The 8 th Month

mark has just passed, and too tell you the truth I am passed the ¨not feeling like you're in the mission¨ part or the ¨think about home a lot part¨. I'm here, and I love it. 

Its sad to think that so much time has gone by, at the same time there is a undeniable excitement that comes with the unknown future. This past week I tried imaging houses or cars and stuff from the US, but all I could think of is the Ecuador. Nothing else. I love it here. Its an amazing country with some many amazing people. It has its problems just like everyone else, but I see more positives than problems, and can say that it will be sad when I have to leave. 

There is a lot of changes coming in the mission. New President is supposed to be here in July. A huge group goes home in May, and the arrival of another group of newbies comes. 

This past week we went to a part of our sector that we have never gone to before. Its a good 20 minute walk and it is amazing! I walked through a banana plantation, wild flowers, and straight jungle for 20 minutes, after we ran into an older later lady who had been inactive for the past number of years. She invited us to talk with here in her yard. Pretty sweet little farm shes got going on! They built all of their house outta bamboo and they have chickens, corn patch, banana trees, pigs, and 3 dogs that want to bite my face off. Nice people, we went and helped them cook the food for the pigs one day, supper legit. A ton of platano, Verde, and chicken guts. Throw it all in a pot with some water over a giant wood fire. And you got soup, for da pigs. :)

We just finished the month of March, as you probably know haha but we did it... We broke the records for baptisms in a single month. The old record was 46, and now... 50! It was crazy down to the wire last minute but we did it. We also completed 28 rescues which is bringing inactive members back to church. Feels good to be a part of history in the Gran Zona De Quevedo Sur 2. 

I want to testify of studying and the importance there of. Picked up Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel this past week, The Christlike Attributes. How great was our Savior and Redeemer? He was prefect, spotless, gave all he was and had for us. Amazing, and all we have to do is follow his plan. The primary song says it all, ¨Im trying to be like Jesus, following in his ways...¨ As simply sweet as that song is, it explains everything so well. We are trying to become like Jesus, and follow in his ways. He gave everything and a plan. Follow it, us it, become it. 

Elder Strang 

7.5 Months

Alright, so for those of you who dont know the whole change of the food I was eating and the fact that everyone here serves you so much sugary food caused 2 little cavities, so I went to the dentist! Sùper Sketchy! I mean the chair was good and the fact we were in the street was a little weird... No but really though, we werent in the streets but dental care is not the best. Went to what I was told is the ¨best¨ dentist in town. Walk in sit down and wait.. and wait.. for a good half hour. After he calls me in, tells me to sit in the chair and the starts looking. Finds 2 cavities and then starts drilling.. with out a mask.. googles... one guy.. one office.. One freaked out missionary. All is well, drilled, filled and hopping they hold! 40$ for two haha so didnt feel to bad about that.

Besides the dentist, this week had a lot of ups and downs. The saying, there is oppistion is all things has a lot more truth to it then not. (2Nephi 2:11)  We face a lot of oppistion every day. From having doors shut in our faces, not having people to teach, investigadores not reading or keeping comitments. To the smallest of things, when we need transportation, there NEVER is anything. No bus, no taxi, and when we dont need one you´d there seems to be 2 for every persons. I truly believe as the work of the Lord hastens, so does the oppistion. We are working our butts off, following up with everything we should be doing but there always seems to be something that gets in the way. But just as in all things, truth will prevail! We brought 2 more souls this past Saturday into the fold of our Heavenly Father! Was so sweet to baptize them. Sad story is that the dad has 2 families, this one and another and hes not married to either woman, so the mom of the 2 boys that lives with them would be baptized in a heart beat and wants to so badly, but she aint married so she cant :( 

As memebers we have responsibilies. Help the missionaries, I cannot tell you how frustrating it is when the ward doesnt want to do anything. We baptize and then the members are supposed to visit those who were reciently baptized. If they arent visited or dont have a friend in the Ward, they will inavtivate within a few weeks. Where i am at there are so manny people inavtive, why? Beacuse they dont have anyone to befriend them. Help them! They arent just a baptimal statistic, they are our brtohers and sisters, children of God and the deserve to be loved! 

Remeber that there will always be oppistion in all things but if we are doinig our part, and we are firm in the correct path, we cant take those situations and learn from them. The atonement of Jesus Christ is infinite and covers us all. Everything is and is only possible through the atonement of Christ. Use it, but dont abuse it. I 

I love you all and hope that you all have a good week, 

Con Mucho Amor 

Elder Strang