Always Growing...Always!

Hermana Arnold and Hermana Ayer

The mission is pretty difficult, getting used to missionary life and the language. The people are pretty nice, although, it stresses me out sometimes when we are at the church and their are a lot of Latinas there, and the common thing to do before and after you greet them is you kiss their cheeks...seriously, I am not used to that! Latinas are very touchy and loving...haha its wonderful, they are so full of charity!

The language is still difficult but Hermana Ayer is helping me a lot! She is like an older sister, she is the best senior companion ever! I think with her help, I will be able to have the language down in 3 months!

The spirit is amazing, I have never felt its presence this strong before! I have learned that the spirit talks to me in inspirations and ideas. I never know beforehand if that is what they are, but the answer always comes after. I am able to detect good and bad spirits, just by looking at them! It seriously is a super power!

knowing the scriptures has been the most wonderful asset for me on the mission! I may not understand completely what others say, but by the look on their face and the few words that I do catch , the spirit tells me thier needs and exactly what scriptures they need to hear. I may not know the language very well, but I do know the language of the spirit!

Apparently smiling is not something Ecuadorians do in pictures

We had 1 baptism and conformation this last Saturday. His name is Eduardo and he is 14 years old. We call him the Karate Kid because he takes Karate lessons and jujitsu and he strongly resembles the Karate Kid. He is seriously is muy Chévere! ( That is Cool in Spanish) He has such a gift to understand the gospel and he is so responsible! We are very happy for him and we believe that he will always have a stong foundation in the church.

The past few weeks we have been praying specifically for a family of 3. We haven't had much success because we are both new in the area, we are still getting used to know the members. Sometimes it is really hard to hope, but the Lord leads us along. One night we had 20 minutes left to go back to the Casa, and so we decided to find more people to teach. We were walking down one street and we both felt prompted at different times to turn down a certain street. The street was emanating with the spirit! So we turned at this street not knowing why. We walked still not knowing, we were both asking,"spirit, where do you want us to go?" At that moment we were planning which houses we felt we needed to visit and we wanted to know the name of this street. We saw a family walk out of thier house and asked them what the name of the street was and the cross streets. They told us the name was Rosenda Savilles. We thanked them and went about our business. While we spoke to them, I had the strongest feeling that we needed to teach them! I realized they are the family of 3 we have been looking for!

I never cease to learn that the only way we can be receptive to the spirit is by being good girls or good boys and being obedient! Obedience brings blessings, but Exact obedience brings miracles! I know that that is true! I cant wait to publish peace to the people who have been waiting to hear the gospel  their whole lives! I know that my savior lives and am so grateful for the atonement, I truly am nothing without him! The gospel is true!

Hermana Arnold

First Week in Ecuador!

I'm sorry I do not have pictures yet, it is not as safe to take pictures because of robbers...it is definitely different here! My companion's name is Hermana Ayer, she is super cool and she has a year in the mission field! She is fluent in Spanish and she is super focused! She is from New Hampshire and she is 22 years old. She will be returning in June. It has been nice to have a companion who both speaks English and Spanish, I am able to ask her for help whenever I need it and I know that she can relate because we are from the same country.

Hermana Arnold with the group of
missionaries that entered the field with her.

Let me just say that in the coast, it is super hot and humid, but it has its own beauty! There are lots of beautiful tropical flowers and huge trees!! I am in the city of Guayaquil, but our ward is called Centenario. There is more poverty here, and lots of stray dogs and cats. It is definitely different than back at home...I did not realize how lucky we have it in America. The people in Ecuador are super serviceable and giving, even though they do not have a lot, they still always want to give everything they have, it truly is amazing how loving these people are.

People don't speak as clearly here, so it is not only difficult to understand the language, but it is difficult to understand the way they are saying things. I am not going to lie, it has been a challenge for me, and sometimes very discouraging because I want to run before I can crawl. It has honestly been hard to even walk the streets and stay awake because it is so emotionally and physically exerting. I know it will take time and I know that if I am obedient with exactness, I will able to have the gift of tongues and see miracles.

The customs in Ecuador is when you leave or say hello to people you know, you kiss thier cheek, that was very different for me! Also, there are no rules on the road, so people drive on both sides of the streets in both directions, it is kind of funny but also dangerous! We were in a taxi once last week and our driver drove on the left side of the street, and I immediately thought of Jerry Seinfeld, ¨ I would never do that in my car!¨ haha It made me laugh...to kind get through things emotionally, I have had to just laugh about things. These kinds of things happen everyday, and I know that I will soon become more accustom to it!

