March 28, 2011

Dear Family,
Hey, I’m doing really good. But. . . crap, I don’t have a whole lot of time. I’ll make sure next week there is a ton more. The reason is that we went to the middle of the world, and it was pretty sweet. I liked it a lot. I got some pretty decent pictures, and I’ll be sure to send them next week. I want to now, but we gotta get out and proselyte in just a few minutes. We got back pretty late.
This week was a lot better. It’s still hard, but I’m doin the best that I can. We got cambios today, but I’m still here, again, with this little guy Perez. I’m happy, but not. He’s cool, but he just talks a crapload, and I feel like I can’t make bonds with the investigators, because he’s always blabbin. Oh well.
What else. I haven’t got those packages yet. I hope they’re not in mail jail. If so, I’ll find out soon enough. Well, I’m really super sorry that it is so short. Tell Madison sorry too and Grandma Linda and Whitney and Hunter for not having time, but I’ll do it for sure next week. I love all of you guys a ton, and keep praying. Oh, and I get to watch conference in English, and I’m super stoked. Honestly. Can’t believe how much I disliked it before the mish. Well, see ya. Miss you.
Love,
Jace
Elder Reber

March 28, 2011

Hey Brooklyn,
Wow, you have a lot of cool things that have gone on at the house. I’m glad you are excited for everything, and that all of the stuff of the days are just movin right along. Keep up the fun stuff, and thanks for telling me everything thats happened. I love you, and hope that you just have a super week. I will try, too.
Love,
Jace

Hey Madison,
Really super good news with everything. I’m glad you could score a 26 (Oh, how did I know?) and actually won. That’s really good. Movin on up with the school. You´ll do good. Oh, by the way, I took it three times. First, 26. Second, 27. Third, 27. So yeah, not that good. But 26 is really good. A lot higher than average. And the next time, you won’t be as nervous, so chevere. Sorry, I don’t have a lot of time, but thanks for the words and everything, and I hope that you have a super week.
Love,
Jace

March 21, 2011

Dear Family,
Hey, thanks for the words and the support and all of that good stuff. This week was better. Well, yes and no. I’ll explain a little bit later on. But hey, that’s life. I’m glad you guys have been doing well at home. The trips, the chistes, and all of the other good things that go on in the good ol Reber home. Whats happened to my room? Has Hunter gave up on the video games yet? Brooklyn and Whitney found more friends? Madison, too? I dunno, I just feel like askin some questions. I can’t really think of much more, but I will, eventually. I’m glad everyone is happy and just keepin on.
Two things first: Yeah, the Spanish is here. More or less. I can understand everyone, basically, and don’t have too much of a hard time speaking. It still is hard, because the words sometimes aren’t right, and I don’t know the grammer like I should, because nobody here uses grammer. It’s just like good ol Cedar. Nobody knows how to talk. And I love it. But it really helps to have this Perez here. We´ve had some fallin outs, because he just talks and talk and talks in the lessons, and it makes me mad. But we always come out good. We have been findin some more people, and por fin we have another bautismo. A family. The familia Tipán. I think I sent photos of all of them. They’re a cool little family.

