Greetings from Ecuador!

Hallo! 

I`m alive! I made it to Ecuador! My first zone is called Machala and (if you can believe it) my first area is called Aurora! How ironic! My trainer`s name is Hermana Cambal and she is really great. She is so patient with my Spanish and really helps me to understand and speak and teach. She knows a little bit of English because she is from Northern Ecuador, and the school where she is from teaches English. So all is well!

P-day for the whole mission is Monday, so you`ll be getting my emails every Monday now! So the way writing emails works is that we come to this computer place in the morning, print off all the emails we received, read them throughout the day, then around 3 or so we come back and write our emails. But we only have 30 minutes to write! Elder Will Carver told me that in his mission they have 2 hours... I`m not really sure why it`s so different. Anyway, I might start writing real letters more instead since I won`t have much time here. So please include your address if you send me an email or a letter so I can write you back!

This week has been so great! I am so in love with Ecuador. The people here are so wonderful, the food is delicious, we have lots of opportunities to teach, the ward is very big and loving, the culture is different but sweet, and the weather is gloriously hot and humid :)

So the way that a lot of people make money here is selling things from their homes or cars, or driving taxis. The taxis are just self-owned cars, but they are safe enough. The driving is crazy, but everyone driving only pays attention to driving-- people don`t talk on the phone or eat or anything. So it`s crazy, but it`s safe. Now about the people who sell stuff: in the town Aurora where I live, there are tons and tons of "tiendas", which are stores in the front of someone`s house. That`s where we sometimes buy groceries and snacks and stuff. It`s pretty funny. Anyone that wants to can just sell stuff out of their homes. It`s the same for restaurants-- many people just make a "restaurant" out of the front room of their house. It`s great! And then other people drive around and sell things, like snacks and produce and cotton candy and fried stuff. Think about the little cart that Nacho Libre drives around... That`s exactly what many people sell things out of. It`s so legit! But as missionaries, we aren`t allowed to eat anything sold on the streets or in those little restaurants. We eat lunch every day at a member`s house, and they stuff us full of rice! It`s incredible. And we have to eat the whole thing. On Saturday, I literally ate until I felt like I was going to throw up, and I had only eaten 2/3 of it. My awesome companion finished mine for me while the members weren`t looking. What a life saver! I haven`t eaten anything crazy yet-- just lots of rice and Coke.

So there are 5 of us living in one big apartment. It would probably be more fun if I could understand them better haha but they are all so nice and helpful. I`ll send a picture of the main part of our apartment. My bed is the top bunk. We`re on the fourth floor, so I can see all of my area out on our porch. It`s beautiful!

Today it rained for the first time, but I guess we`re not allowed to wear rain boots :( I at least have my crocs, so my other shoes won`t get ruined by the rain. Other than that, the weather has been really great. Me gusta the heat!

The missionary work here is awesome. On my first day we had 7 people commit to being baptized! Although only 3 came to church on Sunday. We need to work hard to get people to come to church. But everyone here is so welcoming. We haven`t really had any problem with rude people, and for the most part everyone is willing to listen to our message. I`m learning so much about the gospel here and how it can really bless and change people`s lives. Our family is so blessed to have the knowledge that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ-- we can live forever with our families! And we have the opportunity to make such special covenants with God so that we can have Eternal Life and be happy. The Book of Mormon answers all the questions we have because it is the word of God. Our Savior loves each person very much and is very aware of our needs. When we turn to Him and change our lives to be in line with His teachings, we are blessed and receive the help that we need. I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ`s true church on the Earth today. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet who talked with God and Jesus Christ, and I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of the world today.

Keep your chin up-- you`ve got a loving Father in Heaven who watches over you! 

Love you all!
-Hermana Angela Busath

p.s. I tried to send pictures, but they didn`t work. I`ll send them next week.