The ward is kind of small, but they are strong members...with lots of youth! It makes me so happy to see so many young kids, coming to the knowledge of their savior and doing there own missionary work! The people in my ward are wonderful missionaries, they know themselves what ¨ the work of Salvation¨ is. There are lots of young youth that want to serve missions, and they have only been baptized for 2-6 months...that is so cool!

One scriptures that really helped me was a scripture that my friend from the CCM, told me to look up: it is D&C 78:17-18: "Verily, verily I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you; and ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The Kingdom is yours, and riches of eternity are yours. This scripture gave me so much comfort because I know I cant see my success now, but if I wait and I am dilligent, I will be able to love every minute of my mission, and I wont want to return. I know things will get better, and even if I have doubts, I should not doubt my testimony, because I have one, and I know my Savior lives. That is about all I have been able to communicate to people, and I know at times, that is the most important for conversion: it is simply knowing that our Savior died for us and that He lives. I love Him and wish that I could see him, and I know that day will come...I just have to wait

Until next week,

Hermana Arnold

On My Way to Ecuador!

Just wanted everyone to know that I am heading for the airport tonight!!! I seriously can't wait to get out on the field and serve the people in Ecuador! I am so excited to finally start teaching and publishing peace! Please pray for me that my trip their will be safe and my luggage will not get lost!

It was wonderful to have the experience of being in the presence of an apostle, Elder Oaks is very factual and methodical in the way he speaks! He get's the point across! It was so amazing to hear a man who holds all the keys of the Priesthood on Earth to bind the blessings for the CCM! He talked a lot about Preach My Gospel how it was essential for success on the mission, and that member missionary work is vital! He also said that the Lord had plans for the CCM even before we were born...he said the Lord has so much more in store for it! He not only dedicated this place but he blessed all the missionaries leaving from it, that they would not be grieved! So much he said was so sacred, but I know the things he said were inspired for me and all who were there to here. I have more confidence to go out on the field, because I am blessed by a MESSENGER OF THE LORD!  I know this place is a very sacred and I love the people in Mexico, I am going to be sad to leave this place and the people that I have come to know and love! 

I have a testimony of prophets, and I know that they speak directly to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. There is no hesitation in their voices, they bear witness of them! They are special witnesses of Christ! I know that faith is more than believing, it is acting, and everyday we exercise our faith. I know that God puts people in our lives to help us become better, to learn to have unity and to learn to be patient with others. I also have learned to be patient with the Lord's timing, the Lord is building and shaping us, we just haven't seen his master piece in the finish yet. I also know that obedience to the commandments of God will bring endless blessings, and if we truly open our eyes to his small tender mercies, we will begin to see the miracles in our lives! I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and that he restored the church on Earth. We have to fullness of the Gospel, and the Lord is hastening His work, I am so exceedingly joyful to be apart of it, I cant wait to see the light come into people's lives and give them the hope that they always wanted but never could find. I can't wait to fall in love with the people in Ecuador! This is going to be the best year and half of my life!

Wish me luck!

5 weeks in...One week to go.

I am very much ready to leave for the field, but of course I have some worries. I am really apprehensive of not being able to understand the language, its going to take a while to get used to the way people talk, I have been able to kind of get used to the dialect of spanish speakers in Mexico, but I know its going to be different in Ecuador. I have also heard a lot about bus robbers, you can't really wear or bring with you something that is sentimental, or else someone might just pickpocket it or worse, stop the bus, and one by one they take those things with a gun pointed at you. I am really afraid of that...I really want to wear things that remind me of why I am here and my family, I just hope that if it does happen to me, I hope that the Lord will be with me.

