May 2, 2011

What the heck, it's already May?!?!?! Wow wow wow, I can't believe.
I'm almost 4 months into my mission!!! Time is flying. We're working
hard and I'm coming home super tired every night, which is a good
thing I think.

Well, once again, I don't have a normal pday today :( We got a call
last night at 10:30 that we have to go to Guayaquil, again! We have to
be at the terminal at 12:30. It's a training for all the new
missionaries. Well, I'm technically not a new missionary anymore, but
we're going to the temple. Usually when a new group of missionaries
arrives they go do a session at the temple, but when I came to Ecuador
the temple was closed for cleaning and we couldn't go. I'm really
excited to go to the temple and see all these missionaries, but I'm a
little upset that I've had to travel so much. After today, I will have
spent $54 in the past 2.5 weeks traveling to Cuenca, Guayaquil and
Machala. We're supposed to get reimbursed, but the other missionaries
tell me even when we fill out the paper work we usually don't get the
money. I'll just be leaving on little money... what better way to
prepare for my future life when I'm a poor teacher? Hahaha.

So here is what has gone on this week:

Monday - We left Guayaquil around noon. We ended up taking a different
bus service, so we could leave earlier (the "normal" bus service
wasn't leaving for another hour after that). Well, the bus was
GHETTO!!! Hahaha. I had to go to the bathroom and I couldn't hold it.
Well, the bus assitance had to stand outside the bathroom door with
this metal thingy to help unlock the door from the outside because
every time someone went in the bathroom, they would lock themselves
in. Kinda funny in hindsight, but super awkward. We got back to Cuence
in time that we could go to the grocery store, take a short little
nap, and write one letter. I was grateful for that!

Tuesday- We had our district meeting and we got mail :) I got some
Dear Elders from Hannah and Alyssa and I got my new backpack.. It's
kinda dorky, I call it my dork bag, but it's pretty cool. It has my
name on it with the flag of Ecuador and my mission. And it fits all
my stuff and is better for my back.

Wednesday- In the evening we taught Jaime and Precila Delgado (we
contacted them and taught them the Sunday before and they were really
receptive). They lesson was pretty awesome. They had 3 of their kids
there (2 of them were their with their fiances), so we taught a total
of 7, which I totally love doing! We had committed them to read 3
Nephi 11 the lesson before and they did!!!!! We talked about what
Christ taught the people and the conversation was awesome. They were
really understanding of everything, the spirit was strong, and I was
mentaling preparing to commit them to baptism. Hermana Barker asked
them if they believed that the way Christ was baptized (full immersion
in water) is the correct way. Jaime responded yes (awesome, we're
getting there), but THEN, he started talking about that when he
showers that it's like being baptized...Boom! the exciting feeling to
commit them to baptism was gone! This man has some strange ideas.
Like the appointment before, he had talked about how he thought that
every meal is like partaking of the sacrament. We still feel really
good about this family, even though Jaime has some strange opinions.
We're going to continue to teach them and slowly prepare them for
baptisms.

Thrusday- Oh man, Thursday. Thursday was SUPER rainy. It was pouring
and we walked a ton and weren't able to teach a lot. That's all I
really want to say about Thursday, hahahaha.

Friday- In the morning we taught Nelly. We had planned to discuss
about 3 Nephi 11, because we had committed her to read it, but she
didn't end up reading it. She is a very busy woman, but likes talking
with us (we had taught her and her children the Sunday before too and
she came to church). Well, we started to talking about trusting in
God because we trust in Him, he will help us. We were reading in Alma
38:4-5 and I felt the spirit so strong. After, she read it I broke
out in tears and I testified about the truth of this scripture. These
tears were part spirit, part personal testimony building, and part
personal break-down. I said "I can't say much in Spanish, but I know
that this is true....I have trusted in the Lord and I have seen him
help me so much and I know when you trust in him he will help you
too". Nelly started to talk after and share how she has seen the Lord
help her in her trials and started crying too. This lesson was very
special.

Saturday- We had the missionary activity with some of the members. We
had 3 RM's, 3 young men preparing for a mission, and one 19-year-old
girl. It was cool to see the RM's super excited to go out in
proselyte. Before, I was super nervous, because there was supposed to
be 2 young woman helping us and we were going to separate (Hermana
Barker with one, and the other with me) meaning I would be responsible
for actually talking and leading the conversations. But, fortunately
(or unfortunately) only one showed up. Well, we didn't have as much
success as we thought we would. The area we went to, the people
weren't as nice. It was funny how many people were rude. We did,
however, teach one lesson, and received some good references from the
other companionship's.

