Week 79 - Quito - Sigamos con Oposición

I'm sure all of you know now the new changes with communication with the family. It does just apply to family, even though I'd love to talk to all of you!

This week we've continued with some struggles. I enjoyed a companion exchange in another sector, a finding activity for valentines day, and a bunch a traveling for interviews. The good news is, there will be a lot of people baptized this month in the zone/stake. Sadly, our person with a baptismal date fell, but we are hoping he and others will get baptized this next month.

To follow the thought on opposition from the last email. This recent study that I am doing with the Book of Mormon is focused on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is amazing how many times it mentions faith and repentance. Those are so key. However with this study I'm also marking the things contrary to the gospel (sin, unbelieving, and not follow faithful to the end). As I've done this study, I've seen that there literally is an opposition in all things. However, the good always comes out on top. Doubts will always be defeated by faith. Love will always destroy hate. And we, as sinners, can always be saved thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. So, we must choose the good. Why? It will ALWAYS win. Always. Let us put our faith in Christ. Let us depend on Him. Let us follow Him.

I love you all and hope that you enjoy the end of the month...almost!!!

Eating a pizza (in his Christmas Jammies)

Valentines Day. This is with our recent convert

My companion and I

Week 78 - Quito - Un Poco Difícil

This week has been a little rough for me and for our sector. But, we've got a new week to help out more people.

This week I had our mission president tell me that it was time for me to get a haircut...I had wanted to before, but we just didn't have the time last week. Just so you know, I got it cut today.

I was thinking about oppostion this week and I had an interesting thought.  We know the scripture from 2 Nephi 2, "For it must needs be, that there is an oppostion in all thing..." We mainly look at this scripture in, what I think, is a negative perspective: "Because I am good or doing something good, this bad thing is happening". However, I saw it through a different light this week. We know there are two forces, one for good and one for evil. Both exist. There cannot be the one without the other. With that in mind we can look at situations we have and say, "Because of this opposition, there is something good I am doing/ could do/ or am." When we look at it in this light, we see our potential and understand who we are. For example, there are many people that suffer with self-esteem. There really isn't a reason why, they just do. But, because this opposition is there, I believe it is because they have some knowledge or lesson they need to learn, possibly understanding who they are. We could apply this to all situations. So, look for the positive! Undestand that when there is an opposition for something we don't know, it may be directly related to something good you should know or do. And then do it! 

I hope you all have a great week and can find the positive in what life throws at us. 

Eating Sushi

Week 77- Quito - Semana de Conferencias

This week we had many conferences and meetings, which made for a lot of sitting down and listening. But, I feel like I have learned a lot and have felt the influence of the Spirit more frequently.

We had our Mission Council and our Zone Conference on Tuesday and Thursday. We had a great discussion of the progress of our mission, how we can do so much better, and how we can show love to our fellow man. It was great! It is always fun having a Mission Council because I get to see many missionaries and catch up on the things that happened the past month. 

We are using this idea called a Noche de Ministración (Night of Ministering). It is awesome and we are seeing many amazing results from such. Basically what it is, is that the ward plans families we are going to visit and the members that will come and help out. Then, we bring many missionaries over to split off with the members and minister. We all come back and report that things we saw and heard to the presiding member (usually the bishop). We've seen more people attending church and coming back into activity. It would be a great thing to do in your wards. Maybe it'll be without missionaries, but it would be great to go out one night as a ward and minister to those that are looking for our help. Let me know how it goes if your able to do it!

Love you all and hope it'll be a great week!

Our P-Day today (ski lift)

Service

Pictures of P-Day

Zone Conference: