Oh what a long week

So its been a long week (as the title implies). I am kinda bumbed out that NO ONE wants to go to church. Seriously. The best we got was a guy who came 2 and a half hours late. He also was afraid to interupt so he didn't enter priesthood class. But at least he came for abit.

Saturday we did an invasion in the ward Florida. It was the best invasion I have ever seen. Normally they're a mess and the references are junk. But this one was amazing. We got alot done and now I know why this ward has about 10 baptisms every month. Their bishop is the boss. He works with the North Mission and the West mission and still does visits with the missionaries in his ward (he was two companionships). He has already split the ward once in his time and its on the verge to split again. I can't explain how good he is.

We went to la Bahia again today and I got a really cool looking Ecuador soccer jacket. I think I could have gone cheaper but my comp kept telling me that "no thats a good price" so the guy wouldn't go lower. But I dont feel it was a bad price. But I could have done better.

I'm thinking I have 2 more weeks in this sector cause thats when Arias finishs and the assistants aren't making jokes that I'm staying there for a year anymore. But I guess we'll see.

The rainy season is coming. It sprinkled one day but nothing more. I'm not excited. Aparently this sector gets flooded worse than more of Guayaquil. So ya I am thinking a transfer to the coast would be good.

Elder Moore

Oh what a surprise!

So first of all conference was awesome! I was able to go to all 5 sessiones and loved it. We had two investigators come to 3 sessions and another come to another. So it was awesome. The two that came to 3 sessions are going to get baptized this week. I'm super excited. It's a mother and her son and they are super cool.

But as we were going to the Saturday morning session, we were going down the hill. There were alot of people on the stairs so I went first to pass them. This dog came by and was super calm and then just snapped. It bit me twice in the leg. But no worries. Neither were deep and didn't really bleed at all. I haven't had any pain or anything. We cleaned it up and the cuts aren't even pink. The dog has its shots- just doesn't like gringos. I just figured y'all would want to know. So I've been making jokes with everyone about how this is how the zombie invasion starts and how I want to eat my companion. But nothing has happened. I actually forgot about it Sunday until I went to change pants. Seriously not bad at all. Best quote ever though, "If you didn't get bit by a dog on your mission, you didn't serve a mission." So yeah I guess I've served now. haha
We got to go to the temple too. So I was super excited about that. Finally got some good pictures there.
Here's a picture of the bite. The color there is just of the oxide that the member put on to clean it up. It never really bled. I had to try to get it to bled out a bit of the bacteria. Again no problems.
Oh but my district now has 5 sectors. Its a joke. The zone only had 6 sectors when I got here. So I'm practicly a zone leader right now. I think they are about to split the zone in two. We have 22 missionaries in the zone. So yeah its pretty big.
But things are super awesome here. Just keeping up the work.
Elder Moore

Amazing Week

So last night as I was falling asleep I thought of a super catchy title for my letter. but I forgot it. but that's ok cause this week was awesome.
So first of all I did service for the first time in my mission. haha kinda. It was the first time actually getting in service clothes and helping someone out. We helped a family of almost all members to paint their room. (the mom is the only one who lacks but she will be soon I feel). We couldn't finish cause we had the baptisms but overall we got pretty far and will finish this week.
This Saturday was baptism day. Five. In 2.5 families. A brother and a sister. Their cousin. and a mother and her son. It was super cool to see how excited they all were. I baptized the mother and the brother. It was awesome. I wanted to invite President Dennis but never did. But the assistants came. So it was really cool.
We filled the goal for the District! We had 8 in the district so I was pretty pumped about that. We also filled the goal for the zone too. So things are going pretty well. I am just looking for the people for this next month. But no worries. We are already in the path to find them.
Things are really wierd in the mission right now. I don"t know what to think about pretty much everything but I know I will get every single answer in general conference. No worries there.
Oh and cool story. We were teaching someone and an iguana showed up on their roof so we helped them get it off and back into the trees. So... yeah that happened.
Also same day we were walking around and a guy told us to come over to him so we did. We talked with him for a bit and turns out he fights chickens. Trained them and everything. They are all out front of his house. So... that happened too.
But things are going super well. More testimony builder about the importance of obedience and dillegence in the work. But overall I am super excited for the things that are coming.

Elder Moore

So...obedience

So this week I got a bunch more testimony on the importance of obedience. Pretty much I heard stories of everyone breaking the rules and how so many elders and even hermanas are not focused in the mission in the slightest. 

But this week was good. We are just assuring the baptisms we have next week. We have 5 people who are going to be baptized this Saturday and they seem to all be super excited and ready and without any problems. So we are just going to keep working and get it done.

We had 2 intercambios this week. One where I went to a sector to help them and one where the ZL came here to help us haha. But both went well. Interesting results but both were definitely needed for one reason or another.

I have been listening to conference talks this week abunch and it's got me super excited for conference. I know that if an investigator can go to conference they will be converted super fast.

But yeah I am still super excited for everything that is happening and I know that it's all for the best.

Elder Moore

Well another week down

First of all I realized I never told you guys some cool stuff that happened. One is that I was in the August addition of the Ensign for this area. Not much but there was a foto of my CCM group in it. I don't know why cause the article was not written by anyone in my group but it was cool. haha.

The other is that in my ward there is a member that knows Elder Richins and Elder Moore from the Guayaquil South mission. His name is Jimmy Marcillo. He's a ward missionary and a really funny guy. He didn't know them super well but it's a small world. Also I met a member of another ward who knew them.

This week was really up and down. But mostly up. I did my first interview and it went well but now he is trying to postpone is baptism. But he still wants to be baptized. We had a lot more success as a district and I think it will continue. We are just trying to pick up the pace and get some work done. We had a few people attend the church but nothing too crazy. I am just trying to figure out what we can do to get these baptisms this week and next week. So many people are soooooo close.

I'm already excited for conference. I am going to understand it and learn so much and the people that attend will get a testimony that we have a prophet in the world and that we all need to follow him and that the church is true. I feel it can be such a powerful day for those people.

But things are going really well. I am excited and know that things are going to keep on going and improving. I got some advice from good ole Elder Mckay Payne and I know it will help. But overall things are super great here. Just need to keep up my excitement and everything will be good.

Elder Moore

Boom!

Well, the big new of the week was a phone call I got on Wednesday. The lideres de zona called and were asking about if I like my sector and how we were working as a companionship. I was super scared that they were going to tell me I'm being transfered. But that wasn't it. I am a district leader now. But my district is huge! I have 4 sectors in my district and it includes the elders of the office, the hermanas and one other district. So at night I'm on the phone for like 30 minutes giving and recibing informes. But I think things will be good.
But either way things were good.
We had 13 people with a baptismal date at one point in the semana. And after that it all just started to go down hill. OF the 13 none of them came to church and after church we place a date with 2 part member kids. They are cool and ready.
Today we went to the Malecon and the Bahia. Its the boardwalk and a outdoor market that is crazy! Everyone is trying to get us to buy their shirts and pants and shoes cause they know we are missionaries. But we knew what was the good prices so we didn't get jipped too bad. But they sure tried. One guy cut his price in half after the first try. I got a long sleeve shirt, a white ecuador jersey and a new speaker in the shape of a Coca Cola can.
Things are going good. I'm really growing and changing here but I know it's all for the better. I will not be the same person coming home and that is a fact.


Elder Moore