The past couple weeks have been the hardest for me. Its been difficult for me to be with a companion 24/7 and being very different from each other. We have gone through similar things, but we both have dealt with them differently. I feel like I have been a terrible companion, and not loving enough. I am trying to be more bold and express myself more, but I have not been thinking about her feelings. She feels as though there is this leash around her neck. She said something to me yesterday, that really made me think all day, it was about how she could not live up to my expectations. There needs to be a balance. At times, when I know I have done something incorrect, or I receive constructive criticism, I try to work even harder. This way works for me...and I guess without realizing it, I forced that upon her without realizing it. She is more of one to be relaxed, and if someone gives her criticism, she will feel overwhelmed, she does not work well under pressure. So, she has to put her mind somewhere else. From what I assumed, I always thought that she chose to do the things that she wanted rather than the things that she needed to do first and that bothered me a little. But she never expressed to me that is the way she copes with stress. She told me that when I give constructive criticism, I need to ask her how I can help her. She also said we need to be patient with each others weaknesses because we are not perfect. I felt terrible all day. I felt like I didn't deserve to think of myself as a nice person, I felt like I didn't deserve to be feel good about my talents and so that is when I prayed to Heavenly Father that I could not only be forgiven be I could forgive myself. I prayed that I could forget about myself and reach outward to others. Immediately I felt the Love of God, and I imagined the Savior telling me that this was the exact reason why he died for me. This experience was a testimony builder for me. I know there is no other way that we can be forgiven or forgive someone else for our sins. Christ needed to atone for our sins because we would not be able to get back to the presence of our Father. I am so grateful for the Atonement, and the Savior's perfect love...I desire so much that if I could just have the faith of the brother of Jared, I could see the finger of the Lord. Or if I knew the Savior well enough from the scriptures, the Lord would see it fit for me to show himself to me. I cannot wait for the second coming of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and we will be able to see him as he is and know all along that He lives.

One thing I am really proud to say is my knowledge and memory of the scriptures. My patriarchal blessing says something about this and I didn't understand until now how important of a blessing that is for me. If I read every day, I will be able to have the spirit with me and I will be able to use it for the benefit of others. During lessons, scriptures always come to my mind at the moment when I needed it. and someone in my district was kind of amazed that I knew the scriptures so much. The thing is, I did not read my scriptures every day in Highschool, but I did go to Seminary everyday, and those lessons just stuck well in my head. I am so grateful for this gift that I have...I love the scriptures, I love the word of God! I find so much more peace and meditation from reading the scriptures, they are my new means of relaxation, they help me so much to get through the day! The scriptures are amazing!

Last night for one of the devotionals, I got to say the closing prayer (in Spanish), I am normally fine during class or companionship prayer, but I was really nervous. I always feel as though because my knowledge of Spanish is so small, my prayers are like a child would say them. It was definitely a cool experience to say a prayer in Spanish and the Lord is able to understand it because he is perfect, but it is also the language of the spirit. It is hard sometimes, like before I begin eating, to say prayers in Spanish, so sometimes I will just say it in Spanglish. I am getting better, I am using more future and preterit tense. You would not believe how many rules there are for verb conjugations!

This Sunday, I am so incredibly excited because Elder Oaks is going to come for the dedication of the CCM! Its going to be broadcast and there is a tradition that happens every time an apostle comes. He will usually arrive during the Hymn, but as he walks in, we all are supposed to stand and we have to be more reverent and quiet! I cannot wait to see him and be so near this apostle and prophet. Its going to be a wonderful and spiritual experience, especially since I have never been in the presence of an apostle!

Grandpa, will be in my prayers and I promise that I will not worry too much. I just hope that I will be able to see him again after my mission! Also, it is such a blessing that you were able to find someone to bring my license, photos, and debit card. I am glad that that worked out. Also, I would love it if you could also send me my pick laced cardigan, my black flowered cardigan, and the knitted one in my closet in the care package. If you cant find them that is okay, I just don't know why I didn't think to bring those. I will see what I can find in Ecuador! I was told that they have a lot of cool "Aztecy" scriptures cases, I hope that I can buy some cool ones in Ecuador. I love you very much, and miss you when times are hard. But I know I have been prepared for this moment, I know that the Lord called me to succeed and not to fail! Thanks for all of you support, cant wait until I can tell you all about the dedication and my trip to a place called South America. Its like America...BUT SOUTH! Love you!

Week 4 in the CCM...

This week has been another great learning experience! I have learned so much about obedience and how much blessing can be received from keeping the commandments. The scripture, "if you keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land," means so much to me now, when before it was repeated phrase I didn't completely understand. I have grown to love Nephi and his example of always being obedient to the Lord because he knew that the commandment were for his benefit, that the Lord was preparing a way for to accomplish the things He wanted him to do. I know that if I "will go and do" the Lord will help me accomplish the things he wants me to do.

