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

Monday, November 30, 2015

A Baptism and A Bath

Hey mom!  Thanks a bunch for those recipes!  I'm sure she'll be able to cook them. 

Well actually all the baptisms fell except for one.  Jose F. was able to get baptised on saturday.  And I got to do the baptising!  It was a pretty interesting experience baptising Jose.  Mostly because he's 85 years old and cant walk very well.  When he first started leaning back into the water he kind of yelled out in pain from his back.  Then coming out of the water he had a bit of a hard time standing up and then he had to adjust his back a bit.  Then for some reason he decided that he wanted to get a bit more clean so he went back underwater and scrubbed his head.  But afterwards he looked really happy.  I guess it's never to late to start following Jesus Christ!  

Teaching this week was pretty good.  We had a pretty interesting lesson with our investigator Luis B.  I'm pretty sure I have told you guys about him.  Well Luis has had a bit of a hard time in just believing that God exists.  It's been one of his doubts for pretty much his whole life.  He believes a bit more in the Big Bang and stuff like that.  He also has the doubt about how it was possible that all of humanity could have come from just two people, Adam and Eve.  These are some questions that I really havnt had to deal with in my mission.  Most people here believe in God and Adam and Eve.  So it was pretty interesting trying to help someone with stuff like that.  There is a scripture that I really like that has to do with this.  It's Mosiah 4:9.  It's really not necesary to have answers to everything.  We just simply have to believe in God and that He knows everything and has a perfect plan for us, and then we will get the answers to everything someday after this life. 
 
Well today we had changes again.  And now I am no longer with Elder Caballero.  I am now with Elder Hall. Elder Hall is from Provo, Utah and has 3 months here in Ecuador.  His spanish is pretty good and I'm excited to be able to work with him here in La Concordia.  Elder Caballero went to Quito.  
Well that's it for now!  I love you mom!!

Elder Eastman

Ps, the christmas call is coming up soon so we need to start planning that out, like what time you guys can do it and all that. 


Hey dad!  I'm doing really well.  Well actually today we had changes and now I have an even newer companion.  I'm still here in La Concordia but now I'm with Elder Hall.  Being with Elder Cabllero was really good.  He doesnt really speak any english.  He is the only member of the church in his family and lives in a city on the coast of Colombia called Santa Marta.  I think he wants to study something like occupational health or something like that.  But now I am with Elder Hall.  He is from Provo, Utah and has 3 months here in Ecuador.  Elder Hall is pretty cool, and his spanish isnt to bad.  
Well I'm not to sure what I'm wanting to do after the mission.  And I really havent been thinking about it too much.  But I want to do something that has to do with health or medicine.  Just like you!  
I really like those verses.  And I like sharing them with other people too.  It's a really good example of a sincere repentance.  
I love you too!

Elder Eastman  



Monday, November 23, 2015

On The Positive Side

Hey dad, things are going pretty well.  I feel pretty good health-wise too.  I'm starting to run more.  A few times a week me and the other elders in my district are running in the mornings.  They're not very long runs but it's better than nothing.  I miss being in good running shape.  
I like those suggestions for increasing my happiness level.  I definitely think that I could work harder at looking for the good things that happen every day.  
On saturday I prepared a talk that I thought I would have to give on sunday about the Sacrament.  I didnt have to give the talk but I still enjoyed the time that I had to think about the Sacrament.  For a little while now I have also been trying to appreciate the Sacrament more and have more spiritual experiences with the Sacrement.  I have definitely seen positive results with that when I just try and focus on the purpose of the Sacrament.  
I love you too!
Elder Eastman


