October 31st through November 6th

 October 31st through November 6th:

Monday:  We were invited by President and Sister Winters of the Quito mission to join them and 28 missionaries for a zone preparation day activity. We got up early and took an Uber into Quito to meet up with the Cameron's, the office couple.  We were picked up by a van and then we drove to President and Sister Winters' apartment and picked them up with coolers of food.  We then drove 1 1/2 hours to the Reserva Alambi where we met a busload of young missionaries for the start of the activity. Reserva Alambi is a hummingbird reserve.  There were at least 100 hummingbirds feeding on sweet nectar in about 10 bird feeders.  President Winters has a great camera and got some great pictures of Chris and I holding a bird feeder in our hand and also some close up pictures of some of the different colored birds.  There are 37 different variety of hummingbirds at the reserve.

Cayambe was out of the clouds.

There were a bunch of bird feeders.

Hummingbird Feeders

They would come and feed right out of your hand.

Can you see there are 3 birds, one right by my armpit.

President Winters' camera was amazing.

We then loaded up and drove to Mindo about 40 minutes from the reserve.  After arriving in Mindo, we drove up into the mountains to Tarabita and took a cable car across a deep ravine.  The Winters had packed lunch for us and we ate pulled pork sandwiches, very delicious.

About 8 people could be in the cage.

The ravine is quite wide.

Lunch was delish.  Sister Winters is on the right.

We then started down a trail that the Winters said was only about a 20 minute hike to a water fall.  After about 5 minutes, Chris decided she didn't want to continue so she went back and sat with Sister Cameron who had done the hike before.  Well, the hike was down hill to the river and then back up.  Maybe for a 19 year old Elder or Sister missionary it would take only 20 minutes. But for me it was more like 40 minutes each way and my knees were shot by the time I made it back.  When I got to the bottom, I was the last person. I took 3 pictures and headed back because I didn't want to be the last one back to the top. 

Lots and lots of stairs.

The missionaries all walked across the river.

We then rode the cable car back across the ravine and loaded up and headed home. 

My hand is in the air.

We got back to the Cameron's apartment about 6:00pm and tried for 20 minutes to get an Uber with no luck.  So we walked a few blocks to a busy street and took a taxi. It took 3 days for my legs and knees to recover. 

View from Cameron's apartment in downtown Quito.  The city is 4 X's bigger than we remember.

Tuesday through Saturday:  Each day we spent about 5 hours in the morning and 5 hours in the evening in training sessions in the temple.  Saturday went from 7:00am to 3:30pm, back to back.  It was so nice to be back in the temple after being off for the open house.  Sunday:  We took a taxi to church and after the taxi dropped us off, Chris realized that her cell phone had slipped out of her dress pocket and was still in the taxi.  We have not been able to get it back.  In Sunday school, the lesson was on Daniel and his interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that destroyed a great image of gold, silver and brass. The teacher then asked about the history of the church in Ecuador.  I explained the following:

1965 Elder Spencer W. Kimball dedicated Ecuador for the preaching of the gospel. 4 missionaries from the Andes Mission were sent to Quito.  

1970 the Quito Ecuador mission was organized with Louis Latimer as the first president, about 20 missionaries and about 1200 members.  (I arrived in May 1971 and Chris arrived in October 1971)

2022 there are 6 missions with approximately 510 missionaries and  253,000 members.

The teacher then made the comparison that the stone cut out of the mountain without hands was the Kingdom of God and that the growth of the church in Ecuador is an example for the fulfillment of that prophecy.  I could not agree more.  We marvel at what has happened since we were here in 1971 to 1973.  Sunday afternoon I spent 3 1/2 hours in the temple helping train the 9 new sealers.  It was a great week for us, except for the fact that Chris lost her phone.