Email 05/19/2014 Dead Baby?!

Wellllll hello here from Ecuador. Today its bright and sunny and hot as always!

Well I hope everyone got the pictures that I sent this week.

One of them is of a live sized headless doll that scared the poop out of me and the others of me on a giant hill full of neverending stairs. I call it the stairs of doom because I feel doomed everyday as we scale that monstous hill.

Anyway this week was nice mainly because I got to talk to the family. Also this week many of the members have offered their services in this work of ours.

Which is much needed. Oh I'm also going to go to a place called Ta China an area in our area where no missionaries have gone yet. My plan is to leave this sector with a legacy to the Rodriguez name........ But mainly a legacy for the Lord. 

Well I'm not sure what else to write. This week we found alot of new people, brought back a family of 6 into activity in the church and all is well. 

This next Wednesday we are all traveling to Quito the capital of Ecuador to hear from Elder Waddel one of the 70. If your not a member he's just a really important guy in the church. Now as I should be super excited to hear from him I'm kinda more excited just for the bus rides there and back. The reason is that we can watch movies and buy the movies we want to watch. Because the bus people put on movies whether we like it or not and if we don't buy the movies at time they can be super bad. Well thats all for now folks.

Everything here is going well and my companion is doing good. Still don't like training but I'm getting used to it.

Love ya all and pray for the best,

Elder Rodriguez

I thought this doll was a dead baby!

Giant hill full of neverending stairs!

A top the Giant hill! 

PS: My mom made me remember that this week we also had a service project.....

With machetes, and you all know what that means...HUNGER GAMES... no no sorry. I mean alot of fun. We helped this one family clear their property of all the trees and shrubbery and it was a lot of fun. Until on elder from the states, Elder Hall lost his grip on his machete during mid-swing. Lets just say I almost died. But again it was a lot of fun chopping everything in sight. Sorry I don't have a picture of that but I hope you all can imagine.

Mother's Day phone call 05/17/2014

Elder Rodriguez was finally able to Skype his mom for Mother's Day, Saturday 05/17/14. 

Ivan is going really good! He says "Hello" to everyone. 

Email 05/12/2014 Esmeralds!!!!

Well Hello everybody!!! Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there first of all. I wasn't able tocall because there was only one cyber open in town and all the missionaries were there. Oh and only 2 computers were able to use skpe so I plan on calling Saturday. 

So I got my new companion Elder Nogales from Chile and the first day was super rough. He started out the first day with tears in his eyes saying that he wanted to return to his old companion to fix some thing. So I told him to just call the President because an unhappy missionary is a missionary that can't work well. So he called the president then the President wanted to talk to me. So he says that Elder Nogales is a great missionary and is brand new, and for me to just have some patience and work him super hard.

Thats exactly what I did I put him to work. Everyday we return to the house this week our shirt were soaked with sweat. But I have to say he's doing a lot better and I'm feeling great. 

Also this week I had divisions with Elder Kerby. He's another American from my group that knows my family the Norris'. He was great working with and he's crazy good at spanish, but then again that's  why he's the Zone leader. So that was fun learning from him for a day.

Well today is Monday and we went fishing again. Only 2 people caught fish this time and the first person was me. Ohhhh yeah. Well that's all for my week. Church was great and I almost rescued a less active family of 6 back into the church, but the Bishop dropped the ball with interviews. Anyways in this month and the next I'm looking forward to alot of success. Love ya all. And thanks for everything. Once again sorry Mom and Dad for not calling

Elder Rodriguez

In this picture I'm pointing to the area that I work in. 

That city off in the distance is the main part of my sector.

The island that I'm on is my area. It's a big one. I walk a lot.

Myself & Elder Yat. He's from Guatamala.

Myself with Elder Hall. He's from Utah.

 It's a bug! 

Email 05/05/2014 Baptism & Changes

Two more baptized this week. Oh yeah. So this week was all right because we had 2 kids baptised. I'll send pics. There names are Maria and Gabriel and there both 12 years old. Maria is the Aunt of Gabriel and they were both born on the same day, weird. 

