2/29/16
Well this week went pretty great. Elder Brown is turning out to be a diligent missionary. I believe we only need to smooth out the unity in teaching and that will be the most important. The sector is doing great and we had immense success in church getting 12 investigators to go church which is the most I have ever had. The family that is progressing really well looks like the fecha (date) of baptism for them will be the 12th of March. I think the only weird thing about this week is the leap year day that we have today, the 29th of February. I enjoyed my birthday we did a little celebration as a zone of it so I am now 19 which feels so weird sometimes.
As for playing the piano we don't always have time and I don't play it too much as usually another missionary sits down to play.
Well in our last zone meeting I got a Spanish check as I was speaking with some latinos (a little younger then I am) and a gringo and he just could not understand and the latinos said just speak to him in English. I guess I have improved a lot as I can remember when I was like that not understanding anything. Now I am close to 9 months in the mission.
My toe is staying constant and I believe we need a follow up cita because it hasn't completely healed yet. Still I keep walking in rain (which we get a lot of) or sun.
I have enjoyed myself here a lot and it just goes fast with the time sometimes. I got reminded today that 3 months (time I have left til 1 year) is nothing and that made me feel weird as well.
Well love you all and hope you all do well.
Elder Throop
Monday, February 29, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Tranfers/New Comp, Toe Healing, Some Rejections
2/22/16
Well with transfers I stayed in the same sector which was really cool. I got a guy named Elder Brown who is from Utah and he has the same time Elder Paul had (19 months) which is cool. The weather is hanging out around the same right now. Today was interesting as I hung out with some other Elders waiting for him to come from Quito. By the looks of things I might be here one change more then I probably will go. This next change will be 5 weeks which should be cool. The food is doing the same we get great food now. My toe is healing up but it will take a little while I think. So that is what happened with the changes.
With Elder Holland check the mission Facebook page, it is Ecuador Quito Mission and you will find the photos there. They have been posted if you want photos.
I hope the conference goes great. With this last week we had to make up for the Elder Holland conference. It was harder working just a little rejection but it went well. On Sunday we took lots of photos which I will send. But yeah I do have a new companion so that should be fun.
Elder Throop
Here's some pictures of some families in our area. The Ward Mission Leader had some families hold the sign and take pictures with the missionaries to help the members be more excited about working with the missionaries
Well with transfers I stayed in the same sector which was really cool. I got a guy named Elder Brown who is from Utah and he has the same time Elder Paul had (19 months) which is cool. The weather is hanging out around the same right now. Today was interesting as I hung out with some other Elders waiting for him to come from Quito. By the looks of things I might be here one change more then I probably will go. This next change will be 5 weeks which should be cool. The food is doing the same we get great food now. My toe is healing up but it will take a little while I think. So that is what happened with the changes.
With Elder Holland check the mission Facebook page, it is Ecuador Quito Mission and you will find the photos there. They have been posted if you want photos.
I hope the conference goes great. With this last week we had to make up for the Elder Holland conference. It was harder working just a little rejection but it went well. On Sunday we took lots of photos which I will send. But yeah I do have a new companion so that should be fun.
Elder Throop
Here's some pictures of some families in our area. The Ward Mission Leader had some families hold the sign and take pictures with the missionaries to help the members be more excited about working with the missionaries
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| The Family Cagua |
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| The Yamaske Family (less Actives) |
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| The Jumbo Family (they really like them a lot, but I can't tell from their expressions) |
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| Hermano Tuitin, an investigator |
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| Israel |
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| The Gonzalez Family |
Monday, February 15, 2016
Family Still Struggling, Remembering our Purpose, Rebuke from Elder Holland, Called Out For Being Tall
2/15/16
Wow dang that is a big surprise to hear about the new bishop Baker. I did not think that would happen but that is cool. My birthday is on the 26th so just after changes. I don't know exactly what we will do but I hope I can get something nice for my birthday. As for that family they haven't gone to church recently and they still need to get the interview done. We believe it will be on the 27th if they go to church. Last Sunday (yesterday) they didn't go as the family that normally takes them wasn't there. Oh well. The most important thing will be to serve and help.
My toe is doing well and I am staying healthy. I believe there will be photos next week as this Sunday is when we get changes and I should get a new companion. We have no idea about what will happen with changes but this week we have divisions with the zone leaders planned so I might hear more but of course this Sunday we get the changes.
