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