Ward Activity and CHANGING our Hearts

Hi family and friends!!!

First of all, I’m so glad you are all safe from the tornado! Earthquakes, tornados… we’ve sure had some excitement lately! I guess we just have lots of good stories to tell. This is our last week of the change here in Imbaya. As slow as it seemed at times, I cannot believe that in one week I may be in a different place. Lots of prayers and faith that the Lord will do what is very best for us. Cuz we’re sure enjoying our companionship.

So... we’re here in Otavalo running from cyber to cyber trying to find computers that work. Literally, we log on, sit for a few minutes, realize it’s not going anywhere, so we scoop up our bags and run down the street to the next. The clock is flying.. so we’ll see how much I can get typed here.  I am sure living the simple life. Small houses, flies, washing dishes outside, no computers, and zero cleanliness. My legs are covered with bites from... some kind of bug and we’re down to no clean clothes (we have a meeting with president tomorrow. Wish us luck) But it’s simple. Out of anything worldly. And this week I really realized how much I love it and am in no way ready to return to the craziness of life.

This week we decided to do no sugar until we’re done with our mission. I know.. we’re crazy. Sugar is actually a highlight of my day here.... It’s actually in no way to lose weight or be fit, (we would go off of rice if that was the case) but I was talking this week about how I did no sugar for a year in 4th grade and honestly doubted if i could do it again. And I really didn’t like that.. so my comp and I realized it was time to show our bodies that WE are stronger. I just know that if I can say no to sugar… something I want so badly right now.. I can definitely walk up hills, continue to read the scriptures every day and say no to Satan’s lies. I want to be stronger. So I guess thats the reason why we’re doing it. So far so good.

The highlight of this week was the ward activity that Hermana Israelsen and I put on with our ward mission leader. It was a hit.. I was laughing the whole time. We did "Lehi´s Dream"... we started out by reading in the scriptures and talking about what we were going to do. The young women were the angels and the young men (and us two) were the devil trying to drag people off the rope. Oh man, is it hilarious watching Otavalian people clinging to a rope, blind folded and confused about what is what and where is where. Some of them made it to the tree of life where candy was waiting for them. Everyone got into it! Even some of the older ladies that walk around barefoot. At the end we had a cool testimony meeting about what everyone learned and how, in this world, it is so important to cling to the iron rod with both hands. We did it to find new investigators and.. although not a ton of new ones came, I still saw such a unity in the ward. And that is a start.

Ward Activity!

We keep falling here so Hermana Israelsen and I are all scraped up. I totally biffed it the other day and when I got home, I realized that my knee had been bleeding all night. Luckily I have a great companion that worked magic with her oils and I’ll be good as new in no time. I also learned that it may not be the smartest idea to get your hair cut at an Otavalo salon. They pulled my hair back and just cut it, one snip, straight and then took off my cape and told me I was good to go. I tried to explain that the front looked a lot longer than the back, but they seemed to think they had done a very fine job and moved on to the next customer. At least I know someone will be able to use my four dollars.

This week my eyes were really opened to CHANGE. That I, we, are here in this life to become different people. I was reading in Mosiah 13 and Abinadi reminded people that they won’t just be saved because of the law, or even obedience to the law. The reason we have rules is to "keep us in remembrance of God and our duty towards him." The whole reason we have commandments is not to just be able to say we completed them, but for the change that comes as a result. I am not here on the mission just to be able to be called an RM, but to change. We walk miles each day and knock a million doors not to be able to report to our district leader, but to become more faithful. We go to school not just to graduate and get a certificate, but to learn and change. The Lord gives us a trial not just to get through it, but to learn about his mercy, to rely on him, to become changed. So why would I serve my neighbor if my heart wasn’t in it? Why would I be obedient if my heart was kicking and screaming the whole time? It hit me that the whole purpose of my life really is just to become like my Savior so that when I see Him, I will know Him because I will be more like Him. So instead of focusing on my actions, I want to focus on my heart. Instead of working for position, recognition or perfection, I want to work for progress and change.. so that my nature doesn’t just LOOK good, but IS good. That is the blessing of the atonement. It allows us to change from the inside first, so that when we return to the Lord one day, we will be filled with goodness and light. "The miracle of the atonement isn’t just that we can go home, but that we can FEEL at home there." And THAT can be our goal.

I love you all!!! Thank you for your support

Love,  Hermana Yorgason