HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can`t believe it was this week that I talked to you. That seems like forever ago! But alas, twas not. I can`t even express how much I love you all. Thank you so much for your love and support and for your prayers in my behalf. I loved hearing your testimonies and sharing mine. It`s always a spirit-booster when I talk to and hear from you, and I want to thank you for that, too. I know that we will be a family for eternity, and I can`t even express all my gratitude for that blessing.

I wanted to send pictures this week, but my camera won`t connect to the computer. Qué bestia. But that`s life. What`s life, you might ask?

This week, before Christmas, we didn't have much going on because everyone left on vacation and the members were all busy with Christmas-y things, so we decided to serve in a traditional American way--CAROLING! We carolled to the members and presented them El Plan Misional de Familia--aka the way the members can get more involved in missionary work and we do this things they way it`s supposed to be done (the missionaries help and support the members in their missionary responsibilities). We sang and gave out no-bake cookies and everyone loved it. They commented on how we were just like the people in all those Christmas movies! The weird thing is, that`s one thing that happens in real life and not just movies--unlike most things you see on the big screen. It was cool.

Here in our ward, the members are lacking a little bit in faith--faith in their friends, families, neighbors, the other members, etc. It`s sad, because without faith, we can`t do anything! Faith is the first principle of the gospel! It`s hope. It`s belief. We always need to have hope and faith. Have faith in your friends and family and neighbors!! We can do great things! God is on our side! We`re helping to animar a los miembros aquí so that we can have success. This is the only way.

Also, happy New Years Adam today, and Halfy Anniversary last week! On Christmas, we watched On The Way Home and I bawled. Love that movie. Also, I tried cuy (guinea pig) this week! It doesn't taste that good, but it was cool to try.

I hope you have a wonderful New Years! Here, Christmas isn`t that big of a deal, but New Years is HUGE! The have superstitions that will help you have good luck for the next year: eat 12 grapes at midnight, run around the block with an empty suitcase, count money at midnight, drink champagne and throw the glass over your shoulder into the street, and they burn life-size dolls (and some even bigger) of someone or something who had a big happening during the year representing the burning of all the bad that happened and makes room for new good things to happen. It`s pretty exciting. I`ll let you know how it all goes. Last night, people already started the parties and were even listening to Ace of Base! I thought of you, Mom!

Well, I`m out of time. Take care! Exito!!! Rabbit rabbit! See you next year! I`ll be the first one to walk in Ecuador in 2014 on Mars!!


Hermana Ayer


P.S. Pres. Torres`s family likes Master of Disguise.

P.P.S. I was reading through the December 2011 Liahona and Whitney Stephenson was in there singing in a choir with Pres. Holland in the background!

P.P.P.S. 11 months?? Whaaaaat?

P.P.P.P.S. D&C 68:6

Happy Christmas Adam!

FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe that we will be speaking through the means of Skype in 2 days?? That is so nuts! Time really flies! I feel like it was yesterday that I was talking to you on Mothers Day, and actually, yesterday even feels like last year when I was home for Christmas! Weird. Happy Joseph Smith´s birthday/Christmas Adam today!! Also, yesterday marked one year since going through the temple. Seriously, time flies. So now that we have everything arranged for Wednesday, I feel a lot more tranquila. Talk to you at 11!

This week, I´ve been back in Cuenca. Definitely a different change of pace from traveling and singing all day. I had a temporary companion in Guayaquil, but now she´s my real companion! Hermana Nazer from Coldwell, ID. Like Mr. Nazer from Gilford, NH. She´s so cool. But doesn´t have dark hair like him. We get along really well. Her last area was the Galapagos, where Hna. Adams now is. They just switched places, hence we are companions. It´s been a while since I´ve said the word hence, so I hope I used it correctly.

Bueno, I wanted to give a little run down of my trips last week getting to know the mission.....

Tuesday: We got to go to the temple! It was such a wonderful day! We performed a few songs for the Temple President, too. That night, we performed in Cisne, which is apparently the most dangerous part of the mission. We were going to places no hermanas had gone before. The chapel even has an electric fence. Pretty cool, huh?

Wednesday: We travelled through the night and performed the next day in Loja. Let´s just say that if we ever come back to Ecuador, we have to go to Loja. It is gorgeous! Loja and Cuenca are similar in temperature--Spring-like weather all year-round. Beautiful.

Thursday: We performed in Cuenca! On the ride from Loja to Cuenca, I met a 10-year-old who told me he loved me. It was so cute!

Friday: We sang at an orphanage in Cuenca where a few people in my ward work. It was so fun! They have a lot of volunteers from the U.S. who go for a few months. It´s through OSO or something like that. The Spirit was so strong. That night, we performed in Santa Rosa! I can´t even tell you how much happiness and joy I felt to see my conversos there! Ah!! It was so awesome! I felt incredibly happy and I know that that is the Spirit of missionary work! How great shall be your joy if you bring one soul unto me. D&C 18

Saturday: Only comes once a year. We performed in Machala. In the morning, we had permission to sleep for 2 hours more because we hadn´t slept hardly at all from all the traveling, and right when we went to lay down, someone started playing acoustic Justin Beiber. It was horrible because when there is music, I´m listening to it. Gah! But the performance that night was the best ever. They had set up decorations and speakers and it was just gorgeous! At the end, the stake presidente asked us if he could have the congregations give us a round of applause and Presidente told him it was his stake center, so he could do what he wanted, so he had everyone applaud for us! I felt so weird, but it was a great turn out and the Spirit was so strong when we were singing.

Sunday: We went to Naranjal! It´s a branch that just got started about 4 months ago. The elders are the Branch President, etc. After church we ate iguana, which was cool! AT the performance, it was really small, but beautiful. The spirit was incredible, and there was a little girl who I gave a hug to at church because she wasn´t feeling well, and at the performance, she was better! She was so cute! My voice was shot after all the performances, but I have such a stronger testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ. I KNOW HE LIVES! He loves us!!!!!!!!!

I love you all so much! I´ll talk to you on Wednesday!!!!!! Get your questions prepared! haha LES AMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hermana Ayer


P.S. Elder Adamson was the one who played the piano in our musical group, and his mom is from NH and played field hockey! Apparently she has a plaque there in Winnacunnit High School. Rosemarie Selfridge. Maybe she played against Joan? Also, his dad, Ron Adamson, along with Hna. Campbell´s family, knows the Della-Pianas! He was the seminary, etc. Coordinator for NY/VT.

Noooo tiiiiiiime

Family!!!

