My Faith Is Building And So Is My Love For This People-Guayaquil Week Twenty Two

I hope Christmas was awesome for everyone. I heard that Santa made his rounds so that is always good. I think he might of forgot where I live but for that I have great parents and grandparents who sent me some packages. So this week in the life of Elder Shanklin of Ecuador...

Christmas Eve and Christmas
Not sure if anyone has spent Christmas in Ecuador, but if you have you know what I mean when I say, It is way different than American Christmas. Christmas Eve is christmas here. "Papa Noel" comes like at 10 and then all the kids open there presents at midnight. After that it basically is just a normal day. At least it felt like a normal day to me and all the people we talked with said it is basically a normal day. We worked like they were normal days. We were in the streets at 11, but the only exception is that we had to be in the house at 7 at night both days. In order to celebrate Christmas, we hit up McDonalds because we literally had no food in the house. So if i could describe christmas in Ecuador in 3 words it would be Hot and Different. It was cool to experience a different culture and see what the holidays are like in another part of the world.

Christmas Dinner

Using his blanket as a tablecloth for his Christmas dinner.

Skype Call

My first of 4 skype calls is gone and done with. It was great to talk with the family back at home and catch up a little bit. I told them to tell everyone hi. So hopefully they followed through and everyone got their message. It not I apologize but know that I say hi.

Skyping with Elder Shanklin in Ecuador

Elder Shanklin in Ecuador and Elder Shanklin in Norway
 spending a few minutes together.

Funeral Service

So someone in the zone went home this past week. I dont know how he did it but he spent 3 christmas´s in the mission. He decided that he had been through a lot, so as a district we threw him a funeral service. See the pictures. It was pretty awesome. It was themed christmas. SO that is why all have red ties, red flowers, and my santa hat.

3 Christmas's in the mission.

Funeral Service for the elder going home.

Survival Men

So after the course of some events and other things after christmas we were left with 15 cents, 6 pieces of bread, half a box of cereal, 4 eggs, some milk, and 3 top ramen and we needed to survive until today. I am glad to say that I am still living and actually wasnt that bad. So you know how there is a preach my gospel video for missioneros. My companion and I are going to make a survival guide video for missionaries. The release date is set for never, and we probably never make it to the big screen but wish us luck.

Elder Shanklin and Elder "Marvelous"

The Work

This week was good. We went hard and Sunday we reaped the fruits of our labor. We had 4 people that were in the church and are progressing strong. Some crazy, faith building experiences have taken place the last couple days.  My companion has been sick and so we havent been able to work as much, but when we did the Lord blessed us. I am grateful to  be here in Guayaquil serving this people. I have learned so much in just a short period of time. My faith is building, as well as my love for this people. This is by no means easy. Each day I returned home drained of energy but at the same time I look forward to what lies ahead. "Nobody said it would be easy, that just said it would be worth it"

Hope everyone has a great week this week and a safe New Years Eve. Dont party too hard!

Life is a sport, make it count!

Elder Shanklin

On The 13th Day Of Christmas Prez Gave To Me..An Exchange-Machala Week Twenty One

Just gonna jump right in

First Exchange

Like I had said in previous letters my time finally came to an end in Machala and now I am in Guayaquil. In most missions or some at least you have like 3 days notice to pack, say bye, and do everything. Here, there are exchanges everyday and at anytime. So at 10 at night on thursday the Zone Leaders got a call that I had cambios. I finished my packing at midnight and then had to wake up at 2 in the morning in order to take a 4 hour bus ride to Guayaquil. My companion is Elder Maravilla or marvelous in english. He, like all of my other companions, is going to complete his mission soon. He has like 22 months in the mission and is from El Salvador. I have been blessed to only have latino companions. Because I am learning (I think) a lot faster than I would have. So my first Christmas in the mission will be here in Guayaquil.

Temple Trip

So this past week on Tuesday we were just chilling in district meeting when the ZLs burst into the room and tell us they have an awesome announcement. Everyone needed to pack clothes because we would be taking a two day trip to the temple. It was a complete suprise, and from what other missionaries have told me is that nothing like that had ever happened before. So Merry Christmas to us. I got the opportunity to see some missionaries that were in my zone before and it was awesome. Wednesday we did a session at the temple and then hit the road in order to be in our houses to prepare for the next day. It was an awesome experience.

Guayaquil Ecuador Temple
Want to know more about LDS Temples?  Look here.

