Hola familia!!
How´s everyone doing? Are you enjoying the chill wintery weather? Sometimes we could forget that it´s getting close to Christmas because it´s still a million degrees and humid. Well, not really a million. The wet season is actually cooler, and it started about when I got here to the Orient. It will be really hot and sunny and the rainclouds will follow. The other night (Saturday) there was a pretty crazy loud storm with a lot of thunder and lightning. We were teaching an investigator, Juana, the first lesson-the restoration at the time. I felt really blessed as the storm calmed just for a few minutes to explain Joseph Smith´s experience in the Sacred Grove. I really love that we made a tradition of going there and to the pageant, so I have my own memories of that very place. Thanks Mom and Dad.
Back to the weather, as Zac and Seth asked about it a while ago, it generally doesn´t rain torrentially when we´re outside or tracting. The Lord just blesses us like that. It probably rains at least once a day, even if only a bit. Whenever we are out in the rain, it is generally a relief from the pouring sweat from exertion in humidity and heat. I´m not really sure how hot it is degrees wise, but I´ll find out sometime.
Ecuabit: There will randomly (according to my knowledge) be paros in the roads here. That means people will be mad about something and just block it off. It´s generally not a problem for us here, because people striking or really wanting to make a difference don´t block off roads between the Orient and Quito. (Not enough people really want to travel out here all that much. Hahaha) Generally, you won´t hear about it, but just try to go somewhere and have to turn around and go back once you´ve traveled the couple hours to discover the paro. It´s probably a valid excuse for getting home late for dinner, though.
I just put that ecuabit in the middle because we did a lot of traveling this week. But, as I told Presidente Lara this week in my email to him, Esta semana no tuvimos mucho tiempo para trabajar aquí en nuesto sector porque estabamos viajando mucho, pero todavía aprovechabamos este tiempo del Señor cada día. En verdad, somos muy bendecidas y sé que tenemos la ayuda de Dios cada semana. Estoy agradecida por Sus entrañas misericordias que Él siempre nos da. Haha I forgot that I wrote that in Spanish, and so it wouldn´t really be ideal to paste directly over. Well until those who don´t know Spanish get someone to translate, I just am so grateful for the tender mercies that the Lord does pour out on us. After having a crazy day at church, and little time during the week to work here in Tena, we were just so blessed last night. Just going on our way, we found new people and had many opportunities to teach, even though it wasn´t something we planned in to go and find new people. Not only that, but we found some people who really have studied the Bible and recognized the effects of the great apostacy. It is such a blessing to just be able to carry the truth to people who really are ready. Everyone needs it, but there are people that the Lord really has prepared, with His angels and the experiences in their lives, to receive it now. That great lesson with Jorge and Monica was followed by another great opportunity. We taught a family from the big FHE we had the Sunday before. I was so happy to see the attentiveness and understanding of the teenaged children as they listened. I know we are engaged in the amazing work of the Lord here. Satan is trying to break families and destroy us, but we know we are on the winning side. The Lord will conquer in the end. It is just our responsibility to choose to be with Him, always serving and fighting to build and establish His Kingdom here on the Earth until He comes again. How great is my call!!! :D
We lost Monday and Tuesday work time to doing things in Quito. The process of getting my censo wasn´t too bad. We arrived at the immigration building at 4:30 in the morning to be first in line so we could give the good tickets to the senior missionaries who came at 8am. They let us in the building around 7, so at least we weren´t frozen by the cool Quito morning. Then, each number, when they starting serving people at 8ish, took about 20 minutes for a while. As we (five sister missionaries-us and the threesome from the offices) sat and waited for hours, we talked with another USA native. He had questions about the church and doctrine from when he´d worked with members a long time ago. (it really does make a difference even just to let people know you´re LDS and let them see your good examples :D ) We pretty much taught him the Restoration and just kept answering his questions about all sorts of things. I love that the Gospel is true. I love that we have all the answers because of the Restoration of the Fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whatever question someone has, we have the Spirit to guide us, and we have the answers. We cannot be confounded by men. Anyway, we left Chris (the man) with a copy of the Book of Mormon and challenged him to not only read and think about it, but to show his faith in God and pray to know of its truthfulness.
When my number came up to go up to the window and get my censo, or paper for foreigners that says we can be here in the country, I grabbed my envelope of official papers and went straight up. Of course, at this time, they didn´t wait 20 minutes between numbers, but 20 seconds,. Thus, when I got to the window and they asked about my number, I got the reply, “We already passed you´re number, you´ll have to wait.” (okay, really it was in Spanish, but anyway) Then they accused me of not paying attention and sleeping instead of being ready. Problems like that and nervousness really don´t bring out the Spanish skills, so I plead with the AP native who was there to help me. We just tried the other window and received the same response, but, remembering that I had been there since 4.30 in the morning and the first in line, I was not as quick to retreat. In other words, I didn´t leave, so the police officer grumpily started serving me. I vote that if people don´t really like to help people, they shouldn´t work in such capacity. I have my censo, though. The funny part is that this office-the one in Ecuador, has been closed for about 6 months because they didn´t have paper, or materials. So, there´s a bunch of people who don´t have these “necessary” official documents, and everyone understands that, so you don´t really get in trouble if you don´t have them. At least I´m prepared. I should be, as we teach about being prepared all the time.
No, I haven´t received a package yet, but we´ll see. About the card, I could write out an authorization paper and send it to you. But then again, the lady I set up the account with at Hunt´s knew my plans and everything. They were supposed to send it to the house there. I don´t remember her name, but it´s the first office on the left in the main building in Burton.
What day would be best to call and talk to all of you? I was thinking you´d be there and actually at the house on the 25th. When do you think you could call? I´m allowed to call and talk to you for five minutes to finalize plans a couple days before. Then, we´ll have one hour, but it doesn´t necessarily have to be on Christmas day. Our house number, if I don´t have a cambio, is [number removed RAH] ….you can check on ¨howtocallabroad.com” to check on the first six numbers, but the last part is sure.
Oh..the elders are here, and I just received a note that I have a package. Now that I´m learning things, it´s better to send two packages so they´re underweight and I can get them through the mission. I´ll have to pick it up in Quito….woah, and pay a pretty penny. All the same, I know I have a package in Ecuador. Haha Thanks, Mom!
Love you all!!
Hna Sue
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