Elder Holland

Hola mis amigos y familia,

This week we had the opportunity to be visited by Elder Holland and it was awesome!

Also this week I have been learning a whole bunch about how to do visas and we have traveled to many places to figure things out so we can be able to renew visas quicker and easier. I have the job right now to renew President's and his family's passport and that is something I definitely can't mess up!

Also we had follow ups for the new missionaries so I had to buy food for all of them. Later, the Elders were staying so that they could see Elder Holland. My companions had to do stuff in the offices and I wanted to leave, so I took a few missionaries with me and we worked in our sector and were able to meet some super cool people which was awesome because we haven't had a lot of time to be able to do that. We walked up and down hills in the rain for like 5 hours so I got home super tired, but then we had our house full of elders and we stayed up all night and still had to wake up early to go to Elder Holland.

The hill from "The Emperor's New Groove"

So today we got pictures with Elder Holland as a mission and then he shook all of our hands. Later he told us that he did an interview with each of us as he shook our hand and that we are all good missionaries. He talked a lot about how the mission is not 18-24 months but rather a lifetime responsibility. He talked to us about how the mission is a once in a lifetime opportunity and that we are going to be closer to the Savior than in any other part of our lives and because of that we should use our time wisely and put in all of our efforts. He also said Salvation is not a cheap thing. That is so true. We sacrifice so much to share it, people sacrifice even more to change their lives. If it wasn't easy for the Savior then why for us, but because he was able to do it we will go through very similar things he went through and be so greatly blessed. I know that is true and really left that meeting full of the spirit!

I want to let you all know I have a testimony of the gospel and how true it is. How much love God has for each one of you. For that reason, He sent his Son to die for us and to live again so that we too may live again. I know we have living prophets who guide us. I know of these things without a shadow of a doubt! I love and miss you all and wish the best for you!

Also I included some photos this time!

Les quiero mucho,

Elder Tolman

Giant Moth stuck in our house

Living Rich

Hola mis amigos y familia!

This week went by super fast! Getting to know my new area and also learning all my new responsibilities in the office has been a little difficult, but I am enjoying it all.

Saturday, we had two baptisms and then went to eat at Chilis later that night.

Sunday, was my first day in the ward and I didn't know anybody!

Monday, was my first day doing my job alone. I had to take two missionaries to the Consulate of Peru so they could get their visa process started, and then when I came back we had to work on pouch which is what we send out in mail to all the missionaries in the mission. We send out whatever supplies they asked for. This week was the biggest order we have received and it took us three days to send it all out. Then when we returned back home that night we had all the zone leaders waiting for us so they could sleep the night because they had council meeting.

Tuesday, we had to get everything ready for the zone leaders when they finished their meeting. We went to lunch at Pizza Hut and then came back and got bombarded by all the leaders asking for different things at it was just super crazy.

Wednesday, we traveled to Latacunga and Ambato so missionaries could sign some important papers. We stopped in Latacunga to eat with Mama Angelita and I got to know her son that came home from his mission just the day before!

Thursday, we had district meeting and then traveled again but to San Rafael which is part of Quito, but super far. We found root beer and corn dogs there so I ordered a root beer float!!

Attack 

Friday, was a normal day in the offices, but I had to work a lot with visas and buying plane tickets home. I learned a lot, but the visa process is super complicated.

Today, we went bowling and walked around a few different malls.

Les quiero mucho,

Elder Tolman

Elder Felix

View walking through Quito

Familia Avila

New Executive Secretary

Hola mis amigos y familia!

This week I have spent my time learning how to be a secretary. It has been very interesting and super fun! Really there isn't much to tell you, but I will highlight some of the new perks that I have and some of our adventures.

First, we live in a really nice house which has a washer and dryer, microwave, stove and oven, and many more amazing perks. Second, is that we don't have mamitas to give us food everyday so we always go out to eat. Third, is that we get to help cook for all the events we have here so I have an apron with my name on it!

So on Thursday we had a whole bunch of new missionaries come in and we helped serve them food. Also we have a few temporary missionaries so on Friday we went to the Consulate of Peru so that we could get their visas started. I am also in charge of sending missionaries packages, so I have learned a bit about that too. I am also companions with the secretary of houses, so in the future I will be traveling to houses across the mission with him, but so far we have just had to go to a nearby store and carry mattresses to the offices. Everything we do is serious, but we always find a way to make it fun and it is a blast! I forgot to take pictures and stuff because I was having too much fun in the moment, but next week I will make sure to have more!

Les quiero much,

Elder Tolman

Familia Meneses

Familia Centeno

I finished training!

Hola mis amigos y familia!

Hope you all had a good week and a happy new year! We are in 2020! And with this new year, there are some things I want to challenge you all to do. One is read the Book of Mormon! The other is to read the account of Joseph Smith which is the invitation by President Nelson to prepare for this coming General Conference.

NEWS! So on Sunday we got our new transfers and Elder Mora is going to stay here in the sector and receive Elder Higley. I am going to La Colon and will be a secretary in the offices.

My week

Tuesday was the 31st so we were not allowed to go out proselytizing because of the dangers, so we all went to the zone leaders' house and played some games there. For lunch we made empanadas from Venezuela and Nachos and Horchata. Later we burned our paper mache dolls at 12 and then went to bed.

Wednesday, we woke up super tired. We went out contacting and the streets were dead! The people we had lessons with didn't answer. The only people left in the streets were people drinking, still partying from the night before.

Thursday we had district meeting and we knew that a lot of us were going to be changed because we all got here at the same time. So we shared our testimonies and the spirit was strong there. We also shared memories of the past transfer, and talked about all the good things that had happened. It was probably one of my favorite district meetings. Later we went to a lesson with a part member family. They wanted to feed us but we had another lesson so they told us to come back in 2 hours. We went to the next lesson and put the husband on date for the 18th! They fed us arepas! Later we went back to the other family and they gave us a huge plate of rice. It was super good but I almost couldn't finish.

My District

Friday, was a normal day. We had lessons fall through, went contacting, and nothing was coming out of it. Later that night we were contacting and ran into someone who wanted to argue with us and would ask questions but not let us answer and wouldn't let me talk when I tried so I got super frustrated and it didn't work out at all.

Saturday, we had a service in the morning helping a member put in a fence. The mom of the member came out and yelled at us saying we were doing a horrible job. Basically she was talking crap on her daughter, but at the same time it was at us because we were helping. I got super mad but couldn't say anything to her. I just had to respect her decision and redo everything. I was digging the holes and being angry started working harder and faster. By the end my hands were all blistered. One of my broken blisters was even starting to blister again. Later, the same family that we ate with two nights before invited us over for the birthday of their 1 year old child. We went and celebrated with them and they played full reggaeton and we sang and played games and it was super fun!

Saying goddbye to Familia Martin - they fed us every Thursday

Sunday, was the first Sunday of our ward going to church at 10:30 instead of 8. Later we had a lesson with an older lady named Karmen who is super awesome and seems like she is going to progress a lot so it is sad that I am leaving now. Later we went home and studied and waited for the transfer news. At night we went to a lesson with a less active family. We are helping the daughter prepare for baptism!

Les quiero mucho!

Elder Tolman