Dad,
We have a baptism this coming Saturday for a guy who was catolica [Catholic], but he just knows everything we teach him is true, he has zero doubts, questions yes, but doubts none.
For the most part, issues here are 1. marriage 2. religion (catolica) 3. drugs/alcohol 4. they just are crazy....
For work, there are lots of little stores here, most people either own a little store or work in one. there are about a billion taxi drivers and bus drivers as well. But most people have tierra en el campo y [land in the country and] sell their stuff they grow and soda and food, pan... [bread...] It's just like one giant flea market. It's like if you took San Antonio and made the whole city into a flea market, that's Ecuador, or at least Ambato.
Ok food, rice - no seasonings just white rice... very plain, but here a meal sin [without] rice is not a meal.
Soup - lots of soups, I don't know how they make it but it's just like a broth, always broth, with chicken, potatoes, y queso de sopa [and soup cheese]. We had one soup that was exactly like clam chowder, but with camerones (shrimp) but it was like brown not white, but sooo goood. Other thing is, you might like this, sometimes when soup is just broth they put popcorn in the soup to give it a filling substance. They just pop a bowl of popcorn and everyone takes handfuls and puts it in the soup. For instance tomato soup they do that. Weird, but it's not baaaaad.... just not great....
Food here can be salty and it can be bland. One of my favorite things is verde [green] or platenos... [bananas...] Not sure how to spell it, but they have like a million types of bananas here and they fry them and it's super goood.
No cuy [guinea pig] yet, I'm hoping! Fingers crossed.
My area here is really small, and really hard.. Not many people really progress and if they do it's incredibly slow except for the guy getting baptized on Saturday, he's way cool.
Hey Dad,
I answered your questions, let me know if you have more, it's hard to think of everything and say it all too.
Just wanted to let you know my testimony is stronger than ever and growing each day. This church is true. This gospel is the Gospel of Christ. It can bless our lives immensely. As I read more and more, I find so many cool things and things that touch other people's hearts. The keys to conversion are reading, praying and then assisting [attending] church. When we do these simple things with diligence, with faith and an eye single to God, then we find direction, we find change and we find ourselves in the path of righteousness. I'm grateful for you and mom, for helping me to get to where I am. I love you and the family. And miss you guys sooo much. People here are kinda crazy, but they are the Lord's children and our brothers and sisters and for that I love them all, as crazy, as drunk and as prideful as they may come, they all have the same potential as me to become like our Father in Heaven and for that I try each day to show them my love. I never pass by a person without a hello or a smile and most often there will be no reply, but I'm planting every seed I can and helping each seed already planted to grow as strong as can be. I'm not perfect but I do my best and pray they will come to be as strong as can be, to become great trees, tall and strong.
Mom,
I don't think this computer will let me send photos, so next week.
My companion is finishing his mission this week. He leaves this coming Sunday and I'll get a new companion that next day I think. We have a baptism this Saturday, which is super cool. All he needs is an interview tomorrow so we will see what happens. He's super cool and really wants baptism.
Not much has happened this week. It flew by really fast. I'm super tired. We've worked really hard this week!
Not really sure what else to say. If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask them. I answered a bunch of questions dad had in the email I sent him.
Hope everything is well at home, everything is good here, just really tired.
-Elder Gonzalez
I love to read his testimony. The humility and simplicity reminds me of how easy it is to live the gospel. We are the ones who make it hard. You raised a good son. May God continue to bless him and keep him safe.
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