Of New Companions, Fanesca and Testimonies in Spanish

So my newest companion is named Hermana Cambal, she is from Puyo, Ecuador which is the Frontera de las Sierras y la Ciudad. I am really lucky because I get to learn actually ecuadorian Spanish, and learn a lot of things from her because she knows the culture. It was really hard at first, to accept the fact that there were cambios, but after a few days, when I saw the way she teaches, and the new ideas she has, she is really Pilas! I have a ton things to learn from her, she knows the gospel and is really strong in the scriptures, and has a lot of different and awesome ideas

A couple days ago we made pizza with family with part members. We were able to kind of have a stronger bond with them and show them that we were serviceable. It was a nice change and it was really fun. I hope that the more we serve people like this, the more they can trust us and are comfortable with us sharing the gospel with them, and them accepting it.

This week, the holiday Semana Santa happened, it is basically like Easter and everyone basically holds crosses and flowers, walks around in the streets together, and sing sad songs in tribute to the crucifixion of Christ. They have this tradition in making fanesca. fanesca is a soup where they use dried fish, uncooked frijoles, egg, maduros, and vegetables. I had fanesca with tuna in it. I have heard that different opinions from missionaries about fanesca, but it actually isnt bad. It is cool to try something new!

There are a lot of pluses and minuses to the mission, although there are ton of baptisms there a ton of menos activos! The easiest type of person to baptize is niños because they are the most humble and the most accepting, however if they have no support, they will most likely fall away. I have seen a lot of people who said they were baptized in the church, but have not come back for many reasons. It is so sad to see them not want to repent and not want them to come back. The gospel will improve thier lives, going back to our sins only will make us more miserable. Wickedness never was happiness. It is so important to have support, but it is also important to have a foundation. We need to always read the scriptures and pray. It is the small things that strengthens our testimony and belief in Christ.

The Lord everyday has shown me that I can do this. There are a lot of days where I feel I can't get through another day and we will not be able to find people, but we do. I have the spirit with me and the spirit talks to me and inspires me. The spirit helps me to say what I need to say, and I know that people listen to me. Words have always been my biggest asset, I always to help people with them, and I know I am. I am blessed with the words of life and the gift of tongues, I have authority to preach the gospel.
yo sé que Jesucristo vive y él es me salvador y mi vida.

Yo sé que la iglesia de Jesucristo de los santos de los últimos dias es verdadera. La Unica manera nosotros podemos regresar la presencia de Dios es mediante su evangelio y su enseñanzas y nuestra fe y esperanze. La Quiro muchismo, no puedo esperar por su proxima carta.

Hermana Arnold

My Typical Day (with a small tribute to my mom)

Herman Arnold and Ayer recreating a pic
from her mother's mission

A typical day here is to wake up at 6:30 am, pray , wrokout, get ready at 7, have breakfast at 7:30 , then at 8 we have estudios personales, then after that we have companionship study for 2 hours, then at 11 we have idioma estudios. At 12 pm we start proselyting. usually we visit one or two people before lunch and then we go to lunch at 1 pm. We have about an hour to eat, then we proselyte from 2-9 p.m, we teach converso rescientes, menos activos, and investigadores. if we don't have any sitas (appointments) that is when we just start talking to people on the street we either invite them to go to church or invite them to be baptized. I have learned that it is important to talk to everyone until we find the right ones (mangos bajos). At 9 p.m we return to the house, we plan for the next day for about 30 minutes , we inform the district leader about our progress, and after we write in our journals and get ready for bed...that is my day!

Sister Weiler and her companion circa 1989.

I am getting a new companion this week.  I am staying Centenario and Hermana Ayer is training another hermana and they are opening up a new sector in Cuenca. I am really jealous that they get to go and really sad that I don't get be with Hermana Ayer...We have been through a lot these past 9 weeks, its crazy to think that we are going to part. I know this is the Lord´s will and we are both going to grow in some shape or form. I think we are going to be friends forever.  Seriously, she is like my best friend now.

Things have been really good in Centenario, but still it is one sector that is little more duro than others. Duro, meaning hard hearted. Hermana Ayer said at one point she had 11 investigators and right now in Centenario, we only have 3. Santo Rosa is more pobre and campo (poor and field/ valley) people are more accepting. In Centenario, there are more people who have money and cars, so people don't like to listen as much. But the one thing I have noticed about this sector is that, even though people don't like to listen as much, the people that do are Seguro( sure) and they know for sure that they want to be baptized, they don't just get baptized on a whim. I have noticed that in order to be fruitful, we have to be very obedient...its not as easy to receive so many new investigators. The members of the Ward are so helpful and the mission leader works really hard to keep the members active and help the converso rescientes. Hermana Ayer said that the ward is probably the most solid in all of Guayaquil, the members have such strong testimonies of missionary work, they help us a ton!

I love the members and the area however, I have to break through many mental barriers. These past 9 weeks have gone by fast but they have also gone by really slow, at times I wish I were somewhere else. I guess these cambios are good because it is going to help stretch me and change things up a bit . I am terrified because I have a Latina Companion, and so far this is my first. I have to show her around Centenario to get used to things and I am so nervous, because I have depended so much on Hermana Ayer...its going to be a lot on me for a while. I speak pretty good Spanish for only be here 2 months, but I know it is going to be a challenge because I still have a lot to learn. Looks like the Lord is going to bless me, I just need to stretch my wings and fly from the nest. I am capable of leaving the nest! I know the Lord has a plan for me and he just wants me to grow, I am so grateful to be in Ecuador and to be able to speak Spanish. I am so grateful to have the knowledge that God lives and that God communicates to his children. I am so grateful to be born into a family with the gospel, I realize that even though I am blessed, I have a big responsibility to help others come unto Christ and find thier families. I need to remember all the blessings that I have.

Elder Utchdorf said something that I really liked: could I suggest, as a disposition, a way of life that stands independent of our current situation? in other words, im suggesting that instead of being thankful in our circumstances--whatever they may be...true gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. it comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will.

We need to always remember our blessings, and during both hard times and good times to have a thankful disposition, having eye of faith and hope that someday everything is going to be okay and these trials of life are only temporary. During the ups and downs i need to look at the bright side of things and need to see the reason that I am going through that trial, and one day I will see what that prepared me for. I know that this life is short and that we go through a lot of hard things, but it is not in comparison to all the things we will go through in the eternities. As Elder Utchdorf said, we are not made for endings, our lives are only made to begin and never end. This mission is only a year and half and I know this experience is going to shape me for the rest of my life. I am blessed to have these experiences, I know that this mission will sustain me forever.

I love you all!

Hermana Arnold