Ya pues, la Iglesia es Verdadera!

In the Flood!!!

Hola familia!!!

I´m so happy to be writing you still in Francisco de Orellana and still with Hna Johansen!!  Last night was torture waiting for the transfer calls to come and we are SO grateful they didn´t come!  I still don't feel completely ¨safe¨ yet but for now I have one more week here with these incredible people and my absolutely incredible companion!!
Thank you for all of the support, prayers, love, thoughts, emails, etc.  I love you!!!

This week was up and down like all weeks here, but incredible, and the Lord has blessed us immensely.  I don´t know if I mentioned these last few weeks that we have basically had nobody to teach and been contacting for hours and had everything fall through so that's been stressfull but we knew things would work out and how quickly it does when you have two people together who have all the desires and love to be here and want to work!  I feel so grateful!

Monday was a fail of a P-day haha nothing was open, everything failed and we were in a bad mood until we visited Miguel and he was so excited to see us.  We had prepared a lesson on forgiveness about forgiving his brother in law, etc. and before we could say anything he said that he was reading the Liahonas and BOM and old letters and came across some scriptures and when he read them, this huge feeling rushed through his body and he knew he had just forgiven Alvaro.  He was so happy and it was so crazy I started busting up laughing that he always does that--finds things out on his own--the things we prepare for him.  That means he doesn´t really need us as much and that really just is the definition of conversion--Miguel.  He wrote a letter to Pres Amaya expressing his feelings, quoting the general authorities and scriptures and felt like he should do that.
We then enjoyed Carnaval in our house on Mon night and I kind of am the culprit of the whole thing.  Ok not kind of--I am.  But it was fun :)  And then we had a horrible phone call with our district leader and I was so frustrated and disappointed and he wanted me to prepare a lesson for our District Meeting of how we could improve our district or things we need to work on and I wrote a ton about our lack of trust, charity, and love for each other.  I quoted the Manual Misional and scriptures and just asked some questions to them like if they could look around at all of us and say they really loved us? Or they really were concerned for our well-being, our trials, and our successes?  It was kind of a heavy environment but started a great discussion and Elder Rubio promised to change and we all promised to change and be better.

So that was Tues morning.  Tues night there was a huge huge aguasero--is that like torrential rain storm in English?  Don't know but it was crazy and we were like wading through water everywhere we walked and absolutely soaked!!

Wednesday we went back to 2 jovensitas (Alejandra and Camila) we had contacted last week and they let us in and it was a bit awkward at first but we made it through and the enviornment just felt familiar and nice.  And we were so excited about that and excited that little by little the Lord is blessing us!  We then learned that pride is the downfall of so many people and so many of us, and is the stumbling block on the road of salvation--we have had to drop some investigators who are SO prideful it's ridiculous!  Beware of that pride :)  Then we found out Miguel fasted for 4 days straight.  Like he would eat lunch every day and begin fasting again with a prayer, etc. Wow.

Thursday we had an amazing comp inventory and the things Hna Johansen told me touched me so much.  She pulled out a piece of paper and said that during the week she was writing things down that she admired and was amazed about and she didn't want to forget to tell me.  She is amazing and I feel so blessed to have her as a comp!  We then were making comp goals and revising old planners with old comp goals and we realized that the things we used to set as goals we don't even need to work on because without our realizing it, those things naturally happen and we naturally do them because of our great relationship.  How neat!  Thursday was an awesome day and Christian accompanied us all day--it was so fun and then English class was hilarious and just awesome.  Waiting for English to start, another miracle from the Lord happened.  2 ladies walked into the room and straight to us and one introduced herself as a member from a different ward and stake but that her friend, Maria, had recently moved into our ward and wanted to receive the lessons.  We were shocked that they had just walked into the church because we hardly are ever there and just at that time they decided to come in.  We happened to be there and could talk to her and comfort the friend and give her the Plan of Salvation pamphlet to read.  It was awesome.

Friday we had SUCH an awesome lesson with Alejandra and Camila and it is absolutely INCREDIBLE the questions they have.  All of their questions were about things the Restoration or Plan of Salvation answer, and they are so mature in thinking and actually interested in religion and wanting to know the truth.  The Spirit was so so strong when we explained the Restoration and they understood and asked questions and got so excited when we gave them the Book of Mormon and they just are incredible.  That was such a blessing from God.  Friday we also had another lesson with Julio.  Julio is someone we have been teaching since Hna Hernandez and I, but didn't have faith in himself and didn't ever want to commit to come to church.  Well last Sunday he came!!  Julio has polio and can't use his legs so he has this reclining bike machine he uses and uses his hands to pedal it and get him around.  He came alone last Sunday to support us and hear our talks and stayed the whole time and that in and of itself was a MIRACLE and I know the Lord had His hand in that, and I also know that Julio needed Hna Johansen here too to progress.  I forgot to say that last week.  So Friday we brought a member over with us and the lesson was awesome and Julio promised to come to church again and that he wanted to go alone.  Wow!  Friday night we got really sick--like infection sick but knew the Lord would bless us for working.