In the evening we taught Nelly and her kids (Leonela who is 20, Joel
who is 15, and Samantha who is 7). We taught the Restoration with two
members of the ward. This lesson was super awesome. They are really
receptive and enjoy the lessons. One funny thing that happened during
the lesson was that it was my turn to talk about the life of Jesus
Christ and I started saying, "When Joseph Smith was on the earth,
ahhh, I mean Jesus Christ!!!!" Sometimes I just get on auto-pilot
with the lessons and then I still mess up....oh this
language....hahahaha

Sunday- We had 6 investigators come to church, which is super awesome!
Jaime and Precila, Nelly and Leonela, and 2 others. It was fast and
testimony meeting and it was awesome, because the people who shared
their testimony were testifying of the things we wanted our
investigators to hear! We were definitely super happy and very
grateful for this. Goes to show what happens with much prayer,
scripture study, fasting, and hard work. After sacrament meeting,
Nelly told us that little by little their family with start coming to
all of church and eventually become members. They are making friends
and loving all the programs and activities the church offers!

Well after church, we were STARVING because of our fast, and we rushed
to lunch. We ate with this family, and the mom cooks DELICIOUS food.
2 weeks before we ate burritos with guacamole and then yesterday we
had lasagna. I love eating at their house because their super fun and
the food is yummy! We stuffed our faces and we SUPER full!!! After,
we headed to another appointed to teach a new investigator in the
house of a member. When we got to their house, they were eating lunch
too and then gave us (with asking) MORE food. And of course we have to
eat it.... I thought I was going to throw up!!!!!

After this lesson, we went to visit another investigator named Julia.
She's from Peru and wants to get baptized, but she's not legally
married to her husband. In June, they are going to visit Peru and get
married, and then when they return she will get baptized. Julia is
seriously amazing. She has a crazy and harsh past, which has made her
become the wonderful person she is today. She has a huge heart and is
friendly to everyone! When we were at her house, these 2 Indian men in
there 20s were visiting her. One of them speaks little Spanish, and
the other speaks NO Spanish and a little English. We started teaching
them and Julia, which was pretty interesting. We were all
communicating to each other in Spanish, English, and Indian. I was
explaining to the one Indian man who speaks English what we were
doing. It was kinda funny, because I'd explain something in English,
we'd talk in Spanish, and then he'd ask me questions like "What's your
cell phone number" or "What's your email?"... I had to explain to him
how I didn't have a cell phone, how I could only email my family, and
that this time is for the Lord....hahaha... Anyway, these young
Indian men didn't learn a thing, but never the less, it was an
interesting lesson.

In the evening, we taught Nelly and her kids again with the Bishop and
his family. It was super awesome. We taught about obedience. And
once again, they were really receptive and enjoying what we taught.
Even Joel, (the teenager, who acts like a punk and like he doesn't
care what we have to say) was answering our questions and gave an
awesome prayer at the end of the lesson. We are so happy and excited
about this family. This week were going to put a baptismal date!

WOW... a lot more happened this week than I had thought. I wish I
could share all, but I feel these things are sufficient :)

Of course, I am still struggling with my Spanish, but I feel the love
and help of the Lord every day. It's amazing to see how much I have
learned and I know that it's all been through the help of the Lord. I
know if I continue to work hard that one day I will be able to speak
Spanish well and understand everything. Being a missionary is super
hard, but I am comforted every day.

I am excited to call ya'll on Sunday :) 5pm my time!!! Woo hoo!!!!!!
So awesome. Be prepared for tears and hearing me struggle to speak
proper English!!! Hahahaha

Well, I need to get going, we're in a hurry to get to the bus terminal in time!

One more AWESOME thing I need to tell you!!!! I got an email from my
mission president saying that Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorem of
the Twelve is coming to visit our mission on May
25th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And we will have a conference with him, I
am so excited :) Our mission is having a lot of success, so that is
why he's coming to visit.

Ok, that is all I have to say! Have a fabulous week and I will TALK to
you on Sunday :)

Love you all!!!!

Love,
Hermana Smith