FINALMENTE!

Hey!! Family!

Finalmente we had.........BAPTISMS!!!!!!!!! I can´t even tell you how happy I am! My companion and I have been working our tails off to help people accept the Gospel in their lives and finally we were able to see the fruits of our labors. I attached a picture of the 8 people who got baptized on Saturday, and I hope you´re able to see it. The other hermanas had 5, and we had 3 (Angi, Luis, Bladimir). All in all, it was a Noche de Blanca. I was so happy, and I know Heavenly Father was helping us muchísimo to have the success that we did. The mission is raising the bar every month, so I´m going to need to work even harder in order to keep having success and helping Heavenly Father´s children receive the blessings He has in store for them.

It´s just so crucial that everyone be baptized! Like it says in John 3:5, he who isn´t born of the water and of the Spirit can´t enter into the kingdom of God. We all want to enter into the kingdom of God, no? And we all want our friends and family to enter into the kingdom of God, too, no? So let´s help them! By being good member missionaries and sharing the Gospel with everyone we can! Don´t be scared! Pull a Nike and JUST DO IT!

I love being here in Santa Rosa and the members are just so great. This week, I taught my companions Rock, Paper, Scissors like our family does it. Usually, we would say the last person who kneels says the prayer, but that got to be a little too violent, so now we do rock, paper, scissors. A lot safer, and it reminds me of home.

So Christian, how was EFY? William, how the heck have you been? Just send me at least one word (i.e. "fine") and then I´ll know you´re still alive and I´ll be happy. ;) I´m sure dad already let me know in his email what you all did for Pioneer Day, but I´ll read that email after I write. For Pioneer Day, we just sang Come, Come Ye Saints. Pretty much it for the excitement, but I just want you all to know how grateful I am for the pioneers who sacrificed everything--even their lives--to bring us the Gospel. I love that we had ancestors who were pioneers, but it makes me sad because I don´t remember any stories about any of them. If you could send me a little information or stories about our pioneer heritage, that´d be great. :)

I love this Gospel and know it´s true. Every day, I realize more and more that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is perfect! It´s Christ´s church! It´s PERFECT!!!!!! I´m so grateful to Joseph Smith for the question he asked to our Father in Heaven, and that he had enough faith to receive an answer. We all have the opportunity to ask God what the truth is, and He WILL respond. He always answers our questions and doubts. We just need to have the faith to listen. God loves each and every one of you. As do I!

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


Hermana Ayer

P.S. I don´t know why the pictures don´t work now when I send them. I hope you can see at least one of these. The first is of the baptisms we just had. The second is me in one of the cemeteries here.

P.P.S. When do you all go to Nauvoo?

New Baptisms

Sarah in one of the cemeteries.

Parker Day and Pioneer Day Almost

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

I think I need to come up with a different way to start my emails, because they all seem to start in this way. Let me just say that on Tuesday, I felt every emotion possibly known to man--except for probably severe torture. It was just a roller coaster ride, and from it I learned how to truly humble myself and pray with faith, a sincere heart, and real intent. I know God loves me and listens to my prayers. I know it. I know the church is true and I know my potential is great here on the mission. I just have to help my investigators overcome the temptations that we all have in this life, and to listen to what God says more than their family members.

There´s a scripture in the bible that says he who loves his father more than me, is not worthy for me. Well, in Spanish it´s "Él que ama a su padre mas que a mi, no es digno de mi." We need to put God first. When we do His will, we will be able to love others and will never be led astray. That´s why the first and great commandment is love GOD with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. THEN, we love others. I know there´s a reason for that. God is perfect. His plan is perfect. His love is perfect. His commandments are perfect. And His blessings are perfect. They always come when we are obedient. It´s that simple. I know that the Church is the church of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt in my mind. It´s perfect. I´m so happy to be here helping people come to know of that perfectness for themselves, as well.

Sorry, not much happened this week, except that my companions and I played memory, and I won. I also taught Hna. Adams "Si si my playmate." and she taught me some sweet leg game thing. Not sure how to explain it, but it´s awesome. Mom, I´ll teach you after the mission. Happy Pioneer Day on Wednesday!!

I hope you all had a wonderful experience at the temple on Saturday with Parker and a great time with your wonderful friends on Sunday. I love you all!



Hermana Ayer

P.S. Here´s a banana forest close to our house. Let me know if the picture didn't attach right so I can find a solution for that in future emails. :)

THIS IS NOT THE BANANA FOREST! I think Sarah sent us the wrong picture. : )

Pageant, Parker, Parker, Parker

FAMILAMILIAIAALIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, another week come and gone. Time flies, let me tell you. And times sure change with the week. Last week was a week of miracles and this week was a week filled with tests of faith. Needless to say, not one of our baptisms went through thanks to palabra de sabiduría, ley de castidad, and Catholisism. I was pretty frustrated on Saturday, but when life gets you down, let it bring you down to your knees. My companion and I prayed and prayed on Saturday for Heavenly Father to help us in this work. I know that God always fulfills His word when we complete with our part. "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." We have to do our part for the Lord to do His. And I also know that we don´t receive any miracle until after the trial of our faith.

