July 27, 2015

HOLA! HOLA!

BESOS from Ecuador!!

 

How is everyone? Hopefully fantastic! I am doing great! This week truly has been incredible! And today has been super fun too!

 

Monday was kinda funny...started the week out with a bang! We had a family night with some members...and they ended up giving us dinner...but they served us around 9:20...and we have to be in the house by 9:30...and when the people give you food here they give you a mountain on top of a plate. Boy did we scarf that down! It was absolutely delicious too! But we finished up dinner around 9:26 and booked it out the door! I ended up having to flash back to some 100m dash days!!! Haha! We were sprinting through the streets to get home on time! My companion is not quite the sprinter though...I am convinced that God stopped time...we made it all the way down the street and into our house by 9:29!! WHAT YOU WANT USAIN BOLT?!

 

We had a couple of interchanges this week. First I was with Elder Obeso. People get quite the crackup from that. I feel kind of bad...Elder Obese would be a tough name...it is a good thing he is not overweight! I would guess he would really take some heat! He is a stud though! Then on Friday I was with Elder  Mecham from Las Vegas. He is an awesome missionary too. He helped us out with some Baptismal Interviews, we had a fun ward activity, and we took a selfie with an Iguana...a HUGE one. I am determined to catch one.

 

Today we went somewhere called the "Puenta de la Isla de Santay". It was awesome! It is a big bridge that extends out onto an island from Duran. So as a zone we headed over there and got to explore the island on bikes and eat lunch down there. Super fun! We even managed to run into some crocodiles! They didn't feel like coming out of the water but seeing their heads was still neat. 

 

What more...???

 

We have had some incredible experiences...too many to choose to put in this email and too incredible to put into words. The Lord is so mindful of all of us...and how blessed I feel and am to be a worker in His vineyard. It truly is amazing to see the miracles of our Savior when we look for them...because they are around every corner and on every street. 

 

Those were the bigger events of the week...so I will end with those!! :)

 

I love the promised blessings that the Lord has given us through the spirit and living worthily to be a residing place for that spirit to dwell. The power of the Lord's spirit is so perfect and profound. Its companionship is so pure and persistent. 

"Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance..." (Galatians 5:22-23). These are some of the attributes that the spirit carries and that we can carry through the spirit. However, this past week my testimony was strengthened in regards to the spirits ability to lead and guide.

 

One of the days this past week was hard...I did not know if I could have been "weighed down with sorrow" much more. If I could have "waded through tribulation" any longer. My heart and soul "anguished because of the people". I felt a fraction of what Alma felt while laboring in Ammonihah (Alma 8:14).

 

But when Alma departed from the land and had given up he is visited by a messenger of the Lord telling him to return. Upon his return he finds a very prepared Amulek who takes him in and provides hospitality.

 

So after being weighed down quite a bit...and feeling like giving up...a strange thought came to my mind...

"LOOK FOR A MEMBERS UNCLE"

Well that sure narrows it down doesn't it?? Haha! I had no idea where to begin!

 

But we went on looking...

 

After walking quite a ways and paying close attention to the feelings in my heart and the thoughts it my mind we knocked a random door and out came a random man. He was very stressed...teary eyed...and weighed down by the world. After talking to him for a little while, come to find out his Nephew is a member of the church...and he has been waiting to hear something that put his heart to peace like the message of our Savior's gospel did. 

 

I was in awe as I reflected on the power of the spirit and am still amazed as to what the spirit can do. In a world of decisions, difficulty, hesitation, and complication, how would you feel if you had a constant companion by your side telling you exactly what to do? KNOWING that this constant companion comes from God and his counsels will align your path the the Celestial Kindgom?

 

Because this constant companion does exist!

 

The Holy Ghost is real. His purpose is to 

 

 

"teach us all things that we should do" (2 Nephi 32:5). His guidance will align our path with Gods to help us reach the glory of the sun and help others do the same.

 

Listen to the still small voice. Trust in these God inspired promptings. Act upon those heavenly sent counsels.

I testify that our Heavenly Father lives and His son, Jesus Christ, has risen from the tomb. I know that the Holy Ghost is sent from these two living beings to deliver to us. 

The Holy Ghost is the deliverer. Whether it be delivering diving instruction form God's Kingdom or delivering us from the darkest of places into the light...He will deliver you if you listen.

Love you all.

Elder Noll