Faith, Miracles, and Food

Hello people of this world. Welcome to the smallest island that I have ever seen. It looks like any other part of Guayaquil BUT the only way on the island is two cement bridges or boat! We can see water but almost never! There is a big port on the left side and sometimes smells like fish (You ever eaten a shrimp WITH it´s legs-- I didn´t think so. (We are just a blessed lazy people in the US aren´t we, haha)

Love to joke but the spririt is more fun and ediffying (spelled that wrong) 

We were blest to have the 4 investigators in church this sunday. The four are going to be baptized this coming week but it is always a little scarey if they don´t go to church one sunday and BOOM "sorry you can be baptized on that day" BUT the Lord blest us a lot this week. Sometimes I feel like we do everything we can and then just put it in the hands of the Lord and see what His will is. 

Loving this ward. They love to help us, tell us about their friends and family who aren`t members, so we never go a day without a schedule FILLED with appointments. Which is great! We filled the goal of the mission to have 30 lessons with members present this week (There is a first for everything) And then everyday we have a different family that gives us dinner. (First time really eating full on dinner in the mission, so I need to do a little more excersies) 

We sure learn a lot in this mission. I am so blessed to have a companion that even if he is ending his mission, is still willing to heart out until we drop at the end of the day. He understands that a disciple of Christ works till the end with all he´s got. I am learning so much from him and we are see the results from the work. Mormon 9:20 (About the reasons why there are no miracles, that president shared with us a little while back)

Love you guys, love the mission!

Seamos Felices!

Elder Alder

w

ISLA TRINITARIA

Well the truth is that I think that means Trinity Island but I´m not sure. It´s a little island here in Guayquil and yes I got transfered here. One rainy month in Naranjal. Tuesday night the zone leader and I had transfers and sadly had to leave naranjal but we knew it was for some good reason and we had to accept it and work harder.

Now I am back in guayquil loving this new ward. And back to a kind of repeated companion: Elder Wendt from Delaware! He was my companion during the choir for christmas. Plays the piano wonderfully so I think we will be singing here soon. 

The sad part but maybe a great part of learing for me is that Elder Wendt has a month left in his mission. So we are working harder than ever. The last strech. We are going to do as much as we can possible do together in one month. I am learning so much. I couldn´t ask for a better companion.

We are alreeady seeing the miracles. This sunday we had an 18 year old kid who wants to be baptized in 3 weeks. The only challenge was that he wanted to be baptized when he was 17 but his catholic parents were going to throw him out. Elder Wendt made a promise that if he asisted the 3 sundays, his parents would support him. He is the captain of his soccer team and he knew that he might have his semichampionships sunday. While he was getting ready he found out the game was at 10:30, right when church started. He told us "I doubted for a second, then I looked at my book of mormon and went to church"

Love this work and love you guys! May the Lord bless you in all your righteous activities!

New Companion Elder Wendt

New (REALLY OLD LOOKING) Desk!

This weeek on The District

So this week was fantastic and very spiritual. We had the wonderful oportunity to go to Cuenca on Thursday to listen and learn from our wonderful President and his leaders. It was so spiritual and I got the chance to sing Lead Kindly Light in spanish with another elder and 3 sisters (We had 30 minutes to practice) Everything we went well and one thing I loved was from Psalms 147:4 (I could be wrong with the verse) That every star has a name. And what have WE DONE with our names. What do people say about our names. Not to be prideful but it`s true. We do something with our name!

Next experience for the week was Sunday, we have a family in the zone that has been coming to church every week. They want to be baptized but maybe they are just waiting for a sign. The 4 elders the last hour of church had a little one on one with the family to find out what they were really thinking. The best part of that lesson for me was listening, watching the other elders teach and share scriptures and listen to the responses. I was able to listen to the spirit wishper to me, ask them to pray. I asked them but we keep talking. So we lost  the right spirit and at the end they prayed and didn`t feel the right peace. 

D&C42:14, We can`t and won`t teach without the spirit. We must act when the spirit tells us to do it, in that very instant! So follow the nike theme (But President Uchtdorf said it first hehe) Just do it! Follow the spirit when it tells you to! 

Love you guys soooo much!

Elder Alder

(Picture of the bus ride to Cuenca, God is amazing)

Happiness and Miracles!

Well what an AMAZING week! Not going to lie but if I could have a favorite week in the mission. It was this one! Tuesday- Leaders conference with President Torres (His second to last one, don`t tell anyone) Wednesday- English class wih a little bit more people! Saturday- We went to the temple at 5 in the morning and basiacally got back a 5 in the afternoon. A lot of time to enjoy soaking in the the temple spirit and on the temporal side, buying things from the distribution center which no one gets to do. More importantly, our humble branch president got sealed to his wife. They have a year in the church and they just left the temple with the biggest smile ever! (Then all fell asleep on the ride home, too much spirit :)) Sunday- Skype with the Mother, puts the bow on top!

But the spirit that we left the temple with as missionaries was remarkable for me. I wasn`t exactly what we felt in the temple helping those that have passed on. It was the feeling that we felt when we left. Such a desire to help the people that don`t ever know what they are missing in the temple! What a blessing! We taught a lesson after we got back from the temple with such a spirit I said to my companion, "We need to go to the temple to start our day everyday"

Such a blessing, one scripture that President Torres (Soon Elder Torres) shared with us is Mormon 9:20. To help us know how to recieve the result of miracles. He told us not look for them but to be worthy to recieve them and work on our faith to recieve them as well. 

You sure feel happy when you work! Even if the house floods. Hahaha, there isn`t much water pressure here so they but big tanks of water on top of the house and for some reason it overflowed and went through the house through a window that wasn´t put in right (closed or open) Everything is fun! Nothing got too wet (Of my things!) And the Books of Mormon are fine! Just fun type of work last night,.

Love this gospel, love this work, love you guys!

Elder Alder

(Picture, missionaries helping buy a proposal ring, never happens, not :)

From Devan: "Hamsters being raised to be EATEN" 

Getting ready to Skype

Put Your Shoulder To the Wheel

Well No pictures this week, this computer has a virus and is deleting my pictures! 

It´s a lot better in photo but we had a baptism this last saturday (WE means the zone) 2 men, Mario y Romulo. I got to know them when I first got here, they basically come to whatever activity that the church does. (Have I told you that in this Branch every week we have a Friends Night every Friday and we are teaching English every Wednesday night, Super cool this Branch)

Someone told me that this branch was very blessed and that is very true! There might not be such thing as an address here but the people are so open and so ready to hear the gospel!  I told you about the 15 year old that stopped us and asked us to teach him. He will be baptized the following Saturday and I´m excited! His name is Micheal and his "sister" and neighbor came to church with us this Sunday! Also we invited two 16 year olds to our English class, they came and one came to church! There is many ways to find the people who want to hear about the gospel, you just have to look! 

Well I wanted to share a little bit of the talk from President Erying. About Jesus Christ´s ministry. We read in 1 Peter 3:18-20 that even after Christ had completed His mission, even after He paid for the Sins of the World(s), He "forgot himself and went to work" He preached the gospel even when He finsished His mission. Brought  me to tears.  We have to work. This is His work and without Him, we are nothing, so why not put everything we´ve got!

Love you all here from Ecuador!

Elder Alder