Small World

The two gentlemen in this picture are brothers and they were small children when my father knew them as a missionary in Ecuador .

More Pictures-2/7/2011

Baptism

Flowers in Ecuador

In the Office

One can wish, right?

Awareness

Awareness
5 Feb, 2011

Thank you so much for sharing the experiences that you are having. Being a missionary and in the missionary mindset I am always looking for great members that do the kinds of things that you are doing. I was thinking about all the sad, terrible, things that happen in the world everyday. I was thinking about what would have happened in the life of a person if, 5 years earlier, a missionary or a friend would have had the courage to talk about the gospel, about the peace and blessings it brings. I am so glad that Sarah is building a testimony. Before I left I don´t think that my testimony was ever challenged because I didn't really have one. Sure I talked about religion all the time with my friends especially Hassan, but not in the way that Sarah is doing it. Her life and example will have an effect in the lives of others I promise.

I was in the hospital the other day memorizing scriptures when a man came up to us and asked if we were part of the church of Jesus Christ. We replied yes. He said that he was a chef and that he worked with a member of the church, that his family every night studies the scriptures together and prays but still can not seem to find the peace and assurance that the member of the church had. He wanted to know what made us so happy. We had a 45 minute lesson in the hospital waiting room about the Restoration of the gospel and a living church. He lives in Ambato and I know that his life will be changed, he has found the truth because of the life of his coworker. True love and true friendship is seeing the potential in others that they might now see in themselves.
I was also thinking a lot the other day about desires. Example, I pray every night to be blessed with the power of the spirit or perhaps a more real life situation pray every night to be helped with my finals. Then the following day none of my actions fulfill my prayer. I live in such a way that it is opposite to what I am praying for. Will God still answer my prayers? Yes and he will even do it according to my desires, because my desire really isn't to have the spirit or to do well on my finals, my desires are the actions that I am doing. The saddest revelation imaginable for me is to arrive at judgment day and God shows us that he has given us everything we ever desired being bad or good.

To me is is so interesting how different facets of the church are attractive to different people. Obviously the blessings, joy and peace we receive are all desirable but that is not the initial reason many of my investigators show interest in the church. For example last week a lady named Elu, from Venezuela, came to church and then asked us to come visit her afterwards. She said the thing that was most impressive was the organization of the church, not only the idea of a prophet and twelve apostles, but how even our obscure ward in Ecuador had the same organization and functioned by the same principles as all the other wards. I had never even thought about that. She accepted a baptismal date after the first lesson and is progressing amazingly. I also was studying a little about the Light of Christ but in a different aspect. I was thinking about how incredible it is that all around the world there is that something inside of us that tells us things are wrong. No one has to convince us that killing is wrong, we feel it. For me just that feeling of right and wrong is proof of an external truth, is evidence of God. Our nature is divine, not evil and wicked, our goal, to to live in a place where doubt, fear, hesitation don't exist. Can you imagine a world without those things? Every choice is made with a perfect knowledge. Those were some of things I was thinking about this week.

I wanted to thank you so much for listening to the promptings of the spirit about all my after mission activities. There would have been no possible way to know about housing, scholarships, or anything if you had not been constantly involved for me and received those whisperings.

I love you so much thank you for sharing so many spiritual insights that you have. They give me ideas during the whole week and more things to study and to ponder. Thank you for all the support.

Love,

Elder Vomocil

The photos are the elders from the office before our preparation day and the rest are of Elder Arellano, the elder from Mexico that fell in love with Sarah.