Here is the mission home address if it is hard for you to read the white lettering above:

Elder Jonathan Reid Hales

Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission

Casilla de Correo 16160

Guayaquil, Ecuador 

jonathan.hales@myldsmail.net

My Dear Family,

This week has been very fast! Probably because there were so many different things happening. 

We went back to Quevedo (about 5 hours in a bus both ways,) and had a follow up conference about what Elder Uceda taught us. One of the things that President Riggins is going to put into place is that once a year there is going to be a zone conference entirely in English. He is very determined to help the Latinos learn English while they are on their missions!  But he had a lot of good points especially about reading the scriptures. He drew a 4x4 grid on the white board and asked how many squares there are. We all told him there were 16, but he then pointed out to us that there were many more squares hidden in the picture, just waiting for us to read more carefully and read to find more than we can see on a first glance. (There are 30 if you want to try and count them all. haha ) 

The most important thing that we talked about is that we are changing the vision of the mission completely. Now we`re working a lot more with less active members. (And there are a ton!)  I think our ward conference yesterday really helped the branch to feel their sense of duty in retention and reactivation. Everyone is really excited to work together.

One thing that was very interesting for me this week was that the other branch asked me to lead the ward choir because their director was going to be out of town for branch conference. We had three practices for an hour each, and I never thought I would be so proud of a chior that managed to sing on pitch. They worked so hard, and it was really humbling to see how much the people were willing to work to share their testimonies through music. 

I think they`ll keep me in Vinces for 6 more weeks, because most of the transfers have already happened, but we could get a change as late as Tuesday morning. I think it`ll be nice to pass Christmas here with the members and missionaries that we know. Dad, our ward mission leader has a nice laptop with a camara so I think we`ll be good to skype. It might be a day other than Christmas though to make things easier for Elder Lizana`s family.

I love you guys so much and I`m glad things are going well for you. And Dad, I`m happy that Jacob is keeping you up to date with newest slang words. I wonder what crazy things he`ll be saying when I get back. 

Mom, I'm happy things went well playing for the stake choir. I`ve never been so appreciative of the chance I have to share my testimony with music, and I`m glad you get to do the same. =) 

Lots of Love,

Elder Hales.

Jonathan's birthday is December 26th if you want to send him a card.  The address listed on his blog is the mission home address along with his email address if that is easier.  You can also send him a letter using the pouch system at:
Elder Jonathan Reid Hales

Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission

POB 30150

Salt Lake City, Ut 84130-0150

The pouch only requires a US postage stamp but it can only be an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of paper folded over in 3rds with his address written on the front. Thanks for your love and support for him.

My Dear Family,

I`m so happy to hear that everything is 20 at home, (an Ecuadorian phrase =) ) And I hope the Christmas stress is coming to an end for you all now that concerts/chocolates/Messiah/Christmas letters are coming to an end. 

it`s very easy to forget that it`s the Christmas season here, because the only things I`ve seen are small trees in a few houses and a couple of lights at night, But the 25 Days of Christ have helped a lot! I was so happy with all the things in my package, and it really meant a lot to me. (But don`t worry the only things I`m using before Christmas are the countdown stories/ornaments and the prelude book because I`m playing for our branch conference meeting this next week. =) ) It really made me feel loved, and I`m so happy that you all were thinking of me.

This last week felt very short for me because on Saturday we traveled for two and a half hours to the city of Quevado to hear our Area 70 speak to us. His name is Elder Uceda and he is in charge of Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Colombia. He talked to us a lot about how we need to focus on two things, retention, and reactivation. In our area there is a baptism every 15 minutes, but only 17 percent are active still after two years. I thought that was crazy! And I think that`s why our new president has been incresing the requirerments for baptism in the last few months. He really stressed that this is the new vision for the missionaries in South America from the First Presidency. It was a really spiritual meeting.

We didn`t get home that night until a little before midnight, so we were all pretty tired for Sunday. (My companion actually fell asleep during the Christmas devotional, and I only really tried to understand the last talk. I`ve found that when I`m really focusing on listening I can understand word for word what is being said. The problem is that it is very exhausting sometimes.

I`m finishing my training this week, so it`ll be interesting to see if I get a new companion this next week or not. I think Elder Lizana is ready to leave. Our sector is very small for 4 missionaries, and I think they might close one sector.

That`s all that`s new from Ecuador. I hope everything continues to go well back at home for Christmas! 

Lots of Love,

Your favorite Elder Hales. =)

My Dear Family,

I`m so glad you were all able to enjoy the holidays, and I was so happy to see so many pictures. (Jacob and Dad looked especially happy in their crazy biker hair) And I couldn`t stop laughing at Jacob`s beard at the 5K Run. I`m glad to know that some things don`t change.