Saturday was a fail of a morning--we felt so sick and during comp study Hermana Johansen just burst out, ¨MAN, this SUCKS!!!¨ hahaha that pretty much described our morning.  But we knew we just had to make it until we could visit Maria.  We went in and her friend was there too and the Spirit was SO strong the entire time.  It was incredible.  Maria had underlined and underlined so many things in the pamphlet and expressed to us that she was up reading it that same night we gave it to her until like 2 in the morning because she said until this, she had such a hunger and thirst but that NOTHING would ever quench or satisfy that, and that in one little pamphlet, she found like all of the answers she was looking for.  She said she didn't know why she felt such peace and calmness even though she has so many problems in her life but that finally she does and that she knows it will only get better from here on out.  Everything she said was incredible---stuff you always hear about but that never seems to happen in real life---that was how it was.  What a prepared person and what a special experience to be able to be there.  That totally changed our day around!  What a blessing.  We left her house and Saturday afternoon and night it just poured and poured and poured---so hard!!  Harder than I´ve ever seen it here and it was so hard that we couldn´t even hear what each other was saying while walking next to each other in the streets!  We just could look at each other barely and bust up laughing because umbrellas do absolutely nothing in that case and luckily we brought our rain jackets!  It was SO hilarious and then the streets all flooded so we were literally like swimming in the water while walking through the streets and people were staring at us like WHY are these crazy gringas still out here in this storm and flood trying to visit people?!  It was hilarious and such an experience/adventure.  We visited an investigator who was really impressed that we still came and told us that is the meaning of love--that even floods and rains, etc won't stop us from visiting them.  I have included pics of our swimming adventure :)  We also went to visit Julio during the storm and he was really touched because he had just been thinking about us wondering where we were in the storm and we could sing a hymn together, share a few minutes, and pray.  That really touched him.

Sunday was a wonderful day and I felt so sad all day at the thought or possibility of being transfered because I literally have come to LOVE these people and LOVE our investigators and their situations and of course I love my comp!!  I took advantage of every opportunity to take pics with my fav people :)  So miracle from the Lord.  At the beginning of this week, we had nobody in our program.  At the end of the week, 7 people came to church.  SEVEN!!!  That has never happened in my mission ever.  It is amazing what happens when you mix the blessings of the Lord with hard work and unity in a companionship!  People have started to notice that too--like members in the ward commenting on our companionship or special spirit or investigators, etc.  I just feel blessed and happy.  Julio came to church 30 minutes early so he could rest for a bit after pedaling hard with his hands to get him there!  What an INCREDIBLE person!!!  Maria came, Alejandra and Camila came--their mom was so happy to let them go with us and have us take them back home.  Miguel of course came and a few other people.  After church on the way back to their house, Camila was talking to me a ton and telling me that they are going to move to the US in May but was telling me all about her classes.  She then asked me all about the mission and how that works because she said a girl at church was talking to her and it really interested her.  But Camila was worried because she said, "But like if I become a member here and want to prepare to serve a mission later on, I´m moving so how do I do that?!!"  I was shocked and just loved bearing my testimony about missionary work, the Gospel, and that OF COURSE the church is in the USA--that's where it was restored!  She was like oh yeah!!  and I told her it would all work out :)  Alejandra was saying how cool it was that their class related to something they had been reading in the Book of Mormon and that you really should prepare like that to go to church.  These girls are only 12 and 15 years old but really really special spirits and people.  How amazing.  We had a wonderful lunch and lesson with the Diaz family--they are like our family here in Francisco and honestly remind me of Modern Family hahahaha I LOVE them!  Sebastian is 9 years old but acts like he is 45--no joke.  He is SO witty and mature and just cracks us up.  He´s the Manny of the fam.  We all got really teary as I related my experience to them of being able to go through the temple for the first time but having all my family with me and feeling/seeing a piece of what the celestial kingdom must feel like--having all your family with you for eternity.  They have a goal to be sealed in the temple and it was so special to be with them.
We then had a fun FHE and then anxiously awaited transfer calls and those dumb leaders I swear call 100 times more often on transfer Sundays for different things than other days hahaha they like to freak us out.
Today we are going to Malecon and Las Penas--my first outing on a Pday really hahaha we usually just chill and don't have time to do things cuz we have a lot to do but we are excited!  One because we all love each other and two because Hna Ward is going home in 2 weeks and we want to spend time with her too.

At the end of it all, I want to testify of the amazing blessings and miracles of the Lord but the importance of doing your best, working hard, and relying on the Lord to take care of the rest.  I don´t know how we started the week with nothing and how we have a lot more now but I know that the Lord is blessing us.  This church is true!  The gospel changes lives and people can feel it!  Christ lives!  He loves us and wants the best for us.  I know the righteous desires of our hearts will be answered in the Lord´s timing and in His way--don´t give up!  Learn to patiently wait on the Lord, always maintaining faith and hope.  I know that families can be together forever, I know the Book of Mormon is true and that we can find any answer to life´s problems in that book!  I know we have a prophet today and I know that though we are imperfect and should always strive to be better each day, our Heavenly Father blesses our efforts.  This Gospel is a Gospel of change, of love, of mercy, of peace, and eternal blessings.  It´s worth the wait, the price, and the sacrifice.  Share your testimony with those around you this week and I promise you will feel of this marvelous work!