We were reading recently in Preach My Gospel about our purpose and Elder Holland also reminded us about what our purpose is. He said it doesn't matter if you baptize one convert. To your mission president it does but to God it really doesn't.
Well with the interviews it was all in English except when I prayed in Spanish which I found surprising. I guess I forgot to mention that part.
So as for the conference I am not sure if they have the photos yet. During the conference we were specifically told don't take photos. I am hoping there are photos and I promise to check. As for what we learned. A bit of the conference was a rebuke. Elder Holland spent some time yelling at us in English (his Spanish wasn't the best he had a translator to help.) A big portion was reminding us that we are representatives of the Lord and we have no right to demean our calling. Another big portion was him mentioning we can lose the sheep but we can't lose the shepherd. He also explained (in his own words I promise) that he sometimes goes so crazy because he understands the importance of our calling. He did literally strangle an Elder to start the conference. No one got sent home but he wasn't exactly happy all the time either. He loves us but wants us to step up. I believe the conference will leave a lasting impression on the mission.
Well I was called out to do an example for Elder Montoya of the 70. The example required two missionaries. He asked who was the tallest and I looked over to the tallest missionary in the mission (who is not me) and then I saw the finger of President Christensen. Pointed at me and saying Elder Throop. You can imagine that I was a little scared as I had to walk from my seat to the front with 180 something odd missionaries two seventies and Elder Holland all staring at me. I chose not to tell my Mission President that I wasn't the tallest. Elder Montoya then called for the shortest missionary in the mission, who was a Latino, to come forward. To show the extreme of difference in our heights, his head came to my hip. Quite the difference. He then asked us to do a specific example where the other 70 tied our legs together with a tie and then asked us to walk down the aisle of missionaries without touching each other and without falling. We walked. Then he told us to stop turn around then changed the instructions. He said put your arm on the shoulder of the other Elder. We walked back and it was easier. The point of the example was to show missionary work (represented by myself) trying to work with ward leader (the short guy) He said often missionaries are bigger and more powerful but asked what we noticed. We both had to answer. Still the point was to show that we had to work with the rhythm of ward leaders to get a better unity as it was hard when we were separate walking awkwardly. I mean I got to shake Elder Holland's hand but then I got a lot more attention being put in the front. I was a lot more comfortable in the back in my seat learning. After that I didn't answer any questions mainly because I had enough fun for that one day and it was pretty interesting being able to look Elder Holland dead in the eyes literally five feet away and being in front of so many people giving an example. So yes I did get called to do something and it was scary but I still did well and afterwards I didn't have to do anything else but listen. Yeah I paid close attention to Elder Holland and all of them but I did have to stand in front to be used as an example for a seventy.
That is what I will share for now. Next week I plan to bring my notes and I don't believe there are photos available yet.
Love you all and look forward to writing next week.
Elder Throop
Wow dang that is a big surprise to hear about the new bishop Baker. I did not think that would happen but that is cool. My birthday is on the 26th so just after changes. I don't know exactly what we will do but I hope I can get something nice for my birthday. As for that family they haven't gone to church recently and they still need to get the interview done. We believe it will be on the 27th if they go to church. Last Sunday (yesterday) they didn't go as the family that normally takes them wasn't there. Oh well. The most important thing will be to serve and help.
My toe is doing well and I am staying healthy. I believe there will be photos next week as this Sunday is when we get changes and I should get a new companion. We have no idea about what will happen with changes but this week we have divisions with the zone leaders planned so I might hear more but of course this Sunday we get the changes.
We were reading recently in Preach My Gospel about our purpose and Elder Holland also reminded us about what our purpose is. He said it doesn't matter if you baptize one convert. To your mission president it does but to God it really doesn't.
Well with the interviews it was all in English except when I prayed in Spanish which I found surprising. I guess I forgot to mention that part.
So as for the conference I am not sure if they have the photos yet. During the conference we were specifically told don't take photos. I am hoping there are photos and I promise to check. As for what we learned. A bit of the conference was a rebuke. Elder Holland spent some time yelling at us in English (his Spanish wasn't the best he had a translator to help.) A big portion was reminding us that we are representatives of the Lord and we have no right to demean our calling. Another big portion was him mentioning we can lose the sheep but we can't lose the shepherd. He also explained (in his own words I promise) that he sometimes goes so crazy because he understands the importance of our calling. He did literally strangle an Elder to start the conference. No one got sent home but he wasn't exactly happy all the time either. He loves us but wants us to step up. I believe the conference will leave a lasting impression on the mission.