So, I don´t have time to write much, but I wanted to let you know that we finished the musical performance and it was awesome! We´re traveling back to our sector soon, and I´m not sure if I´ll have time to write in the Terminal. But please know that I love you!!! The chuch is true! Christ lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Ayer

P.S. Halfy Birthday to Parker tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.P.S. I got to go to the temple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.P.P.S. I finally got your other package and Dee´s package! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Famosos

QUERIDA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!

We´re famous. We´re breaking ground. Going places where no one has gone before. Doing things no one has ever done before. It´s pretty sweet.

We had our first 4 performances last week!! And they went so well! We´ve been in the zones in Guayaquil this week, and the week que viene, we´ll be traveling to the rest of the mission (except for Zamora Chichinpe [which is all jungle...I was really sad to hear we weren´t going to that part. Maybe someday they´ll have Hermanas there, and I can open a sector in the jungle.] and the Galapagos).

Remember how the only real solo I´ve had was "That´s too expensive!" when I was in Beauty and the Beast in 9th grade? Well, I¨m officially a soloist now. Meaning, I´ve had to sing a solo every day for the past 2 weeks and I¨m not nervous anymore! I even got tears out of some people yesterday! Tender mercies for someone with an un-soloist-y voice made to sing in choirs/groups.

It´s been so fun to go around to all the zones and get to know different members and missionaries. I hadn´t seen my first hija, Hna. Arellano, since we were companions four months ago, but I saw her on Friday! It was so wonderful! Also, I saw people from my ward in Guayaquil (Los Esteros) at our performance yesterday! I was only there for 6 weeks, but they still remembered me! I was so happy! There was one joven who we helped reactivate, and he´s leaving to go on a mission in 2 weeks to the same mision as Logan (Neuquen)!! I¨m so happy!

At the performance yesterday, a choir sang The Shepherd´s Carol...in English! I got to play for them, and it reminded me of all those times singing that song in a round with Christian!!! Miss you, bud!

Also, with this week came cambios de compañeras. Hna. Adams who was basically saving our spot there in Cuenca and keeping our program up just got called to serve...in the Galapagos. So the other hermana who was there is my new companion. Her name is Hna. Nazer from Idaho and she´s a red head! I don´t look white anymore. haha She also is singing with us now even though she came up in the middle. Fun fun!

This week, we had some excitement, though. Our house got a little leak. And by little leak, I mean huge flood. We woke up one day, went downstairs, and found a rainstorm coming from the ceiling. We now have tons of bowls and pans on the floor catching one leaky drop after the next. A guy has come to work and fix it for the past week. Hopefully he´ll be done soon. I hate living in disarray.

And thanks for the package!!!!!!!!!! I loved everything in there!!!! You know me sooooo well! It also got here in a week and a half! Super speedy quick!! Easy cheese was the best! I shared it with everyone. The gringos loved it and the latinos were excited to try it. It´s been too hot to drink the hot chocolate and apple cider, so I¨ll save that for when I get back to cuenca. EVeryone loved the balsam spray, too, and everyone comments on how pretty the necklace is! I love it! And singing the Christmas songs and reading the Christmas stories in English is awesome!! Still have yet to eat the bacon...but I¨m excited. :] You´re the best!!!!!!!!!!! And dad, I LOVED your letter! Especially the drawing! haha thanks!!!

This week, we ate lunch at a family´s house and they had a HUGE, black cat. Guess what his name was? Salem. As in named after Salem Saberhagen from Sabrina!! He was fatter than Sunkist. Even fatter than Megan Wernig´s cat Rocket. So great.

We also found an antigua investigadora from some other hermanas after knocking doors and getting them literally shut in our faces. It was a tender mercy after a long night. I love the Gospel and know it changes lives. It´s for everyone! Share it! Be an example! Invite someone to church this week! This is the truth! Help bring people to the truth!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hermana Ayer


P.S. Remember how Parker was going to send me a copy of his going away mission talk? Can you please send that to me??

P.P.S. There´s a new elder in my mission from Fresno, CA. Dad (or anyone who served there, too), did you know a Riffel family? He has hair almost like Elder Jardine.

P.P.P.S. Happy Pearl Harbor Day last week, Friday the 13th this week, and December 14th on Saturday (besides the fact that it´s Adrian Tidd´s birthday, it only comes once a year)!!

Singing a Song is Fun to Do

QUERIDO FAMILIA!!!!!!

So this week, we've been singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing and singing.

My voice is about gone, but it´s ok. We sing after studies in the morning until 6 PM, then we go out and work. It´s been kinda nuts, but it´s awesome. We have a group of 8 people, and my temporary companions are Hna. Campbell from Boston and Hna. Murri from Sandy. It's been great. They are so fun! Three of us Hnas. are singing, Hna. Murri is playing the violin, an Elder is playing the piano, other Elder is playing the flute, the other elder is singing with us, and the other Hna. is flipping pages. It´s been so fun. The performance we´re doing is De Nosotros El Mayor by Kenneth Cope. All the songs are about Jesus Christ, and in the 2 next weeks, we´re going to perform to all the zones in the mission (except for the Galapagos). it´s going to be awesome! I´m reallye xcited to express something so beautiful and powerful of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I´m nervous, though, because I have to sing a solo. It's Sus Manos..:I guess in English the song is His Hands...tools of creation...la la la....I don´t remember the words, but I have to sing a solo and I´m nervous. But it´ll be awesome. I´ll just pray...a lot.

Thanksgiving wasn't anything special, but Hna. Campell, Hna. Murri and I ate fake white bread with fake butter and real brown sugar to celebrate. Yummmmm. Talk about good, ol American cooking. But I did a tribute to William Brewster. Such a great man.

Also, on my mission, I've come to understand the importance of the Articles of Faith. I may have even written this to you like 5 months back (I at least wrote it in my journal), but the Articles of Faith are incredible! There is so much doctrine missiong in all the other churches, and the Articles of Faith explain so clearly the Doctrine of Christ, and what we believe. They are vital! Read L. Tom Perry´s talk "Las Doctrinas y los principios que se encuentran en Los Articulos de Fe" from the Priesthood Session of Conference!

Anyway, I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that Christ is our Savior. I know He loves me. I know He came to the world for us! He´s incredible! He lived a perfect life that all started with a humble birth. He loves us, and I¨m so glad I have the opportunity to share this message through music. I love Jesus Christ. And I know He loves me! Follow His example!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hermana Ayer :]


P.S. Rabbit Rabbit

P.P.S. If you send a package, which I´m not expecting anything, it can´t be over 4 kilos. Ever. Because it costs a lot of money to get the package out of the post office. Just a notice from our lideres. I just want hand written letters, the ensign in english, and that´s it!!!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!

