Sept 14 2015

Hey Familia!

Haha you finally watched Freetown? Well, so far there's nobody here running around with guns and stuff so I don't think you have to worry haha!

 Well first, to answer the lizard question, I haven't seen any in this house other than the 3 in the bucket... It was really weird. My last house there were a couple though living in the cupboards. Elder Wursten would always throw them out the window but after he left we kinda coexisted. Other than that though, we still get a few mosquitos in our room at night but not often and we live with ants. It is very normal to find ants in your cupboard here, or in the sink and stuff so we keep our dishes in the freezer haha.

 Now to begin a story...

   A few weeks ago, we had probably 30 minutes to bed time so we were playing uno. Out of nowhere, this THING appears right next to my hand.  In a very calm manner, I stood up, so fast my chair flipped closed and collapsed, and ran out of the room screaming, ''WHAT THE CRAP IS THAT?!?!?'' I was so fast, the chair fell to the ground after I had left the room... The thing looked like a beetle, with spider legs, and arms like a crab that were pinching. It wasn't any bigger than a wolf spider, but as you can imagine, we pulled out the ''Dragon'' bug killer. With one spray, the entire house smells terrible. I SPRAYED HALF THE CAN!! We didn't see it again till last week while I was cleaning. I moved a little table and saw it but assumed it was dead and being the baby I am, I left it there. Great move. Today while cleaning, I found it again. It was moving and it was soo gross!! I literally just got chills thinking about it. I finally did kill it but it was soo gross. I got a picture, but you can't really see it well.

 Other than that, these weeks go by too fast! It feels like yesterday that I last wrote. This week we saw a dog that was at least 2 feet WIDE! It was the fattest dog I've ever seen! haha But most the people we visit have dogs. They love me. I get to play with dogs at ever house we go to! The gonzales family has a pug and I think I decided that's my future dog. So funny! Oh and the way dogs lay here is flat on their stomachs because it is so hot! They are trying to cool down. They kick their legs open, and lay down.

 Oh last week we talked to like 3 crazy ladies. one couldn't hear us very well. I was on splits and we went to a house to find hno German. We asked, hey is he here. She says no. We say ok, remind me your name please? She says I can't call him he's not here. We say ok What's your name? She says he's not here. After one more time she finally gets it, and goes WHY? What's your names? I say Elder Taylor.. she says Ricardo? Ya whatever I'm Ricardo. She points to Elder Lund what's your name? Elder Lund. Ricardo? Yes we are both Ricardo. And with that we left. It was great. 

Oh last week we did two exchanges with the zone leaders, I went with Elder Lund, and then another day we were with on of the traveling assistants named Elder Salcedo. It was pretty great.

I also bought a new tie for a dollar. It will be my homecoming tie.

 Last, I bought the tools to cut my hair today! And I cut my own hair today! It'll be a lot cheaper in the future haha.

Well, gotta go, Love you guys

 Élder Taylor

Sept 7 2015

Hola Familia!

Wow you guys are really living the farm life up!! I can't wait to come home haha! But 19.25 months isn't that far away. I've been out for almost 5 months!! Isn't that nuts?! Time flies when your having fun!

So anyways, my watch isn't too flashy it is a very obvious fake haha.  But I like it, and so far, it hasn't started counting backwards so that is good!! My last watch was way flashier and didn't even last a month! That's ecuador for you. I'm hoping to get permission next week to stroll on down to the black market haha Apparently it's pretty cool. We also gotta go to the Iguana park soon.

 So one tradition de this mission is that they have libro de recuerdos or like memory books. Other missionaries write in your book and put in pictures. It's pretty cool. I just got one, it is a notebook with the golfing minion on it!! Right now I'm kinda going minion crazy. I got a minion key chain on my backpack and I got a minion chocolate milk thing. I'll take a picture cuz I don't know how to explain that haha!

 So like two weeks ago, we had a double funeral (missionaries going home) and before they gave their testimonies, we were singing a hymn. The sister playing the piano starts freaking out while we are singing. Two other missionaries go up and start searching the piano. Super weird, but turns out there was a mouse in the piano. They never found it so he is still living in the stake center piano but it was pretty funny..

 I don't know if I told you about the activities last week, but we were celebrating the 50 years of the church in Ecuador in a park. The kids of the stake had drawn a whole bunch of pictures. At the end of everything we had some juice boxes and some colas and some homeless guy comes in, steals a juice box then leaves. It was super funny.

 I told you I write down random stuff during the week to write about so my letter is a little jumpy. Yesterday, I participated in my first visiting teaching ever! We have an hermana in our ward that asked for our help. So we set up the appointments and grabbed her and her companion, and went visiting teaching. We didn't teach but I thought it was funny.

