El Libro de Mormón es la clave

¡Hola a todos!

Once again its monday, really time is flying by, a little too quickly. We had interviews with our president this week, he talked about marriage and when I get home, I think he wants me to be trunky.. don`t worry I´m not. I am convinced that I am never coming home. :) 

Me with the Waterfall

We went to Baños again for our zone activity, it is so pretty and so cool! I am in love with Ecuador. We went to el manto de la novia (Bridal´s veil) a waterfall, and it was really cool and a fun little hike. Once again we left completely soaked, but luckily Baños is humid, we were just slightly cold when we got back to cold Ambato, but I love Ambato.

We are working with some investigators that the Elders were working with before, the Flia Zambrano. They are from the coast, they moved because of the earthquake. They are really interested in our message and we are excited to see their progress. The kids are really smart and they all really listen to what we have to share, they are great. I just love how excited they get when we are in their house, hopefully they come to church next week. We started working with a less active this week, Jessica, who is really great and really searching to understand and have a reason to come back. I have learned about the importance of being humble and ready to learn from her, she is amazing and commited to come to church this sunday! I truly love this sector, ward, and these people!! I am so happy to be here in Barrio El Recreo!

My Companion & I in the bridge by the waterfall.

One thing that I learned this week, is the importance of the Book Of Mormon. The first week we met with a less active, and she told us, "in my 2 years as a member, I have never finished 1 Nephi, and thats because I don`t like to read and I never read the Book of Mormon." So we talked about the importance of the BOM and the power it has and the blessings she can recieve and we commited her to read every morning before she does anything. She, with her husband, has read everyday since :) And we have seen such a huge difference in them. They are a lot more receptive to what we have to say, they have a stronger desire to do the right things, and they really are focused on the goal of getting to the temple. We also commited Jessica to read the BOM everyday as well, she didn`t read everyday, but she was reading and she also is a lot more excited to keep learning and to keep increasing her testimony. Everytime we go into a home, whether it be an investigator, recent convert, less active, or member I ALWAYS verify if they are reading the BOM or not. And if they are not, we teach them about the BOM and read with them. I know that this is the key to having a strong testimony and that no one will be able to progress, if they are never reading the BOM. I want to encourage everyone, that if you are not reading the BOM everyday, DO IT: You won`t regret it, and you will be even more blessed and have an even stronger testimony that this really is the true church. I have seen the BOM change lives here and I am so grateful that I have grown to know this for myself.

Well I love you all and never forget that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints is the true church and that the Book Of Mormon is the word of God and has power to change your life!!

Have a fantastic week!

Love, Hermana Cordon

La Semana

¡Hola!

Seriously cannot believe that it is monday again, every week just goes by faster and faster. But, I guess that is a good sign, I am enjoying the mission! I am seriously loving this work!

We have a progressing investigator! Wohoo!! His name is Stanley and he came to church yesterday and really seemed to enjoy himself! We are going to visit him today and see what questions he has for us! He seems really interested in knowing the truth and really following God. He is also always making fun of my very gringa accent, it is just a friendly reminder that I still have room to improve :) Haha 

The volcanoes we can see from ambato - Tunguragua

We also visited this really sweet old lady named Esther! She has a special needs daughter and they are the sweetest! She accepted a bapstimal date, but wasn`t able to come to church yesterday, because she had the anniversary mass for the death of her husband. He died about 18 years ago. She is the sweetest and we are going to visit her again this next tuesday! She just brightens my day.

Tuesday we came home and we didn`t have any lights... the my companion was like, "oh right, we need to pay the lights" :) So we had an adventure of planning with our flashlights and both of our flashlights were having problems, and then we didn`t have any hot water to take showers, because we have an electric shower. So then we went on wednesday to pay the lights. We had to go to a light place and pay it, it looks like I am growing up, because I am paying light bills :) 

On friday as we were contacting my companion asked me what time it was and said 5:10? I thought I heard her say 5 to 10? And I was like no... its 10 to 5, how could it be 5 to 10. And then she said, no I said 5:10 and I had no idea what she was referring to. I thought she was talking some kind of slang or something. I am forgetting english.. haha I hope that made sense.

An adventure, I think I got food poisoning on saturday: I wasn`t feeling so well and we were in the street trying to find someone to visit, and my companion started contacting someone. I wasn`t feeling so well, but I just kept a smile on my face during the contact. But, like the middle of the contact, I had to step away and throw up. Luckily the ladies we were talking to were really nice and just were really worried about me, not disgusted :) haha A very interesting experience, but don`t worry I am really healthy today! 

