Sept 26, 2011

Dear Mom and Dad,
Hey, I’m still alive out here in Quinindé, my little heaven on earth. Love it here so much. It’s hard to say that I like it more than Santo Domingo, but I think that I do. Everyone likes to listen, everyone is friendly, and the time is going like its nobodies business. Tomorrow, I go to Quito again, but just for a day, to renovate my visa. Freak, I’ve almost been in this country for a whole year! I can remember when we took them out last year in November, thinking about the day when we´d all come back together again to renew them. It seemed so far away. I’m excited to see the guys from my group. 3 or the 9 have gone home, throughout this year, which sucks. But the other six are going strong, and it will be a really fun party, I know that. I’m excited.

Thanks for all of the updates. I’ll keep praying for everyone so that things can get better. It’s hard to think that someday I will have to pass through the same kind of things. Really soon, actually. It’s crazy. Before I know it, Kyle will leave and we´ll talk again for phone or skype. Freak, it really does just make me feel weird, and some kind of veteran in the mission. But cool. This week was hard. We did some stuff, found some families, but nobody came to church. Sucky, especially after working so much. But other than that, life goes on. Conference is this weekend, I’m hoping that we can watch it in English, because if no, it’s really boring and hard in Spanish. There’s a really good possibility that I’ll sleep. Anyway. Pray for that. Lot to do this week, but I won’t be back until like Wednesday at night, and then just have Thursday and Friday to work a little, because we gotta go to Esmeraldas for the Leaders Meeting. We´ll see. There’s a lot of stress being a leader, having the bad numbers thrown down, crackin the whip. Lot of stress, but its good to grow. I can run people, that’s no doubt. And that I´ll help in my job in the future. Nice.

Well, that’s about that. We met a lady who is a member, who cant come because she doesn’t walk well, that has 19 kids. 19. Freakin. Kids. Isn’t that awesome? I’m not sure if I have told you guys, but I have made it my goal, a really real goal, to have 8 kids. This lady doubled it. Ready for this? She has over four HUNDRED grandchildren. 4 freakin 00. That’s insane. And everyone knows everyone else. It’s incredible. I just wanna be here for one of the parties, to be able to preach to all of them over microphone and on a freakin stage. That’s my dream. Haha, we´ll see.

I love you guys a lot. I miss ya, and know that God is with you and I hope you are seeing blessings for my efforts. I sure am, and can’t be happier. As the time now is passing, I really realize how short it is, and how much I still gotta do. Crazy. Yeah, pues. Oh, if you could send the recipe for the burritos, that would be good. And also for the cobbler or a pie or something. Cheesecake, even. Not sure if they sell cream cheese, but maybe. Talk to you guys next week. Watch conference, pray before doing so, asking for revelation, and take notes. That helps.

Love,
Elder Jace Reber

Sept 26, 2011

I baptized the two girls

Sept 26, 2011

Finally conquered by fear of bees. Killed a

bunch at this house

They kinda wanna kill me. I kinda wanna kill the

boy on the left!

I love doing dishes!

Sept 19, 2011

Dear Mom and Dad,
Hey, I’m good. This week was fun. Got a new comp, from Guatemala, and he’s a cool guy. We get along really well, and he is kinda quiet in the lessons which lets me really just say everything that I wanna say. So that’s just super fun. Other than that, everything is exactly the same. I haven’t changed much, haven’t done anything too crazy, and am happy to be here. Pretty crazy about all of the stuff that’s happening at home. Just keep letting the good times roll and trying your very best to live the gospel and do what God wants you to do.

I never did get to talk to Hector again, not sure what’s happening with him. We have a few other families here, but not a ton of potential. A lot of problems, and not a lot of solutions. I just wanna be successful, that’s all. We are gonna keep lookin this week for people, and are gonna find some new families to teach, so that´ll be fun. Find somebody golden, that’s all that I want. About the recipe, it doesn’t matter, just something really good. Like, the sweet pork burritos or something that we could make like that that would be fun to do with the investigators. Like, talk and cook and all that. That kinda food. Not sure if there’s another that we could do. Even if it’s like breakfast food or something unique like that. I would like to learn how to make corn dogs, that would be really cool. Stuff like that, that only exists there at home. Thanks.

