MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! DEC. 22, 2014 AND DEC.29, 2014

His Trunky blanket (as he called it) that I had made for him for Christmas!

Dec. 29, 2014

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Oh boy, I have had a great P week! haha. Just kidding, we've been doing some good work out here! We had a way sweet day on Tuesday the 23rd. We took the whole mission and went through the temple and after we cleaned a bunch of church buildings as a mission and then we had an amazing dinner and Christmas program together as a mission with the president. (I have the greatest mission president in the world!) There was a bunch of missionaries that sang and played music and there is some good talent here in the Guayaquil north mission!

But as for the work, Junior is going strong and will be joining with the youth of the ward and go to the temple to do baptisms this Tuesday which he is really excited for! We also started to teach his mom and his sisters which is so cool, Awesome family, They also came to our ward party this last week and had a ton of fun! Javier is still making a ton of progress and will be an awesome leader in the church. As for Edison, we saw him drunk on the streets and we visited him Saturday and he was very drunk and super emotional. Its sad to see what alcohol can do to ones mind like that. But we visited him again yesterday and he was a ton better and we helped him understand the sabbath day so he can attend church with us! I'm really excited for him, He will turn his life around one of these days!

Talking to the fam was great of course and it looks like not much as changed! everyone is still their goofy selves! haha

But that's all for now folks! love you!

-Elder Rawson:)

WE ARE A HAPPY FAMIILLYYY!!!!

HAPPY SISTERS :) :)

HOHOHO!!!

Dec. 22, 2014 
First off, I wanna wish you a merry Christmas from the bottom of my heaaaarrrrtttt!! 

  Yet another good week down as I approach my 1/4 mark (wowzers)!! But it is so hard to think that Christmas is coming and there is snow back home! I can hardly even remember that snow exists at times. The sun is blazing at this time of the year and its only going to get worse! ...Full fuerte ese sol! (haha me encanta la jerga aqui!) But other than that I love Ecuador! 

We baptized and confirmed Junior this week and I can already tell that he has so much potential to be a very strong member of the church. In one year he can be an awesome missionary himself! He always was super good at keeping commitments and has basically read through the gospel principles book already! After being baptized he bore his testimony and shared an amazing story. 

His mom is a super nice woman but had been getting upset a little for his decision to be baptized. One night he went in his room and began to pray and ask God that his mom would be comforted so he could follow through with his baptism in peace. Shortly after his prayer his mom came in and told him that she had been thinking and that she would be supportive to him in whichever decision he makes!
That was such a huge testimony builder to me! I know that being baptized and having the gift of the holy ghost he will be a great example to his sisters and his parents and perhaps one day they will follow his example into the waters of baptism!

Make sure you all remember the reason why we celebrate Christmas! Because Christ was born, and Christ was born in order to carry out the atonement and allow us to receive redemption from our sins and weaknesses in order to be clean and spend eternity with our families and father in heaven!

Love you all so much!
Elder Rawson:-)

HOT ELECTRIC SHOWER, Chontacuro worms for dinner, Baptism by Spiderman aka Elder Rawson (Week of Dec. 8th and !5th)

Why does this look super scary and dangerous to me??? YIKES!!!!

Dec. 15, 2014 

So I´m feeling pretty fancy and spoiled right now because we got an electric shower put in and now I take showers with hot water:) (Lo siento a todos mis amigos que están bañándose en agua fría todavía) but this would have helped me a ton when I first got here cuz the showers were terrible!! 

Anyways so this week we finally got to start teaching Edison. He's an awesome guy and is super humble. When he prays with us, he asks God to help him with his life because it is a disaster. I don´t know everything that is going on but he is married with a family but they all live somewhere else and he lives alone and we see him drinking a lot. He has been trying to stop drinking and really wants to reach out for God´s help in his life. I'm excited to teach him but he didn´t make it to church this Sunday even after we tried hard to get him there.

All I can say is DISGUSTING...YUCK!  I won't torture you all with the video!  He did tell me (his Mom) that he and his companion had the runs for several days after this episode!  Eww...I hope he learned his lesson!

So yeah in the title i wrote, (chontacuro) which is a giant worm type thing from down here. A member had some for us to try because Elder Cook asked for some. We went over and I wasn't going to do it at first but then I thought it would make for a funny video to look back on someday so I did it...... Sorry mom, im nuts! Then after the member looked up videos of everybody else eating them and in all the videos they actually cooked them! but oh well, im still alive so thats good! 

UGH!!!

 And yesterday one of the kids of the ward got baptized and he asked me to baptize him. I felt bad because Im sure his dad might have wanted to but I guess the kid jsut wanted to get baptized by spider man, Haha! Then this week junior is getting baptized and he is going to be an awesome member. He is already way active in the elders quorum. 