This week while reading the Relief Society book they printed this year, I found a quote from Joseph Smith that I love.  It´s so simple but has been something I´ve been trying to do lately.  He has counseled us all to, ¨be at peace with the Lord, with those around you, and with yourself.¨ It´s as simple as that and I feel like if we feel that peace in those 3 aspects of our life, we are on the right track.

I love you all so much and pray for you daily!  LOVE YOU!!!!  Have a wonderful week.

Love,
Hermana Bryan

With Julio

With the Diaz Family

There's Drama about Life, but this is like Drama about Eternal Life!

Eating at Chili's!!!

A part of our Sector

Hola Familia!!  

Well I can honestly say that this week has been CRAZY and full of so many tears, laughter, drama of the mish, heartaches, prayers, fasting, and reliance on the Lord to complete His will.  
Needless to say every time we got home at night, our other house comp Hermana Ward would be waiting anxiously to see what had happened in our telenovela series that day.  Finally on Friday--she said the quote I quoted in the title of my email and we loved that hahaha.  So true.  Gotta love the mish!  Also today and tomorrow is Carnaval--where people throw water, foam, etc all over each other so that will be fun.  Everything is like closed and many people are traveling so it's really calm and quiet here which is weird.  But this holiday looks so fun--we should do it in the US :)

So last Monday was awesome and we celebrated our 7 month anniversary by going to Chilis!!  That´s right--you read that correctly--we found a Chili´s over here and we invited the sisters from our house and Hna Hernandez and her comp as well so that was so awesome!  We both were so glad we were comps after seeing our old comps and their emotional states.  Hna Hernandez was bawling as she hugged me and I felt so badly--I´m glad she could talk to me for a bit that day.  We then got our hair done later on by Miguel and it was SO awesome--my hair is blonde and I love it again :) He did it just like I loved it in the states.  We then spent the rest of the night with him because we could tell something was up.  He ended up telling us everything--everything he has passed through and exactly how he had felt and I don't remember details cuz the rest of the week got worse haha I just remember bawling with him and Hna Johansen and giving him hope and counsel and it was wonderful.
We then (the 4 of us in our house) didn´t really sleep because we wanted to make our Zone and investigators feel special and made them all personalized Valentines and goodies.  So that was fun!

Tuesday we had a great District and Zone meeting and the elders loved the brownies we made (thanks mom :) ) and the valentines.  We then dropped off Oreo truffles (Caity Jones remember us last year?! :) ) for Miguel and Mayra and valentines for them.  It was so fun--I loved being able to spread my love more so.  We then had a good day and in English class, Miguel brought us beautiful white roses and it was such a fun class--teaching them about love, relationships, we taught them the Barney song bahahahaha, and then shared a wonderful message from the scriptures.  After English, we were talking to Miguel and he told us what happened to him after work.  He went by the house only to find Alvaro throwing his clothes all over outside, with his suitcases packed and thrown out the door.  All of his belongings were thrown all over the pavement outside and his sister was crying and Alvaro was yelling, etc and kicked him out of the house.  Miguel asked a store owner nearby to watch his things so he could come to English class.  What?!  We went with him to get his stuff and try to call the bishop but no one was home and so here we were at night in Guayaquil, Ecuador with Miguel kicked out of his house and no where to stay and no friends, lugging his huge suitcase filled with everything he has down the streets.  He started laughing at one point and turned to us and said, "Hermanitas, this is not just a boulder--this is a mountain!!!"  haha I have no idea how he could keep his humor or great attitude at a time like that and we wanted to pay or buy him food, etc. but he wouldn't accept it saying how much in debt he was to us for teaching him, loving him, and being his support.  He didn't even charge us for our hair on Monday.  We finally just had to leave him because we had to be home and he told us not to worry that he would find a hotel.  Wow.

Wednesday we had a few lessons but everything else fell through--we ended up going so crazy we invited a dog to be baptized cuz he was the only thing close by or willing to listen.  I know...I know... so Wed in the morning I cried during comp study singing Because I Have Been Given Much and we both cried during the prayer but we had faith that a miracle would happen and the blessings and fruits are to be seen.  We just kept thinking about Miguel.  Also, I loved the scriptures in Alma 31:32-38 about prayers of faith and miracles happening.  There is an awesome kid that just moved into our ward who is SO willing and wanting to help us--he always went out with the elders in his area and it was so awesome to visit with him.  Wow.  Kids like that inspire me.  We met with Miguel and he was ok--he told us, ¨Despite so much that has happened to me, I feel calm.¨  It was amazing.  We also taught his co-workers because they were all curious about our religion.  He slipped away and I grabbed his BOM and slipped in 20 dollars so he could pay for one more night in the hotel because he had no money, no food, no place to stay, and no support other than us.  I felt it was the least I could do.  He ended up calling in the nighttime and said, ¨Hermanita Bryan, el Espiritu Santo hizo un milagro!!!¨ and I started busting up laughing telling him how excited I was for him to tell me what happened.  He said he was in institute and opened his scriptures and found the money.  He started crying and just thanked us and I can't even describe how much Hna Johansen and I were happy and amazed all at the same time on Wed.  That soon ended when Elder Rubio called me to tell me that Pres was canceling Miguel's appt AGAIN.  We were fuming because we had asked them to verify this for 2 weeks and they ended up canceling again and both Mayra and Miguel had planned to take off for the interview.  We felt sick and descepcionadas, etc.

