Farewell Loja...Or Not!-Loja Week Sixty Nine

So basically I will be super short in this email. Just to let everyone know I am still alive and doing well in the mission.

Elder Collins and Elder Shanklin

Don't Freak Out

Just to let everyone know I am still alive and doing just fine here in the Mission. I bet like everyone was freaking out so I figured I would send this message to calm the nerves of my followers. We had Leadership Council on yesterday so we spent Monday traveling and didn't have time to write. They called us on 1030 and told us we had to leave in an hour so we didn't even have time to open the computers. All day Monday we spent in the bus, then yesterday we had leadership council and got back to Loja at 2 in the Morning. It was crazy. And I still hate buses. I feel like I have made that trip millions of times. By the way I am still in Loja and still with my same companion, Elder Collins. We must be doing something good because we still have a bunch of time together in the this zone. The zone has really been progressing and we have had lots of baptisms, so things are good.

Planking???

Elder Shanklin in Loja

Farewell Party

In this short time here in Loja we have done a lot in this branch to help them progress and to make them more united and they really love us for that. This Sunday they thought that one of us was going to have changes and so they threw us a farewell party in the church, and a couple families invited us to eat, and it was a great time. It was the first and maybe the last time that a ward has thrown a party especially for us. At first I thought that my time in Loja wouldn't be that great and it was be difficult, but with time I have grown to love this city and the people. Both members and nonmembers. Things are not super easy but it still is great. 

Farewell party in Loja

Just kidding....we are still here.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and I apologize for not writing everyone personally this week and not writing a lot. Time is scarce and so I just want everyone to know that I am okay. 

Thanks for the love and support!

Life is a sport, Make it Count 

Elder Shanklin

A Little Twist On An Old Routine-Loja Week Sixty Eight

This week was pretty great, and we threw a little twist on an old routine.

That Little Twist

This week we were blessed and privileged to have another baptism. Except this week instead of having it in the baptismal font in the church like always, like every other baptism I have had, we decided to throw some spin on it. We took advantage of the opportunity and the fact that we are in Loja so we asked around a found like a little pool pond to have the baptism in. We got the approval from him and from the President and so after church on Sunday we headed out. I was expecting like 10 people from the branch to come, but like everyone was so excited and like 40 came out. It was awesome. The pictures prove that. His name is Angel Zapata. He is from Saraguro, a small city like 2 hours from Loja, but lives here in Loja. The clothes he wears in the pictures is there native dress. He is a way cool dude. Including when we got in the water to do the baptism he like dove into the water. It was super funny and a great experience. The water was super cold but other than that it was a super cool experience. The branch loved it as well and everyone wants to do the baptisms in the branch in that pool from here on out.

Elder Shanklin, Angel, Elder Collins

Angel and Elder Shanklin

Elder Shanklin

The members of the branch

Supporting Angel at his baptism

Elder Shanklin, Elder Collins and friends

Happy Baptism Day Angel

David with Elder Collins who was baptized last week
Angel with Elder Shanklin after his baptism

The Rest is Boring

Other than that the week was quite boring and normal without any major highlights or anything that are noteworthy or that would draw your attention. I apologize for that but I will make up for it by sending a lot of pictures. We took a lot this week and they are super awesome.Hope you enjoy them.

Thanks for all the love and support. Always greatly appreciated.

Life is a Sport, Make it Count

Elder Shanklin 

Reply Reply to All Forward 

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise - Loja Week Sixty Seven

This week was full of suprises. Best first of all Happy Birthday to my future sister in law Alison. If it scared you the first time you better get used to it because it will happen more than once.(Hopefully you get my reference.)

First Suprise

Neither me or my companion had changes on Monday. The whole branch as well as all the missionaries in the zone were expecting that one of us would have changes in the zone. Lets just say we survived and we will be making the most out of the following weeks. Lots of the zone had changes but we stayed together. Obviously for a reason. There is some untaken care of business that we need to resolve in the next couple weeks.

Having a little fun in Loja

Taking a little rest

Thanks for the view

Elder Shanklin with the view of Loja

Suprise Baptism

Lets just say whenever there is a suprise baptism it is a great week. This weekend after a two year wait David was baptized. He had attended the church for the past two years with his brother waiting for the opportunity to be baptized. That is to stay that I was still in my house waiting to come on the mission when he started coming to church. The problem was that since he was only 16 he needed parent permision and the mom always said no. I have no idea what change or what we said or did but something went done and we came out with the signature. I will not say it was pretty or a nice conversation but what is over is over and David got baptized. It was such an incredible experience. His brother baptized him and it was awesome. After the baptism he came out of the water crying and it was a super powerful experience. I am glad to have had the privledge to be in his baptism and take part of it. I know this kid will be a great missionary and do big  things.

David and his brother

The Elders, David and his brother

A touching moment for two brothers

party after the baptism

Suprise Packages

So thanks to the fam and also to the Carpenter Family for the packages. Basically got a bunch of candy, and the majority of it it already gone. So thanks for the suprise. I have shared them with a lot of people so dont think that i am selfish. Thanks again. 

Hopefully everyone has a great week. Enjoy the states!

Life is a sport, Make it Count

Elder Shanklin

A Surprise Wedding-Loja Week Sixty Six

So hopefully everyone had a great Halloween. If you knock on a door here and say trick or treat you will most likely get the door slammed in your face. Just so you all know. 

Building a house

This week we are going to be having a baptism. His name is Angel and he works building houses with his friend who is a member. They start work at 7 in the morning and go tell 7 at night so in order to teach him we go visit them during there lunch break and that makes it easier for all of us. The house they are constructed in found in the mountains and to get there you have to be on the bus for like 1 hour. It is a crazy ride but it has some really great views. This week we set apart some time to help them out with service. Practically what we did was rise material to the 3rd floor and then make concrete. I didnt really how messy we would get till I went home my pants where completely covered in concrete powder. It was a cool experience and bless we got to know each other pretty well. He started to teach us his indigenous language and we were teaching him english. I still cant say a single word in his language because it is super difficult but I am learning.

Loja Zone

Loja Zone

Wedding

As you all know last week we had a baptize. This week to our surprise he got married. He got married to the member of the church that shared the gospel with him time ago. It was such a cool experience to be present in there wedding and to share that privledge with them. However the coolest part was afterwards when he asked us a question. The conversation went like this. "How much time till you go home" I replied "9 months and my companion 10 months." He then says to us " Well that is too bad I guess you will miss our temple wedding." I was completely in shock and assured him I would do the possible in order to attend his wedding. So mom and dad start saving.

The married couple

The lovely wedding cake

Preparation day

Today we have done some fun things because it is the last day of someone here in the zone. We basically have been taking lots of pictures and then buying some things and all that stuff. We learned how to make pantacones which are basically friend unriped bananas. I can teach you how to make them when I get back. They are so good with cheese and eggs. Basically just saying goodbye to a good friend here in the zone.

Fried unripe bananas

smashing them

The finished product

This week was a good week. Learned a lot and my love for Loja and the people here keeps growing. There are changes there and I dont know if I will stay or go but I guess we will see. 

Thanks for all the love and support. 

Life is a sport, Make it Count

Elder Shanklin