Well, that’s about it. I’m tired, ready to sleep a bit, and hopefully start to see some real success here. That’s the dream, man. It’s crazy to see how much everyone is changing. Every time I read your letters, something different sticks out or is just weird to me. Maybe its just because I’M the one getting older, or am more absorbed in the church stuff, so its kinda a different view. I dunno. I like it, though. I’m happy. Do all of the stuff that you should. Go to church, READ the Book of Mormon, and Pray every freakin day, chuta. All of those things will save you. Like, not suggestions. You need to do them, all of you. There is not a single excuse why you aren’t doing them. You should also be going for your Patriarchal blessings. Prepare and do it. You’re never too old. Madison, too. Brooklyn, even. It´ll help you out a ton. I love you guys a lot, and after all that I’ve been through, I know what it is to be strong members, weak members, normal members, and CONVERTED members. You guys gotta be the last ones. Feel all of these things in your life. Don’t just do it to do it. God wants us to do it out of love. So, yeah, pues. Lets do it. I love you all at home, and miss you a lot. I can’t believe that the time is winding down like it is. I mean, it’s almost Christmas again. There’s a possibility I’ll explode and my blood will spill out with rice and chicken. I´d believe it. Hasta la proxima semana. Espero que tenga buenas noticias para decirles. Si no, bueno, no es mi fetchin culpa, haha.

Con mucho amor,
Elder Jace Reber

Sept 19, 2011

Madison,
Anyway. That’s pretty sucky about what happened getting hurt. You should be more careful in the things that you do. You’re gonna destroy yourself for the future. Like, be 40 and not be able to walk or something like that. It´ll suck. Just be careful. It´ll be hard walking in the street as a missionary, too, so just watch it, yeah? Other than that, go strong. Good luck with everything. I don’t evenremember what a podcast is, to be honest. Ok? Bacán. Well, I’ll talk to you next week. Love you a lot, and miss you. Time´s rolling on like its never rolled before. I’m progressing like crazy, gettin older, and just am livin life. Chao.

Love,
Elder Jace Reber


Dear Children,
Hey, sounds like you have had a super fun week. That makes me happy. Hopefully you can get better with your bodies and the things that are bad and keep playing sports and having fun. That’s always good. I’m still here in Ecuador, claro. Its fun. I am still here in the coast, in Quinindé. It’s awesome. I love it here. My companions name is Elder Rosales. He is really funny and super cool. We are super buddies. I love you guys a lot, and have a super week. Love you.

Love,
Elder Jace Reber
Su Hermano Mayor

Sept 12, 2011

Dear Mom and Dad,
Hey, yeah, I’m doing well, as usual. The sickness did go away, and I am feeling a ton better. Had some good stuff go on, and I’m still happy. Went to Esmeraldas a bunch of times this week, we haven’t found anyone, there were changes today and I’m just with the other Elder who was on the other side of the river. So that’s good. Other than that, this week was pretty boring. Everyone with a baptismal date has fallen through, and the mission is in a little bit of lockdown with some new rules because the numbers have dropped drastically and there is a ton of disobedience. I know that it’s for the best, though. We all knew we weren’t doing enough, and God has called us out. It’s cool to see President Ghent step up and throw down some rules on us and that makes me happy. We´ll see.

I can’t remember honestly anything that has happened this week. At all. It has all just kinda passed like a blur. Nothing about the lessons or anything. We have a lot of work to do this week. A ton. We really gotta start finding people again and putting baptismal dates with them so that they can progress and have the things that God wants them to have. That’s all. Thanks for all of the news and everything that you told me. It helps me to keep going. Just filled up 13 months a couple days ago or yesterday, can’t remember, to be honest, but its just flying. It’s crazy. But its fun. I love you guys a lot, and am super grateful for all of the sacrifices that you make for me every day. Keep praying and doing the small things. If you’re still not doing it, start. Read the Book of Mormon every day, pray, and go to church, always. Do service, fast, all of it. It’s the way to keep a testimony and serve strong. Please? Well, I’ll talk to you next week. Hopefully something a little more exciting will have occurred. If not, oh well, haha.

Love,
Elder Jace Reber

Sept 5, 2011

Mom and Dad,
Hey, I’m good, like always. Already have a month out here in Quinindé, and its pretty weird to think and see. Love it like crazy. This last week was nuts. Sooo much stuff happened. We had a couple of baptisms, but with a ton of work and a lot of help from God. I’ll explain later on in the letter.