It´ll be a good way to end this change, too, and then off to another companion. Wow. This will be number. . . 5? Not sure, but I am pushin 6 months here in Ecuador. Crazy. I remember when I first got to San D and all of the missionaries had 8 months or 10, and I thought that was so far off. Now, it’s ridiculous, and 15 months is so far. How fast it really is. But cool. Second, its Cinderella that sings “Dont know what you got”, I’m pretty sure. Ah, I miss music. Haha, whatever, its good.
Hmmm, what else has happened. There still haven’t been really stuff thats happened. Well, that I can remember. We found a drunk guy Saturday, and my comp wanted to contacted him. We took him home, and he stopped to pee and just kept tellin us "Yo tomo, loco. Yo tomo." or "I drink, man. I drink." Haha, we took him home, and put a return appointment, but there wasn’t time to go to him. That was interesting. Also, we were going to eat lunch yesterday, with the COOLEST lady ever. Her name is Katty Ampudia, and she is our mamita for Sunday. She is an English professor, and she speaks basically perfect. Her accent isn’t too good, but she is way cool. Her daughter passes through Cedar all the time, because she is studying in Salt Lake. So cool. But anyway, we were on our way to her house, and three dudes in black robes were there. We had seen them before, but my comp wanted to ask what the robes meant. We called them over, and one came. Haha, I was a little freaked out, but it was good. He was really nice, and was a Father in training for the Catholics. He wears the black robe as a sign of sadness for the death of Jesus. . . . .Ah, yeah, um, cool. That’s interesting, friend. And this dude invites us, at any time, to come to his convent and talk with them, to share ideas and stuff. Oh ho ho, that would be so cool, but we can’t. And I’m pretty sure that they would kill us. They look like ninjas, I’m serious. Like, real ones. I totally have a ton of ideas for a missionary movie that I wanna make after. Awesome, haha.
Now, spiritually speaking. We had a lesson with this family, Familia Tipán. They have had this date, but haven’t been too excited. Really doubty, but we´ve managed to hold on. I was on divisions with my District Leader, Elder Chavez, and we went to them. They were really bad, but he was really direct and turned it around really well. It was really super cool, and I was really glad to have been there for it. It helped me to see the importance of being direct. He’s a little bit of a lampara, but it’s all good. We have the interview for this family tomorrow, so we´ll have to see how that goes. They really are ready, but just scared. And they think the people in the church judge them because their two younger sons are nuts and loud and cry all the time. We have tried thousands of things, but nothing seems to have made an impact yet. We´ll see.
So that’s that. We basically have nobody else to teach, but you know what, we´re really gonna buckle down this week and find some people that are ready. I’m sick of visiting the same people over and over that just suck. I wanna find someone that’s really good and so we can have some more baptisms for this upcoming cambio. Cool stuff, lets do it.
Well, I ain’t got nothin else. I’m grateful for all of your support and for the love that I feel here. I am still strugglin on, day by day, but its been goin fast, and I couldn’t ask for much else. I know, know, know, that the day I get home, everything will just hit me, and I’ll know how important the mission really was, and how much I’ll miss it. But until then, just gotta enjoy the time I’ve got in front of me in this moment. Have a good week, and keep me in your thoughts and prayers, please. Love you and miss you.
Love,
Jace
Elder Reber

Oh, by the way, if there’s not a letter next week, it’s because either I got changed, or my comp did, and I had to go and get my new one. Well, love you.
Jace

March 21, 2011

Dear Brooklyn,

Good stuff, it sounds like, is goin on at home! I’m glad to hear that. It makes me happy to know that you guys are doing good back there. Good job with your report card and everything. I know that everything will be good. Anyway. My companion is still Elder Perez. He’s a pretty funny little dude, and I like him. Anyway. Keep livin life, and keep doin the stuff you should. I love you and miss you too.
Love,
Jace

Oh, and was that in a Family Home Evening or what when the girl said the prayer?

Dear Whitney,
How are you? I’m good. This week sounds fun for you guys. I hope you keep havin fun ones. No, I still have the same companion. Just this Elder Perez. He’s good, and we are doin a lot of good stuff, too. Funny story. Brooklyn said it too. Well, I love you and miss you. Bye!
Love,
Jace

Dear Hunter,
¿Qué dice, loco? I’m doing good. Havin fun, but it’s a little hard still, too. Why isn’t it fun learnin more spanish in school? I thought you were likin it! Oh well. I like all of my companions, but I think with Elder Evenson it was the funnest, but only because we were both gringos. Well, I love you and miss you and hope you have a super fantastic week.
Love,
Jace

Dear Madison,

Wow, yeah, that’s pretty crazy, and it’s weird to think that people are still gettin married. It kinda freaks me out. It sure as crap won’t be me, that’s for sure. Gotta wait a little more time than that to tie the knot. I’m glad you’re havin a fun time doin what you’re doin. I hope that you keep it up, and just keep on livin life. I ain’t got too much to say, but just keep goin to church, read the Book of Mormon, I’m serious, and pray with real intent. Like, really pray. Don’t do the routine. Talk to God. It´ll help more than anything else. I love you and miss you too. Keep older brother Jace in your thoughts from time to time.
Love,
Jace
Elder R R Reber