So needless to say, Thursday was not our greatest day.  We went to go to Miguel's work to talk to him and he and Maryra were SO excited to see us and talk about the interview and Mayra saw my face and knew exactly what had happened.  Miguel sunk to the floor when we told him the news and asked us to leave him be for a while, he needed to figure things out and it was more horrible than we had thought so as soon as we left, Hermana Johansen and I just burst into tears and we were bawling and sobbing in the middle of the street.  Haha I´m sure that was a sight to see for everyone who saw us but we couldn´t help it--we felt so broken.  We then had the most hilarious and horrible rest of the day--remind me to explain about the most embarrassing lunch I´ve ever had, etc.  We were just praying that Miguel would be ok and still maintain his faith.  He did end up coming to  English which was a miracle and we ended up having a lesson with him and when he told us what he did the rest of the day, he said, ¨Fui a comprar una cola (and then he looked right at me and said) y adivina que mas....Adivina...(at this point I just said nooooo cuz I knew he was referring to cigarettes).  He started smiling and said adivina!  And then he smiled and said, ¨CASI¨.  When he said Casi, I almost exploded from happiness and unbelief and just was SO happy and knew that his conversion had sunk in and that he still had faith and his testimony and HE DIDN'T SMOKE!!!!  Even in that situation!  We had a great lesson with him and related his story to the pioneers and he said ¨But sisters, the pioneers received miracles and blessings right when they were about to die or lose ALL hope or faith, right?!  We agreed.  He then said...I still have faith!  So what's going to happen to me?!!!  Oh no!¨ hahahaha wow We busted up laughing and just felt so grateful for the blessings and truthfulness and incredible testimonies people who really are converted can have.

Friday we had a great lesson with Julio and he said he would come to church and then we met with a new guy, Ronald and both me and my comp felt guided in finding him and it was a sweet, neat experience.  It´s amazing what happens when the Spirit is with you--that is the key to life and to the mission and everything!  We also had interviews with Pres Amaya on Friday and it was the first time I left an interview down and confused, etc.  I don't want to go into detail but it was great until I asked about Miguel and we are getting so much opposition from personal feelings, opinions, etc without them even interviewing or knowing him first.  I understand that Miguel has to wait to be baptized but we feel like it´s not fair to not even give him a chance to be interviewed!  A lot of things going on but we trust in the Lord and know that He makes all things just right in the end.  Also, it's our job to support our leaders and that has been SO hard lately with everything because they try to make us baptize people who aren't ready or don't want to come to church even, but refuse to even give Miguel an interview yet! But we know that it's for a reason so we just have to remember that and stay strong! :)  
Friday we finally found Jacinto at home again and we had the most scary experience I´ve ever had on my mission.  Jacinto is lost and has let himself forget the feelings he felt and be taken over by a dark presence and Hna Johansen walked out the door and I was just in shock and she looked at me and said, ¨FREAKY STUFF MAN!!!¨ hahahaha We then proceeded to walk away quickly and freak out for 30 minutes until we realized what had happened, how grateful we are for the Spirit and the truthfulness of the Gospel and how the adversary won´t win.

Saturday was a good day and Fabian accompanied us and he is such a stud--he is already a missionary and it's amazing to be around examples and people like that.  Wow.  We had a few great lessons and were able to share the love of Christ and then after English, we both felt really nervous like we needed to go find Miguel so we started walking towards his work and right before we were crossing the street to go over there, who would cross our path but him?!   The Lord is incredible.  He was walking to find us because he wanted to tell us he had been reading the BOM in Spanish and English and received an answer.  He said, how many years did Lehi and Nephi have to wait in the wilderness??  We said woooo muchos!!!  He said exactly.  And do you think they liked it??  No.  And how many trials did they have to go through??? A ton!!  But what were the promised blessings?  A promised land and blessings of the Gospel.  He said if they could do it why can't I?  I have decided to wait and to wait in Ecuador.  I´m not going back to Colombia.  Not without being baptized and he was SO happy.  He then found a place to live and felt like the Lord was finally blessing him poco a poco!

Sunday Hna Johansen and I gave talks and I gave mine on Choosing Eternal Life through going back to the basics.  I used pieces of talks and then the NOE program and my own testimony and I loved looking down at the people I love in our ward here and seeing their smiles and trying to help everyone--this work and Gospel is incredible and it gives us so much room to improve and work and be better and feel of the Lord´s love for us.  I then got an ear infection later on in the day that KILLED so that was fun.  I bought some meds though so no need to worry or go to the Clinica Kennedy--haha I´m so done with that place!  But we´ve figured it out that just about every 2 months I get sick here so you know--something to plan for :)
Miguel accompanied us yesterday and our last lesson was with a less active wonderful lady and her son who come to English sometimes and she is SUCH a sweet, beautiful, amazing person and there was such a sweet spirit present.  It was wonderful for both her and Miguel to relate and share testimony and for us to bear sweet testimony.