The volcanoes we can see from ambato - Cotapaxi

This week I was reading a conference talk from last april, I don`t remember what it is called, but it is by Dale G Renlund. I really liked something he said and I have the quote in spanish "Era yo, mas no soy" Which means that was me, but now it`s not. I really liked this talk about how we can become a different person through the atonement and we can look back and say that I was that person, but now I am not. Through my time here in the mission I have become a different person. I have had my personal challenges and have had some of my lowest lows here on the mission. But, thanks to those moments I have grown and become a better person. I have a lot of room to grow and improve still, but thanks to the atonement I can do just that. I am so grateful for this time I have to learn and to grow and to focus on the Savior and His atonement. It truly is a marvelous thing.

This letter was really kind of all over the place, I apologize. That´s just how my thoughts have been this week. :)
Thank you for all the support you send my way and I love you all!!! 

Tengan una maravillosa semana!

Mucho Amor,

Hermana Cordon

Before Haircut

After Haircut

Faith is like a little seed

¡Hola!

First off.. I have a new companion! :) Her name is Hermana McGill, she has about 10 months in the mission, and she is also from Utah. She is a lot of fun, and we work great together! I am excited for this time to be learning from her and having different experiences. 

This week our investigators taught me a lot about how much power a tiny bit of faith can have. Every one of our investigators right now are progressing and have dates for baptism in the next couple of weeks, and so when they are at this stage we are looking for any problem they could have about the church to solve all of their doubts and to make sure nothing will prevent them from being active after they are baptized. Every single one of them we came up with one or two commandments that could possibly be a bit of a struggle for them to accept immediately. And so we taught them all these commandments this week, and every single one of them accepted all of these commandments without a hesitation, because they have faith in this gospel. The basis of why each of them accepted all of these commandments without hesitation is because each of them have recieved an answer and know that this church is true, and if this church is true each of these commandments is something that we need to follow for our benefit. They all have such amazing faith and I always walk out of the lessons repenting and realizing how I need to keep working on growing my faith and being stronger every day.

One cool experience this week was with our investigator Nelly. She is someone super interested in religions, but thought that all religions are great and from God. So last week we told her that she needs to read the BOM and to pray to know that only one church is true and that it is this church. Then when we went by monday, she hadn´t prayed so we asked if we could pray with her, because we knew that would solve all of her doubts if she would just recieve an answer in that moment. So we knelt down and she prayed and asked if this church was true. And when she paused and listened after about a minute she said "It´s true. He said it`s true." We then talked about it and she said that never in her life has she recieved such a firm and direct answer from God and that she knows that this is His path. It was such a remarkable experience for me and the spirit was so strong. I know that if we pray with a sincere heart and have faith that He will answer us we will recieve an answer and know how to follow God even more. I am truly grateful for that testimony builder. 

This morning I read in Alma 60 and 61 where Moroni is accusing Pahoran of a bunch of stuff and how Pahoran responds to the unjust and untrue accusations. I am not sure the exact words he uses in english, but in spanish it says that he responds and says that these things aren´t true but I am not annoyed, because he understands his intentions. Its a great lesson on how we need to learn how to put ourselves in the other persons shoes and understand why they are saying something and not take offence. Pahoran was truly remarkable and christlike at how quick he was forgive and to avoid offence. 

I love Conocoto and I am truly grateful for the experiences I am having here and the people I know and are helping bring to the gospel. 

Sé que la iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias es la iglesia verdadera en todo el mundo. Sé que Jesucristo es mi salvador y redentor y Dios es nuestro Padre Celestial y el nos conoce y nos ama mucho.

Love you all!!

Love, Hermana Cordon

Last Photo with Hermana Molina

Hermana Cordon & Hermana McGill

Flia Medina

Christmas Tree

Another Update!

This week it rained a ton! It´s the rainy season now, so I need to always leave with my raincoat or I will end up being soaked and unable to return home until the night, because our house is far away from all of our appointments. So don´t worry I always have my raincoat with me! But I love the smell of the rain so it always smells really nice here! 

This week I have been focusing a lot on improving my pronunciation with my companion, because I am making the most of having a Latina companion! And I am finding that Spanish is a lot more difficult then I ever realized and my accent is terrible! But, little by little I may be able to say the 'dr' and 'tr' combinations! I just have to trust in God´s power with the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues to understand what´s important and that what I say in lessons will be understood by the spirit. 

We focused a lot on the importance of going to church this week, because a lot of our investigators don´t understand. The church is the most important thing to do every week, because we need to take the sacrament every week to make sure our lives are in line with God´s. Make sure you put that as a priority in your life to get the most out of it! 

I love you all and the scripture I "ponderized" this week was 2 Samuel 22:2-4. It´s a great scripture about trusting in God.

I know that God is there and has a plan, and that we need to trust Him and He will guide us to where He needs us to be. I know without a doubt that He is my Heavenly Father and that He knows me and every one of you personally. He loves us so very much and wants us all to succeed in this life. Trust God and make Him the rock of your life and you will never falter or fail. I love you all!

Love, Hermana Cordon