So this week we had a bunch of Divisions with the zone leaders here, and I have no idea why. But the zone leader that I was with is super cool. His name is Elder Yat and hes from Guatamala. Its funny but also kinda stern because he was in the military.

Anyway today was changes. My companion Elder Flores was sent to be companions in a trio with the Zone leaders and I'm still waiting for my new companion. So far I know his name is Elder Nogales and he's a newbie. So now I rised up to be the Senor Companion and I have to finish his training........ I really don't want to be training someone right now. Ha but ohwell.

Oh so yesterday we went to the bishops house and were knocking on his door. Then some random old man started to yell at us and say if he sees us on that street again he´ll kill us. Well I found out who that old man is.... The bishops father.....Bummer. Anyway so this Sunday I will be able to call mom and dad for Mothers day. I will be calling in the afternoon and thats all I know So be prepared. 

Elder Rodriguez

Elder Rodriguez with Elder Flores

Baptism of  Maria & Gabriel

Uncle to Maria & Gabriel

Crazy Catholics (Elder Rodriguez did not say what these people are doing)

New Glasses

Email 04/28/2014 This week in Paraico

Well I don't know what happened to those other photos from last week but what ever.

This week we worked really hard. My area is full of giant hills that we walked up and down in the scorching sun. With that we had absolutely no results. Then yesterday we had members giving us a bunch of references of people to teach. So not that bad.

Well we also have 2 baptisms lines up this week and what looks to be 3 next month.

Its going really good. This last week our mission President came and had a meeting with us. As all the meetings we always have practices and every time he wanted an example he picked me. And during the practices he wanted to practice in my group. 

Even my companion said that was something really rare and he thinks I'm going to be called as a trainer soon or something like that. I really hope I don't get called to be something. 

Well the pictures I sent this week are of a delicous fruit that I don't know what its called. The actual fruit is a seed covered with like a gel like thing. Its super good but you can't eat it only suck on it for a while. 

Well that's all for now hope all is well and i love ya all. 

Elder Rodriguez

Email 04/21/2014 First Week With New Companion

Well My new companion is Elder Flores from Peru, again. But he's pretty cool. We get along real well which is cool and he's a really good teacher during lessons. This week we haven't been super busy because we are both new here. And he knows surprisingly alot of English.

Well last Sunday we had Stake conference were Elder Holland and Elder Scott talked to the people of Ecuador via sattelite. First off all I had no idea that they spoke spanish. Elder Holland started his talk speaking spanish but switched to English because his pronunciation is terrible. But Elder Richard G Scott spoke the whole time in spanish and it was flawless. To say the least that was pretty cool. 

Then today for P-day we went fishing. It was different because they don't use fishing rods, just the line and your hands. I caught a medium sized cat fish. Then I caught this little kid. Let me explain...

So as I was fishing this little kid was fishing next to me with a small stick and his line then he dropped the stick in the river. Then the kid asked me to get it but as a missionary I can't enter the water. Well he goes in after it but it turns out he couldn't swim. So who jumps in to save him. Your friendly neighborhood Elder Rodriguez.

Luckly I was in my p-day clothes anyway. Hahah. Anyway The kid never got the stick back. 

Anyway..... my zone wants T-shirts and after seeing one of my drawing they want me to design it. Buuuuut I don't want to but I kinda have to. Bummer. 

So this week was alright how are you all doing. Love ya all and I keep you all in my prayers. Hope all is going great.

-- 

Elder Rodriguez

Email 04/14/2014 More Changes

Well this morning was another set of emergency changes. I'm still in the same area but my companion went to my old area. So with this I'm freakying just a bit because I'm new to this area and don't know alot about it yet. My new companion will be coming in the night. His name is Elder Flores and yeshe's  ANOTHER Peruvian hahahaha. I don't know why all my companions are Peruvian but its all good. So I heard this next companion is a bit damaged and I might have to crack the wip on him, so thats cool.  But I'm excited for new things and I think this is showing that President has more confidence and the Lord  gots my back. 

