Fruits of Labor and Just Fruit!

Lots of Fruit in Ecuador...This one, Passionfruit

I am an in the city Guayaquil, Centenario. it is a richer area, a lot of people have cars and actually have fairly nice homes. Habiscuses and other tropical flowers grow outside people´s homes, they are so beautiful and people in the U.S would kill to have these kind of flowers! People here really love rice and Plátanos (really big plantain) there are two types, verde, green and flavorless, you have to cook it and you make chifles and patacones with these. Then there are Madures wich are mas dulce (sweet) and you make Madura Fritas with them, you cook them as well. They are both really good.

I am actually doing fairly well with the language. it is easier for me to just listen to people talk than for me to talk, even though I am fully capable of holding a conversation with somebody. I need to have more confidence in my abilities. The fastest way to learn the language is to listen to what common words people say, study them, and study the scriptures! When you know the doctrine and do all you can to serve people, the Lord will bless you with the Gift of Tongues!

Arnold and Ayer with Giovana at her baptism

The people are hospitable here! Every time we go to someone´s house they offer us jugo, agua, or cola or anything that they have. The people love to talk and tell their life stories. At times it is unrelated to the lessons, but it shows they trust us, and they love to have company! And also Latinos love that upbeat hymns, and it does not matter if they are in tune or the harmony, they just sing with conviction and testimony, it is awesome!

Saturday was got 8 references from a member and invited so many people to come to church. We were positive that we were going to lograr out metas ( reach our goals) which was 10 compremetidos a assistar a la Iglesia. We woke up early one Sunday morning, to walk to thier houses, and nadie (noone) woke up and noone wanted to come with us .We were devestated because we also missed the Santa Cena. It was a really hard Sunday, my body was tired and just wanted to go home and sleep.

I learned that God withholds miracles from us because he is testing us, we need to fulfill our capacity or our potentcial. We haven't been inviting enough people to be baptized, Lately I have felt a burden, this is how I usually feel when I run a race and I dont give it my all, I am going to have peace until we give it our all and invite everyone to be baptized. Afterall that is our purpose. We need to have faith that someone will accept our message. I also learned from Hermana Ayer, that if we have trials or we have problems, we need to understand the root of our problems, like Nefi when he broke his bow. We have our agency to change our situations, and trust in God that he can help us fix it!

I just need to remember his will and he has all power to give us miracles! We just need to constantly change and trust in God! Max Lucado said, ´God loves you just the way you are but he refused to leave you that way." This life is our time to prepare to meet God. The Lord knows best; he knows our potential, I love you all!

Hermana Arnold