Mi Misión en Ecuador

Hola! Buenas tardes de la misionera en Ecuador! :)

Wow how time sure flies by! I cant believe that this is my last week as a missonary and representative of Jesus Christ. Wow. it seems like just yesterday i was in my training as a new missionary. It has been a wonderful experience that i will treasure for my whole life.

This past week we had a great week. I have been so blessed these past few weeks of my mission with so much happiness and miracles. This week we went to the temple and had my last zone conference. It was great! How i love the temple, and it was my last time going to the temple as a missionary here in Guayaquil. Wow. i have had so many great expereinces and memories in this temple here in Ecuador. I know that the temple is the House of God, and that God knows us personally and loves us. 

On Wednesday Mercedes had her baptsimal interview. i was so happy when she got to the church, early, and ready for her interveiw!! :) she was so happy as well after and is so excited for her baptism this coming saturday!

On Saturday we were able to do service at Mercede`s house, and help her bag the sand that she has in front of her house so that she doesnt lose all the sand when the rain comes and floods where she lives. We had the help of the Elders in our distict, and we had a good morning helping Mercedes. She was so happy with the help as well! The sun was suuuuper hot and bright that day, and almost all of us got sunburned!! haha!! .)

Wow. I cant believe my time as a full time missionary has come to an end. I am so grateful for the opportunity i have had to serve the people here in Ecuador. The mission is nothing like i thought it would be. My mission has had its ups and downs, but has always always brought me joy. The misison is not easy, but nowhere in the scriptures does it say that life is easy. In 2 Nephi 31:10 when Jesus says ¨Seguidme¨(Follow me), it does not say that it will be easy. But it does say that it will be rewarding, and that we will find more joy and happiness in His path than in whatever other path we choose. It is the only path that leads us to everlasting life and eternal happiness, some this happiness i have experienced here on my mission!

Througout this path on my mission i have learned SO much. i have been helped and strenghtened through great companions. I have learned so much from each of them, and each of them has helped me in my conversion. each companion i know has been inspired by God. Each ward that i have had the opportunty to serve in has been such a blessing. the members here are amazing. the investigators and conversos are also such special children of God. I feel so grateful for the opportuntiy i have had to serve next to such great leaders, members, and companions.

My mission has taught me that there are MANY ways to share the Gospel! Whether it be through talking, contacting, singing, firesides, service, or another way, i know that we can help and touch other peoples hearts through the Spirit. The Holy Ghost is the true teacher in all the teaching that i do, and i have seen this so many times in my mission. How important it is to teach and always have the Spirit with us!

I know that conversion is a process, a process that lasts a a lifetime. How grateful i am to have been able to see other people convert to the Gospel and find joy in repentace and the Savior. i have seen how people can change their lives through the Atonement of Christ. How people have come unto Christ and found the happiness that they have been looking for. I have found happiness as i have also tried to be more Christ like. It is the only happiness that is real.

Throughout my mission i have come to know better my Heavenly Father. I know that He is my loving Heavenly Father, He lives and has a plan for each of His children that is perfect. I have seen many times in my mission the great power of prayer. I know that Heavnenly Father listens to my prayers. He answers my prayers. i know for a surety that He listens and cares about each one of us. His love is real. I have learned that as we are obedient to His commanments, He will bless us, every time.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know He lives, and I love Him. His Atonement has helped me so much on my mission to be better and improve. It has given me the strength i have needed. But not only has it changed me, it has changed many lives of the peop'le here. I have seen its power in the lives of the people i have taught. I have come to understand more of the Savior`s love. I know that He is the perfect example for each one of us. He loves us. He knows each one of us personally. He is the perfect example of charity, and i feel more than honored to have been His representative here in Ecuador.

I know that this is Christ´s true Church that has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I love sharing the First Vision with the people here, and I love feel the Spirit witness of the truthfullness of this event. I love the Book of Mormon, I know that it comes from God. It has helped me so much to know more about my Savior, and know how to help others with the dificultades that they are going through. I feel so grateful for my testimony of this Book and how it has grown on my mision.

I love this Gospel, I love my Savior, and i love being missionary. I know that as we follow Christ, and follow His invitation in 2 Nephi 31:10 we will find happiness and joy for this life and in the life to come. Thank you for all of your support during my mission! :) Thank you thank you!! :) Cant wait to see you all soon! Have a great week!! :)

con amor,

Hermana Warburton

Alma 7:11-12

Alma 34:9-10

Mosiah 2:22

templo

service at mercedes house with our district

El Amor del Salvador

Buenas tardes!!! ¡¿Cómo están?! ¡Feliz día de amor y amistad! :)

Wow. another week has come and gone. i cant believe how fast this week went by. wow! I hope you all had a great week and were able to feel the Savior´s love, i know that i sure felt His love this week!

This week we started the week off visiting the familia Vera, and talking about families with them. it was awesome. they are such a cute family, working so hard to have a good strong family. Alexandra is reading her Book of Mormon, and is such a great investigator to teach. She is wonderful!

On Tuesday we had a small division with the hnas de Porvenir for a little more than an hour in their sector to help them find a few new families to teach. That day we also were able to visit a new family we found in our sector- la familia perez. They are a part member family and really great! the hno is awesome, and has lots of questions for us, which is good!! 

Wednesday... that day we truly were able to see God´s love for us as His missionaries. We were walking for a while, and NO ONE wanted to let us in. they were either busy, had no time, weren´t home, or just didnt want to let us in. We were a little discouraged, and after we had knocked the last door (the second time we had passed for that house), as we were walking away, we heard someone call to us! it was Alexandra Vera, and she said we could come and share something with her for a moment! we were so happy!! wow. i was amazed! we read the Book of Mormon with her, and i felt so grateful for this expression of love from Heavenly Father and hna vera. ... then after that we saw another miracle when we found a new family to teach! a good family, who even said that would come to church Sunday! although the day started off a little hard, Heavenly Father blessed us for our diligence and work! I felt so grateful for the mercy and love of my Heavenly Father.