Hola mi querida mamá!  ¿Como están ustedes con sus estudios de Español?  ¿Emma esta en clases de Español todavía?  
Wow I didnt realize it was thanksgiving today. But that's cool! (What a funny kid.  I didn't say it was today.)  No I havent ever tried making a blessing list.  It's a good idea though.  
The success has been pretty good here lately.  Except we were going to have a bunch of baptisms this coming saturday but pretty much all of them fell through.  A few people didnt attend church on sunday (like Carmen and Joselyn) and a few people didnt pass the baptismal interview (like Jose).  Jose can still get baptised this coming saturday if he continues to keep a certain commandment every day before saturday.  Carmen and Joselyn will most likely be baptised next week so that they can attend church one more time.  
(Not intentionally, both Matt and I wrote to him about staying positive and optimistic) I remember in my first change here with Elder Peters we started doing this thing were every time we said something negative we had to immediately say something else positive.  That little activity helped us alot to always focus on the positive things.  
A few days ago we found a new investigator named Luis B.  Luis is 18 years old and lives here alone.  His mom, who lives in Quito, is a member.  He has heard alot about the church and has even been reading a bit of the Book of Mormon.  He's a super nice kid and super cool.  We have even gotten to talk on the phone with his mom.  She's also cool and says that she really wants us to help out her son.  The only bummer is that Luis told us that he as a problem with cocaine.  Which will be tough to overcome but definitely not impossible.  He has great desires to get better and get rid of his addiction.  
Well that's it for this week!  I love you mom!

Elder Eastman

ps, do you have those recipies? 

Monday, November 16, 2015

An Increase of Love

Hey Dad, thanks for those scriptures in Alma 31, I liked them alot and want to do what you said and pray for those same things that Alma prayed for.  Well this week was a pretty good week.  I felt good about the work and felt an increase of love for the work and for being a missionary.  I'm really glad to be here and be able to serve the Lord in this way.  
I love you too!

Elder Eastman


Hello mother of mine.  The fruit that that member grows is called cacao.  Well that's in spanish, im not sure how it is in english.  
Church yesterday was really good.  We had 6 investigators come to church again.  3 of which are progressing well and have a baptismal date for the 28th of this month.  First there is an old man named Jose Fajardo.  He's a bit old but is coming to church and wants to get baptised.  I guess it's never to late in ones life to start following the Savior Jesus Christ.  He also has family who are members.  There is also a lady named Carmen who is also a bit elderly.  Her daughter, Joselyn, is the third person progressing.  With Carmen it'll be a bit interesting baptising her becuase she has some type of a medical device attached to her chest that cant get wet.  I think its like a tube that connects to her blood stream because every week she has to have all of her blood replaced with new blood.  So we are thinking about covering this thing with some type of plastic so she can get baptised with out it getting wet.  
Good news!  Remember the Familia Pasmiño from Manantial, Quito?  Well I learned recently that they finally got baptised!  I think they got baptised just a few weeks after I left.  So that makes me really happy.  
Mother, can you send me a few recipes of the food you always make?  Stuff like green chile enchiladas, navajo tacos, chile, stuff like that.  The member lady that gives us lunch every day wants to try and make some of the stuff that I used to eat.  Thanks!  
Love you mom!  Have a wonderful week!

Elder Eastman

We went to some waterfalls as a zone today.




Monday, November 9, 2015

A Great Moment Of Joy At Church

Hey dad!  Dont worry about it, it's all good.  I did enjoy the other emails you sent me, especially that scripture.  This week went by so fast it feels like last monday was just yesterday.  Sundays are normal days except for going to church. The rest is working like normal.  
I kinda miss the cold.  Not that I dont like being here in the coast but I think I like the cold more than the heat.  
I really like that idea of a funeral and sacrament meeting.  I think I might share that idea with the people here.  
Sometimes I get the thought that I'm not doing good enough as a missionary.  I think that is just satan trying to make me feel bad.  But I'm also always trying to know what I need to do better.  I'm also trying to develop a greater love for this work and being a missionary.  I think I need to focus on staying positive and asking God to help me develop more of this love.  
Well I love you too!

