City of Baptisms-Cuenca Week Thirty Five

Another week here in the beautiful city of Cuenca. 

Rain

First let me start of this letter with saying that is rains a lot right now during this time of the year. It is either pouring rain or super humid. One of the two. The bad part is normally i dont carry around my rain coat because when we leave in the morning it is clear but at like 3 it always rains. You would think that i would have learned by now but I still dont. However i did learn my lesson because practically this whole week i had a cold and am just now getting over it. 

BAPTI$M

This week we had a baptism and let me tell you this man is golden. He has been waiting for a long time for this opportunity and let me say I am privledged to be one of the missionaries that got to baptize him. His testimony was especially cool. He said that although he lost something important to him, he said that he saw the lords hand guiding him so that he could be a part of something a lot better. He told us that he lost something but gained something even better. What more could you ask from an investigador.

Elder Shanklin, Elder Hunt, Ward Mission Leader, and their investigator and son.

Preparing for the baptism

Elder Shanklin, Ward Mission Leader, Elder Hunt

Worlds Best Baptizer

The sisters from our ward had a baptism and there 18 year old investigador asked me to baptize her. I accepted and so it was done. After the baptism tho i was told that i baptized extremely hard but effectively. Not gonna lie I  didn't even mean or try to do that. The investigador thought  it was super funny and we had a good joke about it after. Ever since then in the ward I have been getting the rep as the best baptizer ever. Not really but that would be sweet.

Worlds Best Baptizer right before the baptism!

This week was filled with small blessings, new opportunities, and sweet views of cuenca. Hopefully things play out with a couple of our investigadors so that they can get baptized and everything goes well with them. Thanks for all the support. Also, your welcome for the baptism pictures. We thought we would go with the matching ties again. We even gave one to the mission leader so he wasnt left out. Until next week

Enjoying a family favorite

Even in Ecuador

Elder Shanklin and Elder Hunt

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin

When One Door Closes Another Opens-Cuenca Week Thirty Four

Happy St Patricks Day, at  least I think it was because I got a package celebrating that holiday. Hope everyone found a pot of gold, because it seems like we did. 

Elder Hunt and Elder Shanklin

A little confused whether it is Valentines Day or St. Patricks Day

St. Patricks Day Ecuadorian Style

Golden

For the last couple of months we have been working with an investigator named Fabian Sacta. We have been teaching him for the last couple months but has been attending church for almost 8 months. The problem was that he was living with him wife and they werent married so there wasnt much we could do to help them progress. They had been having some problems and werent very happy in their marriage. This week when we went and visited him he informed us that he had serperated from his wife and was ready to be baptized. We talked with him for a couple of minutes to help him out and he will be getting baptized this saturday. This guy will be like a stake president one day. You think I am lying but this dude ask questions straight from the heart really wanting to learn and apply what he is being taught. He reads and prays everyday with his son. I honestly have been hoping for the chance to be here when he gets baptized and if i dont get changed it looks like I will have the chance. 

Starting Over

With Paola we have basically started over. She told us that when he step father died she took that as her answer and now she isnt sure of anything. We basically started from scratch again. Hopefully things will work out because she is always receptive but we will keep relying on the lord to help us in all of our efforts and needs. She has 2 sister that are great examples to here, and have such powerful testimonies. Hopefully with those examples and everything the lord will bless her, and open her heart. The door is not closed, so we are working extra hard to open it a little bit more. 

Honestly we have just been working this week. No big or exciting stories to share other than the ones I already shared. We are going to keep working hard and being obedient. Thanks for all the love and support. Hope everyone has a super good week. This week I complete 8 months not that anyone is counting or anything. 

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin

Hills Of Cuenca-Cuenca Week Thirty Three

This week had its ups and downs just like the hills, or mountains, that surround Cuenca. I will start  with the downs so we can end the letter on the ups.

Elder Shanklin and his darling new friend

Elder Shanklin and  a  furry friend

Downs 

This week, as many people know, we were supposed to have a baptism. Well as I have previously stated that nothing can ever go smoothly for baptisms, and my point is still proved up to now. On Tuesday we recieved a call from our zone leaders that they had gone to Paolas house and when they got there they found out that the step father had passed away randomly that morning. It came to all of us as a suprise because we had talked to him the day before and from what we understand he was healthy and didnt have any problems. Lets just say that took our world for a wild turn. We were lost in what we should do and say so we turned to the lord. We decided to call the sisters from our ward to ask for help. They came and we went and visited her. She was very lost, and needed a lot of help. She told us that she has a lot of questions, and doubts, and is angry with god so she doesnt want to be baptized until things play out a little bit. She still wants us to come by but she told us right now she will be spending a lot of time with her mom, because she is going threw a lot of problems. Hopefully in the coming weeks there is good news.

That really is the only down but it is super sad.

Ups

This week President and the assistants came to Cuenca to give us a speech, or help. We watched a little bit of Meet The Mormons which was super awesome. I learned alot about how we can better ourselves as missionaries and as people. We gathered as the 2 zones from Cuenca and another zone from just outside.  We didn't eat guinea pig or anything like that but they did bring us some food to eat which was pretty good.

