Fasting definitely works in Missionary Work

Hermana Carrasco and Ettinger. They were fasting for their investigators and were surprised when they went to Stake Conference and saw one of their investigators, who worked on Sundays, there. She had quit her job so that she could go to church. That was a miracle they experienced because of fasting. She is now planning to be baptized. 

Elders Trevor Nielsen and Michael Nielson went to Marco's (not a member) home to visit him and his wife who is a less active. Many missionaries had tried to visit them but had been unable to connect with them. The elders fasted and prayed a lot about this family and they miraculously opened up to them. Marco had a dream one night where he saw Heavenly Father, who told him he needed “to overcome his pride and be baptized.” The next time the elders went to their home he said he wanted to be baptized; his wife was reactivated two weeks before his baptism.

Angels do Exist

Hermana Espinoza said that when she was in Otavalo with Hna Pacheco, they went to cross a busy road; she stopped when she felt a tug on her sweater.  In the moment she looked back to see what tugged her, a car sped by.  Had she stepped into the road, she would have been hit.

Hermana Sanchez shared that when she and her companion were walking on a dark street, a man ran after them with a knife.  She heard a voice that said, “Walk faster” and then “run!”  A taxi driver pulled up from nowhere.  They jumped in.  She felt shielded and believed it was her grandfather.

Elder Ordonez.said that he had taught someone in a scary home.  After leaving, as they passed a market, he felt evil and saw a shadow from behind.  He also felt a surprising sense of peace and heard the name, “John.”  His companion shared the exact same story.

Elder Cedeno. shared that in Cotacachi, a sector he was opening, they knocked on the door of a woman who had recently listened to three tall “gringos” who had left pamphlets and a BOM, marking 3 Ne. 11.  She was very desirous to have them return.  The cool part of this story is that he was opening the area and no missionaries had been in that area, much less three tall gringos.  She was baptized soon thereafter.

Elder Burleson was walking with his companion when he saw a ragged homeless man, which made him feel nervous.  He was most surprised to hear this vagabond call him by name.  He and his companion were even more amazed when this stranger answered his question of how he knew his name.  He responded, “Two angels in white had just spoken with me and told me to listen to Elder Burleson and that they would teach him what he needed to do to be baptized like Jesus Christ.”

Elder Smith shared an experience of when he and his companion Elder Chavez were going home at night and were worried to see a group of scary looking people ahead on the same road they needed to pass.  As they were contemplating how they would pass by these people, a taxi pulled up out of the blue and asked if they wanted a ride.  The driver wasn't deterred by their lack of money.  After driving past the danger, they told the driver that he could let them out.  To their surprise, the unknown driver said, “That’s not where you live; you live up there,” as he pointed ahead.  The driver took them directly home and then refused their offer to get money out of their apartment.

Elder Kerby and Pinta taught a young unmarried woman the first lesson.  They knew she would need to get married first but decided to wait until the next lesson to break that news to her.  When they met up with her for the second time, she told them that she had met some sister missionaries who had clearly explained that she would need to be married to be baptized.  The unusual part of this story is that there are not sisters anywhere near where she met them.  They asked her if she was certain they were LDS, and she pointed to their plaques and confirmed that they were wearing the same plaques.

In Inaquito, the Hermanas met a woman who recounted an unforgettable experience when her child was very sick.  Three men knocked on her door and asked if she needed anything.  She told them about her child.  They accepted her offer to come in and asked her for oil, and blessed her child.  When she went back to the kitchen to put the oil back, they left.  She ran outside and said “They completely disappeared.”  Her child recovered completely and she hadn't thought about that story until the sisters knocked on her door.

Elder Burchfield and S. were held up by a big black guy who was drunk and wild who said, “If you weren't wearing a plaque, I’d shoot you.”  He forced him to trade watches.  Elder Burchfield heard a voice in his head that said, “Move to the right,” Stand your ground,” etc.  They were protected.

Angels do Exist #3

Elder Blas shared that his convert Isabelle said that when she was 14 years old and was in an Evangelist Church, she fainted and fell, but felt someone catch her and heard a voice that "down the road, the Lord had a work for her."  She was baptized.

