La luz de Navidad

Hola familia y amigos! Feliz Navidad! (almost....) 

Another week in the great barrio of Semanes 1! I really do love this sector and this ward. Hermana Childs and I are having a fun time teaching and sharing this Gospel to the people here! 

We are still working with our investigator Joffre and his wife Katti. This week they were still not able to get their marriage papers done.. so no baptism this past week. But! This coming week they should be married and we should have a baptism! We are so excited for this great couple. They love the Gospel, and have such a desire to share it with others.

On Friday we did divisions with the Hermana Assitents to the President. We had a good day and were able to visit a lot of people. it was a little scary because i had to basically lead our sector, because i was with a hermana asistent and not with hermana childs.... and ive only had like 3 weeks in this sector! but i was able to find the houses, and it went really well and we didnt get lost! haha :) 

This week though i made some pretty funny spanish errors... 

-like i told hermana childs i was going to eat all her flesh.....

-------- So hermana childs told me that the meat we were eating for lunch was making her stomach upset... so i told her " yo voy a comer todo su carne".. which was " im going to eat all of your flesh"... oops! ( i was trying to say i would eat her meat at lunch for her... but it didnt translate exactly right)

AND

-all the people here when you greet them you give them a kiss on the cheek. both males and females do this to each other. of course the sister missionaries only do it to the women. BUT some men dont know that about the missionaries. so its suuuppper awkward when the men dont know that and i basically have to run away from them...

But im having a great time here. The ecuadorian people are such a sweet, great people. im learning a lot from them!

Yesterday in the Christmas devotional, i really like David a bednar´s talk. i loved how he talked about Christ as the Light. Today in my personal study i was reading about the First Vision and Joseph Smith and was again reminded that Christ is the Light. because when Christ and Heavenly Father appeared to Joseph a pillar of light came upon him, with great glory and brightness. Christ literally is the Light. Admist darnkess and confusion, the Light that Christ is, always shines bright. Light will alway conquer darkness. Gracias a Jesucristo, we can have this light shining bright in our lives admist the darkness that surrounds us. :)

Gracias por todo! Les amo mucho y tengan un buen tiempo de Navidad! Lo mejor tiempo en el año! Gracias por sus oraciones y amor! 

les amo! :)

Hermana Warburton

p.s. picture is of me at the mall de sol in guayaquil... its HUGE!! even bigger than the last mall i went to!

Feliz día de Gracias... and FOOD!

Feliz día de Gracias!!

This week was great! I had a lot of fun experiences with fun people and lots of yummy new food! 

On Monday for p-day hermana childs and i went to the san marino mall in guayaquil.... and its HUGE!!! it so big!! i felt like i was back in the USA! it was all decorated with Christmas decorations and a great big Christmas tree. there was even a dunkin donuts and i ate a donut for the first time in a while... and hermana childs had a donut for the first time in over a year!! hahah!

Tuesday we had our usual zone and district meeting with the other missionaries and hermana childs and i had a practice in front of our district. we have practices every week and i always get soooo nervous! but this week they said our practice for contacting people on the street was almost perfect! they didnt even give us anything to work on! i think that gave us great confidence for the rest of the day... 

because tuesday we had a great day of finding new people to teach. it was our day of "service teaching" because we helped people paint, and move into their houses and by doing so we were able to share our message of Jesus Christ. Also it was really neat because one of the families said that they liked talking to us, because we were different. they had never really talked to people like us before and they felt good and different talking to us. how neat is that? truly the Spirit touched them even in the simplest of ways.

On Thursday was Thanksgiving... and it was so fun! we had a super cute family- Family Olia- in our ward (our mision leader of the ward) cook us thanksgiving dinner. they cooked a turkey and salad and we helped them make mashed potatoes. they were so cute the whole time because they kept asking us what we do next and how thanksgiving is supposed to be run. :) and when they tried the mashed potatoes they didnt even really like them (but of course hermana childs and i were living on a cloud!!). Then we went around the table and shared what we were grateful for and it was such a neat experience. I felt so much love from these people and this great family! I am so grateful for these great people here in Ecuador! They are so sweet and have such great hearts!!

