Week 55 - Ibarra - Sandillas

This week had really high ups and really low downs personally and in the missionary work. But, we were able to see many small miracles to having a father listen to us for the first time after not wanting to listen, to seeing the testimony of the people we are teaching grow. I certainly do love this work and love the Gospel that we are a part of!

This week we had a missionary work activity which was SUMMER GAMES! I know many of you have already returned to school, but you can't tell the difference here :D. We started by having a water balloon tossing contest with towels (which did not turn into a water balloon fight thankfully), having a competition to see who could find the most clues (that included a consequence, getting wet; depending on what you paper said depended how wet), and ending with volleyball. It was a really fun activity and it seems like many members enjoyed it! Just sharing a little American culture around the world. 

We have some very awesome people that we are teaching and seeing the fruits of our hard work that we have put in. We are starting to see a lot of people progress and realize the importance (and the majority of the time, effects) that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring. We were teaching one family that are not married about the importance of keeping the Law of Chastity. The sister we were teaching pointed out, in the pamphlet we gave her, that it says the blessings we can have can be ours if we act now. That part, now, stuck out to me. God needs our talents, our abilities, and our gifts that He has given us. But we don't know when He needs them, so we need to do what is right NOW so that we will be ready. I have certainly tried (and failed sometimes) doing my best to be ready in the hour God needs me to be ready. We know that we are closer to the coming of the Savior so we need to act now. If we fail, we can remember the conference talk "Seventy time Seven" from this last conference, "Success is failing and failing without the loss of enthusiasm". So, let's keep going. Marching forward. So as to see our Heavenly Father's face once again.

Love you all and have a great week! 

Just carrying a large bag of watermelon. No biggy

Yes. There is still the spirit of a little kid in me. 

A parade because everyone was so excited to go back to school, I think

Week 54 - Ibarra - Viajes, Cansadísimo, Personas

Hello all you lovely people. I feel like it has been a while since I have sent anything, so here is another two week email.

First off, my new companion. My new companion is Elder Leighner from Chicago, IL. He was stuck in the States (Washington D.C. South Mission) due to visa problems and is happy to be here now. He equally loves Star Wars as I do and has not (and WILL NOT) reveal any truths behind the eighth movie. Nor should you. His Spanish is actually really good and it seems that it grows drastically every day we are proselyting. Of course, he understands better than he talks (which is normal) and so now we are working on pronunciation. 

Two weeks ago, I had a lot of travels. Monday and half of Tuesday was traveling back and forth from one part of the city (another sector called San Miguel) to our sector, and back again. Tuesday evening, the elder I was with and I went to Quito to split off and sleep at another Elder's house to receive our companions the next day. We then woke up early Wednesday morning and traveled to the center of Quito, where we received our trainees and then...headed back to our sector. Thursday, normal. Friday in the morning I was headed back to Quito for a District Leader training. We came back the same day. Friday, somewhat normal. Saturday we had to travel to the stake center for our Zone Leadership Council and came back midday. Let me just say, the lack of sleep and jet lag are real. I'm still recovering a little bit. For those of you that have to travel for work, I know your pain. Well, maybe a little bit more. 

For this week, we found a hidden community that if someone had not drawn for us a map we would've never known it existed. We also had companion exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I went with Elder Harris (from PG, UT and from my group) which was a blast and I feel we both learned a lot from each other. We then had a Zone Conference which was spectacular and super long (it took up almost the entire day; 11 hours outside of my sector that day). We both are hoping and praying for just a "normal" week this week before my companion has first verifications. But, it isn't looking very good. 

I want to talk a little enduring to the end. As we read in D&C 76, only those that are faithful to the end with receive the Celestial Kingdom. Enduring to the end is key. In my Book of Mormon studies I am at the part when Jesus Christ has just come to the American continent. However, it wasn't a good time before that. The earth had completely changed form. Cities were burned, others sunk into the sea, and others buried by mountains. All of this destruction from one key idea, enduring to the end. We read before all of that that Nephi (the son of Nephi, who was a decendant of Nephi who had left Jerusalem with him family Nephi) tried to help out the people. Their struggle was, belief, fall even farther away, return to God, fall into the depths of despair. They couldn't endure and because of that many of them (until the time of Jesus. Eventually all of them) perished and died. It is vital for all of us to continue, as President Nelson has always said, on the covenant path. In the end, it is the easiest path to follow. So, keep following it!

Thank you all so much for your emails. I love reading, and usually write back, to all of them. Love you all so much and have a great week!

I present, my only son (Brave reference)

New Zone Shirt

Playing chess. hint, I lost pretty bad

Week 53 - Ibarra - Craziness

So crazy thing happened, they started welding right in the middle as we were writing and the computers would turn on and off. So, I will write more about what happened this week, next week. Love you all! 

--With that short of an e-mail, here are a few pictures to enjoy that President Murphy posted to Facebook--

New Companion

Week 52 - Ibarra - Algunos Cambios

So we had some big changes this week, as it was also the time for changes. But, I'll mention that at the end.

The week was actually a pretty slow week in the missionary work. But, we continue on looking for those that are ready to receive us. However, we are starting to have a bunch of members that are willing, and wanting, to help us out. It is helping us have more people progress to a baptismal date and be prepared to make this huge covenant with the Lord. 

I was reading in Alma 34 this week, feeling a little down, and came upon a verse that I love. Really the whole chapter is amazing and teaches us much about the Atonement of the Savior. The verse reads,

31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation;  and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you. 

I like some parts of this verse. First, we have an invitation to "harden not [our] hearts any longer". Many of us think of this as not wanting to listen to God, no doing the things we should be, etc. But as I read it with the context of the chapter, I found it could also mean no forgiving ourselves or saying that we cannot be forgiven. The next part is the word NOW. In context, "NOW is the time and the day of [our] salvation." Now, now is the time. We can't wait; we can't put it off. Lastly the word IMMEDIATELY. In context, "Immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought ABOUT unto [us]." This is huge. It doesn't mean after a couple days or weeks. It doesn't mean after we think we have been forgiven. It says immediately it will be brought about us. This verse really struck me as I thought about all the things that happened throughout the week that I could have done better. This verse was an eye opener. I thought back to the talk "One More Day" by Elder Godoy, and a specific part, "One thing is for certain, we'll have a TODAY to live." We have a today to do the things necessary. So, do it!

As for changes. My companion, Elder Porlles has left. He went to Atacames. Now, I think this is hilarious because I went to Atacames, Elder Sangay came from here to Atacames, I came here, Elder Porlles goes to Atacames. We couldn't believe that he was going there, but he is there now. As for me, I am, for the first time in my mission, going to train a new missionary (mi primer hijo as we say in the mission). I'm really nervous, and excited. Nervous because it will be someone from the States and I don't know how much Spanish he knows. Excited because I know it will be a great opportunity to learn. Wish me luck! I'll get to be with him starting Wednesday. I don't know who it is yet, so I'll let you know that next week as well. Love you all! 

Read it (maybe in your language)

New Shoes, Who dis? (James the Mormon reference)

Roasting S'mores (we didn't want to destroy the tile underneath so it is resting on cement) 

Agenda Artwork