Dogs, Fields, and Joy!

Hi family!!

Another week here in good old Imbaya. This one went by soo fast because we were hardly in our sector at all. But... we were able to learn a lot from other missionaries, our President, and from the few lessons we DID get to have. I absolutely love testifying of Jesus Christ. There is something about it happier and deeper than anything else in life. I feel so so lucky to be able to do it every day... because He TRULY is the reason that I’ve been able to live my mission.

We had lots of miracles last Sunday. Lots of less actives came to church! Lots more than we were expecting, and they all left happy and surrounded by friends. One of the best feelings on the mission is when you’re standing there welcoming people to church before it starts and someone you’ve taught that week walks in. It’s amazing to see the spirit touching them enough to cause them to ACT. And we saw that a lot this week :)

I’ve talked a lot about the feisty devil dogs that are everywhere here. Well, this week I met the feistiest of them all. We had an appointment with one of our investigators and their dog was there sitting by the door. I knew from experience that I had to walk up to it carefully, not turn my back, not show fear, etc. But... I didn’t know that for some reason this dog had something against anyone who wanted to get into that house because right as I put my hand up to knock on the door, the dog completely freaked out and jerked up to bite my leg. I kind of flung my bag down to hit the dog.. luckily that kind of knocked it away and the bite didn’t go through my leg. No blood... just a good bruise now. It kept going crazy and looked like it was going to come at me again... everyone passing on the street took my side and was trying to scare the dog also. :) Someone even tried to run it over as they were passing by in their truck. Haha luckily I was saved when the owner came out. All is good

Helping weed the corn. :)  Loved it!

We had lots of opportunities to serve this week. And it is becoming one of my very favorite things. There is honestly nothing like working side by side with Otavalaneons in their fields while talking about the gospel. After a lesson with one of our investigators we had a few minutes until the bus was going to come so we asked if we could help them weed their corn that they needed to do. (Thanks mom and dad for helping me become a professional weeder before the mission. It made it a little easier):) I’m actually pretty sure my companion and I were both digging up more of their plants than the weeds because they seem to plant everything randomly and its soo hard to tell what is what, but they were nice and appreciative and I had one of those picture perfect, I’m never going to forget this, moments. It is so peaceful here. The sun setting, field, cows, hut like houses and the most humble people. We ran to catch the bus right in time and while on the bus... shook out our socks and shoes out the window because we were headed straight to interviews with president. Hahah. I guess that describes our sector pretty well. What you get when you’re called to Imbaya.....

One afternoon we didn’t really know who to visit so we said a prayer... two elementary girls came to mind that wanted to learn English and when we called, their mom said we could come over. We refreshed our language skills but also got to share part of the restoration and they were so interested and invited us back. :)

I think the highlight of this week was hearing that Jaider Altamiranda from Calderon got baptized. I don’t know if you remember him, but he was the dad in the family that we were teaching for so long. I remember so well what he said to us the first time that we met him. "Just warning you... I’m hard and you’re not going to convert me. I’ve already scared away two pairs of missionaries so I don’t think you’ll be any different." Well... loootts of lessons later, lots of prayers and visits with members, he gave permission that his girls could get baptized and this last weekend he got baptized. They were one of my very favorite families in Calderon... so it sure warms my heart that now they’re working to attend the temple. I love seeing miracles.

As I’ve said many times before, my mission president is so inspired. We had interviews and a few meetings with him this week and a few things he said really touched me. As he was closing and telling us how much he appreciated what we are doing, with tears in his eyes he said, "We don’t pray that you don’t have problems, but that you learn what the Lord would have you learn from those problems." Also.. that a successful missionary is one who can feel the spirit. I know that that’s not just talking about missionary work, but about life. Those who are successful are those who completely rely on the spirit and its guidance.

I read a quote this week that I absolutely LOVED. An elderly man that crossed the plains with the pioneers said, " We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but every one of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives, for we became acquainted with Him in our extremities... Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay." I too am coming to know God here. And I know that every single one of us, in our unique trials can come to know God more than we ever have in our lives. But it’s our choice. And I promise you... that if you chose to pray to and trust Him before the world, you too will be able to look at your trials with gratitude and joy.

