Chapter 15 - ¡Feliz Navidad! Christmas in Ecuador

Dear Friends and Family,

¡Feliz Navidad! I hope you are all enjoying these last few days before Christmas. It's so weird to think that Christmas is this week, it is so different being on a mission during this time of year. I'm not around my family, I'm speaking another language, and it's really hot which just does not equal Christmas in my mind haha but I like it. The people here have Christmas trees and other decorations so that helps me get in the Spirit. Also the opportunity to serve others instead of think of myself is an opportunity I am really grateful for as well. 

Zona La Florida

Christmas in South America:

So Christmas traditions here in South America are so different from the United States but it has been fun to learn more about their culture and how they celebrate Christmas. So on the 24th they all get together as family as most of us do, but they open up presents at like 11 pm and then eat La Cena or a huge dinner that starts at 12am and they just eat and eat and then sleep for like the whole day on the 25th. I was like wow that is way different than Christmas in the U.S. They eat all sorts of meat and chocolates and other food in la cena oh and they love fruit cake....yeah it's really big. I don't really understand it but they love it haha

Also, we got to go to the temple this week! Oh it was soo awesome. I have missed the temple and it's only been like 2 months more or less since I went to the temple last in Colombia but I have really missed it. It truly is a part of heaven on the earth. The peace you feel in the temple is unlike any other peace in the world. We can set aside all our worldy cares and just focus on being in the temple. No matter where you are in the world, you can go to the House of the Lord and find refuge, peace, and comfort. I am go grateful for the opportunity we had to go to the temple and I encourage all of you to go to the temple as often as you can. Take advantage of the great blessing it is to have a temple, well multiple temples, so close!

So just a few more things. Life not being in a trio has been a little strange which is weird because before I wasn't in a trio but I don't know, it just feels weird. It's like, just when you get used to something, it changes. It's probably a good thing though. It's kinda rough being two new missionaries trying to figure out how to do everything that we need to do but I know that the Lord has prepared us and will continue to be our strength. We are nothing without God and I know there is absolutely no way I could be a missionary without His help.

P.S. Thank you Cub Scout Pack for the letter! So I work in the mission office right now two days out of the week because my companion is a mission nurse and she has to do stuff in the office and therefore I go with her and all the mail comes here first before going out to the missionaries and so you can only imagine my surprise when one of the Elders just out of the blue asks me "Hermana Roylance, were you close to the Scouts in your ward?" haha I was so confused and taken aback but then he gave me the letter. THANK YOU DC2nd WARD! It was such a sweet thing to do, it made me think of home. Thank you for all your support and prayers! :)

Hermana Roylance

Pictures are from a tourist place called Al Faro

Chapter 14 - And Then There Were Two

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all are enjoying the Christmas season! Here I am enjoying the heat (well ok not really, but it's okay) and I also enjoyed our baptism yesterday! We had a baptism yesterday and it was really great. It's my first baptism where I was actually there for all the lessons and saw his transformation unlike the other times where I just swoop in at the end.... 

His name is Harrington and he is super awesome. He has a friend in the ward who just left on a mission two weeks ago and he said that he is his motivation. He said he needed this change in his life and he was so receptive to the gospel. He was so ready to hear our message and accepted everything so quickly. He wants to serve a mission and is just so great. I was even more happy that the YSA welcomed him and included him and he really feels like part of the ward. I really am so blessed to be in this ward and to see the progress of so many of God's children. Also, remember that you can be an example to those around you. Like I said, Harrington's motivation to change was his friend. We have the power and responsibility as members of the Church to teach our friends and family and be examples of our Savior Jesus Christ. Continue to strive to be the example that he would have you be. People notice what you do and say.

Also, my trio is breaking! Hermana Vera is going home on Thursday and I just don't know how I feel about that... 

Hermana Vera y Hermana Roylance

She is such a great missionary and I have learned so so much from her. She is so funny and has the spirit and is really one of my best friends. I am going to miss her so much but I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with her. Now Hermana Colachagua and I have to brave it on our own. Hermana Colachagua only has like 2 weeks more than me in the mission so we're just a couple of newbies here in Florida but it's great. She knows so much and I can't wait to see what this week brings.

I am so grateful for the chance to be a missionary and to preach the gospel. I still can't speak Spanish fully and I am learning the ways of missionary work but the Lord really is my shepard and helps me so much. Continue to walk in the paths of righteousness and look to Him in all things! Love you guys!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD!!! Don't mind my crazy hair......it's hot here.... 

 

Love,

Hermana Roylance

Chapter 13 - Another Week in the Heat

Dear Friends and Family,

I really forget that it's December because like where is the snow? and it's not cold at all and actually quite hot but it's ok, I make it through. Enjoy all the Christmas-y things for me :)

(Ashley is sitting between her companions, Hermana Vera on her right and Hermana Colachagua on her left.  They are mission nurses, and this is taken at the December new missionary orientation - where they have the nurses come and give part of the orientation.)

This week was full of changes. It is so different being in a trio but I am grateful for the opportunity because I am learning so much from my companions. I love them so much, they are so funny. Also, this weekend we had a baptism! and this time it really was our investigator, not just someone in our zone. Her name is Lidice and she is so awesome. This is how it was for my when I first arrived in the mission field. My first week we had a marriage and a baptism and guess what we had last week? A marriage and a baptism! Lidice and Nefi were married this weekend and Lidice was baptized on Saturday.

 It was so great. I obviously haven't worked with her that long because I just got to this area but for the little time that I got to teach her and talk with her, I learned to love her. She has the light of Christ with her and she is truly so happy. It helped remind me of my real purpose here as a missionary. My purpose here is to invite others to come unto Christ and to find the people who are ready to hear the gospel. This gospel can really change lives. The spirit is an incredible thing and I am so grateful for it in my life. The church is growing more and more every day and I am so grateful and feel so blessed to be serving his children in Ecuador!

Things are good here. Something I have learned here....DO NOT drink the water. We have purified water in our house so that's good, but sometimes the people give us water and twice I have made the mistake of drinking it...like people told me this but it took me two times of drinking it and then regretting it the next day to finally decide that drinking the water is not the best idea...haha oh man. Being a missionary is fun. It really is such a great experience and I love it! Hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Roylance