December 19, 2011: Feliz Navidad!

My dearest family,

   I was overwhelmed with emotion reading all of your letters and seeing all the pictures you sent. I was filled with gratitude as I read all your words of love and encouragement. I feel like I am the luckiest girl because I have the best family in the whole world. I honestly can`t even express how much I love each one of you. I miss you all so much that it hurts sometimes (mostly right at this moment), but knowing you are all at home praying and sending your love makes me be able to embrace every single day here in the mission. I was thinking of the best thing that I could send and I thought I would send you my testimony, but first off I want to share an experience that happened this week. We have been teaching a woman named Gisella and her two kids are baptized and she comes to church all the time. She has had so many struggles in her family and personal life that she has put off baptism for so long. So Hermana Smith and I decided to go over there and re invite her to be baptized. So we stood outside the door trying to reason with her about the things she already knew. She didn`t seem to be budging much. So then my companion asked if we could come in her house and say a prayer. As we entered the house, we all got on our knees around the bed and we told her to express all that she was feeling to her Heavenly Father and ask him if she should get baptized on the 23rd of December and then wait for a minute or so after for her answer. She began to pray and pour out her heart and tears to the Lord. It was so sincere and heartfelt. She expressed her desire to be better, her need for the love of the Lord in her life, and she expressed that she knows the church is true. Then she asked if she should be baptized on the 23rd. After the prayer ended, we all sat in silence with our heads bowed, and my companion and I praying in our hearts that she would get an answer. As she looked up she said, "Yes Hermanas I will be baptized on the 23rd. I know I should." We all felt the love of the Lord on our knees that night. I felt so much gratitude for prayer.

   On Saturday Luz Maria was baptized and it was a wonderful baptism...although there was no water in the font when we got there...oops...hehe. Then after we threw a Christmas party with the ward for the investigators and it turned out to be a huge hit. Everyone was having so much fun. I borrowed a guitar from an hermano in the ward and Hermana Smith and I sang a song. It was a lot of fun. They make us feel like movie stars here.

   Well, as for my feelings this time of year. I feel so happy right now in my life. I feel so blessed to be here to help my Heavenly Father in helping others to find their way back home. I know this church is true with every fiber of my being. I feel it so strongly inside me and I have watched the pain, suffering and heartaches of those we are teaching literally melt away. I know it could only be done through the power of a loving Savior who received the punishment for our sins, he who had no sin. He suffered that we might have joy. He bled so that we might live. I love Him so much and feel eternally indebted to Him. The Atonement covers all sin. There is no sin to great or too small. He who created the Universe can heal us. We just need to have faith in Him and just leave it all behind to find the greatest happiness that awaits us. He is ever calling us to return to him. The commandments, to me, were created out of love so that we wouldn`t stray to far. I know he lives to help us. I know it. I have felt him here with me. I am so grateful to him.

    This Friday we hope to have 3 baptisms as our gift to our Savior this Christmas. I remember mom saying a few years ago that we should offer something to Christ at Christmas because he has given us everything. The only thing we can give him that he doesn`t have is our hearts. That has always impacted me. I have shared it with the people we are teaching here and they look forward to be baptized before Christmas to give the Savior their greatest gift. I love you all. Feliz Navidad. I can`t wait to talk to you.

Always,

Hermana Salmon

P.S. Good news is I got your package, but we got robbed! I just recieved the magazine and nothing else! I was so sad because I know you went through such sacrifice to send it to me. 

December 13, 2011: Faithful Daughter in Ecuador by Dr. Henderson

Dear Salmon Family:  
     I am serving as the Area Medical Advisor for Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador.  Sister Henderson and I are presently in Guayaquil helping out with the situation of a sick missionary, and had the opportunity to meet with the sister missionaries of the Ecuador Guayaquil South Mission with Sister Montalti about health concerns.  I have included a group picture from the meeting.

      I have also included a group picture from the short taxi ride back to the Mission office.  I guess I can be criticized for it, as we were packed a little tight, but it was a lot of fun talking to your daughter and the others.  Sister Henderson is somewhere back in the pile.

      Your daughter seemed to be very happy, and spoke highly of President Montalti, and of her companion.  Her Spanish was very good, and the Ecuadorean food seems to be agreeing with her.  You can be quite proud of your daughter and her courage in serving.  I look forward to working with her for the health of the Elders and Sisters in the mission.

Dr. David Henderson

P.S.  I am the old bald guy in the front seat of the taxi.

December 12, 2011: One Year in Ecuador!

Family,

        I just can`t believe I arrived in Ecuador 1 year ago this week. How time has flown. I am enjoying myself too much for words. Sorry that last weeks letter was a little short. I was SO TIRED from all that's been going on. We are enjoying the work and seeing much success from the love of the members and of the Lord. We are just reaping all the blessings from it all. This last week Javier Cabrera was baptized and confirmed a member of the church and we are just so happy. Almost all of our converts are going strong in the church and even Pedro got up to share his testimony in church this week. He is a man who has hunger for knowledge of the things of the Gospel. He has just soared since his baptism and there is a noticeable light in his eyes. It makes the fire inside me grow bigger and have the desire to share the gospel until I cant go any longer. This week I have been fighting the feeling of being so tired. I am just warn out but I feel so much of the help of the Lord when we feel like we can`t move one more step...that's when the Lord steps in.  I know this is His work and any efforts we make to help bring his children back to him, he can use and he will help us to soar. I love you all. The Church is true.

Always,

Hermana Salmon

December 5, 2011: Stake Conference

Family,

  What a week! This week was a whirlwind! So this weekend was stake conference and a few weeks ago our bishop set the goal for us to bring 30 investigators to church. I know we are in Ecuador and all, but 30 was a little bit of a steep number (or at least I was thinking...oh me of little faith). So we created a plan and my companion and I did divisions several times with the members to invite everyone we could. On Saturday we spent the whole day walking through our sector, confirming all the invitations we had made. Then Sunday came..the time for "the Harvest". We set out with Hermano Soliz in his car and we drove around waking people up so they could start to get ready! Then we found this sweet little bus and we loaded everyone in. It was nuts, but so much fun! But we arrived with 25 people at the conference and it was such a wonderful day with the great efforts of the whole group. It really brought the ward together and I love it here. I feel quite at home and I love these people so much. Now we cant lose a beat and need to go find all of them to teach this week. We are excited but need lots of prayers! Love you. It has been so much fun!

