May 17, 2010

Dear family,
This week was pretty amazing. I´ll start off with our own companionship. This week was the first week where we actually had a lot of time in our own sector. We had a really amazing week with some amazing experiences. Yesterday we were walking in the street and we contacted 3 girls and they didn´t seem to interested but they told us where they lived. The address was very vague and se just started knocking on doors, hoping that we´d find their family. We went off to this little street so we could say a prayer and my companion started talking to this family, before we said the prayer. We found out that this was ther rest of the family that we were looking for. We told them that they had sent us down here and they let us right in to teach them. It was amazing when we walked in and it was a family of 8. I had never taught so many people at once. The spirit was so strong. I pulled the goofy gringo trick so the kids would want us to come back (the goofy gringo trick is when I just act a little weird for the kids so they want us to come back. I figure if the kids want us back the parents will too:) he he). It was amazing because they all want to go to church and read and everything. I can´t wait to go back there.
This week we had another baptism too!!! Rodrigo Morocho got baptized. It was really amazing because before the baptism he was pretty nervous and it didn´t seem like he had a strong testimony, but right after he got baptized he shared a powerful testimony that really brought the spirit. It was amazing. We completed that family when he got baptized. They can now all prepare to go to the temple to be sealed. We´re really excited for all of them. The fountain picture that I put in there is a fountain that they made and that they have in their front yard. I think it´s hilarious because I´ll probably never see a statue like that again.



This week the our district did pretty amazing too!!! We were having some problems with one companionship and we talked with them about it and this week they did so much better. THey finally started to work and to grow in faith. It´s an amazing process to watch. They´re doing as Alma taught in Alma 32:27-30. I´m so excited for them to keep doing that.
Well I love you family. You are all amazing. I love this work and I love being a called representative of Jesus Christ to declare repentance and baptism to this people here in Ecuador. I hope that all of you can be doing the same at home. We should talk with everyone about this gospel because we want every single one of God´s children to be with us when we arrive in the Celestial Kingdom. If we don´t talk and show them they may never make it. Well I love you all.



Love,
Élder Hakes