La familia Vanegas

DIA DE ACCION DE GRACIAS

FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welp, this week is one of updates. There were cambios. We had ´em. I was really really upset because I LOVE Hermana Clark! She´s so awesome! So we were really sad when we got that call. BUT, guess who my companion is? I¨ll give you a hint...I spent 4 1/2 months with her. She´s from Colorado. She´s crazy. She and I are basically twins. Yep....HERMANA ADAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy to find out she was my companion! Everyday, we´re still like, How are we companions?? It´s so nuts. We´re so nuts together, but we do work. We get it done. And we love it! She and I work so well!

What´s even better is that Hna. Clark is still in my zone!! Presidente Torres in the past wanted Hna Lideres to train, but now he´s having Hna Liders be companions with other Hna Liders. So Hna. Adams and I are together watching out for all of our little hermanitas. There are 8 in the zone, so we´ll do intercambios with them, and we´ve already seen the blessings of being together, because we can really focus on each hermana individually and help them to learn, grow, and love missionary work! It´s been so great!!!! This week, we´re going to do a theme of Thanksgiving scriptures since all except for one of the hermanas in our zone are gringas. It´s pretty nuts. I love it.

Except...I guess I won´t be here to send the little Thanksgiving scriptures, or do intercambios, or anything because........we´re finally doing the Christmas program!! Which is also bad because I haven´t practiced any of the music. I played through the music once and then I never went back to practice because there´s no piano in our chapel. So we´ll see how that goes. Hopefully Presidente will be patient with me, and I¨ll have lots of time to practice it up. Or maybe I´ll just sing. Who knows? All I know is that I¨m leaving today at 5 today for Guayaquil, and I´ll only be there for 2 weeks. We´ll travel around to all the zones in the mission (except for the Galapagos) and perform within these 2 weeks I guess. I´ll keep you all posted.

This week has been wonderful, though. Hermana Adams and I have seen so many miracles. Somedays we don´t have any help from members, but we don´t let that stop us from doing this work. It´s on those days that we can really feel God´s hand guiding us. One night, we went to visit someone we had just talked to in the streets, and we invited his dad to church. He told us about some houses down the street where a lot of Americans lived, so we took that more or less as a referral and headed down. My companion asked me what my favorite number is from 1 to 17, so I chose 3. We pressed the third timbre, and these two little girls salieron because they thought we were there with the pizza they had ordered. A minute later, the pizza guy showed up and we realized that it was incredible that we had pressed that door bell out of all of them. Then the mom of that girl came out and she was extremely drunk. She told us though that she had lived in the United States for a while, so she started talking to us in English...kind of. She was hilarious. She started yelling at her husband, "Baby, open the gate! Baby!" Then he didn´t open the gate, so she said, "Babies, sorry, my husband won´t open the gate." It was so funny. We told her not to worry about it, and left dying of laughter. We´re going to go back this week, though, and find her. We don´t know why God led us to that door right then...maybe just to give us a good laugh, or maybe to help one of his daughters find her way back home. We´ll make sure we do all we can.

Well, I´m out of time, and I have to go finish packing. I love you all so much! I hope you have the best Thanksgiving ever!! Mom, you´ll have to tell me how Planksgiving has been going, and dad, you´ll have to tell me how Franksgiving goes. One month till Christmas!

LES AMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LA IGLESIA ES VERDADERA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hermana Ayer


P.S. Dad! Please tell me what planet I can see!!!!!!!!!!!

P.P.S. Can you send me all the scripture references from the Book of Mormon that talk about javelines?? Thanks!

A Wonderful Week

FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, the best thing of this week (there were a few great things) was helping to set up and decorate a Christmas tree!!! A real, live, fake Christmas tree!! We put it all together and pulled the branches up, evened them out, threw on the lights, and put on the ornaments. It´s not like trimming the tree in our house, but it was fun nonetheless. On Monday, we had gone over to our Lider Misional´s house to talk to him, and right when we got there, they invited us in to help decorate the tree, and have some hot chocolate y pan. I guess since Thanksgiving doesn´t exist here, everyone just focuses on Christmas as soon as they can. Which is sad to me, because I love Thanksgiving, but I´m ready to get into the Christmas spirit. It was so fun!

Also, this weekend, we had full time with Presidente Torres. On Friday, we had a capacitacion with him and learned SO MUCH!!! He is SUCH an inspired man, and really has so much charity. That´s his focus as a president. It says in Moroni 7:48 that those who are true disciples of Jesus Christ have charity, and he wants us to be more than missionaries. He wants us to be true disciples of Jesus Christ. I love him!

On Saturday and Sunday, we had Stake Conference! And the best part was that we had Elder Fernando Calderón from the Seventy and the temple president, Presidente Groberg, there. Elder Calderón is a riot! He is soooooo funny! We talked about the importance of counsels. The church is run by counsels. Presidents have counselors. It says in Proverbs 11:14 that in the midst of counsellors there is safety. This church is a church of order. God is a God of order. When we have counsels and talk about PEOPLE, we are helping to create order and have the SPIRIT. I love the gospel and how it works. I love the organization of the church. It´s perfect!!!! We are the imperfect people, but if we follow the guidance of our leaders, we´ll have safety!!! God wants to help EACH of His children return back to His presence. That´s why the church is organized, focusing on PEOPLE. God loves us! He is our loving Heavenly Father!!!!!!!!!!!

This week, we ran into some hard-hearted people, and it made us really sad for them. They said they couldn´t believe that Christ visited the Americas, that God had prophets here, thet they´ve given us more of their word, and that today there are prophets and apostles. They reminded me exactly of 2 Nephi 29:6-10. "A bible! We have a bible! And we don´t need more bible!" They think their complaint is so original, but it was predicted 2600 years ago. Russell M. Nelson said in his April General Conference talk, "El Libro de Mormon está en completa armonía con la biblia. Los dos registros sagrados confirman la verdad del Evangelio de Jesucristo y la importancia de su Expiación." We don´t worship men. We worship God and Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ!

"Hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ" (2 Nephi 33:10-11)! "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Chirst" (2 Nephi 25:26)! It´s all about Christ! We are followers of HIM! Not of man. This is the Church of JESUS CHRIST. He lives! We shared those scriptures with our hard-hearted pals, and Dallin H. Oaks April General Conference talk "Seguidores de Christo." I hope they read it and can receive a change of heart. This is the true church.