Elder Luque had to go to an investigator’s apartment in the mountains.  They finished at 9:30 p.m. and there were no busses and taxis were too expensive.  A car pulled up in front of the home and offered to give them a ride.  At first they didn’t want to get in because it wasn’t yellow.  It turned out that the man was a Christian and he shared that he had felt the Lord tell him to stop because he needed to take them home.

Elder Suarez shared:  y bueno le cuento la experiencia que tuve cuando estaba con Elder Cárcamo enseñando en casa de unos menos activos mientras mi compañero estaba hablando de repente el gato de la familia De La Torre Tuqueres comenzó a molestar en la cocina y se paró en el refrigerador cuando de momento se quedó mirando fijamente en la parte de atrás donde estábamos sentado con mi compañero y era la escalera de la casa cuando mire solo estaba alumbrado hasta la mitad de la escalera y se sintió como que si alguien estaba allí... tiempo después el gato seguía molestando y después se pasó en la parte de abajo de la mesa del comedor y cuando mi compañero para ese entonces Elder Cárcamo estaba hablando sobre los niños pequeños que no necesitan ser bautizados yo agache mi cabeza para poder coger mi tacho para tomar agua y cuando alzo la cabeza veo que un niño estaba sentado en la meza del comedor mirando a mi compañero mientras el hablaba y se pudo sentir un ambiente diferente en el cual se podía saber que era un angelito que estaba presente en esa lección...

Después de unos días volvimos a casa de esa familia y preguntamos de una manera sencilla en la cual no sea incómoda para la familia y la Hna. Maria Estela nos dijo que ella tenía un hijo fallecido y que cuando ella estaba triste lo veía y conversaba con ella y que le daba fortaleza en sus tiempos tristes y de dificultades y eso para mí fue algo muy bonito el poder saber que ese pequeñito que vi en ese día de la lección fue un ángel del Señor..

y esa es mi experiencia que tuve en Otavalo..

Sister Hemsley wrote, “Before I left on my mission, my dad gave me a blessing where he used his priesthood to call down the powers of heaven and have angels to protect me while I was away. I always took that blessing very literally and knew there were always angels with me.

Once, in my first area in Riobamba, I was tracting with my companion, Hermana Lopez. We had gone all the way to the end of this path in a very rural area, knocking doors without a lot of success. We finally got to the last house at the end of this dirt path, and we were rejected again, so we turned around and started heading back the way we came. We hadn't gone too far when we were attacked by a group of dogs. I remember they came from nowhere.

There were five of them, all a decent size, running and barking with their teeth born. We both screamed and had just enough time to lower our backpacks to defend our legs. Hermana Lopez and I stood back to back when with the dogs at our legs when I screamed "Father, Help Us!" Immediately, out of nowhere, two teenagers came running up from behind a hill with rocks of glory. They threw the rocks at the dogs and they immediately dispersed. Trying to catch our breaths, we said thank you, and being kind of shaken, we hurried away from that area. It wasn't till later that I realized that those children really did seem like they appeared out of the blue. Whether from above, or from the earth, that boy and girl were a fulfillment of my father's blessing that day.”

Sisters Gomez and Davila were in Atacames and walking on a dark path to their apartment when they were attacked by a couple of men.  One of them knocked Sister Davila to the ground and was about to assault her when someone came from nowhere and scared them away.  When they looked to thank him, he was gone.  Sister Gomez believed that it was her deceased brother.

Angels do Exist #2

Elder Castillo said that in Chile he was on the street at 10:00 p.m. when a scary drunk man assaulted them and pulled out a gun.  Then all of a sudden he got scared by something.  He put his gun away and took off running.  They were ALONE in the street.

Elder Martinez shared at at eight years old when his mom was going through the Temple for the first time he woke up early and saw a woman in his door way dressed in white with a little white book.  When he described her to his mom, she said it sounded like her mother. 

Sister Furhriman (the wife of the Temple President) shared a beautiful experience.  When their daughter was on a mission in Lima Peru, her Mission President gave her and her companion a name of a less active or a reference.  One name stood out and she wanted to visit them.  When she and her companion arrived at the door, the husband opened the door and invited them in and told them that they had been waiting for them.  They asked why, and he said, “Because I had a dream and I saw your face and was told that you would come with an important message.  She asked when he had received the dream and it happened right when she received her mission call.

This was a mortal angel!!  Elder Gallego and Elder Leifer were working all day and night and praying constantly for guidance.  They were cold and hungry, when a man called them from across the street.  When they met, he told them that he was a member and offered them hot bizcochos (pastry).  That was a real miracle to them.

