Studying the Atonement

Dearest FAMILY!!!

Our last lesson with Mercedes.

Looks like things are busy and great. Luuukke!!! You’re starting your papers soon! Ah good luck! I already can’t wait to hear where you get called! My vote is South America :) Let me know when you actually turn them in. 

This week was a fast one. We had something almost every single day... and lots of work. Busy busy.

Monday.. Pday. and of course, Mondays always FLY. They are very enjoyed and very needed :)

Tuesday.. we had an all day conference with President and Sister Richardson and the assistants. Lots of capacitaciones (trainings), practices, teaching, and super good food! President talked about resisting temptations. That satan is so real. He will try to get us in any way possible, but.. we are stronger than he is. We have a body, he doesn’t. We have the ability to resist whatever temptation comes our way because we have Jesus Christ on our team. I loved that. We should never feel defeated.

Wednesday.. we got to watch a worldwide devotional for every missionary in the world. Sadly the connection was bad so we only got to see half of it, but I still learned a lot. I loved listening to Elder Bednar about following the Spirit. "Without the teacher we can’t teach. And the teacher is not ourselves. It’s the Spirit." Honestly, that gives me so much comfort.. That I don’t HAVE to rely on myself, my own knowledge, my Spanish, my wittiness... But as I strive to have the Spirit and open my mouth, He will take care of the rest.

Thursday.. we had our normal district and zone conferences. Hermana Choque and I were asked to teach a training on inviting to baptism. It was good for us to study more in depth, why we extend this invitation, and really.. why we’re here on our mission. To invite others to come to Christ. To have a happier life.

Zone Conference with the mission fam (my mom, grandma, sister...in mission terms:))

Friday.. We had divisions with the Hermanas.  Hermana Lideres and I got to spend 24 hours with Hermana Mortera! Ah it was so fun to be with her again. I was reminded once again how great of a teacher she is. She’s like a walking preach my gospel. So so powerful and has such a great spirit. I learned lots from her. Lots of things that I want to apply to my teaching.

Family Night!

Saturday and Sunday.. Sadly I got sick the end of Friday, and had a fever Saturday and Sunday. A mission is great, but when you’re sick.. it is a WHOLE lot harder. The nurse told me I had to sleep for most of Saturday afternoon, and Sunday.. I just took medicine and pushed through it. But I’m starting to feel better now, that’s the good news. Also we had a great family home evening last night with a family that’s preparing to go to the temple, so I was glad I didn’t miss it.

Anyway.. all in all, it was a good week. It was also the sixth week of our change, which means we had changes last night, Annnndddddd. I’m staying. And so is my companion. Ha, so not much is changing. Only a new clean, white planner and that’s it :) Since we’re both staying, it means there’s more to learn, more people that are waiting for us.

We're continuing to see blessings in this sector and have quite a few people working towards a baptismal date.  I love seeing this change.  Especially in families.

This week I think I helped with more English homework than I ever did when I was in school. Haha, ok maybe not quite, but it seemed like in almost every lesson that we had, someone wanted help with their English that they had to do. Which I am totally ok with, because I actually enjoy it. And enjoy keeping my English up to date :)

One of the menos activos in our ward.

An exciting story... one night we were sleeping and I faintly heard some noise of a bug or something. I was super tired and figured it was just a fly, so I didn’t do anything about it and continued sleeping. After a while, my companion was like... uhh can we turn on the light, something is flying around in our room. We turned on the light, and there was this huge black, beetle, cockroach type bug. And where was it?.. Right next to my pillow! Ya, that was quite startling. (Especially because I was still like halfway asleep. Well... until then) I got a cup and a paper and somehow got it to the bathroom eventually. But ya.. I didn’t sleep too well the rest of the night. That was something I’ll remember :)

This week I focused a lot on the atonement in my studies. If anyone wants a good chapter.. read Alma 7. :) Something interesting that caught my attention is that the atonement.. as we all know, is there so we can repent and overcome our sins. But sometimes we forget that we also have the atonement to use in good times, to become BETTER. The enabling power of this gift. We don’t need to rely only on our own strength, endurance, and knowledge to become more like Christ. We have the atonement. This help to become more than we ever could be on our own. And this.. gives me strength and hope to know that I CAN become better. That is why I am here. That’s why we’re all here on this earth. And we have the help of someone who is all knowing and all loving.

Thank you for your letters, support and love. Hope its another great week! Love you guys lots and lots!!

Love Hermana Yorgason

Ward Party

Hi Family!!!

Hope it was another great week back in Utah. As always.. loved hearing updates and seeing pictures of the day to day life. You guys really are the best!