The Gospel is such a sweet thing.  I know that the Lord requires a lot of us:  a lot of patience, waiting, faith, hope, trust, work.  But I also know that He has given us everything and that we are here to progress and He is molding us into who He needs us to be.  I testify of the importance of having the Spirit in our lives and of feeling--really FEELING charity and how that changes one´s heart.  I love being a missionary.  I love being able to mourn with those who mourn.  Although this week was crazy and we cried and worried and prayed more than we have in forever, it was such an incredibly amazing experience to realize that all this heartache and deep emotions we were feeling were 100 percent for someone else.  Someone else that we loved and that we didn't think about ourselves, our lives, our families, nothing like all week.  Wow--the Lord helps us that is for sure and charity really is love, and is pure, and changes lives.  I´m trying to pray for that gift and be worthy of it and try to keep improving my abilities to share that with others.  Although numbers are focused on here and I know their importance, it´s been so neat these past couple of weeks to try and feel the Spirit and really try to do what Christ would do if He were here right now.  He focuses on the one and still makes time for other things but this week we learned what it means to focus on the one.

I LOVE missionary work, I love the Gospel, I know families can be together forever.  I know the Book of Mormon is true and that it changes lives.  I know the Holy Ghost really can be our companion.  I know that through prayer one can develop that close, loving relationship with our Father in Heaven.  I love and miss all of you so much and pray for you!!

Happy Presidents Day!!

Love you!!!
Hermana Bryan

Us making Valentines!

Our Streets --like lakes and swimming pools when it rains super hard!

Get that Corn Outta my Face!

Hola Familia!!!  

So this week has been wonderful and hard too like always but what a difference it makes when your companion is amazing!!!  Sis Johansen is from Chandler, Arizona.  She knew the Hyers cuz she lived in the same ward as them at BYU.  She quotes Nacho Libre all the time so I´m sure you can already see this is a heaven sent companionship haha (hence the title of my email) really though sometimes we laugh because we are the same person.  We have the same sense of humor and it´s just great to go through the trials of the mission with her!  It makes all the difference in the world.  I feel so blessed by my Heavenly Father for this change.  She had a rough couple of transfers with her comp too so we both feel like we can finally breathe, that we´re tired but not emotionally drained all the time, but that we both need to re-gain who we are because we lost a little bit of that these last transfers.  It´s dumb how much comps can affect you and then you have to pick up the pieces and find your true whole self again but so wonderful when you CAN pick up the pieces and breathe and find that person and missionary again!

Tuesday the Zone Leaders had me share my testimony for the zone about how we had been working and finding new people because we had found more than almost any other area and it was a nice opportunity to share the simple truths of missionary work and the gospel.  The Lord blesses us for even just opening our mouths and getting out the door and getting to work!  Also the Spirit being present is the whole key to missionary work.  We are NOTHING without the guidance and company of the Spirit.  We also gave Elder Rubio a belated bday gift and it was hilarious cuz I put it in the heart bag you gave me, Mom and he started freaking out and yelled NOO when we tried to give it to him and almost ran away.  He came back and Hna Johansen was shocked cuz that was her first impression of him hahahaha.  I love making him embarrassed--he told us it was the bag that made him react that way and so we have decided to do a heart themed gift almost every week now bahahaha.

Wednesday during personal study I was reading the 4th missionary talk that Dad sent me and I started crying a lot because it shared exactly how I was feeling and answered my questions or doubts about who I´m trying to be and how I feel.  Wednesday was kind of frustrating and disappointing because ever since this new change, everything has been failing and falling through and now all of a sudden, Jacinto changed and doesn't want to be baptized, etc.  what?!  We are trying to figure out what happened.  So because everything has been failing, we have been contacting SO much and it's so tiring but the Lord blesses us each day for working and being happy and staying strong in the work!  

Thursday we had SUCH a wonderful comp inventory--I love Hermana Johansen!  We were meant to be comps and I feel like my total self around her.  We had a wonderful English class and we just love Miguel!  He is getting tired of waiting though and we just want him to be happy.  He told us and asked us afterwards why the time with us always goes by so quickly?!  We love him so much and he was willing to get fired from his work to try and have his interview--wow but once again the mission office couldn't do it.  This whole situation has really really bothered me and Hna Johansen so badly because supposedly the mission wants to meet our goal of baptisms right? Well we have a beyond golden investigator with a strong testimony waiting to be baptized and nobody is doing anything to help us get him baptized!  And poor Miguel has been waiting for forever!  He has so much patience, faith, and hope and is doing so many wonderful things in his life.  I can´t help but think the Lord is trying him.  Supposedly Pres is going to interview him on Thursday (3 days from now) so we are fasting right now for that and that he will be able to finally enjoy these blessings in his life.  PLEASE pray for him!!!  and that the mission will help us with him.

