I have been given much

Well family the weeks continue to fly by with increasing speed! This week was a bit humbling for us. One of Hermana Veras´s friends was killed in the mission in Colombia this week, another family in our stake had their house burn down with their 3 children trapped inside (all died), the other sisters were robbed, one family told us they hadn´t eaten in 4 days (they have 5 kids), and then we watched a house burn from our rooftop. I have realized in this mission just how blessed I have been my whole life. This is the life of others. The lives that other people have always lived. I have never had to know this kind of tragedy. I was born in a country with the gospel and loving parents, where it is safe to walk on the streets, and where there is the occassional tragedy but it isn´t always knocking at the door. How spoiled I have always been and never really realized it. Sorry to start this email off on a bit of a depressing note but please thank the Lord tonight for all of your wonderful blessings. We are such a privileged people. Thank Him for all the things that you have, and all of the things that you don´t. He certainly loves us and is looking out for us.

Luckily in every single one of these instances we were able to see the hand of the Lord a little more and watch as people really started to act as Christians. This mission is so humbling and never before have I realized the Lord´s love more than I do now. It makes all those scriptures make sense about how a rich man will rarely enter in to the kingdom of God. These people have nothing and so their Savior is their everything. I hope that when I come home He is still my everything even if I have other things. 

Anyway, on to happier things because this truly is the plan of happiness! The past few weeks we have been fasting to find more families. If people don´t have a support in the church we don´t teach them. We have a fear of baptizing a less active and so this is our plan of attack. And it´s working. We have found so many new families to teach and I know it is a direct result of our sacrifices and labors. The families we have been teaching are starting to progress a bit more as well. They aren´t huge steps, but they are steps. 

We visited Enrique and Rosa yesterday and talked about the story of the Anti Nephi Lehies with them. We´ve taught this family about everything and so now we just review or practice scripture study with them. We had them each write what they were going to give up so that they could have more peace in their home. It was really funny becuase the 8 year old daughter, Dariana initially wrote "knives, forks, spoons" and then we explained we didn´t mean literally weapons. Super funny. This family still isn´t praying, or reading, or coming to church...but they are changing slowly. Yesterday we had a lesson without any yelling. The kids sat and listened and the parents did too. Rosa actually talked with us and had some things she could change. The spirit was there. That is progress. 

We taught Marcos and Juana last week as always as well. We explained a little more about the plan of salvation and invited them to think about marriage so that they can progress. This family still is praying and reading but still haven´t come to church. They told us that they think they would like to get married. That is progress! It was cute though, Anni (9) brought out her Book of Mormon and showed us that she had highlighted every verse she had read because she wanted to mark her scriptures like us. And Marcos (11) wrote an essay on his favorite religious book (The Book of Mormon) in school....his Catholic school. haha. Those kids bring such joy to my heart. Juana introduced us to her brother and his family and we taught them this week as well. I feel like they are going to be a great family, and maybe can help encourage Juana to come to church!

We have had a TON of rain this week. I´ll send a picture of my literally in a river of water walking around. But it´s always good weather when it comes to the mission. Because when it´s pouring people let you in a lot faster and will chat a bit longer. I still LOVE this mission. I know that the Lord is looking out for each and every one of us. He knows us. He loves us. He has blessed us so very much. Look for those around you that need your help, your love. Find a way to serve and share our Savior with others. 

Church is true!

Hermana Ewell