Elders at Zone Meeting

Zone Meeting Pictures

Zone Meeting Pictures

Biggest up of this week is the news I got about one of my good friends, Alec. Probably making the best decision of his life this saturday and it stinks that I wont be there but I support him 100%. Honestly wish I could be there to support, but I am doing the same thing here in Ecuador. Gonna change this kids life forever.

Got some good news from one of our investigadors that maybe in a couple weeks, he could be ready to be baptized.

Here in the mission good things and bads things always happen. Someone told me this week that the mission is like kung fu. You have to use the force from the bad and use its own force to combat it and make it good. That would be a quote from my zone leader. Not sure if you understand, but it is alright.  Thanks for all the support and prayers. Hope everyone has a good week.

Life is a sport, make it a count

Elder Shanklin

Guinea Pig Ecuador Style-Cuenca Week Thirty Two

Chef Shanklin

 If anyone has looked up Cuenca you could probably have seen that one of the most popular foods here in Cuenca is Guinea Pig. Everyone always tell us how good it is and tells us that they will invite us one day. However, we know that day will never happen. Until, one member said "elders, Saturday we are cooking guinea pig. You guys should come and see what it is like." Believe me. We were more than thrilled to be go. Whenever we showed up we were informed that the rule of the house is in order to eat you have to kill. As the guests of the house it was our responsibility to kill the animals. Remember I have never been hunting or anything so I just laughed and told him that he was crazy. He was joking when he told me I had to kill it. Lets just say after some time we learned how to cook guinea pig and I will teach you right now

Step 1- Take the live Guinea Pigs out of the bag and take pictures with them while they are still alive. 

Step 2- Say a quick prayer and silently tell the animal you are sorry for what is about to happen.

Step 3- Place the nose of the guinea pig on the ground and both hands on the back of its head.

Step 4- Push on the back of the head as hard as you can until you hear and fell the skull break and the animal squeal. Then continue pushing.

Step 5- Grab the guinea pig by the neck and back legs and pull until you hear the spine crack and neck break. At this point the animal is dead. 

Step 6- Rip out an eyeball and hang the pig upside down as the blood runs out of its eye. 

Step 7- Dip it in hot water and deskin it. At this point it looks like a rat

Step 8- Cut it open and remove intestines

Step 9 Put it on a stick and roast it over a fire.

Step 10-Rotate it carefully until it is fully cook.

Step 11- Serve.

Step 12-Take pictures during the whole process. I will be blessing you all with those pictures. 

Probably one of the strangest things I have done, and I probably will never do it again. This day goes down as the day Elder Shanklin became a cold blooded killer. Tried to leave out the gruesome details but I apologize if anyone thinks wrong of this. Remember I am in Ecuador and things are different here. (Mom if you think it is bad you can remove some things or change it up a little bit.)

Coming Soon: Baptism

We will be having another baptism this week. Paola is going to be getting baptized and it should be awesome. She is golden. Loves everything about the gospel and it always wanted to learn more. The next letter should be good then. I dont know if I can promise matching ties again, or anything extraordinary but I will try my best. 

Womens Day

Yesterday in Ecuador it was Day of the women. So Happy Day of Women to all you women out there. Hope you had a great day. Even though I am pretty sure that that day doesnt even exist there in the US. 

Thanks for all the prayers and support. It is always appreciated. 

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin

The Atonement Of Jesus Christ Is Real-Cuenca Week Thirty One

First off Happy Birthday to my little brother who turns 9. Nothing  extraordinary happened this week so sorry if I bore anyone with this letter...

Baptism

This two past weeks has been pretty great because we have had baptisms the past 2 saturday. This saturday Andrea got baptized and it was super awesome, including matching outfits with our ward mission leader. As much as we want to say that we planned it, we didn't. That just made the baptism even better. Honestly here in Cuenca are the only times that a baptism has gone smoothly. The funny part was, if you think it is funny, is that more people from the other ward showed up than people from our ward. It is because her sister goes to the other ward and so all of her friends came to the baptism. Andrea has been through a lot in her life and is a testimony to me that the atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and that it really does change the lives of people. The changes I have seen in people is incredible. The sister of Andrea always was there in the baptism and she is getting baptized the 14th. 

Elder Shanklin, Andrea, Elder Hunt

Elder Shanklin, Andrea, Elder Hunt, Brother unknown, Ward Mission Leader

Elder Shanklin, Ward Mission Leader, Elder Hunt
In their matching ties

Missionary for a Day

So the stake here in Cuenca they did a activity called "Missionary for a day". Basically all the kids that are missionary age or like 16-17 went out and spent the day as a missionary. I was with some kid named Israel. Pretty chill dude, and super funny. He has already put in his mission papers, or else I think he wouldnt have gone. Just kidding. We had a good time. We got a lot of work done and had a chill time as well. Lets just say he was exhausted by the time the day ended, and was ready to sleep, and eat. It was a good learning experience for me and him as well. At least I hope so. 

Elder Shanklin

What a beautiful world we live in!