This week.. I think was one of the best weeks on my mission. Because of lots of little things. But I am seeing more and more how IMPORTANT and REAL this gospel is. I had the realization this week of how different my life would be without it. I realized.. that our life is CENTERED on this gospel, its teachings and its peace. That the majority of our conversations as a family have something to do with the gospel, our decisions, and traditions. Thank you thank you mom and dad for raising us with this knowledge as our core. 

We were so blessed this week to find, teach, and have quite a few people with baptismal dates. I think that this sector is fit for 3 pairs of missionaries because there is so much potential. The work is definitely still hard… because satan is real and people seem to think that following him will make them happier... but there’s lots of work. Lots of potential.

A family that we're teaching.

One of our investigators named Walter has a baptismal date for February and man, he is strong. His brother leaves tomorrow on a mission and I am actually really not sure WHY he’s not baptized yet... but every time we see him, he has so many questions about the church, the scriptures, and how he can live a better life. 

Our ward went to the temple this week (about 9 hours away) and it was so fun to help people prepare. Sadly, as missionaries we can’t go... but it makes me so excited to go again one day in the future. But in sacrament meeting, a couple who got sealed bore their testimonies and through their tears, told how there are no words to describe the happiness they feel knowing that they are going to be together… forever. It was so cool to see how truly happy they were.

Ward Party. :)

Yesterday a family in our ward had tons of people over because they were dedicating their house. They were feeding us lunch, so we went for a little bit also (and got tons of contacts and appointments with all of their neighbors:) ). It was really cool.. they sang hymns, had a spiritual thought, and gave a prayer to dedicate their new house. Like 3/4 of the ward was there.. but it felt more like a family than a ward. They are so close here. The mom of the family had to make food for like… 100 people. And obviously here they have practice and know how its done. She made soup in this HUGE pan, pot, bucket thing and served it with a gigantic ladle. (plus mountains of rice, chicken and potatoes.) But I’ll send a picture of the soup. I thought you guys would enjoy it :)

SOUP at the dedication of the home.  HUGE pot and HUGE ladel!

House dedication.

Also.. a general authority came to speak to us on Friday. Elder Godoy. Man, I left just wanting to be a power missionary. He was so inspirational, and inspiring. And comforting. He talked a lot about how what we’re doing right now is going to stay with us for the rest of our lives. That yes, we hope to have lots of converts. But, if we only have one convert in our mission, it should be ourselves. He told us that everyone comes to the mission with different capabilities and talents. That we’re here not to compete with others.. but to fill our own potential. That we are here to change our nature. That really... we are on this earth to change our nature. To become the person that God knows we can be. We also got some fantastic news while he was there… Next month, someone is coming to speak to us. Elder Holland. Yes, the apostle... oh man, I can’t tell you how excited I am for that!! So so excited to hear from him.

Thank you for your support, letters, and prayers. I know without a doubt that this is the work of the Lord. He is in charge. Grateful to be here. Love you guys lots!!!

Love Hermana Yorgason

One of our great menus activos :)

Hiking in the Middle of Ecuador

District Activity

Hi family!!!!

I barely have any time today because we had a district activity far from our house and we still have to go back and change and get ready for a few of our lessons. But... thank you thank you EVERYONE who wrote me. I know I say it a lot.. but I LOVE letters.

Mateo's baptism

This week we had a baptism of one of our investigators named Mateo. He’s 12 years old and his dad is a recent convert of four months. His dad.. is so strong. Every time we’ve gone over to visit Matthew, his dad sits down with us, pulls out his scriptures, teaches, learns and shares his experiences. Even though his mom and the rest of his family aren’t members...yet ;), Mateo and his dad are at church every Sunday, they come to church activities, and even though right now he doesn’t have a job, he pays tithing, wants to obey every commandment, and always has questions for us about things he learned in his reading. It was the neatest experience to see him take his 12 year old son into the baptismal font. 

Here in this area… we're seeing a lot of potential. And our goal is to hit it running. And not stop. At the beginning of this change everything was unorganized and crazy.. but we’ve really seen the hand of the Lord in the work, and I know he’s preparing a lot of people who live in San Pablo. We’re especially finding a lot of less actives that have the desire to come back to church. It’s been really cool to see the change in them.

So sorry I don’t have much time... but I’m going to try and send pictures. Love you all! I promise more for next week!

Hermana Yorgason

Hike to a waterfall in the middle of Ecuador......Super cool!

My first mangos here.  I LOVE THEM!

Two of the young women in our ward.

