#58

Hey family, good to hear from you!

This week has gone by fast as usuall. We had some fun highlights and some lower parts, but, I feel like we are finally making progress in our sector, so I feel good.

The work was great this week. My comp and i contacted a family in the street on tuesday and they accepted a visit from us. Theya re the family morales. Father, mother, and two boys and one girl that lives in riobamba. when we first contacted the family, i noticed that the wife had a black eye. So, we knew that there were lots of fights and problems within the family. They accepted a visit, and we visited them that night and found out that he beats his wife and they are both alcholics who had just recently entered into a rehab center in quito. It was a great lesson we had. We talked about the family, and how important the examples  of the parents are for the kids. We also talked about the word of wisdom and how obeying the law will help them find more peace in their lives. We interected with the kids, asking them what they want to change in their family. By the end of the lesson, the spirit was so strong that the parents were both crying. We challenged them to be baptized, and the father told us that he was baptized when he was a little boy in latacunga. He remembered the name of the elder that baptized him and everything. So we invited his wife and son (12) to be baptized, and they accepted. We set up a lesson for the very next day with them, and we hoped that they would be there and not ditch us. (That happens a lot, people accept the first visit, but never want to talk with the missionaries again afterwards.) So when we got to the house the other day and they werent there, it was a little dissapointing, but we continued on with the work. Three days later, we walked past a little store and we happened to see the husband with his two boys. We talked to him a bit, and it turns out that his wife had dissapeared for three days. He had spent all his time looking for her, and so for that reason he wasnt in the house when we went by. He and his two sons were heartbroken, and even sick becasue she left. We kept in contact with him during the week, and saturday his wife called him and told him that she was with her daughter in riobamba. She was extremely upset that he had given her the black eye, and wanted a break from him. She wants to try and fix the relationship, and is on her way here once again. We had the bishop give the husband an interview, and they have goals set to be able to change their relationship. First of all, we need to marry them! But with time we will be able to get them together. He and his sons came to church yesterday, and so we are happy with the progress we have seen in them in only a week. 

Also this week we had a fun service project cleaning up a toursit site for a member family. We brought out whole district, and it was fun to destress and recieve blessings for giving service. I am always going to look for service in my life, because it is a wonderful way to gain blessings! 

I also fasted with you all for rain this week, and also for our investigatores. It is such a great opportunity god gives us to sacrifice to be able to gain blessings! Por sacrificios se dan bendiciones!=) Hopefully he will continue blessing us at home and here in the mission.

We also had a fun activity this saturday! We organized a ward party in the park and had fun relay races and other games and food. Lots of less active people attented, and even three of our investigating families attended! What a great experiance it was! WE missionaries also got to play arouond a bit, and so it was great. The attendence in church was amazing this last week! 98 people attended!! The first week we were there, only 76 people attended, so we are really happy with the difference in the ward as well. The members are starting to call us and ask us if we can go eat with them for the day, and so we can tell that we are gaining the confidence! 

This week seems like another busy one...today came in two new elders in the old sector of pintag that was closed earlier in the change. We will be helping them to get to know their sector better. Also, we have the leaders conference this week, so we will be going to that tomorrow morning. Hopefully we can gain more insight on what the zone needs! All is looking well with our zone. We are happy with how the progress is, and we hope to keep it up! We brought two families to church last week, so we hope that they can continue progressing! 

Halloween was a normal day. We didnt do anything, and neither did the people of ecuador. All the teenagers go to the bars and clubs, but it was fine with us. We were still able to work normally and without problems. We are finding more time in our sector, the work is going well, and we are happy. Hopefully we can continue this way! I love you all so much! Have an excellent week! 

Love,

Elder Nielson