Earthquake

Hello all my friends and family!!!!

It has been quite the week and I have sooo much I want to write so we’ll see how fast I can get it all written.

So, first of all... the first thing I’ve been reading in everyone’s letters. The Earthquake. Yes, there was definitely an earthquake here! The good news is I and all of the other missionaries are completely fine. The bad news… I've heard that there are quite a few deaths and many many injuries. It’s crazy how fast life can change, but I’m sure there are many people praying for the people of Ecuador. So thank you for that :) 

Saturday was sure a cool experience.. one that I won’t forget for a long time. At about 6:45 we were in a lesson with some of our recent converts.. talking, laughing, just getting started. All of the sudden I felt a little dizzy and figured it was something just from walking all day. But very soon I realized it was NOT that because everyone in the room started getting nervous and I heard lots of people outside screaming that there was an earthquake. The thing I remember most vividly was looking up and seeing their TV (flat screen TV) shaking back and forth, almost falling off the table. It’s honestly all kind of a blur, but we all went outside to find a spot far from the houses. People were kind of freaking out in the streets.. I think mostly because none of us knew how long it was going to last and how strong it was going to be. I’ve never been in an earthquake before, so I honestly didn’t know what was gonna to happen, but I think I was more intrigued than anything. It was a feeling I’ve always wanted to feel :) I think it lasted for about a minute or so.. pretty long! Where I was, was very far from the center of the earthquake, but it was still pretty strong. I heard that it was 6 something (on the scale) in Otavalo where we were. For us there wasn’t much damage.. I saw one or two telephone poles tipped or knocked over, but it was more of just a big startle... for everyone. That’s all people have been talking about and there have been big trucks going around collecting food for the people who live on the coast where it was much much stronger. I just pray hard for them. I can’t imagine losing family members in something so sudden.

But... the Lord protected us. For me... It wasn’t scary. During the whole thing, I just felt calm and the rest of the night we pretty much carried on like normal. 

Waiting for the taxi... on my way out!

The other news of the week is that we had changes. And I knew the time had to come one day, but I’m leaving Otavalo and going back to Quito. (I was hoping so badly for the coast.. but that didn’t happen:)) Honestly, being in San Pablo has changed my mission. I think it has also changed my life. In the 4 and a half months that I was there, I was able to see so many miracles and blessings from the Lord. I felt like almost every single day we saw a big answer to our prayers. The people there... man, they sure have a special place in my heart, especially our recent converts. I have seen so many people change their lives around and find true happiness from accepting the gospel. It was such a blessing to live there. But, how missionary work goes, changes come and serving in different areas with different people is inevitable. I’m going to an area called Calderon (near my first area), I’m going to be in a trio, and I’ve been called to serve as a Sister Training Leader. I’m super excited to serve in a different area, in a different way, and learn from all the sisters around me.

About a few of the people we’ve been teaching and some of the miracles we saw this week...

One of my FAVORITE families

We’ve been teaching a family (Family Pachito) for about a month now. The mom just got baptized last week and the dad and little son have a baptismal date for next week. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a big change in someone in all of my mission. I remember the first lesson that we taught, the mom had been crying because they were going to separate.. her husband wanted to move somewhere else. I remember sitting there just listening to her talk and cry and explain to us how she felt completely hopeless and empty. A few lessons later we found the dad at home too, so we invited him to join us... and reluctantly he did. As we returned little by little I could tell that what we were saying was getting to his heart. He started answering our questions, he moved back into his house, he loves his kids.. he’s always playing and laughing with them when we visit them, he is getting baptized this next week, and they are preparing to get sealed in a year when they can enter the temple. It has sure been cool to see the difference after a month of listening and being taught by the Spirit.

We also had a cool experience this week in one of our contacts. We saw two ladies sitting on a bench and decided to talk to them. After getting to know them and talking for a while, we found out that they were sisters and both going through some really hard trials (one of them being living far away from each other and feeling alone). Hermana Sanchez and I could definitely relate to that. As we bore our testimonies on eternal families, I don’t think there was one of us that didn’t have tears in our eyes. This subject being so close to our hearts also, I think Hermana Sanchez and I maybe benefited more from the words we said than they did. We set an appointment, returned and taught lesson one, and now she is preparing to be baptized on the 7th of May. It was so cool to hear her say that she’s been praying for someone or something to help her find more peace in her life.

And, if you guys remember the Family Casco that got baptized a few weeks ago.. our miracle family, after a few lessons of inviting and trying to get to know their son, a few weeks ago he finally agreed to join us in our lessons and has attended church twice. Yay. They’re gonna be a complete family of all members!!

Birthday party for Julissa (from the familia Casco)

Cake face :)

This week Hermana Sanchez and I figured out how to make a cake in the microwave and man... I don’t know if that was a good or bad thing. Many nights that was our dinner (at 9:00). Haha it was sure tasty though. We’ve gotten pretty creative :)

I didn’t realize how popular church themed Password would be. We’ve played it this week in a few more family nights and the members LOVE it. Haha it is so funny to see how people try and explain things :)

It was a cold day...and we didn't have our jackets, so our conversos
made sure to supply us with everything we needed :)

Well, I just want to end by saying how much I love you all! I heard a quote this week in our district meeting that I loved. "Be a golden investigator for the Lord". Seeing how happy I am when our investigators progress and change, I can’t imagine how happy it makes the Lord to see us follow him and obey his commandments. Something I want to remember.

Love you all!!

Hermana Yorgason

Mom, You wanted a picture of the cows.... :)