May 2010

Just hanging out in Esmeraldas! This picture was taken just down the path from where we enjoyed lunch with the stake presidency of Esmeraldas.

After a wonderful stake conference in Esmeraldas we had a delicious lunch prepared by several of the sisters of the Esmeraldas Stake. To Cindy's left is Hermana Condo, President Condo's wife.

Here is Tim with President Condo (sitting with red tie), and his counselors.

Tim and Cindy with the stake presidency of the Esmeraldas Stake. Moments earlier, together with our Assistants, Elder Samayoa and Elder Dominguez, we had just presented to them plaques of the Family Proclamation, joining with them in the need to find new families and strengthen families in the stake.

Stephanie and Natalie had a great time visiting the young women of Ibarra.

The whole mission presidency with the new district leadership in Ibarra. L to R: Vinicio y Sister Vasquez, Tim and Cindy, President y Sister Ibujéz (New district president); Sister y President Arriesgan (1st counselor in new district presidency); President y Sister Espinoza; Sister and President Vallejo.

Elder Dominguez and Samayoa, our assistants, catching up on their sleep, as we travel. We took this picture as we ascended up into the mountains through the curvy roads in the rain forest.

These three sisters in Ibarra always make us feel so welcome and loved. They were part of a special young women's choir that sang in the conference.

One of our favorite ladies whom we see frequently, sells delicious fruits and avocados not far from the mission home in Quito.

As we descended on the curvy roads through the mountains from Quito through the rain forest on our way to Esmeraldas on the coast, we found this truck upside down. The driver had just passed us moments before. As we came around one of the curves, we arrived just in time to render first aid to the driver. Tim and the Assistants went to work fast to help this man who was in a lot of pain. After Tim bandaged him up, he told the driver who was somewhat conscious, to remember the Mormons and to invite the missionaries to his home. It was a great missionary moment for all who witnessed how brothers can help their brothers.

On our way to Otavalo we drive through Guayllabama and skirt the Cayambe Valley. On this particular day in May the skies were clear and we had a beautiful view of the volcano Cayambe. We are always amazed at the diverse beauty of this country. What a blessing to be here!

In Ibarra for the district conference, Tim and I with the local leaders visit less active members. On this occasion, Stephanie and Natalie accompanied Cindy while Tim went with one of the branch presidents to do the same. What great experiences we have visiting the members, sharing our love and friendship.

In between sessions of the Santa Ana stake conference, Tim's mission presidency gathered for Tim to set apart his new second counselor, Javier Espinoza. Tim's previous counselor was released because he was called to be a mission president in Venezuela. There's a lot of love and friendship in this presidency. L to R, Sister and President Vallejo, Tim and Cindy, President and Sister Espinoza and Vinicio Vasquez (Ex. Sec.) and Sister Vasquez.

New missionaries with their training companions going to the Panecillo. (L to R Elder Wallace (USA), Elder Alcivar (Ecuador), Elder Fuentes (Chile), Elder Cumez (Guatemala), Elder Whitlock (USA), Elder Alarcon (Ecuador), Hermana Menchú (Guatemala), Hermana Perez (Guatemala).

Our beautiful Mother sitting on the banks of Lago San Pablo in Otavalo at the Puerto Lago Inn.

The young women of Otavalo were very excited to meet cute Natalie, and talk to her in Spanish. We all visited after a wonderful stake conference at the Otavalo stake.
A few of the members of the Otavalanian chior take a minute to pose for the photo.

We think some of the most beautiful people in the World live here in Otavalo.

After an inspiring Stake Conference in Otavalo, It was a delight to mingle with the memebers that serve so faithfully here in Ecuador.

It was a marvelous experience to have Elder and Sister Nash come to visit our Mission. It was a wonderful Mission Tour, and a strength for our Missionaries. Sister Yamberla with her family stands in the center. Sister Yamberla was a wonderful missionary in our mission.

It was a joy to meet some of the very first memebers of the church in Otavalo .

It was so wonderful to reunite with our returned sister missionary- Hermana Yamberla from Otavalo. Standing with Sister Yamberla is her mother and little sister.

Natalie turns 12! This was the best party ever. Homemade pizzas, ice cream pies, and lots of fun crafts.

A group photo after a recent Zone Leader council dinner and testimony meeting. These great Zone Leaders are making a big difference in our Mission. L to R in the first row: Elder Samayoa (Guatemala) one of our Assistants, Elder Hymas (USA): Second row, L to R: Elder DiNatale (Argentina), Elder Zambrano (Ecuador), Elder Rodriguez (Ecuador), Cindy, Tim, Elder Dominguez (Mexico) one of our Assistants, Elder Eliason (USA), Elder Morales (Ecuador), Elder Edginton (USA), Elder Gallego (Colombia), Elder Vergara (Chile), Elder Ellis (USA), Elder Morris (USA), Elder Noe (USA), Elder Vomocil (USA), Elder Barros (Ecuador), Elder Mata (Costa Rico), Elder Duarte (Colombia), Elder Estrada (Colombia), Elder Law and mission secretary (USA), Far Back row, L to R: Elder Cloud and mission secretary (USA), Elder Hakes (USA), Elder Hatch (USA).

