Hermana Beutler in Ecuador: Week Ten - Baptism & Baños photos

Hola mi familia!

This week was a week of heartbreak and miracles. Like I mentioned last week we were looking forward to two baptisms last Saturday. Well, I can't remember if I had mentioned Jose Luis before but he was the one that I said was going to be a future bishop. He was so pumped about the gospel and about his baptism. Well, I experienced this past week how strongly the adversary works against us and how quickly things can change if we don't read the Book of Mormon everyday. Well, Jose Luis stopped reading his Book of Mormon three days before his baptism. It wasn't because he wanted to, but he works all day and also needs glasses, so its a huge strain for him read every night. Then, Jose Luis talked with a friend about his baptism and his friend told him about Joseph Smith and some things about his life. He was filled with doubts. Two days prior to his baptism he asked us if it was true and we did our best to teach him but he had already closed off his heart to the gospel. We decided to do a special fast for him. The next morning we called him and he said he wanted to push back his date. We studied and prayed all morning to know how to teach him and help him remember his testimony of Joseph Smith. That evening, we had one of the most powerful lessons yet. The spirit was so strong, but his mind was already made. The light had left his eyes. It was as if he was a completely different person. He decided he would never be baptized. He disregarded his testimony of the gospel and of the Book of Mormon as well. It was so very heartbreaking. My companion and I felt and still feel the Savior's love for him immensely. As I left the appointment, I was filled with peace, and I knew it was thanks to my fast and thanks to our prayers and studies that I was able to feel of a surety that we did everything we could and we shared the words that the Savior would've if He were there.

I am so grateful for my testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. I feel so very blessed to be able to testify and feel of His love each and every day. I am also so very grateful for my testimony that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet of God. We may not understand everything about his life, but we can't deny the spirit that we feel when we pray and receive and answer that he truly was called of God. We testified to Jose Luis that even though we don't understand all of the history of the church, we are still here. We are willing to put our faith in Jesus Christ and our loving Heavenly Father and continue forward. As we were studying the doctrine that morning to prepare it was actually quite heartbreaking and difficult to get through. I could understand why he had his doubts. But I am so grateful that I had that experience. As I relied on my testimony that we have a loving Heavenly Father who has a perfect plan for us I was able to testify and feel once again of the truthfulness of the gospel. I am so grateful to be a missionary where I can renew my testimony each and every day.

It was difficult waking up the next morning knowing that Jose Luis wouldn't be baptized, but we were extremely excited for our other investigator's baptism. Pamela was baptized and it was such a beautiful service. The spirit was so strong. The progression that we've seen in her since the first day we met her has been a blessing to see. She is so excited to go to the temple and do baptisms! I already know she is going to be an amazing convert to the gospel. I love her so much! Ahhh! I have to tell you about what happened at her baptism. So I almost ruined the whole thing! We have a bodega in our church building or like a safe room? Don't know what it would be called in English. But we but the baptismal clothing in there. We use the bodega all the time so I know the code by heart and its no problem but the one time I really need it to open....I guess my adrenaline was really pumping cause it was my first baptism and I punched the code in wrong. Then I tried putting it in right and it still didn't work because it didn't reset and then I ended up locking the bodega! And Pamela was in the bathroom waiting! Ahhh! I was super worried. I felt absolutely horrible because we knew it was probably going to be locked for a half hour or so and the baptism was starting like right then. Well long story still kind of long, we told her and then went back to try again and I said a prayer and felt like if I held down one of the buttons I would be able to get it to work and it did! Wow. Complete miracle. Everything went beautifully and she got confirmed the next day and all is well! Haha. Hermana Pace and I celebrated afterwards with an oreo milkshake and chicken. It doesn't get much better than that! Haha.

More miracles...

We also met an amazing family this past Sunday. This woman walked up to us and asked us to come visit her and her family. It turns out she has been less active for years now and has a husband and three boys, one of which is old enough to be baptized. It was a complete miracle that we found and taught them because we didn't realize it then, but they don't even live in our sector, or our ward, but they're super close to our apartment. Despite this, I know with all of my heart that we were the missionaries that were supposed to teach them the first lesson and commit them to be baptized. It was an amazing lesson, and not because of what we were doing, but because of how receptive and ready they are. The words we shared definitely weren't ours, because we taught the lesson so differently than we ever have before. The unity that Hermana Pace and I experienced was incredible, and the husband and son accepted baptismal dates! Once we finished the lesson they got up to grab refreshments for us and my companion turned to me and told me that they weren't in our ward and my heart sunk. I am still pretty sad about it actually. We haven't told the family yet but we're going back on Wednesday and we're going to bring the Hermanas that are over them to make sure that this family is taken care of. There is no way I'm letting anything happen to them. I love them so much! They're amazing. And they really like us! They have a restaurant downstairs and they told us we could come have lunch there everyday and we can't since we have a pensionista (a lady we pay in the ward who feeds us lunch everyday) but we stopped by today and the food was great and Andrea (the less active) didn't even charge us! We tried to pay but she wouldn't let us. You know someone likes you when they give you free food. So this is good. We're going to try and see if the relief society president will let us have her as our pensionista because its so much closer than our other ones. We shall see. I just really want to see that family and make sure they're being taken care of.

I've been getting some questions about where I live and what the weather is like etc. so I'll take a second to answer those.

It doesn't rain a lot in Ambato. We've had a couple big storms but nothing that's lasted very long. We're headed to Quito tonight for verification and it rains there all the time so I'll probably see more rain there than I have here. No mosquitos. Just fleas, but not in my house or in my sector really since I'm not serving in the campo so for now I'm good. I live in an apartment on the second floor. It's pretty nice compared to the places our investigators live. We have running water, beds, a fridge, stovetop, and hot water for showers so I'm happy with that. The outlets are kind of funky and we have to replace like four light bulbs but I'm super grateful for my apartment.

For every lunch we have soup, rice, meat, and some kind of salad. They feed us way to much. When we fasted the other day we felt great afterwards because it was a break from all of the heavy food they give us. It was pretty funny how happy we were to fast. But the food is good. I eat boiled eggs and fruit for breakfast to try and stay healthy and then dinner is usually unnecessary because we're still recovering from lunch. But if we do eat we have agua aromanticas (herbal tea) and pan (bread).

Speaking of which. It really is true that if people like you they will give you food. We are teaching this menos activa named Gladis and her daughters. Her husband Fausto isn't a member and has never ever been receptive to the missionaries but recently someone tried to kill him I guess and so he had this huge change of heart and is super receptive to us! He even has a baptismal date. Well the funny thing is, is that Fausto doesn't know that his family all joined the church. They've kept it a secret since the beginning of this year! We're trying to help Gladis tell him but she's got a lot of fear. But we can't support the lie and keep teaching them unless she tells him! But anyways, we were over their and they made us these amazing empanadas and Fausto gave us like fifteen free eggs! Supposedly they're natural....who knows how but we're super happy because we know he likes us and is going to keep progressing. It's crazy how here in Ecuador food is the largest indicator if someone likes you. It's not very good for us because we no longer know what hunger is but we're running every morning and trying to keep up with our investigators! Hahaha.

Sorry I'll try and answer more questions next week!

I love being a missionary. It is so hard, but I learn something new everyday. This week had its major heartbreaks, but it was probably also the happiest week of my mission yet. I love this work and I love the gospel. I am so grateful for this opportunity I have and I hope everyone who has the chance to serve a mission takes the opportunity to go. It is something I will never regret. It is hands down the best decision I have ever made.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Beutler