Hola Familia!! I thought of you all so much during this week as it was Thanksgiving there and just a regular workday here but know that you were in my many reasons for why I´m grateful this year. Thank you for all you do: your support, love, prayers, thoughts, etc.
Also I wanted to say a BIG sorry to the people who wrote me or sent me a package in the last 2 months because this week I got a package with letters from Sept and Oct that they never gave me and a package from the Owens for Halloween--thank you all SO much! I will try to reply quickly :)
This week I´ve felt the Lord´s blessings in my life--they are always there! I felt super blessed this week because both Hermana Martinez and I have felt that we have a ton more animo, energy, a good companionship, obedience, etc.
On Monday night we found the Hurtado family--all black family from Esmeraldas Ecuador and they have super fun personalities--remind me a bit of the Alcivar family haha. They are cousins and brother-sisters living in the house alone because one of their moms died, their dad is in Esmeraldas and I´m not sure why the others are there but they live alone and have to be responsible. They didn´t keep their commitment to go to church or pray but we felt good about them so we will keep trying!
Also we started meeting with Eliana--a reference from a sister from a different ward who showed up with Eliana to church last week. Eliana is so calm, nice and sensitive and the lesson we had with her was honestly one in which I felt the Spirit the most strongly I´ve felt in a lesson in SO long. It was wonderful. We feel blessed to know her. She didn´t accept a baptismal date but we're working with her and know she can be ready so PLEASE pray that she will accept a date this week! We´re praying for miracles here in Tarqui because we have zero baptismal dates, only 2 people progressing and not many investigators. It´s kinda rough here right now but we´re always trying.
On Wednesday we had the INCREDIBLE opportunity to have Elder Uceda of the first Quorum of the 70 come and speak to us. It´s hard to describe how incredible it was and how STRONGLY I felt the Spirit there. I wanted to bawl and my heart literally felt it would burst--what a blessing it was to hear his counsel, testimony, and everything else he had to say. It was marvelous. He has a way of speaking and his voice is penetrating. The message was superb--he focused a lot on serving with all our heart, mind, might, and strength and we totally analyzed what that means. He also told us we need to constantly be checking our minds and re-focusing on the work. That activity this week has helped me a lot--to constantly check and analyze my mind and focus on the investigators, the work, everything here I need to do. Before he started, he asked us all to row by row come up and shake his hand and introduce ourselves. Later he told us he likes doing that to see what kind of missionaries we are, to look in our eyes and see if he is able to see the love and light of the Savior through us. He then wanted to tell us that he really could tell what kind of missionaries are here and wanted to express his love and gratitude for us and Pres Amaya publically. Wow--good thing he didn´t tell us all that before we stood up to shake his hand haha! His message and sweet testimony were marvelous and I feel so blessed to have been able to be so edified and walk away with motivation, determination and renewed everything: goals, desire, focus, love, Spirit, etc.
Also, I got to see and talk to Hermana Angulo!!!! I didn´t even see her until a big blur was running at me and just completely embracing me. And she began to cry and cry. I was SO happy to see her too and I think it was so so good for both of us--a needed blessing--to be able to talk, share quick stories and impressions with each other, and recognize how much we missed each other. What a blessing to have been best companions. We really do have something special that other companionships don´t and it was such a mercy for both of us to see each other and share that again for a little while.
Wednesday, Marianela and Gabriel called our house. Oops! Gabriel apologized for calling but they were super concerned about my health and where I was, etc. Poor things--they have no one to ask in Manta! It was such a tender mercy to talk to them--How I LOVE them!
Thursday we searched for over an hour for the house we were going to have lunch at. Haha that was fun but when we arrived we were so happy--it was at the house of two super elderly and super cuuute ladies. The food was absolutely delicious--turns out she cooks everything with US spices and stuff her sister sends her because she likes it better so that was kind of a little tender mercy for THanksgiving :) We felt like we were at our grandma´s house.