The mission is great. Love you all and Feliz Navidad!!

Spiderman (AKA) Elder Rawson workin hard

Dec. 8, 2014

Hey y'all

So this week Elder Useda the area president came to our mission to do some conferences in Guayaquil. The first was with the ward council of like 8 different stakes so there was a ton of people there! The topic was pretty much on how we need to focus on strengthening the wards before we can go out baptizing. Just like in our ward, Elder Cook and I have been working our butts off with the finding, teaching and baptizing and have been doing well for how hard of an area this is. But it hasn't had to big of an impact on our attendance so we are going to be searching out the less actives and get them to church. 

The next day we had another conference with just us missionaries with Elder Useda and man that guy is powerful! He is from Peru and he pretty much "macheteó" (corrected with sharpness) to all the Latino Elders that don't want to learn English and how God chose English to be the language of the restoration. So looks like if I ever get a Latino comp, he wont be hearing too much Spanish from me while we are in the house:) Even though I should work on it as well! 

But the work is going great! Love seeing the change in the people I´ve taught as they have accepted the gospel into their lives!

I think by that smile, he likes receiving mail!

                                                                                                            So I just wanted to send out how grateful I am for how much God as blessed my family at home! I must say it´s kind of freaky that I could have lost my sister but thanks to God´s hands she is alright! Thanks for the prayers of you that have offered! Please keep them coming especially for the other girls in the car because apparently Bay was one of the better ones off! 

Well at least he saved one of the 3 presents I sent him to open on Christmas!

Luv ya all, merry CHRISTmas:)

                                     Elder Rawson

Hey he actually put up his Christmas tree I made and sent him!

Coke and Pizza (Just like home)

Five Months Out

Looks like these shoes are getting a good workout!  I'm sure they have walked many many miles so far, and many more to go!!!

It looks like he has now received all 3 of my packages before Christmas and with no problems...YEAH!!!  He said he's saved at least one to open on Christmas!!!

I think he's happy that his Costco dried mangoes have arrived!!!

 Wussup,

So fantastic week this week. We were able to go to Guayaquil and go through the temple again on Wednesday!  My 3rd time here in Ecuador, (I´m lucky) and it was good because I could actually understand everything this time!  Ha ha.  But ya mom, I got my other packages!  DRIED MANGOES, oh man they are soo tasty!  December is also the time when the mangoes here turn orange and not green, and are super duper sweet and juicy!  I don't know if I have had a real fresh mango before the mish.   I do love them because there are mango trees everywhere here and we can just pick them off the trees as we walk around:)

 We now have finished baptizing the family of Veronica, with the baptism of her sister Melany last Saturday.  She asked me to baptize her and it was so cool because She has changed so much!  It takes a lot to change churches like that especially when it was such a big part of her life before! 

But all is well here in Ecuador and it gets better each and everyday!  To all the fellow missionaries or soon to be missionaries, obedience = happiness. (If you have Spanish scriptures, busque gozo en la GEE) y también Juan 8:29 (el patriarca en mi barrio me mostró esta escritura a noche:) 

Love you all!!! chao! 
Élder Rawson:)

Laundry Day

NOV. 24, 2014 HELLO FROM CRAZYVILLE

GLAD HE'S RECEIVED ONE OUT OF THE THREE PACKAGES I SENT SO FAR!  HOPING THE OTHER ONES AREN'T FAR BEHIND!

YES THIS WAS A CHRISTMAS STOCKING HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!  HE TOLD ME HE COULD SMELL THE REESE'S THROUGH THE PACKAGE...I GUESS A LITTLE TOO TEMPTING TO WAIT!!!

HELLO FROM CRAZYVILLE

Buses are of the devil I swear,  ( I think he is referring to the fact that they pack the buses like sardines there, haha)  Got on a bus today right after school got out and had to break the law of chastity like 50 times... So many people! But as for the work, Veronica and Blanca got confirmed because they weren't able to last week and Blanca´s sister is going to join them as members this next weekend as well.  It´s truly been a blessing to be part of their conversions.  It´s hard because they are going through so many troubles but remain faithful and I know the Lord will bless them for it in His due time. 

Yesterday in ward council we established that although baptisms have been going up in the Panorama ward, the attendance has been going down. We are really going to be putting more efforts into seeking out the less actives and helping them attend church and getting them more involved.  I´m looking forward to it, and it  means we´ll be getting all the ward to help out as well. 

But I really have a whole new outlook on missionary work now.  I always wonder why I did not put forth more of an effort to help out those that were spiritually struggling around me.  I definitely had the time for it. 