March 14, 2011

Dear Mom and Dad,
Hey, well, it sounds like there everything is still moving along at a pretty good pace. I’m glad to hear that. Thanks for all of the news with everyone, and lettin me know how it all is. Yeah, its hard with Brittany and Ryan, but I know that they will be good. That’s the gift of being young. And the prayers really help, actually.
With the card, yeah, its ok. I haven’t really had much time to look for stuff. And honestly, there really isn’t a whole lot of stuff that I want or can think of buying. I’m happy with what’s goin on. I’ve actually been having a hard time with my journal, because there never is a whole lot of time to write in the mornings or at night. I think I might start wakin up 20 minutes earlier just to do it. I’m about 4 days behind, so I gotta make all that up. We´ll see. Other than that, thanks. Yeah, I’ve been gettin a lot of packages these days, and I’m grateful. Thanks to all of you guys that have given them, and for all the love and support.
Well, that’s it. I really haven’t had to much of a week. We had some cool experiences, but I just don’t have a drive yet. I work all day, but I don’t have the desires that I need. I just do it to do it. I dunno. I wanna love it, and just do it to help and all of that, but I don’t know if I can yet. I think I really am, because I miss Santo Domingo like crazy, and I miss a few of the investigators and converts, too. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the chance to find them or talk to them again, but its ok. I gave them what I could. Haha, even though most, honestly, won’t remember my name, its all good. I came to help, and I think I did, for the most part. We had a service project that was really fun as a zone. That’s new. Not really that super cool, but it was fun. Oh, yeah, two things. One funny and one cool.
We were calling some investigators, and some lady comes up to my comp and asks if we´re Mormons. "Yeah, are you a member?" "No, but I know about God. He’s the Doctor of Miracles! (El doctor de los milagros) ". . . Ahhh, yeah, chevere hermana. And when can we visit you?" "You dont need to, because I’m the Female Doctor of Miracles (La doctora de los milagros." . . . . . . . . Ok, lady. Thanks. "Soy la DOCTORA de los milagros! Chao." Haha, it was crazy. She leaves, and I just busted up laughing. There are some crazies here, to be honest. A lot. I can only remember two, but the both of them were crazy. Anyways.
The cool experience. We did a zone activity with the stake here, and went to some town far out to give a special Sacrament Meeting. We all went, and it was really cool. The people there are receptive and ready to have the Gospel, I think. We went to one guy, and he just stares at us for 5 seconds or so, and says "You guys are missionaries." "Yup." "From. . . (he looks at the plaque) La Igleisa de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Dias." "Yup." " And you came to talk to me. Sit on down! Lets talk." It was really awesome. That never happens, honestly. But he was really smart and really good, and I know that he is ready to have it in his life. I was glad to have met him, and he really opened my eyes. He is poor, but he knew a lot about life and everything, and its good to see that some people actually study and apply the things that they learn. I’m so sick of Catholics and their stupid excuses and traditions and dumb answers. It’s really sad. Everyone is just brainwashed. We have one family, the family Bonasco, and they are so super Catholic. We have helped open their eyes a lot, and I hope that helps them to see. But I dunno. It would be so super cool to convert their whole family. I think they could be really cool and strong in the church. We´ll see. I just need to stop worrying so much, and just let things happen as they happen. I know that I’ll be nervous this next week, too, but until I have to lead and do those things, I think it´ll be that. Like you guys said, once I can look back and see how much I progressed, I’ll have a lot more confidence to do the those things.
Well, that’s about it. I love you guys a ton, and miss you a lot. These last 6 weeks have been ridiculously fast, and it’s already 7 months. I still have a ton, and a ton, ton, TON more to learn, but at the rate it’s going, I’ll be home before even I know it. Well, have a really good week, and if I forgot something, I’m sorry. Just put it in the next one, and I’ll do my best to remember to answer it.
Love,
Jace

Oh, and my shoes aren’t too well, but this next week, I’m gonna take them to a Zapateria, and they can fix them there. One pair just needs new soles, and the other sewn a bit. Other than that, not too bad. My backpack is starting to fall apart, but I’m pretty sure I can buy one somewhere around here. Chao.