Today was cambios, aaaaaaaaand...not one of the hermanas in our apartment left! All four of us are staying! So today we enjoyed a nice pday and made pizza and apple pie with the Hansens. We´ll eat the apple pie after we write, so I´ll tell you next week how it turned out.

I hope you all had fun at the Pageant. Thanks for the quote, Dadio! This week, I was thinking of the one when Noah says, "Alma, you are no longer one of my PRIESTS!" I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Joseph Smith was a profeta. I am so grateful that today we have a prophet. A man called of God who gives us the guidance we need. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet hoy en día. I know it. God loves us so much!

Fun things from this week are that we now get to pass 3 dead dogs on our normal route to preach the gospel in the mornings. One has been there for a couple weeks, one is still stiff from rigor mortis, and the other was recently hit today. Such fun. I never want a pet. (Except for Sunkist.) This week, I was also reading about Teancum, and I got the urge to throw a javelin. I really miss that, and singing, "Teancum! Teancum!" with the family.

One thing my zone leader Elder Egan who goes home today told me to think about during the week is "¿Qué voy a hacer yo para lograr mi potencial?" I know that God has a purpose for me here, but I have to realize where my faults are so I can reach my potential. I can´t do this work on my own, but I know I have a capacity to do so much more and I´m going to work as hard as I can to reach the potential I have inside me. With the Lord´s help, everything is possible! And if I don´t do this work with His help, I´m not doing His work.

The church is true and I love it. I love the scripture found in D&C 64:33. Nunca cansa de hacer lo bueno.

I love you all so so so so so x infinity much!!!!!!!!!!


Hermana Ayer

P.S. I finally bought a new watch battery! It´s nice having my old pal time back.

P.P.S. Can you send me a picture of Grandma and Grandpa Ayer? Shanks.

Es un milagro

Mi buena familia!!!!!!!!!!

Well, this week has been one of miracles. Not big miracles. Small miracles. But lots of them. Some of them where you had to be there. But I´ll try to do them justice nevertheless. I KNOW without a doubt that Heavenly Father lives. He lives! His hand is in this work and I know that, too. If I denied it...I don't even want to think about what would happen if I denied it. But I want you all to know how much Heavenly Father loves us. Each and every one of us. He loves me, He loves you, He loves my companion, He loves His children here in Ecuador, and He loves all His children all over the world!

This week, we taught one of our investigators, Rosibel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We read 2 Nephi 31, and when we had to go, she said, "Un capítulo mas! No se vayan!" She is so wonderful and so excited to be baptized. Her desafío, though, is that she can´t come to church on Sunday because she visits her family on the weekends. We´re trying to figure out a way she can come home early Sunday morning or Saturday night so she can come to church. She is a miracle, though. Her excitement and desires to learn the Gospel are inspiring to me.

We have one investigador named Bladimir who will be getting baptized this Saturday. Last week, we had the hardest time finding him, though. We were praying so hard that we could find him in his house and teach him, and finally on Friday, that prayer came to pass. Heavenly Father had to test our patience a little, but with faith, we were able to see a miracle come to pass and help him be excited for his baptism.

Every day this week, we have had a time when we've really needed to hurry to an appointment. Usually when we don´t need a taxi, we always find them, and then when we need one, one never appears. This week, however, right when we needed a taxi, one came around the corner. Those times were miracles.

On Thursday night, we were walking home, and hadn't reached our goal of fechas we wanted to put, and we were feeling a little down. As we were walking, we found a joven who was walking home and we decided to talk to him and invited him to be baptized. He accepted and also accepted to come to church this Sunday. We set an appointment for Saturday, but he wasn't there when we went to his house. We left a note and returned Sunday morning before church to see if he was still planning on coming. When we went to his house, he wasn't there, but we decided to invite his family to come and told them we´d be back. When we returned about and hour later, I didn't have much faith they would come, but when we got there, all 3 of them were reading, including the joven who is preparing to be baptized. They all came to church, which was a miracle.

We have another investigator, Andy, who is preparing to be baptized this Saturday. Last week, he went to Mutual, but no one was there, so he felt pretty sad because he was excited. Yesterday, the youth had a Noche de Hogar, and we decided to invite Andy. When we went to his house, he was asleep, so we left. At8:30, we didn't have any appointments, and decided we´d visit one more person before we had to be home, so we went to a persons house who lives close to Andy. The lights were out on 2 streets, so we had to inconveniently walk around every street, and my companion complained a little bit, but then when we turned the corner, who appeared? Andy. He wanted to go to the NDH, but thought it was at the church and would have been devastated to find out it wasn't. It was a miracle we ran into him.

