Mi Querida Familia,
This week has been a great start to a great change. I´m very excited to be here with Hermana Dillman, she is very obedient, and we have seen many miracles since last Monday. We have a few investigators with baptismal dates, many prospective families to teach, and we are excited to see some progress here in the branch. Our goals this week include helping all the investigators know the church building by giving them a tour. The church actually is the 3rd floor in a building complex, and there isn´t any huge sign, so it’s a little tough to explain how to find it. Also this weekend we had stake conference in the stake building which is about an hour from our sector so it was tough to get people to come. But stake conference was wonderful. Actually, its the same stake that I started my mission in, and the stake building was my first church building, in Iñaquito I got to see many people we worked with in that ward (members, less actives that are now active, Francisico and even Hermana Madrid who also is the Quito Stake but ina different ward too)
The best part was that we were able to sit in after the conference during Franciscos Ordentaion to the Mellchezedek Preisthood. It was so amazing to be there with Hermana Nadrid as we watched Francisco humbly fold his arms to receive the priesthood adn be ordained as an elder. Tears welled up in my eyes as we were able to see the fruits of all our labor in Iñaquito. After his ordination, Francisco was able to join in on the circle to set apart other Hermanos that we worked with, one recent convert, and a less active. It was a huge blessing to be there for Francisco. The spirit was so strong. Wow I just love being a missionary.
Fruits of Weekly Planning: In weekly planning this week, we were looking over many of the prospective investigators, old contacts, and we found a family, The Familia Cevallos Peña, we called them and set up an appointment. Getting to their house was a little tricky, because they live in the middle of Ecuadorian farmland, but when we taught them it was amazing. They are a family of 7, and the 4 that have the age for baptism, Margot, Jose, Melanie, Aseal, accepted baptismal date for the 22ndof November. Margot told us in the second visit that she prayed about Joseph Smith abd felt a strong peace come over her and she is eager for her baptismal goal. Her husband Jose feels the same. They are a very humble family. They live in a tiny little room, probably the smallest house I´ve ever seen here on the mission. We learn what really matters here thorugh seeing the lives of some of the families in this sector. Jose for example had an illness in his leg, and instead of getting the surgery, because he didn´t have enough money, he chose to amputate. He is a very spiritual man and very humble and believing. I feel so blessed to know this family and we are excited to see their progress.
Vamos a Ver: We have another invesetigator Marialena Yaselga, who has been investigator for a while. She is super great, its just that she doesn´t come to church. We are going to give her one last week to come to church, and then we will let her go if we don´t see progress. Marialena is excellent though other than that challenge to get to church. She reads the book of Mormon, prays and knows its true. Hopefully we can help her to overcome this struggle to get to church Sunday morning. We will pass by her house this weekend.
Miracle Contact: After one lesson with Marialena we were walking onto the road from her fornt yard and we ran into Lydia. We contacted her even though she looked like she was in a hurry, and we found out that she was best friends with a member from her work until her friend left on the mission and they lost contact. Lydia is 31 and has 2 little girls, Melanie and Jenny. We set up a return visit because Lydia was very curious about the church and wanted to know more. Her return visit was yesterday. Usually with return visits from contacts they fall through, but this time she was waiting for us. She had read the proclamation for the family and said that she really liked it. We began to share lesson 1 the restoration. Lydia showed so much interest, had questions, and by the time we were relating the words of Joseph Smith about the first vision, the spirit was so intense. As I bore my testimony about Joseph Smith, tears welled into my eyes, and usually that doesn´t happen. But the spirit was testifying through my words in such a strong way. Without doubting, Lidia accepted baptismal date for the 22ndof November. It was amazing. We want to talk with her husband this next visit that we have with her and set a date for him and her daughters as well. When we talk with Lidia, I feel like I am talking to a future member of the church. Its super amazing, she has so much energy and excitement to know the truth.
Anyway, its been a great week. I am so grateful for every opportunity we have to testify of the truth. Truly testimony is power. The holy ghost speaks as we open our mouths. I was thinking, God can command any object, the whole world just by the power of his word or his mouth. And he has called us as missionaries as well to open our mouths and preach repentance. He has given us a form of the power that he himself uses. The power of the word. It gives me such a cool feeling, an honor, to know that he has trusted us with his sacred evangeliio. Sé que soy una representante de Jesucristo. Esoty viviendo cada momento en gracias por esta gran oportunidad de predicar el evangelio y ayudar a los que estan buscando al venir a Cristo. Estoy contenta de estar así. No puedo imaginar mi vida diferente.
Have a wonderful week everyone! I love you all:)
Con Amor,
Hermana Powley
