Chapter 17 - Happy New Year

Hi everyone!

¡Feliz Año Nuevo! I hope you all had a great new year and are busy setting goals for the coming year. It's strange to think that all of 2016 I will be here in Ecuador serving the Lord, but I'm so excited. I am so exciting for the all growth that will come and everything I will learn!

So a little about New Years. So on Christmas and New Years we are imprisoned in our house and can't leave...haha it's okay though. Ok so the benefit of living in the hobbit hole, is that we live below the stake president so technically it's the same house so on New Years Eve we went upstairs to his house at like 8 and had turkey and vegetables oh and rice, never forget the rice...and ice cream, it was great! The next day we watched movies again and that was good (except for the fact that they were in Spanish and there weren't subtitles and so I couldn't understand that much...but oh well it was still fun). Also, I was sick again. Like what's up with that? I guess my body doesn't like being stuck in the house haha it was okay though and got a little better throughout the day. Also, we made Rice Krispie Treats and they were fantastic! My companions from Peru had never had them before so they tried them and they like them. Well, that pretty much sums up my New Years..oh and hearing fireworks throughout the whole night was fun too....

So, I just want to share something about the testimony meeting here in this ward. So on fast and testimony meeting there are so many people that get up and share their testimonies. Like, the stake president or bishop has to get up before and remind everyone to keep their testimonies short so that there is enough time to hear everyone. Really, there are so many memebers that get up and bear their testimonies and it really hit me. Their testimonies aren't long but they are powerful. They are all so strong and know that the chruch is true. It made me think about fast and testimony meeting in my home ward and how different it is. I encourage you all to share your testimonies. If not in sacrament meeting, then with other people just at other times. Be an example of Jesus Christ! Bear a simple testimony, that is enough. You can bear your testimony through your words and through your actions. Remember who you are and what you stand for! Oh and remember the words of this little kid that bore his testimony in sacrament: "We can't go to heaven if we aren't baptized..." haha it was so funny. that was all he said and then got down haha 

Right now, we are looking for new people but also teaching Stefania. She is so great and I feel really close to her. Like, she's also 19 and likes to run and she is just so great and she likes coming to church so that's even more great and we are just trying to help her gain a testimony so that she will want to be baptized!

Another just fun thing, the other day we forgot to bring our umbrellas with us and it started to pour and we were pretty much soaking wet on Saturday...haha good times. I now bring my umbrella with me... :)

Love,

Hermana Roylance

Chapter 16 - Christmas in the Mission

Family and Friends,

I hope you had a very merry Christmas. 

This Christmas in the mission was so different than any other Christmas I have every experienced. It didn't entirely feel like Christmas because it's hot here and there's no snow but the decorations and Christmas songs helped. Well, Christmas day started out with a sick stomach so that was fun...merry Christmas to me...but it got better throughout the day so it was ok. We have permission on Christmas to watch two Disney movies on Christmas so we watched some movies, ate some food, rested, oh and one of the Hermanas in my house cut my hair..yeah..it was fun. haha Oh and talking with the family the day before was pretty great too!

So this year, like I said, Christmas was different.I really tried to find the spirit of Christ in this Christmas and I feel like I did. On the 23rd we were visiting with one of our investigators and we had a really great lesson and when I think back on the memory it was really special. The house was peaceful and calm and the liting was warm and inviting. I believe this kind of peace and calm was what it was like on the night of the birth of the Savior, which is what we remember at this time of year. The spirit was there and the prayer offered at the end really touched my heart. They live in a humble house as many of the people do here, but in her prayer, our investigator prayed for all those who are less fortunate than her. She said some other things but this really stood out to me. This is what Christmas is about. It is about thinking of others just as our Savior did. It doesn't matter what material things we have or don't have, it's about giving thanks to our Father in Heaven for what we do have and then asking for the well being of others. I am here to serve the Lord and the people of Ecuador by helping them come to a knowledge of the gospel, but that night, Stefania served me. She taught me what Christmas is all about and I am grateful for the experience I had of Christmas in Ecuador. I hope and pray that we can have not just the Spirit of Christmas but the Spirit of Christ with us all year long. Thank you for your prayers and support and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Love,

Hermana Roylance

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

Chapter 12 - Transfers

Hi Everybody,

So before I talk about transfers, I want to tell you about some other things first. I'm glad to hear your Thanksgiving was good. Here, we also had a mini Thanksgiving of sorts. Since I am the only gringa in my house they told me I had to conduct. Haha we had patacones (fried plantanes...so good) and bread with nutella. I couldn't have asked for anything else. We ate and went around in a circle and said what we were grateful for. It was so good and so fun. We also had a picinic last pday in our house which was an adventure too. Good times.

So first, intercambios. On Wednesday I had an intercambio (I can't remember what it's called in English....) and one of the sister leaders came to my sector and worked with my while my companion went to be with her companion. yeah. It was really good. I was kind of nervous because our sector is huge and like they don't really have addresses in the lomas and I'm used to just getting off the bus when my companion stands up and I just follow like a loyal puppy or something but that day I had to know where I was going and it was kinda scary but overall it went well. I was a little bit worried about being the one to start the lessons and talk more than I'm used to but the Lord truly helps us when we need it and it all went smoothly. The sister leader helped me a lot. She is such a hard worker and by the end of that day I was soo tired. But all is well.

Transfers! Wow this time in the mission has felt so long but so short at the same time. We had transfers today and I got transferred...kind of. I'm still int he same ward and a little bit of the same place but I am now in a trio with the Hermanas that I live with and my companion got transfered. Wow. It was a rough night last night. So my companion has been in the mission field for ten months and she's been in the same sector and same zone for her whole mission...yeah...and so last night when we got the call, it was really hard for her. She is such a great missionary and I know this is hard but I know she is needed in other places and needs to help other missionaries and members in other places. Being in a trio will be strange but it will be good. We will only be in a trio until December 18 because Hermana Vera extended her mission and so instead of leaving tomorrow she leaves December 18 and so yeah. New things ahead.

I hope you all are having a great week. Enjoy some of that snow for me!

Love,

Hermana Roylance

Me  making patacones

 Thanksgiving Feast

Chapter 11 - ¡Feliz Navidad!

Hi everyone,

 

¡Feliz Navidad! So I know we still have a month until Christmas but we had our Christmas conference with the whole mission this week and so I've been thinking a lot about it and this time of year!

 

 It was so much fun to see all the missionaries in my mission and to see the Hermanas from my district in the CCM. I love them so much so it was fun to talk with them and see how things are going for them. I sang in the choir as well, so that was fun. We started the conference with some words from Presidente and Hermana Dennis and then watched the movie about Joseph Smith and the Restauration. I love this movie. I think it's one of my favorite church movies. It is so powerful and is such a strong witness that Joseph Smith really was a prophet of God and did, in reality, restore the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. We watched this movie in the CCM as well and both times I've watched it on my mission, I have felt the spirit so strong. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God...Yo se que Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios. I just felt this overwhelming sense of love for my Heavenly Father while watching it. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary and to labor in this work. Joseph Smith endured trials and afflictions of all kinds but he never gave up because he knew the truth. The things in this life that are of the most worth and never easy to accomplish. The Savior suffered so much for us. The prophets and apostles and really every member of the church experiences some sort of persecution. Why? Because it's true. We cannot know the joy if we do not know the sorrow. This week on Friday I was having a hard time and was feeling discouraged and beaten down, but God blessed me with a great companion who helped me through this difficult time. I thought of the Savior and Elder Holland's words about how it was never easy for the Savior and so how could we ever expect it to be easy for us? This life is not easy and we will experience many hardships and trials but never forget in whom you have trusted. I invite you to put your trust in God. He has a plan for each of His children and he will never leave you to go through this life alone. Pray to Him, He is listening. This month we have Thanksgiving in the US and even though there isn't Thanksgiving here, I have thought a lot about what I am thankful for. Every night with my companion we write 3 things we were grateful for that day and it really helps me see the hand of the Lord in my life. I am so thankful for my family and friends and the Gospel. I am infinitely grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for the Atonement. This chruch is true. Christ loves each and every one of us. Take time this month to really focus on what you are grateful for. Take time this Christmas season to remember HIM. 

Have a great week! Thank you for all the love and support!

Love,

Hermana Roylance

Pictures

Merry Christmas from Hermana Phippen, Hermana Parker, and I. No this was not planned.....I guess when you're companions in the CCM for 6 weeks you have this bond and just show up to the Christmas Conference wearing the exact same outfit....haha