Week 31

EVERYBODY!

Ecuafact: The University San Fransisco is the only University whose credits transfer to the United States.

Hola! I´m in Sunny Riobamba, oh wait, not sunny freezing! That´s why it has the nickname Friobamba, I´ve been wearing basketball shorts underneath my skirts and up to 5 layers everyday! Today there is sun, it´s a glorious feeling!

I really am liking Riobamba though! It´s pretty and I have an amazing view of Chimborazo from my apartment. Chimborazo is a massive snow topped volcano. It hasn´t been active in about 500 years but don´t worry there is another one just East that is stilling blowing and spewing!

Riobamba is pretty interesting. The Catholic grip of death isn´t so strong here and we find more Evangelistas, Cristianas, and Testigos de Jéhova. Jehova´s Witnesses come out every Saturday here. We always have to explain that we are not Jehova´s Witnesses, it´s actually pretty funny. Occasionally when we go to contact and give pamphlets we end up with Awake! or Watchtower, which are Magazines from the Jehovah´s Witnesses. It´s a refreshing change, but The JW´s are harder than then the Catholics, mostly because they are all active. I´m very glad I didn´t go with any floral print anything because on Saturdays you can´t escape it.

We have 7 baptisms scheduled for this month. The Borja (Vor-ha) family of 4 is this Saturday or the next. They are great, we just finished a fast for Octavio, who is having some trouble quitting smoking. They are great and are already preparing to go to the Temple one year from their baptisms. Octavio also fasted with us and he made it all the way through 24 hours on his first try. It was pretty amazing, he really does have a testimony.

We also have Cristian and Marco, they are the kids of members but aren´t active in the church. I really love Cristian, and he pretty much loves me! He hugs me the entire way through our lessons and what´s shocking is that I let him. His dad is witholding permission for his baptism though, it´s unusual becuase usually even the inactive members want their children to be baptized too!

We had a family home evening yesterday with a Gringo family who lives here and attends our ward. It was really weird to hear words like mom and dad, kind of tripped me out. Of course we would be fasting when somebody offers us real american chocolate chip cookies! It was fun though.

I´m really liking Hermana Castillo, she´s pretty famous in the mission because she baptizes double what the other missionaries do in a month. Always. I can see why, she always shows real love for our investigators and teaches really clearly. I´m really enjoying being her companion. Although...she´s really, really touchy feely and I think we all know I´m not. I´m getting used to it though...sorta.

Chao!