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......

SCHOOL

FAMILIA!!!!!!!!

Wow, already another week down. The weeks have been going by faster and faster. I honestly can´t believe it. This week, I want to wish you, Mom and Dad, a HAPPY 26TH ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!!!!!! I´m not sure if you've all gotten my letters yet, but I hope they come soon! Who knows how reliable the Ecuatoriano mailing system is...not I. But please know I love you both and am so glad you married each other for time and all eternity 26 years ago in the Logan Temple. The senior missionary couple that live next door to us got married in the Logan Temple, too! I attached a picture of them so you can see our lovely missionary abuelitos.

Also, this Saturday, we had a baptism for Noemi! She is so wonderful! Her husband was baptized about a month ago, and she was still having doubts about getting baptized herself at the beginning of last week, but we taught her with poder y autoridad, and she gained a testimony and a witness of the Holy Ghost so powerful that she couldn´t deny it. Ever since she made the firm decision to get baptized, she has been so much happier. And at her baptism, she was radiating. I´m so happy to be part of this work, helping Heavenly Father´s children prepare themselves to return to his presence.

We've definitely had our share of tests and pruebas, though, that´s for sure. We had 3 more baptisms planned for Saturday: Elena, Yamilet, y Paulina. Elena is the abuela of Yamilet and Paulina, and last Sunday, she and her nietas were so excited to be baptized, but then when we passed by their house on Monday, Elena wouldn't let us in, nor wanted to talk to us. Her aunt told her that she already got baptized and that it´s a burla ante Dios to get baptized twice. She listens a lot to what other people say, so she obviously took this pretty hard. She definitely has a lot of trials in her life, too--no job, 3 girls to take care of without any help from their parents, health issues--but she still doesn't understand that being baptized will help her will all of these problems! We´re still trying to pray and receive the revelation we need to be able to know how to help them, but it´s all going pretty slowly. We´re going to try and send some members of the branch to visit her and help her realize the importance of the gospel of Jesucristo in her life. She´s definitely received an answer of its truthfulness, so now we need to help her to follow that prompting.

We had our last training with Presidente Montalti on Tuesday, because he´ll be leaving at the end of the month and our new president will be Presidente Torres. He´s a doctor from California. Presidente Montalti is great. He shared Mosiah 2:22-25, 41 about obedience. If we want blessings, we need to be obedient. That´s all that Heavenly Father requires. That´s it! It´s like John 14:15 says, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Also, in a house down the street from the chapel where we had our capacitación was a lion! Someone owns a lion, and we could see it in the 4-inch space underneath the garage. I may or may not have touched its tail when I walked past...ok I did. I touched a lion.

Random compliment of the week: Someone told me I have a Greek profile and that my nose is beautiful. Thank you, Ecuador.

I love you all and hope you´re doing fantastically! Keep up the great member missionary work and help out the missionaries as much as you can! It´s key to have help from members! The church is true! Christ lives!

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


Hermana Ayer

P.S. Thanks again, Sunkist, forrr the email! Glad to hearrr you´rrre alrrright!

International Parker Ayer is Great Day!!

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

FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS, PARKER ALAN AYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You´re the best ñaño who has 19 years that I´ve ever known! I hope you have such a wonderful day. Know that I love you and am thinking about you! Everyone says the best preparation for the mission is to read PMG, and it´s true...so just do it. I know you have, but do it more. haha

Also, HAPPY FATHER´S DAY yesterday!!! And this week, happy birthday to Brittany Howell and Megan Wernig! So many special occasions, and know that I love you all.

I haven´t read your email yet, so I don´t know if anyone gave a talk on Mother´s or Father´s Day, but I think I´m going to start a new tradition here on the mission...Stake Conference. On Mother´s Day in my last area, we had stake conference, and yesterday we had District Conference (ya mismo una estaca). Let me tell you, conferences are nuts here. We try to bring as many investigators as possible to the conferences, especially when Presidente Montalti is going to be there...and he´s been at both of these conferences. It was so nuts and we were really tired running around to all the people on our list, but today we finally get some rest.

Yesterday for Father´s Day, we ate lunch at Elder and Hermana Hansen´s house. They´re a senior missionary couple that live 2 houses down from us and are practically our grandparents here on the mission. Hermana Hansen always makes us cookies and takes good care of us. Yesterday after lunch, we still had a little time left, so we played spoons and........DON´T EAT PETE!!!!!!! It was a little different of a version, but I made sure we chanted and everything. It was so great, and definitely a tender mercy from the Lord.

This week, we almost lost 3 baptisms. One woman we are teaching came out of our house and told us she didn't want to come to church this Sunday, and was flustered with everything, making every excuse in the book. It was a miracle because her nephew came to her house by surprise, and he´s a member. He helped us out and the Spirit was so strong when I testified to her of the truthfulness of the church. I shared 3 Nephi 13: 32-33. I know the church is true, and this was definitely a test of my faith and trust in the Lord. I know He is watching over each and everyone of us and loves us. If we put our trust in Him, he will help us in every aspect of our lives.

This week we have 4 baptisms. Pray that everything goes well this week!

I love you all!!


Hermana Ayer

P.S. I hope you´re having fun with Karen and Kirsten!

P.P.S. This week, another person asked if I was from Spain, and one asked if I was from Brazil. Nopety nope.

Motorpsycho Week

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

I can´t even tell you how much I love you. Christian, I can´t believe you´re a state champion! Way to go for your tennis team!!! That is so cool! As many sports as I did, we never won any state champion anything. I am so proud of you and your hard work. Way to go! Also, I can´t believe Kirsten and Karen are coming to visit! How fun! I hope all the preparations are made and everyone´s animado. And I wish I could join you for your trip to Nauvoo this summer. That´ll be so great to meet up with Brenda there, too. Aww full familia! Mamá, how did your singing go? Parker and Christian, what are you singing for Father´s Day? Also, is anyone giving a talk?? We don´t want to break tradition now! Keep up the good missionary work!

