Elder Devan Alder: Elder Woody and his Fast

Okay, you´ve just got to love missionary work, there is nothing like it and I am privilaged to even get to know the people I do. Well I will explain a little bit of the title. So last December I got to Guayquil and we were talking to the bishop one day about the ward and such and then he stopped me. "Elder Alder, wait" Then he rushs to his computer and goes to Google and looks up "Toy Story" pulls up a picture of Woody and points at it "I FOUND YOU!" And here in this ward, everyone (Especially the bishop´s family) likes to call me Brother Woody. Thanks mom for the freckles :) And the bishop´s daughters know english very well so they always say "There´s a snake in my boot" So that was my great experience this week... One of many laughs!

So here in Machala we have what is called a good problem. We have many investigators that are coming to church but they are scared to take the last step and take the Lord´s name upon themselves and be saved through repentance and be able to have a eternal companion that will help them take on what ever challenge that comes into their life. Did I mention they could be saved? Well if it seems like we are being to hard on them that´s fine. But look at what one investigator told us the other day. "Well work is really stressful and everytime I filled super stressed working in the bank, I just take out the Book of Mormon and I feel destressed right then and there. The Book of Mormon really helps me stay calm." ..... You know it´s true! I love this work1

Second part of the title! I love fasting. In Huaquillas, I fasted because everyone would give us food and I felt better during the day if I fasted, haha. But here I decieded to,to ask a little help from above. And what did He do? He sent us 4 angels to church this sunday. Two friends of members who LOVED church, I think one was a JW. And a couple from Venuzuela who came to Ecudor looking for work. The wife got baptized there but went inactive and then when they got here. The first sunday they were here, decided to look for the church! And as we were passing for investigators Sunday morning with no luck, a taxi stopped us and asked us where the church was, we led them to the church and now are so passionate to go!

There are people waiting for us. They are waiting for us just to say the right word or be in the right place. But we need a little help from above to be able to find them. And then the guts to tell them that this is the truth. What a great work we are in! Love this work Love you guys! Love Ecuador! And I love the Lord

Elder Alder