I have learned so much about spiritual promptings, and the importance of scripture study. My preparation for most of our lessons we are going to teach, have mostly been from the scriptures and let me tell you, I am so grateful for seminary and scripture mastery, remembering things I learned and the scriptures I memorized guides me in my lessons. Those scripture masteries are the bare essentials, they encompass the entire Gospel of Jesus Christ and give us guidance to live in accordance to the Lord's will. I have never appreciated the scriptures so much in my life, it is such a treat to be able to study and them and feast upon the words of Christ!

I am also amazed by the Holy Ghost, and its spiritual power to guide me and my companion in lessons. We have learned to act on our faith, and we have to trust that the Lord will put words in our mouth, if we have studied sufficiently. It amazes me how much more prominent the spirit is, and I realized that I know how it speaks to me. It speaks to me in direction and in ideas, it might be a small voice, but I feel it more than I hear it. I don't know if I am so immersed in the spirit or not but I feel the promptings and impressions are so much stronger! The spirit is a wonderful teacher! The spirit teaches and testifies to us that what we are teaching is true. I feel as though certain experiences at the CCM always relates with our lessons that we teach. As if everything happens for a reason and I am having those experiences to learn! It was amazing because I was explaining the principle of obedience to my investigator, Julia, I explained to her that when we keep His commandments and we are obedient, we will be blessed, even if we don't know the reason now, I felt for the first time in my life the spirit baring witness to me that it was true. That was the first time that the spirit actually spoke to me in a still small voice. I was living that principle. I have learned that if we want our investigators to pray more, we need to pray more. If we want them to repent, we need to repent. We need to live what we are teaching, we need to be worthy to teach.

During class one day, we were watching a clip from one of Elder Bednar's devotionals. And Elder Bednar is all about answering questions, so someone asked whether or not a prompting was from the spirit or just themselves. He said, " Don't worry about it! BE A GOOD BOY OR A GOOD GIRL!" He recounted an experience he had when he was a missionary in Germany in the 1970s. President Packer had just recently been ordained an apostle and was visiting Elder Bednar's mission at that time. President Packer and his wife were visiting His mission at that time and they needed to go through Easter Germany to go to some conference of some sort. So Elder Bednar and his companion had to take them to the train station, Elder Bednar gave President Packer 20 marks (do know how to spell it, you can ask Uncle Aaron) because He was concerned whether or not they have anything to eat or be safe because they would be traveling late at night. Little did Elder Bednar know, was that President Packer's wife had a Visa extended for 3 years, and the Easter Germans were not allowing individuals to pass through Eastern Germany with this kind of Visa. The man that checking the passports on the train, was the scariest and most evil man that President Packer had ever met. Somehow, when this man got around to Elder Packer and his wife to check their visas, Elder Packer was able to "righteously bribe" him ( as Elder Bednar comically put it) with 20 marks that Elder Bednar gave him. Later on after they arrived to the conference, President Packer was told the severity of the situation: that it was miracle that they had made past Eastern Germany, because many people with the same kind of Visa, were forced to stay in Eastern Germany! They were saved by the 20 marks.

Elder Bednar talked about another devotional that Elder Packer spoke at BYUI when Elder Bednar was president of the school. Packer said that everything you can understand about the gospel or spiritual impressions can be learned from a missionary with 20 marks. Elder Bednar said that when he gave him to 20 marks, he did not know the reason why. But many years later , he realized that it was a spiritual prompting. He received it because "he was being a good boy", he was doing everything he was supposed to. He said often times we will never know it is prompting until after it happens. He said that is why we shouldn't worry if it is a prompting or not because if we are doing everything we are supposed to, the spirit will be with us and it will guide us in the right direction.

Dad, I am so grateful for how much you have taught me to give a hundred percent in everything I do. Thank you for always pushing me to have good study habits . I would not have been able to learn the language as fast, and I would not have been as focused on the work as I am now. I now have been able to experience and I have a testimony of D&C 84:85: the Lord is able to put words in my mouth that I would not have remembered myself. I am able to remember words in Spanish that I have only written down once or have looked at twice. It is as if I have acquired a photographic memory for the Spanish Language! El Espiritu Santo es verdadero y yo se como Lo habla a mi. El Don De Langua es verdadero y tengo fe que yo Puedo testificar de JesuCristo con lo. Yo tengo un testimonio de JesuCristo. Yo tengo un testimonia de profetas y yo se ellos son testigos especiales de Cristo. I know that if we act in faith without knowing beforehand what we should do, the Lord will deliver us to the right place and the right hour. This church is true! I love you and am so grateful for how much you prepared me for this moment!