 Also, last week there were some elderes in the mission home that had a day to kill, so they asked us to take them with us. We didn't ask why they were there, just knew that they had an appointment the next day.  Turns out one had an ingrown toenail which was really bad because I make my comp walk fast and we don't take breaks so it was hard on him apparently haha. But while we were with them, we turned a corner, and my comp goes ''fetch'' I go what?  He says look everybody, an apostasy!

haha We look over and there's like 20 JW's proselyting. Nothing happened, but my companion's reaction was priceless. 

Anyways, I gotta get off so I'll send some pictures. Oh remember the dog in our garage?  They have 3 and the other two just had puppies! They are super cute, 10 days old. I got a good pic i'll send you.

Elder Taylor

 One with a puppy and the other we had like 30 minutes to kill Sunday morning before stake conference cuz we didn't have ward counsel haha

This is that we use here, the golden dollar. This is also a representation of tithing. If you look, theres 9 dollars for you, and 1 for the Lord.

Aug 31 2015

Hey Familia!

Well that was a huge letter that only talked about the sad story. (Otis) But the good thing is you guys have looked at it with positiveness... He lived a good life, and died happy. 

Now to move on from that, you also had to deal with the estate sale which I can bet was hard too.. Did you guys sell the big tool box in the garage? If not, you have a buyer in 19.5 months haha!  But seriously, two big things that were imminent happened. And now they are over. And tomorrow is coming. And then 19.5 months is coming. And then.. well, I'd rather not talk about after that. Rather stay focused. 

So life is good here. Mondays here usually are pretty fresh, no sun all clouds, and a slight breeze. Luckily we didn't have to go anywhere today so that means no hot busses loaded with people haha. We did go eat at a members house today and they gave us soup and colada. It was rico. Now I got a stinky guy chilling next to me listening to music and cruisin facebook. This is the life!

This week we did have a crazy day though. Last saturday we had 2 stake activities. We started at 8 in the morning, and were in the park in the very warm sun until 1. We were there for a celebration of the church in Ecuador for 50 years. The kids drew art stuff and had an art show and we contacted any nonmember. Like the missionaries in the fair that one year! It was fun. Then we ate lunch, taught one lesson to a less active member and his nonmember family, and then ran for a bus, and went to the stake center for a reunion about family history. We were there till 8, then we grabbed a bus, and went to our last lesson with a similar situation. The last family is super cool. The dad was terrible, but they finally kicked him out so now they can come to church. The 2 kids are possible baptisms in 2 weeks or so. They are 22 and 18. The 22 year old, G is doing an exchange to the United States in Wisconsin. She's pretty cool. She speaks really good English. 

Oh one guy in our ward named Ricardo lived in Provo, super cool dude. He friended me and tagged me in a mission picture on Facebook. He said it was us walking to go get someone for church and he took a couple pictures. It was cool. He also speaks English. 

Last week I bought a fake watch! I think I told you about it but it is still cool.  I'll send a pic this week. I gotta get off soon so I'll send pictures.

Love you guys

 With love,

Elder Taylor

The lizards were in our house and they were stuck in the bucket. Yo no sé...

And my fake watch

The new Wendy's opened. Super expensive but pretty good haha and they got a latino Wendy and a dog for some reason...

Also, I downloaded a family photo and it was the wrong format because when I went to look at it, we were fat and pixelated

Aug 24 2015

Ok then, here we go..

Hey Family!

haha I read all the letters out of excitement and then my mind goes blank.. But I did bring a notepad with me all week so that I can remember everything! First off the fishing, I'm soo jealous! I want to sit on a lake all morning freezing cold soo bad!! But instead I wake up, I pray a bunch, and study a bunch, and sweat even more haha. 

Well I'm glad to hear the fair went well first off. I didn't even know that was this week. But The parade I did know about. So awesome! How'd the playlist go? Sorry to hear about the 5k..  Next time don't pay, and just run along side everyone haha! Then you can buy the shirt in a week at Deseret Industries. Beat the system! I think I've been here too long..

 Oh one lady running down the street last week sees us and yells, ''Jehovas Witnesses? No Mormons.. OH Ok....Taxi!'' Super funny. She was in a dress, heels, and chewing at least a pack of gum. It was super weird. 

Today a man asked us ''wanna buy a watch?'' and we said ''YES'' my comp bought a fake Nike watch, I bought a fake Tommy Hilfiger watch. It was 10 bucks. He also had ''fossils'' for 20 dollars.

