#letter49

Hello! Cambios Well, we had changes this week! My new companion is Sister Salas. She is from Lima, Peru. Sister Salas is 24 years old. She was a massage therapist before her mission. She was baptized in 2008 with her sister then a month later her mom was baptized and then her dad was baptized a year later. Now, her entire family are members. She is a clown! She loves to joke around and is always thinking of new jokes to tell. She says that she is shy, but I don't believe her because she is really outgoing with me. She loves to dress up and loves dresses.She always asks, "What are we going to wear for this or that?" "We need to find a pretty dress for this meeting or this occasion". She speaks really fast! We didn't have a lot of time to teach this week, however, when we have taught the Spirit is always so strong when she teaches. I love her! Elder Holland is coming to Ecuador We will have a stake conference with him on Feb 14th and then we will have a meeting with him with our mission on Feb 17th. It's the talk of town right now. We are all preparing for his visit! Double the Trouble Well, I'm officially the nurse for 2 missions now! The Quito North mission and the Quito mission. I got a call from President Richardson that we were going to have a meeting with President Christensen about my offering to help with the other mission. Then, they notified the mission to start calling me! It all happened so fast, but I'm doing both now! I'm taking care of 400 missionaries now. One of the hardest parts of the transfer is learning 200 more names. haha! Each mission has a localizer with all the names of the missionaries and where they are. It is my life saver. I would be lost without it! I KNOW with the Lord's help though I can do it. After all, that's why I offered. I know I have been prepared before my mission to be able to have this responsiblity and I know with the Lord's help, I can do all things. President Richardson shared this scripture with me this week which I love: Alma 26:12 "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." It will allow for the 3 missionaries that they had in the office to be out teaching and serving the people of Ecuador which I'm so happy about! There are people to find, teach, and serve! We need as many of our missionaries out in the field as possible! I know that this is an opportunity to share my gifts and talents. Since I don't know anything about the south part of Ecuador, we are going to be traveling to the different parts of the Quito mission to see their hospitals and clinics in the next couple of weeks. We went to Tena this week which is the jungle and then Ambato. The orient is really HOT, but it is so beautiful!!!  Something that I LOVE about Ecuador is that there are so many different cultures in one little country. The people in orient  are different then those in the country or the coast. Their traditions, the food, the way they dress, and the way they speak  are all different! False Alarm Well, I had quite a blonde moment this week. Let me tell you. We got home from traveling for 2 days and I realized that my keys were not in the normal place that I usually leave them. We called the secretaries because they have a copy. (Phew) Everything was good. We went out teaching and came home at 9:00pm. I put one of the keys in and it wouldn't turn. No problem...there's another. Then, I tried the other. This one didn't turn either. Uhhh....I looked at my companion. She tried and it didn't work for her either. I tried again. Nothing. I turned to my companion and said "What should we do?" She said, "Let's pray". After, she tried to get in with sliding a card. We called the secretaries again and they told us to talk to the guard to see if we could get a lock smith. The guard tried the keys, but again nothing. He said there was nothing that he could do because it was a Saturday. We were exhausted. We sat down outside of our door and then I opened my bag..took out everything and GUESS WHAT...there at the bottom were the keys. HOW EMBARRASSING! The Lord always, always, ALWAYS answers our prayers. Even if it is our own faults. He is well aware of every situation and will lead us and guide us. The Field is WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST D&C 4:4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; Jessica has strengthened my testimony of this scripture ten fold. She was prepared before we found her to hear the gospel. She will be getting baptized on February 13th! As soon as we left the church she started talking about who she wanted to baptize her, what time her baptism was going to be, and who was going to come. She said that her mom was going to come!!! She is very excited! We invited her this week to pray specifically to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet called directly from God because she has had a few doubts about some of the doctrine and always asks where it is in the Bible. I know that she will receive an answer and that when she receives an answer, she won't feel the need to find in the Bible as well. I know that each of us have the opportunity to know for ourselves if we just read and ask God with a sincere heart. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know it is something that we need to read daily. That there is so much for us to learn and much more that Heavenly Father wants to teach us as we are reading. Sunday we had a family of 7 come to church. 5 of them are less actives that we are working and 2 are not members. I literally jumped out of my seat because I was so excited to see them at church! It was a beautiful sight to see them in front of us sitting together, filling up a whole bench. We talked to Merceles and Raul who are the mom and dad. They said there was nothing better than to have their whole family at church with them! I couldn't agree more! I know families are FOREVER. It is one of my favorite things to testify of because I KNOW IT! That we can be EXAMPLES for our family. That each of us will have hard times where we need others testimonies to help lift us and other times where we will need to lift others! We can help each other grow and learn! I know we are each in our families for a reason! I'm so grateful for my family and for the example of each of my siblings and parents. I don't know who I would be without them! I'm grateful for their strength and their testimonies. Especially for their love for me! Love you all! Have a great week!!! Sister Pemberton

- B.