March 14, 2011

Whitney,
Hey, it sounds like you had a super week. Mine was pretty boring, but that’s ok. 28? Really? Wow. I would like to know who they all are. That is really, really interesting to me, to be honest. But cool. Well, enjoy the weather, and I love you and miss you!
Jace

Hunter,
Hey, Ecuador is good. Bueno, más or menos. But yeah, I had a pretty ok week. We didn’t get to do a whole super lot of fun stuff, but it wasn’t too bad, really. I hope that you guys do get to play footbal. And be careful with cuts. Those aren’t fun. Well, love you and miss you!
Jace

Dear Brooklyn,
Wow, it sounds like you had an adventure of a week. I remember the book fair a little bit. It feels like such a long time back. I can’t even believe it! But fun. You just gotta smack that little kid, and then he´ll stop. Anyway. Nothin has happened here at all. Really a super boring week. We hope to have a better one comin up, so that will be better. I love you guys and hope that you have a super awesome amazing week! I miss you!
Love,
Jace

March 7, 2011

Dear Brooklyn,
Wow, yeah, it sounds like you just had the best week ever in all of life! I’m glad that you had a good birthday, and that all of you guys just had a really fun time down in Salt Lake, too. I know that you are going to have maybe an even better one this week, and that is cool. Well, I love you and miss you and hope you have another fun week.
Love,
Jace


Dear Whitney,
Haha, it sounds like you all had fun at the game. I’m glad to hear that. And you even got to stay at Jason and Jodi’s house. That’s cool. And the Jazz even won. That doesn’t happen a lot, does it? Haha, anyway. I’m glad that you had fun. No, I haven’t had guinea pig yet, but when I do, I’ll be sure to tell you about it. Love you and miss you!
Love,
Jace

Dear Hunter,
Yes, I’m having fun. I’m glad you guys all had fun in Salt Lake. And you got a jersey? ¡Que chevere! And maybe we can talk Spanish! Just keep learning and doing the very best you can, and I know it´ll happen. Anyway, I love you and miss you.
Love,
Jace

March 7, 2011

Dear Mom and Dad,
Yeah, this week was a whole lot better. I think all of that work has started to pay off. We found 5 families this week, and only one of them really is sucky. So that’s good, no? Anyway, first off, it sounds like everything back at home is going well. Thanks for keeping me updated on all of the new stuff and the news and everything that’s happened. It helps me to stay in touch with the stuff back at home. It sounds like the highlight of the week was definitely the Jazz game. That’s cool. Everyone said that is was a close one, and those are always the best ones, hands down. And what with the kids and everything doing the stuff that they do, I’m glad to hear it.
For me, well, nothin really super interesting has happened this week, to be honest. The new family we found, the Flia Tipán, are really good, and we hope to at least have some baptisms for this month. We are really lackin on people and the people that we have just don’t come! It’s hard, but we had a meeting this week, too, that we held, and the members are really gonna start helping us more, and I know that more than anything will help, so we are really excited. These people are gonna start coming, and I’m gonna end the mission at least with 20! Haha, my goal is for 40, but ya know what? If I don’t have any more after this day, I’ll be fine, if I at least was working and doing my very best. Cool beans. Other than that, nothin. We had some really cool lessons yesterday, and we helped some people a lot. But as for specifics, haha, nope. This´ll be one of those weeks in my journal, and there are a lot, honestly, where I don’t remember much. I just remember that we worked, we did our best, and we pushed on. Really, like I said before, if I can’t remember a single thing that happened after, I’ll at least know that I had the personal conversion that President Sloan always talks about. The main reason why I’m here. And that’s enough for me.
Hmmm, qué mas. Oh, something cool. We have a lady, who’s name is Diosa, which means, haha, Goddess. Yeah, her name’s Goddess. We teach her, and she never seems like she understands anything. But she came to church yesterday, and she was spoutin off stuff about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and everything! She’s so Catholic, but it was awesome. And, the mamita from Sunday, the one that speaks English and is really cool, is the Relief Society President, and she helped a ton yesterday, and it was good. And the best part. She told my companion that she had a dream Saturday night that she was all dressed in white for something. Yeah, that spells baptism for us. We hope so, at least. We have a couple more lessons with her, but that is the hope for us both.
I can’t believe I’ve already been in this place for 5 weeks, and in 3 more, I’ll have 2 months here! It’s pretty crazy. In 4 days, I’ll have seven months. I dunno how many more zones or districts that I’ll have, but I would say for the least 3. I’m thinkin 4 or 5, but I can never really know.
Well, that’s about it. This week, I didn’t have many pictures, either, but we are really gonna start takin them with the investigators and with the members and everything, so that´ll be fun. Anyway. I love you guys and miss you, and it’s almost summer there! How crazy.
Love,
Jace