Well I was called out to do an example for Elder Montoya of the 70. The example required two missionaries. He asked who was the tallest and I looked over to the tallest missionary in the mission (who is not me) and then I saw the finger of President Christensen. Pointed at me and saying Elder Throop. You can imagine that I was a little scared as I had to walk from my seat to the front with 180 something odd missionaries two seventies and Elder Holland all staring at me. I chose not to tell my Mission President that I wasn't the tallest. Elder Montoya then called for the shortest missionary in the mission, who was a Latino, to come forward. To show the extreme of difference in our heights, his head came to my hip. Quite the difference. He then asked us to do a specific example where the other 70 tied our legs together with a tie and then asked us to walk down the aisle of missionaries without touching each other and without falling. We walked. Then he told us to stop turn around then changed the instructions. He said put your arm on the shoulder of the other Elder. We walked back and it was easier. The point of the example was to show missionary work (represented by myself) trying to work with ward leader (the short guy) He said often missionaries are bigger and more powerful but asked what we noticed. We both had to answer. Still the point was to show that we had to work with the rhythm of ward leaders to get a better unity as it was hard when we were separate walking awkwardly. I mean I got to shake Elder Holland's hand but then I got a lot more attention being put in the front. I was a lot more comfortable in the back in my seat learning. After that I didn't answer any questions mainly because I had enough fun for that one day and it was pretty interesting being able to look Elder Holland dead in the eyes literally five feet away and being in front of so many people giving an example. So yes I did get called to do something and it was scary but I still did well and afterwards I didn't have to do anything else but listen. Yeah I paid close attention to Elder Holland and all of them but I did have to stand in front to be used as an example for a seventy.
That is what I will share for now. Next week I plan to bring my notes and I don't believe there are photos available yet.
Love you all and look forward to writing next week.
Elder Throop
Monday, February 8, 2016
Interviews and Stake Conference, Carnival, Shower Sandals taken
2/8/16
Well as to this week a few of our days were harder to work due to interviews and stake conference here. We recently had our interviews with President Christensen this last Friday which lasted from like 200 til 530. Mine went great and he really wanted to hear about the goals I had and any concerns I had. I asked him about what would happen with Elder Holland if he knew anything but he doesn't really. All we know is on Saturday we get a conference with Elder Holland which I am looking forward to.
This last Saturday was stake conference so we were in the stake center from 300 to 830 which utterly destroyed our Saturday unfortunately. Sunday was the normal session of stake conference. By the looks of things we are postponing the baptism til the 20th as the people didn't go to church and instead went to the river. So we get more time to prep up their baptism and that makes our week less stressful.
Today nothing too fun happened right now although people around the country are going through what is called carnival which is a big water fight they have here. They have a thing called karaoke which is a foam they spray at people and the whole goal is to get people wet. Due to this celebration we can't do too much work as we can only go to appointments that are secure today and tomorrow. That makes it harder to work as it is really hard to get an appointment that is secure. Then on Friday we go to Quito and all of Saturday will be gone. Fun week.
We have done well working and we are striving to continue to work even through the rain and everything going on. There really is no end to the work.
With the shower sandals I have to use a different set as I somehow lost my other set. When I had my other set they worked great (the blue ones) but I believe when we went to the Christmas dinner in the bus someone possibly took them. It wasn't fun.
I am glad Ben is doing well and I hope you all do well. Look forward to telling you about Elder Holland next week.
Love Elder Throop
Well as to this week a few of our days were harder to work due to interviews and stake conference here. We recently had our interviews with President Christensen this last Friday which lasted from like 200 til 530. Mine went great and he really wanted to hear about the goals I had and any concerns I had. I asked him about what would happen with Elder Holland if he knew anything but he doesn't really. All we know is on Saturday we get a conference with Elder Holland which I am looking forward to.
This last Saturday was stake conference so we were in the stake center from 300 to 830 which utterly destroyed our Saturday unfortunately. Sunday was the normal session of stake conference. By the looks of things we are postponing the baptism til the 20th as the people didn't go to church and instead went to the river. So we get more time to prep up their baptism and that makes our week less stressful.
