Two Months

Today marks two months in Guayaquil. We have learned many things and feel comfortable here and glad to be one of the temple missionary couples and among the many workers in the Guayaquil Temple. As full time temple missionaries we have a monthly training session with President and Sister Groberg during the early afternoon when the temple is closed. Training consists of actually performing the ordinances and it is another chance to do family names. Our first one was in the baptistry and President Groberg was the one baptized. Our second was the initiatory ordinances and we participated as patrons and ordinance workers. It is a lovely experience to have together as a group. Next month we will have a special endowment session and the temple employees will be invited to participate as well.

I was working in the baptistry one busy Saturday morning and they needed me upstairs for an English speaking patron. I was nervous because I had not done anything in English as a temple worker for a very long time. But I found that the English was still there, just buried a bit under a lot of Spanish I have been using recently.

Last month I had a chance to go with Sister Chiza to a PEF/Employment event held in our chapel. Ever since we left Quito Sister Chiza has been helping both PEF and Employment as a volunteer. She took a long trip to Argentina after her term as a service missionary was over but when she returned she went back and helped out daily wherever they most needed her. The Segos are the current couple in charge of PEF and Sister Chize knew about the Exposition that was scheduled here in Guayaquil. It was a joint project with Employment and brought together many trade schools as well as PEF and BYU-I to explain their offerings to everyone who was interested. There was a lot of interest in the culinary school that was serving freshly made appetizers and desserts. I enjoyed those as well but was excited to learn that BYU-I has a Pathway program that is functioning both in Guayaquil and Quito (as well as many places in the world) that combines online classes with a weekly class held in a church building with a local teacher.  All students must qualify to take classes in English and have a temple recommend. In Ecuador there are two majors offered: Web Design and Business Marketing. As I understood it, the students earn a BYU-I degree that is respected world wide through this distance learning option and it is very inexpensive. I spoke to a current student who said it is very hard work but he is almost finished and very happy to have been able to participate.

PEF is undergoing major changes. I didn't have time to learn very much but Employment will take additional responsibility and self-reliance is becoming even more prominently the focus. I got a chance to talk with Sister Sego for a few minutes. She came with no Spanish skills and I know that it is a challenge when your ability to communicate is limited. She is doing very well and has learned a lot of Spanish in one year.  I looked on LDS.org and it says: The charter of the Perpetual Education Fund has been broadened into a self-reliance initiative for international members, ages 18 – 65+. The purpose is to teach doctrines and principles and provide tools and services to help lift our members in need move from poverty to spiritual and economic self-reliance and greater conversion. The tools and services include the successful PEF student loan program in 55 countries, in addition to many new resources and training programs targeted at self-employment, employment, and career development.

I am grateful that our current mission involves communication one on one and I do not have any responsibility for making phone calls.  I had difficulty understanding people over the phone and I would often mix up phone numbers when taking messages. My incompetence was painful for me and for others. Phone numbers are longer here and I had to repeat each number individually in order to get it right.

The big news is that we are so proud of all of our family missionaries we could just burst our buttons. 

Colby Snyder is in southern California. He was our first and will return in April of 2014.

Jacey Preisler is in the Dominican Republic assigned to the very same mission that we were assigned to in 2008.

Jacob Pettingill is in the southern part of France where his mother, Khristine, served her mission. 

 Katie Pettingill, is in northern France.

Troy Snyder is in Accra, Ghana and wins the prize for the best attitude under the most severe cultural shock. If you do not have access to their letters and would like to read them, contact their parents. Two more grandchildren are waiting in the wings with plans to send in papers soon.

We love our family and hope to set a good example for them. This mortal life is not the easiest thing we have ever had to do, but it is joyful and so very important. Be good and serve others.

We love you, Grandma and Grandpa Pettingill