hot, hot, hot

Hola hola hola familia!!

And greetings from the very hot and humid country of Ecuador.  It has been a great experience being out in the field as a full-fledged missionary.  My trainer is Hermana Olson from Arizona, and she is incredible.  Her mom is from Mexico, but she learned Spanish in the MTC so it´s been good being with her in case I don´t know how to say something...which is pretty often.  This first week, I get the opportunities to invite people to be baptized, and in the MTC I didn't really see the good in inviting people to be baptized within the first visit, but now I can testify that it´s incredible.  You get to see where people´s doubts are and then work toward helping them gain stronger testimonies in those areas.  We didn't have much success last week because the people were being very duro, but we fasted yesterday and are going to work even harder to have more success this week to help people come unto Christ and be baptized!  This is the only way we can receive salvation and it´s wonderful to have the opportunity to share this with everyone!

Ps I haven´t had time to read your emails, but I´m going to print them out and read them later, so if there´s anything in particular I need to respond to, that´ll come in next week´s email...sorry!  Also, this keyboard is TERRIBLE, so sorryfor the typos.

I have a couple things I wanted to write about from my last week at the CCM and that is...I SCORED A GOAL!  My team had a penalty kick, and they were trying to figure out who should take the kick, and my team had me do it since I play defense the whole time, and I made it.  It was so awesome.  Also, one of the guys who worked in the cafeteria lived in NH for a couple years.  How small is the world??  And how many tender mercies has Heavenly Father given me??  SO MANY!  I just love that Heavenly Father has His eye on me and always reminds me that He is there.  So great.  Also, last Sunday, two Hnas and I sang Lead Kindly Light during Sacrament Meeting and it was fantastic.  Hopefully I can send you the video soon.

Since I've been in Ecuador, I've learned how to wash clothes by hand, use a taxi, understand Ecuadorians, bathe in bug spray so as to avoid being eaten alive by mosquitoes, go without eating dinner, eat more than my stomach can hold of lunch, and invite people to be baptized in the first visit.  It has been a great experience here.  Our apartment is nice and there´s a cool, huge, light-up pineapple right behind where we live as a nice little touch.  I always think that it would be a good place to film an episode of Psych or something.

Also, we had a baptism on Saturday!  Victor is 19 years old and he was just baptized.  His joy and excitement for the Gospel is incredible, and I hope that he can share that light and excitement with his family.  He´s going to start coming out teaching with us this week.  The ward is wonderful, too!

Thank you for the birthday wishes.  THis definitely has been the most unusual birthday ever, but I love Ecuador and I love preaching the Gospel.  I have learned so much and have so much more to learn still.  I need to have less fear to just start speaking, and more faith that Heavenly Father will fill my mouth with what I should say.  When we keep the commandments we are blessed in every way (Mosiah 2:41) and my commandment on the mission is to preach the Gospel by the Spirit.  I know this church is the church of Jesus Christ.  I KNOW IT!

I love you all!!!


Hermana Ayer

P.S. sorryfor the typos and sorryif this email is jumbled in thoughts.  The most important thing is that you know I love the Lord and I love you all. :)

P.P.S. I´ll try to send pictures next week!