Week 80 - Let's Have Hope

Dearest Friends and Family,

This week I’m impressed at how pleasant it has become to let things come and go from my life. Some variables don’t change like the need to breathe, eat, and drink. I would also never deny the importance of being constant in our work, diligent, and responsible. However, recently my surroundings have been changing and evolving at an ever-increasing rate.

Observing the mission transfer cycle is a beautiful exchange that occurs here every six weeks. Although it is sad sending away the missionaries who have finished their service on Monday of week one, Tuesday morning offers me the task of mentoring and feeding the energetic, recently arrived missionaries, which immediately boosts my excitement and joy.

Other recent changes have brought different kinds of ups and downs. Elder Castagno (who I’ve been serving with since February 2017) finished his 6-month assignment in the office and was just transferred to Otavalo as a zone leader. And our awesome mission nurse, Hermana Alvarenga, finished her mission and headed back to her home in Canada. That was a big change for me because the financiero (finance clerk) works closely with the mission nurse to make sure mission medical expenses are paid. Our new mission nurse is Elder Jones from Sandy, Utah, and he worked for years as a physician’s assistant before being called to our mission with his wife. I am assigned to be a district leader again, this time over the assistants, secretaries, and another group of Hermanas. We are teaching lots of new people. I’m studying new things in the scriptures. We are doing different, more relaxed things on P-day. I have a new companion, Elder Ross, who I am training to be the new finance clerk in the office. I’m waiting for college acceptance letters from the UCs and BYU. I’m sure that there are many new and different things in my home with my family and friends, and don’t even get me started with the new music that must be all over the radio! There is lots of new.

Remember how I mentioned that it has been pleasant? Well, it’s because I have loved all of it. I’ve loved meeting new people, planning for new events, and smiling all around town, accomplishing duty after duty with hope. If I could suggest one thing that pushes me forward more than anything else, it is hope.

One of the people we are teaching, Jonathon, understands hope. He has changed many things in an effort to improve his quality of life. He informed us that he was known to frequent the fosh, which is a part of Quito where clothing stores and restaurants become lesser-lit bars and clubs. Now, he tells his friends he is busy in order to be able to spend time with us, learning and seeking greater understanding about the purpose and potential of his life. Why? Because he hopes, correctly, that there is something more out there specifically for him. He is the second doctor I’ve been able to teach in the mission (Yolanda, from my last sector, was the 1st) and it is incredible feeling how true it is – what we missionaries do – when we are in the midst of deep conversations with him that sheds light on his questions - questions that every one of us has.

I don’t know what will come my way in the remaining 6 months that I have here in my mission. I don’t know who my next companion will be. I don’t know where I will next be assigned to serve. I don’t know what other people I will meet and begin to love in Ecuador. I love the people here so much. I don’t know what other experiences will yet come my way, experiences that will change my life. I don’t know where I will go to college. I really don’t even know what it will be like to get back home and to see what is there waiting for me. But what I do know is that everything is going to be exactly how it is supposed to be. It will all be perfect. That is my hope. I have faith that fills my heart almost to bursting.

I love you all lots. Let’s all do everything we can to have lots of hope this week. If you hunt, I promise there is something that you can do to find more reasons to smile and more ways to lift.

Elder Ericksen

"This is Presidente Tello, my branch president from the coast. I saw him in the bus terminal!!! It was so crazy for me and brought back tons of feelings and memories. He says the branch is a ward now and he is 1st counselor."

It's like mustard...(my guess)

Adam's former companion (Cayambe) and trainee, Elder Cuevas

Week 79 - A Great Week

Well, I loved this week! Gosh the mission is so awesome.

My new companion and trainee in the office is here! His name is Elder Ross and he is from Spokane, Washington. Interesting fun fact is that the office squad is now 50% from Washington state. Elder Welch (Kent), Elder Millett (Bellevue), and now Elder Ross (Spokane). I’m cool with it…it would be a different story if everyone was from Utah (that's a joke.)

Elder Ross is a great companion and we get along great! I've realized the thing I like most about my best/favorite companions is that I never have to worry that they won't be diligent with me. We are going to be super diligent this change. Elder Ross is young in the mission – he’s been out about 6 months. He finished his training, trained another elder, and now he is here with me. I thought this might be a little setback at first, since we aren't the best at Spanish in the beginning of the mission, but I couldn't have been more wrong. He speaks great, and we teach really well together. I teach differently with North American companions - we have to lean on each other a little more and I like that a lot. No one talks too much or hogs the conversation. I also like, because he doesn’t have too much time in the field, that I can answer all his questions about mission life and our mission in general. He graduated high school in 2016 with me, but decided to do a year at BYU when I was here in the first year of the mission. Destiny is cool like that, huh? It has been interesting getting to hear his input about college. Lesson of the week: everyone either loves BYU or they really hate it. There is no in-between. What is up with that? Still, my main question is: "Why do they care who has a beard?"

Changing subjects... This week came and went pretty smoothly. Something fun is that since it is my last change in the office, I've been super excited to try different things for the meals we provide in meetings. In the orientation meeting with the new missionaries who arrived on Wednesday, I ordered street tacos from this place called "Taco Madre" and it was a big hit. We also changed up our usual chocolate-bread breakfast for quiches from this Argentinian bakery. 