I love the gospel so very much. It is what keeps my feet moving each day. It is what keeps my heart full of joy even in rejection. It is the happiest message we could ever learn about.

Love you all!!

Hermana Yorgason

Prayer Is The Answer

Hi Family and friends!!

Sounds like another good week you’ve had. I’m still trying to get used to having P-day on Saturdays.. because its right as I feel like the week is warming up. Today we had a super fun zone activity. We hiked around a lake in the middle of a volcano crater and then all brought food to the church for a picnic. It was like a 5 hour stress free break from real life and I got to spend time with Hermana Juesky from my MTC group.

Zone Activity to a Volcano Crater.

This week... we worked hard. I’m just tired. But I really do love that feeling. I love feeling like I deserve my pillow each night, and I especially love when I can see the fruits. Lots of things fell through this week. We had everything planned well with investigators that seem to be progressing and members to come with us. But usually we would get there, and the investigators wouldn’t be there or would tell us that they didn’t want to listen anymore, and then we were stuck trying to make good use of a member on the spot. It happened a lot. But I was so amazed at what the Lord was able to give us and what he was able to teach me. We found a TON of less actives this week.. most of them after a lesson with an investigator had fallen through. So... we were able to visit new less actives with members with us to excite them and give them friends. And... I’ve found something out. I love helping and teaching less actives. I love it because through the Lords help, we are able to bring the spirit and help remind them of how they once felt. I’ve realized that although bringing back less actives isn’t the glorified and very visible work of a mission, it is still the same work nonetheless. Helping God’s children come back to Him. I love it. And I love seeing the light in someone’s eyes as they feel again the desire to follow Christ.

One of these experiences was yesterday as we went to an investigator’s house and the adults told us that our investigator wasn’t home... and the little girl came out and told us that he actually just really didn’t want to come outside. So... we were a bit bummed, but we just prayed and kept walking. We ended up knocking on the door of a family that are members but haven’t been coming to church for a long time and they welcomed us in. As we shared a short message about repentance, they told us that they really have been feeling empty lately and want to come to church on Sunday. 

Another one was a lesson that we had with another inactive family who have been passing through a lot of hardships. My companion and I were able to practice our 12 weeks training and completely teach a person, not a lesson. We asked them what they really desired. Why they want to change. What they want to show Christ.  As I bore my testimony about the love that our Savior has for them, I felt the spirt so strongly... stronger than I have in a lesson for a long time, and I literally could just see them in the temple. 

With Hermana Israelsen, we also found a less active family that hadn’t been going to church for more than 5 years, and with the help of the ward, they now haven’t missed a church meeting in almost two months. I know it’s not us... but it’s what the gospel can do when people are really able to FEEL the love of God and the happiness of repentance.

I know that the Lord is guiding us. And even though it hasn’t really been going how I thought or had hoped it would... baptisms, golden investigators, perfect schedules, etc, the Lord is really putting people in our path that NEED the good news of the gospel, and I am so grateful for that. I know that if I only work as hard as I can... His miracles will come in His ways.

We also had a fantastic meeting this week with our mission president about working for conversion and building the church... not just adding more people who will eventually become less active. He changed a lot of rules which is really helping the work move forward and I LOVE his perspective. Work, pray, help to convert.

We went on the crazy bus this week again. This week while trying to eat fried rice out of a plastic bag with our hands. Haha oh boy, I wish you could have all seen it. I’m not exaggerating when I say that every time we go over a bump, our heads about hit the ceiling. We FLY and... our rice kind of flew with us... but they’re good memories in the making! 

This week we went back to a house that we had visited and saw a sign on the wall that said... We are catholics, please don’t insist. Haha that definitely wasn’t there before.  I think that defines the sector Imbaya pretty well. But... we use it as an extra challenge and keep on knocking. 

My companion left her umbrella in a taxi one day and that night she was SUPER bummed. I tried to help talk her through it and cheer her up but she was down in the dumps. So... as we were walking through Imbaya, she proceeded to chase and flag down every taxi that passed to ask if they had her umbrella. I figured that I should burst her bubble by telling her that because there’s like a million taxis in otavalo, we very likely weren’t going to find her umbrella. But.. I supported her because I know that she was sad and had faith. We never found it.. but it was a good experience I’ll always remember.  (This is why it was a good experience.  Samantha didn't share this in her big letter but I feel that I can....)

