Well I lots to say this week but not much time. Thats a problem. But we had an amzing week, the most stressful week that I have in my mission but very rewarding.

We had a couple late nights looking for missionaries that hadnt reported in, some sister that lost their phone and decide not to call thier leaders so that was a 11:30 at night seach finding them asleep in their house, also fighting satan off trying to get the people to baptism, then confirmation, well we won the fight :) We had a Noche Blanca where 10 ish people were baptized :) Good day :) We also are just having a blast as the dyamic white duo. 

We went to Tony Romas today, ya the one that died in the States some how made it down here? But it was way to good. 

Sorry that Im outta time but I wish you all a wonderful week!

Love Elder Strang 

Well that was great New Years! The New Years for those dont know what goes down here on New years, well its an insane fire light up city! They light these paper machet huge toy looking things on fire that are filled with M80 and so it basically becomes a war zone.. its pretty nuts! But its a fun thing to see from the 3rd floor of your house! :) After the craziness in the night everyone goes on vacation which means we as missionaries are left with not much to do which means that we dont do much! We had so much food, and no sleep. But on New Years day we went and played soccer at a stadium which was incredible! It was the first time I have seen grass in 18 months! Dont take grass for granted.. All of the gringos got fried that day, and we were so beat but it was a fun day. We went back to the house after and watched the return missionary hoping that that wouldnt happen to us. 

We are working hard with the families that we have and the are finally progressing, no one ever said that it would be easy, but it possible and we are proving that now! I will write more next week seeing that I dont have time now! Have a great week! 

Elder Strang

What a short week with so much that happened! On Tuesday we had another training with President Riggins. They talked and reviewed the things that we had learned with Elder Uceda (the Area 70 that came) which was good cause it jsut hit home even more! That day was mostly consunmed in the Church. Afterwards we went home and made some hamburgers American stlye well as American as they get! They were so good. I dont know why, it took so long to make them, its just time that I eat better food. 

On Wednesday we had our day on contacting which went very well! We didnt just knock doors all day but focused on finding new people. We talked with a lot of familes in the street, went to less active members houses and asked referalls from all those we visited. We had two refferals that day and  found about 2 other families that we will be teaching this week! 

On Thursday we had more of an atypical day as I call them. Teaching Preaching and doing the things missionaries do! :) 

On Friday we had lunch way far away,which is normal for Fridays but its got to be 8 miles away. Its about 5 miles in bus and then another two walking and then two walking back out. And lately the sun has been burning into my bones more then usual so its qutie the walk :) Thankful for the sacrifice of the pioneers! 

Saturday we had ward counsel and correlacion meeting which went well. We are all really trying to work together and help the ward as a whole but that can be a long slow process at times! 

Sunday was an amazing day. We had a couple at Church that are working on getting baptized but they have to do a couple things first. But later in the night we were to sing at an anugaracion of a giant Christmas tree in the center park here in Milagro. We sang in front about 2500-3000 people! It was nuts! Such a hit and brought in the true meaning of Christmas! 

I hope that you all have a good Christmas and can prepare to remember the true meaning :) 

Love Elder Strang

What a week! Results have finally come.. well in a way :) We worked really hard last week and had some really good results. We found a couple families and invited them to be baptized, and they accepted! After, we invited them to church and said that they would go. We have been working with other familes as well, which all said they were going to come to church yesterday. It was all going great, till yesterday. No one came! What a test of faith and patientce! I was quite frustrated well into lunch when I met a familly member of the family where we ate lunch. We got talking and he told me that if Im preaching the Gospel and keeping the rules, then Im completeing with my job as a missionary. Brought a lot of peace to my trouble mind thinking about the people that werent able to come and why they werent able to come. 

