Would you rather... real experiences from my week in Ecuador... (1) get bitten by a cat with rabies like one of our investigators or (2) have a shot put in your belly button for getting detected to HAVE rabies ? That last one makes me sick.
As for my week, all is well... as a Zone! Haha our sector is dead, but we are going to lift it up again. We had a fun party with 2 other zones with the Amaya family and we did a cool musical number as a zone. I sent a picture of a few from my group with our Santa Hats (the sister missionary Hna. Goerring is already home! Weird). It was fun and I absolutely love the temple. I can't wait to go through weekly when I am home, that is the best feeling in the world to know families can be together forever, also to know that the McGinn family WILL be for our faithfulness, to know that God trusts me to bring that same feeling surety into the lives of those here in Ecuador. I just love it. It is the House of God. We receive guidance from on high. The mission is to baptize, to edify the kingdom of God, yet there are many steps to get there and many other blessings and miracles seen for faithful service.
You have all heard of Jimmy Quiroz, a great investigator that is simply waiting for marriage to get baptized. Their family has been struggling, we did not know, but it could be felt as we entered the room. We had planned to read a chapter in the Book of Mormon as a family, as we always do, yet in the first prayer the strongest impression to teach family prayer came to mind. The husband and wife always pray, they are great, yet they have never done it as an entire family. Jimmy was taken aback, he was surprised yet excited like I had never seen. You could see and feel that there was a great desire to try it and receive the needed blessings. He was scared to call the family, we called them with him and he felt better, we understood haha, yet the sweetest spirit filled the room as we kneeled to pray. He asked me to offer the prayer, I did so happily. We prayed for each of the kids, the parents, their challenges and we saw one of the many miracles whose sweetness never dies as we finished the prayer. The family seemed happier, more united, more trusting from the Kid's and Parent's point of view. I know it is a tiny story, I know it isn't much, I know I have little time, yet I want to testify to you all here and now that miracles happen daily. They are the blessings of feeling what I felt in the temple, the reality of the plan of salvation, yet feeling it at home. It is from applying true principles daily, prayer, study, worship, service.
I testify that God loves you all, He wants us to return to Him and simply asks that we do it step by step daily as we pray, read and worship as a family. That is happiness and THAT is how I can be sure of my eternal family for we applied, apply and will always apply these principles. I am grateful for parents who love me and who teach me what is right, who correct me when I am wrong and who guide us all together just how we will be in Heaven. I love this mission, I love my Savior and I so happy to represent Him here in Ecuador. Time is just too short.
Elder McGinn
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