January 10, 2011: Oh Loja

Familia,
Everything here is going great. Just a few experiences I
wanted to share with you that really touched me....
1. We taught this woman named Dilsa, her husband who is in the
military here, and her 3 young children. We taught about how families
can pray together and I shared the story about how we used to pray and
read scriptures across speaker phone with Dad being in DC when I was
younger and how that kept our family strong. The dad was really
touched because he works far from his family at times. I am so
grateful for that experience that we had as a family and that I could
now use to share and strengthen other families.
2. We taught Monica who is 17 and we taught her about hte Holy Ghost
and the feelings that accompany it and she said, "Yes, I know this
feeling. I felt it years ago when the Elders taught me. I feel different
inside. I know it´s true!" I loved that. It is true!
I have really felt the hand of the Lord in our work. It´s hard
because so many don´t want to hear the message or don´t want to follow
through, but it´s okay. I respect their decisions. I just think though
sometimes, if all we have to do is ask Heavenly Father if this is
true, then why don´t people want to ask? He promises He will answer
and all we have to do is ask with a sincere heart. It´s so true. I
know it is.

Other funny things..
I really enjoy all the food here even though I like to joke about the
bus-loads of rice we eat here, I really like all the food. I feel
lucky to live in the land of mangos and platanos! I love them!! The
only thing that has been actaullly terrible was this cake pastry thing
I ate at an investigators house (bless his heart). It tasted like
someone smoked a pack of cigarettes into it...Eww! I choked that down
fast! They love jello here! I also think its funny to be sitting in a lesson and hearing Nsync
songs playing nextdoor or hearing the themesong to "cops" in the
little shops we stop into to make phone calls. Little things that bring
me joy. I love you all. Thank you for your love and support. This
church is true. I know it. I feel different inside, a good different.
-kate