July 2013

July 1
On Friday we had a work visit with the district leader from Zarumilla and his companion.  I went out to visit the DL and Elder Smith stayed in our area with his comp.  It was a great experience. There is great member support in that area and are teaching a lot of great families.  It is a very large ward that has potential to get split into two in the future   Zarumilla is a town 20 minutes north of my area and is just 5 minutes away from the border with Ecuador.  On the outskirts of Zarumilla there are a ton of little towns that were started by farmers and have like 50-100 habitants . Every Saturday the Elders go out and preach to the ¨pueblos¨ and visit the investigators that they have.  

On Saturday morning a member drove us out and did some visits with us.  It was one of the most unique experiences of my mission. When any premissionary imagines a South American mission, they picture the kind of houses and towns that we went to.  Very poor and simple living.  The walls are literally made out of big sticks placed close together and filled in with mud, complete with a tin roof and stray pigs.  Every 2 or 5 minutes you pass by a new town.  They have funny names too.  Maybe you can look them up on google. The first one we went to was called Cuchareta, then ones called El Olivo, La Palma, Uña de Gato, etc.

Today for P-day we went out to a port called Puerto Pizarro.  It’s a cool little town where they fish shrimp and do crocodile tours and island tours.  At 5 pm we’ll be on a bus going to Piura for what might be my last zone leader council.   Until next week, which will probably feel like tomorrow,  Elder Farmer

 

 

July 7     Puerto Pizarro

Hola familila,      Things have been going well here in Puyango.   Like I had commented last week, we went to Piura on Monday afternoon for another mission leader’s council on Tuesday.  We got there faster than usual and were able to stay up a bit, talking with missionaries from the office that I worked with before in the mission.  It is always a great break to the routine of being a missionary and gets me relaxed and ready to go once again for another month.  It always feels good being in the mission home and having an intimate meeting with President and Sister Rowley. They are some awesome people. Great examples of true dedication.

It has been a very good transfer.  Next week we´ll see if I am staying or going. It´s practically a done deal that I am getting moved out.  With so many zone leaders going home in the next 2 transfers, President needs to move some other younger missionaries up so they can get the hang of it.  In the next 2 transfers more than 60 missionaries are going home and only 40 or so are coming.  Today we went back to Puerto Pizarro to buy more stuff.  Love ya´ll, Have a good week,  Elder Ryan