Thursday we visited Mercedes (investigador) with the pres of relief socitety - johana. it went so well! johana was amazing, and shared such a great testimony, and knew what Mercedes needed to hear in that moment to help her! Mercedes is such a great daughter of God. She is working so hard to be obedient and change her life. Even with her trials she works hard, and i have had such joy in teaching her. We have been blessed as missionaries to know how to help her and what to share to help her. 

Also that day... we had a great "adventure" in the mud... we were going to visit an invesitagor that lives a little far away, and out in the middle of a tun of mud and plants and basically swamps. well... i about lost my shoes MANY times, and my comp and i were laughing the whole way at the whole situation... our shoes were covered in mud by the end. and when we finally got to the house, the family wasnt home!!! hahaha! 

On Saturday there was a TON of sun.. all day long.... but we were able to visit Rocio, with a member that is a recient convert and it was so special hearing her share her testimony to the investigator, and how the Spirit testified of the changes that have come into her life as she has followed the example of Jesus Christ. We also visited Mercedes that night, and shared with her the Josesph Smith movie, and our ward mission leader was there as well with his wife. it was a good day!!

This week was great and tiring. But i love being a missionary and love seeing how much God loves each of His children. I have learned so much this past week about the importance of agency and how we use our agency. it is a great gift that we are all given, but we need to learn how to use our agency wisely, because when we do, that is when we can see countless blessings come into our lives. I know its true. Ive see the light in peoples eyes as they have come unto Christ and made changes in their lives. How great is the plan of God! His love is infinite. Christ´s love is infinite. The greatest act of His love was the Atonement, that has made it possible for us to find the happiness and joy in this life and in the life to come. I know that as we share with others this great love, that they will find the things that they need in their lives. 

Have a great week! Love you all lots!

con amor,

Hermana Warburton

eating empanadas p day}

       the food the fam pazmiño gave us!

cake for my comps birthday (that was a month ago...)

the mud on my shoes!!

La Expiación y La Obra Misional

This week we had another great week in la tierra de Milagro!! :) i love being here in Milagro!

Monday it rained ALL DAY!! we went to a visit we had waaaaay far out in our sector, and were walking in mud and puddles the whole way there and back.. i dont know how i didnt fall!! haha! it was quite the adventure!! We ended the night visiting the familia vera, who are such an awesome family!! :)

 

Tuesday we got to go to the temple for the start of the Leadership Council Meeting. We were a little rushed getting to the temple, but we made it in time and were able to enjoy the session. I am so grateful to have the temple close and in my mission, and that im able to attend at least once a month as a leader! :)

Wednesday we had our leadership meeting. it was great, and we learned more about our responsabilidades as leaders and how we can help and be better examples to everyone. We watched a great video about  missionary work called "The Atonement and Missionary Work" with Henry B Eyring and Jeffery R Holland talking... if you have time, take a moment to watch it, because it not only applies to missionary work, but callings and the responsabilities we have as members of the Church. 

Thursday we had interviews with President and Hna Riggins and the Asistentes. It went really well. i was soooo proud of my companion who has memorized the First Vision of Joseph Smith in english and she recited it for Hna Riggins in our interview. wow. She did great and the Spirit was there testifying of her words. it was such a neat experience, and im sooo grateful that Hna Peña is my companion! :) 

That day we also visited an investigator Rocio and her kids in las Margaritas. She has been sick for a long time, but this week when we invited her to go to church, she said she would come! even though she doesnt feel well still, she had the desire and wanted to come to church! :) we were soooo happy! as we shared about Joseph Smith and the First Vision, it was the first time she had heard that, but she believes that it is true.

Friday we had an intercambio with the hnas de Porvenir, and i went with Hna Quispe in her sector of Porvenir. it was great! we visited some great families, and i enjoyed working with hna quispe again (i went with her to barrio Samanes for a week a couple of weeks ago): she is an awesome missionary!! 

Saturday we visited Mercedes and taught her about the living profeta, Thomas S. Monson. We showed her a video of his last conference talk, and she enjoyed it. there were a bunch of mosquitos biting us during the lesson... but it was a good lesson! I know that Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God. He guides and helps us know the will of God for us in these days.

Sunday a miracle happened.... we had 8 investigators at church!!!! we were sooooo happy! as they kept coming in, i couldnt not believe it! i was so happy and grateful! Mercedes came to church, Rocio and her kids (who was taken to church by our great ward mission leader in his car!), and other families that we thought would not come, but came! it was amazing! Heavenly Father really blessed us. I am so grateful for His love. Even though i know i am not even close to perfect, i am so grateful that He blesses us for trying and blesses our efforts. I know He loves us!

I am so grateful to be a missionary. Its not always easy, actually missionary work is hard. But its hard, because "salvation was not an easy price to pay" (Jeffery R Holland). Nowhere in the scriptures does it say that missionary work is easy... but its hard, because thats the only way we can be better, and understand a little bit more about the Atonement. If we remember Jesus Christ, even when its hard, we will be given the hope and comfort we need to keep going. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know He loves us. By following His example of obedience and charity, we can truly find happiness and peace. 

Have a great week!! love you all!! :)

con amor,

Hermana Warburton

The temple

 

Consejo de Lideres (leadership council).. all the hnas from my group! i shared my last testimony in the leadership council! wow. i cant believe it!!

pic of all the leaders at the conference