Friday was not my day--I fell twice on our visit to the mountain (once on the way up and once on the way down) and kind of messed up my knee--it´s not bad--just that it´s felt different and hurts a bit ever since. I´m just praying it doesn´t have a lasting effect since many missionaries have knee problems here. Also Friday night I encountered an experience that Elder Uceda warned us about as missionaries and I don´t want to go into details because it´s not necessary but the adversary is so sly and works in tricky ways that seem super innocent. ALWAYS keep your guard up! Wherever you are and whoever you are with--you can never be too careful. Rely on the Lord always and resist all forms of temptation. I have a testimony of that!
Saturday night I answered the phone at night and on the other line was a person who asked for me specifically. Turned out to be Obispo Quimi from Manta!!! Oops again. haha I have no idea how he got the number but he told me they missed me tons, asked all about my health and asked when I was coming back. Obviously Hermana Angulo didn´t explain super well haha. He told me that Manta needed me and needed missionaries PRONTO! He then proceeded to tell me that Barrio Cordova has a TON of investigators right now who are going to church all on their own but that there is no one there to teach them! WHAT?!!! I was shocked and immediately humbled and I can´t even describe the feelings that filled my heart when he told me that. How dare I ever have questioned or doubted the Lord. Heavenly Father is SO wise and everything happens for a reason. I now know that it was His will and for a specific, wise purpose that Manta had to have a 6 week break to prove their faith, have the people with real desires show up and have the ward rely on each other and help the investigators until missionaries arrive. Obispo told me to tell Pres Amaya but I can´t do that! Haha I can´t ask for a change so I told him he needed to call Pres Amaya. My whole heart and soul is bursting to know what is going to happen and I´m hoping he calls President but I also am so humbled and grateful to Heavenly Father for answering my prayers and for that miracle of taking care of the investigators in Manta. I know I need to be okay with staying here if it´s the Lord´s will but I can´t help to wish with all my heart that somehow my heart's desires and righteous desires since the beginning of this transfer will be realized. But I trust in the Lord!
Sunday we got to share the musical number Come Thou Fount (every area I´ve been in we have sung this haha) and I played the piano, a young adult accompanied on violin and Hna Martinez with 2 ward missionaries sang. I love music!
Well this work is such a privilege and blessing. I´m humbled every day by the Lord and His love and wise purposes. He loves you! He knows your needs and sometimes although we have to wait on the Lord, if we wait patiently and wait well, He will bless us always. It is an eternal law and the Lord always keeps his promises. I love you so so much and pray for you every day multiple times. Be careful in all you do and rely on the Lord--He will take care of the rest if we do our parts! I´m still praying for patience, charity, and striving to be better each day and just feel humbled that in all my weaknesses and mistakes, the Lord sees fit to help me learn and grow here in the mission. Jesus Christ lives and He suffered for us. If you are struggling, know that this won´t last forever! Feel His love in your life to get you through and learn from every struggle. I love you!!!
Love,
Hermana Bryan
I love these words of a song by Kenneth Cope--hence the title of my email. I feel similarly.
love you!!
"I've never been the kind to testify--I don't have the words His truth deserves. It's a simple thing He asks--a worthy heart and willing hands. He says if I'll make the choice, He'll help me find my voice. He calls me to serve and I cannot fail Him. The one who has given me all l that I have. I place my trust in Him alone, He knows the yearnings of my soul. Because He believes in me, I will go willingly. How can I keep this gift to myself, when I can lift somebody else? I am a witness of His miracles and His mercy. I put my future in His hands knowing He's made me all I am. When I put my faith in Him and truth begins to speak, His power is real. It moves me until I will not be still. Lifting the hands that hang down in sorrow. Strengthening knees that bend in despair. Reaching the hopeless hearts who do not know His love. Seeing their lives begin to change. I know I'll never be the same. How can I keep this gift to myself, when I can lift somebody else? I am a witness of His miracles and His mercy. I put my future in His hands. Knowing He's made me all I am. When I put my faith in Him, the truth begins to speak. His power is real. I trust in His will. I will not be still."
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