Hola Mis Queridas!
How are you all liking February? In Ecuador February is the month of Carnaval. Which means everyone runs around like crazy throughing eggs, flour, silly foam, and dirty water at each other. People even say that God plays Carnaval because in Febraury the rain begins. But not just any rain, downpour or aguacero. Its been a week of puddles and rivers and wet shoes:) This week has also been a week of meetings! It just flew by! Our investigators from last week kind of flew down the wayside as well. Turns out that Roberto is a member of a Pentacostal church, and they told him a bunch of garbage about us. So he told us he wasn’t interested anymore. God led us to him, so we were a little confused why he told us no, but everyone has their agency. Maybe someday in the future he will accept the gospel. Henry got a job offer and worked all this week so we couldn`t teach or find him. We`ve had to drop a couple families that aren`t progressing. But Oh well. We always must remember that NO means Nueva Oportunidad (New Oportunity) and we carry on with smiles!
On the bright side, we have a sweet family we are working with in the bottom of Yuraq. The Familia Tonato. It’s a little hard to contact them on the weekend to help them come to church. But the other day, Hermana Espinoza saw the mom, Maritza walking back from the store with her groceries in one hand and her book of Mormon in the other. Its little details like this, that keep us moving forward. Knowing that some people go to creative means like Maritza to meet commitments.
Also the other day, we had a lesson with Bridget, a less active and her mother Christina, a non –member. I remember walking up the steps to her house, just saying a quiet prayer in my heart that the spirit would testify to Christina the importance of the doctrine of Christ. As we taught the plan of salvation, the spirit filled the room and we invited Christina to baptism. The spirit was so strong she accepted! Christina had plans on Sunday to visit her Mom, so she told us that next Sunday for sure she would come to church with her daughter in order to prepare for a baptismal date. Bridget lit up when her Mom accepted the challenge, filling Hermana Espinoza and I with hope and joy.
We also taught the Gospel Principles class on Sunday, it was so fun! The topic was Adam and Eve and the Fall. So we brought a ton of fruits to the lesson for visual effect, and as members of the class answered questions they could pick a fruit to eat. Not a surprise that the last fruit to be chosen was the apple. (Everyone here seems to think that the apple was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden) Rocio wanted to answer every question and she was very animated as we taught the lesson. We just love seeing her progress. There is an Hermana in the branch who`s going to have a baby, and Rocio bought the baby a blanket and knit the baby a cute little hat. Now she`s just finding opportunities to serve and preparing for the temple!
I know that the Lord will guide us as we trust in him and lean not unto our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). I have decided to start reading the Book of Mormon again. This time I am highlighting in different colors everything that has to do with trusting in the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. I want to be the 4th missionary. This is my time to be on the Lord`s time. There is no other time like this time. Its time to be an instrument in the Lord`s hands. I know that his atonement saves us daily. We may be fallen from God`s presence, but Christ lifts us up as we remember him and repent. I know the gospel is true. I love the Lord and I love to be a missionary.
Last week the Mission President`s wife, Hermana Richardson accompanied Hermana Espinoza and I to a couple of lessons (it was fun cuz we went in her car) She told us about a dream she had and its such a great visual of life so I want to share it with you. She dreamed that she was walking along a path and holding on to a ski tow rope. She was walking along holding on to the rope and it was easy. She could let go for a couple seconds, drift for a little and grab back on to the rope. But then something happened. As she kep walking along with the rope she realized that the ground below her gave way into a huge ravine, or dich. Soon she was holding on to the cable, but this time, dangling on for her life. Hermana Richardson said she had to make it to the other side of the ravine holding fast to the cable. Hermana Richardson told us the cable is like the iron rod, or our scripture study. There are times in our life when we can let go for a little and be fine. But there come times where the scriptures are our only lifeline. Where if we let go we fall, and we can face eternal consequences. Let us choose to hold fast to the iron rod.
Have a wonderful week everybody!
Last week the Mission President`s wife, Hermana Richardson accompanied Hermana Espinoza and I to a couple of lessons (it was fun cuz we went in her car) She told us about a dream she had and its such a great visual of life so I want to share it with you. She dreamed that she was walking along a path and holding on to a ski tow rope. She was walking along holding on to the rope and it was easy. She could let go for a couple seconds, drift for a little and grab back on to the rope. But then something happened. As she kep walking along with the rope she realized that the ground below her gave way into a huge ravine, or dich. Soon she was holding on to the cable, but this time, dangling on for her life. Hermana Richardson said she had to make it to the other side of the ravine holding fast to the cable. Hermana Richardson told us the cable is like the iron rod, or our scripture study. There are times in our life when we can let go for a little and be fine. But there come times where the scriptures are our only lifeline. Where if we let go we fall, and we can face eternal consequences. Let us choose to hold fast to the iron rod.
Have a wonderful week everybody!
Con Amor
Hermana Powley
