Prone to Wander‏

Guess what?  The packages got here!!  Dry, intact, unopened, and on time.  HOOPLA!!!  Thanks for sending those.  The socks and shirts were sorely needed.  I haven´t lifted up my arms since I´ve arrived here in Quito for fear of seeing these nasty stains from where my backpack straps are.  The new shirts are so white!  If people don´t get baptized when they see this glorious whiteness I don´t know what´ll convince them.  And the new shoes and sock were sorely needed.  Thank you very much.  I needed the protein too.  Hermana Thomas was giving me advice in the mean time.  She´s become the sort of mother/grandmother here on the mission.  She asks how I´m feeling, how´s my diet, scolds me for not putting on sun screen, and for using what ever form of slang.  She´s on top of things!  

Well ward parties sound lovely.  Hope they´ve been great.  Cambria puking doesn´t sound so lovely.But good stuff!

Ah, it´s already the week of Dia de Difuntos.  Otherwise known as the day that kicked me in the rear and made me a missionary back there in Guaranda.  You remember the week of me being depressed until the spiritual uplift from Matthew and Jonas??  The three days in the belly of the whale?  Ah, I´m so grateful for this week.  That was a turning point in my mission and maybe in my life.  And it´s served me well!  The Lord put me in the furnace of affliction throughout Guaranda and the Villaflora and now looking back I´m just grateful for the struggles the Lord let me pass through.  (that one song, Blessings, by Laura Story kinda sums it up.)  This week changed my point of view.  Before, it was more "why me?  what did I do?  why would God let me suffer if he loves me? " and a bunch of anger and frustration.  Now it´s just a little frustration :).  But now I see that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and I will be absolutely worthless unless I go through the fire and purification process.  And my whole life will be like this until I become, "sumiso, manso, humilde, paciente, lleno de amor, y dispuesto a someterme a cuanto el Señor juzgue prudente imponer sobre mi, tal como un niño se somete a su padre."  So  I´m grateful for my new challenges here in Quito and for being able to see my weakness and being able to try to be better.  I have a long way to go but I know I´ll be able to become what the Lord wants me to become.  It just ain´t easy and it´s not always the funnest.  But it´s a journey, might as well enjoy it!  

I grateful for you mom (and you too Dad!  I know you must read these)  and for helping me get through the rough teenage years.  I´m still a little kid in a lot of ways but hopefully I´ll keep growing.  But please do your family prayers and keep reading the scriptures together.  I know you come home tired and stressed but just do it.  It will make the difference in the home life.  I´ve seen too many destroyed families here in Ecuador to have Satan sneak in and destroy my home and the people I love.  Daily prayer and scripture reading will give us a kinda bubble of protection to some degree.  So please do it.  Family home evening too.  It makes the difference.

Well I gotta go.  I have a lot of things to improve this week and a lot of people to help.  Hope it´ll be good!  Hope you have a great week and hope you take the time to enjoy life!  I love you all!  Choa!