Elder Shanklin and Elder Martinez at the Guayaquil Temple

Chef Shanklin

So one day this week our lunch canceled and they just gave us a bag of shrimp. So somehow the four missionaries that live in the house put together something edible. I was head chef. By that I mean I cooked and then just told me what to do. We made like coconut shrimp and fried bananas. It was actually really good. If you don't believe me I will have to make it for you when I get back. I could be a professional Ecuadorian chef by then. 

Chef Shanklin at work.

Coconut Shrimp and Fried bananas

Enjoying their meal. 

Christmas

Merry Chirstmas to everyone. I hope everyone gets what they want and enjoys the family time. Yes, I will enjoy the rice and chicken or Top Ramen that I have for Dinner. Just kidding many members have offered to have us over to everything should be awesome. Christmas sure is a lot different here. However it is a unique experience that I will never forget. Supposedly it is more like the 4 of July. There are a bunch of explosives and fireworks. I have been imformed that they New Years I will not be able to sleep for most of the night. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Exchanges and the temple trip took up a bunch of time this week, and with Christmas this week hopefully I will have more to talk about the next week. Once again...

Elder Martinez, Elder Shanklin and Scarlet.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin

I Took Strike Three Looking-Machala Week Twenty

Hopefully everyone had a great last week and are ready and excited for the holidays!! Just gonna go for it

Weather Update

So it is December 15 and I am here to tell you that it is still hot. Yesterday was hot, today is hot, and tomorrow most likely will be hot. However, if you dont believe me you can come and test it out for yourself. I promise you that it will still be hot, or hotter when you come to visit. When it rains here it is weird. Because everyone just runs into there house like it is acid rain or something. However, when it rains it sprinkles for like 4 minutes and then it stops. So in reality in is nothing great. I hope everyone is enjoying the snow and maybe the ice there in Missouri or wherever you are. Wouldnt mind wearing a sweater right now. 

Christmas around the town.

Capacitacion

So in spanish there is a phrase that goes like this "Me quede durismo" which basically means I messed up big time. ANd that is exactly what I did. So we had a capacitacion with president on thursday and all the missionaries that completed their 12 weeks recently had to answer a question that president asked. Everything went. I was the 2nd to last to go. All the previous questions I knew and where totally easy. I step up to the batters box, and the dude threw a curve ball. I study every morning and enjoy it, but something that I havent study a ton is the techniques of cuenca. So when he threw that at me it was like I took strike 3 looking. Tried my best to work my way around and finally did. After the president told me it was great and used it as an example so the missionaries would practice all the techniques. Not sure if that it good or bad. However I got my little pin, and I have since studied all the techniques multiple times. 

 A little piece of Christmas from home.

Sick

So yesterday I woke up running a temp of 102 degrees and tons of pain in my body. I dont want to brag but I woke up and did exchanges with missionaries to help them at 7 in the morning. And somehow made it till after church. Lets just saw there is no way that I wasnt going to see the fruits of my labors. I made it till after church and then at like 7:30 I like dead. Completed the day and then planned, and then hit the hay. Lets just say the moment my head hit the pillow I was gone. Today I am alot better. A little pain but most is gone.

Christmas lights to add to the holiday spirit.

Fashionably late

So thursday was the missions annual christmas devotional here in Machala. It was supposed to start at 7. At 7 there was literally like 20 people in the chapel. I was thinking Im not singing if there is only this many people. At 730 the whole chapel, overflow, gym, and stage was completely full of people. I am not sure what happened, but I have learned an important lesson. If you want people to show up on time, you need to put the start time 30 minutes early in Ecuador!

Thanks for all the support and prayers!! TIme is flying. Looking forward to Christmas. 

Reunited At Last-Machala Week Nineteen

Another week down, and I am still here in Vencedores. This wont be a super long letter because time is short and nothing really happened

Round 2

So if everyone remembers my first week in Ecuador I had a meal that I had to put in a napkin and then feed it to the dogs later that night (pasta with mayonnaise). The other day we had the same meal. When she brought the food out I thought "oh no, not again I cant eat it". To my surprise I began to eat it and I enjoyed it. The exact same meal that I had had 3 months before. Then the impossible happened, I accepted seconds. So if you are wondering if I have changed, or what has changed. I can tell you that my taste buds have definitely changed. Which I know will make my mom a happy.

Missionary selfie in the bathroom....even in Ecuador!