 

I remember after how my mission pres has told us that we need to find joy in all that we do, as long as we are keeping the rules. And thinking about all that we do, we should find joy in that, or why would we do it? I know that there are things that we dont have much of a choice of not doing, but why not find joy in them as well? Ive been trying to apply it in my life and ifnd that I am so much more relaxed and unstressed in my life. I even find time to look at the sunsets and smell the roses :) 

 

Well on the lighter side of the week. I ate cow stomach soup, again. Look up MONDONGO, thats what it is. I ate like I was taken pills, with a chunk in my mouth washed down with Coca Cola, not my favorite for sure! We helped a new convert put a fence in her year, fighting off ants the size of your knuckle and using tools not adaqute for the job, made a fun and interesting morning :) We have been playing more soccer doing more service and finding joy in all that we do :) 

 

I hope you can all find joy in your lives this week in all that you do :) 

 

Love 

Elder Strang

Guayaquil over the river

The internet café live today

We have no idea its 90 deg

Ties to match girls out fit ? What's going on?

Oct. 20 2014

Well the week of progress has come! The last week we finally had some progress come along! We are trying to focus on helping less active members come back to church and helping the ward help those who are iniactive come back to church, because as we know it does help to baptise people then 2 months later they dont want to go to church. So we have been looking at the lists and there are 450 members that are coming to church so our work is defineately cut out for us! On Sunday we had 8 of less avtice members at church, so a little progress is very welcome! 

The week went by super fast and I just dont understand the concept of time? I thought it was tuesday until my companion told me that it was friday.... As far as my compnion we are still getting along quite well. For those who arent getting along with their companions.. a little secret... change yourself before looking to change them, something that we all learn! 

Speaking of less actives, we were teaching a younger girl that was baptized about a year a go and she had stopped going to church. Turns out she had been left after being baptized and no one helped her or visited her. So when she had qeuestions about things of the church, she didnt nkow where to go. A friend showed up from a different church and ansered her questions with the things from what she knew... needless to say there was some other members from the other church that showed up and well after talking, apostasy is very apparent there. Poor girl has roped into lies after being left.... Kinda sad. We all have the need to be fed the word, the true word. When members are baptized or are less avtice they can be fed many things, many of the which are not true. I have thought here in the mission that visitnng those who are less active may be more laborsome than helping someone that wants to investigate the church for the first time, but its not like that at all. With a simple inviatiion they will respond with postive answers. i am going to attach a talk that I found that I invite you all to read. It talks about how we as members can help the less active, although it is from the 1980s it still applies to our day! 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1980/10/strengthening-the-less-active?lang=eng&query=strengthening+the+less+active

Copy and paste! I wish you all a great week and would love to hear your expirences with "Strengthening the less active" :) I love you all!

Elder Strang

Oct.13 2014

What a week! I have had so many things change in what I believe and how the Lord truly does bless us. Yesterday we had a lesson with a returned missionary who had come home, married and didnt get sealed and is now in active.. choices matter. I was sitting there looking at him yesterday while he talked and looking into his eyes I felt that I had been sent there for a reason, that Our Heavenly Father had sent ME there. I felt his pain and the saddness that he had felt for so many years outside of the church, and a strong desire to help him and his family. It wasnt just the fact the I wanted to Complete a goal, but rather that I needed to help him and all others here complete the goal of a temple marriage. That was a game changer for me. 

We were in the church earlier that day and a sister came up to us and asked for a blessing becasue she was having some trouble with her health. After the blessing I asked her if there was anything else that we could do for her, she asked us if we could talk about what had been going on in life. Return missionary that had married outside of the temple, made some mistakes and now has two daughters that are in college she is a single mother working trying to support both of them. Choices matter. She has now had a bllod vessel turn sideways and is twisting in her ear, which could kill her. The stress had been getting to her and she was struggling to live daily life. 

We all have trials in life but it truly matters the choices we make. We are here to prepare ourselves to compare with Our Heavenly Father, the progress that we have made here on Earth. I stress the importance of planning an well placement with goals, because the desions that we make dont on affect this life but also the next. I hope that you all have a great week and know that I love you all!

Elder Strang