Transfer to Cuenca

So I am now in CUENCA!  Oh my goodness it is incredibly beautiful here!  I think that I could actually live here!  It is amazing, you should look up pictures.  My new companion is Hermana Ramirez from Utah.  Her parents are from Mexico so she speaks perfect Spanish and English.  Our Spanglish conversations are so funny.  We are also COMPLETELY opening a new Sector!  There haven't been missionaries in this ward for a couple months and there haven't been hermanas for about a year!  It has been such an adventure.  I LOVE it here! 

Monday was a bit rough but I got a blessing, and some great council from my President, and then the wonderful gift of being called to Cuenca. This week was such a turning point for me.  I read Our Search for Happiness, and wow! It was amazing!  I also had some really AMAZING personal study moments this week and many little miracles. 

For example one day this week we were contacting in the streets, pretty typical for missionaries opening a sector.  I was really working on following the spirit, and felt a very slight impression to talk with an elderly lady.  We crossed the street and said hello, this lady smiled soooo big!  I just started talking to her like we were in the middle of a conversation, which probably would have seemed really weird but this lady really was so open it didn't seem weird at all.  We are going to visit her and her family this week.  Then about five minutes later we were walking and one of the ladies who cleans the streets was sitting down on a curb and I had the impression to talk to her, so we did!  She was SUPER open to the gospel and wanted to learn a lot more, we taught her a little about the Plan of Salvation and how God loves us and how important families are.  She said it was very beautiful and told us she wanted us to visit her.  Unfortunately she doesn't live in our sector, Chuso, but the Elders said that would visit her for sure.  Then yesterday we were contacting references with a member and we talked to a family who was very catholic, but super friendly and I just felt so happy and peaceful.  I just love this work!  It is so amazing if you just let go of your will and listen to those tiny whispers that come through the spirit.  I have learned this week, that the spirit works through me slowly and gently.  When I ask for peace it doesn't come immediately, but as I press forward little by little if fills my whole body.

We also had a baptism this Sunday.  This family lives an hour away in a little pueblo named Chordeleg. The Zone Leaders have been working with them and yesterday one was baptized. She is so cute and tiny and when she was baptized I really felt and understood how important the ordincance of baptism is and how much more important and sacred those of the temple are.  Wow!  Such an amazing spirit filled week!  Missionary work is by far the hardest thing I have ever ever done in my life, but it is the most rewarding as well.  I love you all and am so grateful for your support and love! I am always praying for you! 

Love,

Hermana Wride

             Here are a couple of pictures of Cuenca from the Internet