Hola familia!!!
What a beautiful day here in Guayaquil! Just kidding it's so humid like normal haha but we feel great today cuz it's the 24th birthday of my companion.....dun dun dun.....Hermana HERNANDEZ!! YES-I stayed with her in Francisco de Orellana because Hermana Aragon went home at 3 am on Tuesday morning. This week has literally been full of CRAZY changes. On Monday night they called us to tell that, so needless to say none of us slept cuz she left after packing and showering. Then they called and told Hermana Calderon and her comp they both had changes. We were all so so sad. Then Elder Muhun called to say goodbye cuz he had changes. He thanked me a ton for being fun and always joking a ton with him and them and making scenes but not overdoing it or crossing the line ever hahaha. We were SO sad because he left. Then Our Zone leader and Assistant to the President changed too, so needless to say our whole zone is different now and we were not ok with it. It's still hard actually. I have such a hard time adjusting to changes still haha. I know that Heavenly Father has had such a hand in our companionship though. Hermana Hernandez told me that I played the same role in the trio for her that Hermana Goering played for me and tht she wouldn't have been able to get through it emotionaly without me there. How incredible is our Father in Heaven that he put Hermana Goering in my trio (whose greenie went home too) when I had to go through those challenges training and watching her have to go home. Then He put me in the trio when Hermana Hernandez had to go through the same with her greenie. Chance? No way. Also 2 gringas have never ever been put together as comps here in the mission and I LOVE that we are the first ones--it's really fun! It's probably because she doesn't look like a gringa haha.
So the changes were hard for us and our zone and leaders need a lot of help because they are not motivating at all and only focus on numbers and make us feel like crap a lot of the time so I'm gunna talk to them tomorrow and try to help them out in their stressful position so we all can feel better. Also funny news that Hermana Angulo will appreciate: I saw Elder VanWagoner! bahahahah he opened the church doors for us and smiled his huge embarrassed smile and in his non-feeling voice said hi to me and we talked for a bit. I was busting up laughing and he and elder Muhun are comps now in Manta! Elder Hammer told him that I imitate his voice...oops. I am the official voice imitator here and somehow everyone finds out.
So this week has been ups and downs. The first couple of days together, we were on fire! We rested a bit for her anemia and then went out and hit the pavement and we had such a wonderful work together! We both feel like everything with Hna Aragon affected us personally without us even realizing the reasons why. We have felt the Spirit a lot together and love teaching together, experiencing joys of this work, laughing, and it helps that we know each other´s situations fully and can talk openly.
Friday was such a horrible day for us. The adversary works SO hard to get us down and works extra hard on the missionaries who want so badly to give everything to the Lord. We finally had to sit down in the rain and just talk openly and cry for a long time together. (remember when we did this Hna Angulo? :) ) sometimes you have to do that! But we kept on going.
Saturday was another frustrating day. We had a great lesson with a new family accompanied by Cristian Loor--an awesome RM here who really is our only light and support haha. But then Hna Hernandez felt so down all day and wouldn´t talk or open up, etc. It's so hard to work and feel the Spirit and be comps without communication and feeling good. In the night I just broke down because otra vez I felt all the weight on my shoulders of my comp, the area, the people, trials, etc. but just remembered that this is all preparatory and there is always light at the end of the tunnel. 2 Nephi 4 really spoke to me these days that even the prophet felt down and felt bad for feeling down like we did but in the end just relied on the Lord!
Sunday we had a frustrating time in our ward--it needs help, and at lunch she served us a ton of MEAT. Adrianne and Jess would have loved it haha we about died. Then we talked and talked and everything was back to normal and we helped each other and hit the pavement again. The Lord blessed us so much in our lesson with a ref from Cristian--Marcelo. Marcelo is gay, has been abused, used drugs a lot of his life, but the most sensitive, loving, funny person with the best heart. He listened to the missionaries like 10 years ago and told us right off the bat that he doesn't accept the Book of Mormon because only accepts the Bible. We said we weren't here to force him to do anything but to bring him to Christ. He then opened up with his whole life and we listened, he cried, we comforted him, and gave him a bit of counsel and testified of Christ, His Atonement, miracles and the things required to receive them. He is such an amazng person. We were there for almost 2 hours and towards the end he stopped mid sentence and told us, ¨Wow, I didn´t know it was possible for Mormon missionaries to be like you guys or their visits to be like this. I´ve never experienced this. I love how we can talk about everything and how comfortable I feel and really, God knew the way he could touch my heart today and the way and through whom He could finally touch my heart. I can't even describe it but my heart feels so full and just pounding--I feel so good.¨ I can't tell you how much that touched our hearts and filled our souls and once again reminded us that the Lord is aware of us and accepts our work. That it doesn't matter about making sure you teach all the lessons or focus only on preaching but it really matters to care about the people, listen to them, help them, LOVE them, and the Spirit will help them feel your love and the love of God. Hna Hernandez and I really love the people we teach and everyone we come in contact. We really try to focus on doing what Christ would do if He were here and that makes the difference in people´s lives and brings much more fulfillment than a number or lesson taught ever can.
I love this work! It's so hard but it's so so so worth it and I´m SO grateful for the constant hand of Heavenly Father in my life!
Love,
Hermana Bryan
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