Sorry
this has a weird grey background, I don't know who to make it go
away...Anyway. I have so many thoughts right now I don't know where to
start. I also have so many emotions. ¨Yesterday was transfers and guess
what...I was transfered...And can you guess where? Yes, Florida...again.
It's hard because there is really only two sectors where the nurses can
even be so I have already been in both and now I'm back in Florida in
Guayaquil. I say it's the third time because after the earthquake I also
came here. It's a bitter sweet feeling because I'm glad to be back and
see all the member and converts here but at the same time I want to meet
new people but hey, the Lord has a plan for me. I obvioulsy need to
find some people here I didn't find the frist two times around so here I
go. Also, my companion is Hermana Rojas. She is from Provo but her
parents are from Peru. She's super great and I'm excited to work with
her. I also live in the house with 3 other nurses so yeah things are
good. We'll see how this goes.
On
saturday we had the baptism of Fernando and it was so great. There were
4 other people baptized that day too from two other wards and we had
what we call a "white night" and it was super great. Also my life is
over and I lost my camera so I can't even send you pictures....I wanted
to cry. Well let's be real, I did cry.....ahhhhh nooooo but hey, gotta
keep movin on. I'll ask my companion to send me pictures of the baptism.
He's 13 and is super strong in the gospel and I hope that the other
Hermanas that stay there can help me along. It was super sad to leave
Portoviejo but hey, I could return..who knows.
On
another note, we are getting a new mission president tomorrow and so
the adventure begins. I want to talk a little bit about some things I've
learned in the past week. This
time as missionaries is extremely short and we need to make the most
out of it. The other day in our zone meeting, our zone leader was
talking about a talk that Elder Holland gave about how we need to finish
our missions with "no drops of energy left." We need to do everything
possible here in the mission because we only have 2 years or 18 months
to give it our all. This really hit me hard because as many of you know,
I used to run cross country and I ran a lot. I remember one lesson that
my dad taught me when I was just starting out. When I finished a race
one day he asked me "do you have any energy left? Because if you do, you
didn't give it your all." After that, everything was different. I tried
to race every race, giving it all that I could. I tried to finish with
zero drops of energy left because I knew that if I finished like that
that I had given it my all. I know it is the same with missionary work.
We have to dedicate all of our heart, might, mind and strength to this
work because this is the only "race" we've got, there won't be others.
This is our one shot to make a difference here in Ecuador and we need to
make the most of it. It's not easy but it is worth it. I am still not
completely sure how to dedicate my whole self but I am trying to learn. I
want to put everything on the alter but sometimes it's hard, sometimes I
don't kow how, but I know the Lord will help me as I try to accomplish
this task.
There are so many things that I have learned here in the mission and I have certainly seen many miracles. President Dennis the other day said that he loved seeing these people change. These people who have committed all these sins but have repented and been able to come unto Christ. And the reason they change is because of and through the atonement of our saviour Jesus Christ. I have seen this recently in one of our less actives. Her daughter recently left on a mission and before she left her mom was not supportive of her daughter going on a mission. She didn't want to go to church, she didn't really want us to visit her husband who we are teaching, and just kind of had a hard heart. It didn't dawn on me until the other day when we were teaching her, but she has made a 360ยบ change. We are teaching her niece who also lives in her house and so she was also present in the lesson and she was commenting and really showing that she had a testimony of these things. The change wasn't fast but it did come around. It started out by only coming one hour to church and then little by little more and more she started to stay for the whole three hours. She has now gained more of a testimony and is starting to see what is really important and I know that it is throught the atonement of Jesus Christ that she was able to make that change. The scriptures also are so important to use. They are literally the words of God and can hit the heart harder than our words can.
There is so much that I want to write about but there is simply not enought time. Something that I want to share though is that during our last conference with President Dennis, I was just sitting there and this thought came to my mind. The thought was "I'm certain I'm in the right mission." I know that I am here for a reason. I know that everything that has happened, all the people I 've met, all the companions I've had, and having President and Hermana Dennis as my mission presidnet and wife is all part of the plan that the Lord has for me. I know that this gospel is true. I know it with all my heart and every time we have conferences I gain the resolve to go out and preach this gospel like it says in the scriptures "with the voice of a trump." This gospel is a blessing in my life and I love sharing it with others. I hope you all have a great week!
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