Moving to Loja- Loja Week Fifty Eight

This week has been pretty cool for me and I hope you guys think that it was pretty cool as well.

Changes

First off, on Monday I had changes from Guayaquil and I am right now in Loja. It is practically like a smaller Cuenca. It is in the mountains and the culture here is very unique but super awesome at the same time. The views are great and everything. The people here as well as awesome. The aren't the most open people, like those of the coast, but they have a great heart and with time will come to understand. Here in Loja there is only a district with branches, there is yet to be a stake here. We are working with that goal in mind. The members help a lot so that always make the work a little more easier. My new companion is Elder Contreras. He has 23 months and 3 weeks in the mission. I will be the missionary that sends him home most likely. He is from Bolivia and is a great missionary. I have learned a lot from him. 

Saragura

Here in the zone we have a sector that is 2 hours outside of the zone. Every thursday and sunday missionaries go and work there. Well I took advantage of the opportunity and went with another missionary. It was incredible there. It is like there own world out there. Even cooler, further out there are things called communities. They are like there own countries. They have there own government and the police have no power there. So sometimes it can be dangerous to work there but we have permission from one king to be in his community and so every Thursday we teach an English class. This week like 15 students came but while we were there the community had a meeting and so everyone saw us teaching and then after came up and asked us if they could come as well. There are big things to come from there. Should be pretty exciting the missionary work there. Gonna look for another opportunity to head back there as well.

Progress

Here the branches (congregations) are not that big and so we are working super hard to increase the numbers and build the unity. We are teaching 2 Colombians, a father and his son. He has gone to the church and has liked it a lot. The members and super excited and helping us a bunch with him so that he progresses even more. SHould be getting baptized in the near future with his son. Although things are not the easiest here we still work super hard. There is no reason to get down on yourself at all. 

Sorry there are no pictures. I promise I will send some next week. 

Thanks for all the love and support. Wish the best for you guys.

Life is a sport, Make it count

Elder Shanklin