A swell week indeed! Plenty of action and excitement!
Alright! So the biggest newsflash of the week: 2 baptisms! And One
confirmation! only one you may ask? Well, I shall explain;
Saturday! We had the day
planned out, lessons, a meeting, and the baptismal service at 8 PM in
the local pool (yes, we still don`t have a baptismal font and the river
is muddy and full of deadly jungle beasts! Exaggeration.) So, all was
good until it came to pick everyone for the baptismal service, we found
Angela, the 8 year old, but could not find Leonor, the 60 year old! She
had not returned home from work and it was 30 minutes until the
service! But just at 8:00 , she arrived! And we had the service and it ran
wonderfully, they both were baptized and many members were able to
arrive. (I`ll be sure to send photos as soon as I can get this computer
to accept my companion`s camera) And then, as we were leaving, Angela`s
12 year old brother informed us that she was going to leave for Quito
that night with her mom.
Talk about bad timing, she
left Quito and was unable to be confirmed as a member and receive the
Holy Ghost! Her baptism is only 50% complete! And next week is
general conference too, so we won`t have Sacrament meeting there either,
so we`ll have to make an exception and confirm her during the week, or
re-do the baptism because the baptism by water and fire (confirmation)
must be as close to each as physically possible, in time because they are
so related. But, we`ll figure it out. Good thing Sister Leonor was
able to make it all the way through, we`re so happy!
Ah, what else? Oh yes, the first counselor of the mission arrived to
visit and train our little branch, and it went great! He taught us
Saturday, and spoke about how all the organizations should work together
to support the family, because all the members form `parts`of the
`body` of the church, and we need them all. Also, he spoke of
leadership, as leading people like a shepherd leads his flock, not
prodding them from behind with a whip, only criticizing and forcing them
to move, but leading by love and example.
And! I am no longer first counselor of the branch, for while the first counselor of the mission was here he was able to call other members to
fill the spots in the bishopric, so I am released from a grand duty!
AH!
So things are going better, my companion and I are getting along
better, and we met a less active member who is currently making us
hand-made hammocks! They are oh-so-comfortable.
So, we`ll keep working, keep finding, and I`ll be sure to keep our companionship in line!
-Elder Sanders
PS: I was thinking the other day, if we still have the Violin in the
house, keep it for me! For many months I have seen the desire to
re-learn how to play it, and I crave to have it in the near future,
thanks!
PLUS:
Camera update, I haven`t bought one yet because a member of ours is
visiting Guayaquil, and says that she can find a good camera which is cheaper over there, so I`m waiting for her to return to bring me a good
one, so just wait!
AND!
PSSS: If you get a chance, could you send a copy of our current family
tree, our branch is starting to do family history work and I want an
example to show them, thanks double! I love you all! The tall and the
small! (cheesy rhyme) 