My long lost son

So as a gringo I stick out like a sore thumb here in Ecuador. People love to say " hey you mister 1,2,3" or "hello my friend". It doesn't bother me and it isn't note worthy but what happened this week was totally awesome. I was walking down the street with the companion, and the other two missionaries that live in the house, and something sweet and funny happened. A kid that was probably 6 years old ran up to me yelling PAPA, PAPA, PAPA and gave me a huge. I didn't know what else to do so I just went along with it and said MI HIJO, MI HIJO, como estas? It was really awesome and funny. We talked with this kid for like 30 seconds and then he ran away. One of the perks of being gringo, cool stuff happens.

Christmas Devotional

As missionaries, or as the mission, we have a devotional this upcoming week. Just wanted to let everyone know because that means the next pday there are going to be some fly photos. So everyone needs to prepare yourself.

The work is moving along rapidly here in Ecuador and especially in Machala. As a zone we are in first place in all of the mission. It has been a privilege to be here in Vencedores. The whole Christmas spirit doesn't really exist here in Ecuador. There are some houses with lights and trees but the majority have nothing. It is crazy to think that there are only a couple weeks until Christmas. So anyone that wants to send a package, there is still time! Thanks for all the support!

Life is a sport, make it count!

Elder Shanklin

With Freedom Comes Good And Bad Things-Machala Week Eighteen

Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving and black friday. Hopefully everyone got the deals that they wanted without getting trampled!

Freedom

So as missionaries the first 12 week is like a training process. Guidelines and instructions are given in a little book.  A bunch of time is spent studying, practicing, and other stuff. This past week I broke the prison bands and became free. With this freedom comes good and bad things. First the bad. An exchange will be coming my way in the near future. I have been here in Vencedores for almost 3 months. As much as I want to spend christmas here, my time is coming I just don't know when. The good is that I am no longer considered a newbie. A lot more things will be expected from me now and I plan to live up to them and hopefully pass them.

This is what freedom looks like!
Notice that each companionship is wearing matching ties!

Tallest in the back!

Baptisms

 We had a Noche de Blanco. That is when some of the sectors in the zone get together and have a joined baptism. I think around 6 people were baptized. Also another cool experience that happened this week. This week we were walking and I recognized a house that the missionaries before had stop to talk with so I thought we would try it out. As we talked with the girl there we found out that she had been taking discussions from the missionaries for 6 months and had been to church multiple times but never wanted to get baptized. We talked with her about the importance of baptism and left not thinking much about it. That night the other missionaries thanked us. When the other missionaries passed by she told them that she wanted to get baptized and she wanted me to do it. So on Sunday I had the chance to baptize someone I had only met like twice. Not gonna lie it was pretty awesome.

Elder Martinez , Scarlett, and Elder Shanklin

Noche de Blanco

The Elders with "the girl I met twice."

On a more serious note!

Stake Conference

President Wadell of the 70 came down to Ecuador this week to reorganize the stake presidency here in Machala. The theme for practically all of stake conference was missionary work and the work of salvation. HOpefully all of the missionaries and members left inspired and ready to participate in the one. I myself left inspired to be a better person and missionary. 

Animal Problems.

This week we were attacked by rats and bats in the house. For some reason they are always there. I guess I will just have to get used to that. One of the rats ate a hole in some of my food. I have sworn vengance and hopefully will send a picture with my revenge. 

Thanksgiving

Here in Ecuador they dont celebrate thanksgiving. Nothing beats sitting down for chicken and rice for the 5th time that week when you know your family is enduging themselves in amazing food. I for sure missed my dads pies. Wow, I would kill for some frozen raspberry pie right now.

Well he didn't get thanksgiving but he got to share Scarlets birthday cake!

(By the way that Frozen Raspberry Pie is made by Mom)

Thanks for all the love and support. We are teaching a lot of great people right now and lots of dates to be baptized. Prayers for all would be able. Hope everyone has an awesome week!

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin

These Past Few Days Have Been Some Of The Most Memorable Of My Mission-Machala Week Seventeen

So I realized Thanksgiving is this week. Hope everyone enjoys there food. Yes, thank you for asking. I will enjoy my rice and chicken...

