THIS WEEKS EMAILS

Hey all! Well this week was great, we had the opportunity to baptize Elvia and Gaby. This was awesome, because three months ago we found them weeding outside their house, chapuliando, or better said, hacking at anything with a machete, and we walked over and pretty much forced her to let us do it haha. More like strong persuasion. But we did and taught them, and they didn't understand a lot, the Hermana had a ton of faith, and with time she really started to believe in the church, that this was something good for her, that she knew she needed to put god first. We had to reteach things so she could get a grasp on it, but man it was so rewarding to see her progress. I loved when we were talking about the baptismal interviews, and that they would ask if she had had any homosexual relations before, and i thought she was gonna like ¨why would they ask that that's just wrong¨ but she was like, oh to make sure there living the law of chastity! I was like boom! yes! i love seeing people learn and understand the gospel, its such a gift. But it was awesome, we really got to see fruits from contacting and service. She had told us she NEVER opened the door for us or other religions. No I'm busy, or not right now. But with the service it was an undeniable ejemplo that we just wanted to help. Service people, hay que hacerlo, lets just get out and do it. With a smile. ITs incredibly rewarding, even if you never see the affect. Update: still ridicuously hot, and have millions of ants in my house that bite me when i sleep. Cant believe its cold in Ecuador, ridiculous. I hope everyone has an amazing week and prays to be open for the opportunity to share the gospel. WE as missionaries LOVE the help. I had a long talk with my comp last night, he broke down and said he really wants my help. He had been at a point where he wasn't doing ANYthing, and wasn't feeling the spirit, just way off the mark. But he knows he cant change alone, and i just really hope i can get the help from the Lord to be able to help him. I ask you guys to keep our companionship in your prayers, and know that we´re looking for a little extra push so he can have the desires he used to have. But we should get out to good work this week, and be able to push him. I´ve always been a kinda i d it solo kinda guy, so the mission is helping me help others when theres a job to be done. I love you mama and hope you have a great relaxing time at the beach!
love Elder Redfern

Washing my feet after a dog pee'd on me!!

Hola! It is transfer day and guess what…I am staying in my area and with my trainer for another transfer. It is not very common here for sisters to stay in a companionship for 3 transfers but we did really well together last transfer so I guess they want to see what more we can do…I am a little nervous about that because now the bar is raised! But that is what the mission is like, you feel like you achieve something and are doing well and then they raise the bar so you can do even better. Hna Burns got stick again so this week we spent a lot of time in the pension…Just more time for me to go a little crazy! You can only study for so long you know? It really wasn´t good for me… when we aren’t out working I start to think too much about myself…I started to worry about the “extra cushion” as my comp calls it and all the dumb boys I dated before I came. Idle time is no good! I read a talk from this past conference by Dalin H. Oaks where he quoted Pres. Hinckley, “He who lives only unto himself withers and dies, while he who forgets himself in the service of others grows and blossoms in this life and eternity!” This may be something that takes me my whole mission, but one day I hope I will really fully forget myself. We finally got out last night and I was ready to roll (I have had more energy since I have been on my mission which is probably hard for many of you to comprehend)! Hna Burns said we should stop by Fernanda and Ricky who we taught once together and her comp before had taught a bunch and the elders had taught a bunch and her grandmother was the first member in this area… anyways I think you get the picture. I was like “I think they are a broken record¨. But when we walked by the house I was like, ¨why not the light is on¨. So we knocked, they let us in. Hna Burns was about to just share a spiritual thought but I just started asking away in my broken Spanish what they thought about the messages they had heard before, if they thought it was a coincidence that so many missionaries had come to their house, if they ever prayed about the Book of Mormon, ext. They hadn´t prayed yet…AH!! People, you NEED to know the BOM is true in order to have a testimony of everything else. We challenged them to pray and told them that God is giving them this chance to change now and they need to take it. I loved the lesson. It was bold and to the point just how I like. The church is true people. The Book of Mormon is the word of God! If you don’t know yet…pray. God will give you an answer, but pray with FAITH! You got to have faith!I love this church, I love being a missionary. It has already been kind of a long day. We went to our mission home (fours hours away) Monday night for a SISTERS ONLY conference! It was AWESOME! And one of the best parts is I almost understood everything! I love women. Even though we are small in numbers the strength amongst the women here is unbreakable. Oh and for all you sister missionary haters…did you know that if we served just as long as the boys that we would actually baptize more according to our numbers? That is probably not the best or most humble way to put it. It is an incorrect idea that people have about sisters in the field...one of the assistance mentioned that “Sister Perez almost baptizes as well as the elders…” We talked a lot about the worth of women and the power that we have to change lives. I just wish young girls could know and understand their worth. I love the scripture from Proverbs 31:10-31. It tells you exactly how to be a woman of worth, everyone has the potential because we are LITERALLY children of God, and he is perfect. We are teaching a young girl named Marilina right now. She is 20 has two kids, two different dads, and is recently separated from her 35 year old husband who use to abuse her. She has been through a lot. And she is progressing marvelously. We just taught her about the Word of Wisdom and its importance and she was so excited to tell us when she didn’t smoke or drink when all of her family and friends were. Then she came on Sunday and we talked about the importance of the sacrament and repentance. She then confessed to the whole class how bad she felt because she smoked the night before. My reaction was much different then I thought it was going to be… I was happy! Why, because she is in the repentance process. This is good, she is realizing how important it is to repent and how it is possible for everyone! Christ suffered so that we can all receive forgiveness for ALL of our sins. The other day she said she wants to get married again but only with someone who is in the church so she can raise her kids right! It is so wonderful to watch the gospel change people.Juan got the Aaronic priesthood, gave his first talk and passed the sacrament this Sunday! He and Mari Diaz keep progressing and I just know they are going to do wonders for this area.I am continuing to find things that I have to change and be better and it really is wonderful. I love the mission! The gospel is true, it is PERFECT, organized by Christ himself. I know you can know for yourself. Just ask! Con amor

Hna Redfern