On Tuesday, I dropped off the Hermanas from my group at the airport. They seemed pretty calm and happy to be heading home. It surprised me a little because I couldn't be more excited to still have 6 months left. We did struggle to get one bag wayyyyyy packed down and over-weight, repositioned and organized, hoping to avoid a fee. Misioneras, jajaja. I also dropped off some really close friends, including Elder Miranda, my companion back in Tulcan. I am really going to miss seeing him around the mission. Thinking back on it, we had an amazing 3 months together.

Pday was again super fun today. We played basketball with President Murphy again and Cole came along. We were all playing really well today without explanation. After basketball we got some food and went bowling also with Pres. Murphy and Cole. I really love spending time with them. I bowled the best game of my life, again without explanation. I got 154! In the 10th frame I got two strikes in a row and missed one pin in the last bowl. Some of my favorite memories have been made in the past few weeks, seeing miracles with the best missionaries, and really enjoying P-days with the same best friends. We have a really fun group. It’s also been cool exploring volcanoes and stuff, but that goes without saying. The next 6 weeks are going to go really fast and I’m going to miss them. Oooof.

Dad, please send me a March Madness bracket when it comes out. Also, the new camera works great! I didn’t take too many pictures this week because we were super busy, but it takes really nice photos. I did send some pictures of our house – any sort of mess you see can be explained by and blamed on the missionaries that went home. J

I love you all. Que disfrutemos esta semana, no?

Elder Ericksen

Week 78 - Pululahua

Lots has happened this week and it feels great. I am looking forward to a fresh change and week 1.

Carnaval was pretty boring this year compared to last year. We caught wind that it was crazy in other nearby sectors but in La Luz no pasó nada. In Comite del Pueblo the people were out and there was talk that some army guys were out trying to keep control on everything. But that sounds way different than anything I saw! I did hear a funny phone call that some sister missionaries got blasted with water on the coast. Maybe leave that out for the blog haha.

P-day was epic!!!!! We’ve had some pretty elaborate P-days lately. We went to this place called Pululahua and it turned out being one of the most photogenic places of all planet Earth. Essentially, it is this huge, inactive volcano that is now completely vegetated with thick  shrubbery and inhabited by people that form a small village in the valley. Super, super cool! Google this place. When Elder George and I arrived, there was this dude with a real live donkey all packed down looking. We thought wow that is an awesome picture prop, but then they started their journey going down the hill to go back to their homes because they’re habitants of the volcano pueblo. Super culture.

After the volcano adventure, we got pizza and we all ate too much food. I love Ecuador. I think that is going to be the topic of my next email, I love Ecuador. I love the mission.

I love you all lots. Know that I continue thinking and praying for your benefit. I hope we can all have an amazing week. Mine will be crazy with little sleep as we say goodbye to missionaries leaving and welcome the new ones coming in.

PS - Adam is still without a camera. Here's to hoping the replacement we shipped him arrives this week. :)

Week 77 - A Mellow P-Day

Good afternoon family. How is everyone? How have we passed this week?

I’m doing super well. I’m staying super happy and more than anything making the most of every day.

Elder Aquino and I have been arising in the morning, telling each other that our days are going to be excellent, and doing lots and lots of exercises. Don’t be suprised or scared if I start to look really buff and attractive in the next few weeks J. If anyone has ideas of body weight workouts, send me an email.

Mom how are my finances? I have been spending a lot lately, ugh, which has me feeling bad because I try to live how the people live here. But Elder Castagno is leaving the office in a week and he has wanted to eat better than average lunches since he may no longer be in Quito. Let me know.

Today was a calm p-day. Elder Castagno wanted to go to Otavalo to buy some art things, so he took off early with Elder Millett. Elders George, Welch, Aquino and I went to the chapel to play basketball. We played for a while, and then I called President Murphy to invite him to come down the hill and play. He said "that’s perfect because I just put on my Saturday exercise clothes to work out...I’ll be right there." We played for a good 2 hours more with him, which was super fun. It’s good to have a calm-ish p-day every once in a while. After basketball President got us ice cream from Cyrano, the best ice cream store of Ecuador. Maybe it’ll come up on google.

So it’s Carnaval this coming week! People already have sprayed me with the foam from last year hahaha. It is going to be a boring couple of days since we aren’t leaving the house starting tomorrow until Tuesday. It’s a little sad because so much crazy and fun goes on all around the city. We’ll come back, I Know. Does anyone have ideas about what to do in the house?

Happy birthday, dad! I love you so much and am forever thankful for your letters and advice that have carried me through my mission. I am thankful for every sacrifice you make for our family. P.S. when I get back if the opportunity arises, I want to go to a seminary with you.

I love you all. And thanks for the photos of the Sombreros Mexican food.

Elder Ericksen

• For those wondering (Hma Murphy), Adam reports that President Murphy "plays ball so well! He's taller than everyone."
• Adam's camera has stopped working so no personal photos this week. We've shipped a new one through MissionontheFly which arrives next week. Fingers crossed for new photos soon. In the meantime, I boosted these from the mission facebook page. The top one is my favorite. - Scott