Haha yeah having the pope in Ecuador has proved to be interesting haha. The week he was here everyone seemed to be gone or going to Guayaquil or Quito to go see him. It was a bit hectic, we even had one lady who told us quite frankly, "you don't believe in the pope, so I don't want to hear it." That was different. haha :)
So my companion is basically the best. she's an incredible missionary and has taught me so much and helps me every single day with my faith, the language, the teaching, everything! I am so lucky. She is from Mapleton, Utah so it's great! She's super close!!
So this week President came to Loja! Yeah!! We had a capacitacion that lasted for several hours but it was awesome because we went through every single problem we have and then a solution for every single one! The goal for our mission is 600 baptisms a month and our area has got a LOT of improvement to do so it was really helpful. Our mission is also realllly different from most missions. We don't have transfers every six weeks you just transfer whenever President recieves revelation that you need to switch. This means that I could be in my area for a week or for several months and when he gets the signal that I need to be moved I have three hours on average to pack and then head to my new assignment! It's really amazing! (This also means that the best address for packages or letters is the mission address, because I never know when I will switch.) Our mission president is soo incredible and sooo spiritual! His stories from his mission could be stories put into scriptures. I really am sooo lucky!! Oh also differences, we are never to wear "p-day clothes" even if we are painting a house we are to wear our missionary clothes. And we can't have ipods in our possesion, and we can only listen to hymns. So I need to send back my ipod and if you would be willing to send me a flashdrive with just hymns that would be awesome :) (Good versions of hymns preferably haha :)) As all the missionaries here say though, more commandments just means more opportunities for blessings!! It really is just wonderful though! I LOVE BEING DOWN HERE!!!
Oh a funny story, so here in Ecuador they don't have driers. Here in Loja they also don't have a whole lot of sun. This lead to us one night our on the roof trying to hang our clothes out to dry in the rain. It was so funny because we were all drenched, our clothes kept falling on the ground and the dogs kept grabbing them (yes there are six dogs that live on the roof), and all of us dying of laughter of the absolutely pointlessness of what we were trying to do! Those are the moments when I realize I'm really in Ecuador. haha
so other things that happened this week. We met a lady named Monika and she invited us to our house to teach her. Within the first lesson she told us all about the challenges in her life which are rather incredible. We taught her about how God loves her and how she can come to know him more through reading the Book of Mormon and by getting baptized. She accepted the baptismal invitation in the first lesson and is so excited!! Please pray for her and her family and that she'll be able to keep the commitment. She is amazing! It was such an incredible miracle to be a part of.
We also met a man who sells icecream from a cart who has been inactive for 10 years. It was such a miracle that we even found out, my amazing companion just had a prompting to buy icecream in a rainstorm. He loves to sing and just needed to know that God loved him. He has a lot of doubts. So we ended up sing Grand Eres Tu or How Great Thou art in the middle of the street in a rainstorm. I felt the spirit so strongly and nearly started crying for this poor man who needed the spirit and the comfort of the gospel so badly in his life. Afterwards we testified that God loves him and that if he prays and reads and attends church again, that he will be able to feel the peace he so desperately wanted. This gospel blesses lives so much and I just wish EVERYONE in the whole world could have the faith and the knowledge that it can, and then LIVE it! There is no such thing as faith without works. In order to have the peace and comfort of the gospel we have to act on it! We have to pray and read and endure to the end! and not just endure but endure well, leaning on God always and looking forward with hope to the future! I've learned that over and over again here.
So basically a mission is amazing and people are wonderful all over the world! I am so lucky to be here! :) I love you all!! thank you so much for everything and for all your support! Please pray for the people of Loja, Ecuador!!
Love,
Hermana Wride
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