 Ok have you ever seen a goose hiss before? If not, I'm sure you can find it on youtube.. It is quite frightening. They lower their head, and charge and hiss very scary noises. I know this cuz every Wednesday after we eat lunch at a specific members house, we have to walk by this house who always at this time has his geese out front. They chase us down. Last week we watched a lady get bit. It's quite frightening.

 So Emily got to be a vendor? That's awesome. Here, you can pick any item and you are a vendor. There's a lady that sells shoe laces. She comes by once a week. There is a man that sells brooms or the veggie cart man, or the fruit cart man, or the fruit trucks, or the man that sells toilet paper. Yes toilet paper. Or the man that sells propane.  Or the water man. Or the helado man (ice cream), or the newspaper man.  Anything you want just buy a whole bunch, and walk down the streets yelling the name. That's what we wake up to. It is awesome.

 Question.. are French Poodles expensive? We have a less active who has two purebreds and has puppies. They are soo cute!! She is trying to give them away. Just curious aren't they expensive? And that reminds me, what kind of dog is Grace? Golden Retriever? I can't remember.

Well love you guys.. Only got 2 pictures this week but I'll send them.

 Love,

Elder Taylor

My companion caught me eating the jello, and took a pic. Also this dog lives in our garage. We kind of live in someone's garage....

Aug 17 2015

Hey Familia!

Well first off, thanks for the detailed weather report but I can assure you I already knew it is hot... A better description for 80 degrees in ecuador is flesh melting with a side of fuego (that's spanish for fire) haha Ya I will say that I don't sweat all day here.  That's because it is ''winter'' here. You would think that with how flipping hot it is that the water would be super warm as well but I can assure you it's not! It is super cold! This morning I exited the shower with goosebumps. But don't worry, I was sweating about 5 minutes later.

 Now that we got the weather out of the way, tell Abby to look up kids of Widney High ''Pretty Girls''. It is a complete band of people with disabilities and I love the song.

 Anyways this snowcone place sounds famous. Oh I had a blue popsicle today!

 So quick story, we have this less active lady, who doesn't attend because she can't walk. So last week we took a wheelchair to her house and brought her to church. When the bishop saw her, he got all worried... Apparently she's not all there.. Yes now would be a perfect time for Aunt Debbie to step in and say ''and that is a crazy lady'' haha We figured out shes a little loopy a little too late, because after church she calls us over and says, Tuesday a family is doing a cumputation class so you have to come get me for that, and well Thursday when you have your class of English you have to bring me to that too. Thing is, we have pretty much scheduled this whole week!  It's gunna be fun. Also, we've been teaching another crazy dude... His name is C. We sit on the corner with him when we teach, and he says Hi to passing cars, and hola guapo or hi handsome to passing girls. A little boy was passing by who was clearly a beggar, and C yells get out of here you (.......)! It was super akward haha. 

 To answer a few questions, We are in the zone Kenedy which is the office zone basically. Our sector or area is called Francisco de Orellana and we are about 5 minutes to the office. We probably pass by the offices once a week. We were there earlier today. Acually had a cool experience. Went to get a medical card because I had an appointment, and a guy in our ward walked in. He is in the Stake Presidency. He came in because the church is doing a celebration in a park in our sector, and he wanted to talk with the office to see if we could do a booth there. Like the one at the fair in Burley last year.  Super awesome. I think it was a blessing we were there to coordinate it. But we missed my appointment. oops :)

 Also, on the bus, a man entered selling oranges, very common. My companion goes, do you think he knows that his pink flowery backpack is on backwards? Indeed it was, and it was very chistoso.

 Oh the company Pinguino comany does this thing that the sticks sometime say 5 cents towards your next pinguino. We have been collecting and almost have enough for 2 free pinguinos! They cost 25 cents each and we have 7 sticks (you do the math) 

Well, I know I'm forgetting mucho, but my mind's always scrambled.. Did I tell you about the 6 drunk guys that gave us 4 bananas? Well I did now.

Love,

Elder Taylor

I told you I ate a blue popsicle..  We also bought some playing cards with a nice note. 

 This is how they prep piña (pineapple). It's like a buck from the street vendors. Did I tell you they use the English gold dollar more than anything here? We all have coin purses. Elder Sink has been collecting all the paper dollars he's seen on his mission.. He has 13.

 Also, my companion left the room in our last zone meeting, so Elder Suiter and I made a pyramid. This is us sitting while they tear it down...

Aug 10 2015

Hey familia!

