Hermana Beutler in Ecuador: Week Thirty-three - Spiritual rescue & aftershocks

Hola mi familia!

So I've received a ton of questions about what I´m doing, if I´m doing work in Pedernales, if I´m still experiencing aftershocks, and much more.

Well I am still here working in my sector. We haven't gone to do any projects to help the people in the coast. We had interviews with President this week and he told us that it will be a while before we go do any type of service due to all of the health risks that it would cause. It was hard at first to realized that I wouldn't be able to do anything right away because I feel helpless being a missionary so close to all that is happening without anything to do.

Well that's what I thought at first. And then in my interview with President he explained to me something super profound that left me in thinking for a good while. He said that when we see on the television the tragic news of 300, 400, 500 deaths in the coast of Ecuador, of course our hearts are going to ache and we're going to want to do everything we can to help. We'll send water, food, clothes, everything! But how would we react if we saw rolling across the screen, "10,000 people died spiritually today". What would we do? Would we send water, food, and clothes? No, because those things can't revive and support the people who are under distress espiritually. What they need is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and as missionaries, our calling is to preach the gospel.

I left that interview with a whole new perspective on life and love for the gospel!

I love this work!

My companion and I are doing very well. Yes there have been strong aftershocks but in the past few days we haven't felt anything. What has helped us the most is praying. Every night that I have prayed to sleep the whole night through it has worked. I haven't felt a thing and I feel so rested in the morning, something that wasn't happening the first few days after the earthquake. Please keep praying for Armandina and her family, she got home Saturday night and came to church on Sunday! It was a miracle and a relief to see her again. She is doing okay considering all that is happening in her life and has a great desire to keep progressing towards baptism so that a year from now she can do the work for her sister.

I love this work and I love being a missionary!

Keep Ecuador in your prayers.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Beutler