Hermana Warburton: First Week and Baptisms :)

Buenos días familia!! Espero que todo estén bien! les amo mucho!

My first week in my new sector- Orquideas in ward Semanes 1. I LOVE this new sector! it is so fun! so different than my last sector. This sector is a city, where my last sector would be like a little town. Totally different! It has pretty nice houses, cars, and GREAT food. Like really good food. Everday we eat some good stuff, and the members are constatly feeding us. This week i even ate a brownie! wow! and this coming week we are going to eat thanksgiving dinner at a members house.

Tuesday was my first full day in the sector, and we were blessed with such a great day. We were able to teach many people and I met some of the great investigators here. Joffrey is an investigator that will hopefully be baptized next week, and he with his cute family invited us to his house for Christmas dinner!

Wednesday we met a new family, a mom with her 4 kids. They are so cute! her 4 kids are pretty young... and a little crazy... it kinda reminds me of my family when we were all younger. they are so fun! we were able to go into her house, because as we were talking to her outside of her house we asked if she needed any help with anything, and she said yes! so we went into her house and helped clean all her dishes and kitchen. we ran out of time to share a long message, but sang I am a Child of God, and closed with a prayer. Then the next day we did the same thing. Came and cleaned her dishes. When we finished we also ran out of time, but she said to us, "when you guys come next time, you should come in the morning when the kids are at school!".... she invited us back and we didnt even have to ask! Service is a magical thing!! :) And i loved serving her! it was one of the highlights of my week! She is a great mom, and really would love the Gospel!

On Saturday I had my FIRST BAPTISMS!!! :) We had the baptisms of Cindy and Vilma! :) They are two great people! Vilma was originally a Buddist, and has come such a long way to be baptized. When she came out of the water, her face was full of such relief. She looked like so many burdens had been lifted off her shoulders. Cindy was prepared from the beginning. She has such a great testimony, and is such a cute girl! I am so happy for both of them. The baptism was so special! My companion, a non-member girl, and I sang "Me Encanta Ver el Templo (I Love to See the Temple)" for the baptism, and it was such a neat experience too. What a great night!! :) Im so grateful for baptism and the hope and light it brings into peoples lives.

This past week i have learned a lot about the importance of love and service. That is really what missionary work is all about! Everyone needs to realize that they are loved, and this can be realized as we do service and even just talk to people. I have learned a lot about that through my new companion, Hermana Childs. She is such a great example of Christ-like love. I was also thinking about this great poem that Thomas S Monson said about love and kindness:

"I have wept in the night

for the shortness of sight

that to somebodys need made me blind.

but i never have yet

felt a tinge of regret

for being a little to kind."

how true is that? Jesus Christ is the perfect example of kindness and love. When we follow Him, we will be able to feel of that love, and learn how we can show that love to others. I hope you all have a good Thanksgiving week! There is so much to be thankful for, and I am so grateful to be here in Ecuador. Thank you so much for YOUR love and kindness that i have felt. Have a great week!

Les amo,

Hermana Warburton

PS... I also had my first experience of washing my clothes in a bucket... haha :)