Elder Eastman


Hey Mom,  I am feeling a bit better today.  I've kinda just been feeling an overall gross feeling.  Some days are better than others, but I think I've been getting sick more often because of the lack of exercise.  Back at home I was in shape because of running and that helps your immune system work better.  I haven't  been doing very much exercising here, so I think my body is just overall not very healthy.  So now I have a goal of doing more exercises and doing them every day.  I might even go running a few days of the week if I can convince my companion to come with me.  
The mission will no longer reimburse stolen money.  I think it's because some missionaries have faked getting robbed just to get more money.  We havn't been able to find a new apartment yet.  There aren't very many houses here for rent.  And even less that are suitable for missionaries to live in.  So we are still looking.  
Wow that's a ton of sisters.  Yesterday the sacrament room was completely full and there were about 180 people there.  Good job for doing a good job being the relief society president!  
Yesterday I had a great moment of joy at church when I realized that 9 of our investigators came to church.  With just one investigator coming to church I feel very happy, but with nine it's even better.  I really do love being a missionary and helping people come to Christ.  Sometimes I think I'm not a good missionary or that I rather not be here, but I think that is just satan trying to get me to give up.  But I really do want to be a great/consecrated missionary.  Sometimes, well basically always, it's hard to keep trying your best.  But with that comparison to running a race I realized that that is just normal.  It's impossible to run a race without being tired during it, or without the thought of just slowing down.  But the successful runners are those who don't pay attention to those kinds of thoughts, they keep giving 100% no matter what happens.  I think I can apply that more to me in my life as a missionary. 
Yay for Emma making it in a play!  That's super duper cool.  
Today we had an awesome, ecuadorian coast jungle adventure.  A member here owns a bunch of land where he grows palm trees to get some type of fruit.  In that land there are a bunch of rivers and thick jungle.  So today we explored that a bit with him and even went fishing with just fishing line, a hook and a worm (I had no success).  I will include some pics.  
Well that's it for now! I love you mom!  And everyone else.  

Elder Eastman


This river is called the river "¿que racemes?"



Monday, November 2, 2015

No Marriage No Baptism

Hey Mom!  Well I'm feeling a bit sick again so I'm sorry if this email isnt the greatest.  Ill try my best to write a good email though.  
Well that sure is a pretty impressive hand made costume!  People dont do anything here for Halloween.  
The church here in La Concordia is pretty strong.  It's a ward here.  There is a normal attendence of aroung 150 people.  Right now the church building is being renovated and they're adding on a whole new section.  So the church is definitely advancing forward here.  The people here are pretty receptive and we have a pretty good amount of investigators.  The dificulty here is that there's not very many poeple who are actually married.  There's alot of men and woman here living together with their kids who arent legaly married.  And the couples that are living together need to be married by the law in order to get baptised.  So alot of the investigators that we have arent able to progress because they arent married and dont really have the motivation necesary to get married.  It's cheaper and easier to separate when you're not legaly married here.  We have a family that we are teaching right now named the Familia Solorsano.  The kids are already baptised but the parents arent becuase they're not married.  The mom also has problems with her records that the government has.  So she has to fix those problems before they can get married.  So that's the deal with our investigators right now.  We're really trying to find some new investigators right now that actually have the ability to progress.  It's pretty tough but with the help of the Lord I know that we'll find success.  
My comps name is Elder Caballero.  I'll include a pic of him this time.  
Good news!  I finaly got that package that Chelsea sent me with the ties and the sweater.  Thanks a bunch for all of that!  I really like the sweater but while I'm here I wont be able to use it.  
Well thanks for being such a good mom!  I love you!

Elder Eastman

Enjoy the photo of my comp and of me at my desk

PS, This week someone broke into our house and robbed a bit of our money.  But dont worry to much we are ok.  We are just trying to figure out who it was.  We are also looking for a new house to move into now.  They just took $20 from me and $80 from my comp. 

Well I gotta go!  Bye!




Elder Eastman not feeling well