Settling Into La Concordia

Hello Mom!  

My first week here was pretty good.  It's alot different here than the other sectors that I have had.  First it's still super hot, and I'm still not really used to it.  The people also have a different accent here.  They talk fast and dont pronounce the letter "s" is certain parts of words.  The people are also really friendly here.  The food is better here too.  The apartment is nice.  I dont really like all the ants and spiders that are in it though.  My companion is super cool and funny.  He teaches well and is an overall good missionary.  We are entering in the rainy season now.  So I think it's going to rain alot here.  Yes I am feeling better now.  I think it was just the bus and the heat.  

Time has definitely gone by super fast.  It is a bit crazy that I was doing all of that a whole year ago.  I havent eaten that bread here yet. (referring back to guagua from last October)  But I drank the traditional drink during this time called Colada Morada.  It's just a hot drink with a bunch of fruit in it.  I dont like hot fruit so I dont really like this drink.  Well I gotta go now!  

I love you too mom!
Elder Eastman

Hey Father!  

I'm doing good.  Alot better than I was last monday!  I am feeling better now and drinking more water.  Nope I'm not wearing any of that anymore! (sweaters and long sleeves)  But I wish I could wear shorts and no tie. 

Traveling here was pretty cool.  Going down through the mountains was super awesome.  The mountains are super pretty.  And as you go down you can feel it getting hotter and hotter and more and more humid.  I first had to go to a city called Santo Domingo.  I think from Ambato to there it took about 4 hours.  Then I had to take another bus from Santo Domingo to my sector La Concordia.  That's about another hour away.  It's pretty dificult to travel in busses with the 3 heavy bags that I have.  But yeah, that was my traveling adventure.  I'll send some pics in the email to mom of my sector.  

I love you too!

Elder Eastman

From 8000 Feet to 1100 Feet: Welcome to La Concordia!

Hey Mom, I'm doing all right.  Yep the boy Jairo Reyes got baptised on friday.  He was excited.  His grandpa did the ordinance.  It was a really nice baptismal service and alot of people showed up.  One of the highlights of this week is that today I got transfered to a place called La Concordia.  It's part of the coast.  So no more cool mountain views for me.  There's no beach either.  Our mission doesnt reach that far.  But here it's pretty much at sea level.  That also means that it's unbelievably hot here.  I'm sweating alot right now and feeling pretty terrible.  I think I should drink more water now.  I'm now with Elder Caballero.  He's from Colombia and has about 6 months in the mission.  I'm pretty excited to be able to work here.  I just hope that I get used to the heat soon.  

Recently President Christensen challenged us to do the challege of "ponderizing" a scripture every week.  So for this week I'm going to ponderize D&C 6: 34 - 37.  You guys can read that if you want.  Sorry I dont have any pictures this week.  I left my camera in the house.  No I cant really think of anything else right now (for me to send him for Christmas).  What ever you think of will be wonderful.  Well that's it for now!   I love you too mom!

Elder Eastman

Hey Dad.  That's cool that you're trying to get up at 5 now.  It's still not very easy for me getting up at 6:30.  Dont worry, I am getting up on time everyday, I'm just really tired when I first get up.  That's super awesome that you got to go to those places.  I'm sure it was super fun.  Well today I got transfered out of Ambato.  Also out of the Ecuadorian mountains.  I'm now in the coast in a place called La Concordia.  It's not real coast with beach but it's pretty much at sea level and there's no mountains around here.  It's also really really really hot here.  I think I need to drink more water because I feel pretty terrible right now.  I'm now with Elder Caballero.  He's from Colombia and has about 6 months in the mission.  He seems like a pretty cool guy and a good missionary.  

Well I love you too!

Elder Eastman

Three Possible Baptisms

Hello Father!  
I'm doing really good.  My companion is great.  We're doing well together.  No I'm not a district leader.  Thanks for that thought.  I like thinking about the Atonement as well.  It's really one of the most important things to study.  Our president recently said that a missionary once asked him how he has come to understand the Atonement.  President said that he's done it by repenting.  So really the best way to come to understand the Atonement is by using it and repenting.  We will then feel it's power and what it's really ment for.  

Well I love you too! Have a great week!

Elder Eastman

Hey Mom!  

Oh man, for some reason I've never really enjoyed watching those videos. (home videos of him when he was little)  But I definitely have been born of goodly parents and you have taught me well.  Thanks for being a good example and for helping me become better.  

The work this week was great.  I feel really good about this week.  Three investigators came to church this week.  One is named Carlos Criollo.  He is the dad of a family where the rest are members, only he isnt a member.  He has received answers to his prayers and is coming to church now but still has a few doubts about baptism.  But if everything goes well with him he should get baptised this saturday.  Another investigator that came to church is named Jairon Reyes.  He is an 8 year old boy but neither of his parents are members, just his grandpa.  So because of that, we are in charge of his baptism. He has already come to church quite a few times, we just didnt know about him earlier.  He will be getting baptised this friday.  The last investigator is named Araseli Mera.  You might have already heard a bit about her already.  This was her third time coming to church.  She has been doing well with keeping the commitments we have given her like reading the Book of Mormon, praying and coming to church.  She is excited and basicaly ready for her baptism.  She could also get baptised this Saturday.  The only problem is that she has classes to go to this next sunday and the sunday after that, which makes her not able to come to church.  So her baptismal date is now for the 31st.  

Nope I havnt gotten that envelope yet.  I'm sure I'll get it soon.  

A pare of athletic socks would be wonderful.  I would like some flamin hot chitos, I miss those.  Well if I think of anything else I'll tell you next week.  

Well I love you too mom!  

Elder Eastman

Love His Work

Hey Mom!  Your elder is doing great!  I got to watch conference in english.  I really liked it and I learned alot from it.  I'm excited to download a bunch of the talks and listen to them again.  I like listening to talks in the morning and night time.  I was also worried about Pres. Monson and was also praying for him.  Oh boy, Chelsea's got a boyfriend!! WOW.  What's Spencer's last name?  

My trip to Quito was good.  It was pretty much a whole day of traveling though.  I really enjoyed being in Quito again.  Yep the Visa is all good and renewed.  

Well today I finished to Book of Mormon.  I really enjoyed reading it all the way through again.  There is so many good stories and things that we can learn and apply in our lives.  I definitely know it's true. I might just start reading it over again.  Or maybe I'll go to a different book.  

Well I'm sorry that this weeks email is a bit short.  My mind isnt coming up with anything else today.  I'm a bit tired right now.  Also our computer time was recently shortened to an hour and a half.  

I love you mom!  

Elder Eastman

Hi Dad!  I'm doing really good.  Don't worry about not writing last week.  It's all good.  I got to watch conference in english.  We just did some mini divisions with our companions.  I really really enjoyed conference.  There was also alot of talks that helped me.  I especially liked the very first talk by Elder Uchtdorf about making the Gosple more complicated than it needs to be.  Except for me I applied it to making missionary work more complicated than it needs to be.  Elder Uchtdorf said that we just need to love God and the rest of the obedience will come because of loving God.  So I think now that I have been trying to do missionary work without really understanding the most important part.  Just loving it.  So now I'm trying to just step back alittle and just love doing missionary work.  The rest of my obedience to the rules will become easier and I will be happier if I just love God and love His work.  

I love you too! 

Elder Eastman