That is a nice view

Visits from the Assistants

So we recieved a suprise visit from the assistants on friday. By suprise I mean they just showed up at my house. I have always said any opportunity I have to recieve guidance or help from leaders I am willing to except it. We talked about obedience, dilligence, and working hard with the members. They then gave us a promise that if our numbers in march go up to a certain number that he will come personally to cuenca and do something sweet with the zone. More to come on that.

Like I said this week nothing extraordinary happened, just a baptism. I promise I will try to have  something more awesome happen this week but for know just enjoys some pictures. 

Thanks for everything

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin

Nothin Beats Baptisms-Cuenca Week Thirty

Not gonna lie this week was a great week for the us here in Cuenca. We are seeing the fruits of our hard week every week.

Carnaval Days

While everyone in Cuenca, or like Ecuador was out in the street having parties we where in our house. On Monday and Tuesday we were told that we had to be in our houses all day as a safety precaution. So basically we watched church videos and slept the rest of the day. Quite boring but it was nice to get a quick rest in. However it was a little difficult to get back in the swing of things after those two days but it was good. 

Visits from the Assistants

We really don't ever know when the assistants are coming or what they are even going to do. We got a call like Thursday telling us the assistants were here and wanted to do a quick interchange with us to visit some of our investigadors. We went the 4 of us to a couple and then they bounced. Altogether it lasted like maybe 1 hour but I did learn a lot. Anytime I have the opportunity to learn something from the leaders of the mission I take the opportunity. Always good to get a visit from them.

Elder Shanklin and Elder Thomas (his MTC companion and Elder Calanche

Baptismsss

Nothing beats a baptism in the mission. Literally makes everything that we do worth it. On saturday night Robert, who is 20, got baptized and asked that I baptize him. He wants to serve a mission and that was one of the main reasons he wanted to get baptized. He wants to go to the USA to serve so we had been helping him out with his english. We even gave him some books in english to help him out with his studies. Also when we got to the church we found out the church has a heating system to make the water hot. We had no idea about that so the water was freezing. It would have been alright with me and Robert but also a member of the ward asked me to baptize her daughter that same night. She was like spazzing out in the water because how cold it was. I felt actually kinda bad for that. Something really awesome that happened was after the baptism Robert was so excited that he went up to the bishop to ask for a calling. That might be the first and last time that that happens in the mission.  If everything continues the way it is we should be having another baptism this saturday. Her name is andrea and she literally is so awesome. She has been threw so much in her life. Things that dont happen to just everybody. She wants to change her life around and get it in order. Her sister is also going to church with her and should be getting baptized in march. 

Elder Hunt, Robert and Elder Shanklin

Elder Shanklin and his sweet little baptism

Elder Shanklin and his little baptisms family.

It has been awesome to see the blessings that the lord has poured out. Everyday it is something new. Thanks for the continued support and prayers!

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin

Carnival and A Ten Foot Belly Flop- Cuenca Week Twenty Nine

So Im just gonna jump right it...

Carnival

This week started  carnival. Not officially because it doesn't start until today,but it began like last Wednesday. I know you all probably think that Cuenca turns into sin city and that we are all hiding in closets during this time. Practically carnival here is people just throw water and silly string. It isn't even that fun, because people literally throw like 5 year old girls. Well some people are pretty good- the ones that hit us. Most of the time we can just walk through the streets without danger but occasionally people drive by in trucks and everyone in the back has water guns or water balloons. Then we run. For safety reasons we are in the house today and tomorrow. So basically we will be really bored for the next couple days. Lots of eating and sleeping.

Fall of a lifetime

Before I share this story. Everyone know that I am alive and fine. Nothing came of this. On Saturday we were climbing a mountain to get to the top to visit one of our investigadors. As we approached the house we saw like 20 kids in the street playing with water. The first time that they came after us we just ran back down the hill. The second time I ran up and my companion ran down. First mistake. All the kids followed me. I ran into a lot of grass like 5 feet high and they still followed me. So I ran. By the way they are chasing me with water. I am hauling. I think if Nick Saban was there he would have recruited me for my 40 time. However, the little kids out smarted me and I was then running and saw I cliff. I looked back at them and they continued to chase. The drop was a good 8-10 feet. I felt like superman so i decided I would jump.The rock in front of my right foot had other ideas and lets just saw I feel. As I am falling I swear I can hear my companion go "oh crap"and a chorus of angel singing " I believe I can fly." Lets just say I belly flopped a good ten foot fall. Then I bounced right back up and continued running. Not until I stopped running did I see the damage. My hands were pretty banged up as well as my shirt. I am grateful that was it. It could have been like 10 times worse. The first thing I said after was, "Dude I have to take a picture, my mom and dad will love this." So there are pictures attached. And the kids still managed to get me wet. I learned it is just better to get wet from the balloons.

The result of the fall

He looks pretty happy for the fall he took!

Investigadors

Things are going great. Our two awesome investigadors were in the church Sunday and one is getting baptized this week and the other the next week. Things are really looking up here as we start putting our trust in the lord and working as he wants. Time is short so we have to go all in during our time.

Thanks for all the support and prayers.

Life is a sport, make it count

Elder Shanklin