From Prison to Paradise

Date: October 27, 2014
Week: 19 Ofelia, Ecuador
Companion: Elder Macalopu, Peru

Me and my new zone. We are the smallest in the Mish.  Ofelia, Ecuador October 2014

Me y Familia Lucero Esmeraldas, Ecuador October 2014

 Dear Familia,

A few weeks back I coined the term "Brothels, Transvestites, and Witch Doctors, O MY!". Here in
Quito, I have been looking for those  Brothels, Transvestites, and Witch Doctors, but I just can't seem to find them. I entitled this letter "From Prison to Paradise" but that's not entirely true. Don't get me wrong, I really have walked into civilization, compared to my last area.  If you came here you would probably find me saying "Mountains, Rain, and I am freezing cold. I hate the cold. My nose is stuffy all the time."  The last part you have to say really fast for it to fit in with the alloted 9 syllables.

My week started off with me finishing my twelve weeks of training and actually being a real missionary for once. Elder Macalopu and Elder Marshall picked me up from the Bus terminal in Ofelia and we got right to work. My whole P-Day was spent on the bus so that was kind of sad but I got to watch "Godzilla", "Live, Die, Repeat" and "Transformers 4" all in Spanish of course. If we don't watch movies on the bus then they show pornography soooo.....
Also, I left my rain jacket in my house in Esmeraldas so I'm an IDIOT! I need my rain jacket! It rains everyday from the hours of 2-6.

Clockwise: Hermana Landy and her Children, Me y Jonathan and Elder Montesino, Me y wife de obispo  y Elder Montesino, Me y Melissa y Elder Montesino Esmeraldas October 2014

Elder Montesino and I.  I'm doing an Elder Montesino face in the bottom pic. Esmeraldas, Ecuador October 2014

Clockwise: Me y Elder Neilson(He is still in Esmeraldas), Yo y Elder Nogales(He was my district leader but is now a Zone Leader in Quito East, Yo y Elder Guevara(Quiet but nice guy), Yo y Elder Pinto(Probably my favorite missionary besides Elder Wright) Esmeraldas Ecuador October 2014

I am getting used to my sector. It really is a city set on a hill. I walk on paved sidewalks which is really weird. The people here have money that's for sure! I don't teach in any shacks but in nice apartments and houses. I really like the food here. For the first time in like 3 months I wasn't served rice to eat! WaHOO! They served tacos and boy it was almost like Letty was cooking again. OOPS. I mean It was almost like Mother was cooking again. There is a lady in my ward that speaks full on English because she served her mission in SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS!!!! WaHoo! Shes pretty cool. Her name is Letty also. HA.

Yo y Elder Bahr (I have more time then him in the mission), Yo y Elder Valverde, Yo y Elder Call (more time than him too), Yo y Elder Mazzereli de Chile( The other district leader in my zone), Esmeraldas Ecuador October 2014

Me y Elder Monty in our apartment one last time and me and Elder Wright.  This guy has lost 90 lbs on his mission and he is the coolest missionary (I'll remember this guy for the rest of my life).  Esmeraldas, Ecuador October 2014

Questions: 
Have you gotten the package with your ATM card in it yet?
Nope. We went to the offices today and no hay. Send me my pin number for the card again. I can't remember it. 
If not how much $ do you have?
Currently, I have 10 bucks sitting in my pocket, which then I will have to pay for the use of this computer so like 7 bucks.
How does the mission $ work from your mission president?
We get $90 on the first and sixteenth of the month. Everything is a lot of money here in Quito.
What bills do you have to pay with it?
We pay for the light bill, traveling bills, and phone bills. It all adds up.
 How's the new comp?
Okay so President must think I am gloomy person because so far these peeps are gloomy. Elder Macalopu finishes his mission in March which is pretty close. I try to get him to talk but he doesn't speak a lot. He is a district leader so that's pretty cool. He has a phone so he plays games on it but he only plays on it at night. When I say games, I mean like Solitaire or some other sucky game. Elder Macalopu is from Peru. I asked him where in Peru and he said "No soy de Lima". Well I guess that answers my question!

Clockwise: Elder Macalopu and my room, my bathroom, Elder Macalopu's bathroom and Elder Macalopu's stuff he piles all over the place. Ofelia, Ecuador October 2014

Clockwise: Our kitchen, Our study area, Our study area from another angle, and our stairs with the banister that runs right through the window! Ofelia, Ecuador October 2014

Me on our balcony with Quito in the background, me and Quito again, our porch with our laundry on the line, and a beautiful view of Quito in the distance. Ofelia, Ecuador October 2014

 We have investigators in this sector but none are progressing... so sad. We do have this less active kid who we just re-activited this past Sunday. (That is the first fruits of my labors in my mission!) His name is Eduardo and we teach him everyday at 6pm. He is a super cool kid and we are helping him with his mission papers. He is 17 and will turn 18 in February. Our chapel is a lot nicer than Regocijo. It has a court to play soccer and another field to play soccer. I can't wait to play soccer on the field! Elder Macalopu likes soccer so that's cool.

There are three sets of missionaries in my ward in Ponceano (they have a facebook page). First is Elder Macalopu and I.  Then Elder Marshall and Elder Perry.  Elder Perry is really cool. He is from Sandy, Utah and he is new to the mission so he speaks a lot of English. Elder Marshall is from California. He has been in the mission 7 months and is training Elder Perry.

Then there are the Hermanas  (Sisters) :/.  Don't get me wrong I appreciate the missionary work of a sister but I miss my old zone sin hermanas. First is Hermana Irepan and then Hermana Hancey. Hermana Irepan is from Guadalajara, Mexico and Herman Hancey is from Wyoming. The six of us make up a district. Pretty small but they are all pretty cool. What stinks about starting over is that everyone knows who you are in Esmeraldas, but here No one knows the real Elder Kimball!

Yo y Familia Chavez in Esmeraldas Ecuador October 2014

Yo y Familia Burbano in Esmeraldas Ecuador, October 2014

Yo y Familia Burbano 2nd time is the charm, Esmeraldas Ecuador October 2014  (Notice that Montesino is not smiling in this pic but in the mistaken picture he's all smiles.)

Well my spiritual message this week comes from http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2484411795001.
While watching it I encourage you to think about the meaning of love. Think of your spouse, your brother, and your daughter. It doesn't matter because love is involved in all of these relationships. Think of the importance of your relationships and think how you show them love.

We got to go bowling today for P-day!! Ofelia, Ecuador October 2014

This bowling alley was awesome!  It was like being back in the good ol'US of A! Ofelia Ecuador, October 2014

Sorry fam, Don't have time to write you guys individually but I love you guys!

Your Son, Brother and Missionary, Elder Kimball