11 Months...

Hola mi querida familia!

So, another week has already passed...and once again, time is going faster than I can believe. Tomorrow is my 11-month mark in the mission! I can't believe it...and today is the 22-month mark for Elder Estrada! It's a big week for both of us haha.

First, thanks for the PACKAGE I got this week mom and dad :) Church News, cheez-its, sour candy, peanut butter, letters, deodorant, and propel powder. I love opening up packages and seeing all of the stuff you guys stuff in those boxes or envelopes lol.

This week I ate squid. It was rolled in cracker crumbs and fried...so naturally, I liked it. Who wouldn't like something rolled in cracker crumbs and fried lol.

Everything here in Ecuador right now is all about the World Cup. I heard that the US is in it...are you guys watching? Also, Shakira has a song that is for the world cup and that song is almost constantly playing in peoples' houses and in the streets and in the buses and everything lol. Is it popular up there too? I think it's called Waka Waka or something like that. The only part I've been able to understand is when she says This time for Africa..it sounds like a cool song...for someone that's not a missionary, of course! haha

Have you guys seen the video from the Church called On the Way Home? I don't remember ever having seen it before the mission...but it is SO great! I think it's one of my new favorites now. It's great for part-member families too because the whole family gets baptized and their lives change. It always makes me smile to see that video :) I recommend that you watch it.

I did a baptism interview this week..and I had to tell candidate that she couldn't get baptized still. (Long story short, she had an abortion when she was 14 and Pres. Gamboa said she had to wait a while longer and keep coming to church to show a true repentance). I felt bad for her cause she looked so sad. But the great part is that we really can repent and be forgiven of all of our sins, thanks to our Savior Jesus Christ and his Atonement! I am so thankful for that...and that is what I tried to help her understand :) I'm sure she'll get baptized soon.

This week we helped 2 of the Sister Missionaries in our district with some service. I'll send pics next week cause right now I'm out of time, but we cleaned up a whole bunch of weeds around somebody's house...with machetes :) So that was fun...and I'm no good at using a machete lol.

Our ward did a 'Talent show' this week. There were a total of 2 'talents.' One guy sang a song about how he would do everything for his kids. And Elder Estrada and I did 'The morning routine of a mini-missionary.' lol It was like what Cameron, Kevin, Thomas, and I did in like 6th grade with the person in front with shoes on the hands, and the person standing behind is the hands of the person. I was behind and got to squirt shaving cream all over my comp's face and funny stuff like that. It was mostly just to make the members laugh a bit. During 'personal study' he was studying the scriptures and then we turned the scriptures around for the audience to see and there were pics of his 'girlfriends' taped in his scriptures (that we cut out from Liahonas hahaha). It was pretty fun and funny.

Well, that's all for this week.
I love you all SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much!!!! I hope your week goes great. Thanks for everything you all do for me :)

Love you!!!!!Love, Elder Beck