Elder Justyn Pollock

 This week we had companion exchanges. I haven´t been so good about putting where i´m at and with who and all that in my emails, but last week I was with Elder Saavedra in La Toma, a ward of the stake Puerto Nuevo. I´m now in Bananeros ward in the stake of Puerto Nuevo still in Guayaquil. My new companion is Elder Foerster! I´m finishing his in-field training of the first 12 weeks (I´m not zone leader anymore, Trainer), as Elder Zamorano, who was his trainer, just finished his mission and went back to Argentina. It´s awesome as we spent alot of time in this sector helping Elder Zamorano and Elder Foerster, who had grown to be good freinds, and now I´m Elder Foerster´s companion teaching investigators and converts who I´ve already met! It´s been alot different only having to focus on this sector and just the investigators and members here instead of a zone.

   Karla, Sulay and Rosa were baptized this week in our sector. I had met them about 3 weeks ago and am happy to be able to be in their baptisms and be part of that! Karla was baptized on Saturday and we made some ham sandwiches she asked for for the baptism, as she didn´t want cake. She is the neice of a the counsler of the ward, who baptized her. Sulay and Rosa are Mother and Daughter, and were baptized and confirmed Sunday night because they weren´t going to be able on Saturday. In that baptism we did have cake, and at the same time we celebrated Elder Foerster´s birthday! Their family, around 10 in the family, is very receptive to the gospel. Rosa and Sulay are the first to be baptized in that family, but all of them have gone to church except the Dad who is busy alot of the time. Another of the sons, Alexander, can be baptized soon depending on his decision!

   I also got to see the baptism or Wonderley, one of our investigators in La Toma, and a freind of Pedro, though it was not a baptism of my sector now. It was awesome to see him be baptized! He was very happy to do so and I was happy to be there.

   Some investigators we have are Carolayne and Juliana, who came to church with member freinds and are preparing for baptism. We are hoping that conference will help them to be more excited to be baptized very soon!

    This week to motivate ourselves to do more exercises we´ve been doing pushup competitions to decide who does what in the morning (1st place cooks, 2nd place irons shirts, 3rd place washes dishes, 4th place showers first in the colder water). Steal and apply the idea if you´d like haha. We have 3 rubix cubes in the house and we´ve all learned how to do it now. 

   I´m loving the mission and having a great time here in Ecuador! It´s an extremely special experience to be an instrument of the Lord in helping others accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. }

Elder Justyn Pollock

Union de Bananeros ward as a trainer with Elder Foerster

29 September 2014