The mountain is still big here, BUT I HAVE A NEW COMPANION. We had a crazy phone call last night and Elder Flores (there is a picture we took today together) is off in another Zone. Who is my new companion after simply two weeks?... The Ex Assistant Elder Hasvold from California! He finishes the mission in 4 weeks. He's the man and I'm not going to lie, I'm both excited and scared to death. We've already had time together with interchanges and he is awesome, BUT it's intimidating! Also I don't really know the sector or members all that well still... we are starting from scratch... completely. I'm stoked! Pray for us haha. Well we are looking for new people to teach, this hill is huge and I think I'm losing weight quickly. I'm nervous for the next few weeks but I loved what Mason told me a bit ago. Be optimistic, Optimism shows both your Faith and your Courage. We should have a successful month in our sector AND in our zone. We have a lot of potential and I'm stoked. There's a picture of a baptism that I sent... WE didn't have a baptism, but I did! I had one of the most sweetest experiences in my whole life on Friday.
We were in an interchange and there was a baptismal interview scheduled, BUT with a lady who is ready but changed her mind at the last second and doesn't want to be baptized. I was sent to find out why. AND if she didn't get baptizsed, neither would her grandma or her two oldest daughters... a lot on the line. She is a widowed mother of 5 at 28 years of age. She sat down across from me and simply began to tell me her life story, a lot of trust she had in me from the get go! But after a half hour of listening I asked her, 'So do you know why you're here?' 'Yes... I told the missionaries I wasn't going to be baptized and I'm here to tell you the same thing!' Okay... this'll be interesting haha. 'Let's start with a prayer' I told her. We got talking, we ran through some questions and she is so ready yet was simply scared of falling and has a poor family relation which scares her. We talked more than an hour. We read through the scriptures together, the spirit was so strong and I was guided en every moment. I was guided what to say, how to say it, I LOVE BAPTISMAL INTERVIEWS! At the end of the interview I didn't ask her to get baptized, we got on our knees and she humble and so beautifully surprised me. She conversed so beautifully with God to have the strength to continue with her desire to be baptized, I have hardly felt the spirit so strong. At the end of her prayer we stayed on our knees and I asked her to be baptized and her response was completely different from the beginning. She responded with hopeful, teary eyes by saying 'YES!' She asked me to baptize her and in the water after the baptism she thanked me for making her recognize the importance of this life changing moment for her. It was the most beautiful baptism I've ever seen, the spirit was so strong. She truly was chosen of God to not only change her life, but the life of many. Her name is Katherine.
Many of God's children (all) need him, yet many don't recognize it. We need to be good examples, yet we also need to be bold at times to be able to make them see it. The only way to happiness is repentance. Repentance is daily changing our course a little more in line with that of God's. Those blessed with this Gospel, let us live how we should and let us be bold enough to stand up for what we know brings eternal happiness. I hope to never forget that experience. The Gospel means happiness and YES it means change. We cannot change the world, but we can change ourselves.
I'm nervous, I'm excited, I'm still in Ecuador. I love this Gospel and know it is true. I am working so hard and am so sure that when we are worthy, the spirit will guide us in every thing we do! Yes we have our Agency, let us never put that aside, but the Spirit will always be a guiding friend who cheers us on our way. Be worthy of the Spirit. Recognize the blessings for living the Gospel. Be bold enough to let someone else know. Be a savior in their lives, we´re here to be like Him aren´t we?
Love you all!
Elder McGinn
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