April 4, 2016
Holaaaa
Esta semana fue bien padre y mi nuevo compa es muy chido.
With Elder Hernandez from Mexico City I'm now learning how to talk like a
Mexican:)
This week went great. my comp and I get along great. It's always nice to
always have a nice support of a good companion. General conference was great, I
cried like 3 times. Basically every question I had thought of to have for
conference was talked about. I got some good insights on a few principles that I
have been pondering lately. I joked in the subject of my last week's email that
I was starting my "last 12 weeks program" (there's a study program for new
missionaries called "the first 12 weeks"). But there may be a change in
plans.
I don't know why but lately my return date had been bugging me. My group to
go home consists in like 1/5 of the mission so there's a choice to go home 3
weeks earlier or 3 weeks later. I was just going to go home the 20th of June but
I wasn't too sure and it was on my mind. Last week I was very tired spiritually
and just decided to call the secretary to confirm my return date on the 20th.
But on Saturday we had lunch after the morning session with a member we
reactivated and her niece that is our investigator, and there was a man from
Guayaquil visiting them, so we shared the new Hallelujah video with him. after
the video, we were talking and Alexandra (the member) shared a little parable
story that she had heard. It talks about how a man that is an owner of many
horses chooses the one that will be the horse he uses to work with. He does it
by keeping all the horses fenced in a space and leaves them without food and
water for a period of time. Then opens up the gates allowing them to hurry to
the nutrients that they have been kept away from. But as the gates open, the
master calls the horses to come to stay by him instead of going straight to the
food and water. The horse that obeys his command, turns around and stays by his
side is the horse he chooses to be his main horse to do his work. After hearing
this and thinking about it a little. I called the secretary, elder Oyler, after
the afternoon session to see if I can stay. He says he is pretty sure my ticket
hasn't been bought yet and I will be able to stay until the 11th of July. I know
it's only 3 weeks more and I will be missing a bit more summer and the 4th of
July but its OK. My intention is not to try and be better than the rest of the
horses but rather I don't want to ignore the call of my Master. Its pretty safe
that ill still be able to stay 3 more weeks but if my ticket is already bought
then it would cost more to change and I would just stick with it. But I just
wanted to show God that I'm willing to follow His voice.
I love you all and hope you enjoyed and learned a lot of conference!
Elder Rawson=)
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| With Francisco our investigator and his sister at conference. His wife attended another session because she couldn't on Sunday. We're still working for the 16th with them! |
April 11, 2016
This week was great, but looks like May will probably be the month of
sowing. Maybe I'll still be here. I learned that the priesthood is real and has
power. President Monson didn't say much but what he did say had the biggest
influence on me. "You hold the Priesthood, use it!"
Last Tuesday morning, I found out that Segundo Espinoza had passed away.
Segundo was a faithful member of the church with a very strong testimony. He was
a man of faith. Because of the lung disease he had over the last few years he
was home-bound and could not make it to the church, But everyweek priesthood
holders stopped by to give him the sacrament. He lived with his family who are
all less active members of the church and although they have been hardened to
the gospel, he kept his faith. One day a couple months ago, we were out with the
bishop and he decided to present us to Segundo who I had not met. We kept
visiting him each week even though his family didn't want anything. In spite of
his difficulty to breathe and speak, for the most part of our visits, he would
share with us his testimony and the things he had been pondering. I loved to go
by to visit him and listen to the strength of his testimony. In spite of his
many challenges and trials that limited him, not once did I hear him complain.
He was an example of hope. I know he is doing now what he always was longing to
do. Sharing the Gospel. I hope to follow his example and be able to retain such
faith and hope as Segundo did.
I love you all and hope you are able to see God's hand in everyday of this
next week.
Elder Rawson:)
April 18, 2016
Terremoto 7.8
Hey everyone,
If you heard about the earthquake, I am alright but from the pics and
videos I've seen, it seems pretty tragic over by the coastal parts of Ecuador.
Apparently they have over 350 confirmed deaths already and are still looking and
over 1,500 injured. Its the first time Ecuador has ever had any tragedy like
this before. When it happened Saturday night at 7, we were sharing a video with
a less active family. When things started shaking I got up and went by the door.
Everything outside was shaking and the power went out like half way through it.
I could feel that something tragic had happened in some part nearby. we found
out what happened and where after because we stopped by another less active
family that is coming back that invited us to dinner when the phone services
came back on. They say that another big aftershock is expected within a month
but we'll see.
Francisco Vero says he is ready and excited to get baptized in May but his
wife has been a little more hesitant lately. We are going to try and get a lot
of participation from the relief society to help her feel better making the
decision to be baptized.
I know opposition is hard but I have seen a lot of positives from the
reaction of the rest of the people of Ecuador and I'm sure the country will
advance and grow stronger. The people here are truly caring and so willing to
serve those in need.
I love you all and thank you for your letters and prayers!
Elder Rawson.
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| My after-earthquake survival food |
April 25, 2016
Week 17657
Bueenoo,
Another great week in the books. With permission from President I called
Bishop Cruz from Quevedolast week, (where I was a year ago) to check up on the
progess of the Tubay family, when they would be entering the temple to be
sealed and to see if I could make it before heading home. He said they had plans to
go in August becuase that was when he thought they completed a year! I told him
they complete a year in May and he said he would talk to them and for me to call
him next week. So I talked to him again today and they have it planned out to go
as a ward to the temple on May 14 and the Tubay family will be sealed there! I'm
stoked, Obispo Cruz is a great guy!
On Tuesday, we walked pass the albergue (forgot the word in english) where
a lot of families were staying whose houses had fallen over from the earthquake.
We asked the people in charge if there was any service we could help out with
and they took us over to a place where they were preparing care packages to send
out to Manabí. We organized to return Wednesday morning with the zone. Then on
Wednesday I got super duper sick and we didn't go. But the rest of the zone
still went and said the service went great!
I don't know what it was but I got the worst stomach ache on
wednesday. It was way painful and I felt terrible but somehow I managed to fall
asleep for an hour and a half or so until the nurses called back at 4:30. It was
a little nap but I got soooo much rest and at least I felt like I could manage
to get around. My stomach still hurt bad but I felt the prompting to go work and
I remembered I had promised to dedicate all my energy to the work, though it was
little. I told my comp and I got ready slowly. We walked over to our appointment
at 5 with Hector Torres a less active. He started to tell us he was busy but
accepted us. He expressed to us how 2 years ago his wife had passed away and he
has never been able to get over it. He has been very depressed since and has
turned to alcohol. We had a good visit and he accepted to prepare to be sealed
with his wife in the temple. Before leaving he asked for a blessing. I gave him
the blessing and the Spirit was powerful. He's got a lot to change but we will
be cheering him on! At the end of the day, although we walked the night very
slowly, I felt so happy to have followed God's will even though it was a little
tough.
Oh and they just revealed that the apostle that is coming to visit the
Guayaquil missions on June 11th will be Ronald A Rasband!
Love you all!
Byeee
"The voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in
having new eyes."
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Where the people are living whose houses fell. (theres a fallen house behind the tarps in the center)
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| Washington (blue) and Mercedes (pink) our new investigators at church with Nixon, Mercedes' brother. |
