Week # 81 remaining : 23 weeks

GREETINGS!!!! One and all! 

First off. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEIKAYLA!!!!
The world rejoices at the celebration of your reaching 16 years of life on Earth!

And also to Ashlyne!  Patriarchal blessings are one of the best gifts of life!  I recommend you read it at least once a week, and begin to study it, writing in it notes, scripture references, and diary entries of the promises there becoming realized as you continue worthily in your life.

Well, just as the title says, this was a Lazy Week! Why? Well, we were only out proselyting for about 3 of the 7 days this week. So, to show you all, here we go! Day by day!

Tuesday:  Carnival continues to rampage Latacunga.  We promptly had to stay inside.  BUT! Luckily inside also includes the downstairs store of our first counselor!  So we helped him make some T-Shirts to sell in his store. We made the designs, and then we all worked on the shirts! here were the 2 that he wanted us to make, and they sure are swell!

Wednesday:  We get to work!  Bryan, out 16 year old future baptism, is doing swell.  All we need is to get written permission from his parents, and this next Saturday, he`ll be good to go!

Thursday:  Zone meeting, and some normal missionary work.

Friday: Special training meeting with president Ghent!  Wonderful!  Some of the things we learned were on obedience, repentance, and observing your investigator.  While teaching, it`s necessary to begin by doing 3 things: Observe, listen, and discern.  We don`t teach lessons, we teach people, according to their needs and true desires.  So, at the start of every first lesson, we find their `need`, whether it`s something to do with marriage, freedom from sin, or any other problem, and show how baptism can help them overcome that problem, and in the first lesson, commit them to set a baptismal date as a goal.  He also taught us one thing on how to resist temptation.  Here`s the practice:

20 seconds.  It`s pretty short isn`t it? 

Try holding your breath for 20 seconds, and count in your head.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Much longer time, isn`t it?    

So, every time you are faced with a temptation, to break a commandment, give in to temptation, or do something that requires much judgement, take 20 Seconds of Bravery, and give yourself 20 seconds to think of a plan, or good reason not to give in to that temptation.  and that time span gives you enough time to get a hold of yourself and avoid committing that sin. 

Neat, right?

Saturday:  Many fallen lessons, a ward activity, and a ward dinner!  YES!

Sunday:  Election day in Ecuador!  Which means, danger for North Americans!  We can`t go outside!  So we rushed to church in a car, and right as we walked in the first counselor told us, ^Elders!  You two are giving talks today, apparently the secretary forgot to tell you.`  Whoops!  But never fear!  Elders are always prepared!  I actually gave a talk on preparing to serve a mission. Here are the 3 things everyone needs to take with them before leaving on a mission:
1- Testimony
2- Worthiness
3- Desire to Serve

And after church, we didn`t do too much because my companion and I were slightly ill!  so we relaxed and watched some preach my gospel DVD`s.  A very fine day!

Monday:  We woke up, Feeling much better, and I ate a whole box a Mac- n`cheese for breakfast.  (quite tasty) and my companion finally got his own Quena!  Now we are both musical flute masters!  And here we are!  We have a lesson tonight with a new investigator, so I hope all goes well!

Well, It seems that is all for the moment, So I wish you well!  Have a stupendous week!

-Elder Sanders

PS- PHOTOS_

Well, as you can see, we were inside A LOT this week, so they are rather crazy!  They include us playing our beautiful Quenas, the finished cut of the project I started last week, a pencil sketch of how spiritually powerful missionaries are (we can wrestle grizzly bears!), and the shirts we made.  A fun week!  I can`t wait for more!