January 5, 2015

Brothers and Sisters!!!

   I sure hope all is well with all of you! HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you all had an amazing time! It was such a great week here...that is for sure!

But what's new?

EVERY SINGLE DAY IS LEGENDARY!

   Last P-DAY was super cool...before proselyting at night, we played soccer with all the homies from the ward which was really fun. They are all the biggest studs...super fun hanging out with them. Then we went to a families house for their little girls birthday. We bought her a cake and some other things. She turned 10 and I told her that I have a little brother that is 10, too. That's right Al...I got you! Best wing man ever. I got you homie! ;)

   After that we went out to our appointments. On our way back home we witnessed a murder...it was the most awful thing I have ever seen. Poor little pig. LOL. Did that frighten you mom?? ;) We saw some people kill and then gut a pig. A GIANT one. It was so so soooo nasty! I won't go into details about that nonsense!

   I went on an intercambio with the leader of the zone which was really cool. All their investigators are sooo incredible! They were really confused though when they saw me because my name had changed??? Turns out...Elder P from Logan was in their home the day before and they just thought we were the same person. I think it might have something to do with our white skin...just a guess??!! ;)

   Later that night all of the missionaries from our zone met up at our house. Elder M and I wanted something to drink so we ran down the street really quick to buy some juice. It tasted sooo good...especially because it is soo hot right now...so I definitely enjoyed it...until a drunk man came up to me and told me to give it to him. Haha. I figured I would avoid any contention and try not to escalate the situation so I just gave it to him. Then Elder M and I went and bought him some bread to go with his juice. It is the little things like that in my mission that have given me the most joy and happiness. Simply helping others brings more joy in this life than anything else. 

   New Years was okay! Other than the fact that it was really hard to share the gospel because nobody was home :/ So we did our best...we were not allowed to stay out too late because it is super dangerous in the streets so we just ate with the members below us. They have a fun tradition here in Ecuador where you eat 1 grape every minute starting at 11:48 up until 12:00. It represents the 12 months of the year and every time you eat a grape you think of one thing that you want to do better. One goal. One wish. Something like that. It was really cool and fun! Especially because Elder P and I thought it would be funny to not eat the grapes as we put them in our mouths. So by 12:00 we both had all 12 grapes in our mouths trying not to bust up laughing. Everyone who was with us thought we were pretty strange...but that's okay! Worth the fun for sure!

   We did manage to come across some fireworks! So after dinner we went up to our balcony and shot off Roman Candles at birds. Haha! So fun! One backfired though and singed the top of my head! I guess that will have to be another story...but that explains why I had to cut my hair so short today! ;) Haha!

   
   New Years Day was absolutely DEAD: Nobody was in the streets...except one person. One super old and super drunk woman. As soon as she saw us 4 elders walking in the street she lost it. She got soooo excited! She noticed Elder P first...

"Oh my! You are so handsome!" Then to Elder G - "I guess you are okay."  To me -  "AND YOU... You are most beautiful. So handsome!" (That's right...winning the hearts of old drunk women like it's my job)... then finally to Elder D - "Oh dear...Que Feo! In other words...you are ugly." After she said that she just walked away...How sad is that!?!? It was SO SO SO SO funny and Elder P nearly died from holding in our laughter...but I still felt bad for Elder D... Nobody likes to be called ugly by an old drunk woman. ;)

   

   Hmmm...what other small details...

I got pooped on by a bird...I think it was revenge for shooting all his little flying friends with fireworks...

   I got burnt super duper bad on my hand...I will leave out the details with that one...just know that it was my Gringo moment of the week...Haha! 

   The stories could go on forever...but I have to get to what is most important!!

   I have honestly learned so much over the past five months it is unreal...especially how to love and what love really is. We learn from the scriptures that CHARITY is literally the pure love of Jesus Christ and that without it "we are NOTHING". As human beings we are nothing to begin with...and it is only through Jesus Christ and His love, which is charity, that we can become something. The work of the Almighty God, our Eternal and Infinite Heavenly Father, is to develop His sons and daughters into Kings and Queens...and we can't make it there without charity.

   Our infinite souls depend on an infinite number of things...one of those being acting for ourselves. Personal prayer and scripture study, going to church, attending the temple, etc. Another being acting for others. Giving to others. Loving others. Living the life that Christ lived and walking the path that He walked. Those two things are all that we can do...we can only do TWO out of the INFINITY things that our souls rely on...SO DO THESE TWO THINGS. And the Everlasting and Only Begotten Son of God and His Atonement will make up for what we lack. He will make up for our nothingness...but he needs that something! He needs that fraction of your eternal soul! That CHARITY! And after we give ourselves to others...He fills in the blanks. 

   Christ´s ENTIRE life was dedicated to others. His life ended when He was in YOUR service. So let's dedicate our lives to HIM and live in HIS service. There is no better or greater joy that I have experienced in my life than while serving my brothers and sisters who are desperately searching for truth. Christ cured the blind, fed the multitude, healed the sick, and suffered in every way humanly and Godly possible...and He did it all for others.

We need to help others see. Help others be fed spiritually. Help others be better and feel better. Sacrifice every single ounce of every part of your soul to The Lord´s work and to loving others. Our Savior is counting on US...He is counting on YOU.

I testify that there is no greater love than the pure and unbreakable love of Jesus Christ. And that love is Charity. It is the same love that our brother had for us when He descended below all and endured everything. 

What are you willing to descend below and endure for Him who endured it all for you and more? 

Love you all so so so so much! Have an incredible week!

Elder Noll

Christmas tree - missionary style :)

Jessi and Jake - together again

Jessi's favorite gift...sweet potatoes

modeling the new pj shirt...inside joke with his little brother