Letters From Ecuador: May 4, 2015

Hola Hola!

How is everyone doing?! :)

I hope you are all doing so good...too good!

This week was another great one... as usual! Other than the fact that we couldn't move out of our awful house yet...

Hopefully we end up getting out tonight...but who knows?

There are some crazy mosquitoes infiltrating our home...they are for sure from another planet...they have little jingly antler thingies and are twice the size of the ones in the states...and they are striped. I just call them Zebra-Squits...man they are the worst! Super aggressive too...but hopefully our hospitality for them has made life a little easier on those poor dudes ;)

Then we found millions little worms in our shower...slithering around...we think they are parasites but not exactly sure. Maybe I will slip some of them in my companions drink and see how he does the next few days to be sure ;)

Oh dear...this ones gives me the heebie jeebies...we were planning at night and the biggest rat I have ever seen crawled right down our window and into the gutter. I just about lost it! But I then quickly composed myself when I thought about what my dad would have done and my fear and disgust changed into laughter...it just took me a little while to fall asleep that´s all! Haha!

Tuesday morning was sweet!

I was just doing exercise and I was in between sets so I was stretching a little bit...and I heard things from a distance start to rumble and what not. Then I felt the ground start to shake a little...I just thought it was the typical day of the banana truck passing by but then things started to get a little out of control...and then everything started to shake pretty hard!

I SURVIVED AN EARTHQUAKE!

My first! Yay!

As soon as I realized it was an earthquake I kinda panicked a little! I went and took cover under the only table we have in the house...it has 3 legs and is made of plastic but it was better than nothing. Luckily it didn't last too long and nothing too crazy went down. I didn't tell anyone I took cover under a plastic table so let's just keep that on the down low! ;)

We did an invasion the other day where we go to another sector of the zone to help other missionaries get more investigators. We also paired up with a member so that we could double the contacts...I was paired up with some stud who just got back from his mission. It's not every day you get to say you were companions with David Archuleta's companion!! David Archuleta trained him! It was neat! He said his first 12 weeks he never sang so much in his life...but I guess that was just kinda something cool!

Hmmmm....something really amazing happened this past week.

So we are really struggling here in Panarama. We have almost NOBODY to teach. We are working really hard with the members to hook us up with references but nobody really has anybody for us either. People are not receptive here...it is kinda tough! In other words...I might understand 1% of a fraction of what my number one homie is going through over there in France. Special Shout out to Elder Nadauld!! Keep working hard! Love you dude!

But we went through the whole week with this struggle...and come Saturday we had NOBODY to come to church. Everyone we tried to commit to come said no, they couldn't, they didn't want to, or just told us to never come back to teach them again...we were really bumbed...

That night I prayed that we could have at least one investigator at church...I had already been fasting and I was fasting for the same purpose...and come the next morning we had two that came to church! Along with 5 menos activos (less actives)! I was so humbled and so taken back with gratitude for our Savior. I asked Him for one and He gave us 2...plus 5 more less actives! I know that the power of prayer and the power of fast are real. The Lord is so willing to give us what we ask for...He is so willing to double what we ask Him for...all we have to do is ask!

So that basically sums up this week...if I had to narrow it down to one word it would be AMAZING!

The Lord has many "great works" today in this state of the dispensation of the fulness of times. Doctrine and Covenants 138:48 explains one of these great works so well.

"Foreshadowing the great works to be done in the temple of The Lord in the dispensation of the fulness of times...the sealing of the children to their parents..."

I would like to share my testimony that I know that families are forever. I am eternally grateful for divine power and authority to bind a family together for the fulness of time and on. I take so much comfort in knowing that our Heavenly Father has a plan that is centered around the family. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father was loving enough to place me in such an incredible family on this earth. Without them I am weak. Without them I am nothing. Without them I can become nothing...but with them I can become everything.

I love how this verse finishes...

"...lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse and utterly wasted away at His coming."

It would be better for the entire earth to be smitten with a curse and utterly destroyed than to not have the sealing of children to parent or husband to wife.

That's how important it is!

I testify that you are you, at this time, at this place, in this moment, with these difficulties and with this family for a sacred purpose.

Your spouse is the one who helps you inherit God's glory. Your children are the ones who give you a taste of what God's glory is like as they help you learn, grow, and become more like our Savior.

That old guy, who talks to you about your grades who you call dad, is here as your earthly father to help you progress to stand before you Heavenly Father without spot and without blemish; ready to enter into the highest degree of glory.

The beautiful woman, who you think asks you way to many questions who you call mom, gave birth to your body so you could live together, struggle together, triumph together, and come forth on the morning of the first resurrection as perfected beings together.

Your siblings are here to teach you sacrifice. Our Savior sacrificed His entire life for all of us as His brothers and sisters. What are we willing to do for ours? After all, sacrifice is a required attribute to enter the Kingdom of God.

WE CANNOT MAKE IT TO GOD´S KINGDOM WITHOUT OUR FAMILY.

We were placed here within our families for this short time to help us grow and be placed in God's Kingdom for eternity.

ACCEPT YOUR FATHERS ADVICE:

Thank you for everything dad. I would be lost physically and spiritually without you. I am truly grateful and humbled by your love for me and your desire for me to succeed in this life and the life to come. More than anything I am humbled by your love for our Heavenly Father. Thank you.

TALK TO YOUR MOM:

She needs to know how to help you come forth on that beautiful morning as a perfected being. Thank you for asking me questions and showing me that you cared, mom. I will give you more than an "okay" today :)

My day has been GREAT so far! :) I got up to do some exercise which went really well! I didn't eat breakfast because we don't have a fridge and we can't keep things outside of the fridge or the Zeebra-Squits will get it...if not them, then the rats! Haha! I showered while trying to avoid the parasites at all costs! Then I had a great study! And now I am thinking about how lucky I am to have you as a mother. And how lucky I am to have you by my side every step of the way as we reach our potential together as a mother and as a son. I love you mom. And Happy Mothers Day! See you Sunday! :)

Shout out to Ryan, Mckenna, and Alec! Thank you guys for your examples and sacrifices for me! I hope someday I can give back in some form and in some way.

I testify that the family is ordained of God because we can't reach our potential or throne without them.

I testify that the sealing powers of Heaven have been restored to the earth today so that we can enter The Lord's house, His sacred Temple, to do ordinances through God's power to allow us to reach The Lord's home, His holy and perfected throne.

Of this I testify of in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love, Elder Noll