General Conference

Hi family and friends!!!!

Looks like this week was quite the good one. (Especially for you kids at home) No school, sleeping in, movies, family, sports. Luke and Chad... I can understand completely the numb mouth, not being able to eat... or sleep.. or talk. I’m glad you guys got through it. And just think.. wisdom teeth is only a one time deal. So congrats to you guys :)

It was also a great week here. Mostly because we got to watch general conference and man… there's just something about watching it as a missionary. It’s like one of the best weekends of the year. Maybe THE best. 

Watching Conference is the BEST!

Well first of all... we finished our month of miracles. I have a big feeling that those miracles will carry over to April.. and to May, and so on. We have a bunch of people with a lot a potential and three people that are preparing to be baptized this week. One of the biggest miracles on the last day of March... I found my camera!!! Ah that was quite the exciting day. Someone in my zone had been at their mamita (a house where we eat lunch), and the mom mentioned that someone lost their camera. Apparently I left it at the church, she had grabbed it, and just so happened to pull it out when missionaries from our zone were over there. Quite the miracle if you ask me. So… I'll try and send extra pictures today to make up for it. 

The other exciting thing was that we got to start listening to EFY music again! April 1st we woke up and ran straight to the ipod. We’ve gotten to listen to the Tabernacle Choir for 2 months, and to be honest I love that also, but it was a nice change to hear music with somewhat of a beat again. My companion was just excited that she could listen to David Archuleta :) I think Glorious has played like 20 times in our apartment :)

Wednesday we had a interesting thing happen. As we were inside our house doing our weekly planning, it started to rain and storm outside. Really hard. It went on for about an hour... but we were just happy we were inside at this time. (Mom, you would have loved it. It was probably the biggest storm I’ve ever seen) But as we were talking and planning, all of the sudden there was a HUGE bang/light and all of the power went out. We found out later that day that a lightning bolt hit the telephone pole right in front of our house and we and about 5 of the houses around us didn’t have power for a few days. That was sure exciting to live like we were camping. One top of that, these last few days we haven’t had water. Its an interesting way to live :)

We had a small and cool experience this week with prayer. It was about 7 o’clock, a few people we had visited weren’t home and we were trying the figure out who to visit. We were thinking one of the new families that we had just met. They lived close and it just made sense. Well we decided to pray and as we were done, Hermana Sanchez just felt like we didn’t need to visit the family that day and for me, the name of one of our Less Actives came into my mind (who we haven’t visited a lot and who also just happen to live right across the street from this family.) So we figured we’d go to the less actives house to see if she was there and share a short message. As we got there, we heard someone call our name... it was the bishop and his two counselors standing by the side of the road, near where we were... just standing there. Apparently they were wanting to visit this new family but were lost and didn’t know which house it was.. so they just waited... for something to come along. I guess that something was us. We showed them where the house was and they were able to talk with and visit this new family we had found. It was so interesting how both the answer of Hermana Sanchez and I helped us so that we didn’t interrupt their lesson, but were able to help them find where this family lives. It’s cool to see how the Lord works sometimes. 

Zone Activity

Live BUGS!!

Today we had such a fun zone activity. It was like fear factor and the Ecuadorian style Academies (that dad did in Eagle) all in one. We were all in our districts, had challenges, and then had consequences. The first challenge was putting as many marshmallows in your mouth at once... and our district won. Someone got 25 in there.. of the big ones. It was intense :) And the consequence... eating bugs. Yes, live, crawling around, real bugs. I was very surprised because everyone did it! It was sure entertaining to watch. Afterward Hermana Ettinger and I ate one also... just because. Because we wanted to be able to say we did it.  But... the second consequence was a lot worst. One of the elders had this paste/fruit juice from the coast that was... probably one of the grossest things I have ever tasted. Literally. I’m very surprised no one threw up from that one. There were also mints with soda and lots of non-cooked hotdogs. They went easy on those ones, but it was sure an exciting day. Ended it with a huge game of capture the flag :)

Competitions and Consequences! 

North American missionaries

Like I said... General Conference was super great!!! All of us from North America were able to watch it in a room in the church in English. It was fun to be able to talk, laugh, but just completely focus on the words of the prophets and not have any distractions. Sunday in between sessions obviously we couldn’t all leave and buy lunch, so Hermana Ettinger and I made lunch for the whole zone. Chicken Salad Sandwiches... and let me tell you, it was quite the blessing to have some good American food again :)

There were so many talks that I loved. Elder Uchtdorf, Elder Holland, and I loved the talk that said when we are further from the giver, we feel more entitled. I think one of the big themes that stood out to me was that as I learn about Christ, I will just be happier. I’ll be happier because I’ll realize what he’s done for me and all the good that is ahead of me. But as always... the biggest part is applying and changing. I loved the quote in Women’s conference that said... "Your faith and religion will never save you in the Celestial Kingdom unless you LIVE the things that you are learning." 

I love you all. I love hearing from you and knowing that you are doing well. Hope you have a fantastic week!!!

Hermana Yorgason

BYU ATTIRE.  We sport it all the way here in Ecuador!