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!

Felicidad

Hey, familamily!!

I can´t believe how fast the time flies, en serio. It really just flies. It feels like just yesterday that I was writing you, but no no no. Here I am. And yesterday was actually Sunday. My mind gets blown a lot on the mission.

More holidays of note, 9/11 which I forgot to mention last week, Halfy Ides of March yesterday, Halfy St. Patrick´s Day, Halfy Birthday to some random whitey in Ecuador, Happy Chilean Independence, and Fall...when exactly does that start?

This week, we woke up on Sunday morning to Raggaeton blasting. It was a great start to the Sabbath day. Our neighbors were playing music aaaaall night long until 7 AM. I loved it. That may be sarcasm, but I´m not quite sure. Ecuador just makes me laugh...a lot.

We also had interviews with Presidente Torres. He is such an incredible man! I love him! He has so much charity. I know that he is called of God to lead us in this mission, at this time, right now. He helped me see the importance of being an example as a leader. The best way to lead is to be an example. Jesus Christ was the best leader and every day of His life is an example of how we all need to act. I need to be more obedient with exactness so that I can be a better example to those around me. Obedience brings blessings and obedience con exactitud brings milagros.

Read Mateo 19:29. It shows the blessings of missionary work and just fulfilling our callings! It is so important that we help the Lord in everything!! He has given us our lives, and now we have to dedicate the talents He has given us to building His kingdom. I´m so grateful I can be here as a missionary serving His children. I know the Church is true. I know that we have the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, restored to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith.

I love my Heavenly Father and am so grateful for all the blessings He´s given me!! 1 John 4:7-10


Con amor,


Hermana Ayer :]

P.S. Alma 26:12
P.P.S. I wish I could write as well as Parker......2 Nephi 33:1

Fotos

Some fotos of my compañera and me AND two baptisms we had this Saturday!!
Octavio y Jesica se llaman.

Les quiero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Ayer

HEAT

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

It´s hot. Since we live on the Equator, the hottest times of the year are Spring and Fall when the sun is right at the middle of the world. I´m hot. Sweating hot.

Also, fun holidays to remember...today is my compañera´s 20th birthday!!! We haven´t really done much exciting stuff...just normal pday stuff. I bought her ice cream, but that´s about the extent of what I can do to celebrate, which is kind of a rip off. I need decorations! Oh wellziez. Other notable holidays besides Labor Day last week was Rosh Hashanah and Halfy Most Progressive Day of the Year. This week there´s Yom Kippur and Friday the 13th, so get ready to celebrate!

Dad, thank you so much for making me die laughing in your emails. The other gringas in the casa also think you´re hilarious. You also mentioned Moroni 7 in your email, and that´s basically the theme of my new mission president, Presidente Torres. Charity. Without charity, we are nothing. If we want to be true followers of Christ, we must have charity (vs. 28). We can and need to pray for charity, and if we pray in faith, it will be given to us (vs. 26), because if we have faith, we have power to do whatsoever thing (vs. 33). I love the Gospel and I love Jesuscristo!!

This week I was accused of living in a bubble where the world is perfect and I never have any problems. Why can´t people see that it´s the gospel?? The Gospel makes me happy even when I have trials. The gospel helps me face the trials that come so they seem easier. It´s the GOSPEL! It´s changed my life! That´s why I´m here! If people want to have happiness, live the Gospel! That´s all there is to it. Be obedient. Mosiah 2:41.

We had a baptism on Saturday, too! Naomi Castro is the hermanita de Andrea y Anita Castro who got baptized a few weeks ago. At first, she didn't want to get baptized, but then completely changed, and now is a full-fledged, happy member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her brother Cristhian is a member as of 6 months ago, and in a prayer we had with their whole family, he thanked God for the baptisms of his sisters, and prayed that soon his whole family could be in the same church. In that instant, I pictured their family sealed in the temple, and I know it´ll happen! The dad just has to have enough faith to come to church.