Friday was INCREDIBLE.  Miguel took off the whole day because he thought he was going to have his interview and we felt so badly about that and especially because we know he hates being home and with nothing to do because of his horrible brother-in-law and also he hates feeling alone.  So we passed by his house and he came home right at the same time we went.  We apologized for everything and offered him to come accompany us all day if he wanted to and he said he really did and that would be wonderful.  We were so excited!  While waiting for him, I wanted to give him the article ¨Waiting Upon the Lord¨ by Elder Hales so I asked him if he had the Liahona I had given him.  He got surprised and embarrassed and said no but he had already read it so it was ok that he got rid of it, right?  I didn't answer and he said he had used it to clean the windows and then asked, is that bad??  He then saw our reactions and started busting up laughing and pulled out a binder with his stuff and each Liahona had a different sheet protector hahahaha we love him so much.  We asked him what he had done after English the night before and he said he came home and started reading the BOM in English to practice his English but still feel of the Spirit and also practiced his prayers in English.  Who does that?!  Wow.
So he accompanied us and it was incredible!!!  I´ve never even seen a member be like him.  He jumped in on contacts and especially in lessons in sharing his feelings about the church, eternal families, the blessings that can come from being baptized, and his favorite scriptures, etc.  I couldn´t help myself but each time, I started smiling SO bigly and proudly and unbelievingly!  He found the perfect scripture in D&C 6 when we were with Jacinto about not fearing to do good and we could just tell he loved feeling of the Spirit all day even though it was very tiring for him haha.
We then went to the temple with him in the evening to show him the grounds and have a lesson and prayer in the waiting room area.  He could feel the peace and Spirit and we told him a story and lesson about trials and motivation and he said he was going to keep waiting and pushing because he wants this so badly.  It was so neat to be there and watch him feel of that special Spirit the temple brings.  He is just so amazing and invited everyone to go with him to institute or to a FHE or to church, etc.  We´re always so amazed and feel so blessed to know him.

Saturday was a fail of a day hahaha Hna Johansen started keeping a list of all the things that went wrong that day cuz it was just so funny. haha  We had a bad lesson to start off the morning, Pizza Hut failed times 4 for lunch, we had dog attacks like always, weird creepy guys who profess to be the perfect teachers and have Osama pics on their calling cards, almost sprained my ankle, etc. haha It was a funny day.  But ended so amazingly.  We went to Miguel's house to have a FHE with him and Mayra and supposed to be Jacinto but Jacinto wasn't home.  So we decided to just do it anyway.  We had to wait outside in the rain for his sister to get home and he kept apologizing and then when they got home, Mayra's RM super rude and ungrateful hubby entered and he was so dumb about everything.  He locked himself in his room and then left and never says anything to us, etc.  He is ruining their lives and treats them like crap all the time.  But we didn't let that bother us!  We entered and tried to dry off our feet on the mat and Miguel searched in his suitcases and brought out a towel and asked us to remove our socks and shoes so he could dry off our feet for us.  We got really embarrassed and suprised and he said that Christ did it so we should let him do it.  Wow.  Words don´t have description to the meaning and feelings we felt seeing him wanting to serve us in that manner.  Marya ended up drying our feet and each and every toe.  Wow--what incredible people they are.  So Christlike and they really are converted and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They loved 17 Miracles and were bawling and it was so sweet!  Miguel wouldn't let us call our taxi and he got soaked doing it and he just kept apologizing and apologizing for his brother-in-law but we told him we don't go there for his brother-in-law!  We are there for him!  and for Mayra!  We came home and just wanted to cry and cry thinking about he and Marya--the best people I´ve met and they have to go through SO many things right now and it doesn't seem fair!  I know the Lord will bless and provide, but man sometimes it´s like, how long is it going to take??  I love him and Mayra so so much.  He kept telling us how much he loves us and I just can´t ever stop praying for a miracle in his life!  I trust in the Lord and in His timing though.  Miguel and Mayra Sarmiento are some of the most incredible, loving, Christlike people I´ve ever met and have changed my life and heart forever.

Sunday was wonderful because the talks were exactly what Mayra and Miguel needed to hear.  They also talked to the bishop about their home situation and the bishop is so fed up with Alvaro´s attitude and is going to tell him like it is.  I´m glad they have the ward's support and help in this.  Also Mayra shared her testimony in Relief Society and reminded me of Nephi when he says oh that I were an angel...she said that she leaves the BOM out at her hair salon and each customer always ends up staring at it or asking a question so she shares her testimony and then encouraged the ward that we can always share the gospel but there comes a time when they need to refer to the missionaries!  We were like..what?!  How is it that these two people are so so strong and valiant despite their difficulties?  There was also a neat experience in our Gospel Principles class where a mom of a member stood up and started crying thanking us for the examples the members set and saying how much she´s been able to feel and see in our church and families and it was incredible to see how much that affected her and has touched her life!  The Gospel changes lives and it´s something and a change you can see and feel.  What a blessing!

