First week in Ecuador

Mom,

Miss you guys! Ecuador is pretty cool. It's just amazing that I'm in a different country preaching the gospel.  It's pretty here but it's also a different world. People here are in really humble situations. I've been in peoples houses and I've had bedrooms bigger. Also there's a family of 5 who all sleep in the same bed. People here for the most part are friendly though. There are wild dogs everywhere. We have been teaching quite a few people. My area right now is Santa-Ana. I'm in a trio right now with two elders. EL is from Florida so he speaks English but EM doesn't speak a lick. He is from Salvador.

Today is Pday. We played some soccer and I am dang tired now. Everyone in my zone is pretty cool. Like I said we've been teaching some people. Two had baptismal dates for the 28th but one didn't show up to church yesterday so she wont be able to be baptized. We need to start finding more people to teach. I've done a few. I pretty much explain we are missionaries and we talk about Christ and help people and then my Spanish falters. I really wish I could speak better. I want to be able to participate more in the discussions and  lessons we have with people. It will come. I just need to have patience. It will come. I just need to work at it. Patience is something I need to work on that's for sure. I understand almost everything but I don't know how to say stuff the right way. Spanish is weird. Our mission president leaves the 27 or 28 and the new one comes in. President Christensen is the new president. What else...the world cup is pretty big here. Ecuador is still playing. Dallin H. Oaks came out and said no watching that at all for missionaries. It is always on in stores and peoples houses so it is difficult. For food here all we eat is rice with meat and we always have soup first. Yesterday we had soup with a whole fish head in it. It looked like a pike but I'm pretty sure it was something else. Buses here are crazy. Just imagine being stuffed into a small closet with 12 people and you've got a  bus in Ecuador. We travel by bus if we have to go far otherwise we walk. The sector I'm in right now is very steep. It's like hiking a mountain everyday. I am healthy so that is good. 

But I'm grateful to be out here doing the work of the Lord. It is amazing. I feel the spirit so strongly when we are teaching. I want to be able to help everyone. There's a quote on the wall of our zone leaders house that says, "the faith of this month will bring the miracle of next month." I like that a lot. We need to have faith and patience. Things don't always happen immediately. I love and miss you all!

Elder Peterson