This week my companion lost her umbrella and she was SUPER sad about it. That night as we were going to bed, she told me that she just wanted to feel the Lord's love.  I shared some of my testimony with her and told her she could ask God in a prayer if He really loves her and that He will always reply to that question.  Well, yesterday, we were in a lesson and she was telling that story and she said that as she prayed, she went to bed not feeling much and was a little sad.  She was getting ready for the day in the morning, and she went into her desk and saw my umbrella and a note I had left for her.  (Sorry mom.  I know it was a good one and kind of expensive) but I just had a strong feeling that she needed it more than I did.  She said that as she was reading the note, a voice whispered to her, "Yes, I love you" and that through another person, the Lord was able to answer her prayer.  That morning she had come over to me crying and told me thank you, but I had no idea about her experience until last night in our lesson.  Honestly, I know it wasn't me.  I know it was the Lord that helped her feel loved, but it was a cool experience to be able to be a part of Him answering a prayer. :)

My trust continues to grow in the Lord. It’s still hard here sometimes, but I keep learning something... when things go wrong, sometimes the only thing we have is our trust in the Lord. I saw the reality of this this week as I tried to have an ongoing prayer in my heart. I want SO BADLY to bring someone unto Christ. I want to use the Lord’s time wisely. I want all the planning and coordinating we’re doing to pay off. I found myself getting a bit stressed a few times this week because things weren’t working out and I felt the weight of the sector on my shoulders. But an interesting thing starts to happen as we start to put our life in the LORD’s hands. We are able to TRUST MORE that His plan is what will be best for us in the end and WORRY LESS that our imperfections will block us from His blessings. We can literally turn to him for ANYTHING and even though our problems may not immediately go away, He will take some of the stress and worry that we have. I learned a powerful lesson from Alma this week in Mosiah 24 and 26. That prayer is his steering wheel, not his backup plan. Talking about him and his people...

And so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God....

And talking about him being put in a hard situation to judge others, its says... and now the spirt of Alma was again troubled and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do...

In both the these situations of trouble, instead of fleeing to worldly knowledge and solutions, Alma got down on his knees and asked for heavenly help. Prayer was his number one response. If we do that, I know the Lord will say to us also... blessed art thou... because of thy exceeding faith. 

Sometimes life just is a little hard... but it can ALWAYS be made better on our knees and talking with our Father. I know that without a doubt.

I love you all!!!

Con amor, Hermana Yorgason

Another Week :)

Hola a todos! 

Espero que tuvieran una BUENA semana! It was a good one here. Well, it ended really good. Here are a few of the highlights from life in Imbaya.

-Stake conference last week. We’re serving in a new stake! We got to wear anacos again and see President and Sister Murphy. So cool to see hundreds of LDS Otavaleneons in one place.

-P-day being Saturday. I guess it’s been pretty cool because there’s a HUGE market here on Saturday so we have LOTs of options to buy. So... if anyone wants an anaco, just let me know! ha :)

-We worked a ton with members this week and received lots of references with potential.

-Yesterday I got to eat some bugs.  We were walking back to our house with some members and as we passed by the church, they taught us how to find the right bugs, hunt them down, and then they fried them up for us to eat. I ate some BABY COCKROACHES. Yeah :) They actually weren’t too bad. More just the thought!

Catso

Members teaching us how to find the right bugs to eat...!

-My companion let me use her heated blanket a few nights ago :)

-Very grateful for an umbrella

-I think the biggest highlight was yesterday when we found a new family. We had a really cool lesson with them and found out that the dad was planning on leaving his family that night. But we shared a part of the first lesson and asked them about their desires and wants for their family and the spirit really touched us all. The dad gave the coolest prayer at the end asking for help to repent because he doesn’t want to lose his family. They all said they’re going to come to church tomorrow! :)

-Right now there are four missionaries living in our apartment. Two desks and one bathroom. Some scary things happened with their apartment and got robbed in Quito so... they get to stay with us for a while :)

-I’m realizing how important my trials were at the beginning of my mission because of the empathy I’m able to have for my companion. The Lord has really opened my eyes this week about how our biggest calling is to LOVE and SERVE.