I love you all so much and hope all is well in your lives! I¨m praying for you!!!!!!

CON MUCHO AMOR,


Hermana Ayer

P.S. Today might be cambios. I´m sad, because I LOVE my companion!! I´ll update you next week.

Don´t take NH for Granite

QUERIDO FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all so much and am so glad Christian´s birthday was awesome! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week has been a good one. My companion and I have learned a lot about the power of prayer, and the importance of praying specifically. This week, we realized we've been wasting our time on investigators who can´t and/or don´t want to progress. So this week, our goal is finding new people. New people who are prepared to hear this message and live the principles we teach. One day, we were left without any help from the members, and we didn't have any direction, so we decided to just sit down on a park bench and pray. We prayed for three things en especifico 1) have the help of a member, 2) find this woman named Gladys in her house, and 3) find a family. Within one hour, we realized that God was putting His hand in our work. We called a member and found out she could help us…on Wednesday. We also went to Gladys´s house and found her…busy. And we realized we never asked for when we wanted to find a family, but knew that everything that happened that day was an answer to our prayers. We may not have been able to use the help of the members that day, and we may not have been able to meet with Gladys that day, and we may not have found a family that day, but God had answered our prayers. We just need to ask more specifically. It´s like that little video after Dudley Doright, when they said whoever opened the box would die. One guy opened the box and didn't die, and the bad guy says, “Hey, but it says whoever opens the box will die!” And the guy who opened the box said, “Yeah, but it didn't say when!” If we want the blessings NOW, we have to ask for them NOW. God will give us everything, and much of the time it may not be in our timetable, but if we pray specifically and with faith, He will ALWAYS answer us, and will ALWAYS give us what we ask for (if it´s righteous, of course).

This week was a week of firsts, though. I cut my hair for the first time on the mission! Not only that, but I cut my hair with my own hands for the first time in my life! (Well, my hands guiding the scissors, that is.) It turned out pretty well, too! I also did my first 24-hour intercambio. I had done intercambios when I was in Santa Rosa, but only for a few hours at a time. This week, I didn´t a full day one, and it was great. I wasn´t exactly sure what I was supposed to do on an intercambio, except be an example, so I did my best. I was with Hermana Crum from Bluffdale, UT…right on over there by Lehi. She´s great, and is studying psychology at BYU. We were able to find some people to teach, get some references, and commit people to go to church. I helped her to see the importance of choosing to be happy. It´s so crucial that we always have hope, that we have faith, and that we always have a smile on our face. This Gospel is one of JOY!!!!

Happy Veterans Day (11/11…make a wish), Happy 27th Anniversary of the Infamous Snowball Fighted Meeting of You Two Cuties last Thursday, and Happy 10/11/12 tomorrow…but that doesn´t happen for me here in Ecuador until December 11th.

So the other day, some Testigos knocked on our door and wanted to share a message about…I don´t know what. Basically, what I got out of it is that when we die, we´re going to turn to dust until the resurrection. Their message didn´t help us feel peace, or invite us to make a change in our lives, and basically left us feeling helpless, hopeless, and sad. In contrast, we as missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints help people to feel the peace and happiness that comes through REPENTANCE, o sea, through making changes in their lives. That´s what Christ did. He invited everyone to repent. He didn´t teach a sermon just to make people feel good—He taught them so people knew what they had to DO to return to God´s presence. We have to DO things. We have to ACT. We have to REPENT and BECOME like Christ. After the Testigos left, we felt just…bad. So we decided to sing Creo En Cristo (I Believe in Christ) with the windows open. It was beautiful and the spirit was so strong. I know Christ lives and I know He loves us. He is our Savior. Through Him we can have peace and joy. I know it!! I´ve felt it! I love Him so much and am so grateful for His infinite, selfless, and atoning sacrifice.

Funny story from this week, the native women here can literally carry like 200 lbs. on their back. The other day, my companion and I saw this guy walking around carrying a big, black couch on his shoulder. My companion goes, “Wow, the people here are SO strong!!” I had to explain to her that it was a blow-up couch…but yes, the people are still really strong.

Today, we went to a sweet free museum that had some ruins and llamas and stuff. Pretty cool. I threw in a couple pictures.

I love you all! Bring someone to church this week. Share a message of happiness. Be an example. :]

Con amor,


Hermana Ayer


P.S. Dad, can you look up what planet can be seen from Ecuador right now?? I´ve wanted to know for about 5 months now, but keep forgetting to ask. Please let me know!

P.P.S. People eat so much bread here! There´s a panaderia on practically every corner. It´s so good. They eat a huge lunch and then dinner is just hot chocolate and bread. Mmmm.

P.P.P.S. Kat Heal, if you´re reading this, I got your letter! Congrats on your mission call, and I loved the beluga whale!

P.P.P.P.S. I´ve never been so grateful that Grandma Ayer taught me how to play Happy Birthday on the piano. It came in really handy this week. Now I don´t take it for granted. :] Don´t take anything for granted. We are so blessed!!

Sweet 16...dulce dieciseis...whichever you prefer...

So I heard a rumor...that someone is turning...................SIXTEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?????????????????????

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY, CHRISTIAN ELIASON AYER!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU NOW HAVE 16 YEARS OF LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat????????????? I can´t believe you are that old now. Time really does fly and you are the best little brother ever!!!!!!!! I hope you have an awesome day and know of my love for you!!!

Thanks for sending me all the pictures of the pumpkins you carved. That´s something I definitely miss from being here in Ecuador. Halloween-y, American traditions. And now the Thanksgiving season is upon us.........well, upon you. Here, everything is just the same. But it´s fine. I love my new area and my companion and the hermanas we live with! We have so much fun and I love singing harmony!!!!!!! I love singing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy rabbit rabbit, are you voting tomorrow?, and chao daylight savings (we´re now in the same time zone again).

Enjoy the pictures I sent and know that pictures speak a thousand words, and then remember that when you read this short email.

But from this week, what I want you all to do is read Neil L. Anderson´s talk "It´s a Miracle" from the April Conference! I know you all heard it, but READ IT AGAIN!!!!!!!! It tells you just what you need to do as members of the church to help in the missionary efforts. It´s YOUR responsibility...not the missionaries´. They are here to help YOU in your missionary responsibilities. Then read 2 Nephi 26:23-33. EVERYONE is invited to take part of Christ´s salvation. Everyone has the opportunity to hear the Gospel! Everyone needs it! NO ONE is excluded from Christ´s salvation NO ONE. Everyone is invited to partake of His goodness and His love. No one is excluded from worshipping with us. Everyone is invited to worship with us in the House of the Lord and feel the Spirit. Everyone is alike in God´s eyes. We are not better than anyone else, so we have to help those who haven´t been fortunate enough to hear the gospel...to hear it!!! It´s our duty! Do it!!!!!! I love you so much!!! Help our neighbors, friends, conocidos. They need this message!!!!!!!!!! Have charity!!!!!!!!

