So sorry that I'm posting this later than usual (also sorry if you tried to read this earlier and the font was really weird...me + technology=not good)...Josh is fine as far as we know from his letter we got yesterday (for any who heard about the fires in the area he's in)

¿Qué tal familia?
I came prepared this week. I have the list. I have my cords. I am ready. Game time.

First off, I feel bad that I've forgotten to give my condolences (is that how you spell it) to our cousins over the loss of their daughter. I've prayed a lot for them and hope that they are doing okay and that the Lord is blessing them.

The cold isn't as bad right now, only in the nights now it's pretty cold. I guess in December when the rain starts it gets just miserable. Constant rain, constant cold, so that'll be fun. Maybe in a few months you could send me come stuff for the rain, I think I'm fine now, but rain every day could change that, we'll see. Right now I really want rain, it's rained one day since I've been here. There are fires all over the place, you can see them for miles and miles. Tons of them. So right now I want rain, but if I'm here for six months, I doubt I'll want it then. Also with the rain comes mangoes, so that's a win. I've heard you can buy 100 for 8 bucks, so I'll be eating many a mango soon. 

Absentee ballot--no worries, I don't think it'd get to me in time, and I don't think it's worth the hassel. If you want to send it, go ahead, but I have the patriotic attitude this round that my vote doesn't matter. Keep me updated on the race, also, why did no one tell me about iPhone 5?? Come on people, I have access to that kind of news never, and even I know that there is an iPhone 5 announced and some of the specs about it. I live in CHILLAGALLO ECUADOR, where technology like that doesn't exist. Step up, fam.

I eat a lot with a spoon. Usually for lunch we have a soup then a plate of rice and something, usually chicken. The soup is always delicious, then they take away the bowl and have us eat with a spoon. The rice is easy to eat with the spoon, but the rest of the food is not, especially if it's meat on a bone. They put the plate in front of me, I think, "challenge accepted," and proceed to somehow eat the meat with a spoon. I am leveling up fast in this area. My eating with a spoon skills with be off the charts when I get home, so watch out world.

The apartment is getting better and better. Just so you know, I feel bad that I've used so much home money, but almost all of it is for cleaning stuff and peanut butter. I bought a bath mat for the bathroom, which makes it look a lot less bacteriay. Hopefully today we have more time to clean, but we`ll see.

GenCon, I think we watch in in English as gringos, but there is a chance that we just listen to the Spanish, which is fine but weird to hear different voices for the speakers. My district is good, my zone is good. Elder Pande is one of my zone leaders, and I love him. He's really great and really helpful. Trevor and Heather, he says he thinks he's met you, you went to his brother's house for a football game or something? No sé, you guys may know him/his family.

We built up a garden this week for an old lady in the ward. It was really fun and the garden looks great, but it's super dry. I think she's just waiting till the rain comes for the stuff to grow. It was really fun. After, she made us rabbit and bananas on a grill outside, and Elder Pande said, we will all get sick from this, then started eating. It was funny, because it's true, we eat even when we know it'll make us sick. Luckily this one didn't do me in, and I'm still a-okay. Only the cow stomach has the power to ruin me.

This Saturday at 4 I'm starting an English class to try to get to know the ward better and to find new people. We're going to teach every Saturday at 4 as long as people come. Wish me luck! I'm excited and I think a lot of people will show up, but we'll have to wait and see! We're really pushing to work with the ward more, to get to know them and let them know that they can trust us and help us. Be really good to the missionaries in your ward. The help of the members makes a huge, huge difference. Here the culture is a bit different and it's hard to get the members to work with us. We're improving our relationship with them every day, and we'll see where we can get with them...

 I love you all, thank you for the letters and the support. Keep it coming, as always. 

Spanish is good, getting better every day.

Bastante amor,

Elder Thomas





Here are some the pictures he sent!! He also sent some video recordings, which are awesome..I'll try to attach those soon