Just a warning, this is a pretty long email, but there were a ton of "firsts" this week.
Well I have to start off by saying that just hours after I emailed last week I experienced my first-ever TERREMOTO!!! (In English that means earthquake) It hit around 11:25pm, and I was half-asleep and confused because I thought my companion was shaking my bed, then realized the reality. It was small, just a 4.7, and luckily it didn't do any visible damage, but was just enough that we felt it. The epicenter was in Quito, so pretty exciting.
I also tried Polaca, which I'm starting to become addicted to (it's a sweet drink made from oatmeal, sweetened condensed milk, etc. and is very thick and very unhealthybut very good).
On Tuesday, after several late night check-ins with leaders after the earthquake, we had a quick breakfast of bread and bagged milk (my first time trying bagged milk) and went bright and early to help a family with a service project. (I forgot my camera so sorry-no pictures) It was actually so cool- we helped them cut most of their small barley field using sickles (skythes, whatever you wanna call them). I accidently cut my hand, but I just cut off a piece of my shirt and tied a makeshift bandage before going back to work. I love this kind of hard work with other people, and I kept thinking how cool it was that we were doing D&C 4, both literally and metaphorically.
I forgot to mention that they also fed us breakfast before (our second one), which was really humbling seeing how little they have, and yet still give. It's really interesting how you can walk a few miles and go from a very nice neighborhood to a poverty stricken family. Also, since the water shuts off in our apartment for most of the day, by the time we got back I had my first shower without running water, just a bottle I poured over my head. But seeing how blessed we live compared to others, I was fine with it.
A few random things from this week:
-We went on "Divisiones" (Exchanges) and contacted people knocking door to door. I never fail to be amazed at how receptive even the toughest looking thugs are down here.
-They put popcorn and banana chips in their soup here
-I forgot to say in last week's email that the top of my suitcase ripped the first day (so now I don't have a handle to pull with...fun fun)
-We helped kill a rat at a Sister's house and launched it over the fence
Now for a quick rundown on some cool things about Ecuador. It's pretty dang cool to look out the window and see a volcano every day! Cotopaxi (the volcano) is the popular one that people associate with Quito, but there's several in the mission. Also, most people don't know this but ¡Suprise! there is snow even here on the Equator, in the mountain peaks. (see picture below) Also, when hugging, people (usually women or fellow church members) give each other a kiss on the cheek. Another thing is that it's typical to feed guests a small snack and drink, so we've eaten several bread and cheese sandwiches as well as hot chocolate.
¡Congradulations! You made it to the last portion of this very long email. We'll end on a spiritual note.
We had a really neat first lesson with an older couple we'd just met though contacting. Although they'd never hear the Gospel message before, when we invited them to pray about the church, they said they would, but already could feel it was true. As we were talking, I could feel the Spirit so strongly when I thought about them dressed in white and being baptized, and, sure enough, they committed to come to church and be baptized.
Something else that was powerful and happened during the lesson was when Elder Memmott told me to recite some lines and scriptures we'd worked on memorizing earlier during the our studies. I was actually inwardly panicking because I'd forgotten the words. I said a quick, pretty desperate prayer to Heavenly Father for help, but still couldn't remember the words. As I began speaking, I suddenly remembered the words and was able to recite the First Vision with power and testimony.
5) Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people, speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men.
6) For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.
I'll admit, although the words from these scriptures in D&C 100 sounded neat, it'd never happened to me before, and I'd always been a little bit skeptical about it's truthfulness. Being in that lesson, the Spirit was strongly testified to me that there are people being prepared to hear the Gospel, and it is my testimony that when we strive to be worthy of the Spirit's help, the words will fall from our mouths in the exact moment we need them.
Love you all and have a great week!
-Elder Stolle
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