This week i tried some pretty amazing foods... yep i now understand why people go home with a little extra pounds from this mission. (well its either extra or they lose a lot of weight because of paracites... haha)!! This week the family olia also gave us pizza!! (i about cried with happiness) i also tried: 

- chococakes (they are like cosmic brownies meets hostess cupcakes)

- ceviche (shrimp soup with an amazing flavor)

- camaron (crab!!)

- this delicious cinammon pound cake

- the fruit! mangos, papaya, pineapple, grapefuit.. and more!

all in all my week of food was pretty tasty! :)

Im so grateful for this week in my mission. We have been a little low in investigators to teach this week, but we have learned a lot and received a lot of support from our investigators and converso recientes. With Christmas around the corner, we are getting super excited to share with people the message of Jesus Christ and His birth! Because truly we have all been eternally blessed with the birth of Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of Peace and the Savior of the World. Gracias a Jesucristo we can feel peace and live with Him again. I invite all of you to watch the new Christmas video on discovering why Jesus was born on christmas.mormon.org (or navidad.mormon.org)! It is such a neat video! i invite you all to watch the video and share it with friends, family, and everyone! Because this Christmas season is so special, and its my favorite time of year!! :) Everyone deserves to know why this season is so special! 

Les amo mucho! Tengan un buen semana! Averigua por qué nacío Jesucristo! #HaNacidoUnSalvador

Hermana Warburton

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Mashed potatoes

San Marino Shopping Mall

Dunkin Donuts

Megan and a papaya 

Megan's house; study area

Megan's house; living room

Megan's house; kitchen

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 :)

Pictures from the Baptism, Cindy(on left) and Vilma

Vilma's Baptism

Hermana Childs, Cindy, and Me

Me, Vilma, and Hermana Childs

Transfers

Buenas tardes!! ¿Como le va?

TRANSFERS!

i have been transferred to a new zone and new area of ecuador! we left early this morning to travel to guayaquil and get our new companions! i am now in a zone very close to guayaquil It is very much a city type area. there are lots of houses and gated communites. sooooo different than my last sector!! My new companera is Hermana Childs. :) and crazy enough... we both went on the Utah Ambassadors of Music trip to Europe about 2 years ago, and when we found out we were companions it was a miracle! She is so sweet and im excited to work with her!! :)

But for my expereinces last week in Quevedo....

We got a new investigator, Angel Rodriguez. He is so great! His story and how he found the church is kind of crazy, and truly a miracle. He wanted to change his life and become a better person, and so he went to attend a Jehovah Witness church, but the taxista accidently took him to the LDS Church. And when he was there he knew that God had sent him there, and it was the right thing. He has such a desire to learn and to change, and he is so grateful for the missionaries. We taught him the first lesson about god and the Restauracion, and he accepted a baptismal date for this month! and he even attended church this past Sunday all by himself! wow! 

I had another intercambio with the hermana leaders in my zone on friday, and it went really well too! I helped teach one of Hermana Rebolleta´s investigators- Arturo- the Restoration, and he was so touched when we read James 1:5 and shared the First Vision. he started crying when we presented him with a baptismal date and plan, and kept saying througout the whole lesson that he wanted to be baptized! wow! it was so neat to see how the Spirit touched him, and helped him know of the truth. The scriptures are so powerful, and like Jose Smith, Arturo was so touched by this scripture in James.

I know this Gospel is true and it really can help people change. Only through Jesus Christ can we be clean, and really change. He loves us so much, and is always waiting and willing to help us through anything. It is amazing to see the hand of God in everything. He truly has a plan, and it amazes me everytime, when i am able to see the result of things, and a greater aspect of His plan.