This week, I also learned a lesson in humility. My companion asked me what I wanted to change about myself by going on a mission, and answers such as "I want to know how to study better" or "I want to have more self-control" came to mind. Which, don´t get me wrong, are great things, but what I realized I really need to work on is my humility. Humility. In Therapeutic Recreation, there´s the theory about our belief in our ability, plus our actual skill, equals our performance. Here on the mission, I think I've been aiming too high on my belief in my actual ability. Yes, I have skills, and people have told me for years all about the talents I've been given, but my belief in myself has been too high. In the Gospel, it´s our faith in God and Jesus Christ that helps us to reach our goals, or to move mountains, so to speak--not our faith in ourselves. Here on the mission, doing the Lord's work, being a representative of Jesus Christ, I need to have 100% of my trust and faith and beliefs in God and my Savior. It´s like Alma said in chapter 26...I am nothing. As to my strength I am weak. But I will glory in my God. With Him, all things are possible. Thanks to the humility of Jesus Christ, I can receive forgiveness for my sins. I love the Atonement. I am so grateful for this Gospel and I know I must be humble to receive the help I need.  Ether 12:27.

Hermana Ayer

P.S. Sorry you couldn't go to the Mother/daughter campout, Mom. Next year!! : ) : ) 

Changes

FAMILY!!!

I don´t have much time to write, but I have big news. I´m training a new missionary from Guatamala! Her name is Hermana Argueta, and she´s wonderful! I forgot my camera at home, and I´m in Guayaquil right now because we had Consejo de Líderes, and I completely forgot my camera in the house. But ´sall good. I love you so much and I love the opportunity to be a missionary! And especially to serve others and help them to feel the love God has for them! My compañera is 19 again, but in a week turns 20. Every time I ask her how she is, she says "feliz." I ask her how her feet are, and she says, "Me duelen, pero estoy feliz." She´s so great!

One thing that was wonderful is that all the people who were training got to do a session in the Guayaquil Temple! Next week, I´ll send those pictures along with pictures of me and my companion. Presidente Torres is going to have all the trainers go to the temple before they train. The temple is a lot bigger than Boston, and has murals of the Garden of Eden. It´s so pretty! I was incredibly tired because we didn't have much sleep the night before thanks to the early bus ride (2:00 am), but it was still an incredible experience. I know the temple is the House of God. I know God lives. This is His church and I can never deny that--ever. I love having the opportunity to share this message with the whole world!!!!!! Well, actually just Ecuador...but I´m still helping the world.

I was reading this week a few things that made me especially think of you all. I was reading Boyd K. Packer´s talk from Conference that says, "Hay pocas cosas que sean más poderosas que las oraciones fieles de una madre recta." All I want to say is thank you, Mom, for your worthiness and faithful prayers. I would not be here if it weren't for you and I just love you so much. Thank you! Also, I was reading in my personal study in 3 Nephi on Thursday (Will´s birthday!!), and I was thinking about how it was Parker´s first day waking up in the MTC. I was in chapter 22 of 3 Nephi, and a couple verses caught my attention, so I grabbed my English scriptures to look up what it said in English. Verses 7-10 I realized were the words to the song Parker sang on his last Sunday...My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Me. It was such a tender mercy from the Lord and I just started crying. I know God lives and loves me. I´m sad I won´t see Parker for 2 more years, but I know that God is watching over Parker and me, and I know that this is His work. If we are faithful, we can have eternal life. I´m so grateful I can live with my family forever. What a wonderful blessing God has given us. I love you all!!!

Funny and fun things from the week...we saw a SLOTH! We were just walking along the street, and a sloth was climbing a gate in front of someone´s house! So random! Apparently it belongs to someone who lives on that street. Also, it was 2-toed, in case anyone was wondering. So I just petted it´s back a little.

Cool animals I've touched on the mission: (1) lion and (2) sloth.

Also, where the busses are, people are always outside yelling where the bus is going, so this one guy was yelling, "Machala, Machala, Machala!! Directo, directo!" An Elder from Utah sarcastically asked, "¿Guayaquil?" And the guy answered seriously, "Guayaquil...no..." haha.......Oh really? Also, the people here believe so much in God. The businesses are called, for example, Pharmacy of the Holy Spirit, Laundromat of Christ the King, Ferretería Cristo del Gran Poder, Gran Hotel del Divino Niño, etc. This really is a chosen land for the preaching of the Gospel!!

Anywho, we have to run to catch the bus now. Just know that I love you all! The Gospel is true! Never stop praying, reading your scriptures, and going to church! If you do those three things, you´ll stay strong and stay blessed!


Hermana Ayer

P.S. Rabbit rabbit!

Here are a few pictures that an investigator posted on Facebook that I thought were great.

                                      Notice the sloth that is hanging on the bars of the building.

                                  Sarah with the other Hermanas and their investigator Selena.

                             Sarah with Selena. (Selena has Hermana Arellano's name tag on.)