So yesterday was Sunday and it was pretty good. We have to teach the class gospel principles which Iwasn't to excited about but it was fine. Then I also had to lead the music during sacremant meeting. I'm just happy nobody knows how to read music in this area so nobody knows I have no idea what I'm doing. 

This month I don't think I'll be having any baptisms but next month we are going to be baptizing a boy and his sister. During the first lesson with them they said they wanted to be baptized but only if i would do it. So that was cool and bad for my ego Hahaha. But I like this area the ward here is very small and there are many inactives. So it's a tough area but I know the field is white and ready to reap.

I had divisions this last Friday and it was pretty good. I was with my District Leader Elder Rojas from Bolivia and we did some good work. Then with him I went to a leader meeting and I think I made an impression because all the questions that the Zone leaders were asking I was the only one who could answer. So I don't know if in the future there going to make me a district leader or not. I know how to do it all from that meeting but I don't want to be one.  

Then this week is Semana Santa (Holy week) so that means absolutly nothing for us missionaries. But all the Catholics are freaking out to repent one week out of the whole week. So that's pretty exciting I guess. 

Well thats all for now anyway. Just being bored waiting for my companion.

Well Love ya all and hope for the best.

PEACE!

Elder Rodriguez

Email 04/07/2014 This week in Paraiso

Well this week has been a heck of alot better. I got a haircut. Got to know my area a bit. I saw conference in English which was super awesome this time. And I also got to see one of my old pals from the CCM. Its funny because in the CCM he was just this fat kid but since he spent most of his mission so far in the jungles all his clothes don't fit. Anyway that was really cool.

I also watched it in my old area so I talked with a bunch of members that I missed.

    One of the old members took me and the other 3 american missionaries to a Pollo Asado place to eat and it was super good. But while we were eating we had a 3 liter Coke which was about half empty then this homeless man runs in and steals it.... We just laughed because it happened so fast. I think he was a ninja.

 Well my area is pretty nice. My companion said its really mellow here and there is not alot of crime. Then I found out he was shot at here and there is a hill that we have to run down because its super dangerous. Its all good here, no seriously I like this area. We even have an island here. Last week we were teaching on the island then the alarm for tsunami went off because the earthquake in Chile. We just continued with the lesson....

   Our house is pretty cool here too. Except for eveything breaking here. First our only fan in a really hot place then our only iron. So I'm forced to cook the iron and iron my clothes with that. My comp thought that was stupid until he saw it work. But upstairs is an apartment that I think is haunted. The house is just opened with everything in it covered in dust. It looks like the KGB killed the family that was in side or maybe the family just left without taking anything... Pure sketch.

   Our investagators are good here the ward is kinda sucky but I'll work with them to strengthen theleadership here. Alot of people here have experiences with angels thats really cool to hear about also. 

    Oh we have this one investagator and her kid looks like Chucky and he's a little devil too. He chokes out the cat all the time and tries to eat the cat sometimes. I keep that kid away from me hahahah. 

Well everything here is going good. Thanks for the emails and the pics 

Love you all,

Elder Rodriguez

These are pics of my companion Elder Cajahuaman (Peru)'and I on top of our apartment overlooking our area.

Email 03/31/2014 Well I got changed

So I got changed to the zone right next to mine which is only a half an hour away. Not very exciting but at least I don't have to deal with mud anymore. Okay lets start from the beginning of this week.

So when I was back in San Rafeal zone with Elder Ramirez we had divisions. That was pretty cool cuz I was able to be with Elder Gomez for a day in his area and I helped them with one of there baptisms. Then that same day I got yelled at by my leaders because I don't eat all the food sometimes and the momitas (members who feed us) complained. So that sucked especially because the momitas always tell us if we can't eat it all don't worry. Yeah so that put a damper on my day. 