So to start out, the parasites probably have taken their toll. They never quit either. This right now is the cold season in Ecuador so it's actually not too bad. I don't sweat at night and I actually use my sheet! But that's because the fan is blowing all night. Anyways, to answer your other question. We were at a wedding haha. Forgot to mention that one I guess. An investigator couple in my companions last sector was getting married to be baptized and they were here in the city. They were about a half hour bus ride so we got permission to go. We actually ended up being late to the wedding because they didnt give us an address haha! That's latinos for you. They gave us the street name which is 9 de octubre (translates to october 9th) which is like saying 52nd street in New York. IT IS A STREET! We looked everywhere. We were almost an hour late for the wedding. But we were in reality probably 10 minutes late. That is the culture here.

 Sara is home? That's awesome! We actually talked to this girl a few days ago from Russia. She spoke english, and was moving to Reno. It was kind of a weird moment. But here we get that a lot. Like we talked to a guy 2 hours ago that lived in New York. He hitchhicked all over the place and had been all over Europe. Kinda weird. But thats kinda been my life. Strange things happen here to us everyday.

 As for your questions, the language is still really hard. I noticed this today more than any day but the members dont really like to talk to me unless my comp is with me cuz I don't understand very well. But as for lessons and stuff, I'm actually ok there. My vocabulary is centered in the gospel right now. People think I speak really well and many say I have a better accent than my comp, and most gringos. I picked the accent up really easy but now its just the grammar and my vocabulary really. And understanding. People here are hard to understand. For having only 10 weeks in the field though, I'd say I'm pretty good haha. I would have been a lot better if I was still with a latin for sure but I don't care too much. I like the area and I like the people and I like the food so I can't really complain.

 Other than that, it's been a pretty dull week. I did get a scripture case for my triple and I've got one coming for my Bible and I got a case for my agenda. Oh I did also have a doctors appointment last week. The wart is pretty much gone so now I'm taking a pill to kill the infection I guess.. I take 3 a day. Hopefully it'll go away after a week. So did you send any pictures in the package? And what about an english himno book? Just kinda curious. You know what would be awesome though? If you could send more pics :) I love seeing the family. Also I want to see more of the house! I have like one picture of the family room full of stuff and that's it.

 Oh yesterday we did a family night with this one family who wanted us to cook them something American. So my companion says I'll cook chili rice! It is something they eat in their family, if you ask me it's a total Utah mom dish haha. But we got there and they obviously didn't have chili, just beans. So we cook beans and imrovised. Knowing that chili was kind of a tomato based sauce I told my comp that. So they gave us salsa de tomate or better known as ketchup. So ya. We added peppers, onions, tomato, ketchup, and beans, and a little creole and some hot dogs cut up. It was weird. Then we put it with rice and ate it. It was alright. But it wasn't american. It was not american. haha Anyways, I'm gunna send some pics. Sadly the goat wasn't too involved this week.

With Love,

Elder Taylor

This is my scripure case, and my agenda case. Super nice.

This is our very nicely organized fridge

Me with nutella and me with my gucci glasses.

The goat.  Find him...

Aug 3 2015

Wow. You've had a full week. Well if it makes you feel any better, I had a full week as well. It is kinda my job though haha. Study and work, rinse and repeat. Anyways, the Mondays are feeling closer and closer so thats good. The days are still long but the weeks are flying! I'm 3.5 months in! So, now I will be eagerly awaiting my package haha!

   Ok to explain the last week a bit. Monday we did a FHE with a reference at a members house and after he was telling us he had a vision about the entire book of Revelations. My companion said they have visions more than us because they have nephite blood. But it was a good lesson. I want to talk with him again and kinda verify what he saw cuz if he was serious that would be cool. Also we taught a lady Tuesday who was also a reference. After we had introduced the Book of Mormon she was telling us about this vision she had about Jesus descending into a cloud. So we read 3 Nephi 11 a little with her and she was like, ''that's what I saw!!'' It was also a cool lesson though. We will see next time if she's a real investigator by if she reads her book. That's kinda the line we draw. They are real and want to learn if they read. This is the line because everything relies on a testimony of the Book of Mormon. Which reminds me, I know you guys just moved and life is hectic but get the BOM's out. Tell me what page you guys are on and as a family read one page per day, and I'll read with you. I had that thought last week.

 We went to a wedding Saturday as well. We were late though. It was an investigator of my companions last zone, and they were getting married here in Guayaquil. We missed the ceremony but I made it into some wedding photos! The nice thing is we didn't even have to change for it. Just kinda showed up.

 Random side thought, this is the name of ONE member... Silvia Elena Linda Elvira Maria Luiza Sebastiana Lipari de Casal. How would you like to give her a blessing?  be like ok, so whats your full name?

