This week was probably the hardest week in my mission. But when things are hard, we become stronger. My companion really wants me to get better, but his manner to push me to be better is really direct and sometimes rough. I have realized some of my biggest fears because of all of his pushing. First, I fear contention. I don´t like arguing or people that are upset. Second, I don´t like situations of pressure. In those situations I tend to become very self-critical and beat myself up a little bit. That made it really hard this week, but my companion, once again realized the problem when I started losing it. He helped me realize once again who I am, a representative of Jesus Christ, and that made me want to be the best representative that I can.
And because of that I received a strong impression that the district that I am assigned needed to study the missionary lessons once again. In preach my gospel the lessons are in chapter 3, and as missionaries we teach at least one of them everyday. Because of that, we often become comfortable with the way that we teach the lessons. But In preach my gospel it also talks a lot about how we need to study them everyday and if we do we will invite the spirit more strongly into the lessons we teach. I invited every companionship in the district to study the lessons this week and let me know how it changed the teaching.
For P-day today we bought a lot of stuff. Food for the house, and a couple of cool ties and a hand made chess set. I forgot to take a picture but I´ll send one next week, maybe.
We also had a really great zone conference, in the which we got flu shots, traded gifts, and performed a skit for Christmas. I´ll send the video and pictures next week. The skit was pretty funny, and the presents I got are really gorgeous. The artisanry here in Ecuador is beautiful.
Mauricio is really really excited to be able to be washed completely in his baptism. My only fear is that he might have more opposition as we get closer and his past life will come in stronger in this next week. We are going to work really hard with him.
We had a really strong talk with Jostin to help him out, but because of his addictions for his life he seems to have lost hope and faith. I really want him to be baptized, but without the faith it will be impossible.
We spent all of Saturday morning working hard to wash all of the baby clothes of one person we have been teaching. Washing clothes by hand is really, REALLY hard. You need strong fingers. The person is Doménica. She is also really interested in the message we share, and her parents are really supportive even though they are catholic. She came to church this Sunday. =) We are going to give her a baptismal date!
The work is really pushing hard here. Our ward mission leader was changed to someone who only recently came home from his mission and he wants us to push really hard. We are going to have lots of great activities (dressing up as Santa Claus and singing Christmas carrols) this week to find more people to teach. It will be really fun.
Well I´ve loaded just about all I can think of here (except pictures I´ll send those next week)
Les Quiero mucho!
Elder Cloward
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