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

July 11, 2011: 9 Months Baby!

Family,
Wow I hit my 9 month mark...the middle of my mission this week! Crazy huh. Wow, time is just flying by. Well I don`t have much time to say a lot because I was writing individual letters today, but everything is so great. We had the baptism of Yannuska this Saturday but right before it started, we had to leave running to the hospital in an emergency for an elder who got really sick. Luckily the elders in our ward...Elder Carnese and Elder Quispe saved the day and they helped with the baptism and we left running. They said the service was wonderful and that her parents showed up right in time to see it all and we thought that they weren't going to be able to afford to come. They said that there was such a wonderful spirit there. We also are teaching another family that is just wonderful and we are so excited for their progression. Their names are Flor Maria, Ivonna y Nicole. I am happy as happy can be and I love it here more every day. The church is true and we really can be cleansed from the burdens that we carry because of sadness or sin with a baptism or with repentance after baptism. That is why the Sacrament is so important every Sunday. I love you all. Oh we went to Milagro, another town, to check out a clinic there and it was so fun. They have all these fruit farms with bamboo houses and its beautiful!
Always,
Hermana Salmon
Our bus ride from Machala.

July 4, 2011: Happy 4th of July

Family,
Happy Day! I hope you are enjoying your 4th at the cabin and in Mesa for some good fireworks! That sounds like fun to have everyone together. I hope you eat a good hot dog for me! Everything here is just dandy as dandelions. This week we had the baptism of Hermano Juan Carlos and it was lovely. He was so happy. He did have to be baptized about 4 times, but he is a well-baptized and extra clean man now. Then on Sunday Hermano Herrera received the Priesthood and we were so excited for him. We hope that he will baptize his son in the following weeks. Everything else is great...nothing too crazy or too out of the ordinary because we were not in our sector very much this week, so we didn't get very much time to teach. We have had some sick missionaries here, but no worries, they are all doing well now. We are biting our fingernails though because the change is coming up next week and we are not sure what will happen. We heard that President has thoughts to change our sector, and if that happens I might die because I LOVE our sector and our ward so much. I feel like we have so much left to do there. When I left Loja, it felt like it was time, but here I will feel unprepared to leave. I hope its nothing! I am pretty sure that the days of Hermana Garlock and I are coming to an end for now (we have high hopes for the future) and I am sure going to miss that girl. We have been together now more time than apart and she has been such an angel and best friend to me in the mission. She has really impacted me so much. That may be the hardest adjustment of all of the following change. But as for now, we are going to make hamburgers together on this fine 4th of July and go out with a bang! Oh, speaking of Hermana Garlock, I had to tell you the funniest story that she told me. She said that there is this new convert in her area that they were visiting the other day named Hector. He is always feeding the pigeons outside his house and so there are like a million outside in front. Then the other day one of the birds was sitting on the electric line and got electrocuted and so the neighbor ran to tell hector that one of his "children" (he thinks of them as his children) needed help. So he ran outside and you will never guess what he did! He gave it CPR with two-finger compressions and mouth-to-mouth! Haha. And the best part of it all is....that the bird lived! There is one more bird in the sky thanks to old Hector. Ha, i thought it was hilarious and had to tell you.
Right now we are teaching two girl cousins named Janusca and Ashley...please pray for them! Sorry I don´t have too much to report, but all is well and I love you all!
-Hermana Salmon