Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hi Family!!

Happy happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as it looks like you did in all the pictures! I can always count on you guys to have a blast, invent new games, and have fun doing whatever it may be :) My idea is that we can start planning a big thanksgiving party for two years down the road. Everyone in for that? Sweet.

My Thanksgiving, obviously, was a little different than most other years, but we had a great time and I DEFINITELY realized what I’m grateful for. There’s just something about being in a third world country that helps you see how blessed you are really fast. Here they call it Dia de accion de gracias... and again obviously, they don’t celebrate it here. I was actually not expecting to do anything that day. Most of the missionaries in our zone didn’t do anything, just a normal day of work. But... were lucky enough to be in a ward with two American families and they invited all six of us from the ward over for a big Thanksgiving dinner. HAPPY HAPPY DAY! I think our dinner was about identical to what we always have at home.. Potatoes, turkey, salads, fruit, rolls, stuffing, pie, pie and a ton more pie. I don’t think I’ve been so stuffed on my mission, but oh it was so worth it. (Mom, we ate this chocolate, peanut butter, Oreo pie, and I think one of the moms is going to send it to you. Make sure you save the recipe because I want to make it with you when I get back!) Anyway, it was such a fun night (I’ll attach some pictures). We talked about families, the gospel, how much we love Ecuador, but how different things are than our homes, and we all went around and talked about the things were grateful for. It honestly reminded me a lot of being with our family.. happiness, talking, and food. 

Thanksgiving with an American family

You guys, I am so grateful for so many things. Being here in Ecuador for the last 4 months has made me thankful. So so thankful. I know that sometimes being home, living the day to day life, it’s easy to get comfortable with what we have. That happened to me. I’d like to think that growing up, through high school and during college I was grateful, but I don’t think I’ll ever quite look at life the same. We are SO Blessed.

Obviously if nothing else, I have come to realize how completely grateful I am to have the family that I do. Family.. thank you. For your example, support, love. I’ve seen so many people with no family here, and boy, have I been given some of the best.

I’m also grateful for email... (surprise surprise:))

I’m so grateful for beds!

I’m grateful for the opportunity to have perspective. That we know why were here in this life and that every trial we have is for our growth

Grateful for ice cream :)

Grateful for the companion that I have

I’m grateful to have a clean house

I’m also so grateful to know that we have opportunities where we live. Opportunities to learn, meet great people, have and raise a family in a good environment

I’m grateful for hot showers

I am especially grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. For the opportunity to repent and improve after every mistake we make. I am so so grateful to know that our goal is to become like Christ and one day see Him and our Heavenly Father.

And I’m so so grateful to have the opportunity that I have to be here in Ecuador sharing the gospel. It has made ME so happy, seeing other people so happy. Not only this, but I’m grateful that we can share the gospel for the rest of our lives. By our words and by our examples.

Of course... this is only part of the list I made in my journal, but wow, we have lots to be grateful for. During companionship study this week, my companion made a comment that I really liked. She said... yes, we have so much to be grateful for, but even if we had nothing, I want to be the kind of person who finds gratitude and happiness from keeping the commandments of God. We DO have so many things, but I know that the happiest we will ever be is when we are doing right... when we can feel confidence that we’re trying to follow the Lord. I really liked that thought.

Family Night making cookies

So.. back to the beginning of the week, we had a great family night on Monday with Familia Cheme. We wanted to do something fun, and different than the norm. So mom... thanks to you and the cookie mix you sent, we had a lesson about reading, praying and attending church, and when we combine these three things, our testimonies are so much stronger, better, "more delicious" and complete. (Using the egg, butter, and mix as these three things). Afterward, we baked the cookies, and decorated them with the cookies and frosting you also sent. So so fun, and the kids were loving it. They were sad that we only had one package of cookies to share :) But thank you mom!!

Saturday we had a really cool lesson with one of our ward missionaries. (Have I mentioned that we have some really strong, awesome recent converts?) We went with a girl named Tatianna, who was only baptized a year ago, and she’s working on her papers to leave on a mission. Man, her testimony is so strong. She comes from practically nothing, and she’s the only member in her family. She bore her testimony that night on how she knows without a doubt that the church is what will bring us happiness. She’s had a lot of people in her work make fun of her and has lost some good friends because she joined the church. She talked about the opposition from satan, that not everyone is going to agree with us, but its because it is true. She told me later that even though her family aren’t members right now, she knows that they will join one day. She is such an example of faith. Wow.

Thank you thank you for your letters and love. I am so grateful for you guys! 

Love Hermana Yorgason