Duran to Jaramijo

Well Happy Mother´s Day and happy Monday!  I hope that things are going great for you all and that you had a wonderful past 2 weeks.  Sorry that I didn´t have a chance to write last week... I was kind of busy!  But we are on today and we are doing great.

I am going to give you all an update on what happened last week.  It was probably one of the best weeks on my mission.  Well.... Hermana Peralta and I were enjoying our last week together... (We actually didn´t know it would be our last week together but it was a great week.)  We met a new investigator who is friends with a member in our ward who went on a mission about 15 years ago.  We were waiting for our investigator to show up to the house of the member and while we were waiting the member brought out all of her mission pictures to show us.  All of her pictures were in a gift bag and all the pictures were rumpled and crinkled and I mentioned why she didn´t have the pictures in an album.  

Well that was the wrong question to ask... she then started to cry and told us that she doesn´t like to look at her mission pictures that much because it makes her all depressed and sad.  I just looked at her and thought... Uhhh why would your mission pictures make you sad??? She then started talking about all of the trials that came into her life after her mission.  Well for a sister missionary talking to a returned missionary about all of the trials that are going to come into your life after your mission makes you kind of nervous.  

But as she started talking about all of the trials in her life it was easy to see why she was so sad... she was choosing to live a life that was not in accordance to the way of life that she had been preaching all of her mission... I thought it was very very interesting but it was very easy to see why she had suffered so much. It made me think of Mosiah 2:41 that says, "Remember the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God." 

The best and the worst part about last week was when I had to say goodbye to those that got baptized when I was in Duran. On Sunday morning I got a call from the assistants saying that my companion and I had to be in the terminal in two hours.  They told us that we didn´t have to bring any bags.  So we went to church and then right after sacrament meeting we had to catch a taxi and go to the terminal.  

We went to the terminal and picked up two other sister missionaries and brought them back to our house for the night.  But as we were at the terminal the assistants told me that I would be having transfers the next morning and that I needed to pack my bags that night.  Well Sunday dragged along and along some more until 7:00 creeped in.  I told a couple of my converts that I had transfers and they seemed pretty sad and I was sad too... I don´t know it is kind of hard to have an area change when you have been in an area for so long.  

At around 8:30 Sunday night we ran to the Quintanilla´s house and when we walked in their house they looked at me kind of confused... Why are you coming so late?  You only have 30 minutes to visit with us.  And then Stalin said.... 

DON´T TELL ME YOU'RE LEAVING!!!! When I told them that it was true he said that I had to say goodbye to his kids.  So my companion and I and he and his wife went back into the kids room and they woke up their kids and told them that I was leaving.  They both gave me a hug and then I turned around and Stalin and Carolina were crying so hard!!! 

Well I burst out crying and I gave them both hugs.  (Yes I know sister missionaries are not suppose to hug guys... But I gave Stalin a hug.)  We all cried and they both told me that they would never forget me and that they were so sad to see me go.  I was just a blubbering mess and I couldn´t hold back the tears.  

It was probably one of the sweetest experiences in my entire mission.  I have never felt such a love for anyone but my family... They mean so much to me and I just feel like I was sent to Ecuador just for them... I really felt the love of the Lord as I was saying good bye to them.  

Well Monday morning we went to the Temple and all the sisters that were not already training sister missionaries were there... I was wondering when they were going to send me to another area with one of the sister missionaries... But as all of the new sisters from the MTC came out of the elevator we all realized that... WE ALL ARE TRAINING!!! Ahhh not again!! But I will just have to suck it up!!! 

Well my new companion is from Peru, and her name is Hermana Perez and she is 22 years old.  In this group of sisters that we got there were about 5 or 6 that were nineteen.  So that is exciting... and they must be really, really, really brave.  

Well when they presented me to my companion the President announced that I would also be opening an area... ... great... And now we are in Jaramijo and things are going really well.  We are in a little town and there are bamboo houses EVERYWHERE!  These people are so poor it just makes me want to cry.  I haven´t been in an area this poor since I started my mission.  So it takes me back.  

My companion is awesome and she doesn´t cry and she is tough and she isn´t afraid to talk during the lessons.  (A complete opposite of me!  I think I cried everyday and I didn´t say anything during the lessons either.  Haha!)  

Well I have to wrap this up.  I love you all so much and I had such a good time talking to you all yesterday!  It was a great day and it is so weird to think that in just three months I will be home!  I can´t believe it, but the time has flown by and I am enjoying the work. I love you all more than I miss you!  

Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)