Elder Del Aguila said that an investigator shared a story about how she attended a baptism and when a new convert was bearing testimony, she saw an angel dressed in white on either side.  She was later baptized and is very active.

Elder Ashby was contacting with Elder Valentine.  A lady answered and said that three gringos had just been at her home days before.  They asked if it was for real since no missionaries had been there in that area.  

Elder Mauro Garcia said that in Peru in his training, he contacted around 100 people in one day and didn’t teach anyone.  He was discouraged when he heard a voice say, “Stop.”  He stopped on a corner when he heard, “Elder!”  A lady came up and wanted her niece and nephew to be baptized and they were.

Hermana Henderson shared that when she was in Peguche, they were visiting investigators.  A scary man lived in the same building.  He was drugged and angry.  One time when they were walking, they saw pure evil in him, but felt accompanied.  When she shared this with Hermana Urbina, she felt a hand on her back and KNEW it was her grandfather.

It's never too late to become a great missionary

It was a misty-eyed Monday night (May 26, 2014) as we sat in the front room of the mission home and heard/felt the sweet testimonies of four of our departing leaders (Elders Richimondg, Meriles, Lino and Galvis).

One of their testimonies especially touched me.  This sweet elder shared how he had messed around and been very disobedient during the first half of his mission, which was marked by our arrival in June 2013.  He stood erect, but humbly reminisced on how in his first interview with President Richardson, he agreed to do a "start over," and "wipe the board clean."  With Brian's encouragement, he reflected on what he wanted from his mission and expressed his desire to finish strong.

Not long after that, when  standing in the open entry way of the mission home, Brian shared with me that he felt strongly that this elder should be the branch president in Lago Agrio.  Chills up and down my spine confirmed what I would never have considered, but I agreed it sounded perfect.  Sure enough, this experience truly helped him turn a corner.

Notwithstanding his faithful performance as Branch President, however, he was haunted by the errors of his first year.  He felt he had blown it and that the Lord wasn't and would never be pleased with his labors.  He looked down at the floor as he expressed his regret and sorrow at not only wasting an entire year, but at his serious disobedience.  Knowing that his mission was ending, he said, "I prayed hoping to know if the Lord accepted my service, but felt nothing."  He continued to express that he felt heart sick, and thus went to the scriptures to find solace.  He randomly opened the Bible to Matthew 20 where he surprisingly began to read the "Parable of the laborer", wherein the laborers who began early or late all received the same wages.  The spirit powerfully confirmed at that moment that this parable was his answer.  He "arrived late," but the Lord valued his service just the same.

From this experience, he was convinced that the Lord accepted his missionary labors, notwithstanding the errors of his first year.  He was more grateful for the atonement than any missionary I have yet met.  As he spoke, he kept looking behind him at the near life-sized portrait of the Savior and giving Him all credit for his life and missionary service being redeemed.

My eyes welled up as he expressed his love for Brian's guiding and believing in him, for the Lord who so mercifully accepts us, in spite of our shortcomings, and for being rescued and able to return home truly converted.  His mission was over, but he was pleased to go home, knowing that even though he had blown it his first year, he had ended well.

All's well that ends well.

Oh how I love these missionaries.

A great reference

We ate breakfast at the Cabanas del Lago restuarant where we spent the night during the Stake Conference and were delighted to meet Patricio and his wife Monica who were interested in having the missionaries come to their home.  Turned out that Patricio was a less active member and his wife was interested in learning more.  Running into them seemed more than providential.  Our zone leaders Elder Clinger and Richimondg were very pleased to get their reference and will be meeting with them next week!  We're so happy and we'll see what happens...

A Christmas Eve to Remember (2013)

A Christmas Eve to Remember

E. Quiroa handcuffed for self defense

And handcuffed to each other!

Victims are at fault in Ecuador!

After cooking all day on December 23^rd with Christmas music playing in the background, we welcomed the Calderon Zone for the last of seven zone dinners in the mission home.  It is no small feat to prepare food for over 30 hungry missionaries as well as provide an uplifting and fun evening, but we were pleased with the outcome.  After an evening of eating, laughter, caroling, and testimony, the last of the zone took the elevator downstairs at about 10:45 p.m.  President, the assistants and I were about to collapse when the phone interrupted our anticipated relaxation.