Working with a member.

-We about died on a bus speeding through the mountains of Patalanga.

-Classic little boy line "My mom told me to tell you that she’s in the hospital”.

-My favorite scripture from this week is Mosiah 4:9. BELIEVE IN GOD. I know that if we TRULY understand that He has complete love, complete wisdom and complete power, our lives will never be the same.

Love you lots!!

Hermana Yorgason

A few families that we visit.

New Companion

Hi Family and Friends!!!

Well… my P-day got changed to Saturday in this zone because everyone and their dog is in Otavalo selling at the markets so… now if you want to write me, you can catch me on Saturday! At least for this change.

Sorry last week the computers again weren’t working very well. I think that’s a pretty normal thing here, so I’m lucky if I get 30 minutes to read and write. Just know that I love you and am responding to you at heart!

To finish with last week… it was a killer to say goodbye to Hermana Israelsen. KILLER. The night after she left I sat at my desk and felt completely empty. Not to mention the fact that she’s like my best friend, there’s just a closeness that comes when you give literally EVERYTHING YOU have to a cause together, cry, sweat, laugh, pray and see changes together.  Our reunion is sure going to be sweet in a few months. I just pray everyday that she doesn’t die from heat in the coast and that I can keep going in this cold :)

My new companion, Hermana Bybee

On Wednesday this week, I went to Quito to get my new companion. Her name is Hermana Bybee. She’s from Spanish Fork and has been out exactly four days!  Being with her really reminds me what the beginning of the mission is like. It’s so exciting but so darn hard. Sometimes I wonder how I made it through that. But she’s really ready to work and came with lots of animos. She’s suupper smart… practically speaks Spanish as well as I do :) She’s studying microbiology and won some state science competition that has a name too complicated to type. She’s teaching me lots of new things that I’ve never heard of and we’re figuring out together how to follow the spirit and find new people to teach. I’ve honestly been really blessed because while I started this week feeling all sad that Hermana Israelsen left, I really have felt such a love for my new companion. We’ve talked a lot about our lives, what we like, what we’ve been through, etc. I found out that music is definitely one of her talents, so we’ve been singing hymns and learning the harmony as we walk from lesson to lesson and up and down mountains. I think living in Otavalo is quite the culture shock for her… I think back to my first few weeks and oh boy.. it’s quite the change. No longer can I throw banana peels in the bushes or walk in the middle of the street and I re-realized how weird the food here really is. Haha, but its good for me to rethink all of my habits! I’m really learning a lot from my comp and how the Lord sees each one of us. POTENTIAL.

Here's what it looks like after church.  Lots and lots of braids and ponchos!

The Lord really is protecting us. Last week with Hermana Israelsen, we were walking home at night when all of the sudden a huge herd of dogs came charging at us, open mouthed, looking like they wanted to eat us both. I think it scared us both so bad that we had no idea what to do until right before they reached us, they all skidded to a stop, looked around and then walked away. Its like they all hit a wall at once. I know that angels are around us.

We’ve been doing lots of contacting and lots of little services to try and find more people. This week we contacted a little lady that was sitting on her porch and could barely understand any Spanish. As we tried to communicate to her in the little Kitchwa that we know and a few hand gestures, we found out that she lives alone, has no job, and because of her age, can’t walk. She looked so lost and sad. But my companion picked up the broom and started to sweep her porch, I gave her a picture of Christ and we both started singing hymns with her… I could tell how strongly she could feel the spirit and love that she’s probably not felt in a very long time. It was one of those moments where I just paused and realized that THESE things are what the mission is all about.

Our Zone in Imbaya

I didn’t get to talk much about conference last week, but it was probably one of the most special conferences that I have ever listened to. I felt SO lifted and inspired to be more like Christ as I finished listening. For me, the four main words that I got from conference were CHARITY. GRATITUDE. PERSPECTIVE. REMEMBER. I especially loved Saturday morning and the Sunday afternoon session. One of my favorite quotes... "Spiritual experiences don’t have as much to do with what is happening around us, but have everything to do with what is happening IN us." I realized how important my desire is to be better. My heart. The more wicked the world is getting, the more its up to us to change. No one is too far to start and no one is too weak to become more like Christ. I know that the atonement is just as much for saints trying to be better as sinners and lost sheep. The only way we will get through this confused world is Christ. Joy in him and Joy because of him. I know without a doubt that he loves us and gives us our situations to Grow. I want to KEEP ETERNITY IN MY MIND, and I know that as we do that, everything else will work out for our good. I love you all!! Hope this week is excellent!