Well today is our 7 month anniversary!!  Crazy!  I miss you all like crazy and love you so much!  Please keep praying for our investigators and program and I am always praying for you.  I´m so grateful for your examples and love.  This church is true.  Christ lives and loves us.  The blessings of the Gospel are not replaceable and cannot be found in any other church or any other part of the world!  The Lord is waiting for you with His loving, wounded hands ever outstretched and all we have to do is come!  I invite you to do so and live in a way where you can help others do the same.  I love my Savior and I love my Heavenly Father and am forever indebted to them and grateful for this opportunity I have to share my love and joy and testimony with everyone here in Ecuador.  I love this quote-- ¨We are the followers of Jesus Christ.  And we have been followers and have loved Him for a long, long time.  Nothing is more important than working and sacrificing and enduring for Him.¨ I bear testimony of that!  

I love you!!!  Never forget that :)

Love,
Hermana Bryan

Me and My Companion, Hermana Johansen

Hermana Johansen, Miguel, Me

Me, Miguel, Hermana Johansen

"Wilt Thou Comfort My Soul in Christ"

HOLA Familia y Amigos!!!  

I love you all so much.  I´m writing super frazzled today because like always the mission is full of CRAZY changes and I haven't slept in 2 days. Literally. haha. Pero asi es la mision!

So this week was full of ups and downs like always and ended marvelously on Sunday.  Miracles are happening and the Lord is so good.  I had kind of a really rough part of the week some days and I loved the scriptures Alma 31:31 and Alma 34:41 and my title comes from those scriptures.  The scriptures have an answer and blessing for every one of us no matter the situation!!

So Tuesday we had a really hard morning and had to talk a lot a lot a lot and it always helps to communicate--figure that?!  haha I think I´ve had to teach that to every comp here and I'm sure they all think I'm a communication fanatic but it's hard living 24/7 with someone and when things happen or people feel down there has to be communication!  We had a wonderful lesson with Jacinto about the Plan of Salvation--it was the most simply I´ve ever taught it and he shared with us he´s felt the marvelous Spirit of the BOM and the truthfulness of the church.  It is such a neat experience teaching him--I´ve never had an experience like this!  We also cried with him about feeling down about the loss of his wife 3 months ago.  In the mission, one really learns the meaning of mourning with those who mourn and it's a special experience.

Miguel had his interview and it was 3 hours long.  We were dying the whole time because we knew he would have to have a longer interview.  We even taught our first class of English (we now teach English 3 times a week and it's awesome!) and finished and he still wasn´t done with his interview.  He finally came out and we could see he was a bit down but good.  He doesn´t have a baptismal date as of now because he needs an interview with Pres Amaya but that scared him originally and he wasn´t sure he wanted to, so he was going to let Elder Rubio know.  Elder Rubio was SO wonderful with him, took his time, gave him projects, really really cared about him.  I started crying on the phone when Elder Rubio told me all this and then he started thanking us so much and told us not to get down but keep going, etc.  He is such a good leader and it's amazing how much things can change :)  Miguel needed our trust and love and we needed to gain more of that because he never really opened up fully with us ever, but we felt SUCH a necessity and fast to gain that and help him to encourage him to keep going and don't let this stop him!  And that he CAN achieve his dreams of having an eternal family, going to the temple, going on a mish, etc.  We literally hurt for him and his trials and didn´t sleep at all that night worried about how we could help and what we would do.  But we did trust in a loving Heavenly Father and knew everything would work out according to His plan with our faith put fully in Him.

Wednesday we got the BEST news ever after looking everywhere all day for Miguel, calling him a million times and no answer, etc.  We finally wrote him a card, marked a few articles in the conference Liahona and left it under his doorstep.  Elder Rubio called us in the night and told us that Miguel had actually called him Tues night really late but he answered and Miguel told him that he had been thinking about it and did want an interview because he wants this so much and loves the church and the Gospel.  AAAHH we were screaming with joy.  The Lord is answering our prayers and doing miracles and we felt so much better and at peace.  

Thursday was a hard day and emotional morning and comp inventory but it´s always great that we know the situations of each other and I´ve tried really really hard to help her and be aware of everything but man it was such a hard week emotionally!  But it's always good to work things out, help each other out, work, and watch the blessings of the Lord come.  Funny story--remember how I told you all about the Jehovah´s Witnesses trying to convert us one morning?  Well Thurs morning someone rang the doorbell like 5 times until we finally went down the stairs to open the door and there was a cute girl there trying to give us a pamphlet and share the truth, etc. and when I told her the same thing I told the last guy, the whole Jehovah´s Witness congregation appears out of nowhere at our door bahahahaha they were trying to convert us through the cute girl but it wouldn't work on us!  Also we had a funny experience in a taxi--the traffic police were doing checks on everyone and our guy didn't even have a license or the car's documents even though it was a yellow taxi and he tried to bribe the police officer and the policia threw his money in his face disgustingly, etc and there was a big scene but the police were so nice to us and helped us find another taxi.  But the whole time we were dying in the backseat like oh my gosh what is happening what are we doing and of course this would happen to us?!!  hahaha.