This week, my companion and I didn´t have much help from the members, so it was a little hard, but we found a few people who want to hear the message we have. One man is named Alberto, and he lived in Worcester, MA, about 10 years ago! He always tries to speak English with us, but I can´t teach in English, so we just stick with Spanish. He smokes, but really wants to stop. He really wants to have happiness and peace in his home, so he´s seeking for the truth. And guess what?? We have it. He went to church on Sunday and LOVED it. He has a baptismal date for the 30th of Noviembre, so pray that he can quit smoking! I love the Gospel and know it changes lives!!

This weekend was las fiestas de Cuenca, so there were a lot of people gone to concerts, putting flowers on their relatives graves, eating colada morada and guaguas de pan, and of course, drinking. Nothing can stop the work from progressing, though!! We´re still esforzandonos to find new people and help everyone to partake of Christ´s salvation!!!!!!!!


I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hermana Ayer

P.S. Will, I got your postcard!! Thanks!!!!!!!!

I´m about due... for a transfer.

Querida familia,

Can you all believe that in two days, I will complete nine months?? That is the mitad of my mission! I cannot even comprehend it. I still feel like I just got here and haven´t done anything, but then when I think back on all that really has happened and all I´ve learned just in these nine months, it really is a long time, and I really have grown so much...even if I can´t express it through email. Conversing in English has become a desafío for me. But I´ll be sure to send a picture from that day.

Also, I wanted to send pictures this week, but we had Consejo in Guayaquil again today, and we can´t send pictures from this cyber, so next week will be the day. I´ll also be sure to send pictures from HALLOWEEN!! I´m so excited! That´ll be my first and last Halloween on the mission, and the first day going downhill. (Uphill in sense of skill and teaching and spirituality and diligence, but downhill in the sense of time...don´t worry...) I´m going to be a zebra serving a mission, thanks to my new skirt. I´m psyched.

So we´re going to play a little game, alright? We´re going to play guess where I am. (Not right now, because right now I´m in Guayaquil, but where I am in terms of sector because I had cambios...) Here are some clues: It´s cold, it rains every day, I used my coat and umbrella for the first time, they talk with a weird accent, it´s beautiful, I saw my breath one morning, they eat cui...any guesses?? YEP! CUENCA!!!!! I got here last Tuesday. And remember that website that said Ecuador was Springlike weather all year-long? IT´S TRUE! As long as you´re in Cuenca. It really is pretty here, though. It reminds me of a NH Spring. When it´s warm, it´s wicked warm. When it´s rainy, it´s cold and rainy.

Now we´re going to play guess where my companion is from. Clues: It´s cold, there are mountains, it´s green, it´s the shape of NH but backwards...any guesses?? YEP! IDAHO!!!!! I have a gringa companion!! She´s Hermana Clark from Bear Lake, ID, and she has 2 weeks on the mission! It´s so weird because she´s blonder than I am, taller that I am, and whiter than I am. So everyone pretty much stares at us all day, and I feel practically Latina around her. I´ll send pictures next week. She´s so awesome! We´re so similar! Another 19-year-old companion, though. I feel so old. Oh wellzies...está bien. She´s great!

Now we´re going to play guess who we live with. Clues: We´re all tall, we all have the same towels, they all have the same shoes, we can sing 4-part harmony, we´re all nuts, we all speak English...any guesses?? YEP! GRINGAS!!!!! There are four of us gringas living together in the same house!! It´s so fun! The other two are Hna. Bytheway (she´s the one who loves Arthur and who I lived with in my second sector in Guayaquil and she´s basically my twin, but a 20-year-old and from UT and was in the MTC with Logan Bennett) and Hna. Alvarado (who also has 2 weeks on the mission, and her parents are Latinos, but she´s from UT). We´re serving in two different wards, and even two different zones, but it´s so fun. We sang four-part harmony the other day and I thought I was going to die. 9 months without beautiful music. It was incredible. I LOVE SINGING!!!

Speaking of singing and music, the president wants to have a Christmas production for the mission, and he wants me to play the piano. I´m so excited! I´m going to practice during November, and then the last two weeks I´ll probably head over to Guayaquil, and we´ll have practices and stuff, then the first two weeks in December, we´re going to travel around and perform for all the zones!!!!!!! I really hope we do it! Presidente Torres is so awesome! He´s such an inspired man of God. I love him! And his wife is hilarious! She said we´re in the best mission because we have the coolest missionaries. I think that´s a correct statement. Ah! I´ll let you know if anything changes about the Christmas music thing.

I wanted to send so many pictures this week, but this dang computer. Our house is so nice!! We have two floors, that are WOOD--not cement, wood! The house is cement, but the floors are wood!--three bathrooms, HOT WATER! (I haven´t taken a hot shower in 9 months! It´s beautiful!!!), and we don´t use bunk beds! It´s the little things in life. :] And when people ring the doorbell, we have a little phone with a video on it so we can see the people at the door, and we talk to them through the phone. It´s so cool! I also was going to send you a picture of the elder from Colombia who was in Maryluz Flander´s ward, but yet again...next week.

Fun things from the week:

I met a lady who has two children living in Worcester, MA, and a guy who lived there for 10 years!! I didn´t know Latinos lived in Worcester, but it was a tender mercy to here that they had a connection to New England. I love it!

A 15-year-old girl in the ward´s favorite band is One Direction. She´s my pal.

Hna. Bytheway has music from the Book of Mormon Movie, which actually is just all music from the Hill Cumorah Pageant. I love it! One morning, I just started pretending like I had a trumpet in my hand, then my arms flew to the left then flew to the right, and I just didn´t know why. Then I realized the music was from the opening scene when everyone walks on the stage. I love muscle memory.

There are so many pizza places here!!!!!!!! We haven´t eaten pizza yet, but I think Tuesdays is buy one get one free, so I´m pretty sure tomorrow we´ll have a nice, little snackeroo.

I had a dream this week that I cut off my left pinky toe because it was bothering me. Sound familiar?