Con mucho amor... Hermana Yorgason

Change....

Hi Family!!

Man… sometimes change is hard.  I guess I’ve never liked it. My whole life. But I’m learning to know what it means to completely trust in the Lord and see every change as an opportunity to grow. Yesterday we were walking into general conference all tranquilla y feliz and our district leader just randomly pulled us aside and told us that our changes had come. We usually don’t get them till Sunday night so it was totally unexpected. Hermana Israelsen is leaving to the coast! I was so surprised with her changes that I wasn’t even paying attention to what he said to me. I get to stay in Imbaya. Honestly, I am coming to love it and just have this overwhelming feeling that miracles are awaiting. I don’t know who I’m gonna be with yet because I’m training and getting my companion on Wednesday. I know the Lord wants me to be able to keep going and sprinting strong. Can’t wait for the energy of a new missionary. Although the sector still is hard, there are still many people that don’t like when we talk to them, I know that my Father wants me to grow closer to Him. And I’m so grateful to see what’s ahead.

As always, we had a interesting and exciting week in Imbaya. Last week after writing our emails Hermana Israelsen and I were both stressed and frazzled because the computers weren’t working, we were frantically trying to respond to people that had written us, and then we turned around and had to dive straight into working at night. I guess we were both kind of drowning in stress. We felt like we should go visit one of our investigators, Maria. Right before we knocked on her door, we took a few seconds to stare up into the stars and realize how blessed we are. As we started asking questions in the lesson, we found out that Maria had had a really hard weekend with an unreliant family, an abusive spouse and no where to turn. She opened up to us with tears streaming down her cheeks and as we were able to bear such a sure testimony to her that the Lord knows, loves and understands her, I felt the same message go into MY heart and I realized how un-alone I really was.  There really comes a power when our words go from our heads to our heart so the Holy Ghost can testify. There’s really nothing that can more quickly take your pain away than listening to and trying to help someone else that’s struggling.

Its only in Imbaya that you get to walk with pigs, llamas, cows, and goats everyday on your way to work. We’ve sure gained some new friends. Hermana Israelsen makes sure to always keep a stick in her hand just in case bunches of devil dogs try and attack us. We had some close calls this week… but we’re starting to master how to fight them off. We contacted this week a person petting a chicken and another playing with a cockroach in their hand. Later this week we walked into lunch seeing a bowl of dead cockroaches sitting on the table, being horrified that we were gonna have to gulp them down. Luckily she was saving them for the next meal. We cut that one close.  We got sick halfway through the week after eating at a mamitas house. We helped her prepare the food and she used the same knife to cut the raw meat and then the fruit for the juice. Good thing for prayer ;) We were walking down the street and I saw a piece of really nice Green grass. I think the nicest I’ve seen since being home. Then we looked up and saw a lady shoveling it all out. She said she didn’t want it to spread to her other plants and ruin them so she had to dig it out. So sad ;( Grass is a weed here. We also realized halfway through a meal that its only on the misión that you eat a meal without washing your hands… and then end up eating it WITH your hands J

We had a funny moment in one of our lessons. Our investigators gave us a hot Apple cider drink filled completely to the top. Hermana Israelsen asked me what time it was and as I went to look at my watch, and my hand tipped and the burning hot drink started spilling onto my lap. It was burning my hand and my legs now. Hna Israelsen was laughing so hard that her drink started spilling too. We were dying because our legs were burning and everyone thought it was hilarious. We could barely walk home!

Man, I have barely any time left but I had a super spiritual week. Conference was exactly what I need. I had a really cool experience with personal prayer and answers from the scriptures and I felt extra love from the Lord. I know that all he wants us to do is try… and if we do, he will give us more than we could ever ask for. He is there to bless us. I know it.

I love you all. Espero que tengan una buena semana!!

Love Hermana Yorgason