Thank you so much for all of your love and prayers. I know that God truly does hear and answer our prayers. Thanks so much! Until next week! :)

Les amo,

Hermana Warburton

PS-- On a funny note... this week we were walking down the street, and there were these kids playing soccer, probably 7 or 9 years old. and when one of the little kids saw me he said in a awed voice "Angelito". hahahah me and the other member who was accompanying us died laughing when we passed!! hahahaha

pic of the 3 hermanas that were all on the utah ambassadors of music trip 2 years ago! hermana childs, hermana nielson and me!  hermana childs is the one on the far left with glasses... my new companera!!

Temple!! and Fish

 

 Another week in the country of Ecuador! :) And this week was extra great because i got to go to the temple!!

On Saturday my companera and i got to go to the temple with our ward!! We had to leave Quevedo at 5am, and rode in a bus for about 3.5 hours to Guayaquil. But it was worth the drive! Oh how i love the temple! it was especially neat to watch a member come to the temple and do baptisms for the dead for the first time! The temple is such a sacred and wonderful place on this earth. Each time I go, i feel of the love of God so strongly. I know that He truly loves us and has a plan for each of us. We are so important to Him, and He wants to bless us so greatly! He has countless blessings just waiting for us if we are obedient! :)

On Friday we got to attend the baptism of the Bishops son. He is 8 years old. But the neat thing is, we were able to bring our investigator Denise Delgado and her 5 year old son to attend the baptism. They were able to watch and experience it all, including the fun fiesta after the baptism. It was neat to watch the investigators there, and for them to see and feel of the importance of baptsim. After the baptism we asked what she thought, and she said it was very beautiful. Yay! This family really is great and we are praying that they can get married and baptized soon!

Crazy thing. I like fish now. Yep. Remember how i always did not like fish at all whatsoever? Well for some reason, i really like fish now! i ate a whole slab of fish at a members house this week for lunch and actually enjoyed it! and also i like shrimp soup. Maybe its just the Ecuatorian way of preparation, but i have come to like fish! :)

This week we taught a menos activo familia about the importance of the temple. I love talking about the temple, and how it has blessed my life. I like showing families the picture i have of me, mom, and grandma buck at the bountiful temple. I also shared how important and grateful i am for eternal families. I shared that my grandpa buck is not here on the earth right now with me, but thanks to the temple and the plan of salvation, i can see him again! i have great admiration for these people here who travel so far to go to the temple, when i had a temple 5 min away from my home all my life!

Thats about my week in Ecuador! Anoher week filled with lots of rice and humidity! :) But thankfully its also always filled with yummy ice cream treats as well.... :) And full of the love of God at every corner. He is in every step of the way. He can see the big picture, and Im glad to know that! 

I love you all lots! May God bless you and may you feel of His never ending love!

a member of the ward

eating the famous (nasty) colad morada drink and empanadas

me explaining the baptismal font to the son of the investigator

at the baptism with denise delgado and some members

me singing at the baptism... cause i was asked to sing and i love to sing!

the bishop's son who was baptized

at the temple with the lady that made the cute new clothes i"m wearing (the purple top with the green skirt)

the famiiy that is in wedding clothes did not actually get married that day... they were just taking pics cause they couldnt on their actual wedding day.. but this family was our old ward mission leader and he is now the 1st counselor in the bishopric

with the bishop romero and his family

other hermanas in my zone that were at the temple with their ward

At the temple with members of the ward

Happy Halloween Week

¡Buenos dias familia y amigos! ¿Como estan? Epero que todos esten bien! Feliz Halloween este semana pasada!

Mi semana de Halloween was a little different than usual... because in Ecuador Halloween really isnt a big holiday, and most people dont celebrate it, or dont celebrate it in the way that Americans do!! :) But on Halloween me and my comp stopped by a couple of members houses and I taught a hermana how to say trick or treat and then gave her a candy! And then later at another members house -Maria Jose- i got 2 ice cream treats! I do love my ice cream! So my Halloween was different but still fun!

In Miercoles we were able to teach 2 of our investigators, Diego and Denise Denise. We taught the Restoration to Diego, and i was able to say the first vision in spanish! usually i say this part in lessons, because i have the first vision memorized. and it is my favorite part of the lesson! the Spirit is so strong when we share about the first vision and Jose Smith. I know that Jose Smith was a prophet, and a very important part of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth again!