Another sad farewell dinner (April 2010). These wonderful missionaries will surely be missed!

Surrounding us from L to R: Elder Caniz (Guatemala), Elder Conde (Bolivia), Elder Quijada (Chile), Elder Mar (Peru), Sister Yamberla (Ecuador), Sister Tanner (USA), Sister Arana (Guatemala), Elder Pereyra (Peru), Elder Lopez (Mexico), Elder Zamudio (Mexico).

Spring 2010

A group of wonderful new missionaries have arrived. Here we are at the Panecillo from where we have a beautiful view of city of Quito and surrounding mountians. L to R, Elder Alacorn (Ecuador), Elder Keeling (USA), Elder Whitlock (USA), Elder Kearns (USA), Elder Cauhauna (Ecuador), Elder Brailsford (USA), Tim and Cindy, Sister Cooper (USA), Sister Menchú (Guatemala), Sister Groesbeck, our fantastic nurse, Elder Buckland (USA), Elder Wallace (USA), Elder Matagi (USA) and Elder Hendrickson (USA).

We are enjoying a nice breakfast with Elder and Sister Nash at Puerto Lago Inn in Otavalo before we go to zone conference with missionaries who come from Otavalo, Cotocachi, Ibarra and Tulcán. What a treat to have a mission tour with Elder and Sister Nash.

Elder Nash and Tim are with President and Sister de la Torre, a couple from Otavalo. President de la Torre is the second counselor in the stake presidency of the Otavalo Stake.

In April we held a special leaders' meeting, with all zone and district leaders of the mission. There were 48 leaders present. It was a great meeting to further define the culture of the mission that we want to enjoy here. L to R in the front middle row: Elder Angel (USA), Elder Quexel (Guatemala), Elder Hymus (USA) and Elder Vergara (Chile). In the back can be seen: Elder Barros (Ecuador), Elder Noe (USA), Elder Paredes (Peru), Elder Smith (USA), Elder Nole (Peru), Elder Alcivar (Ecuador) Elder Cook (USA), Elder Mata (Costa Rica), Elder Murray (USA), Elder Zundel (USA) and Elder Coc (Guatemala).

At our special leaders' meeting, Tim is talking with Elder Cloud, a mission secretary, and to his right are his two Assistants, Elder Dominguez (Mexico) and Elder Samayoa (Guatemala). Our mission secretaries, Elders Cloud and Law and our Assistants Elders Samayoa and Dominguez are such great leaders. We love them dearly,and we appreciate all they do for this mission.

We love Otavalo, Mt. Imbabura, a volcano, stands behind us. It was an especially beautiful day.

We love to get together as mission presidency with the stake presidents from the Quito area, here we are after a recent dinner in our home. L to R, President Montoya and his wife (Tim's first counselor), Sister and President Vallejo (Tim's second counselor), Sister and President Benalcázar (Calderon Stake), Sister and President Angulo (Los Chillos Stake), Sister and Brother Vinicio Vasquez (Tim's executive secretary), Sister and President Meza (Ofelia Stake).

Dad with the leadership in Riobamba, President Vallejo and Venicio Vasquez of the mission presidency. To Tim's left is President Maita, President Luna and the far right is President Quiroz which make up the district presidency.

Enjoying a wonderful lunch, with the Riobamba district leadership,and their families.

Always smiling, the elders in our mission find time for some fun! L to R, Elder Jacobo (Guatemala), Elder Cumez (Guatemala), Elder Moreyra (Bolivia), Elder Coc (Guatemala), Elder Condori (Bolivia), Elder Sotomayor (Guatemala), Elder Matsen (USA), Elder Castro (Mexico) and Elder Lillico (USA)

President Sloan putting the missionaries knowledge to the test! L to R, Elder Dominguez (Mexico), Elder Contreras (Ecuador), Elder Quijada (Chile), Elder Lopez (Mexico), Elder Jiminez (Colombia) and Hermana Nicolás (Bolivia)

In Riobamba the elders fight for a spot on the benches, during the game of musical chairs. Anyone left standing is invited to the front, and their knowledge of the scriptures and Preach My Gospel is tested by President Sloan.

