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!!