Well, guess what? I´M TRAINING!!!!!!!!! I have a daughter! Well, a daughter missionary. Her name is Hermana Arellano from Chile. She is so wonderful! She´s 19 and is so excited to work. She relies on me a lot, which is good for me because it makes me work harder. This week has been great. Opening up a sector. Getting to know the members of the branch (yes, I´m in a branch). Figuring out what we need to do to have éxito. All that good stuff. It´s been a great adventure and honestly I really like being senior companion. It´s been a tradition in my life to take a back seat when someone knows what´s going on more than I do, but then to step up to the plate when I´m the one in charge. It´s been good for me to finally step up to the plate. I realized how much of a back seat I was taking when I finally got more responsibility. I feel great, though. I like knowing what´s going on and I've definitely been relying on the Lord in all that I do. It´s been interesting, because this week, I've understood more than ever. The Gift of Tongues is REAL! Every cambio, I understand more and more, which has been a miracle...Moroni 7:33.

Also, found out today that our mission has the highest baptism record of any mission. My mission president will be ending beginning of July and has over 6,000 baptisms. And he´s so humble about it. Kinda cool.

This week, we worked hard to find new people to teach and to invite people to be baptized. We found a lot of great people, got a lot of references, but it´s been difficult because the majority of the people aren´t married...just living together. It´s hard to see, and the process of getting married is pretty difficult here, so most everyone just skips that step. I know marriage is ordained of God, and it´s essential for our happiness in this life and the life to come. I met a joven who we visited after he accepted a fecha, and he told me that his dad said he couldn't get baptized. I asked him, "But what do you want to do?" He said, "Yo quiero bautizarme." His testimony and desire to be baptized was so strong, and I just felt the love God has for all His children. Although his dad won´t let him be baptized right now, I know that in the future, he will get the opportunity. Heavenly Father wants all of His children to return to His presence and have the felicidad that comes from Eternal Life. I know that Jesucristo makes all this possible, but only through Jesucristo. We need to have faith in Him, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. That's it. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know He lives and He loves us. His arms of mercy are extended to all who come unto Him. I love the Gospel and I love serving here in Ecuador. :)

Les amo!!!!!!!!!! FELIZ DÍA DE PADRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Te amo, Papi :)


Hermana Ayer

P.S. Everyone who promised to write me, remember I only require ONE letter.

P.P.S. But I´ll hold you to that one letter.

P.P.P.S. Wedding announcements count.

P.P.P.P.S. HAPPY FATHER´S DAY in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.P.P.P.P.S. PARKER´S BIRTHDAY IS IN ONE WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. I thought I´d share some pictures. A typical Ecuadorian dish. Me with Presidente Montalti. (Ignore the fact that, yes, I´m becoming a gordita.) Me and Hna. Arellano.

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Oh motorcycle week. Good times. Every day in Ecuador is motorcycle week.


               A typical Ecuadorian Dish


            Sarah with President Montalti


               Sarah and Hermana Arellano

Missionary Work

Familia!!!!!!

I love you so much. I hope that you know that. :) You are all the best ever. Mom and Dad, thank you so much for being such excellent examples to me of faith and diligence in the Gospel. I love you. Also, Dad, did your message on the Howie Carr Show Chump Line get played? Maybe you already told me in your email, but I´m going to read that after I write. How have you all been? And will somebody PLEASE tell me how Sunkist is????!!! Thanks,

Here in Guayaquil, we have been working wicked hard to talk to EVERYONE! We have investigadors who are awesome, but then they don`t come to church, or they don´t read, etc. So we´ve been trying hard to find new people to teach. We have this one family who is great. The dad got baptized a loooooong time ago, and has been inactive ever since. The mom and daughter are wonderful and love having us come teach them, but weren't able to come to church this Sunday. We´re a little worried about what happened with her, because she seemed really distant when we visited her on Saturday, but with faith she´ll keep progressing and preparing herself for baptism. This work is crucial and life-changing. Also, the mom of this family taught me how to make corviches, so hopefully I can make them when I get home.

Also, I´m pretty sure I´m being transferred to Santa Rosa. This is the last cambio before the splitting of the missions, and I´m staying in Guayaquil South. Also, I´m pretty sure I´m going to be the senior companion, but we still have to see...BAH! I know that I´ll definitely need God´s help to lift me to the level I need to be at in order to have success, and I´ll definitely be seeking that help in all that I do.

This week, we had interviews with Presidente Montalti, and after, he gave Hna. Pérez permission to go to the temple to buy new garments. While we were there, we stepped inside the temple and I felt such peace come over me. I know the temple is the house of God. Without a doubt. I love that here on earth we can feel the spirit so strong. It is important that we always remain worthy to enter that holy house and always attend so we can receive that spirit siempre. The Spirit will never lead us astray. It will always testify of truths and help us make good decisions when we are worthy to have the Spirit. But remember that it`s in the little things that we stay strong: reading the scriptures, praying, and going to church. I can´t say it enough.

The other day, someone asked me if I was from Spain. My hair every day is getting blonder and blonder, and my skin is getting tanner and tanner. I´m not myself anymore. But don´t worry, my inward change is for the better.

I know the church is true without a doubt in my mind. I know Christ lives and loves us. Por medio de su Expiación, podemos ser limpios del pecado. I love the Gospel with all my heart and I love preaching it to God´s children.

Con oraciones de amor,


Hermana Ayer

P.S. Picture of Piedad`s baptism!

P.P.S. Other picture of my zone!

Picture of Piedad's Baptism

Zone Picture - Ha, Ha