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| Our District |
So last week Elder Rubio called me and asked me to give the class in the District Meeting on Tuesday and so Hna Jo and I started planning. I reviewed all the conference talks and scriptures I had been studying and we came up with an awesome plan. I was up way too late fine-tuning details but it turned out great, we feel. We spoke about companionship unity. We started off with the newlywed game but changed it for companionship to how well do you know your comp and asked them funny questions. We then asked why they thought we did that and Elder VW said to show us the importance of unity and knowing and loving your comp. Bingo. We referred to Elder Koelliker's story he told in Conference about the comps and what would have happened if they would not have gotten along or would have been arguing right before knocking on that door--the man never would have been touched by their love and opened his door to them! We testified that our unity and love don't only affect ourselves but our investigators and the members and we can touch their hearts through it! We shared our experience from last week and the couple. We then referred to Elder Evan's talk about how to teach the Gospel in a normal and natural way. We shared that in Mosiah 3:4 there is a normal and natural process of missionary work and sharing the Gospel.
First, King Benjamin prayed.
Secondly, he was righteous..meaning he was obedient, lived in unity, etc.
Thirdly, he received revelation (in this case, the angel came to him.)
Fourth, we rejoice!! Which means having a profound testimony and joy of the blessings of the Gospel that one feels so much joy and rejoicing from it.
Fifth, we declare that joy and message to others.
Sixth, we see the joy and conversion (fruits) of others.
There is so much to learn from King Benjamin!! We also shared that something that Elder Cook and Elder Scott mentioned that helps us live the Gospel is a good sense of humor! I love that they said that and we emphasized the fact of enjoying the mission and seriously working hard but having fun while doing so, laughing, smiling, etc. Then we bore testimony of unity, love, and being the missionaries we need to be so the Spirit can testify of our words and change the hearts of our investigators.
We then, being nerds, had an awards ceremony because we got way excited and it was the last District Meeting of the transfer! Hahaha Hna Jo and I had created fake medals with awards. Elder Vanwagoner received the Anchor award and it had a bunch of his awesome qualities on the back to explain why. Elder Coello, the Frankness award haha. Elder Gonzalez, the AMP (Actitud Mental Positiva) award, and Elder Rubio The Golden award--like the all around. Elder Rubio got so excited about it at the beginning and pulled out his camara and everything haha. They all said a few words after receiving their awards and Elder VW was awesome. He thanked us for our help as well and for seeing the good things in him and not the bad and for helping him focus on loving and looked right at me and smiled and said AND I'm going to smile more. hahahaha That was something Hna Angulo and I teased him about in Manta and he has improved so much cuz he's always smiling so we included as part of his good qualities: his big smile. Elder Rubio told us truthfully that it hasn't been easy to be District Leader and Financiero at the same time (and to have comp and area problems all at once poor guy) but he was so grateful for us and everything. It was just great and I love doing stuff like that that makes us more unified, get to know and love and appreciate each other. Thats what it's all about. Being edified and uplifted to bring others unto Christ!
We had another GREAT lesson with Andres Rojas--wow!! I love him and we just feel the Spirit SO strongly every time we are with him. He had read Alma 32 twice and other random chapters in the BOM and was still apologizing he didn't read every day haha. Also he was SO grateful to us. He bought us juice, told us he mentions us by name in each prayer he says and when he found out there are angels all around us: mortal and immortal, he told us we were like that. He is just so humble and grateful and he understands the importance of the Gospel because he can feel it and is experimenting it little by little. People who do understand the importance of this message, feel the change and peace, and in turn, are SO grateful!! That's the difference. I felt so privileged to even be a missionary and to be able to be a part of this process and that the Lord allows me to know and teach incredible people like Andres.
Wednesday we had FHE with Camila and Alejandra and their mom. Wow! Indescribable joy is what it feels like to watch them and hear them giving the lesson about faith and the things they'd learned from personal study in the BOM (it's INCREDIBLE what they capture and they're just girls, but understand everything on their own, apply it, and explain it!) Also it was cool to watch them answer their mom's questions! And to hear of their experiences when they bore testimony to the Jehovah's Witnesses that were trying to convince them that what they believed was a lie. They stood their ground and have unshakeable testimonies. They are just SO awesome and I am so impressed and amazed at them every single time we are with them. And again, I just feel so blessed!!
