Hola Familia en 2011!!!
Did you go through the white stocking of goals for FHE today? I hope so! I love this tradition and definitely want to do something like it in the future. For now, I wrote down my goals in my study journal.
Once again, I have made the goal to read Jesus the Christ. This may be the 3rd time or more I have made this goal. But this year, I have a really good feeling that I will accomplish it! I have other goals for study and such which I am excited about working on.
Did you go through the white stocking of goals for FHE today? I hope so! I love this tradition and definitely want to do something like it in the future. For now, I wrote down my goals in my study journal.
Once again, I have made the goal to read Jesus the Christ. This may be the 3rd time or more I have made this goal. But this year, I have a really good feeling that I will accomplish it! I have other goals for study and such which I am excited about working on.
New Years here is locisimo. Or something like that. On the 31st we returned to our apartment at 2 pm, did weekly planning for a few hours, and then with Hna Montenegro and Hna Barker we made hamburgers, french fries, and corn on the cob. It was deeeelicious and so much fun to cook. It felt like summer. We rocked out to EFY music and Mindy Gledhill. Oh the life of missionaries. :) I thought of you and your
sea food dinner! The only seafood I have eaten so far is tuna,. but it was yum yum in my tum tum.
For the whole month of December and maybe before this, the people are busy making paper mache figures. They are in the shape of all sorts of things-- buzz lightyear, and toy story figures are a favorite! They are called munecos de ano and on the 31st at midnight, they light them on fire in the streets. The big ones have some kind of explosives in them so when they are lit they make a series of BOOM BOOMs. It was
CRAZY! We all woke up to the sound of a battlefield at midnight. The people were in the streets, music was playing loudly, and there were also huge fireworks in the sky. We clapped and enjoyed to view and
sounds from our window. It was really fun to watch and hear. They know how to party here in Ecuador. On the 1st of January we could leave our apartment after 2 pm, so we spent the afternoon waking up our
investigators to remind them about church in the morning. It was reeeeally interesting. BUT! Our efforts paid off and we had five investigators at church on Sunday morning! This was really exciting for us.
It was fast and testimony meeting this Sunday and the meeting was soooo good. There was a non stop stream of members sharing their brief but true testimonies. It was exciting for me to realize that I am
getting to know and love the members in this ward! We need their testimonies and efforts in this work. I also shared my testimony--in Espanol! I was nervous before because then the ward members would know
exactly how well I can speak... but I think the Spirit was at least communicated and that's what matters. It is amazing that I could say all that I wanted-- very similar things as I would say in English. What a blessing it is to have the gift of tongues.
Remember Gio?? We are hoping he will be baptized this Saturday. He has an interview with President Montalti so we will see if he can be baptized or if he will need to wait. We are praying really hard for Gio. The highlight of this week was when we walked by Gio´s house 30 minutes before we were going to teach him. There was Gio sitting on his little couch reading the Plan of Salvation folleto we had given him the day before. It was sooo tender. He had a ruler and a pen in hand and was marking parts. We watched him without him noticing and my heart truly was so happy. It is so exciting to see someone come to Christ. And with Gio we can see tangible evidence. The first time we talked to him he was a different person than he is now. I believe we met on my second day here and he came up to us as we were talking with a group of older gentleman sitting on the corner. In the beginning, Gio was a bit unkept and such and he has an evangelical background so there were a lot of AMENS during the first lesson. :) But now he is calmer and has an inner peace that comes with a budding testimony. This Sunday he was at the church 30 minutes early. I think the member who was going to bring him to church was a little worried when Gio wasn't at his house. But all was well! Gio was waiting in the church. I need to send a picture of Gio. He is a thin little man with
a partially empty smile due to the lack of teeth. Gio is just classic and it brings me so much happiness to share the gospel with someone who applies it and comes closer to Christ through it!
I have a strong desire to share the gospel because of how much it blesses our family. Thank you for always being valiant and for focusing on the basics like family prayer! I can testify of the impact of these things because I know it from personal experience. What a blessing. Thank you for preparing us for missions and for preparing all of us for the journey of life!
I do not know all that this next year has in store, but I have faith that it is going to be a year full of happiness and joy. I am excited to see the Lord's blessings in our lives. No matter what the year brings, the answer to it all is in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have such confidence in this which is yet another reason why I love sharing it.
Love,
Hermana Garlock
sea food dinner! The only seafood I have eaten so far is tuna,. but it was yum yum in my tum tum.
For the whole month of December and maybe before this, the people are busy making paper mache figures. They are in the shape of all sorts of things-- buzz lightyear, and toy story figures are a favorite! They are called munecos de ano and on the 31st at midnight, they light them on fire in the streets. The big ones have some kind of explosives in them so when they are lit they make a series of BOOM BOOMs. It was
CRAZY! We all woke up to the sound of a battlefield at midnight. The people were in the streets, music was playing loudly, and there were also huge fireworks in the sky. We clapped and enjoyed to view and
sounds from our window. It was really fun to watch and hear. They know how to party here in Ecuador. On the 1st of January we could leave our apartment after 2 pm, so we spent the afternoon waking up our
investigators to remind them about church in the morning. It was reeeeally interesting. BUT! Our efforts paid off and we had five investigators at church on Sunday morning! This was really exciting for us.
It was fast and testimony meeting this Sunday and the meeting was soooo good. There was a non stop stream of members sharing their brief but true testimonies. It was exciting for me to realize that I am
getting to know and love the members in this ward! We need their testimonies and efforts in this work. I also shared my testimony--in Espanol! I was nervous before because then the ward members would know
exactly how well I can speak... but I think the Spirit was at least communicated and that's what matters. It is amazing that I could say all that I wanted-- very similar things as I would say in English. What a blessing it is to have the gift of tongues.
Remember Gio?? We are hoping he will be baptized this Saturday. He has an interview with President Montalti so we will see if he can be baptized or if he will need to wait. We are praying really hard for Gio. The highlight of this week was when we walked by Gio´s house 30 minutes before we were going to teach him. There was Gio sitting on his little couch reading the Plan of Salvation folleto we had given him the day before. It was sooo tender. He had a ruler and a pen in hand and was marking parts. We watched him without him noticing and my heart truly was so happy. It is so exciting to see someone come to Christ. And with Gio we can see tangible evidence. The first time we talked to him he was a different person than he is now. I believe we met on my second day here and he came up to us as we were talking with a group of older gentleman sitting on the corner. In the beginning, Gio was a bit unkept and such and he has an evangelical background so there were a lot of AMENS during the first lesson. :) But now he is calmer and has an inner peace that comes with a budding testimony. This Sunday he was at the church 30 minutes early. I think the member who was going to bring him to church was a little worried when Gio wasn't at his house. But all was well! Gio was waiting in the church. I need to send a picture of Gio. He is a thin little man with
a partially empty smile due to the lack of teeth. Gio is just classic and it brings me so much happiness to share the gospel with someone who applies it and comes closer to Christ through it!
I have a strong desire to share the gospel because of how much it blesses our family. Thank you for always being valiant and for focusing on the basics like family prayer! I can testify of the impact of these things because I know it from personal experience. What a blessing. Thank you for preparing us for missions and for preparing all of us for the journey of life!
I do not know all that this next year has in store, but I have faith that it is going to be a year full of happiness and joy. I am excited to see the Lord's blessings in our lives. No matter what the year brings, the answer to it all is in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have such confidence in this which is yet another reason why I love sharing it.
Love,
Hermana Garlock
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