I don`t think I have ever been so happy in my entire life!!

Gaby, the recent convert of the Elders. She really is great. She is 18 years old and is planning on serving a mission. She is always willing to help us out. She doesn`t look very happy in this picture, but really she is a happy person. haha!

The most adorable baby in the entire world.
But really I think that she is the most beautiful baby.
Her name is Danna! She is the baby of Hermana Priscila Gallegos.

 

Hola Everyone!

This week has been a super good week. Glad to see you guys have had a good week as well.
 

I cannot believe you guys went to Disneyland and that you were in California. Seriously it is hard for me to imagine. Crazy stuff. But it sounds like you guys had a lot of fun. I would love it if you guys could send me some pictures of your trip! I am also jealous that you went to the Grand Canyon. One day I want to go! Hopefully we all will get the opportunity again!
 

Oh and I would like you to know, Mom, that I received your package, finally! Seriously after like two months. You guys sent it the 6th of January. Today is March..... But something I have learned is that it isn`t the delivery system it is the office here in the mission. So don`t worry it didn`t get lost! Thank you so much!! I loved all of it! I ran out of lotion the other day and it is super expensive here so I was really excited for that. And for new socks haha. The zone leaders brought it to the house today and made me open it and they ate all the tootsie rolls haha. They were pretty excited as well haha. My new zone leader as of this week is from Iowa. How crazy is that?! But really it is a super small world. I think he is the very first person I have met that is serving from Iowa. Crazy. He is from the Ames Stake.

Today we got permission to leave our sector for the center of Cuenca and mom and Danielle I bought stuff from Cuenca Ecuador for you guys! It is sweet! I was super excited. But you will have to wait a year to get it. haha. I also got a soccer Jersey this past week with my last name put on the back and with the number 14 on it for the one year of my life that will be entirely in Ecuador. CRAZY. Man do I love it here. Everyone cannot believe how long I have been here in Cuenca. Seriously my mission call just might have been "You have been called to serve in Cuenca Ecuador" I mean I have been here for 1 third of my mission. But, now that I say that I`ll probably be transferred. haha. great.... But really I do love it here. I hope that one day we all can return and you guys will get to see it too!

As for this week, we had a baptism!!!!!! Yay! I almost cried. Priscila is amazing. She is the one who came to church after we fasted for a miracle. Her brother and husband are both planning on being baptized this next Saturday. They really are such a great family. Priscilia is amazing. When she exited the water after the baptismal ordinance the first thing she said to us was, Wow! I am clean. How amazing! I wanted to cry! During her baptism service she bore her testimony and started crying and just stated that she has never been so happy and that she really knows this church to be true. And that when she reads the Book of Mormon she can tell that it is the word of God because she can feel his presence. How true. It really amazes me how true the Book of Mormon is and how blessed I am in my life to have a knowledge of it.

This past Saturday we ran into a drunk man on the street and he started talking to us in English and when we told him that we had a message of happiness and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ could change his life he burst out into tears. and told us he wanted this and that we were his angels. Well anyway, we just invited him to church. He cried a little more and started singing for us in English. Possibly the most hilarious thing of my life but it was good. Anyway... HE CAME TO CHURCH!! So yeah that was crazy. Because when we invited him he was drunk. Hahaha But he came to church and told us he wanted to change his life around and that he has been going to church somewhere else for 3 years but has never gotten baptized because he doesn`t feel happy there. But for the first time since the birth of his child he felt happy in church on Sunday and we invited him to be baptized this 5th of April. And before we could even finish saying, Will you be baptized this... he exclaimed Yes! When??? haha! It was glorious! I love seeing people that really want happiness in their lives and want to change. He was another miracle for us. Man this is the best time of my life.

Today I was studying Joseph Smith and the first vision, and the Book of Mormon and how it came about. And honestly, I can say without a single doubt in my heart that this book is the word of God! And no matter what other people think it is another testament of Jesus Christ. The prophets that are in the Book of Mormon really did live and really did see what our world was to become. The words in the Book of Mormon are written for us in this day. I know that God has more love for us than we could ever imagine. It really is wonderful! I just cannot believe the pain that our Savior suffered for us.

This really is my message as a missionary. That we have a loving Heavenly Father and he commands commandments for our benefit and wants us to have eternal joy. I don`t think I have ever been so happy in my entire life and really I am so grateful for this gospel and the knowledge that I have of it. And I am also super grateful for my parents and for their guidance in what is right.

I hope you all are doing super well and I love ya tons. Remember to read your scriptures and say your prayers and always take the sacrament. Love ya tons!

Sister Emily Pack