Week 102- One Final Blog Entry

Well, this is it. One final blog entry. This really has been the best two years of my life. It´s sad that these are going to be the last few days as an authorized representative of Jesus Christ. I have treasured every single moment. Ecuador will always have a place in my heart. I understand that I´m supposed to be going home next week, but I don´t think my mind has accepted that fact yet. It still feels like I´m going to be staying.

I arrive to St. George on Tuesday, August 9th. I will be released from being a full-time missionary at 5:15PM. I will then be holding a homecoming party from 6:30 to 9:30 at 400 South Bella Vista Drive (A big chapel on Dixie Drive). I would love to see you all there.

Thank you all who have supported me during these past two years. It means so much.

I know that I really have been on the Lord´s work for the past two years, and that he has blessed and strengthened me greatly through this service. I know that Christ lives and that he has provided a plan for our happiness here on earth.

Love,

Elder Nájera
Misión Ecuador Guayaquil Oeste

Week 95 - First week back

So it`s been fantastic to be back in the field 24-7. My companion`s name is Elder Delgado. He`s from Perú. He´s really excited to be here. He´s going to be a good missionary.

This week was pretty busy. We´ve spent our week passing by all of the ward members  and asking for referrals like crazy. We´ve gotten a lot of help. We now have plenty of less-actives and investigators to teach.

This week we put a baptismal date on a man named Miguel Angel. He said he wants to be baptized on June 25th, but he´s got some doubts that we´ve gotta help him out with. We´ve also been working the the Ramirez family. It´s a golden family. They´re all committed to go to church this Sunday!

The members have been good to us. We were getting lost at first not knowing where our ward boundaries are and stuff, but now we´re good. It´s a really small ward/sector, but it´s nice.

I am loving the fact that we are now eating REAL FOOD. I´ve been eating the same office food for the past 5 months. Everyone thinks that the office Elders have it nice with the food and all, but no. They don´t.

Anywho, I don`t think I can send photos anymore. Every single one of my 3 SD cards have viruses on them (blame Ecuador). My companion has the same camera that I started my mission with. The only problem is that his SD card isn´t working for some reason, either.

Well, thank you for your emails. Have a fantastic week.

Week 94 One Last Transfer

So I have finally been transferred out of the office! I`m in a ward called Amazonas in the Puerto Liza stake. It`s one of those zones that no one really wants to go to, but I`m super stoked! Right now I`m with Elder Rencher from Washington but it`s until Wednesday when the new missionaries arrive (we`re both training). I`ve never trained before, so I`m a little nervous but mostly excited. This is going to be my last ward, so I`ve gotta make the most out of it.

Love,

Elder Nájera

Week 90 Photos

Parque de las iguanas

Week 88 - Earthquakes and stuff.

I´m completely fine. The earthquake didn´t do much damage to Guayaquil. It is sad to see that many cities have become grave yards, though. Manta was wrecked. The night the earthquake hit we were all told to go to our houses immediately. Some missionaries went back, and there house wasn´t there any more. The phones went out, and really it was miraculous that we were able to evacuate all of the missionaries so quickly from Bahía, Pedernales, Chone, Manta, Jaramijó, Portoviejo, and Jipijapa. All of the mission is either here in Guayaquil, or in Libertad or Daule. This past week has been super stressful. All of the missionaries who came from outside of Guayaquil were staying at the Temple Housing. Most of them left behind all of their stuff. Fortunately, president Dennis has had two dreams about this happening before. So we were prepared. Everyone had 72 hour kits and Safe Places. I had to move about 50 Mattresses all over Guayaquil and Pedro Carbo and Libertad. It´s been pretty hectic. All of the missionaries were protected by the hand of the Lord.

One of the missionaries who came from Manta is Elder Guajardo. He´s going to be the new materials secretary here in the office. I´m training him to replace me. In total, we have 10 missionaries living in our house now.

Victor was baptized today. Tomorrow he´s going to be confirmed. He´s doing really good.

Anyway, I think that´s all for now.

Love,

Elder Nájera

Week 87 - Photos lots of Photos

Frozen yogurt here after watching general conf (Not as good as Menchies)

Pitajaya

Prosperina Zone

When my companion was sick (During Carnaval)

The Islay Santay (Again).

 New Years

A lovely view from our balcony.

El Malecón

A member from Monte Sinaí we bumped into.

So these things are called manigotes. There these huge piñatas that they spend all year making, and then burn on New year´s. Before New Year´s we drove around in our stake president´s car and took photos of every single one we could find.