Always,

Hermana Salmon

November 28, 2011: Another Great Week

Family,

Well I have some great stories to share from another fabulous week! Right after I finished writing you last Monday, we were trying to print something off the emails and Hermana Smith said her name out loud. What we didn`t realize is that a lady was listening and as we left to walk home, she came running after us with the Mission Handbook that Hermana Smith had lost a week earlier. She said that she had found it and was waiting to find the owner. We asked her if we could go visit her and we did that night. We shared a message with her and she told us that she hasn`t lived here very long and feels very lonely. She said that her mom and sister are members of the church in another city far away. We invited her to be baptized and she accepted! What a miracle! The Lord really has so many means of bringing others to find us or us to find them. I love it! It is so fun!

Then that night we found out that the wedding we were hoping to carry out was not going to happen because of a confusion in the papers. We ran and got an hermana in the ward who is a profesional with those things on Tuesday night and all said a prayer together that all would come out right because they had to get married Wednesday. Then, Wednesday morning we got a call from the Hermana saying, "Okay, they are going to get married today at 3 pm!" We did a lot of running around to find witnesses and got a nice cake to celebrate and I can happily say that the family was married! After their interview the dad Pablo said, " I can`t wait any longer for my baptism. I am so ready." Then Sunday came and the husband and wife were baptized by their son Junior who was baptized a month ago. It was such a beautiful service and we left feeling so incredibly happy.

Everything else is so great. We are incredibly happy and we had so much fun celebrating Thanksgiving with the Family Hidalgo. They made turkey, mashed potatoes WITH gravy (which doesnt exist here) and pumpkin pie!! They looked up a recipe online! We were so happy and they had the tree all set up too. We talked about our traditions at home and we felt the Thanksgiving spirit. What a memorable day. Everyone wants to give us Christmas dinner...and we are so okay with that!

Oh, another thing I think you would enjoy to know. Hermana Smith is so great and she reminds me so much of Taryn. She does so many things like her and when we are walking and I am not looking at her, I think she is Taryn. It is so sweet. It makes me feel quite at home. I love you all.

Always,

Hermana Salmon

November 21, 2011: Black Monday

Family,

Yeah, today Hermana Smith and I are celebrating "Black Friday" as "Black Monday" because today is our day to shop and we both confessed how much we loved "Black Friday" in the states. So today we made a shopping list and attempted to buy some clothes and stuff we needed. I didn`t come away with much other than milk, a pancake mix, and some other goodies just because I couldn`t find any clothes to buy. Sheesh! But we felt so happy to be at the mall with the Christmas lights up. It feels weird that it`s Christmas time here and it`s so hot. Luckily today is a little overcast and quite nice. But we are so excited for this Thanksgiving because we have this wonderful family in our ward, the Familia Hidalgo, that wants to make us a Thanksgiving Day feast and they are inviting all their kids to come celebrate with us. They told us to arrive with empty stomachs so we can eat our hearts out. She is looking up the traditional foods on the internet so we feel quite at home. We are really excited. We are going to feast, feast, FEAST!

And now let me tell you about last week. I remember I left you hanging on the edge with Antoni and his mom and how she came to the church for the first time and we were hoping that it was going to mean she was going to let him get baptized....well, then that night we went to his house to have a lesson and right when we walked in, his mom said, "Antoni can get baptized this weekend. He wants it with all of his heart." My companion and I were smiling ear to ear. Once again, another answered prayer. Then the next day we went to tell Carlos because he was waiting to get baptized with Antoni and things were so up in the air, and he also accepted to be baptized. And so we are so pleased to say that Rosa, Carlos and Antoni were all baptized this weekend. When the week started out, Rosa was the only person who was to be baptized, but Heavnely Father had other plans. We were so happy.

Another funny experience. In a few weeks we are having our stake conference and so President Montalti came to talk to the stake and ward leaders about it. He asked us all to commit to the amount of investigators we were going to bring as wards. So Hermana Smith and I sat talking with our Bishop and first counselor and we all decided that we could bring 20 people...and that that was a high goal, but achievalbe. So we said, "yeah we`ll bring 20" and the bishop said, "yeah 20 sounds good" and then he stood right up and said, "President we`ll bring 30!" Ha, my companion and I did a double-take at the bishop and couldn't hold back the shock. Ok, Bishop, that`s the spirit! So this week we set out with him and the ward mission leader to go out and contact all these people. It has been going so well. We also have so many plans for this week as well until the conference. We are having great success for the faith of the bishop. We are tired as can be, but happier than ever. We are excited to look for the miracles that will come with the help of the whole ward.

Oh, and today, we went to the center to renew my visa and it was in my old sector that I was in for about 6 months. I was thinking on the bus ride how I wish we could`ve met up with one of the ladies whom we had been teaching for so long...Flor Maria. Then lo and behold, we began walking and I looked up and there she was standing in the street. I screamed and we hugged each other and cried. It was such a tender mercy from the Lord.

Love you all,

Hermana SALMON

November 14, 2011: This Week!

My lovely companion, Hermana Smith and me.

Our district

An activity we had today. An american group came to give toys and clothes to the niños here and it went so great.

Family,
Oh what a great week we have had! I have had so much fun with Hermana Smith and we and just having the time of our lives. I wanted to share a few great experiences with you that really highlighted our week and they all had to do with prayer.
1. We were teaching the family of Pablo again and during the lesson, he said that he was at work with his co-workers and they were all sitting down when men came up to rob them. He said in that moment he remembered the lesson on prayer and he bowed his head and prayed that they wouldn`t bother him. He said that the men passed by him and robbed everyone else. He said that he had a gun with him at all times to protect himself, but that he forgot about the gun and remembered to pray. It was a testimony builder to me that God does answer our prayers.

2. Anthony is a little boy whom we have been teaching for about the last month and a half. It has been so hard to find his mom because she is a single-working mom and so she is hardly ever at home. So at last we found her and began to share a lesson with the both of them. We asked Anthony to show his mom how to pray and as he began to do so, Hermana Smith and I sat beaming in our chairs of happiness as he taught his mom to fold his arms and bow her head. She followed so sweetly and looked so lovingly at her son. She is such a loving and tender mom. As he prayed the spirit filled the room. We are hoping that Anthony gets baptized on Sunday with his mom in attendance. The other part of the story is that she wanted to be at his baptism but hardly has any days off. She said she wanted to visit the church before her son got baptized. Today at the activity (A group from the US came today to hand out toys and clothes to the niños here) she was able to enter the church for the first time and she sat with such a smile on her face. The people didn`t arrive on time so we sang Christmas hymns with the elders and I saw her singing along. After she came up to us and said how she felt at home in the church and said that she has Sunday off of work! Yet another answered prayer! Keep praying that he will get baptized on Sunday. We have the appointment tonight at 8 pm to confirm plans and ask her permission!