OH! And you know how the guy who gave us the skirts was going to get baptized? Well, he did! On Saturday! I was so sad I wasn´t there. His friend (Jorge) is going to get baptized this week, and he´s so great! Last Monday, we visited them, and Jorge told us that he didn´t have any family (wife, children...nothing), so we told him that we were his daughters. Then the rest of the visit, he was calling us "hija." It was so cute! But then I left that very night for Cuenca...so sad. I´m excited for him to get baptized, though. De oro.

Anyway, it´s been a great week. Other than the fact that we saw a dog get killed by a taxi. That was pretty sad, but let me tell you--prayer fixes everything. My companion and I get along so well. She´s wonderful and hilarious! We set some baptismal dates with a few people, and I hope that they progress! The key is getting people to go to church! When they´re there, they find friends and feel the Spirit. Those two are KEY in conversion. If people have friends, they have desires to know if it´s true and to keep learning more. And when they have those desires and feel the Spirit, they are converted. So be a friend. Invite someone to church this week. The missionaries are there to help YOU in your missionary deberes. Be a missionary! Every day! In all you do! Just Do It! I love you all and am so happy and proud to be an Ayer, a missionary, and a representative of Jesus Christ. Nothing could bring me greater joy. :]

Con amor,


Hermana Ayer

P.S. My first Sunday here, I had to give a talk. It actually went so well! The gift of tongues is incredible. I speak Spanish. I mean, I have for a while, but yesterday it really hit me that I speak Spanish.

P.P.S. I played Every Day Tell Someone I Love You, and couldn´t have felt happier.

P.P.P.S. We tried cereza my last week in Santa Rosa. New fruit to add to the list. Also, maracuyá is similar to granadía, but has a very different flavor.

P.P.P.P.S. Did you know I´ve never been to Fenway Park? Or Plymouth, MA. Or golfing at Bolduc Park.

25 OCTOBER LANE DÍA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you know that this whole month of October, I have been waiting and waiting and WAITING (as Vicini says, "I´m waiting!") to celebrate 25 OCTOBER LANE DAY!!!!!! And this is the week!!! I´m so psyched! I´ll be wishing everyone a feliz Día de 25 de Avenida Octubre on Friday. I´m so excited.

Fun things from the week I would like to share...

I have a new nickname. Guess what it is? Hulk. That´s right. Hulk. These little kids were playing soccer (with a mini soccer ball) and kicked the ball off the field toward me, so I picked it up and threw it back to them. The kid who I threw it to then started yelling, "Hulk! Hulk!!" I know I´ve eaten a lot of rice, but really?? It´s like they don´t know what throwing is.

Speaking of throwing, I saw some kids playing with a football!! An actual football! Like fútbol americano! It was so refreshing. Of course they couldn´t throw it at all, but it was so awesome! I wanted to join them, but we were just passing in a moto taxi.

A dog almost peed on me.

But really. A dog came up to us as we were talking to some people, sniffed me, then paused. And luckily I´ve seen enough dogs pee here in Ecuador that I noticed that pause. I pulled my leg and skirt away JUST in time. Honestly, if I had waited even a milisecond longer, I would have been a goner.

My investigator gave us new skirts! Mine´s zebra. We wore them yesterday and used that opportunity to take some pictures. 100% Ecuatoriana. He´ll be baptized.

My convert Katherine wants to pay her tithing! Next Sunday she´ll pay that because she forgot the slip this Sunday. And my convert Anita wants to go on a mission. I love my converts! They make me so happy!!! D&C 10:18

This week, we met a Jehova Witness from Switzerland. He´s been on a mission here for 30 years! We went to visit a man who we had invited to church, and he was there with the JW reading the bible. Right when we showed up, we greeted everyone with a smile and a handshake and then he gruffly told him they would finish up so he could deal with us, basically. Poor guy. He didn´t seem happy at all.

I´m just glad we have the truth. If there´s one thing I´ve learned on the mission, it´s gratitude. We have been given so much. We have the TRUTH! Have you ever thought about that for a second? The fact that it is so incredible that we, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have the truth! The fullness of the Gospel!! I am so happy and so grateful. It really hit me this morning in my personal study how wonderful and incredible that we have the truth in our lives. We have a living-day prophet. We have the BOOK OF MORMON! I LOVE this book so much!!!!!!!!!!!!! It´s my favorite! More than Jane Eyre, more than Harry Potter, more than Hunger Games, more than Pride and Prejudice...it doesn´t even compare! It doesn´t compare to anything! This book changes lives and we have to read it EVERY day!!!!!!!! It´s changed my life and I love reading from it´s pages every day. It gives me such peace and such guidance. Read it. Never stop reading it. Read it always. How many ways can I say this?? Pull a Nike and Just Do It. :]


Hermana Ayer

P.S. Red Sox in the World Series?? Whaaat?

P.P.S. To clear up some confusion, I´ve been in Santa Rosa for 3 transfers and am 2 weeks into my fourth. I just go to Guayaquil for Leader´s Council once a month. While there, we write in the bus terminal in Guayaquil.

P.P.P.S. There are lightning bugs here! They´re called luciérnaga.

P.P.P.P.S. A new elder in my zone--E. Henline from Logan--was best friends with Jarom Rae growing up. Small world.

Happy 1 Nephi 13:12 Day!!

FAMILAMADINGDONG!!!!!!!!!!!!

How are you all?? Dad, I was dying when I saw the colorful trees. Thank you so much for the fall pictures. That is something I have definitely been missing out on. So thanks :]

So one awesome thing from this week is that we rescued a baptism! We had an investigator, Katherine, who had a fecha for last week, but wasn´t able to get baptized because she had to finish a huge project for the University. She is a single mom of 22 years and already has 2 children (ages 4 and 3). She really is so great and has such a desire to follow Christ and do what is right. We visited her at the beginning of this week, and she was the one who mentioned baptism. We asked what her thoughts were, and she said that she still really wanted to get baptized, just didn´t have time the last week. So we planned everything and she was able to get baptized last Saturday.

I know that this is the true church! I have no doubts of that. I love being a missionary and every day I am reminded and humbled of the sacred calling I have been given. I am a representative of Jesus Christ and have been entrusted to bring His children the truth so they can receive happiness and forgiveness of their sins.

We invited an old man to church last week, and he began to shout and argue with us and we had no idea why. Then he told us that the purpose of the "gringos" is to destroy the Catholic Church and to teach the religion of the United States. I just started laughing. Oh really? I didn´t know that´s what I was paying to do. I thought our purpose was to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. I missed the part where it says we were trying to destory other churches. Obviously a result of teaching the truth is that people leave what they had behind to find somehting better. I´m so glad I have this opportunity here to do that...help people find the truth and feel God´s love.

