Hermana Beutler in Ecuador: Week Thirty-Four: Love for Santo Domingo

Hola mi familia,

Another week has passed and I didn't feel a single aftershock! That's quite the miracle! I'm not sure if you've heard about what happened on the outskirts of Santo Domingo in Yurikin (I have no idea how it's spelled) but there was a huge flood. It rained so hard that the river raised up and took out the town. From what I've heard three children and one adult died. The damage ruined the water resavoirs (don't know how to spell that either) and the entire city is without water. Luckily we rent from the bishop so he bought water and we have sufficient but others are without a single drop. We getting really good at taking fast showers. The electricity also went out the other night and didn't come back on until during our studies the next morning so we're also getting good at taking cold showers. But it has served as a good reminder of what's really going on here in Ecuador.

We are very blessed to have what we have as missionaries and we haven't seen a fraction of the damage or suffering that the people are facing but we are striving every day to be better servants of the Lord to be able to help and serve these children of our Heavenly Father.

We have seen so many miracles this week! Fatima (the mom of one of our families) started to give us the cold shoulder a few weeks back and we were really sad but we kept visiting them and praying for them to receive their answers. Well we saw a miracle! After the earthquake she started paying more attention to what we were sharing and she started reading the Book of Mormon again.

If I have learned anything on the mission it's that the Book of Mormon truly is the key to our religion and our conversion. Every time I've had an investigator that reads the Book of Mormon, they progress, they moment they stop, Satan starts deceiving them into thinking the answers they received aren't all that important and so on. Well she started reading again and we saw before our very eyes a complete 180 degree change. She is now dead set on getting sealed in the temple and knows without a doubt that the church is true. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon!

Julio (the dad of one of our other families) is working hard to quit drinking and smoking. He stopped drinking about two months ago and he's down to one cigarette a day. We have seen so many miracles with him and his family. He still hasn't prayed during a lesson yet but we're working on that :) He told us the other day that he needed another pamphlet to read because he gave his pamphlet to his boss at work!!!!!! And now his boss wants to listen to us!!!! I love the mission!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh man. I have truly fallen in love with Santo Domingo. I can't believe that this could be and probably is my last week here. I love the people, the members, the weather, and even though I've gained more of my rice pouch the food is also the best. If I leave I will be leaving a big part of my heart here too but I know that the Lord will have me where He needs me to be.

I love you all and hope all is well! Keep the faith and keep praying!

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Beutler