3. We are teaching this other boy named Carlos. He has been listening for the same amount of time and his mom was also hesitant to give her permission only because she wanted Carlos to show real interest...which we wanted too. So we had an appointment with him on Saturday and as we knelt to pray together at the end of the lesson, he said, "If the church is true, please let my mom give me permission so I can be baptized next week!" Then yesterday we went back with a member of the church with a prayer in our heart and we taught the mom about the Strippling warriors and how they were young men who "did not doubt because their mothers knew it." At the end she said that her son could be baptized!!! We were so incredibly happy. Keep praying for them that all goes well. I can`t believe how much the Lord is blessing us here to see such miracles.
I know this is His work. I Know I KNOW he hears and answers our prayers. I am so happy.
P.S. Pray that Hermana Smith and I don't have changes...hehe.

Always,
Hermana Salmon

November 7, 2011: November!

Family,

I cannot even believe that it`s already November. Here it is nice and toasty and so I don`t feel like we are nearing the end of the year at all. But I have so many good things to report this week! First of all, today we had changes! My new companion is Hermana Smith from Tempe, Arizona! Cool huh? I am so excited to have her for a companion. It was sad to say goodbye to Hermana Nino, but she has a great new companion. As for the last week, I know in my letter I was saying how things were a little hard last week. What happened is that we arrived at church after so much effort and we felt like those who came to church weren`t progressing and I felt like I was failing in someway. I felt like it was all I had to give. Then from that moment, I have been able to see that just when I thought I had no more to give, the Lord stepped in and took over. I know he doesn`t need me for this work,he just lets me be apart of it and grow from it. But Pablo, the dad of Junior who got baptized 3 weeks ago, came to church and absolutely loved it. Then this week when we arrived at the house, Margorie (the mom) was sitting outside reading the Book of Mormon to her son and when we entered the house, Pablo was reading as well in his hammock. He excitedly told us that he read what we left him and that he had read the Liahona. It was like he was hungry for more. Then he called in his whole family to come hear us and we sat and bore testimony of Christ and his Atonement. Pablo said, "Its not easy to repent is it? I have to change the way I talk at work." He is so excited about the Gospel and he has changed so much even in the last week. For about 1 month we have been inviting him and his wife to get married so they could get baptized and they always said no. But this week, he said yes and they accepted a baptism date! How great is that! Then the other night we went to teach them again and we invited the daughters to be baptized. They are unsure right now, but Pablo then said, "I am following the example of your brother, and now lets walk together as a family and not leave anyone wandering." He said that he had been praying every day and that his knees hurt! Ha, I was so happy. I felt like I could`ve burst from happiness. Hermana Nino and I floated all the way home. We love them so much. Please pray that they can get baptized as a family and that everything will go well.

Then on Saturday, a little boy of 10 years old was baptized and all his family came. He doesn't live with his mom and dad, but his grandma is a member and has helped him find the Gospel. He is such a good little boy and his baptism was so special.

I feel so happy today and I feel my testimony has grown this week of the Lord`s power. He loves us and is willing to help us when we think we can`t go anymore. In fact, he`s always helping us its just that sometimes we think we are doing things so well on our own and just don`t recognize his help until we go searching for it. I love Him.

By the way...I ate crab and I liked it!

Always,

Hermana Salmon

October 31, 2011: Mission is Awesome!

Family,

I don´t have too much to say today because I am short on time, but everything is going pretty well. I am still happy as ever but yesterday my companion and I were a little sad at church because so many people we invited and passed by for didn`t come. Some were either hiding or just said no. That made us sad because we see how this could bless their lives so much. I have come to love these people so much and I want them to be happy. I want each of them to have eternal families and I want them to be able to feel the peace that comes from baptism and repentance...like a completely clean slate...ready to start over. But don`t worry, the mission is as awesome as ever and we are ready to keep looking for those who are waiting. I love you all and sorry I haven`t sent hand written letters in so long. There is not a mail box near me but I am receiving your letters! Thank you so much for your support!

-Hermana Salmon

October 24, 2011: Another Great Week!

Family,
Wow, this week was a great week! We have been meeting some wonderful people this week that have seemed to come out of the woodwork. They just seem to appear and say they want to come to church and my companion and I just seem to look at each other like, "Can you believe it?" I know it is Heavenly Father that is blessing us to come across such wonderful people. I am still having so much fun and I love meeting people in the streets. The Elders gave us a reference and they said that they were passing by this lady`s house and helped her move her refrigerator...later they got talking and she made a comment like, "You are from the LDS church (SUD in Spanish)? I have always wanted to go inside." and I can tell you that she did go inside yesterday! She came to church with her daughter and she is so great. We are also teaching this youngster who is 15 years old who wants to be baptized next month. His name is P. And we were teaching him in the home of the Fuertes family. They are this amazing family and we are at their house every single day. It has become our second home. Anyway, we were teaching "P" in their house and as we began teaching, Hermano Fuertes started to share with us the importance of missionary work. He then said, "When you signed your call you made a promise to fulfill your mission to the best you could and come here to find the people that you had met in the heavens before you came to earth." And then he turned to "P" and said, "You promised "P" in heaven that you would come find him." And as he said that the look on "P's" face changed completely. The spirit really hit home to me that this is a sacred work. We are here to find the lost and bring them back...all of us are part of this work. That night was so special and the spirit penetrated the room as we talked about the kind of person that "P" wants to become in his future and what he needs to do to accomplish his goals. He comes from a humble home and I think so many of the people with backgrounds such as his don`t believe their future contains anything more than what they have had their whole lives. But that night we discussed the person he can be...despite his family situation, despite his economic situation and despite his past. The Lord only sees who we can become in the future. That night was so special to me and I will never forget it.