Then yesterday my companion and I had no luck whatsoever, none of our investagators were home practically nobody came to church. Then later that night a teenager tried to rob me with a broken glass bottle but I had nothing to take. Oh that's another thing I haven't had money for about 4 weeksnow because the bank kept stealing my money. Then more later that night I was told I was being changed in an emergency.

So today I arrived in my new area only 30 minutes away and to my new companion from Peru. It wasn't a very warm welcome. His name is Elder Cahoamon. When I arrived here he immediately asked me what I did wrong. Because apparently the leaders said I'm disobedient. So now this whole zone thinks I'm disobedient and the president too. Haha I read an email from the president and he pretty much yelled at me to wake up on time. 

So to everyone it's just a huge misunderstanding. Because when I was with Elder Ramirez the leaders visited us in our house at 9 in the morning when we wake up at 6:30. But we were still in our PJs because we were waiting for our clothes to dry. So yeah that's the end of my sob story for the week.

But I'm here now and ready to work as always. I just hope I can gain the confidence in my new companion because he seems like a nice enough guy. The area that I'm in is a small city and it has a small mall. And the mall has a KFC with really good ice cream but terrible chicken haha. So that's the bright side right now, pray for me here.

Love ya all,

Elder Rodriguez

Email 03/24/2014 Oh, Baptism!!!

Well this week was changes and I thought for sure I was going to get changed. Yeah nope. Neither did my companion so we are still stuck in this area. Both of us are kinda bummed because this area is just tiring. The members here are super great and a lot of help but nobody really wants to listen to us. And the people that do just have problems that impede in their lives so they can't be baptized. So in this change me and my companion are going to be contacting alot.

 Well this week we had a another Baptism of a 13 year old named Fabian. The baptism was great. This kid in the first lesson we had with him already wanted to be baptized and already knew who he wanted to be baptized by. This kid grew up by a member and by the members example this kid in turn found that desire to join the church. 

 Well for the three days this week we have been a companionship of 3. It's me my companion Elder Ramirez and another Peruvian named Elder Gomez. He has been like an adopted child for a while being bounced around from companionship to companionship because his companion (our old district leader) was sent how early. But I really like Elder Gomez he's a cool guy. He also knows a little english, just a few words but is very willing to give me pointers. 

The man who baptized the kid is my favorite member ever. I told him he can vist me in the states with his family. He is the same age as Dad. Oh and his wife makes the best cakes for me.

Love you all and I hope for the best.

Elder Rodriguez

Email 03/17/2014 Well this week is weird

This week was really weird for all of us. First it started out by us finding out 9 missionaries were sent home for doing some seriously wicked things. One of the 9 was our district leader.  Then the week continued. My companion & I had the most awkward lesson ever when we taught all the the police. There were about 40. Then later on in that day we were robbed.....TWICE. Twice in one day is pretty bad hahah. The first one was pretty scary because the thief came up like a ninja and got my companion in a head lock and his friend was coming up behind with his hand in his pants like he had a gun. So they stole my companions watch and 50 cents but from me, nothing. Then later in that same night some others tried to rob us but since we had nothing, nothing happened.  I laughed at that because my companion says its always the Americans that get robbed but it was like i was invisible to the thieves.  Then the next day it rained hard off and on. And at one point I was standing out in the open and just 5 feet away it was raining but not on me. Well thats all.

Love ya all,

Elder Rodriguez

Email 03/10/2014 Back to the Grind

Well now that Carnival is over the work continues as usual.

So we started proselyting again knocking on doors. So my first one i go and knock and talk to this one guy. Well he pretty much yelled at me to stop being a bum and get a job then slammed the door in my face. So that got me down a bit but right after we knocked on this one lady's door and she was super nice. We have a scheduled lesson with her and she thanked us for doing what we do. So that was cool.

This week I found out my companion is a bit of a freak. He caught a bird in mid flight with his bare hand. Then he caught another bird that wasn't able to fly because it was dehydrated so we gave it some water. He's a wierdo but really cool. It's amazing how much happier I am right now than I was with my other companion who was just annoying in all ways. Yesterday I asked a Elder that is companions with my last one how it was going, and he just replied HELP ME hahaha. 

