Monday, August 29, 2016

Week Fifty-one: Winning the heart of Matius


Antonela and Matius. Literally the two craziest kids on the planet.
Hola mi familia!

Another amazing week here in ECUADOR! It's still pretty unreal for me that I'm here. You wouldn't think so considering the time I have here but it still amazes me. Haha.

So starting out with miracles as always. We have seen HUGE miracles this week with our investigator Hugo. He is always really busy with work but he has been coming home earlier so we can have family home evenings with his family and he's understanding much easier the things that we are teaching. His goal is to be able to enter the temple with the ward when they go on the 22nd of September to do baptisms. We're praying and praying that he'll be ready in time! But I know he will. Miracles happen! Every day! Speaking of which. His stepchildren (who are less-actives) never listened to us before when we would pass by. Now Kevin is listening to us and we've started talking wtih him about the idea of serving a mission! And Lisbet (who literally hides from us every time we go) went to the Stake Conference on Sunday! WHAT?!?! 

Speaking of the stake conference. It was AWESOME! I learned so much from the speakers. Every message spoke to me. I learned a TON! OH and we had 12 investigators present in the conference! MIRACLE!!!! And a less active that I met on splits Saturday night showed up too! When we started the lesson she explained that she hasn't assisted for 5 months because she works on Sundays. But by the end she told us that she was going to do her best to show up the next day. And she did! So exciting!

We had divisions this past week and it was awesome! It was probably the last time I would be working in the sector of the hermanas since it´s very likely that I'm going to be transfered this change. It makes me sad but every change I've been able to learn something new and meet amazing people, and I know that whatever the Lord has in store for me will be the best, so I'm super excited! Being a missionary is the best!

We had Zone Olympics #2 today and guess what! We won! This time we competed between districts and our district won every game. Then we had to decide who was going to take home the flag in the district so we did a race. We had to run with our companions with our shoelaces tied together and well...Hermana Herrera and I found out that we have a secret gift. We did not think we were going to be able to do it and we won! It was pretty hilarious. I almost fell on my face at the end. Hahaha. It was a good time.

Another fun moment this week was finally gaining the trust of Matius, the son of our investigator. He is 3 years old and has hated us from the start. He always yells when we come. We have tried almost everything to get him to like us but he just yells at us and screams during our lessons. But then a miracle occured and we showed up the other day and he greeted us and everything! He still screamed quite a bit but at the end we asked him to give us a high five and he high fived my companion and I asked up to give me a high five and he screamed in my face "NO!" just like always. And I was sad and he could tell and so a few seconds later gave me a high five. I'm telling you guys, it was a miracle. Probably the biggest one of the week haha. 

Well life is pretty great here in Ecuador. I've been fighting of the common summer cold here this week and I haven't been able to hear much from my right ear but it's more funny than bothersome. My companion is probably going to need a hip replacement haha but we're doing really well hahaha. Seriously we're enjoying every day and having the best time of our lives thanks to the call of the Lord and for this great work! I am so grateful for the Atonement and for my Savior, without Him I would be lost and sad. But thanks to Him I am found and so very happy! 

I hope you all have a happy and healthy week! Keep reading the scriptures! They can be your bestfriend! I love you all! Big hugs from Ecuador!

Con mucho amor!
Hermana Beutler

My hair do thanks to Antonela.
The view I had of the valley during divisions.
I love Ecuador! Everything is so pretty!
Even when you miss your bus!
Las Hermanas
Zone Olympics #2
Proud of our flag.
Guess who won!!! We did! #1
Still pretty shocked about taking home the win.
Champions!
I love my companions.
Our kitchen with a view.
I love my companion.
:D
Mi loquita Danita
My bff
She wanted to make silly faces.
More silly faces
She saw how the last picture turned out and couldn´t stop laughing. I love this goof.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Week Fifty: Eternal happiness & wind

Our view of the hills that are alive.

Mis amores

Hola Mi Familia!

