Email - October 25, 2010

So we have a big activity in the Zone, it doesn't sound THAT big, but remember I'm in South America haha. I've gotta be quick because we have a huge soccer game going on here in a few minutes. Sad, I know, but it is a big deal!

I sure love you all, the story of this week has been change. Appointments being cancelled, Family Home Evenings planned with 5-10 families where no one shows, commitments to come or to go and to do neither of the two. BUT the Lord is showing me something. He has been showing Elder Añorga and I to change, to open our eyes even more to the people that want to hear the gospel, to those who show interest, to those that try. Don't try to save a lost ship when you have passengers desperately swimming towards the land!

The Lord has blessed us with 6 baptisms for the 13 of November, now we just have to work has so they don't fall! They were so sure though, a family where the mother pretty well told us 'duh elders, I DO want to be baptized, I just told you I've been assisting because I feel something different in your church.' Haha oh crap, you idiot Elder McGinn! Haha but really ,the Lord is blessing us immensely, in ways that we don't imagine or notice at times. The thing is to learn to change, to learn to notice, to learn to appreciate. That has been our week, a lot of drops, a lot of no's, a lot of changes or no shows, BUT a few valiant believers who went out of THEIR way to contact us, who surprised us with a DUH I WANT TO BE BAPTISED. This week has been a week of learning, a week of changing, and I just love this work! The Lord ALWAYS blesses us, it is just fantastic to know. I am so happy here in Ecuador and KNOW I'm doing the right thing!

Well... this week I ate a chicken brain. How's that for an odd comment to ruin a spiritual thought? Haha, but really, we were having a type of soup with chicken in it. I had the spine again as my bone, with the meat around it. I finished the chicken, and saw a stringy thing with a dark purplish goo at the end. I looked closer and it looked just like a brain, just a lot smaller! Then the temptation... 'give it a shot Griff, you're here in Ecuador and when are you ever going to get this chance again?!' So I took it down, it was the size of a marble, and weird haha. But that is the story of the week!

Yo amo la obra, estoy recibiendo bendiciones grandes por el Señor y a veces yo no sé porque. Pero yo sé con todo mi corazón que es la obra del Señor. Mi español esta mejorando, pero aún mas importante... mi fe, esperanza, y caridad esta mejorando tambien. El Español es poco a poco, yo lo sé, y es a cause de mi fe, paciencia, y diligencia. Sé sin duda, la obra es del Señor. Les amo a todos! (I love the work, I'm getting great blessings of the Lord and sometimes I do not know why. But I know with all my heart that is the Lord's work. My Spanish is improving, but even more important ... my faith, hope, and charity is improving too. Spanish is little by little, I know, and it is because of my faith, patience, and diligence. I know without a doubt is the Lord’s work. I love you all!)

I sure love you all and pray for you daily! Keep your heads up, be more receptive to the Spirit, for the Lord WILL touch you with it, and don't eat chicken brains!

Elder McGringo