We taught Denise Delgado about the Plan of Salvation. I have been studying this week about the Plan of Salvation and it is such a great plan! Wow! I know that Heavenly Father loves each of us individually so much! He wants to bless us, and we will be blessed when we are obedient. Thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can overcome sin and we can live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again. This plan is a plan of hope and happiness!! :) I know that Heavenly Father is in this work. I have received so much help as i have tried to share this Gospel in the new Espanol language.

My poor companera was sick again this week, so Viernes we were in the casa all day, and many other days we retired early or took breaks. I am hopeful that this week she will start to feel better.

I want to share a great scripture i found this past week in my studies! (cause we study for like 4-5 hours a day.. haha). Its in John 10:1-17. In this part it talks about Jesus as the Good Shepard. He knows and calls us by our own name. Through Him, and through His Atonement, we can find rest. I know it is true. I find such comfort that no matter how we feel or what we are going through, we can always find peace and rest in Jesus Christ.

gracias por todo!! have a great week!! :)

Les amo mucho!! 

Hermana Warburton

me in halloween in maria joses truck!

me and my comp and maria joses daughter naihomi eating ice cream

Add captionme and my desk... where i study... like all day... non stop.. forever!! hahaha

Investigators and Dogs

This week we had some fun experiences here in Ecuador!

On Wednesday we had intercambios- where i get to go with another companion (a sister leader) for a day and serve in another sector. So I got to serve with Hermana Valdespino from Mexico in the sector called Nueva Jerusalen. I really enjoyed it!! She is a great missionary, and i learned a lot from her. One thing i learned was talk with EVERYONE! how else are you going to get new investigators, baptisms, and food? :) It was good to work with her for a day, and learn how to be a better missionary!

On thursday we had an interesting encounter with dogs... Here in ecuador there are a billion dogs. everywhere! so its common to have them all around in the streets. but we had an "interesting experience" with these dogs this past week. my comp and i went looking for a house that we had received a reference for. The family we wanted to visit wasnt home, and so we proceeded to leave but went out the "back" way through some trees. only to find out that we couldnt actually get out that way. so we came back down the path we came from... but this black dog found us on this path. and he started chasing us! we turned the corner and thought we were good. but we were not! he kept following us, AND called all his other doggy friends and we soon became corraled in by 5 dogs all barking and going crazy at us! any second they were ready to attack! i thought we were going to die!! i kept praying and praying! finally a man from across the street came to our rescue and kind of shooed the dogs away, and we were able to leave in safety! Wow! Heavenly Father does answer our prayers! And in this instance He answered my prayers immediately! 

This week we found an almost "golden" investigator family. The familia Delgado is very receptive to the Gospel, and are so sweet. They even came to church this past week!! The wife is almost always home, and so we have been able to teach her. and she wants to get baptized! but. they also have a grand problem. they couple is not married, and there are complications with them getting married... so we dont know when they can get baptized. But they are a great family! 

Sadly my comp got sick again this week (poor girl!) so saturday we werent able to work as much. but this week was good and we were able to teach and find 4 new investigadors! 

Interesting fact for this week. We usually only eat with spoons. yep spoons! even meat. so i have gotten pretty good at cutting meat with a spoon! haha :) Also i ate fish and shrimp (in a soup) this week and actually liked it! The flavoring was good, so i liked it! Who knew?!

muchas gracias for all of your prayers and love! i am grateful to be serving here in ecuador, and i know that Heavenly Father truly is mindful of us. He is pleased when we choose the right, and will always bless us when we keep His commandments. :)

Les amo,

Hermana Warburton

PS- Congrats Emma Buck on your baptism! :) What a great day for you that you will always remember! Great job at following the example of Jesus Christ!

Visiting a sick hermana

My favorite ice-cream

The apartment minus the bedrooms

The whole chicken we had at a member's house to make sandwiches

Sign that made me think of Ross