Silvia Elena Linda Elvira Maria Luiza Sebastiana Lipari de Casal............ Ya we will go get the Bishop.. maybe he can help you. haha

 Other than that the goat goes on. I got more pictures but not as many. As for my companion, he is all good. As for food this week, Friday we ate basically a giant avacado cut in half full of chicken and rice. Always rice. And other than that, we ate rice this week. Lots of rice haha. 

Well I love you guys,  can't think of anything else to write really. Had a weird week but I don't remember anything! Anyways, I better get off, I will send pics now.

 Love you guys!

 Élder Taylor

Here is a random pic I taped in my comps agenda. He laughed pretty hard the next day when he found it.

My foot...Every time I take the bandaid off it takes a layer of skin.

The adventures of Billy continue

Bowling, saw my buddy Elder Montenegro from el CCM

July 27 2015

Hey mama!

First off, no bug spray. We can get this really good stuff here but either way, especially right now I'm in the city and there's not many mosquitoes. I haven't got bit since my last area. Plus the people there just light egg cartons on fire and smoke their house out. 

The people here will sell ANYTHING for money though. People walk up and down streets selling shoe laces, or even bed sheets. This morning was pots. A grown man yelling, "pots for sale" carrying 5 or 6 pots. Anything.  Lots of jugo de cocoa or coconut juice. Haven't tried it yet, I don't trust the juice they bag. Another weird thing is that. They sell stuff in bags here.  Bagged milk in the markets, bagged yogurt, bagged juice. Oh which reminds me, a normal sized bottle of apple juice is like 9 bucks here!!  It is cheaper to buy the actual juice than welches juice. Confusing, no? 

But this week has been interesting. Lots of canceled appointments and lots of disappointment. That's the mission life for you. My comp has been a bit in the dumps this week as well, so it made for along days. Plus I've got this acid eating my foot alive! Don't worry, I will get a pic to you guys :)

 The food in the city is soo much better! They flavor the rice, and don't give you a mountain! I've finished every meal since I got here except my first which was fish sticks that were microwaved. Other than that though, I love this sector. I haven't been able to find UNO cards for a good price though. They are 10 dollars here! I'm a missionary! I don't got 10 to spare! haha Anyways, I am getting a really sweet scripture case for my triple and then I'll buy another for my Bible in a week or so. Then after that, the same guy sells machetes with leather cases and your name and an iguana that I want so bad! I'll buy that one in 4 weeks or so. haha Anyways, the market here is more like Walmart. I have a membership card too, so I get a discount when I shop now! It was free, don't worry.

 Ok story time. The other day, I went on splits with Elder Sink(zone leader). We were walking, and I saw a midget. I was like, hey look a midget! Then we were talking to a family at their gate and I saw another! I was like Elder, there's another! He looks, then looks at me and goes, "He is going to hug you". We had our backs to him, so I kinda moved on but moments later, this guy taps me, and HUGS ME! I was like oh crap, what the heck... Then he grabs Elder Sink and compares thumb sizes for a minute, then he grabs my arms, and puts them around him, and starts trying to get me to pick him up. After realizing that I wouldn't pick him up, he grabs my arm and tries to bite it!! Then, he turns and walks away.  Elder sink said the last time they saw him, he kept trying to eat his tie. It was pretty great though.

 So a little more about my zone, we live in the city and all the office guys are technically in our zone. We are about 5 minutes to the offices. Which by the way, is next door to the south mission office.

It's in the same building! Isn't Elder Jeffery in the south mission?! If so, I'm gunna write him a letter and drop it off next time. 

Oh ya, I got my foot medicine! I put an Acid on my foot, and then mole skin over it and change it every three days. It hurts soo bad!! It also looks nasty! Don't worry, I'll send a pic. I have trouble walking on it now but I know in a few weeks it'll be all worth it when its gone. 

One more thing, this week I took it upon myself to remove all the pictures possible from the Liahona's we have and stick them all over the house. Yep. In the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, hallway, even in the freezer! Its great. Also, while I was at the zone leaders house they had like 20 plastic animals, so I stole a goat. It is now a game.  Someone hides it and waits until the other finds it, then rinse and repeat. I'll send pics of both of them.

 Tell Emily the getting out of hand joke went over great! As well, I'm really looking forward to the Let it Go song with a cape. haha I better get off, but Ill send pictures. Love you guys so much!

 Elder Taylor

 PS If its not too late, Sour patch watermelons, and hi-chews are the best!

The magazine project

 The Goat... The one on the chair is at a member's house. After lunch, when no one was looking I put it behind my companion. It was soo funny!! The girl across suddenly goes IS THAT A GOAT?? My comp looks, and puts his head down and just laughed.

Here is a typical guy selling stuff on a bus... and my collection of banana stickers