Happy New Year! Things I Have Learned

Hola Familia y Amigos!!

Wow wow. 2016. Excited for this year. (And... weird to think that at the end of it I’ll be home.) But... President Richardson gave us a challenge to THINK about how we want the year to end, WHERE we want to be, and not just live it and look back with regrets. It’s been good this week as I’ve thought a lot about the goals I want to set for this year and who I really want to become. I’d love to hear goals that any of you guys have. Always good to hear other ideas :)

Member family in our ward.  Super great! :

Well, I’ve learned a lot this week. Learned because I’ve had some pretty hard, long hot days in the sun. Learned because I’ve had a few extremely spiritual scripture studies. Learned because I’ve been able to see LITTLE miracles in the mission. Learned because I’ve prayed a lot. And learned because I’ve been able to feel little promptings of what the Lord really wants from me, and really WHY I am here. 

So yes, all in all, its been a good week. The weather has been super by-polar. Hot, cold, rainy, back to blazing hot. It sure is weird to hear about Logan right now. Luke and Chad, good luck in that freezing cold truck in the morning. BUT.. enjoy it, because believe it or not, I actually really miss the snow and cold. 

Some of our recent converts

So... here are some of my thoughts. Things I have learned.

That one of the best parts of the mission is that we get one hour to study every single morning. Especially this week I have LOOVED this hour. Decided that it’s actually not enough. But I love the things I’m learning and the opportunity to be GIVEN 60 minutes to study the scriptures.

I’ve seen once again that I. am. blessed. So blessed. Seeing how people live here, and seeing that there aren’t many opportunities for them in the future, makes me so grateful for what I have. An amazing family. BYU. A home.. safe from the world.

I’ve seen lots of drunk people here.. especially with this last week. New Years Eve and all. And it makes me sad. In almost every corner theres a bunch of guys, that are clearly a little bit.. not there. And it just makes me think... about their families, wives, kids. I wish everyone could see the blessings of the gospel. Life is soo much better with it.

I’ve learned that sometimes, the biggest miracles are the littlest things. A new investigator. A candy bar. Water in the morning in the shower :) Getting to just walk and look at the mountains. Having down time to read the Liahona or just lay and think. The Lord is in our lives in every single moment if we LOOK.

Trying to sleep early on New Years Eve will NEVER work. We had to be in our apartment at 5:00. We planned, read a little, ate food, and at about 9:00, I thought I’d be smart and go to bed early. Well... I think there was music playing and people screaming right outside of our window until 4:30 in the morning. Ya, I didn’t sleep very well :) New Years Eve here is actually really big. I think its the biggest holiday of the year actually. EVERYONE is out in the street. There’s music, soccer, dancing, parties. I actually don’t know Everything that goes on because we were inside our house trying to study and sleep :) One thing that everyone does is make these life sized "people dolls" called Muñyecos. They make them out of old clothes, and put masks and hair on them. They actually go all out. We saw these dolls all week long.. on peoples porches, roofs, even strapped onto the front of cars. Then at midnight on New Years Eve, everyone burns their dolls.. like a "burning the old you" and starting new.

Munyecos

I’ve also learned that the struggles we have are HOW we grow. That we as humans are good at covering up what’s hard and real, but when it comes down to it, EVERYONE is given trials to learn. And that’s the key. So that we can LEARN. I’ve sure realized that although sometimes being in a foreign country, with a companion I don’t know, missing holidays and being hot is hard. There are many trials that are a lot worse, and people that have a harder life.

I’ve learned that parks here are apparently the place for every couple in the world to hang out. 

I’ve learned that parasites are a common thing here. Fingers crossed that I don’t get them! Guess we’ll see.

I’ve learned how to shower with buckets of cold water and wash dishes with bottles of water and little soap.

But more importantly, I’ve learned that the Lord loves us, and is so willing to show us that. It’s so so easy to get caught up in the busyness of the world. So easy. To forget why we are really here and that the Lord is always calling for us to come to Him. But that’s the good news. He is ALWAYS calling us. Waiting for us. And when we turn to him, he will help us overcome the weakness and hard things that are in our lives. My ponderize scripture for this week....

"And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you and if you will hearken unto his voice, he will bring you into his fold and ye are his sheep and he commandeth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be destroyed." Alma 5:60

Thank you thank you for everyone who has written me. I LOVE letters. And believe it or not, I think the letters help me more than you think. Just to remember how good I have it, how many great people I know, and to go out and work hard.

Hope you have a FANTASTIC week!!

Found me a clown trash can!

Love Hermana Yorgason