Already figured out what is most important

I am glad that you are done with tax season, mom. That will be a huge relief for you to actually have time in your days. Con el tiempo (with time) you wont have to work, pero (but) its really awesome that you do. Literally its awesome how the Lord provides for our family. 

 

Well this week for me was slow and not much happened. Our numbers this week aren't very good and that was because we were running around doing things for other missionaries. Un dia (one day)we had a two hora invasion  (basically when everyone contacts in someone's area in the zone) in another sector. Got back then we had lessons cancel and had to be at the capilla for three horas to fill a baptismal font for another ward, and then a two hora entre vista (two hour interview) for our investigator Julia Jara who is getting baptized this week. It was a long entre vista because she has done a lot of stuff in her life but wants to change and so it was a lot of counseling and helping her with that. We didn't do the interview it was the zone leader but we had to wait the entire time for that. But all is well because she is listo (ready) for baptism. She is just absolutely perfect, she has been prepared for this church. For Christ.

 

Tambien (also) this week since my companion is district leader we did exchanges with some disobedient elders.  One of the other elders was sick so I stayed in the casa with him and Elder White went to a visit with the other Elder. Hopefully that makes sense. Basically it was supposed to be an hour and it was 2 hours and thirty minutes. That is a lot of time lost in the mission field. So those were our days this week, just bad. But we had mucho lessons con la familia Jara. They are so amazing, we are still waiting for the padres (parents) to get married. Just a lot of paper work, but they will get baptized for sure. So this week we have our baptism for Julia Jara, She will be baptized this Friday so I will have pics next week.

 

Tambien (also) this is the last week until transfers and its very likely that Elder White will get transferred. So for our last P day we are going all out. We are going to Malicone.  It's a tourist sight. Its where I took all the photos of the iguanas and stuff. This time we are going to hike to the top of this hill and see a light house and look out over Guayaquil. This time I will get pictures of me. I promise.

 

I am sorry that this letter isn't very long. That's just because not a lot has happened.  But I had a pretty cool experience with this family. The mom and kids are active but the oldest son and dad aren't. So we sat down and we taught them, menos (without) the dad but I just shared a simple truth that I have found in my short time here on a mission. Eso what really matters in life. They are a sealed family. I explained that they were going to be together forever. Then I shared the simple truth. I told them that I miss my family. It was bad because I started to cry which made the mom cry.  I told them I miss them so much. I explained or at least tried to explain that we do a lot of stuff together as a family. Then I explained that in my day to day things here in Ecuador I don't think about biking with dad or hiking or doing crazy stuff with the family. What I miss most is going to church as a family, reading scriptures as a family and praying as a family. What I have realized is that that is what is most important. The spirit was there and showed a spark of the spirit in the oldest son. We are going to work on that family. But its just interesting, I know what's most important now. Other menos activos (less active) this week I would machete (slang we think for reprimand) them on why they settle for the worst and don't strive for the best. But its just so simple and people don't get it. Read the scriptures, Pray to our father in heaven, and asistir iglesia (attend church). That's what is most important and that's what brings the best happiness in our day to day lives. 

 

Well that's my insight for this week. Hope it made sense. When you use Spanish all the time its really hard to type in English. Don't know why. Its probably that I just suck at typing.

 

I promise this next week I will have photos, and I will have better stories.

All I am saying is feeling the spirit is something so amazing. SO AMAZING. I love it

 

I love you Mom

I love you dad

I love you family.

 

Elder Luke

 

p.s. my ipod broke, and my big suit case wheel broke, and all of my pants keep coming un-hemmed. Whats going on with my stuff?  (Not surprising.  Brian has always had a hard time with keeping his stuff from not braking.  Luckily we got the suitcases with a warranty.)

 

It really is amazing to read these letters and to see in only four months how focused these young boys can become and how in tune they are to the Spirit.  When Brian focuses on something that he is passionate about there really is no stopping him.  I think that is why the language is coming together and the emails are getting harder to read.  But to hear that he has already figured out what is most important in life is amazing.  He's only 18 years old.  It hasn't even been a year since he graduated from high school.  He use to focus on what he wanted and how soon he could get it.  Now, in only four months, he has realized that he misses the simple moments and the spiritual strength of our family.  This is the best experience for him and those he is serving.  I am truly grateful for the Church and the opportunity that Brian has to bring others unto Christ.