I want to be a faithful soldier beside the Lord

Don't worry, I am allllll good. The sickness was for a short time but now I am good. I have been having headaches more frequently but I am good.

Mom don't worry about the hospital bill, because the church pays for things like that. If I get sick in the mission the bill goes to the church.

So everything is good.

Its funny, the house where I got sick and they helped me out that day. Well everyone in that house now is sick. Now I didn't get them sick. I wasn't capable of passing that sickness to others but they got something else. Now their house is a hospital. Everyone sick and so we went and with some oil and the priesthood, we were able to give a lot of blessings there. 

This week was super good. I can say that the highlight was that I was able to listen directly to a 70(general authority) Elder Useda. He is from Peru. He is powerful. On Friday we were in a conference with him from 7:30am to 7:30pm. 12 hours of conference of pure spirit and motivation. I was able to assist a leaders council with him also. It was super long but edifying. 

What I loved from the conference is that he talked directly and very animated. He would teach and get quiet for a moment and then stop and then wave his hands and say something almost yelling in the microphone. But it wasn't over baring, it wasn't bad. But it just got what he said into our minds. He had some different techniques of teaching. He said that  when we notice that the Spirit has touched our hearts or put words in our minds, then we raise our hands and write those spiritual thoughts in our journal. It was only to show how the Spirit is actually there. It was wonderful. All of us were raising our hands a lot. He taught us about how we fell the Spirit. Many people think that we hear a voice.  In the scriptures it says that the people heard a voice, but he cleared that up. He said with a lot of energy. "THE SPIRIT SPEAKS SILENTLY". He repeated a lot so that we keep those phrases in our minds. Its so true. He said that the Spirit does speak but in our minds and in our hearts. But its not speaking like we speak. He said that the purpose of a voice is to convey a message. That's what the Spirit does but silently. Through thoughts impressions and feelings. He based it off of D&C 8:2

Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart

He talked about studying the scriptures and how we need to study frequently and profoundly. Then taught us how to study profoundly. Wow did I learn a lot there. Very powerful the way he taught and referred to the sacred things. He repeated, "I KNOW THE VOICE OF THE LORD.  YOU KNOW THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD". Very awesome.

Well other than that I have been kicking along. Elder Useda brought new understanding about my own dedication to God. In my studies today I learned about that. OH forgot to tell you I finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish for the first time this week.

Now everyday I am trying to only do what the Lord wants and focus on that and only that. 

Well I am still focused but wow I only have like 5 months left. WOWOWOW.  There is this sister missionary that got to Ecuador when I got here and well she is going home this next month. Which means that very soon its my turn. WOW.

Yo quiero ser un soldado fiel al lado del señor... (I want to be a faithful soldier beside the lord)

I love you guys so much. Thank you for your prayers. 

ElderLuke.

p.s. oh wow it hurt to hear that Elder Perry passed away. Keep his family in your prays.