The Changes We Make‏

Well Happy New Years. First off I have to tell you all a little about the traditions of Ecuador for New Years, they are crazy and weird. So we had to stay in the house all day the day before New Years because here in Ecuador all the guys go out into the streets dressed up as drag queens and they dance with other guys until they give them money. Lets just say the tradition has made a big change over time because it is supposed to be that people dress up as widows who don't have any money so that they can start the new year with good fortune or something like that and everything has just changed over time.  We had permission to leave the house for lunch and so we left and it was funny because in the afternoon there were groups of guys dancing for money so it was funny.  I got to experience a little of what it is like.  Also everyone makes these huge like cardboard people or dolls I guess you could say and then they all burn them at midnight to forget the old year and start good the new. Lets just say it was hard to go to bed that night because everyone was partying with very loud music but we enjoyed our new year watching some fireworks on our roof.  That was really nice haha.

Anyways I have learned a lot in this week. First it has to be really hard before it can be better, and second we can't force others to make changes.  Lots of times as missionaries we become accustomed to selling a product, the gospel of Jesus Christ, but when we start to do it again and again, we want others to accept it so badly that we insist and insist even though they honestly don't always have the desire to accept it.  Something that it says in Preach my gospel is that we should talk to those who accept us, so that means if they don't have a desire to hear that we should let them excercise there agency and we can continue to look for those who are prepared and do have the desire.  Something that was funny was that this didn't only apply in contacting people, but it applied to me in other parts of my life.  Somtimes we as humans want others to do things. So we try our hardest to help them, to influence them to make changes, or to just put our own will on theres so they do it. But it is more important that we have patience and faith in God that through his will everything will be done the right way, because this honestly demonstrates that we believe our will to be greater than his. It is sure that I have thought that many times or acted that way without really thinking about it. 

As always I am so happy to be serving the Lord. I have a testimony that his work is the true work and that when we act and do things we can see so many blessings in our lives.  I have faith for a better tomorrow, and that all that I have passed will only strengthen me for the bumps ahead.  I have seen this in one of our investigators Christian who came to church this Sunday. He his so willing to drop everything to follow the gospel. We have had life changing experiences with him and I know he can do anything he wants to because he has faith in God and that he can see the change he wants to see in his life. I love this gospel and all that I can learn each and every day.

The only thing we can force in this life is our own personal will to change. We can do it, but only with the help from God. 

Espero que empiezan ese año con la fe necesario para hacer lo bueno y ver los milagros en sus vidas.

Con Mucho Amor de Baños,

Hermana Dunkley