Also, yesterday, P P was baptized! He was baptized right before church at 2 pm with his dad there watching him. His dad is not a member of the church, but the look on his face said it all. He seemed to be taking it all in. P P is 17 years old and is super solid. He put on his white shirt and tie for the first time before his baptism and seemed excited and a little nervous, but totally looked the part. Then as he went down in the water and came out, he had the hugest smile on his face. R Fuertes baptized him and he said that after the baptism they hugged and he said how happy he looked. He shared his testimony after about how happy he felt as well. He told one of the hermanos that he wants to serve a mission...so that´s the next plan for us! In Sunday school the teacher asked him about how he knew that the church was true and he said that it was because he prayed and he felt this warm and calm feeling come over him and in that moment he knew it was true. His dad sat so intent on everything that was being said and seemed hungry for answers. It was a beautiful day and I felt so happy to be a part of it all.
The only sad thing this week was that 3 sisters had plans to be baptized for the next week and now things are up in the air because of family situations. Please pray for them. They have been progressing so well, but really need to gain a personal testimony.
I sure love you all. The church is true and I couldn't`t be happier.
Always,
Hermana Salmon

Hermana Mairena and I...this is an old photo, but I loved it because I am eating a hotdog...my favorite thing ever.

The Fuertes family...we are ALWAYS at their house. They are members and such a great family. We have grown quite attached to them because we see them on a daily basis.

This is at the baptism this weekend. This is P P and he is 17 years old. He is so great and says that he wants to prepare for a mission. It was a wonderful day.

October 17, 2011: One Year!

Family,
Holy Moly! It has been such a great week! Were do I even begin? I feel like I haven`t been doing a good job lately of describing what`s going on here, so I am going to attempt to do so now. So our sector is a bunch of houses without directions and there are motorcycles driving in and out with trailers to haul people around. The streets are dirt roads but they are paving them so everyone is quite excited about it around here. Everyone is always playing out in the streets and everyone is always yelling out to us here to say hello. We have been working wtih the members everyday and having so much fun doing so. I can`t even describe how happy I am. I am having so much fun that I can`t wait to get up in the morning to carry out our plans for the day.I have seen how the Lord has blessed us so much this week. The thing is that we came in and started opening up the sector...which means that we started with our area book and were given names of people to look for, but without directions because there aren`t any! So these past two weeks we have been getting to know all the members, and in the meantime, we have been finding wonderful people to teach. I told you that everyone is always out playing in the streets...well we had 7 young men/ young women come to church yesterday with baptism dates because they all talk to each other and get each other excited about the church. It was so fun to see them all in church yesterday and they all said they really liked it a lot. But I was most impressed wtih the members. When the youngsters arrived, the members got up out of their seats and rushed to sit by them and help them feel right at home. I was so happy. Then in sacrament there was a wonderful talk about the light of Christ and how its that feeling we have inside that tells us that something is good. He spoke out to the investigators especially and said, you need to go with that feeling that you have...that what the missionaries are saying is true. I felt the Spirit whisper to me again that I am in the right place. I am having the time of my life and we are finding people everywhere we go that want to hear our message...and much of it is due to the good examples of the members and the missionaries that came before us. I love you all.
-Hermana Salmon

Hermana Mairena and I in the terminal saying goodbye!


Outside the temple with our new companions


Our first baptism in our new sector...I love these guys.

October 10, 2011: Los Esteros

Family,

This is quick and short but was a great week. I am now in Los Esteros in Guayaquil and I am loving it. The members have completely encompassed us with love and help and are always so willing to accompany us. We had two baptisms this week...thanks to the Elders who left us in good hands. The streets here are half dirt and half cement and there are no street names, so for those of you who know me well...I am trying to keep from getting lost! I am getting a nice tan and enjoying learning to get to know the new faces. It is so much fun. Ha, but we are having fun and my companion is great. Her name is Hermana Nino so everyone loves to make fun of us for our names. Life is so great and couldn't be better!

I have been praying a lot for Grandma Salmon and I am glad she is doing well. I know this week and next week will be the 2 year mark since Grandpa died. If you would please tell her that they are always in my thoughts and I think of them so often. Awhile ago, I told one of the Elders in the office with me that Grandpa used to say all the time "MMM boy" and "For hecks sake" and he thought it was so funny. Now he says them all the time to me and it makes me laugh and I think of Grandpa. The best part is that the Elder is Latino so when he says it its super funny. Grandpa was such an influential person in my life that I love very much. I am grateful for temples and eternal families.

-Hermana Salmon

October 3, 2011: Adios!

Family,

I have so much to say and so little time to do so. We just got our email time cut down so I will be printing off your letters to read and respond as soon as I can! But keep writing me. I love your letters. Wow, this week has been crazy! Conference was awesome and we enjoyed it thoroughly. I was so excited to invite people and to tell them that we have a living prophet today. It was so wonderful for me. We were a little sad yesterday because we have been working with a family with the twins and they said yesterday that they don`t want to be baptized. It made us so sad and crushed because we want them to be able to feel alleviated from their sins and to become an eternal family. I have hopes that they will change their mind.

Yesterday my companion Hermana Moran from Columbia came back to visit the mission and I got to see and chat with her about everything. It was so fun to see her and made me realize that I need to enjoy every minute of this time in my life because we never will get it back.

Then last night....da da da....I got the call for changes and this morning I left the office and my time as the nurse. I felt such a surge of emotions last night because I had been with Hermana Mairena for 7 months and I loved my calling as the nurse. It made me so happy, but it was time for me to move on. There is another nurse coming tomorrow and everyone is making changes. I feel at peace and very excited to devote all my time to finding and teaching. I love it so much. I feel Heavenly Father answered so many of my prayers during my time serving as the nurse and I learned how much I loved being one. I am staying here in Guayaquil and will receive my companion tomorrow! She is new and from Columbia. I am very excited and nervous. I just have to say that I have honestly learned how much that the Lord answers our prayers and how close we can be to him as we search for him. I love you all and sorry I didn`t get to write you all personally.

Dad- Thanks for your letter and I am very excited to read about your experiences from your mission

Jake-Your experience last week about fasting helped me so much. Thank you and I´m excited to read the new stories

Mom-Its okay to say you miss me...cause I miss you too. Thanks for all the news. I will keep praying! And thanks for the talks

Always,

Kate

September 26, 2011: Favorite Experience of the Week!

