It's weird to think it's summer time in Phoenix. You're all probably
suffering from the heat while I am trying to stay warm. Don't worry,
soon enough I'll be back in Guayaquil or another part of Ecuador dying
in the heat. This week in Cuenca has been great!! I'll write the same
as last week, because the day-to-day life of Hermana Smith isn't as
exciting anymore, haha.
So Monday, our zone leaders and all the district leaders went to
Guayaquil for a conference/training with President, so we didn't play
ultimate. Hermana Barker and I went to the mall and I bought a new
skirt and a little mini oven! We've been making cookies for our
investigators, the members that help us out, and for ourselves of
course. It's so nice to have this oven and so wonderful to eat
American cookies!
Wednesday we went downtown to teach this lady named Maria. She and
her daughters came to conference the Sunday before. She was a
reference from a member, but is super Catholic and didn't think she'd
come, but she did! We went to visit her to see what she thought of
conference. It was really neat, because we got there and she began
sharing with us that she was working that day and a thought came to
her head "What is the true church? Because there are so many and
Christ only organized one". And that also, her mother-in-law had
invited her to go to a different church this evening, but then we showed
up at Maria's house a couple of minutes before this lady. It was
really cool how the Lord had guided us, how we got to her house just
in time, and how it was an answer to her prayers.
Thursday was the wedding of Israel Infante and Sabrina Guzman.
Sabrina's family has started to reactivate in the church, so
we've been teaching them a lot since I first came to Cuenca. And
through these appointments, we started teaching Israel. One day, a
few weeks ago, he told us he wanted to get baptized. So we set a date
for him and Sabrina to get married (because they have a daughter and
our living together) and for his baptism which will be June 18th. The
wedding was in the afternoon and we just went to the Registro Civil
with their family. It was short and sweet, but all of us were SUPER
happy for them! All their family came in town and they were
dressed up nice. In the evening, we returned to their house, taught a
lesson with their family, and then celebrated with dinner and cake!
However, before we returned back to the The Guzman's house, we went
with Elder Guerro (our new zone leader) and Elder Keables to visit The
Quituysaka Family. They had their baptism date for the 11th, but the
father can't get baptized right now, so the wife and the children told
us that they want to wait to baptized when he can so they can do it
all together. Hermana Barker and I have been praying and fasting for
them and we received the answer that the wife Piedad, and their kids
Erica and William are ready for baptisms. We prepared a lesson
specifically for them and this afternoon was "show time". With the
help from the Holy Ghost and from the Elders. We had a wonderful
lesson!! We talked about how after baptism, they'll receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost and many other blessings. And all of this will
bless their lives and their home. We talked about how they will have
the Spirit in their home and how this Spirit and their examples will
be a help to their father as he prepares to be baptized. In the end,
they accepted to be baptized on the 18th.
Saturday in the afternoon we did divisions, where my companion went
with another sister to teach some lessons and I went with Maritza
Carrillo. This was the 2nd time we had done divisions, but I was
nervous because this time I had to teach a lesson to investigators
(and not to recent converts and less-active members who already know
the truth). We taught this family, Jose and Karena and their
daughters, who we hadn't taught in a while. We taught about the
Restoration, and yes, I struggled to say words correctly, but with the
help of the Holy Ghost and Maritza, I was able to teach and say the
words so that this family could understand. Through this experience,
I learned that even though I have a lot of weaknesses, especially with
Spanish, the Lord is helping me. Because my purpose is to invite
others to come unto Christ and help them to receive the gospel, the
Lord is not going to let me fail.
Saturday evening was the baptism of Francia Bien Aime. Franica is 19
and from Haiti. She came with a group of Haitians to Ecuador over a
year ago to study after the earthquake in Haiti destroyed their
schools. She started taking the lessons after her friend John was
baptized and from the beginning knew that the church was true. Her
baptism was small compared to the last one, but it was super great!
Many of the young single adults from the ward came and the Spirit was
there, what more could you ask for? Hermana Barker and I sang her
favorite song "I Am a Child of God" in both English and Spanish.
Sunday was really great, especially sacrament meeting! Franica
received the gift of the Holy Ghost, Nidia Salinas (who was baptized
on the 28th of May) got up and shared her testimony, and Ivan and
Fernando Muñoz (who were also baptized on the 28th) received the
priesthood and it was announced in Sacrament Meeting. The Spirit
really touched my heart and I began to cry. I have only known these 4
for a little over a month and it's amazing to see how much the gospel
has changed their lives and how their growing in the church.
That's pretty much all that has happened this week. I'm reminded many
times during the week of my purpose and why I am supposed to be here.
The Lord is blessing me and the ones I teach and share the gospel. I
have been thinking a lot about how much I've changed in the last year,
how the Lord has comforted me over and over again, and how I've grown
SO much spiritually. It was about a year ago that I started praying to
Heavenly Father to help me make a decision of what to do with my life.
This last year has been SO amazing and wonderful. I wouldn't change a
thing of anything that has happened this past year.
Well, I need to get going! Have a wonderful week family :) I love you tons!
Love,
Hermana Smith
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