What is Cui You Ask? Cuneca Week Ninety Eight

So first off Happy Late Birthday to my brother Brady. It happened to slip my mind this last week but still shout out to him. Also Happy Fathers Day to my Dad.my example and mentor in all things. 

Fathers Day

So this week we celebrated Fathers Day. The party was thrown in our mamitas house. I am currently a Father so the party was actually like a little joke on me. But I am not gonna lie it was a delicious joke. We made Cui (Guinea Pig). This time I didnt get to kill it or do anything like that but I did get to cook it, dressed like a Cuencano. I want say much more but I know that you will enjoy the pictures. It was a way good time and we enjoyed the food even more. I will be preparing it for my family when I return so those that want to try it you are welcome to come to my house to try it. It is sooooo good.

Elder Shanklin and his companion

Elder Shanklin roasting Guinea Pig

Some things don't change

Doesn't look too bad

Wow!!

Training Update

So things are going really good as we embark on week 4 of the 12 weeks of training. My son is learning a lot and we are having a good time working. We worked our tails of this week and I could tell at times my companion wanted just to take a break but we kept going. It has been a great privledge to end the mission training. Sometimes I think that it hasnt gone the way I have hoped but I have learned a ton in these last couple weeks and I know this is the Lords plan. 

Elder Shanklin and friends.  I think his head is touching the ceiling

Wonderful family!

Time

I am not clueless about the fact that my time is running out here in the mission. These 2 years have changed my life and I am forever grateful for these moments that I have had. I will keep working til the last moment of the last day. Thanks for all the support and love that you have given me while I have been here in the mission. I really appreaciate it. 

Life is a Sport, Make it Count

Elder Shanklin

Party Bus-Cuenca Week Ninety Seven

Well this week has been filled with many interesting things and I am sure you will enjoy hearing about a couple.

Zone Party Bus

This week we all had to travel to Guayaquil for a very special meeting. There are 24 missionaries here in Cuenca so
 we practically were by ourselves in the bus there and on the way back. We took advantage of it by just laughing
and having a good time. Sharing stories from the mission and just reflecting on how fast the time goes by. We also
 watched a couple movies like Meet the Mormons, The Restauration, and Mormon Messages to keep things
interesting. There were only like 5 people on the bus that werent missionaries and I am pretty sure there opinion of
Mormon Missionaries might have changed a little bit. Whoops. 

Having a little fun

Elder Shanklin and the other Elders he lives with

Elder Shanklin and his Greenie

Elder Rasband

The special meeting I was talking about was a meeting with Elder Rasband from the 12 apostles. It was such an
 incredible experience. The moment he walked into the room it was if there was no air in the room. His presence
was just so powerful. Then we each got to shake his hand and say hi to him. (I haven't washed my hand since then).
 Elder Montoya was always there to. So Saturday we got to hear from 2 special witnesses of Jesus Christ. My
 testimony was strengthened and I can say that I learned so much in that short time. He congratulated us and told
us to keep up the good work. That by how our eyes shined he could tell we were all worthy to carry the light and
 gospel of Jesus Christ. What an incredible experience. Hopefully it wont be the last time I get to meet an apostle
but still I will never forget it. I felt like the Nephites when Christ told them that he needed to return to his father. No
 one wanted him to leave and we all wanted Elder Rasband to stay a little longer with us. His time was short and so
 he left. After we all went to another stake building and it was Presidents Farewell. We all got the chance to say bye
to him and give him a big hug. It was super sad. I really am going to miss him a lot. He has been like a father for all
us here in the mission. 

Happy Note

On a more happy note. Today in Pizza Hut there was an all you can eat buffet. Lets just say me and my companions
lost count after 50 pieces of pizza, together. I think I probably ate like 12. There others ate like pigs and were just
 throwing down the pizza. Enjoy the pictures. IT was a blast.

Pizza Hut Buffet

Love those faces!!

Pray for us. Pray for me and my companion. We need it. 

Thanks for all the love and support. 

Life is a sport, Make it Count

Elder Shanklin

I Have A Son-Cuenca Week Ninety Six

So as many as you already know this week was an interesting week filled with lots of adventures and lots of good

 times.

Training

On Monday I headed to Guayaquil to receive "my son." Whenever you train someone in the mission he is considered

 your son and then would make me his father. We got to Guayaquil at like 10 at night and headed to the temple to

 stay the night. We awoke in the morning and went to the temple to do a session. There were 14 of us that were

 training and it was great to see some old companions and friends that I hadn't seen in a good time. After that the

 new bees showed up and we took a picture and together headed to the chapel to receive instrucciones for the 

assistants and president. It was a great time. I learned a lot and we received lots of good instruccion on Presidents

 behalf. It is the last time that we will recieve a group of new bees. Then we recieve our companions. President had

 to hurry off and wasnt able to do the interviews so we were able to work in Guayaquil for the night. I went and saw

a couple of converts in my previous sector. To my suprise I found them in the family history center preparing to go

 to the temple next week. What an awesome surprise. Wednesday in the morning we had enterviews and then we

 headed to Cuenca. We got to Cuenca around 7, made a couple visits and then headed home. Thursday, Friday and

 Saturday we worked our tails off and had a good time at it.

Elder Shanklin with some of his recent converts in the Family History Center

Elder Shanklin, His son (new companion), and a recent convert

Elder Shanklin with two of his converts

Investigators

I didn't have much time last week so I failed to mention the Punin Family. It was a family that we found a couple

 weeks ago and last Sunday and this Sunday they were at church. The dad is a member from a long time ago and

 we are teaching his wife and his kids. They seemed to enjoy the church and we always have a great time when we 

go over to there house. They are learning alot. They, like every other family, have problems and doubts but we are

 helping them understanding the importance of the restored gospel. Pray for them and make sure to include them

 in your prayers.

Elder Shanklin and his brand new companion

Elder Shanklin and Greg Vaggalis

Visit from an Apostle

So this weekend Elder Rasband from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be in Guayaquil and he is going to

 train us a little and teach us a lot. We all will be heading to Guayaquil this weekend to see him and hear from him.

 Should be great. 

Thanks for all the love and support, We are going to just keep working til the end. 

Life is a Sport, Make it Count

Elder Shanklin