that are pretty well set for baptism right now.  

Yesterday night we (the district) had a little meeting thing with the Bishop of our ward.  First we made some french toast and then we talked with the bishop about what we can to do help him and the ward out.  It turned out really good and we were able to talk about a few of the things we can do to help the ward and specificaly the ward council.  I think we gained a bit more trust and confidence from the bishop.  So that was pretty awesome.  

Well that's just about it!  I hope everybody has wonderful weeks!

Elder Eastman

This is me and a sign that is in a park in the downtown part of my area

Impromptu Talk

Hey Dad!  
I'm doing really good.  The new area is great too.  I think it's a bit easier to get around.  Most of my area is flat so walking isnt quite as hard.  A bit part of my area is the center of the city in Ambato.  It's a bit like downtown Boise.  There's always alot of people walking in the streets.  So we mostly do street contacting.  There is also alot of wealthy people in my area.  Which means alot of people dont really want anything to do with religion.  So that can be a bit tough.  But I know we can still find those people that are being prepared with the help of Heavenly Father.  This Sunday was the first time going to church here.  

That's super cool that you did Ragnar.  I think that Ragnar is alot like the mission.  Especially here.  Always tired, not a whole lot of sleep, not the best food, it's physicaly hard and mentaly hard, but there's always the really good moments and when it's done you're super glad that you did it.  Oh I'm sure you'll want to do it again some day.  

I love you too!

Elder Eastman

Hello Mother!

I'm doing super good.  The week was good too.  My area is pretty awesome.  It's right in the city and there is alot of cool things like stores and restaurants.  It's mostly nice and flat too.  There is alot of wealthy people here so that makes the work a bit harder but that's alright.  Yes my comp and I get along great.  I do have some pics.  Really, that's weird because it feels a bit warmer and less rainy here.  (I told him that my weather app showed that it's cooler and rainier in Ambato than Quito) But either way it feels very nice here.  I did have to ride a bus (to get to Ambato) but not by myself.  It was a nice, relaxing bus ride of about 4 hours.  

That's super cool that Caden got home this past week.  Can you send me some of those pics of him?  I would like to see them.  

This past Sunday I had to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting.  And i was told that i had to do it like 5 minutes before the meeting started.  Luckily it only had to be around 5 minutes long.  I talked about the enabling power of the Atonement.  Which has to do with the weaknesses that we have and being able to over come them and make them strengths through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  It went pretty well.  

No I havnt gotten that letter yet.  I'm sure i'll find a way to get it to her when i get it.  

Well here are some pics.  We played soccer in a park high up in the mountains today as a zone.

Elder Eastman

River in Ambato

Train tracks in Ambato

Zone on p-day

Elder Eastman with Ambato in background

Transfer to Ambato

Hello Father!  
I'm doing super good!  We had our changes today!  And i moved to a city called Ambato.  It's a bit more south than Quito.  I injured my finger while dealing with my luggage, so now i have a bandaid on it.  I'll be alright though.  That sure does sound like a super fun trip!  That's crazy about Disneyland!  Oh goodness i didnt realize that it's Emma's birthday today!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA!!!!!  

Love you too!

Elder Eastman

Hello Mother!  
I'm very good today.  The week was good too.  A bit rough with finding new investigators and having people in church but it's alright.  (I asked him to tell me about the Familia Pasmiño)  Alexandra is the mother and Joanna is a daughter.  Alexandra is married to a man named Marcos.  If im not wrong they have 3 kids.  2 daughter and 1 son.  The daughter that isnt Joanna doesnt live there.  And the son is rebelious and doenst want to listen to us.  He's also 19 years old.  Joanna i believe is in her mid 20's.  The other daughter is even older I think.  Well the bummer thing is that i wont ever be able to see them get baptised because today we had transfers.  And i moved out of Quito to a city called Ambato.  Ambato is a pretty sweet place.  And my sector is in the center of Ambato.  So there's some pretty cool stuff here.  I'm now with Elder Aguirre.  He is 19 years old.  He's from Texas.  His parents are Mexican but he was born in the States.  So he is fluent in both English and Spanish.  He's got a bit over a year in the mission.  And he's a pretty cool guy!  I'm pretty excited to be able to work here in Ambato now!  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EMMA AGAIN!!!!  

Elder Eastman

Highs and Lows

That's really cool that you guys got to go down there to visit Chelsea's mission!  Singing is Spanish is pretty fun.  I still enjoy singing in English though.  I like it when ever we have a chance to do it.  And coming back to Ecuador with you guys would be super awesome!  There's definitely alot of sketchy neighborhoods here too!  But it's all good.  

The work this week was pretty good.  Still trying to get better with those goals.  But definitely improving.  This sunday was pretty succesful with investigators coming to church.  We had 6 of our investigators there.  Which might be the most on my mission so far.  So that made us very happy.  And that was probably the high.  The low was probably the fact that the baptism of the Pasmiño family didnt happen.  Mostly because these two ladies (Alexandra and Joanna) have alot of opposion from the rest of their family and have a bit of fear to get baptised.  So hopefuly we will be able to work that problem and they can still get baptised.  And after they told us that they didnt want to get baptised right now we were really quite sad, but God helped me to be able to keep working through that day and eventually feel better.  Another high part of the week was today because we got to play soccer as a zone.  And that was super fun.  I scored two goals.  But i'm definitely not in the same kind of shape i used to be in.  And now my body is very tired and in pain.  But that's alright.  

Well that's pretty much it for now!  I love you all!

Elder Eastman

"Get Over That...and Just Do It"

Hello!

Wow that's super crazy that it has already been a year since i graduated!  Time has gone by super fast!  In 3 months I'll have been in the mission for a year.  

(in response to What made you smile or laugh this week?)

Being with my district is always super fun and makes me smile alot.  Also teaching the Pasmiño family and other people is always enjoyable. 

Yes i did hear that Elder Perry died.  Which is a bit sad but I also know that he is very happy where he is now.  

Well this past week was a bit tough.  We didnt have any investigators come to church.  And not a whole lot of success with finding new people.  Elder Caceres and I are going to be better with contacting and working with members now.  Cause we've kind of been slacking a bit with both of those.  And i'm going to take alot more iniciative with contacting.  I think ive been getting nervous or scared to do it alot.  So i need to get over that, put my trust in the Lord and just do it.  

The baptism of Alexandra and Joanna Pasmiño didnt happen this past Saturday.  But should happen this Saturday.  So i'm super excited for that.  

Thanks for the birthday package! (we are mailing it this week)  A few weeks ago i sent a little Ecuadorian gift for Chelsea.  Have you gotten it yet?  Probably not but i was just wondering.  

Love, Elder Eastman

Hey Dad, 

I'm doing really good!  We played volleyball today so I'm pretty sunburnt.  But still feeling good.  Nope, I hanvt been sick for a while.  The food is still pretty much the same.  And alot of the time the basic foods like rice and chicken are my favorite.  So i dont mind getting that alot.  Especially getting rice alot.  I like rice.  Reading the Liahona in spanish is a really good thing to do.  (Matt is reading it) There's always alot of good words to learn in it.  And the stucture is a bit more normal than things like the Book of Mormon.  But reading the Book of Mormon in spanish is a really good thing to do too.  Love you too!

Elder Eastman