The work is going a little bit better now but it's really hot here. And this week I had two more close calls with thieves. The first one we were walking and I saw two thugs a little was off. Then the started following us. My companion had no idea but I just kept telling him to walk a little faster. Then another time at night we had to walk down a road and I felt that we shouldn't but did anyway. And when we were in the middle of the street some thugs started to kinda circle us but we kept waling and luckly a huge black man was walking the other way which I think scared the hooligans.

This week I'm feeling really good with my Spanish, I realize I can still barely talk but I'm understanding practically everything. Well that's really it for me. No pictures sorry. 

I'll keep you all in my prayers if you pray for me.

Haa especially for my language here.

Love ya all,

Elder Ivan Rodriguez

Email 03/03/2014 Carnival

Well this week it was Carnival. And I'm a bit disappointed. I thought Carnival was gonna be crazy but all it is is people playing with water for 4 days. So from Saturday, Sunday, this Monday and Tomorrow we can't  proselyte. We can only go to meeting and lessons that we have an exact time scheduled for. Everyone is lucky that this week we had no rain.... All the days before this week it rained...Every single day and it's just mud.

So that all for Carnival. We just have to be careful when walking in the streets to stay away from kids. The kids throw water balloons around this time.

So everything else has kinda been slow. Oh one night me and my companion were just walking all normal when a huge rock flys by my head. So we look back and 4 men want to fight us. Ha so I turn back to my companion and he's gone, running in the other direction.

So we are both running and one of the men ran after us for a while but stopped. My companion was kinda freaked out about that so that wasn't too cool. 

But everything else is fine.

With our investigators we have just really been stressing the importance of marriage. Here in Esmereldas they like to only be in a free union.

So that's all that has been going on here. The work is a bit slow because we can't proselyte. My spanish is still coming little by little but I'm progressing.

Thanks all for the pics. I really enjoy seeing everyone and how everyone is doing.

Gracias

Love ya ALL,

Elder Rodriguez

Elder Rodriguez with his companion Elder Ramirez inside their apartment.

Elder Rodriguez drew this picture.

Email 02/24/2014

Well hello everyone!!! I wanna start by saying sorry because I don't have more pics this week.

Okay lets carry on. Well I found out my companion has night terrors.... So that's fun. It's not a big deal for me having lived with my brother who has the same. So I just laugh evertime it happens. Me and my companion are doing good though, we get along real well. This week we even had a bit of a miracle.

So we go to this one members house and his son who is 3 had a terrible fever and poxs. These were so bad that the kid was crying in his sleep and he couldn't stand up. So we get in there and give him a blessing. Less that 5 minutes later the kid is up walking around and smiling. It was really powerful.

Then the rest of the week was pretty miserable. Between the contant rain and mud. Then one day I stepped in mud and it ate my shoe. So that wasn't to cool. 

This Sunday we had church only for an hour. It was election day here in Ecuador and we had to stay inside our house all day long (except for the hour of church). I guess it's really dangerous during elections especially for missionaries. So that day was filled with sleep, study,sleep, study. Then on March 1st to the 4th we have to stay inside also for Carnival, I don't know what I'm going to do hahaha.

Ha but this week has been good for my Spanish, I'm starting to see a lot of progression. Especially when we had interviews with the President this week. I met another Elder who has 7 months more than me in the mission field and I was speaking better than him.

So thats how my days went...I hope all of you are doing really good. Send me lots of pics and keep me updated!

With much love,

Elder Rodriguez

Email 02/17/2014 New week in the Mission

So this week I got my new companion. His name is Elder Ramirez hes a 25 year old Peruvian who is shorter than me. But I really like this new companion he's a really funny guy. He doesn't speak a lick of english but thats fine right now. For this month the mission President asked everyone to sacrifice something this month in order to recieve miracles for the next month. so I decided to stop spoken english. My companion said hes just going to sacrifice a dog..... Funny guy. 

