Happiness

Hi family!!!

We just walked over two miles to find an open internet... don’t know what happened today, but I’m sorry about how short this will be.

The days just keep getting crazier here in Imbaya. My companion got bit by some type of bug at the beginning of the week and now her ankle is so swollen that you can’t see where it is and half of her leg is like purple. We trust in the nurse that Benadryl will do the trick :) 

The other day we were in a lesson of some less actives and their house is a bit old and... kind of falling apart. My companion and I started feeling what we thought were rain drops... until we realized that the little boy had just gone upstairs and was using the floor as the bathroom. That was a new one. Luckily we got out quickly and nothing too bad happened :) 

The weather now is either super rainy or sun that feels like its going to fry you up (yay for living on the equator). The other day a lightning bolt hit so close to us that it literally shot my companion and I into each others arms. 

Halloween didn’t feel like Halloween whatsoever, but 2 days later they had dia de los defuntos... which is pretty much like our memorial day. So... the next couple of days we were served colada morada and bread in literally every lesson. (It’s a fruit drink that they have here.) It was actually kind of comical as my companion and I would just kind of look at each other with the... uhh here we go look as we tried to put more into our already stuffed stomachs.

But apart from all of this... I am happy. I love the mission and I know without a doubt that God answers prayers. He’s answered a lot of mine this week. Like maybe you’ve been able to see... my changes in this sector have been hard. I don’t know if I’ve ever worked harder but I don’t think I’ve ever seen the fruits come more slowly. I’ve spent countless morning and nights on my knees asking for help. Help with the sector, to be a good example to my trainee, help to follow the spirit and find JOY and just know what MORE I can do to help the people here in Imbaya to come to know their Savior. Thursday was a particularly hard day. We walked up many mountains through dust to find that our investigators weren’t there. One by one our lessons fell through and Satan kept shoving doubts of ever having success in my mind. I tried to be excited for my companion, but inside I just felt completely crushed. I know without a doubt that the Lord is preparing miracles in each sector, but after so long of not seeing much progress, it’s easy to wonder what you’re doing wrong. (I think any missionary can relate). 

Hermana Bybee and I visiting a family

Well, Friday morning I got down on my knees and gave everything to Heavenly Father. I told him everything and pleaded for help. At least for peace. Immediately He helped. I know prayers aren’t always answered so quickly, but right as I ended the prayer I felt alleviated and so happy. Like although everything was coming down around me, I was ok. I got up and had so much excitement for weekly planning. We left that day, like all the rest, hoping to see miracles. And we did. A member in our ward told us that she has a neighbor that’s a member, but her daughter is not and wanted to learn about the church. We had a lesson with her and she was so excited to read the Book of Mormon and learn more. We had a few more contacts that we were going to go find. We passed a house with a lady outside washing her clothes... which is a very normal thing to see. But my companion and I just both stopped and started talking to her... I didn’t even think much, my body just DID. Well, after talking for awhile, she invited us into her house. We found out that she really feels alone and has been wanting for a long time to find a church. We taught her the first lesson and she accepted a baptismal date right away and told us... you bet I’ll be at church. I wouldn’t miss it. I left feeling so blessed. She told us that she had a friend that was a member, so immediately after, we went to the house of this friend to ask her help and she proceeded to give us even more references. At that point we still had a lot of lessons planned, so my companion and I literally were running from place to place through Imbaya. We had two other amazing lessons where I really could feel the spirit. Last night I didn’t even want to stop and go to bed.. I was just AMAZED at what the Lord is willing to do for us.

I love Him with all of my heart. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ and the knowledge that HE has felt every pain and every happiness. A scripture that really touched me this week was in Alma 5. Everything we do in this life is preparing for the moment when we will return to our Father. That perspective can turn any sad heart into one filled with hope and joy. “Can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord saying unto you in that day, Come unto me ye blessed for behold your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth." He loves us. He wants us to come home.

I love you all!!! Have an amazing week!!!

Hermana Yorgason