What joy it is to be able to write you all once again this week. Every week I feel like I'm writing as a new me. As missionaries we teach and preach the Atonement all day every day, and as we do so, we strive to apply and live by the same principles that we teach. That's why serving a mission is the BEST! We get to improve and grow every day! I learned once again this week that our Savior Jesus Christ truly loves us. My President taught that He loves us SO much that if He had to atone for us again He would do it, even if it were for just one of us. I'm eternally grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ! He is my Redeemer! No greater happiness comes from the world like that happiness we experience when we grow closer to Him.

This week was AMAZING! We sadly had to leave Steven...he wasn't progressing and we felt that the best thing for him would be some time. There's a promise that comes when you have to leave an investigator. It's one of the hardest things ever but God promises that He'll put those who are prepared in our path. I always thought that that meant that we would find someone new. But this week we saw an even bigger miracle! We left Steven and yesterday when we visited one of our investigators who has been assisting my entire time here in Chillogallo yet who has never accepted a baptismal date FINALLY accepted! We were literally amazed. 

Oh man. Speaking of being amazed. The winds here are picking up here a TON! I didn't sleep very well last night because the winds made something on the rooftop keep hitting against the wall. It's a good thing they give us a lot to eat because if not the wind would literally carry us away. 

My spanish is doing pretty well. When I was explaining to someone that we don't eat soup very much in the U.S. I told them that we only eat soup when we're sick or when we're in the place where the devil lives...it's the difference between infierno and invierno....my companion likes to remind me every day haha. 

Well I hope you all have had a FANTASTIC week and that you all remember that your Heavenly Father loves you much more than you know. Keep reading the scriptures and praying and going to church. It's the recipe for eternal happiness! 

I love you all so very much! Have an amazing week!

Con mucho amor,Hermana Beutler

P.S. my favorite scripture this week is in Helaman 5:12
He is my rock and redeemer!

Fishy faces
Horse smile! Jenny and Emily didn't want to join in on the fun.
Above is a message my companion left me by my desk one morning and below is a happy birthday card we made for Jenny. She's always doing puzzles and if you look closely you'll find my companion and I. ;)
Look who bought matching dresses! 
Quite a few people asked if the sisters have to work in uniforms now...haha.
Fishers of men!
One of my favorite pictures of the Savior.

Big smiles for a big week!
Our view

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Week Forty-Nine: Temple baptisms & progress



Next step - temple baptisms
Getting ready for some good tug of war (my team won the tournament;)

Hola mi familia!

What a week! 

We had our ward activity on Friday and it was a blast! We were in charge of the activities and it was a ton of fun! 

GUESS WHAT! Emily, Cesar, and Santiago are going to the temple tomorrow! They're going to do baptisms! I'm so excited! It's a miracle that they're able to go! It's going to be such an amazing experience for them and we're so happy! It's been amazing to see their progress. Every day they seem to be more and more converted to the Lord. We've been doing a lot of visits with Jenny and she always amazes us with the testimony she shares with our investigators. I've realized that its one of the greatest benefits for being in a sector for a long time, we get to see the progress of the people we teach. But at the same time being in a sector for a long time is pretty funny because when we're contacting sometimes I look at the people and I feel convinced that I've already contacted them before haha. It's happened a few times now. 

Andrea is doing great! We are teaching her niece Mayra and she is so awesome! She has a really rough life, her husband comes home drunk every night and never helps them to pay for food. She has three kids with the ages 11, 3, and 1. It's amazing to see how the Lord works through His servants to help His children in need. As I've been reading in the Book of Mormon I've learned a lot about the importance of service! It is such a great way to show our love for our Heavenly Father! 

As a zone we are reading the whole book of Alma! They gave us three weeks to read and we have one week left. It's been an awesome learning experience. I have learned that missionary work is so important! I thought I already knew that but Heavenly Father keeps reminding me and its great! I love being a missionary! Even though we're still having aftershocks it's okay! Because there's no earthquake that can stop us from sharing this gospel! There was a pretty bad aftershock in Quito of about 4.7 from what I heard at 11:30 Monday night. It only lasted long enough to wake us up but we're doing great and we are very happy to be here in Ecuador! 

