Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecador

Dear Family and Friends,

We had a really great week. I was pleased with the work we got done even though the 2 baptisms we were planning didn´t go through.

Outline for this email:

1. Kevin y Yulexy Lino

2. Ana Bermeo Discurso

3. Interviews

4. 1 Year in Ecuador

5. Gun Fight

6. Rejection of the Truth

7. Grey Hair

1. Kevin y Yulexy Lino are our two kids that we are currently preparing for Baptism. We have tried to baptise them for the last 2 weeks now but they have not been going to church. We will try agian this week... and if they can´t be baptised by next week... we will have to drop them. Their family is being kicked out of their apartment and we have spent a little bit of time trying to find a new one for them (1 room for under $70 each month). We did find an apartment but they found a better one. Good news: they will still be living in my sector and we can still teach them and their mom.

2. Ana Bermeo is my amazing convert from 4 weeks back. She is 15 and only needed to hear the first lesson to know that what we were saying was the truth. She is absolutely amazing. The bishop gave her the assignment to talk in church this week. I wasn´t scared that she would do bad but I was definitely ready to tell her that it was a great talk no matter what she said. I was absolutely blown away with what she did. (this is the once gothic-girl that had a lip ring and all black clothing).

She read an entire article in the Liahona and then she prepared her talk taking a few points from that which was written. She added a few personal experiences and then shared her testimony at the end and declared her desire to see all of her family in the church in the upcomming years. It was as if she had been a member for years. She finished off by describing why she wants to be married in the temple. She gave a better talk than most members here can give after 15 years of membership. It was steller! Now I can honestly say that if I came to Ecuador and ONLY baptised Ana Bermeo it would have all been worth it. Just knowing that I baptised: Ana Bermeo.

3. We had interviews with President Montalti this week. They were super unexptected... but that is what we are getting used to here: the unexpected. The interviews were surprisingly fast. President Montalti was funny and brief with each missionary. My interview was about the food here in Ecuador and if the stake I was working in was going to become a District. I really didn´t have answers to either of his questions. O´well, it was a good interview. As I understand it the next one will be in October.

4. Tomorrow, Tuesday, I will have one official year here in Ecuador. Such a beatiful country and such an amazing experience that I have had here. I really can´t believe that one year has flown by this fast. If the next year flies by as fast as this one has... I will be seeing you all in what will fill like... tomorrow.

5. My companion and I were planning yesterday when we heard: Pow. Pow! Gunshots. Hmmm... nothing new. Pow! Pow! Pow! We both decided to get up an run to the window to see what was going on. Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! What! We couldn´t see a thing. It was around the corner from us. We waited a minute... thought about it... and decided to go outside to see who was being shot. We were on our way out the final door when we heard: Pow! POW! Since we were already outside, but inside of our fence, and the fight was still raging... we decided to go back inside and sit the excitement out. About 10 minutes later we went out and found that a man had been shot (only in the leg) and that the fight had been between him and the police. I don´t know why it took the cops so long to hit him ONLY in the leg. The problem: it was done next to 10ish children. Fortunately none of them were hurt. I love my sector!

6. My companion and I were looking for people to teach the other day when we came across a guy. I forgot his name so we will call him Xavier (Javier en Español). Xavier invited us into his house and told us that he was from Columbia visiting Ecuador to put on Religious Shows for teenagers. To show them what Crist wants them to do. We told him that we did something simmilar... without the "show." We shared a super powerful lesson 1 with him. He had questions but he accepted everything that we said. The spirit was so strong... you could feel it tangibly in the air. He told us it was obvious that no church was guided by a prophet and that a prophet would be needed to guide the true church. He accepted everything we said... then we pulled out the Book of Mormon. We explained it. He asked a few questions... and we asked him if he would read it. He looked me in the eye and bluntly told me, "I hope you don´t take this the right way... but no." ! ! ! Um... We reexplained the Book of Mormon. And again he refused to read it... or accept it as a free gift. We tried again... the spirit testified... everything was working for him... and he told us he could never accept any other book as scripture if it was not the Bible and that he was not going to be fooled. Hm... We reminded him to ask God. And he still denied it. The entire time the Spirit was SO strong. I don´t know what was going on in his head. We ended the lesson and I left the Book on the table. As we were walking out my companion gave him a hug. We were just out the door when he came running to us to tell us that we had forgotten the Book. We never accept Book of Mormons once we have given them out. We told him to give it to some kid. 

My companion and I felt amazing about the entire experience. We felt at peace. Even though he rejected the message... we knew we had done everything in our power. The spirit was so strong. But that is how everything is in this life... after all you can do you can rest from your labors and rejoice in your efforts... but only after all that you do.

7. After a year and countless experiences... it should be known to all that I have my first grey hair. It is growing on the front where everyone can see it. It is a happy hair. It likes where it is... Thanks to my dad... I am already going grey. 

Have a great day everyone! 

--
Elder Robinson

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