Family,

I just wanted to share one of my favorite experiences of the week. Well Hermana Mairena and I are back down to just us two again and we are arriving at the end of our 5th change together...can you believe it! Well we were contacting in the street and we met this sweet lady whom we shall call "Mary". Mary sells food outside of her home and she has a little right-sided paralysis from a stroke. She is about 60 years old or so and has 2 twin girls who are 8 years old and super cute. The girls were abandoned by their mom and so Mary took them in to take care of them. The two of them go out in the streets to sell the food for their mom because of her bad health. I couldn't help but think of Jack selling food in the street by himself. The Dad, John, also has the same problems as his wife from a stroke that he had as well. They are a sweet family with very humble living stances. We brought them to church on Sunday and I was absolutely overwhelmed and touched by the love of the members. Mary can´t walk very well, so some of the Hermanos took her by the hand to help her walk. One of the others gave them a ride home from church. They were all so anxious to help. My companion heard some sisters talking and said that she was worried that they were talking about the appearance of the family, but instead the girls came up to Hermana Mairena and asked how they could help the family. There was a great outpouring of love and I was so blown away by their kindness. Everyone wants to help in the missionary work here and in their homes they are praying for our success and for the investigators by name. This is a group effort. We can´t do it alone. Everyone is needed to bring the whole family back together again to live with our Heavenly Father. The church is true. In Preach My Gospel is says that we show our love and appreciation for the Lord and his Atonement by bringing souls unto him. I love you all and have an excellent week!

-Hermana Salmon

September 19, 2011: The Sun is Back!

Family,

Oh man, the sun is back in action. For a short, oh so short, period of time the weather was pleasant, but the sun has come back with a vengeance! But I can`t complain. I have heard that the weather is a little bit more than scalding in Arizona this time of year. But we doin good.

This week has been very busy! We have been in a trio for the last week with Hermana Cochran and will be until the next change in 2 weeks. Her companion went home for health reasons and there aren`t any other hermanas to be her companion. We are happy because it is a lot of fun to have her around, but the only hard thing is that we are between the office, her sector and our sector. Can you say crazy!! But the fun thing is that we are getting to know all the investigators in her sector and we are going to have some wonderful baptisms this week if everything goes according to plan. We are busy as bees, but happy as clams. The sad thing was we spent a lot of time teaching and finding this week as we are starting our new program and no one came to church yesterday from our sector Colon. We were a little sad, but know we need to change our focus and listen closer to the Spirit for guidance. I need to be better in that area anyways. One experience that was very special was that we were in the sector of Hermana Cochran and we knocked on a door and a woman was very hesitant to let us pass. We accepted that she wasn`t going to let us in and we turned to walk away when she hesitated and then said, "No its okay, you can come in." We enjoyed our time with her as we talked about the Gospel and the way it can improve the quality of our lives. At the end of the lesson, she offered the prayer and said that she was so grateful to Heavenly Father that out of all the doors we could have knocked, we knocked on her door. She felt the Lord was very aware of her. I loved that so much and was touched that the Lord is so keenly aware of each one of us and our needs. I come to realize that more and more every day. Another fun thing was that we had Stake Conference yesterday and got to see everyone from our new ward and old ward. I love this place. They are amazing people with giant testimonies of the Savior. The people here are so quick to see the hand of the Lord in their lives. I love that about them.

Oh, a little info about photos. I have only been sending photos of me and other missionaries because we aren`t allowed to post on the internet photos of the investigators or tell their names. So I have been more vague lately, but I was thinking I would send the photos through the email to mom and then later when I come home we can do something with them, just so you can be see the people with whom I am spending all my time. Love you lots!

Hermana Salmon

September 12, 2011: New House!!

Me and Sister Mairena

Family,

This week has been a ride! We got to have a zone conference with President Montalti and it was sure wonderful. I love the conferences because I get to see all my friends in the mission and hear how things are going. I love hearing of their successes. The conferences are always kinda funny for me and Hermana Mairena because we get malled after each one by Elders who are sick and who didn`t want to call us. Also, in that reunion our zone leader told us that we were getting changed to a different ward and were moving to a new house. I felt many mixed emotions about it all really. I was excited for something new, but also so sad because we had been in Las Peñas for 6 1/2 months and the people in our ward are like our family. Wednesday we went with the assistants (Elder Duarte and Elder Fletcher) to tour our new house and new area. We are in the same ward as them now. The house is really cute and very nice. We are now living with just us two now and at times we feel lonely but at times its good. That night we went back to our sector to say good-bye to as many as we could of those we were teaching and of converts. We were very sad when we had to say goodbye to the Herrera Family. I love them so much. As we were walking down the hill from their house, I had this quiet feeling come that everything was going to be okay and that they were going to be taken care of. Of course they will be! Heavenly Father led us to them or them to us and so of course he will continue to look after all those we love so much in our sector. We are not needed really, we are just given the chance to be apart of such wonderful life-changing experiences and it`s hard to move on afterwards because we come to love each other so much because of how much we have grown together. The good thing is that Elder Carnese and Elder Quispe will still be in the sector and are going to continue teaching the investigators. We see them every day in the office so it will be fun to hear how everything is going in Las Peñas.
On Thursday we moved in with the help of many. It is a new house for the mission so we arrived without much. We still only have about 2 cups, plates, forks, spoons and so on, but we are happy. It was fun to move in and set everything up. We were joking around about how we felt like newlyweds until it came time to assemble the fans for our house and we realized we had no idea what we were doing. That is when my companion said, "I love you and all, but we for sure need husbands in this marriage, or at least for now,the help of a man!" We made some fun videos that I will try to send to you so you can see us real-life style. That day our neighbor came over, the landlord, and invited us to dine with them that night. They are the most elegant women I have seen here in Ecuador and their house is so pretty. We spend the afternoon there getting to know her and her mother. They are always looking after us.
Another thing about our sector is that we are opening it, which means that there is no program of people to teach. We have to start up and create a program. So we set out and just started talking to everyone we saw. We are having a lot of fun and the members are so great. They are all excited to help us. A few of the families came from our old ward because it got divided and so it was fun to see them yesterday at church. Yes, we are still in the same stake because we can`t move far away from the office. We are excited. Yesterday we had lunch with one of the families and I can tell I am really going to like it here.
Also, last night we got to have another conference and this time it was with Elder Ucera of the Presidency of the Seventy. Wow, it was such a marvelous experience and I don`t even have words to describe how I felt. I think that every one of us arrived with a prayer in our hearts to receive answers and every one of us left edified and answered. One thing I wanted to share was about his testimony. He bore testimony so firmly of the Savior that I could feel what he was feeling, or at least a portion of it. He spoke with such power and authority and talked of the scriptures with such awe. He said that he saw the face of the adulteress in the New Testament when Christ arose to find no one left standing to cast the first stone. He said that he felt himself watching from a nearby corner as he read that account in the scriptures. He said that he has seen the Savior so many times in his mind as he studies and digs deep into the scriptures. I loved that so much and I left with a greater resolve to study and feast upon the scriptures to better know my Savior as he does. He spoke with such a light in his eyes and each of us felt completely edified. The comments that were shared by several missionaries during the meeting is how we felt that we all needed to repent and change. The wonderful thing is that the Lord says, "Knock and ye shall receive, ask and it shall be given unto you." I love that. I want to want to be able to bear testimony as he did so that those I teach can feel my love of the Savior in my words, see it in my eyes, and know it through my actions and so that they will then have desires to follow Him. Its so true. I feel so happy. I know its true. I am so happy to be a missionary and carry His name on my chest. I know He lives. Love you all!
Always,
Hermana Salmon