Everyone here is very excited that it is December and that the Christmas season is starting. I think that is very funny because the weather has been getting hotter and hotter as well and we had our first big rain last night. I guess Christmas just won`t be quite the same in upper 90 degress and rain boots haha but it`s fun that everyone is so excited. =)

We got some pretty disappointing news about some of the families we`re teaching. In the baptismal interview on Tuesday, Gloria told us that she didn`t want to be baptized until the 6th of December, which was a little bit of a red flag for us because she`s been super animated since the second visit. After talking to her we found out that she went back to her ex boyfriend the night before. It was super devastating because now she and her children can`t be baptized for a while. Our other investigator that was going to be baptized yesterday had a sudden family emergency and had to take his brother to the hospital and work all day Sunday to pay for the medical bills. Hopefully he can keep his excitement up for another week before his baptism as well. I wish we knew the best way to help them in their specific problems, and I just hope they can recognize the beginning of the path that will bring them true happiness in life.

Since we didn`t have a baptismal service to prepare for we got to go do service in a near by city called Palenque. It`s actually half jungle, half city, and was really interesting to talk to all the humble members there. El Presedente de los Elderes made us lunch after the service and it was a really nice chance to get to know some of the members that live farther away in our sector.

Other than that things are beginning to pick up here, and we`re so excited for the fun month of December to start here. =) Transfers are in two weeks Dad.

Lots of love and good luck this week! Jacob, stay out of trouble now that you`ll be driving and dating haha =)

Elder Hales

Elder Brady on the left and Jonathan's companion on the right sporting their BYU shirts outside of Jonathan's apartment

   

Guayaquil Temple

My Dear Family,

I`m glad to hear things are going so well at home, and that everyone is enjoying the pre holiday stress haha! I hope, Mom, that you don`t get too overwhelmed, You`re such a valient worker to help so many people especially in this busy season. As for plans for Thanksgiving, the supermarket and stores have had Christmas decorations up since November 2.

We had a very busy week here. We got to go to Guayaquil for part of Thursday and all of Friday for an interzone conference and training with President Riggons. It was really powerful, (especially since we got to go to the temple before the meeting. We`re so lucky that we get to go every 3 months! =) ) We talked a lot about how the mission purpose, the doctrine of Christ, and the Gospel of Christ are related, and the differences between the three. It was really interesting. (We also got to eat at McDonald`s in the Guayaquil bus terminal and that was an extra plus. =) )

If things go well I think we`ll have our first baptism this week, a sister named Gloria, and her daughter Melissa. I really hope that they will be able to stay faithful and excited in this last week because this is when Satan really works the hardest to try and make them doubt themselves. But they are a great family and I`m really excited and hopeful for them.

The rainy season is just about to start, and I`ve heard that during the winter months from December to April it is even more hot because of all the added humidity.  I've also heard that the river overflows into the streets by our house, so that`ll be intersting haha.

I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving, and that you eat some pie for me. ;)

Lots of Love,

Elder Hales.

PS Sorry it`s so short this week but the internet is very slow today, and it took almost half an hour to write to our president. :p but know that I`m doing well and love you all a lot. =)

My Dear Family,

My week here was really crazy! I can`t believe so much has happened. I always try and take my journal with me to cyber so I can try and remember all the things I`ve done, and flipping through it feels like a lot of things have happened in just seven days.

On Monday we had our first FHE with a family here. It was so fun. We watched a couple of Mormon messages on a flash drive that Elder Lizana has, and then played a couple games with the familiy, and had patacones, (crushed slices from green bananas fried in vegatable oil, that taste just like french fries and are so good! haha =) ) Their family has been doing so well and are always so nice to us.

Then my next two days were really hectic because I had an intercambio with another gringo that`s been here for the same amount of time that I`ve been here. Yikes! But I was really happy with how the day went, and more surprising than anything else is that we weren`t totally lost the whole day haha. It has been such a miracle I`ve seen that all the Americans here have been able to pick up Spanish so quickly.

And then Wednesday I had another companionship interchange with someone that only has a month and a half here as well. His name is Elder Suarez from Venezuela, and that was a lot less frantic because at least I was with someone that spoke the language. (He is really elegant with his Spanish, probably because he`s had three years in college studying to be a lawyer haha)

And then Sunday was super excting as well. Our mission president put a goal on our zone for each companionship to bring 5 investigators to church. Elder Lizana and I were praying very hard to try and meet the goal. My testimony was strengthened a little of the reality that God answers our prayers usually through other people. Mariza Banchen was a less active member that we recently rescued, and through just references from her we had five investigators at church. I was so happy, and I really think their family is too. =)

I can`t believe Jacob is almost 16! That`s so crazy. (What`s really weird is thinking that by the time I get back he`ll be starting his senior year!) And I hope he takes good care of my car ;)

I`m glad Isaac and Joseph are having fun with their rooms, and I hope they stay out of too much trouble, (read and practice your piano =) )

I hope everything goes well this week.