Other fun things from this week: (1) I was told "I love you" the other day. It was by a little boy who is 4 years old. He ran up to me and gave me a hug then with hish ands over his face said, "La quiero!" So cute! (2) I washed my scripture case for probaby the first time since I got them. 14 years of use and now lthey look brand new. (3) I´m a grandma! My first daughter, Hna Arellano, is training! (4) Ecuador won their game against Uruguay. (5) Just when you think you´re walking into a nice restaurant, it´s still only $2.

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!


Hermana Ayer

This is a squashed dog. Very sad!

Cambios, Conferencia, Coca Cola

FAMILIAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laman, Lemuel, Sam, Nephi---SONS. (This is a quote from the Hill Cumorah Pageant)

Don't know why, but that quote just popped into my head. How have you all been?? How was the Conference? On the lake?! Jealous!! I'm trying not to covet, but I could really use a lake-side visit right about now.

Well, today there are cambios,(transfers) aaaaand............my companion and I are still staying in Santa Rosa!! This will be my 4th cambio here. I feel like I know every street and every person here, but bueno, Dios has a lesson for me to learn here, and hopefully I´ll figure it out what it is in this transfer. I've already learned a lot about humility and patience. Maybe I just need to refine those two a little more. Well, I'm sure I do. I have a looong way to go, but I'm working on it.

Thank you SO MUCH for the package!!!!!!!! The pictures are my favorites of all time infinity! Especially the ones at the end of you making my face! You're so cool!! I love the pens and the notes and everything!! Thank you!!! Also, when did they change the green Skittles to apple?? I never really liked the green ones much, but I ate them and thought, "Hmmm, my taste buds must have changed because these are really good!" Then I checked the back. Green apple.

So for us, the Conference is a little bit of death mixed with joy. I love General Conference soooooo much, but here, we have to run around for everyone who wants to go and invite the whole world to attend. My companion and I had a ton of people who said they were going to go, and then Sunday morning rolls around and everyone says no, no, no, no, luego, en la tarde, no, no, no, en otra ocasión, no, no (then, in the afternoon, no, no, no, on another occasion, no, no)......... It was rough, but when we got to the church, we found that 9 people we had invited had shown up on their own!!! It was a miracle!!!!!! I KNOW God works miracles!!

Listen to the words of the Prophet. He receives revelation from God for the WORLD! We are going to have trials! But what do we need to do? We need to have the Gospel at the center of our lives. We need to PRAY every day!! We need to read the Book of Mormon EVERY DAY! We need to go to church EVERY WEEK!! I don´t know what President Monson is preparing us for, but trials are coming. We are in the last days. Satan is working hard. But if our foundations are firm, we cannot fall!!!!! Helaman 5:12

When we invite people to be baptized, our mission president wants us to "vaccinate" them. Por ejemplo(for example), "In preparation for your baptism, you will have trials, but Heavenly Father will help you." It sounds lame in English, but for a better example, review President Monson's talk. He just vaccinated the world.

Also, I didn´t know Richard G. Scott spoke Spanish, but he does! He pre-recorded his own talk in Spanish. It was great hearing his voice!!

And it has never been so obvious to me that there is only one true church. We have it. This is it. (1 Nephi 14:10-17) This is the one and only perfect church--organized by God, described in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. We have a prophet! (Amos 3:7) We have 12 Apostles! (Luke 9:1) We have that power and authority, el Sacerdocio (Priesthood), given to men! (Hebrews 5:4) We are Saints because we follow Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Nephi 14:14) We are baptized in the way Christ did, which was pleasing to GOD. (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 10:38-39) Read the 13 articles of faith and think for a moment on the truthfulness of this Church and how lucky we are to have it! Follow the admonition of Paul! (Philippians 4:8) Rejoice evermore! (1 Thessalonians 5:16-23)

Last thing, someone was listening to music in English the other day during our studies. Hermana Adams and I were dying. Kelly Clarkson, Backstreet Boys, etc. I had I Love you Like a Love Song by Selena Gomez stuck in my head the whole day. And the dance to that song from Just Dance 4.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hermana Ayer

P.S. My comp made me a sandwich the other day: bread, lunch meat, mayo, ketchup. She's wonderful, but let's just say I´ll think twice before I accept food she offer to me.

P.P.S. When my comp and I were running around for people on Sunday, in the blazing sun, all I wanted was a nice cold coca cola. Who am I???

P.P.P.S. Hermana Lopez who lived with us before is now in the Galapagos! She and her comp are the first sisters there!

P.P.P.P.S. A kid peed on my comp´s backpack the other day and she was ticked. I could'nt stop laughing.

P.P.P.P.P.S. If you ever have a Sister Welling, she's friends with Hermana Jackie Adams with whom I've been in Santa Rosa for 4 months.

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. I saw a kitten suffering in the middle of the road the other day and I almost died of tristeza.(sadness)

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. But when we're righteous, we're happy! 1 Nephi 16:4-5

Alma 26:12, Mosiah 24:15, Jacob 1:19, Moroni 7:46-47

Pizza

Fam!!!!!!

First of all, I would like to wish a halfy birthday to my dear, old DAD!!!!!!!!!! HALFY BIRTHDAY, PAPÁ!!!! How do you feel to be half a year older? Boy, does the time FLY! I also complete 8 months today. It´s weird to think that just in one month more, I will be half-way through the mission. Who knew?

Second of all, I wanted to send pictures, but it´s not working because we're using the computers in the Terminal in Guayaquil. We had Consejo de Líderes (Leadership Council) today, so we´ll be heading back home in about an hour and a half. Then a 4-hour bus ride back home. Woohoo!

This week, we had 3 baptisms. Three baptisms de oro. A mom (Cecilia) and her 2 daughters (Noelia and Fernanda). They were prepared by the Lord, and they have inspired me so much. They are an evidence to me that the Lord has people prepared every day who are ready and willing to listen and accept the restored Gospel in their lives. These three had attended many churches, looking for the right one, but hadn't felt a pull to any church. The cousin of Cecilia is a member, and so she told her cousin to come to church with her. She and her daughters all came, so we met them and made an appointment for a later date in the week. In that lesson, we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they immediately accepted a baptismal date for this Friday. They went to church again, then we taught the Restoration. In that lesson (the second), we asked them if they wanted to be baptized instead Saturday, the 28th. They accepted and were baptized that Saturday.