I KNOW Heavenly Father lives and loves us! I love being a missionary. We have a new mission president, Máximo Torres, and he´s wonderful. I know he´s a man of God! His whole family speaks English, so that was cool. Also, I met a little girl who was visiting from Texas and I talked to her in English, too. I love this work and being here. I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!! No apple pie or hamburgers for the 4th, but Hermana Adams and I sang the National Anthem and said the Pledge of Allegiance. It was great.

LES AMO!!!!!!!!!!



Hermana Ayer

P.S. Here are some pictures from this week. 1. I LOVE my companion, Hermana Arellano! She and I have so much fun together! 2. The Hnas. in Santa Rosa and Machala with Presidente Torres. 3. 4th of July

P.P.S. Another miracle or evidence that Heavenly Father has a sense of humor, was that on the 4th of July I was reading in my lectura of the LDM in Spanish, and I came to the part where it talks about Moroni being a man who loved liberty and independance.

Sarah loves her companion, Hermana Arellano!

The Hermanas in Sanata Rosa with President Torres and Machala

Fourth of July Fun!

Rainy season?

FAMILIAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, RABBIT RABBIT!! Second of all, happy birthday, Smash Dog! Third of all, can you believe it´s July already?? Yesterday, I completed 5 months on the mission. So nuts! Time sure is flying already and I´m sure you´ve all felt that now that Christian is done with school for the year. Have so much fun at High Adventure this week, Christian! This Thursday, the 4th of July, we´re going to have an Independence Day barbecue with the Hansens! I´m so excited!!! Hermana Hansen also mentioned "apple pie" and I freaked out a little bit. Not sure if it will turn out as well as yours, Mom, but I´m still excited!

Fun fact from the week: I found out that a kid from my third grade class with Mrs. Earl served his mission here in Ecuador Guayaquil Sur! Small world. Fun question for the week: Mom and Dad, how was your anniversary? Fun story from a few weeks ago: One day, the four of us Hermanas and the two Hansens were walking down the street in a line and Hna Hansen said, "This reminds me of an old movie with Yule Brenner--you probably haven´t seen it--but he says, ´We are, the Magnificent Seven!´" Of course I´ve seen The Magnificent Seven! My dad is John Ayer! Then we bonded over old movies and TV shows. Also, Elder Hansen told us that when his wife and he were dating, they went to a dam once...then he made some dam jokes. And I laughed at them. Sorry, Mom, my dad is John Ayer!

Things have been going well here in the good ol´ Santa Rosa. My companion and I have been working hard to find new people to teach, and we found 5 solid people with whom we put baptismal dates. I´m really excited to keep working in this area, and for the opportunity we have to be here. Yesterday, we went to the house of one investigator to bring her to church, but she wasn´t home in the morning. So then we returned in the afternoon to try and get her to come to the branch that meets at 3 and when she was in her house, she was covered in a blanket on her bed because she had been throwing up that morning. I was a little frustrated because she needs to come to church in order to get baptized, and it didn´t look very promising that she would come. But out of an act of faith, I asked her, "But are you sure you can´t come to church with us just for half an hour." She said, "Yeah, I can. Let me get changed really quick." And she got changed and she came with us to all of Sacrament Meeting. Every day, Heavenly Father gives us opportunities to test our faith. We have had bigger tests than this one, but I know that it´s important to always do as much as we can, and then the Lord will do the rest.

In the CCM we watched a devotional from Elder Holland and one thing he said was, "Be a little persistant!" I´ve been trying to be more persistant. When people can see the joy this Gospel can bring to their lives, they will have more desire to accept the changes they need to make. When desire mixes with the Spirit, you can´t help but gain a testimony. And with that testimony and faith, we have the ability to make lasting changes in our lives that will bring us closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know this Gospel is true. I know that Christ lives and loves us. :)

The missions have officially split and I´m here in Guayaquil Sur. Our new president is Máximo Torres. Also, the Galapagos Islands stayed in the South mission, so maybe someday they´ll allow Sisters to go there! We´ll see!

Hermana Ayer

P.S. Right now, we´re in the rainy season in Ecuador. Basically that means it´s cloudy some days and we get a misty rain about twice a week. I love it.

P.P.S. Dad, thanks so much for your long email and ps´s. I loved them. Mom, I got kind of emotional when you mentioned how you went to the tide pools with your sisters. Can we go there when I get back and take more pictures like the ones when Will and I were little? Thanks. :)

P.P.P.S. Here´s a picture of the house we live in! It´s kind of awesome. We only live in the bottom part.

This is the house where Sarah lives......