Lots of love and lots of luck,

Elder Hales =)

PS Your christmas package arrived in the mail today and I have some bad news. There is a $61 fee that the company is charging me here now that it`s arrived.  Anyways, I`m going to use my debit card for the first time to pay for it. Sorry it`s been such a hassle. :P

My Dear Family! =)

I`m so glad that things are going so well at home! I was really happy to hear that your meeting was such a success Mom, I was really praying hard that things would work out for the best. =)

That`s so exciting about the Primary program, I don`t know if our Primary even sings here (ha ha), but I know the Primary president. She`s really nice and invited us to her house for paticones this last Sunday. (They test like french fries but are made from green bananas, and they`re really good!)

But I`m excited that everyone is keeping busy this fall. It was always hard for me to find things to do when the weather started getting cold. It`s really weird to think that Christmas is just around the corner, (Maybe because the really hot summer wet season is starting here ha ha.)

This week we had our first ward activity, an open house of the chapel. It was very interesting to say the least. It`s so funny sometimes how the members here act. We started the tour in our branch president`s office where he gave us a very profound lecture on the stick of Judah and the Stick of Joseph as proof of the Book of Mormon, and the literal gathering of the 10 lost tribes of Israel. And then I don`t think the elder`s quorum president wanted to be outdone in the category of deep doctrine so he started the lesson by having us listen to the first 3 verses of A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief and then we had a 30 minute lesson on the three pillars of the plan of salvation, with an emphasis on the fall of Adam and use of the priesthood in blessing our homes. I don`t think they`ve had much experience teaching investigators because I`ve come to learn that you really need to explain things like you`re teaching a child, because they just have no spiritual background. In our booth we taught the first 6 Articles of Faith, and that seemed to go okay so that was good. =) (At least no one had a glazed over expression on their faces haha ;) )

Speaking of funny things this week, the highlight of my Saturday was when I met a guy from Florida here who literally spoke no Spanish. Elder Lizana and I were passing him in the street, and Elder Lizana stopped to talk to him, saying the usual ``¿como esta hermano? ¿come le va?`` and just silence. Elder Lizana was super afraid because he was more or less six feet two, and African American, and was just staring at Elder Lizana. After a moment he said ``ya no hable, no hablo`` in a really thick southern accent. And so then I got to have a fun contact with him in English! It was actually weird to hear my own voice in English, and every other sentence I would say something like, ``en serio?`` and then have to correct myself. He`s only here for a week teaching a basketball clinic, but it was just a really funny experience.

This Sunday was really great too! We ended our dry spell of two weeks in a row without an investigator in Sacrament meeting, and I got to give a talk yesterday on obedience. It was okay, but I think our president wanted a little more of a machete for the members;)

Everything is going well here, and I hope you guys are having fun. Stay safe this week!

Lots of love,

Elder Hales

P.S Yes, I think I`ll be able to skype! But I`ll have to download it to one of the computers at a member`s house but I think we`ll be able to. =)

Jonathan's land lady put up this poster in their apartment.

My Dear Family,

Mom, thank you so much for fasting for us. We had a very interesting Sunday as well. We switched from 9 AM to 10 AM so we could have Sacrament Meeting first, but apparently half the members forgot, because there were about 30 more or less people there at 9 AM. Our branch president also gave everyone an hour long machete about paying tithing third hour. I thought it was very funny to hear so many different views on tithing from the members. (Many were under the impression that tithing was 10 percent of whatever you had left over at the end of the week.) That`s one thing that has been very hard to learn and get used to here. Latinos just think differently than us gringos. hahaha!

It`s really hard to tell Sunday from any other here. There really isn`t a divide at all with the people in the city. There is still very loud music in the street, and if anything the main difference is that there are more borachos in the street. It reminds me of how lucky we are to have this restored gospel to help guide our lives! =)

Dad, I`m not living out of my suitcase, but it does make for a nice nightstand. =)

That`s fun that everyone had a Happy Halloween! Here Halloween came and went and you wouldn`t have known the difference. I thought we were out of the woods, but the main celebration is on the night of the 1st of November. And let`s just say that the people in Vinces know how to party, and don`t let silly things like sunsets, (and eventually sunrises ;) ) distract them. Today is actually a national holiday and almost every Cyber bazar is closed and there are a lot of people waiting for the computers, so I`m sorry this week is a little short. Lot`s of exciting goals for November! It`s crazy to think that an 8th of my mission is already done. I still feel very new to the field.

Lot`s of Love,

Elder Hales. =)