September 5, 2011: So Good!

Family,

This week has been amazing. Hermana Mairena and I are loving life and have found such wonderful families to teach and as we have done so, I have felt the Spirit so much in their homes. There are so many good people here who don`t know where to go for help or for strength. One thing that I wanted to share this week was my testimony of the power of prayer. I know Heavenly Father answers our prayers because He is our father. As Dad used to say to me all the time, "A sparrow doesn't fall to the ground without him knowing and how much better are we than a sparrow?" I love reading that scripture because it reminds me of the fact that we are loved by our Heavenly Father and he hears every word we utter, and even the ones we don`t. I have found that the closer we get to him, the more we realize our weaknesses and need for Him. Its all a refining process. At times the process can be scalding and hard to bear, but he will never leave us in the fire for longer than we can handle. He will pull us out just in time, just enough so his image can be reflected through us. There is another scripture that says that we need to "Take up our cross daily and follow him." I later read how Christ carried his own cross to the place of his death. If we want to know Him, we need to walk a little of the road he has walked and carry our crosses DAILY and follow him. I have felt such peace this week through prayer. I feel like when I am praying he is so near. I bet he aches at times for us not to be able to see Him, but for that, we need to do all we can and do whatever it takes to return to live with Him. He is the way the truth and the life. Through Him is everlasting life. He is all that matters. When we stand with him, no storm can be too great nor fire too fierce. I know He lives. One of the missionaries once said here...I think he was quoting someone..."Don`t tell God how big your storm is, tell your storm how great your God is." And Elder Groberg said, "Sometimes when storms rise, the Lord calms them. Other times when Squalls rage, the Lord calms his child." I know this to be true.

The work is going well and this week we met a 19-Year old guy who plays soccer professionally here. He is really great and is always smiling. When we met with him for the first time, we were teaching him about baptism. He then said, "So when can I be baptized then?" We were both blown away and so happy. Then the next appointment, we asked him why he wants to be baptized and he said, " I want to feel clean and start over. I want to be different than my teammates and be a good example for them." That strengthened my testimony so much of the cleansing power of baptism when done under the right authority.

I love you all. The church is true!

Always,

Hermana Salmon

August 30, 2011: What a Week!

Family,

This week was such a great week! We spent a lot of time in the clinica Kennedy this week with sick missionaries and we really made several great memories there. I, myself, was a little under the weather, but I am up and running again like new. I love being a missionary and I feel so blessed to be here and share the hope that we have with the missionaries, the investigators, and the members here in Ecuador. Its so real and I am completely filled of gratitude for the blessings the Lord gives us through his Gospel. My companion is wonderful and we really had a great week. We got to go and receive the new missionaries again this week...24 newbies!!! and be with them and President and Hermana Montalti in the temple. It was a wonderful time to reflect on where I am right now and where I want to be. I am grateful for new days and that we can change today and don`t have to wait until tomorrow and that we don`t have to carry around our burdens for our whole lives. Life is good and I feel happy as a clam. Love you all!

-Hermana Salmon

Secondary Note from Katie to Mom, but one we wanted to share.

Well as far as things go here, it has been an interesting week. I am doing very good, but I thought I would let you know that on Friday I got sick and I had to go stay in the clinic here for a few days to receive IV antibiotics. I left the clinic today and I am doing well. My companion was taking good care of me as well as President Montalti and Hermana Montalti. They went to the extremes to make sure I was well and President came the first night and stayed with me and Hermana Mairena until midnight with the Elders waiting outside to help. Elder Fletcher was one of them. I am so grateful for him. He is a great missionary. I have felt so loved this week as several of the missionaries came to help or called to return thanks for the times when we were with them in the clinic. During my time there, I received many answers to my prayers from weeks before. I realized, now more than ever, I am supposed to be here and that there are still many people here waiting for the Gospel that I need to find. I realize that I only have 7 or 8 months left and that is hardly nothing at all. Time is flying by so fast. Some investigators came to visit as well as converts, the ward mission leader and ward missionary, and I felt completely loved. I feel like this is my home for now and that I need to devote the last part of my mission to searching and baptizing. That is what it is all about. I love these people here so much and they have become so much apart of me. I feel so strongly that I am to be here and that sicknesses and rough days are just part of it. I am so grateful to be a missionary and counted in the Lord`s army and for that I know he will help me. President is taking very good care of me and one of the doctors said, "Wow President cares a lot about you" because he sent 3 doctors to come and see me every day. I feel very loved and with more excitement to get back to work. Please don`t worry for me at all. I am doing very well. If you could add in a few extra prayers for me and that I`ll get back to 100% very soon, that would be great. I am at about 90% right now just because I feel a little hospital-bed-weak...but my companion is taking great care of me. I know I am supposed to be here and that the power of the Priesthood is real. I look forward to keeping you updated on the people here in Ecuador who will come to find the Gospel. Thank you for praying for them. That gives me more strength to keep looking every day. Have a wonderful week and know your missionary is doing great and is very happy. Please tell the others to keep praying and going to church and the temple. It`s all so real and is the only way to true and lasting happiness.

Always,

Kate

August 22. 2011: Change!