This week has been a little tough because all of our old investigators dropped us. Fortunately my new comp is super hard working and likes contacting, which is great for me. I feel like I have learned more in this past week than I have in the entire mission so far.

This Sunday I had another talk and so did my companion. He was super nervous because it was his first talk at church in his whole life. But he does only have 3 years in the church anyway and 1 year of it he was nonactive.

Then in church we contacted this 13 year old that has been attending church for only 3 weeks now. So we go to his house for a lesson and the first thing he says is "I want to be baptized". So we are like, AWESOME. He even knows who he want to baptize him as well. So that's pretty solid.

Also I think I have a new dog here in Ecuador. Everyday this dog follows really close to me for more that 5 miles. And this dog crosses super busy streets and listens to everyhthing I say. Its funny because the dog doesn't like my comp very much haha. So that's all I got for this week.

LOVE ya all and hope all is well

Elder Rodriguez

Email 02/10/2014 Changes this week

Well Hello everyone here from Ecuador. Well I'm writing right now waiting for my new companion, another Peruvian named Elder Ramirez. I have heard he is very quiet but he's a great missionary, oh and he doesn't speak English as I have heard. I'm also staying in the same area which I'm kinda bummed about but it's the Lord´s will not mine. 

So this last week wasn't to much work just because Elder Luque wanted to take pictures everywhere. We went to one place that is in our area but I have never been until that day. I'll send pics of that. Elder Luque is still in my zone but in another area on the beach with my pal Elder Linderman. I really feel bad for Linderman.

Anyway so this week I fell pretty bad. I was just walking along and felt like someone pushed me. So yeah my knee is kinda jacked up. For the first two days I could barely bend it without feeling severe pain. But I can feel it getting better. Anyway that's really all I have to report.

With this new companion I'm kinda scared because I feel I can barely speak Spanish and I don't know my area real good. But It's an incredible time to learn, so wish me luck.

Love you all

Thanks for all the pics of the Family

Elder Ivan Rodriguez

 Well this computer won't let me send the pictures so I will try again next week.... Sorry.

Oh and I forgot to tell everyone that this past week I went to a preschool and did service for 3               hours drawing on their walls. It was pretty fun but they kept wanting more and more stuff.

Lucky I'm gifted with talent and I can provide. I forgot to take pictures of all the drawings but they were really cool. When I was doing it many people on the street stopped to watch me. Cool stuff.

Well sorry that's it. 

Oh shout out to Mitch and Abigail who just got married. Congrates and I send my best wishes.

Many people here don't like to get married even when they have been together for 40 years, so enjoy it

Love you all once again

Email 02/03/2014 Hola Familias y Amigos

Well this week has been kinda boring as well. Except for yesterday. So yesterday 

I took a crazy picture of the sky and in the picture there were no people at all, just the dark clouds. Then with my camera I was messing with the lighting and it revealed 3 dark figures. Its actually freaking scary, I don't like it at all. I'll try to send you both the pictures. The figures are in the lower center. 

Well this week has just been work as usual. Still struggling with the language but this week I have really been hunkering down. And just when I was doing good one of my favorite members met another American missionary and pretty much said I suck.

I can't lie I thought about killing him in that second... I'm kidding.

Well no baptizms this week but I believe the next week we will have maybe 2.

Changes are coming this following Sunday. My companion is more than likely going to be changing since he has been in this area for 5 months straight. So I'm probably not going to be changing areas but I'm praying I do. This area really isn't a good area to learn spanish in, since they speak a different spanish than everywhere else...... Thanks president.

I'm really hoping for the jungles even though the food will be more difficult for me. Anyway not much else going on. Oh I got another package which was really cool. You have no idea how great American candys are compared to here. Oh if anyone wants to send me something I'm requesting one of those basketball hoops and a ball for doors. One thatdoesn't  require nails. I know I shouldn't request anything since its not Christmas or my birthday but, what the heck.

Anyway that's all. Sorry I didn't write more but nothing else has been going on.

Love you all. PEACE

Elder Ivan Rodriguez