Week 33: Emergency Transfers Again, Two Sisters Baptized, Made A Difference, A New Challenge To Read

Buenas tardes!!

So I just wanted you all to know that I faced my Mt. Doom, well I face it about every other day. My shower has like two settings, the first of Mt. Doom or the icy cold depts of the North Pole. Jaja

Okay so well I had emergency transfers again. Jaja I guess that is what I get for wanting to be in Quito, there are always emergency transfers here. So my new companion is la Hna. Mora, she is from Cusco, Peru. And she is super awesome. We get along really well, she is really funny and I am very grateful that we are companions, she is also very patient with me and my ever so faithful, rollercoaster of emotions. Jaja.

So this saturday we had a baptism! Of two sisters, Mary and María (yes that is real) also one of the daughters of María, Veronica, she lives in the sector of the other Hermanas. This family is fantastic, I love them soo much. Reciently their husband and father passed away and one of their really good family friends, who is a member, gave the reference to the sisters just before this transfer. They were some of the first people who wanted to be baptised before they had all the lecciones. We had to tell them to wait a week. Jaja. There is a first for every thing. And the other daughter, Fernanda, she is one of the most amazing people I have ever met she is soo smart, and the best part is that she understands me! Jaja. She just needs to get married and then she will be baptised as well but this time it´s not like "oh she needs to get married" or in other words maybe in a coulple of years, no, she is really trying. The thing is that this week is elections here and so she has to wait till the next week to get her papers. But I am going to have my first person get married!! Woohoo! 

This baptism was one of the most stressful of my life. They almost didn´t get baptised because they didn´t want

to sign the ficha (I don´t know what that is called in ingles). But with the help of their friends and a LOT of praying, they took the step of baptism. 

One of the blessings of this whole thing is that Presidente Ghent, told us that we have really helped this family. That is was I have wanted to hear my whole mission, that I have helped someone. And that was such a comfort for me to know that I have made a difference and to have someone else notice and tell me. That is what really got to me with this week. The answer to many, many prayers.

So this month and the next as a mission we are doing what we call "Fe de febrero brinda milagros de marzo" or in ingles. Faith of Februrary brings miracles of March. And for this we have had to make algunos sacrifices. As a mission, 1. No music 2. Personal sacrifice (mine are no french fries,

and not to study in english) 3. Read all four of the Gospels and the book of Acts (I´m reading them in spanish, ay carai). 4. Make a fast. 5. Every night write down blessings/miracles 6. No activities as district or zona. And we are doing this for 2 months. This no french fries thing is super hard. Jaja. I would like to challenge you all to one challenge, not the same as this. But to read the Book of Mormon in two months. I know it can be done if we can read all the gospels and Acts. Then you can read the BOM. See what happens and I know that you will be blessed. It really is an act of faith. DyC 97:8.

My scripture for the past week: Ether 12:6. We do not recieve a testimony till after the trial of our faith. It is true. I

am really finding that out for myself. and My testimony of it is all the stronger.

Les amo much. Espero que tengan una linda semana. Dios esté consigo hasta la proxima semana.

Hna Milligan

Week 32: Ups and Downs, They Are Married, Your Prayers Are Helping

So this past week was full of ups and downs. My compaion is sick and so we had to rest for a couple days. But we found a wonderful family!! Woot. We were just contacting and this young guy answers the door. Turns out he had just been through and accident and is learning to speak again. But get this, this is the real catcher, he and his wife are MARRIED. There really are miracles! Jaja. Also, we are teaching another family and get this they are MARRIED as well, how great is that! And both the husband and the wife are interested. WHAT?!¿ That´s crazy! But I am soo happy, the work here is boombing. This sector is just full of blessings. I am really grateful for the oportunity to help families become eternal. Such a blessing. 

Today in the bus we started to talk to this lady (get this because we needed directions, you know me and directions jaja) and we just started to talk and she is a teacher and is one of the sweetest people I have met. She doesn´t live in our sector but she is interested in having an eternal family. And so I gave her a folleto and she is just really awesome I feel like there is going to be progress with her. Heavenly Father really does love His Children. Remember who you are and that you have divine potential. Scripture Mormon 8: 24. This scripture got me through finals with the hope that with prayers they could move mountains. O sea, problems, sadness, anything. I know that your prayers are helping me at the very least not get paracites jaja. I love you all and I hope you know it.

Les amo,

Lauree

Week 31: Hard work sees results, Timely Companionship, Awkward, And God Giveth Us Light

So this week was one of the best weeks of my mission. We went out and worked hard, and we had the numbers to show it this time. I know what it is like to work hard and not have hardly anything to show for it, it´s really rough. But this week we worked really well and I feel really good about the work we have to show for it. We have 5 people with fecha and that also came to church. We have a few others who just need a little more of a push to come to church, but I really think they will progress and do great! I absolutly LOVE this barrio, it is AMAZING. Without a doubt one of the best I have ever seen. They are so willing to help and we couldn´t even sit by our investigators because the members completely took over. Can I say WOW. It was such a great thing to see members say to an investigator, "Aquí, sientese conmigo" It made me want to cry a little for joy. I am in love with this barrio. It has given me hope that there is hope out there. Also last night I ate boneless, skinless chicken and I almost cried. I haven´t had that since I came here. It was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.

I also love Hna. Rivera, she is amazing. She teaches with such love and passion, I have already learned so much from her. I am soooo incredibly grateful she is my companion right now, I can say for a fact that I needed her right now in my mission. She has given me a new perspective to the mission. She was with me in Baños and we have that Baños connection. She is great! She is from California but her parents are from Mexico and El Salvador. So she is Latina just she also spleaks ingles. We get along great, and we teach really well together. This has come as such a blessing for me.

In way of something funny this week, we totally got hit on by an OLD woman the other day. Now I´m used to being hit on my the men here, old and young, but by an OLD WOMAN. EWW. That was really awkward.

Okay Spiritual thought for the week:

So I recienly just read Ether 6. Pretty much one of the most amazing chapters that I have read. Well they are all amazing really, but I loved that one soo much. I highly reccomend reading it. But I would like to focus this thought on Ether 6: 3. In summary it says that the Lord caused the stones to shine in the darkness so that the men, women and children wouldn´t have to cross the great waters in darkness. When I read that it really struck me quite beautiful. 1. The stones to shine. That is something impossible for men alone, aka return to the presence of our Father, so the causing the stones to shine is like the Atonement. 2. In order to have light. To help us find our way, to give us hope so we are not lost.3. Given to men, women, and children. All are partakers

This many bananas for a dollar

of the Light, none are kept from it. 4. "that they might not cross in darkness" Heavenly Father loves us so much that He didn´t want us going through the "great waters" of life without this Light (o sea Jesus Crist) so He gave us profets to testify of his son and help us find the Light. I don´t know if that made any sence, when I was writting it it was kind of in a rush in order to get all my thoughts on paper. But I know that the Lord loves you all sooo much and I hope you know that. Keep that in your minds and never forget it.

Hope you all have a great week and keep smiling, keep spreading the gospel with your light.

Les amo mucho!

Hna Milligan

The Traditional 6 month burning of the tights.