So please don´t be like me, and look for those in your own ward that could use a helping hand. Just small things like stopping by there house to say hi for 5 minutes could mean the world! 

Receiving a testimony is not a one and done thing, not a job of a week or even a year... But a lifetime of constantly seeking for truth. -Go listen to Pres Uchtdorf´s talk "Receiving a testimony of truth and light" It´s my fave to share with members and investigators. 

Elder Rawson:)

NOV. 17 2014 Que pasa mis amigos!

Que pasa mis amigos!

 So please forgive me if I don´t write very well, I´m having a hard time concentrating because some kid with headphones on won´t stop singing, and singing terribly! But an awesome week, nothing too crazy or funny happened this week, but it was very spiritual so that is better anyway!:) So I have come to realize that I have been blessed with an awesome companion who has a huge desire to serve the lord and use his time that he has been giving doing what the Lord wants. This week I heard stories and have been opened up to what far too many missionaries are truly like. I know there are lazy missionaries and ones that came on missions without a true desire to serve. But I have been seeing and hearing things of other missionaries who are constantly not taking the mission as serious as it should be and not honoring their calling as representatives of Jesus Christ. Before I say more I have to say that I am far from perfect and have MANY things I need to improve on. But I have been pretty irritated seeing other missionaries completely forgetting about the sacredness of their calling. I don´t even like to know about the things that go on behind the scenes and then having them go out to represent my savior.  I can´t help but to think what He thinks of that as well. But as for me, I will continue to acknowledge my own weaknesses and do my best to improve because I sure know I am not exempt from this as well.


On another note, I am soo grateful that the Lord as allowed my to participate in the work at this time in the ward of panorama. We have been working well with the members and the blessings have come. We´ve been teaching 2 main families that I have felt especially blessed to watch grow. Javier Calderon and his family and Veronica and her girls. We had the baptism on Saturday and at the beginning only Veronica came without Blanca her daughter! She told us that her daughter didn´t want to be baptized. So Elder Cook and George went to go pick her up. When she came she was still unsure so the bishop told her to go in a room and pray about baptism and if she should. while she prayed, us 4 elders went a seperate room and knelt in prayer for her to receive an answer. When she came out she had tears in her eyes and the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face. I felt the spirit very strong and knew she had felt the spirit telling her it was the right thing to do. After the baptism they had us elders bear our testimonies and the spirit was so stong. I got a little choked and I looked at the members and about half of them were crying so ya, I couldn´t help it. But oh well, it was an amazing experience and I am truly blessed to be out here serving the mission. 


Love you all tons! Wish I could tell you all the cool experiences that I am having but that would take forever! 


With <3,
Elder Rawson :)

NOV. 10 2014 AWESOME WEEK!!!

Nov 10, 2014

COUNTER TOP OR WEIGHT BENCH???

Awesome week, full of the spirit and all that good stuff:) Yesterday at church they did the primary program and it was awesome! just like back in the good ole salt lake! The kids here are my favorite. They are hilarious and constantly make me laugh. Next week we are baptizing Veronica and her daughter. It has been amazing being a part of their conversion process and being able to watch their testimonies grow.
 We have had an investigator named Javier Calderon that we have been teaching. A very nice guy, lives with his "wife" (not married) but they have two little twin 7 year old girls and his "wife" has a 17 and a 16 year old (both girls). She is also a Mormon but inactive for many years but excited to get back involved with the church. But usually when we would teach them, Javier just asks a ton of questions but would never give us 2 seconds to answer. yesterday after church the bishop and his wife came over with us for a lesson and explained everything soo well and now Javier really wants to get involved with the church! So They´ll hopefully be getting married and then baptized soon!

 Way awkward moment this week. We were walking and Elder Cook told me to go knock on a door because he thought a family lived there. So we go up and I knock on the door. I was expecting a "¿quien?" (like, who is it?) And we would have said, Los Elders or something. But instead the person opened the door wide open with full confidence. It was a teenage girl with basically no clothing on, just undies!  I had honestly no idea what I was supposed to say! I don´t know why but the words, "¿Usted estaba esperando a alguien?" (Were you expecting somebody?) left my mouth!! It was super awkward and Elder Cook  come in and saved me! But the part that really got me was because she was actually really pretty! ..Bad news! We told her we would come back later when her parents were there, but we haven't seen them again. Elder Cook told me I had the weirdest look on my face when it happened. I hope I´m not that awkward with girls already with only 4 months in the mission, Or I´m going to have troubles dating when I get back!

 But yeah. Love you all. Keep up the good work.
 BYYYYYYYEEEEE
 Elder Raws

MAYBE HES GOING TO BRING ME A NEW KITTY HOME!!!

on:)