Last night!!! Kylie came last night as I was wandering with my companion in the dark looking for someone more to teach before going home.
I haven`t put a lot of thought into what I wanted to share with you all this week.
One day after a specialized conference with two zones of Quito together, President and Hna Richardson wanted to come over to "inspect" our house. We rushed home to tidy up a bit, even though we are pretty good about keeping our li'l home tidied up. They showed up with our zone leaders AND the assistants of the mission. It was embarrassing because they were taking pictures left and right and asking me about all the pictures I have (of you all *cough cough) on my wall...Oh well. They seemed content at the way we clean up after ourselves jeje.
This week my companion read a part of the Book of Mormon to me after companionship studies. She read the sacrament prayer in English. It felt more powerful than it ever had before. The sacrament prayer is something so special. And it impacted me as if it were something I hadn`t heard before...maybe because it was the first time in a loong time since I have heard it in my native language.
This week Hna D and I went to visit someone named "L", who is 20 years old. She`s someone the other sisters have been teaching, and Hna D and I wanted to finally get to meet her, too.
We had a visit scheduled, but when we walked in to see her, there seemed to be a little bit of commotion. On her wall is a huge picture of an old man...maybe one of their family members or something. And, as I looked at this picture waiting for L to come out, we heard as if an old man was moaning from the other room. L came out and seemed a little flustered and anxious. She asked immediately if we could kneel down and pray. We did. She explained that her 16 year old brother was having an epileptic seizure, and that it wasn`t something he`s had in a very long time. Her brother was actually the one making those strange noises from the other room.
L and her family seemed scared, but accepted the offer that we could come back the next day with Priesthood holders to offer a blessing. We did. These two Elders from our ward came and offered a blessing to L for comfort. They would have given one to "R" (her brother who had the seizure) but he wasn`t there at the time.
L has a lot of faith. She`s been to church twice...alone. She`s been reading the Book of Mormon on her own. And she`s shown faith in this unanticipated moment of uncertainty for her brother, by taking the initiative to ask if we could kneel to pray for her brother. She`s also asked if she`s "allowed" to bring the rest of her extended family to church with her.
Sometimes I am so amazed at the faith and receptivity that people outside the church have. It amazes me that, without even knowing everything we as members know, without even having much time in the church, she shows more faith than many who are members and do have those things. Everything we do, are, and become starts and ends with faith. Faith is foundation, it is drive, it is direction, it is hope....Fan the flame of your faith.
Because, on the other hand, we climbed to the edge of civilization yesterday to meet with someone, but found she wasn`t home. So, we spoke with her son because we weren`t quiiiite ready to come back down. And he was SO CLOSED to God. God doesn`t exist. I`ve heard all this before. Don`t waste your time on me....Is what he said. But oh well. We still tried jaja. No effort is ever wasted. And when we decided we simply wanted to leave with a prayer, I thought he was going to punch me jajaja. He looked at us like "don`t you get it!! I don`t want to hear this!" I looked at him squarely back and said with a smile, "Ahh Come on! What do you have to lose? Nothing." jaja And he let us end with a prayer. But I couldn`t help but wonder...what do you live for if you don`t have faith?
Anyways, those were a couple things that came to mind for writing to you this week. My stories don`t quite compete with the amazing story of the arrival of Kylie Mia, but they are a couple experiences that leave an impact.
I love you all! Take care, enjoy life, and give Kylie Mia a little hug and a big kiss from me!
Hna Fernelius :)
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| This is the group of us after a specialized conference with the President and Assistants of the Mission. We switch clothes all the time. I`m wearing Hna Q's skirt jajaj |
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Probably the weirdest combination of breakfast I`ve ever had in my life. We had some vegetables that needed to be eaten. Chocolate pancakes, eggs, potatoes, and a banana milkshake..yummm ,´:]
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| Name plaques I made the Friday morning last week before our ward missionary activity. Two little boys ended up keeping the "elder" name plaques and showing it off to the Elders in our ward jaja. They turned out pretty cool |
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| This was taken oday after playing a wicked game of toilet-paper dodge ball. That`s how poor missionaries do it, jaja. The two tall gringos on the left are our zone leaders, along with the elders that go to our ward along with us 4 sisters. |
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| We ate with "R" yesterday for lunch. She told me Mom accepted her on facebook jaja. Mom, why are you accepting strangers? jaja. But good choice, because R is actually super safe and trustable jaja. I wanted to take a picture with her and send it to you to prove it. Thanks for accepting her!! jaja...P.S. Yep, that`s also Hna Q's dress I am wearing. We are such girls. :P jaja |
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