Zone Leader 4

So yours truly had the opportunity to be Zone Leader 4 for 3 days this week.  Zone Leader 1 has the most time in the mission and so forth. Not really.  The zone leaders have tons of respect and trust in us so they always ask us to do exchanges with them to help out with the zone. (They live with the Zone Leaders.)Friday, we had exchanges with them. I went with Elder Myers and we went out to help the other missionaries. First we went to help a companionship that needed help committing everyone to come to church. We spent 2 hours in that sector, had success and then moved to help the hermanas. We were there for 3 hours. I have never walked so much in my life. The people that the hermanas needed to visit lived on opposite ends of the sector. We pushed forward and helped them. We then returned to Vencedores hoping to have some time to work in our sector. We were there for literally 5 minutes when we got a call from the hermanas that we were invited to a Family Home Evening. Of course, we went.  Now most houses here are all the same but this house was awesome. 3 stories, and then like a rooftop balcony that overlooked a shrimp lake. Not to mention they gave us some delicious food. So I guess being Zone Leader has its perks. Saturday, we were enlisted again to help them. One of the Zone Leaders had a "cambio" (not sure what that is in english, sorry). Because of this we worked in a tripanionship. So saturday I was ZL 3. Pretty much we just helped carry out the baptisms in the zone that day. There were 8 baptisms so we were constantly in a taxi or in the church. After that I was ready for my bed. However, before that the Zone Leaders asked us if we could wake up at 5:00 the next morning in order to carry out exchanges with other missionaries. The other companionship needed some help, so we gladly said we would do it. So a few things I have learned from the life of a zone leader. You dont sleep that much and you hardly work in your sector. However, these past few days have been some of the most memorable of my mission, and I enjoyed it all!

Elder Shanklin found Bass Pro in Ecuador

Investigators

We are still working with Scarlet and her baptism is for this Saturday. She is awesome and hopefully everything runs smoothly. A couple others that we have started working with are Shirley, Carlos, Alexander, and Fanny. All are super awesome, and love the gospel. There are many more that we are working with too. Prayers for all would be awesome. The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to be here in Vencedores. It is a beautiful place and the people are super nice. 

Futbol

The picture that is attached with all of us wearing the futbol jerseys is awesome I know. But we have them because my companion bought them for all of us. I am still unsure how we convinced him or why he bought them but shoutout to him for my first of many  futbol jerseys!

Elder Shanklin with his new futbol jersey!

Great memories

Ya for now that is all that I have. Sorry that it isn't a lot but this week hasn't been anything special. It was awesome getting to work with some of the leaders of the mission as well as with other missionaries.  Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and a safe black friday!

Elder Shanklin giving Santa his Christmas list.

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin

A New Companion & Death By Food-Machala Week Sixteen

I am just gonna jump right in

Fight Club-Bus Style

So this week while we were waiting for a bus 2 guys starting yelling at each other. Not gonna lie I was quite entrigued by what was going on even though I was only catching bits and pieces of what was being said. However, when they got on the bus they started swinging. As the responsible people that we are we tried to get the closest we could to the action without gettting involved. We decided that it would be a good idea just to wait for the next bus. 

Pizza

So this last week was my companions last week in the mission. To celebrate this we decided as missionaries and missionaries of the ward we are going to make pizza. My companion who studied culinary before the mission took control of the reigns and practically did everything. This pizza was delicious and I learned how to make pizza another way then I thought. Much better than 22 dollar pizza. I had like 4 pieces and it didnt cost me a cent. 

Death by Food

Not gonna lie, this week was pretty great when it came to food. Since it was my companions last week, everyone and their dog wanted to feed us. I think one day we had like 5 meals. Sometimes that is more meals than I eat in 2 days. Every member that we visitied offered us food. I can say that I was full most of the week. Fish, Rice, and even one family feed us hamburgers. The members here in Vencedores are amazing when it comes to this!

New Companion

So I am a murderer. When someone goes home in the mission they die and there companion murders them. So yeah I am a murderer. Sunday night we recieved a call that we had to be at the Bus terminal at 330 in the morning so that my companion could catch his bus. He was up to 1230 packing and then eventually we got about one or 2 hours of sleep. We awoke at 230 to get to the terminal. There at the terminal I said good bye to Elder Quispe and then I recieved my new companion. At 4 in the morning there isnt really that much to take about, but yea he is awesome! His name is Elder Martinez and he is from El Salvador. He has been in the mission for about 20 months. I have been blessed to have 2 experienced latino missionaries that help me learn the language and also the gospel! 

Thanks for all the support and prayers this week. Please pray for the Familia Cruz, Scarlett and Shirley. Running low on time so I apologize it things seem scattered!!

Life is a Sport, Make it count

Elder Shanklin