Family,
Wow, this week was the week of change. It was bitter-sweet but has ended quite nicely. So Hermana Garlock got to be in a trio with me and Hermana Mairena for about 4 days and we had so much fun! It felt so great to teach with her and we really embraced every minute. We are all such great friends. Then we got the call...she had changes and left to go to another sector! We have lived together for 6 lucky months and so, you can imagine, it was not easy to say good-bye in the terminal. But the good thing is, that she is going to do great things in Milagro! Then we had another hermana come in her place...Hermana Santos. She is such a spectacular missionary and it was fun to learn from her during the lessons. Then she left and Hermana Barker came!!! It has been so much fun to be with her today and yesterday because she is going home tomorrow. How crazy! Today I am writing late because we were in the clinic again most of the day helping the sick missionaries, but not to worry, they are all alive and well! Tomorrow all the newbies come and I think I will meet my next companion tomorrow. Hermana Mairena will be with me for one change more. Crazy huh? I hope we get to go to the temple again this week!! I`m crossing my fingers.
Well other than all the changes and running around...we have had some wonderful experiences in our sector. I have been thinking a lot this week about how blessed we are to have such a merciful Heavenly Father who lets us repent and change everyday if we want. Presidente Montalti reminds us often how we should be measuring ourselves frequently and reflect on the kind of person we are and decide who we want to be and how we are going to become that person. I remember in a talk in the conference in October someone said "We become who we want to be by being what we want to become every day." (P.S. I know its bad to quote without the name..but its a goodie). We are all in the process of "enduring to the end". I have also learned that every single person needs to be baptized...not only those who are ready or those who want it, but everyone. Everyone needs to be baptized in order to be able to live with our families forever or live with Jesus and Heavenly Father again. For that, as members of the church, we have such a grand responsibility. Heaven will be a lonely place with only a few there. I read a quote recently that I just really love. It`s by Mother Teresa. She said, "If you judge people, you don`t have time to love them." I realize that we are always bringing all sorts of people to church and that we expect the members to love them and befriend them and they do such a great job at it. The Savior walked among ALL classes of people, he healed ALL that came unto him and he let ALL (when he came to the Americas) touch the marks in his hands and feet. I can`t remember exactly what the Hymn is in English, but its talking about the Savior loving his sheep. And it says how all are wandering sad and tired and without him. Then when we find Him and come back to the fold, we feel of His love. I am butchering the song because I can only remember the Spanish words, but it is beautiful. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that lets us imperfect people be apart of his perfect work so that in the process, we become more like Him. I love you all.

Always,
Hermana Salmon

August 15, 2011: Another Great Week!

Family,

Well this week has sure been a good one. Let`s be real, I`m in the mission, of course it was! Well today is fun because Hermana Garlock is with us in a trio because her companion got her visa for her mission in Venezuela and left today, so we went to the COOLEST market with a million fruits and vegetables of every kind in every direction. It was so much fun. I was in another world. Its close to our house and there are tons of vendors and the fruit there is better than the supermarkets and ten times cheaper. I went crazy and bought tons of stuff. We had so many bags in our hands of stuff that this cute little man with a basket attached to his back came and followed us around with our groceries on his back. I bought all sorts of stuff to make pico de gallo and another salsa and I only spent about $2.75. It was a miracle. We were just laughing and having a great time because we were going crazy with all the good things to buy. I do love Ecuador! The fruits are SO good. Then we went home and made patacones (my favorite thing here...no worries I will make plenty when I come home) with pico de gallo and it was so yummy. YUM!

Another amazing thing of the week was that we were knocking doors and we contacted this amazing family of 4 that all accepted a date to get baptized the 28 of August! When we knocked on the door, we didn't even have to say anything at all...they just said, "come in!" Then as we sat and talked with them, the dad told us that he had a brother who served a mission in our church but who died shortly after returning. They had also lost a child and felt very sad about their loss. We taught them about eternal families and they accepted the invitation to be baptized as a family. It was such an incredible moment. We also found two sisters yesterday who had been talking the day before about searching for a new church because of the emptiness that they feel inside. I remember in the MTC I heard a talk from Elder Bednar about the Holy Ghost and following its promptings. So many times I wonder if I am following them or not or if I know that I am receiving promptings. I was thinking after we had those appointments, "Before going to their house, did I feel a prompting because they are prepared?" And I really didn't feel anything huge. But I remember what Elder Bednar said that really impacted me. He said that we shouldn't wait for promptings and try to discern if we are receiving them or not before we proceed with our lives. He said that we need to be worthy of the spirit through obedience and then get up and move. And then he said,"you will end up somewhere and not know how you got there." Those are the exact words that came into my head that day. I don`t know how we got there, but I know it was a miracle from Heavenly Father. They were wonderful experiences.

We are also teaching this hermano that is being intent on getting baptized in a river and I was all excited about it because it would've been fun. He wanted to get baptized just like Jesus, he said. But then we showed him the baptismal font and he said it was okay him to be baptized there if we could bring in some plants and make sure there was good lighting. We had a good little chuckle to ourselves. Ha, we will see what becomes of his baptism. He is a funny guy.

Well I love you all! The church is true because Jesus Christ is the head of it.

Love,

Hermana Salmon

Cooking the best of Ecuador.

Patacones - my favorite thing here in Ecuador.

We went to the local market. We had so many bags in our hands of stuff that this cute little man with a basket attached to his back came and followed us around with our groceries on his back.