This week is going to be great! We're going to have divisions and we're going to keep spreading the good news! I hope you all have a fantastic week! I love you all so much!

Con mucho amor y cariño,
Hermana Beutler

That moment when you know you're about to lose...
This is an awesome water cup game that we'll definitely have to play when I get home! 
Post family home evening punishment for losing. They paint faces here when you mess up.
Santiago wanted to give me a unibrow. 
Mad brows.
Henry got the worst of it
Crazy Cesar
Smiling with our empanadas. 

Monday, August 8, 2016

Week Forty-Eight: Ice Cream, Watches & Open House

My new view of Cotopaxi at 6:30 in the morning

Hola mi familia!

It's so great to be able to write you all again! Time flies when you're serving the Lord and having fun while you're doing it! Well this week was filled with a lot of trials and challenges but it was still really fun! I learned A TON and am so grateful for the new week that lies ahead! 

First off, our ward mission leader is AWESOME! We've been working a lot more with him and his wife lately and they bring such an awesome spirit to the lessons! The gospel saved their home and marriage and they aren't afraid to share their experiences with everyone and how the Lord has blessed and changed their lives. It's the best! Working with members makes mission work SO MUCH BETTER!

We're currently helping one of our investigators learn how to read while we help her learn the gospel. Her daughter has been a member for about 9 years now and just opened her mission call yesterday and she's going to Paraguay! It's so awesome! We´re going to be working with her a ton before she leaves!

Did I ever mention to you all about Martha? Her daughter Consuelo was the one who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Not sure if I mentioned her but we taught her a few times while she was on bed rest and for a couple of weeks we couldn't get ahold of them. Well we passed by the other day and guess who left to open the door for us! Consuelo! She found out that they were able to remove all of the cancer and that she's going to be okay! What a miracle!!!! It always amazes me how much Heavenly Father loves His children.

The Open House was the BEST!!!! Oh my goodness it was so great! Everything turned out awesome and we had a great turn out. I´m sad I didn't take any pictures but we were just so busy with everything that I didn't get the chance. But some of the members did so I'm going to ask around to see if they can send them my way. There was such a special spirit in the room. My companion and I were assigned to the room with the zone leaders where we talked about why we're as missionaries and the sacrifices we've made along with the importance of the message that we share. Our investigator Lady showed up with her boyfriend Fernando who we've also taught and who was also in the motorcycle accident with Lady (not sure if I mentioned that before) but he was in a coma for a week or so and has had 5 operations and is going to have his 6th soon. He doesn't remember us teaching him but he came to the open house and in the room where the recent converts were our mission leader offered him a priesthood blessing and they said that everyone in the room was crying. I'm so grateful for activities! They are perfect opportunities for our investigators to have spiritual experiences! The open house was definitely a success!

Well I love you all and hope you are all doing fantastic! My companion and I are doing great and enjoying our new apartment!!! I'll be sending more pictures of the new place next week!

Con mucho amor y cariño,
Hermana Beutler 


I don´t remember if I already sent this one but this is Zoraida and Lady
Élderes Albán
Mint chocolate chip and tres leches!
With a bunch of umbrellas in the back.
It rains so much here in Ecuador that they´re always prepared!
Bad angles but the icecream sure was tasty!
Fried Fish at Chao Pesca´o
It was a birthday of watches!
The black watch was given to me as a gift from the Albán family!
And I totally recognized the bigger white one.
Carmen you bought that one for your mission right?Thanks!!!!!
 
Don´t mind how I tore open the package haha.
I was just so excited to read these letters!
 
One of the funniest things ever.
They don´t have good pizza here.
THE COOLEST THING EVER!
Did you color this in Carmen?!
So happy to be opening these watches!
Not sure what I was laughing at but I´m sure it was pretty funny.
My cute fam.