All week I was kind of acting like a freak and being stressed, worried, down, etc. having transfers and other things really affect me personally and emotionally. I didn't like it and Hna Jo has been so patient! We just want to be together and are worried about future comps because many of them are 'special' here, etc. But The Lord provides and I know we have to fully trust in Him and have faith. He will direct our paths!!! I'm just retarded sometimes and feel things way too deeply than I should haha. I KNOW and have a strong testimony that the Lord's will is always done especially here in the mission. It's amazing His tender mercies.
Awesome memories from this week: Hna Jo doing a Capn Jack Sparrow walk a lot of the day that had me laughing so hard I had to stop walking a few times, bursting into song in the streets of Ecuador with her and singing all songs from certain Disney movies, finishing each other's crazy quotes from the States we remember, trying to remember English songs and culture that we can't even remember--that's awesome!, and just laughing while walking down the street.
This week was Semana Santa and on Friday--Viernes Santo we had SO much success and lessons and it was awesome. Saturday we had 0 lessons and that was a pretty hard day for me. To top it all off in the night, I totally biffed it and got my knees pretty good and was just sad and mad and affected and angry that Satan is such a piece. We had a good comp talk in a park to end the night because we had to both openly talk to each other and share our feelings, counsel, etc and we learned from one another and cried, etc. I'm glad for our open relationship in good and bad times.
Sunday--EESTERS! Pretty dang disappointing that people really don't celebrate Easter. They celebrate the week like a vacation but don't do anything special other than make Fanesca--this fish bean soup that we ate on Sunday for lunch. Oh ya. Also all the typical holiday or other food seems to include weird mixes of platano, or beans, and always fish. We had Fanesca, Casuela, and humitas this week. Humitas are just like tamales so that was fine! Casuela is this huge thick paste mix casserole thing of platano and fish. So filling and kind of gross haha. No, family, I haven't gotten to the point where I actually like fish. BUT I have learned so much better on how to eat it and just get over it! :)
During ward council Sunday morning, the bishop wasn't there cuz he got pwned at the beach and could barely walk when he did get there! So one of his counselors was assigned to do it and we were SO frustrated. Let's just say that many of the meetings and asuntos dealt with here don't even matter and they focus on ridiculous details instead of working together to fix things. Elder Hammer was brilliant when he penned the slogan: Ecuador, Finding Problems Not Solutions. haha. One time we just bent our heads down, looked at each other and under our breaths started singing together I'm Proud to be an American. hahahaha It was so awesome.
Sunday was awesome and during Sunday School we got to share our feelings of how we feel about consecrating our lives in the mission and to the Lord. I feel so special about being on a mission and can't even describe it adequately--how grateful I am and how blessed I feel.
Fabian accompanied us this week and told me that Marianela tells me hi and that she and Gabriel and Allisson went to the temple last Wednesday with the ward in Manta and that Allisson was looking for me the whole time. She said they are still working towards their goal of being sealed before I leave. WHAT JOY!!!
Cool scripture things we learned in comp study:
1 Cor 3:6-10 reminded me that Paul was a seed planter too and that it's ok to have that role sometimes!! Loved it.
Also loved the relation to my experiences me and Hna Jo did, to Mosiah 23:10. That's truly how I feel!
I love how in Mosiah 11 and 12 that Abinadi warns the people with exact detail what will happen if they keep sinning yet they still didn't listen! How often does that happen today?! We just had General Conference with counsel, comfort, and warnings from the Lord. Will we listen?
I also love love the story of Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah in Mosiah 27. It's incredible to me that the most rebellios people (says they were the vilest of all sinners) became the most dedicated, amazing, and talked about missionaries of the BOM! In just one chapter, how different their eternal consequences became and how merciful the Lord is! We just have to sincerely repent and we become eternally blessed.
I love this Gospel with all my heart and love living it. I love the joy I feel that comes from the blessings I have received of this Gospel and sharing it with others. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and know that He lives. It was neat being able to share with people why we don't focus on Friday (of His death) but on the Sunday (His Resurrection) because He LIVES!!! He is a living Christ and blesses us always. How blessed we are. Come unto Christ. He will give you rest and fill you with incomprehensible joy.
I love you!!! Have an incredible week!!
Love,
Hermana Bryan
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