November 3, 2014

Hey Locos!

What's going on?! Hopefully you all got TONS of candy and partied hard! Let me tell you...Halloween just wasn't the same without the worlds best hand-made costumes made by the one and only, Tracy Noll (My BEAUTIFUL Mother). Haha! They don't really celebrate Halloween here but you better believe that I said Trick-or-Treat before a mountain of rice and beans was put on my plate! ;) Best Candy Ever!

I am sorry to say that I have to be brief this week :/ We are super busy today and have to go pick up another Missionary that is coming to our zone, soooo...

Here we go!

This week was honestly GREAT! But what's new!? November is the season for this Purple Goop drink stuff...I am not quite sure how else to describe it...Haha! It is just strait up purple goop with chunks of something or other mixed into it...It is some type of drink. I don't know! Haha! But we drink it 24/7! ...Who knows? Maybe someone back home can do some research and let me know what it is! Or maybe I don't want to know!

Let's see...Monday night we were in a hurry to get to one of our appointments and we were just leaving the casa, which has quite the climb! So I was making the descent down the stairs, with a HUGE bundle of Bananas (I have no idea why...everyone always has Bananas in hand here), and I slipped! On of the stairs at on the top level is a half-step and it tricks me every single time! So down I went. It was quite the visual I am sure...but when I finally came to a stop the only words to come out of my companions mouth were, "AH! MIS PLATANOS!!!(Bananas)" Yeah, thanks companero...never mind my shattered pelvis! Gee Wiz! Haha!

This week was actually really awesome! We were in a trio because one of the Elders in our casa finished his mission so the other Elder, Elder D (Guatamala), teamed up with Elder G and I. We were joking around about being the three Nephites but in reality we were just a team of two Elders and a Goober-Gringo with a name that nobody here can pronounce! ;) Haha! But the missionary we are going to pick up is Elder D's new companion and rumor has it he is from Utah! So maybe I won't be the only white dude in the house! :D Lol

We had to climb  this cliff the other day...If it was orange I could have sworn I was in Utah, looking up at Free Fall at Seven Peaks...but The Lord provides...ALWAYS...and I made the ascent! :)

I got to give a blessing to one of the members in our ward which was really cool! He has been really sick and unable to work for the past couple of days. Elder D anointed and I gave the blessing...it was really difficult to say what the Spirit wanted me to tell him in Spanish...but I was able to recall words and remember how to say things that I should not have known how to say...it truly is AMAZING what The Holy Ghost can do and is capable of!

On Wednesday we headed to Guayaquil for a verification meeting with the President which was really neat! But I have to say...I was VERY homesick. Not homesick from missing Utah...but homesick from missing Ventanas! Homesick from missing my jungle! As cool as Guayaquil is and as sweet as the city life is....being Tarzan is WAY better! I did have to sleep outside though...on a mattress..with no blanket. Elder G told me I wouldn't need anything...PUNK! At least I had my skinny tie to keep me nice and warm :) And I am almost positive that I now have Wes-Nile Virus (Just Kidding Mom).

We got to do service on Friday and Saturday which was sooooo cool! On Friday we helped a recent convert build her house and on Saturday we helped out a member on his farm. Both days were sweet!

It seems like this week was the week of the chicken...I ate everything...BUT the actual meat of the chicken though! Chicken feet, chicken gizzard, heart, and stomach all in one week! I was even given a strait up wing without the meat and told to eat the tendons...so that was different. Very chewy. Then...I ate Chicken Noodle Soup...or so I thought! I took the first bite and the noodles tasted really strange...and they had little balls inside of them. It turns out what I thought were noodles were Chicken Intestines! It was hard enough to choke down after finding that out so I didn't ask what the balls were! And I don't want to know so please don't research that...

Brothers and Sisters...I am LOVING every second! It is SO SO hard...but SOO SOO INCREDIBLE!

And that is pretty much this past week in a nutshell!

This weeks spiritual message is for anyone who is struggling...physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually...which should just about include everyone in some way or another!

There is a chance that some of you may be wondering...why is this so hard? Why am I in so much pain? Why doesn't anyone understand? Why don't I understand? Why am I so lost? So alone? Why don't they listen? Why can't I be better? Why can't I be stronger? Why this? Why now? Why me? Why am I here? Why? Why? Why?

I have these questions too. But we aren't the first ones to ask why. Someone long before us asked why too. Someone who is much greater. Someone who is a whole lot stronger.

"...Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me..."

When our Savior was experiencing more pain and agony than we can possibly fathom he asked why too. When you are struggling, when you are rejected, when you are weak...remember who struggled, was rejected, and was weak first. When you are "bleeding" from ONE of your pores for just a fraction of time remember first who bled from EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HIS PORES for time and all eternity in a sense.

"And there appeared an angel unto Him from Heaven, strengthening Him."

The Savior was not alone during His suffering...and neither are you.
As hard as it is Brother and Sisters...HOLD ON! HAVE FAITH! HEAVENLY HELP IS ON IT'S WAY!

One of the most beautiful scriptures I know of is in Doctrine and Covenants when Joseph Smith is being spoken to. And I am going to use this scripture but switch things up a little! Just the first part...and I want everyone to take a second and read this...out loud...but in a very quiet voice...alone. Somewhere where nobody can hear you.

"(YOUR NAME), peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high;..."

Brothers and Sisters, this hard time is only but a small moment...and the Heavens are open and help is on it's way. In this life when we shed one of the tears He shed, walk on of the steps He walked, or have to pay a FRACTION of the price He payed, endure it well. God has a plan for you. He will EXALT THEE ON HIGH. What a marvelous promise!

You are stronger than you think. You are smarter than you think you are. You have more potential than you think you have. You can accomplish more than you can imagine. You are a Child of the Almighty God and you have a divine purpose.  And I promise, in the name of Jesus Christ, that our Heavenly Father has never and will never leave you alone. Keep going. Keep trudging forward. Keep pulling your hand-cart! Stay true to the FAITH! Stay close to your Savior. Never give up! Help is on the way! There is a light at the end of this tunnel!

I love you all SO SO SO SO MUCH! And more than that...more than all of this...more than anything in the entire universe...your Heavenly Father loves you. Without end. Without comprehension. Perfectly.

Endure your trials well. You WILL be exalted on high. It is only a moment. A fraction of a moment.

Peace be unto thy soul.

Elder Noll