Today nothing too fun happened right now although people around the country are going through what is called carnival which is a big water fight they have here. They have a thing called karaoke which is a foam they spray at people and the whole goal is to get people wet. Due to this celebration we can't do too much work as we can only go to appointments that are secure today and tomorrow. That makes it harder to work as it is really hard to get an appointment that is secure. Then on Friday we go to Quito and all of Saturday will be gone. Fun week.
We have done well working and we are striving to continue to work even through the rain and everything going on. There really is no end to the work.
With the shower sandals I have to use a different set as I somehow lost my other set. When I had my other set they worked great (the blue ones) but I believe when we went to the Christmas dinner in the bus someone possibly took them. It wasn't fun.
I am glad Ben is doing well and I hope you all do well. Look forward to telling you about Elder Holland next week.
Love Elder Throop
Monday, February 1, 2016
More People At Church, Baptism soon?, Rescuing members, Improving Attributes of Christ
1/25/2016
Well last week was pretty great. The best news is that we got several people in church which was awesome as we have had weeks beforehand with no one in church. Today was pretty interesting as it rained like crazy. We had an activity planned beforehand but it got postponed to the next week due to the rain which was unfortunate. So we actually got to do all of our studying and now we get to write. We basically did nothing except have lunch and buy some food.
We believe that we should have a baptism the 30th. The better news is that we rescued a less active so we have been doing well. Our sector definitely has improved.
This time I will send some photos for you guys. We are working hard and also we are looking forward towards interviews which happen the 6th of February which is really cool.
So last Wednesday was a capacitacion about baptizing converts and teaching repentance. It was something we saw in Preach My Gospel and had been trying to do but we got more knowledge about those things. Now we hope to improve our attributes of Christ. The hope is that we can keep improving. So how was your week? Anything big happen last week?
I hope you guys are well and I will send those photos soon.
Love
Elder Throop
Well last week was pretty great. The best news is that we got several people in church which was awesome as we have had weeks beforehand with no one in church. Today was pretty interesting as it rained like crazy. We had an activity planned beforehand but it got postponed to the next week due to the rain which was unfortunate. So we actually got to do all of our studying and now we get to write. We basically did nothing except have lunch and buy some food.
We believe that we should have a baptism the 30th. The better news is that we rescued a less active so we have been doing well. Our sector definitely has improved.
This time I will send some photos for you guys. We are working hard and also we are looking forward towards interviews which happen the 6th of February which is really cool.
So last Wednesday was a capacitacion about baptizing converts and teaching repentance. It was something we saw in Preach My Gospel and had been trying to do but we got more knowledge about those things. Now we hope to improve our attributes of Christ. The hope is that we can keep improving. So how was your week? Anything big happen last week?
I hope you guys are well and I will send those photos soon.
Love
Elder Throop
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| Study Desk with Supplies |
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| View from outside new apartment |
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| View from outside new apartment |
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| View from outside new apartment |
Improvements in Sector, Special Conference, Toes again
2/1/16
With our sector we have had improvement these last weeks. Yesterday in church four people went and three of them had baptismal dates. And it is confirmed that the baptisms will be for the 11th as they are ready and should be converted just like their brother. With their mother we can't count on her as she hasn't gone to church for 4 years and the father has work issues. But they support their children immensely. We have seen many miracles helping people and have helped out a family of less actives immensely. Really that family is less active on paper only but in heart they are active. They are sealed and everything, true converts to God. Well there is one other family with potential as the mother absolutely loves church now. Her kids take a little more work. There are also some references that should progress extremely well.
I have exciting news for you guys. Next week on the 13th we get the honor of getting a conference with someone special. It is for all the mission and it was a surprise announcement. Elder Holland is who is coming and he will be talking to all of us. With interviews this week and the conference next week there is no end to the fun in the mission.
Next week I believe I also have to get my toes cut on one foot as there is some infection unfortunately. That is the only unfun thing that I have going on. I am doing well with my companion so it is going great.
With the photos you will have to wait to next week for more of me and my companion but I will do so. As for my shoes it normally gets soaked only with hard rain. One shoe needs a little repair on the bottom but I have a plan to help fix those ups. To dry them you take out the soles and after a day they dry. Here the weather alternates between rain and lots of sun which is kind of fun.
Love,
Elder Throop
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