9/26/11 - 2 weeks in Banos

We have been here for almost 2 weeks now and it feels like we have been here forever. Things are good. I have a really awesome companion so we have been working our little tushies off. We have been doing a ton of contacting and teaching. The second day here we found two investigators named Olga and Mula. Olga is actually the grandma and guardian of Malu who is 9 and then Catelina who is 6. They are so sweet and have really excepted the gospel. I love going and visiting them. Their baptism is this Saturday.

We also have been really trying to work with the branch here. There are alot of in actives and the ward just needs help. So we have been visiting alot of members. So we have a TON of work. The language is coming VERY slow but all is well. My companion encourages me alot and is very helpful. We have a deal were we talk only spanish in the day time and then only English at night. It has help us both out alot. It is crazy how time flies no the mission. I have been out almost 2 1/2 months.  Hermana Jaramillo will be done in 2 months. Its crazy. She has been kind of sad today because she has come to the realization that it is almost over. I hope she will be able to go to BYU after the mission. I also realized the other day that Sean has hit is year mark and Alec will be hitting it here shortly. It seems like they just left yesterday.

Today for PDAy we have just kind of chilled and looked around at the stores. It has been raining on and off. We took our clothes to a laundry business because we both didn´t want to wash by hand this week:)

Thank you for all of your emails! Oh Yeah! and Spencer! You can turn your papers in soon huh? Ok I´m guessing that Spencer will be called to the Mexico City Mission. What do I get if i´m right? That would be sweet if we had four spanish speakers in our family. Ok Well I´ve g2g. I love you all! Cant wait to hear from you next week!

9/19/11 from Banos Ecuador

Hola Family! I am here in my area of Baños Ecuador! It is beautiful. I really cant use other words to describe it. Its a kind of a touristy town that is at the base of a volcano. President Ghent said that it erupts about every 4 months and the last time was in April. So its about due for another Eruption. Dont worry there is a mountain that shields the town and I guess they are use to it. Today for PDay we went to see a beautiful huge waterfall. The tran here is like jungle. I think you guys would really love it here. I really think I have been blessed to be sent here and to have my companion. We have been here for 5 days now. We have been contacting a ton because both me and my companion are new  to the area. Oh yeah my companions name is Hermana Jaramillo. She is from Ecuador and she is awesome. She is very paceint with my language and is a super example to me. She only has until December left on the mission then she is done.Crazy! I guess after the mission she wants to go to BYU. So I have been helping her learn English. It has been a nice trade.  We will have to see what president does after she leaves because we are the only missionaries in this area. Hopefully I will have a handle on things by then. We have come in contact with four families that look to be very promising. Sorry I dont really have much time to write. We need to go to an appointment. It sounds like all is very good at home. Thank you for all of you letters and emails.

9/13/2011

Hola Family!
 
I am here in Ecuador. Just flew in about 12:30 PM and now all of us newbees are hanging out at the mission presidents home. My mission president and his wife are so nice. There name is Ghent and they are from California. I found out that they are scuba divers also. I got the chance to chat with hermana ghent will working in the kitchen. Quito is sooooooo beautiful! The view from the Ghents apartment is crazy. I guess they say on a clear day you can see 5 volcanos from around just from there window. Anywho the just gave me five minutes to let you know that I am alive. I will have you know that I am suuuuper happy to finally get here in Quito. I love you all! Thank you for all of your support and letters. I just got my mail here that has been saving up for two months. Anyways Ive got to go! You will hear from me monday which will be my Pday. xoXoOxOOXX:)

9/31/11

Hola FAMily!! Thank you so much for all you emails. I also loved the pictures! Little Bridges is like an angel. He looks like a minnie Davis. Its cute. It sounds like you have all had fun with the boat....of course you get one a week after I leave haha jk It sounds like a blast and I cant wait to go after the mish. Have fun on your way up to Idaho! Are you guys stopping at lake powell?
 
Guess what they fixed all the enter keys on the key boards so now I can make my letters look nice:) Ok Whats new with me? Well last week on P-day we had a Fireside with President Dallan H Oaks and it was awesome. He basically did a discussion thing were they passed around micraphones. We talked about revelation. There was probably only 300 missionaries there so it was pretty cool. Before he started his talk a wanted to shake everyones hand. ha I got to shake his hand. Kind of funny thing-they made a new rule right before he came that we cant shake hands with anyone at the MTC because they dont want sickness spread. We all thought he had the higher authority in this situation and he wanted to shake our hands. Anyways that was waaay cool. Yeah mom! I think you are thinking of the right Cavanaughs they are from California and I think they did serve a mission in like the 90s with their whole family.
 
Also I didnt get a latino companion this time around. So Im in a trio with Hna Johanson from AZ and Hna Eldridge from UT.  Sorry this letter is going to be short. I LOVE you all!!!!!!!!! Thanks again for your letters. I really enjoyed them!
 
Love
 
Hermana Wilhelm