Friday I recovered that Spirit and hunger and LOVE I´ve felt for the scriptures and I love that feeling!  During comp study we read outloud the talk by Elder Holland: ¨Cast Not Away Therefore Thy Confidence¨ (thank you mom again for all the talks, etc!) and that talk has taken on such a whole new meaning on the mish and especially during this transfer here.  The Spirit was so very strong and the talk perfectly applied to our lives.  How I´m so grateful for inspired apostles and prophets!!

Saturday night was crazy.  One of the sisters that lives in our house has problems obviously and threw a crazy tantrum and locked her comp out, etc etc and we were up till 1 like trying to help out and talking, etc.  We couldn´t believe everything that happened.  Some people here are crazy and come for the wrong reasons on the mish.  The mission is not a cure all for personal problems or an escape from real life!  Anyway we´ve learned a lot that's for sure!

Sunday was an incredible, incredible day.  We woke up dead of course but it was all made ok seeing Miguel come alone to church again.  He is SO faithful and ready and dedicated!  He has come to every English class and comes to church even when his sister and bro-in-law don't!  After Sunday School we decided to stay a bit to ask more about how he was and all of a sudden just told us everything he was feeling and the problems he has faced or is facing especially with his poor sister and her husband.  I thanked him so much for trusting us and he told me that Sat night he was reading in his triple where it talks about angels always being around us: seen and unseen, mortal and immortal, and he thought of us and really feels like we are that for him.  He said every time he´s wanted to smoke he has pictured us in his mind haha.  He started crying a lot when we talked to him and testified and just expressed to us how much he loves us so much and we just feel the same about him!  I can´t describe it to you all but I love him SO so much!!  He is the most incredible, special person I´ve ever been privileged to teach.  Miguel reads the BOM at work, at home, in his free time, studies and ponders questions, shares the Gospel and yearns to know more.  Members don´t even do that.  We met with him after lunch too, he came to our fireside, made friends--enjoyed it a lot and we are just SO impressed with him.  He always makes our day!  What a special bond and experience it is to know and love people like him.  We will work hard for him to have that interview with Pres Amaya and that Miguel doesn't move to Colombia again beforehand!
We put on a fireside for the members about how to befriend investigators, new converts, their role as members and then ending with ¨Back to the Basics of NOE¨.  The ward missionaries and our mish leader helped us put on a skit of a really horrible, rude example of treating an investigator coming to church and it was hilarious.  We taught from Preach my Gospel and the scriptures and had a lot of participation from the ward.  We feel like this ward is improving and the support we receive, and we feel like slowly but surely this program, area, ward, people are changing and we just need to keep working! 
So after that we were all happy and Miguel made a ton of friends and we all walked home and we were walking to visit another investigator when we heard someone screaming Hermanas and it was Marcelo running after us.  He started bawling in the street saying he needed us and we went immediately to his house.  He told us everything and was crying and just feeling so horrible and alone.  We let him talk, we shared some advice, let him cry, and then 2 Nephi 4 came to my mind.  I pulled out the BOM and told him that I knew he told us he didn´t want to read the BOM or believed in it.  But I asked him if I gave him this would he give it a chance and read this one part?  He said he would.  I explained to him that in this part a prophet of God even felt the way he was feeling and was crying to God, and I just knew it would touch his heart.  He asked if we could read part of it together and sing and then after he said he never gave the BOM a chance before but this time he would if we helped him know where to start reading and how.  It´s incredible that the Lord guides this work so much and in His timing!  I love this work and we felt just SO uplifted Sunday.  The Lord and His love for His children is amazing.

So today there were transfers and Hermana Hernandez left.  I have a new comp--barely got here and it is Hermana Johansen!  2 gringas again--this is crazy!  haha She knows Robert Hyer and I am excited.  I was sad to see Hna Hernandez go but it was so interesting because when we got the news, I felt so sick like what is going to happen to our amazing miracles and the ward, etc.  because we are teaching English, Marcelo talks to us in English because he feels more comfortable that way, etc.  I just felt like no you know what, everything is going to be ok.  Francisco de Orellana needs English right now and it's gunna happen.  Well it did!  We were able to make breakfast for Miguel and his sister, Myra--we made pancakes and Miguel LOVED them with peanut butter haha He couldn't get over how much he liked them.  We LOVE them so much!!!  We will forever feel that love and concern and bond for him.  They were so sad to hear about changes--he said, what's going to happen to my 2 angels?!  haha But I´m just so so so grateful and feel like the Lord is blessing my life so so much that I can stay here to continue helping and seeing the changes and miracles and especially continue with Miguel.  We went to the office, came home and packed like crazy, went and had lunch with Miguel and Myra while they did my comp's hair and then we went back to the office to get our new comps.  
So it's time obviously for a new change, new comp, new attitude, and new animo!  I feel calm about this change and good about it and know that the Lord is blessing us and guiding our missions and His children.

Please pray for Miguel and Jacinto and especially that Miguel can be interviewed, continue with his strength and progress.  I´m SO grateful for you all and your support.  I can´t thank you enough.  I pray for you all everyday and feel your love with me.  This church is so true.  Heavenly Father loves us and Christ lives.  He atoned for us, let Him help you and carry your sorrows.  I love you!!!  Be safe!!!

Love,
Hermana Bryan