In our recent round of zone conferences, we asked the missionaries to provide their own lunch, to see how prepared they were. We were impressed with the quality of the lunches. Elder Evenson proudly displays his box of "Trix". L to R, Elder Briggs (USA), Elder Robinson (USA), Elder Eliason (USA), Elder Hatch (USA), Elder Evenson (USA) and Elder Di Natale (Argentina)

The Hermanas came prepared with a full course meal. L to R, Hermana Herrera (Guatemala), Hermana Mateo (Guatemala), Hermana Alava (Ecuador) and Hermana Pacay (Guatemala)

The elders went all out with preparing lunches. Here are two hungry missionaries eating jumbo hoagies. L to R, Elder Pereira (Costa Rica), Elder Ubilla (Ecuador), Elder Salas (Mexico), Elder Robins (USA), Elder Vomocil (USA) and Elder Olguín (Bolivia)

Another night of farewells to a marvelous group of missionaries. L to R, Elder Robles (Bolivia), Elder Squires, our departing Assistant (USA), Tim and Cindy, Sister Hernandez (Colombia), Sister Maidana (Bolivia), Sister Del Cid (Panama), Sister Ramirez (Guatemala) and Sister Da Costa (Uruguay). These all have been very special missionaries and we will miss them dearly.

To teach the principle of the importance of the Area Book, Elders Cloud & Law, our mission secretaries, ask Elder Harding to rely upon the strength of the elders below to support him.

The beautiful choir in Riobamba, asked us to take a picture with them. Their music was lovely and inspirational throughout the district conference. We will never forget their special harmonies! Standing next to Tim is President Luna, the first counselor in the presidency and standing behind him is President Vallejo, Tim's second counselor in the mission presidency.

After a wonderful district conference in Riobamba, the family takes a minute to pose before taking off to Baños to enjoy about 24 hours at the base of an active volcano.

Our two assistants, L to R, Elder Dominguez (Mexico) & Samayoa (Guatemala), are always on the go, with backpacks loaded. They never seem to tire, what great examples!

March/April 2010

We owe a debt of gratitude to our wonderful area doctor, Elder Malouf and his dear wife. They have been a great support to us and our mission, during Dad's recovery.

Natalie and two of her best amigas, Mckenzie and Alexis.

I looked out the window and what did i see? Dad and a merry band of missionaries heading to our home for food of course!

Dad can't resist the opportunity to share the gospel with everyone we meet.

Our newest group of elders and hermanas enjoy the view on top of the Panecillo.

Natalie was a natural at flying through the amazonian jungle.

Mom overcame her fear of heights, and made it on all 12 of the ziplines in Mindo.

Dad was in his element as he swung through the trees, it was a great day.

Mom, Dad, and Natalie take a minute to pose. Stephanie was a good girl and went to school, because she had already been to Mindo twice.

Here we are with a group of awesome missionaries. Elder Squires, Samayoa and Dominguez, our assistants, Elder Law and Cloud, our office secretaries, and Hermana Groesbeck, our nurse, and her companion Hermana Sacalxot. We all enjoyed a wonderful P-day.

The life of an assistant is pretty rough, here is Elder Samayoa and Elder Squires, catching a cat nap on the way home from zone conference. They are two great assistants.

Always time for a little fun at zone conference. The game portion always includes scriptures and testing our knowledge of Preach my Gospel.

Just to get the wiggles out, Hermanas Rose and Groesbeck, our nurses, taught all the missionaries how great it feels to exercise, while singing "Called to Serve".

Always eating it seems, but here we are again for the farewell dinner of our dear Hermana Griesemer, on Tim's Left. She's left a big hole in the mission.

Hermana Sloan, surrounded by just a few of our darling hermanas, serving in Ambato/Riobamba area.

February 2010

A somber morning, as we bid farewell to our dear Hermana Griesemer aka " El corazon de la mision" (the heart of the mission). Her influence, creativity, and strong organizational skills has left a mark on Mission, Quito Ecuador. We love her and we will never forget her!

After zone conference, zona Otavalo left with their arms full of ironing boards, and clothes drying racks. They were all heading for the same bus, for the 2 1/2 hour ride back to Otavalo. We can only hope that they were able to get all their goods on the bus. They were thrilled with their treasures.

It was a beautiful night in Quito, to share dinner with our Assistants Elders Squires (USA) and Samayoa (Guatemala) and our outgoing Assistant Elder Ducuara (Colombia). We also had our two office secretaries Elder Cloud (USA), and Elder Law (USA). It was a night to bid farewell to Elder Ducuara and Elder Otero (Argentina), we will miss these two fine missionaries.

At Academia Cotopaxi, Stephanie is on the swim team. Here she is with her friend Maya who is from Israel. She speaks English, Spanish, and Hebrew.

As we have started our new round of zone conferences, it has been a delight to see all of our missionaries again. Here is Hermana Groesbeck and Hermana Rose, our two nurses, teaching a stress relieving exercise routine, performed to the tune "Called to Serve".