August 8, 2011: New House

Family,
So this week Lara was not the only one to change houses, I moved about 6 whole blocks from my old house! What a move. Ha, just kiddin. No, but we really did move. I was worried when we got the call because I thought that meant we were going to leave Hermana Garlock, but guess what....she moved with us!!! Hahaha. We couldn't´t be happier. I am not really sure why we moved just yet because we just changed houses with the Elders and we are still working in our same areas. We have to take about 2 buses to get to the office every day, but it has been quite fun. My favorite part of the new house is the roof....it is so pretty up there and so high above the pollution. We do Yoga or Pilates every day up there and I love it. It is so much fun. I will have to take some good pictures. That was the big change for the week, but it´s been fun. We have been in the hospital a lot with 2 sick missionaries, but everyone is doing well and they are both better than new. I am sure learning a lot here and sometimes I catch myself speaking English and I think I am speaking Spanish or I think I am speaking English and I am really speaking Spanish. Oh, it´s getting messy. But my favorite part that shows my love for Harry Potter was that I had a dream this week that Harry Potter was at our house in Arizona and he was Mormon. He was there with Ron and he asked me to invite Ron to be baptized. And President Montalti here is very big on inviting people to be baptized very simple and straight forward and we practice it a lot...so much that I am dreaming about it! So I invited him to be baptized in Spanish (yes, Ron speaks Spanish now) and he accepted! So the news is that Ron Weasley will be baptized in 2 weeks. Ha, it was funny.
One wonderful experience that we had yesterday was that we invited the brother of one of the members in our ward to church yesterday. He came and was a little skeptical about the whole thing. So during church it seemed like everything was going good. He was so pleasant and he was asking me lots of questions that were great. The testimonies of the members yesterday were so powerful and so sincere and the Spirit was there in the room so strongly. After church, we went to visit him and we asked him how he felt in the church and he kept saying, "I had a burning in my chest when they were sharing their testimonies. I had a burning in my heart." I couldn't´t help but smile from ear to ear and invite him to be baptized. We are so excited because he will be baptized in 2 weeks. Please pray for him so much that he will continue to have faith to move forward so he can continue to have the "burning in his chest". My testimony grew of the truthfulness of the Gospel yesterday. I know its true. Only the truth could cause such changes in the lives of the people here. When we give up all we have to know him....is when we find out who we really are and find our lives are full of greater joy than ever before.

Love you all,
Hermana Salmon

One of our investigators dying our hair! She is the best and it was so much fun.
Hermana Mairena and I on the bus to Milagro. Wow, the wind was a tad bit strong! Hermana Mairena and I are going on 6 months in our sector (ha we sound like we are married) and life is good! I hope to stay put for a while.
Hermana Garlock and I when we got to be companions...what a good day.

August 1, 2011: High Points of the Week

Family,
Let me tell you some of the high points of things going this week....
1. Yesterday the last of the children in the Herrera family, Juan Carlos, was baptized and confirmed by his dad! What a wonderful moment for us to see their family be complete and with the hope of being sealed forever in a year. They are so happy and Carmen, the mom, was just put in the Relief Society presidency and Juan Carlos, the dad, was just put in the Young Mens pres. We are so happy.
2. We went to Machala this week on a little tour as the nurses and it was quite fun and very busy. We left about 3:30 am and the whole day we spent in all the individual sectors of the missionaries going around talking to the Relief Society presidents to talk to them about the food they prepare for the missionaries. It was funny because we would start in one sector with a companionship and they would drop us off in the next sector with the next companionship. We did that all day and we got a great tour of the town there. It was fun to walk with each of the missionaries in their sectors and see how different the mission is in their part of Ecuador. It was also fun to visit many of the members and get to know them. My companion and I also stayed in a hotel...I think the first and last time that will happen in the mission...but it was kinda fun! President says that he thinks he wants us to go around to all sectors in the whole mission and do the same thing. Wow, it should be an adventure!

-Hermana Jamon

Picture 1...me missing harry potter!
Picture 2... Us in the house of a member eating mexican food! Best day ever...pico de gallo.

July 25, 2011: My Little Amigo

Fam,
First, I had to start out with a funny story that happened yesterday. Let me give you a little background info. So there is this little boy in my ward who is about 4 years old. He is a busy body and a tad bit hyperactive. But one day, he decided he wanted to be my buddy and ever since he likes to stick to me like velcro in the sacrament meeting. So yesterday during the opening prayer, I felt this little body squeeze in between me and my companion. When I opened my eyes, there he was, smiling up at me, happy as a clam. He likes to twirl my hair, pat me on the back, bite, and give me love taps on the head with the hymn books. His dad sits on the stand so he can´t really do much and its hard to say anything to him because he does it in the middle of sacrament meeting. So yesterday, my companion got up to give a talk and I was left to sit with my little buddy and some investigators on my side. I bent over while sitting down to grab him something out of my bag to do and he jumped on my back and wrapped his arms and legs around me. I couldn't´t do anything but I did start laughing so hard. The investigators/new convert were looking at me and laughing too and my companion saw me from the pulpit and began to chuckle. She said that behind me a few of the members were really laughing hard. I finally got him off of my back and I tried to teach him to be reverent. He is a funny little buddy and I just thought I´d tell you a little of the funny things that happen in my days.
Everything else is so great and Ivonna was baptized on Saturday by one of the young men named David. He was so excited to baptize her and it was very special. She is 13 and she was beaming. She said that she felt so much peace and tranquilidad. I feel so happy to be apart of this grand work. There is no feeling greater than watching someone you have come to love, find the same hope and peace that we all have because of our faith in Jesus Christ. There is no mountain to great....sometimes in our lives they can be mountains of sins, sadness, or loneliness...but there is no mountain to great that the Lord can´t remove. I love you all.

Always,
Hermana Salmon
or (I have been called some funny names over the past few weeks)
Hermana Salchichon (hot dog)
Hermana Jamon (ham)
Good times.

July 18, 2011: Neat, Humbling, & Learning Experience

Family,
I wanted to tell you of a neat/humbling/learning experience I had this week. My companion and I have been teaching a woman named Flor Maria and her daughter Ivona. I think I told you about them in the last letter. They are amazing and they have such strong testimonies of Jesus Christ. I love to hear them talk. So we had plans to teach the Plan of Salvation in a lesson this week and as we were sitting there, she opened up and told us how one of her brothers was shot and killed a few years ago and she wanted to know where he is. So as we began to teach her, we started getting all these phone calls from sick missionaries and then our district leaders who kept calling us to meet up with us so they could meet Flor and Ivona. I was super annoyed for all the interruptions because it was detracting from the spirit and I was afraid that she was thinking that we were so rude to come into her house and just talk on the cell phone. I felt like we were losing our hold on the situation and we had plans to invite her to be baptized that night. So finally the Elders showed up and I was a little more annoyed because they didn't bring an hermano with them so they could enter the house. So they stood in the doorway as we stood in the small kitchen and they began to chat with her about her feelings about the church and her testimony. All in about 5 minutes of standing in the door, she confessed that she knew the church is true and she began to cry and said she wanted to be baptized. My feelings of annoyance began to melt away and feelings of guilt crept in as I realized that they came to help us...and that they did. I was so humbled. They will be baptized on Saturday! And we couldn't be happier. I am learning when we give our will to Him, we stop fighting the fight we have inside between what we want to do and what he wants for us. When we do His will, we have peace and we feel happy...and reach higher than our original plans would've taken us. I love you all.

Always,
Kate