From a distance I heard the words, “pelea” (fight) and could tell that missionaries had been involved in something serious, but it took some patience to figure out what the hysterical Hermana Torres was trying to communicate over the cell phone.  Elder Ospina took the phone and by his expression, we knew there was serious trouble.  Yet all we really knew when he hung up the phone was that our missionaries had been in a fight when attempting to help a member, were seriously injured, being held by police, and that we needed to get to them as quickly as possible.  We gathered some food and extra blankets and drove the eerily quiet Quito streets to the Flagrancia Police station, where we found the office secretaries standing next to a white police truck, where our injured missionaries, as well as Brother Torres, were sitting in the back seat of the vehicle. 

Elder Figueroa’s black and blue eye looked especially puffy above his swollen cheek bone.  I caressed his head and felt ping pong size bumps all over this skull.  Elder Quiroa had a lacerated hand and Brother Torres had a fractured nose.  They looked bewildered, cold, and in pain.  We handed them the food and blankets through the open window while attempting to comfort them.  We kept our eyes on the opposite side of the dark and quiet street where we learned three of the five perpetrators were being held in the back of another police truck, but the happenings of the evening were revealed over the course of the next several hours.

Smiles through the pain that they are going to get out of jail!

Apparently, the fight erupted when a glass worker came to be paid for a job he had done in the Torres’ home.  Instead of paying him the remaining $100, they said he needed to finish the job (which would have taken 20 minutes); incensed, he punched Brother Torres in the nose.  The Elders, who were having dinner inside with some investigators, ran outside to stop the fight.  

They were successful, but the infuriated worker jumped in his truck and threatened to come back with police.  Thus, they were surprised when instead of police, five 20-30 year old men jumped out of the truck and began beating them with baseball bats, metal pipes, as well as throwing glass.  Sister Torres ran out of her home crying and begging them to stop, while her daughter called the police, who came and arrested all involved. By the time we heard about the altercation, a couple hours had passed and were being held outside the police station.

After standing next to the idling toxic (diesel) police truck until well past Midnight, we plead for permission to take the elders to Hospital Metropolitano, the best hospital in the city.  To our great relief, Official Wilson, one of the police officers who first responded to the fight, worked out the details so that we could transport them as long as he went with us in his bright yellow police vest.  The rest of the evening was a blur as we drove and kept watch over the patients. 

By 6:30 a.m. Elder Figueroa had awakened from his anesthetic, under which doctors had reattached his shoulder, and was thus summoned back to the police station.  Wilson transported him in his police truck, while we went in search of something warm for them to eat.  We purchased four beef empanadas and yogurt, which we took back with us to the station.  After searching up and down corridors and floors, we finally found the Policeman Wilson who (after being offered food) allowed Brian to descend to the dirty, cold and dark first floor holding cell where our poor injured missionaries were being held like prisoners along with those who had nearly left them for dead.  Brother Torres wept when offered warm food to eat.

Elder Ospina, who went down later, said it was impressive to see the perpetrators with downcast eyes, shame and freezing cold in the same room with the elders who had blankets, warm food, and the peace of knowing they had done nothing wrong.   He said he imagined it being akin to the Spirit World.

At 7:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, they were granted a hearing.  They were brought into the court room hand cuffed in pairs, including Brother Torres who was cuffed to the very worker who had broken his nose.  We expected to see anger, and hostility, and thus greatly surprised to see them smiling at each other like long lost friends.   Later we learned that at least one of them expressed an interest in learning about the gospel.

The court agreed to a plea deal where the victims only received $500, but at least they wouldn't have a criminal record!

Because of the Ecuadorian laws, the Elders (El Salvador and Honduras) would have had life time  criminal records in Ecuador had they contested, so they all agreed to a plea deal where the perpetrators would pay only $500 for their crime, and by 9:00 p.m. they were signing the agreement, and their handcuffs (esposas!) unlocked.

They joined the office elders at our home that evening for a delicious Christmas Eve dinner.  Though their eyes were straining with exhaustion from lack of sleep, pain, and trauma, they were very grateful, as were we that they were now free from a terrifying ordeal.

Tired and hungry after a long ordeal, we enjoy a delicious Christmas Eve dinner and program in the mission home.