First Week in Ecuador

Well 5 days in my area is said and done! I am in the Turubamba Norte Area and my companion is Hermana López. She doesn´t speak any english and we are opening a sector. So basically my mission president threw me into the water head first, but for that I am grateful, because I feel like I am going to learn so much faster this way and so much more about what I need to do to find people and to get the work moving. My patience is definitely being tried, but everyday I am striving to be more and more patient. I am grateful for this opportunity to improve my weaknesses.

The area we are in used to be a Elder´s only area, but we are the first hermana´s in this area for over a year. Which is exciting, but the work has been pretty slow, because we are both new to the area so we are trying to figure things out and get things going. We were are able to meet with three investigators though and set a baptismal date for all of them! Two are the kids of a recent convert and they all came to church which was awesome! The other met with the elders previously, and came to the ward activity on saturday, but did not come to church and we were unable to meet with her yesterday. Hopefully we can meet with her soon and figure out why she didn´t attend church. It was a new experience for me sitting in church hoping and praying she would show up. I just want everyone to accept this gospel and I have such a strong desire for everyone to keep commitments.

My spanish is rapidly progressing. I can understand a lot more things and I get the basic idea of every conversation which is such a huge blessing! The Lord is definitely blessing me with the gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues. I am still not able to communicate cery well and I am not able to express myself very well, but everyday is better than the last. One day at a time, I just have to remember that I have only been learning spanish for 1.5 months, and so I cannot be expected to be perfect or even close to knowing everything! But the Lord is definitely helping me to understand a lot more and do as much as I can in his hands. 

A huge blessing is the Lord helping me to be positive when everything seems to be going wrong or I feel completely alone. I continually have a prayer in my heart to be strengthened through His atonement to bear this time with patience and happiness. If you need help, pray to Him with faith and He will help you.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thine ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

 Much Love, Hermana Cordon