Elder Obama

Date: February 2, 2015
Week: 32, Ofelia, Ecuador
Companion: Elder Bustillo aka Elder Obama/ Honduras

I am so goodlooking
Editors note: This is how he labeled this photo
Ofelia, Ecuador February 2015

If there isn't anything more sacrilegious than the name of this letter, then I don't know what is!
Elder Bustillo somehow has a nametag that says Elder Obama and its hilarious! He actually looks alot like Obama.

Elder Bustillo aka Elder Obama of Honduras
Ofelia Ecuador, February 2015

Well let me start by saying Elder Bustillo can be a pain sometimes but what a good guy. Last Tuesday, Elder Bustillo did something that I will never forget. He is trying to help me have more courage to stand up against something that is wrong, and not go with the flow. I know shocker... missionaries aren't perfect, and especially Colton Kimball! But yeah he is trying help me out like a lot, because my previous companions have not always been so great in that area.

Well, it's Tuesday and Elder Bustillo has been "edifying", (We have this word in the mission which basically in English means machetting.  It's where you literally just tear the person apart, and its terrible! But know we are not allowed to say that word, so we say edifying)  So he's "edifying" me the whole past week and on this day I am getting a little fed up. In the past I have kept my feelings inside, and not said anything and let them just burn inside me, which is what you don't want to do. I know I should just talk things out with my companion!

So at night when we are planning he says something and I get a little angry and say a few things, which is very unlike me, but he gets mad and we stop planning and go to bed. So far the Spirit has left us and is probably in the other Quito mission.  I am feeling really stressed because he has made me start every lesson, and do all the forms we have to do, and I can at this point say I wanted to go home.

The view from my street
Ofelia, Ecuador February 2015

Well I get about zero sleep, and I just want to go to sleep, but I get up and shower with my bucket of water and then change back into my dirty clothes because we are doing our own laundry and I was behind on that. So, I start my personal study and I study one of the manuals we have for stress, and I feel like a wimp studying it because its for wimps. I read my Patriarchal blessing like 80 times and then its time to start companionship study.

I apologize to Elder Bustillo for what I said, but he says what's done is done. I basically conduct the whole study because he says I can do it and that I don't need his help. At this point I am on the verge of tears, but then its time for language study, and then we have to have our weekly planning which is two hours. He tells me that I have to do the whole thing. I try to do the whole thing but he "edifies" me the whole time. One part of the weekly planning, at the very end, is where we have to do a companionship inventory. This is where we talk about our realtionship as a companionship, and where we need to improve and stuff like that. Well at this point I want to cry and then the hermanas call. After the call he justs says, "Well, good job Elder Kimball you endured well and you did a very good job in making your companion do things to follow the schedule."

Elder Bustillo and I
Ofelia, Ecuador February 2015

Us and Familia Mora. We found them contacting!
Do I look like a different person or what?  If you look closely Elder Bustillo's name tag says Elder Obama.  The whole mission thinks he looks like President Obama.  I would have to agree!
Ofelia Ecuador, February 2015

I was sups totes confused and I was like "Wait was this a joke?" and he said yes, and burst out laughing, in which I then burst out crying!  He called it a practice to help me grow, which I hated, but I guess I can see the things I learned and what I can do better. He is a great companion, but he has crazy teaching skills. 

He asked me what my parents would say to this story and I told him "My Dad would probably congratulate you and say, good he needed that!"  Elder Bustillo is a great guy and I'll probably never forget that terrible but uplifting experience.

Well we have Gustavo and Adal all set for the 14th of February. Totally forgot that was Valentine's day. Gustavo has completely quit alcohol and we haven't seen him slammered in over a month. He is progressing really well.

We have Leslie all set for the 21st. She is getting married to her boyfriend who is an ex missionary so she definitly wants to get baptized. She says she isn't doing it for him which is a good sign.

Well everything is good as I keep trying to discern between the practices that Elder Bustillo does and normal missionary life. I feel bolder than ever before and I lead every lesson now. My Spanish isn't as bad as I thought and my contacting skills are A game!

Don't have much time this week so not much of a spiritual message besides this... be bold in all that you do and if you know something is wrong stand up for what is right!  And then go and read the talk: Which way do you face? a talk by Elder Lynn G. Robbins.
That talk applies a lot to my life!

Love you all!
Elder Kimball!

P.S. Thanks Uncle Travis and Aunt Ginnie for the tie and package!
Thanks Uncle Todd and Aunt Monica for the Elf. My companion now asks why I have that.
Also I will hopefully baptize Federico this weekend if he has completely recovered from his cigarrette addiction.