It’s good to know that you’re enjoying yourselves back there at home. It is weird to think that this is the last round of the holidays, though. After Halloween, wow. The next one I’ll be home. Hopefully not working or doing something stupid, but can’t decide or see that one yet. In a year or so, no? But keep on keeping on, as I say. Sigan adelante. Move forward. Progress. Busca Dios en todo momento. Man, 8 months with Latinos. I’m just flyin in Spanish.

Ok. The stuff. Lets see.

Tuesday. We destroyed two bees nests in the house of an investigator, and I got stung for the first times in my life. Wasn’t as bad as I thought. Murdered like 20. So that was cool. That night, we go to the girl that got baptized. We´ve been working with her for a long freakin time. She says there’s reason she won’t get baptized. We did a whole bunch of questions, and learned that it had something to do with me. Umm, ok. Well, we´ll pass by tomorrow. Excellent. Was worried.

Wednesday. Same thing. But this time, she said surely that it had something to do with me, and she was having a ton of thoughts. Uncomfortable. I asked her "Well, do you like the thoughts, and do you want them to leave?" She waits and says, "Well of course I like the thoughts. But yes." Hahahaha, I busted up a bit. An awkward laugh. Freaky. Thats how all of visits were. She said that she wasn’t gonna get baptized unless the "boy that she liked who lived in a different country that couldn’t do anything with her for a specific reason" got married with her. Basically proposed to me in a round about sorta way. Excellent. Asked if we could have girlfriends. If she could kiss missionaries. Wow. But she’s good now. She got baptized, and I can see a big change in her. Serves me right for all of the jokes that I always made, no?

Ummm, what else. Friday, we freakin hit somebody in our bus. I think we might have even killed the driver, a girl and her friend. I just wake up, look, and feel the impact, and everybody flips and runs out. It was nuts. I was pretty shaky, but what can ya do? The bus company, one of many, is famous for being ridiculously fast. LIke, INSANELY fast, so its scary. But we always do save 30 minutes or so, haha.

Saturday through today, I’ve been really sick. I puked Saturday, have been poopin water, and have felt like crap. It’s not fun. It’s finally starting to leave, but I haven’t eaten anything solid in like 3 days. Thought I was gonna die in the morning from hunger. That sucked.

Well, that’s it. It was an interesting week. I have my first district leader council this week, so I’ll be kicking it over to Quito tomorrow and coming back Thursday. So much to do, so little time. This next Sunday, I fill up 13 months. Its crazy. So nuts. Well, I love you guys a lot, and am super grateful for all of your support and everything. Keep praying for me and doing all of that stuff, because it really is helping me a lot. I miss you, and can’t wait for the time when we can go do something, in the COLD. Oh, I look for that day.

Love,
Elder Jace Reber

Sept 5, 2011

Madison,
Well, excellent work in school. Just ask the guys why they’re such babies. Announce it over the speakers. Do it. Really. It´ll be funny as crap.

Hey, well, I love you. There’s a possibility that I’m gonna have an accident in my pants, so I gotta go home. Pray that I don’t. Miss ya. Sigue adelante, y no seas un fetchin niña, porque si estas haciendo eso, te mato, de verdad, yeah? Entonces. Escuchame.

Con amor,
Elder Jace Reber
Lo mas bacan



Dear Siblings,
Awesome week, it sounds like. I’m glad for that. Everyone just has to keep moving along and I know that you´ll all be really happy. Just keep studying and doing the things that mom and dad tell you and all will be good. I love you guys a lot, and enjoy the break. I don’t get to have one, but its ok. Maybe in a year or so I’ll get to have a nap.

Love,
Elder Jace Reber

September 5, 2011

Dear Grandma Vera,
Wow, that’s way cool about the temples. It’s my dream to visit all of them, too, but I’m not sure the possibility of doing it. Just need more time. Something I don’t have a lot of, haha. Cool, though. I’m glad that you guys are having this opportunity to see so many things and visit so many places. I know that it’ll always be in your memories.

That’s cool about Kyle being ordained. I’ll be he´s pretty excited. Gettin the Melch Priesthood is a big step. Giving blessings and guiding these people, it’s such a privilege. I’ve met a lot of good men and women here who love the Gospel and are willing to sacrifice all that they have to live it. It’s really inspiring.

Well, that’s about it from me. I love you guys a lot. It’s nuts how fast time is going here, and I still have so, so, so much to learn and so many things I wanna do. Just gotta make the most of the time that I have, and I know that this will serve me for the rest of my life. Well, talk to ya later. I miss you both.

Love,
Elder Jace Reber