They said that this is the only church in which they felt the Spirit, and that they know God was leading them to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were a gift and a tender mercy from God. I know that God loves all His children, and wants all of them to hear the Gospel, but He has people ready and waiting to accept it NOW. We just have to open our mouths to find them. This church is true! It changes lives. It´s changed mine. And I¨m so glad I get to help others find this happiness, as well. : ]

Funny things from the week, Luis (who got baptized last week) went to Quito for a couple days and brought us back a little regalito(gift)---a scarf and gloves. No, they don't say Ecuador on them. No, they're not special colors or designs. Just a very functional gift that you could buy anywhere in the world and that I won't use for at least another year. Made me chuckle.

Also, they hermanas in our apartment and I bought pjs from a grocery store here. Mine has cats and music notes on it. It's so cool. Also, one of our mamitas gave us a little treat after lunch one day (which doesn't happen here. Dessert? Whaat??). But I realized that it's better to just not eat anything sweet because what she gave us was a cookie that was in reality just a giant after-dinner mint. It was burning my throat by the time I finished. The desserts/sweets/candies here really are horrible. Save the calories.

We invited a man to church this week who is Catholic and has a son who is a member of the church. He said, "No, I´m Catholic." We explained to him that there are always people who go for the first time and just want to see how it is. He declined again and told us, "No, because what if I go and then I like something. And then I have to go through the hassle of changing religions..." Um, you're happy? You´ve found the truth? What's wrong with liking something?? There are so many people here who are Catholic because they are. They were born Catholic and will die Catholic because that's the way it is. It makes me so sad they deny themselves of finding the truth just because of the false traditions of their fathers. In order to change, we just need to give up all our sins, and then we can come to know God. (Alma 22:15-18) He's right there waiting for us to make the changes necessary in our lives to receive the blessings He has prepared for all of us. So give up one sin today. Give up one bad thought. Give up one negative feeling. And let Christ heal your hearts.

This week, I really learned the attribute of patience. I realized that I lack a lot of patience. I really love the story in Mosiah 24, especially verses 15-16 . When we are patient, our burdens may not be taken away, but we will be strengthened to bear the trials that come.

I love you all and hope you're bearing with patience all the trials and burdens in your lives. The Lord is with you! And I'm praying for you!

LES AMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :]


Hermana Ayer

P.S. Our Líder Misional (Branch Mission Leader) is going to the temple next week to be sealed to his wife. He´s so excited!!!

P.P.S. We had the best trip ever with Presidente Torres and his family to eat pizza!! The first time I've had it in 8 months. It was soooo good. I love my president! And not just for that reason! He's awesome! And his wife is hilarious.

P.P.P.S. The 26th of this month was el Día de la Bandera.(Flag Day)  Just so you can store that holiday in your memory, Dad.

P.P.P.P.S. I'm glad I don't receive revelation through dreams, because I have the weirdest dreams on the mission. And I dream every night... Every night.

P.P.P.P.P.S. I tried lots of different fruits last week: guava, cacao, y maracuyá.


Mosiah 24:15. Alma 26:12.

Time flies like the wind, and fruit flies like guineo (bananas)

FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Highlight of this week: playing the piano next to a dead body.

Let me tell you, what a blast. What a great time, indeed. In all serious, folks, the fact that I play the piano is something that isn't done here. Not even many missionaries who have come through play the piano, so they have to use me while they can. The son of a member in the ward died this week, so they had a funeral service for him...outside, like all funerals here in Ecuador. A member in the ward brought his electric piano and asked me to play. He then asked me if it would be alright if I he put the piano next to the casket...open, of course. Him asking me if he could do that was not a question as much as it was a statement...there was no where else I could have played. So I had to sit there, playing hymns with a horrifying smell right next to me. Luckily the Spirit was able to testify of God's love, even with the obvious distraction I was facing.

Also, can I just say that in one week, I will complete 8 months? In one week, I will complete 8 months! (Which also happens to be a very halfy day.) Time flies so fast. And remember that website I read that said Ecuador had Spring-like weather all year-long? Yeah. Lies. All of them. Maybe in Cuenca, Quito, y Loja... but that's 3 cities out of thousands! I want July back when it was "cold." That was Spring-like. This week has been hot. Pretty dang hot.

But that's not to say that the work has stopped! This Saturday, we had another baptism! The older brother of Naomi, Anita, and Andrea...his name is Luis. At first, he didn't want a thing to do with us. He said he would go to church, but never went, so every time after that when we went to his house, he would hide in his room. A few weeks later, he felt pretty embarrassed, and confronted us, saying that he really wanted to get baptized, and he apologized for hiding from us. Obviously there is no problem with a person who wants to get baptized and shows true repentance!! He would have gotten baptized last Saturday, but he drank coffee during the week. But he was a converso de oro.(Golden Convert)  Prepared, and had great desires to follow Christ. I love the Gospel and how it changes lives!

Oh and during the baptismal service, all the missionaries (we're 6 in this branch) were singing I Am a Child of God as a special number. As we were singing, there was an obnoxious fly buzzing around my compañera's and my heads, so I tried to shoo it away, but ended up hitting my companion in the face. It was so hard to control our laughter!

Other funny story from the week. There was a black guy who drove past us in his car the other day. And right as he went passed, he rolled down his window, waved at us, and yelled, "Gringa!" I waved back and yelled, "Negro!" Only in Ecuador. Also, I've gotten into the habit of inviting people to be baptized when they say creepy things. Por ejemplo, "Hola, guapas." "¿Se bautizará?" "...." (For example, "Hello, beautiful." "Do you want to be baptized?)   Works every time.

But this week, I realized how much Satan is working to tear down the family and make us sin. A girl in the branch who always teaches with us and has a powerful testimony one day just decided to run off and live with her boyfriend (which is kind of ironic, because I gave her a Ley de Castidad (Law of Chastity) pamphlet for her birthday as a joke and she was kind of offended. Now I know why. 1 Nephi 16:1-3. We have to be STRONG! Helaman 5:12 We have to be steadfast and immovable. Mosiah 5:15 We have to be examples of the believers. 1 Timothy 4:12 We have to let our light shine. Matthew 5:14-16 We have to pray always that we can conquer Satan. D&C 10:5 We have to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places! Mosiah 18:9 This is the life and time for us to prepare to meet God, when we have to do our work and repent! Alma 34:31-34 If we don´t endure to the end, we can´t return to God´s presence. (3 Nephi 27:16-17, 2 Nephi 31:20-21) So ENDURE TO THE END! And ENJOY THE JOURNEY!!!! Mosiah2:41

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Ayer

Alma 26:12

P.S. Can´t remember what I wanted to say here........Chao!