Semana #16: Transfers!

Happy Fathers Day (yesterday) to you Dad! And all of my brothers that are gonna be dads! And Happy Birthday to Dad also :) 

It is another beautiful day here in Ecuador. Some fun/funny/intereseting/ things:

-The nights, evenings, here are perfect. Theres a little wind, clear sky to see the stars. which is weird because usually its cloudy during the days. And theres always bats! Not sure if I told you that already, but I always see them and think, Kiara would love these! jaja. Also, there are a ton of dragonflys here!! .. and cuckarachas.

-With the world cup happening right now, everyone is crazy! jaja. You can hear the games and see televisions in every house, store, whatever place!

-Last week I was reading my email from Sister Goody, and she said she had lice! I felt bad, but laughed a little when I though, thats funny, I´m in Ecuador and nothing has happened to me! ... This week. I have lice. 

This week is transfers! And My companera and I are both staying. Which I am happy for because I love this ward and this area. We have the best members. 

This week was a little rough because my companion has been sick. She has inflamacion in su hip, and it hurts when she walks. And we walk... 24/7. haha. So we had to spend some time in the house this week, and also make some trips into Guayaquil to see medico. Its hard to no be working in our area, but still we are being blessed with miracles. The other day,  we were walking, and past us walked this group of teenagers. One shouted, Hey! Huccum you never came back to visitme? We learned that the missionaries before us taugh him, and he was ready to be baptized, then never returned! 

Christina, Cesar, and their son, Cesar.. are progressing :). They have so much hate and bad thoughts about eachother. Always telling us what the others do wrong. But they want to change! Last night we had planed to teach a lesson, and spent our time doing "counseling" jaja. We made each person say 3 things they were thankful for for the others, and sang a hymn, it was amazing the spirit of their home changed. And they recognized it too. 

Wison and Bertha, who are neighbors to Xavier, are the best. They are slowly building their testimonies, and learning the blessings of the gospel. 

This week I have been reading the talk by Brad Wilcox, His Grace Is Sufficient. It teaches alot about what the Atonement means. Not that we dont have to do anything because Christ saved us, its how much we use and accept His sacrifice in our lives. So much we can have from the Atonement, comfort, peace, strength, and forgiveness. This atonement means everything to me. 

Thanks so much for your emails and all your prayers. I feel your love and support every day. Hope yall are enjoying your summer, and have fun in New York! I hope you get the chance to see the sacred grove and visit some cool church sites. Travel Safe. Love you all, and can´t wait for those babies to come!!! :)

Con Amor, 

Hermana McKee

Semana #15:

¡Hola familia! Es una dia hermosa aca in ecuador. The weather is like a summer morning back home.. but with some humidity :) And its winter here! haha. Happy Birthday Collin y Trav! (50!) jaja. Loved the pictures of the baby cows and the Lagoon trip! Yall look good. 

A few fun/funny/intresting things here in Ecuador:

-Everyone drinks soda, or Juice with their meals. I have never had so much soda in my life!! I love the jiuce though, especialy Jugo de piña!!

-There are only pianos in the Stake Centers here. This week at our district meeting, it was our Zone LEaders last, so we had a little testimony meeting, sort of thing. And I was able to play the piano!! Ah. I have missed that!!

-Everyone eats with spoons here. Itssuper funny. They have forks, but they just always use spoons! 

-This week we walked past some people cooking Guinea Pig!! Il attach a picture. 

This week we had a special training with President Amaya, it was a really good reminder of why we are here, and the preparations that we all had before our missions to get to the point in our lives we are right now. I have had so many experiences in my life to help prepare me for my mission. Many is gracias a my family. 

We also had a meeting with the 3 missions here in Guayquil. (North, South, y West). Elder Oaks was supposed to come, but had some troubles with his plane and couldn´t make it. Such a bummer! jaja. My companion even straightend my hair and everything! ;). We got to hear from all of the mission presidents and wives, including Presidente and Hermana Dennis, whos daughter I emailed before I came here. It was fun to meet them! And we also heard from 2 of the 70.One of which was Elder Wadell! He gave a great talk. He  taught us that we are teaching for conversion. Not baptism. Baptism doesn´t mean  as much as it could without the ordinances of the temple. Eternal Families!! 

We were teaching the mom of Xavier, and sister, this week. She asked sort of our schedule, what we do all day. haha. She asked, so do you just teach? Or do you find people to teach? Or what? As we explained, my companion mentioned. Right now we are spending lots of time finding because all of our investigatorsa are baptized! She said, ok, I will help you! And yesterday, we were able to teach and set a date with her neighbors. This gospel truly is amazing. It changes lives, and brings so much happiness to families. It is amazing to teach and watch people pray for the first time, maybe in their entire lives. The people here are very humble, and want God in their lives. When they understand that we have the same gospel that Jesucristo established, with the same authority, It just makes sense. If you want to follow Jesus Christ, he set the way, He is our example, in everything. 

Thanks for all you emails, and letters. Can´t wait to get pictures of all those babies! (Human babies, haha kylie). Ya, and I still didn´t get the other package, but no worries, im doing good! Eating well, getting the rice belly, and learning spanish! haha. This is the mission. Love you all lots!! Oh. PS. Saw a pictures of Hma. Ratuvukvukis wedding! Goregous!! 

Con Amor,

Hermana McKee

Semana #14: Christoffer se bautizo!!

¡Hola mi famila!!

It is another beautiful Day here in Los Helechos :) The days are still hot and humid, but the mornings and the nights are cool, and humid. haha. There was actually one night this week that my companion and I both had cold during the night! 

So a few funny/fun/interesting things in Ecuador this week:

-Yesterday was Dia de los niños! Super cool. Just a day for children, and there are fiestas, and music everywhere! Always, people play their music for everyone to hear.

-I learned how to make, and to eat :), patacones con heuvos! Patacones look like a green banana, but it tastes like a potato. They fry it here, and eat it with eggs. Super good! I really like the food here...which is a blessing and curse. haha. I haven´t eaten anything too crazy or gross yet. So I am just enjoying it !!

Christoffer was baptized this week!! Ok. So we just passed Christoffer on the street by his house, and he wanted to listen. Turns out he was taught about a year ago, and wasn´t ready to be baptized. We taught him the first 3 lessons, and then everytime we went back he taught us!! After his first time at church, he didn´t have a good experience, and didn´t want to be baptized anymore.. then he did.. so he had his interview, and then after, he didn´t again! haha. We invited our Zone leader Elder PEña to come and chat with him, and the Spirit was super strong. He was baptized the next day! We went to the church, and noone was there... expect the bishop, his counselor, and missionaries. SUPER SAD! We had the baptism the same, and it was perfect. Christoffer was praying before he entered the water and told us later, he knows this is right. Afterwards, he shared his testimonio, and said he wanted to cry. I know it was special for him as he begins this new journey, even though it wasn´t perfect for us.  Also Xavier and Freddy recieved the priesthood!! And we are taching the mom and sister of Xavier!!!

Tuesday of this week, we were feeling a little discouraged because all of our investagators are baptized! We had nobody else! We spent one whole day finding, and the spirit led us to many people who are prepared to hear the gospel. One being a family... that although it is hard to teach them because their house is so small, and their is animales everywhere, and things everywhere, like hoarders, I love teaching this family! Because their lives are changing. 

This week we were teaching a menos activo, and across the way lives one of our investagators. As we were teaching, we saw to missionaries of the Jehovahs Witness knock on her door!! My comp. and I looked at eachother with hugeeyes, and we wanted to go tell them not to knock on that door! haha noones home, Sorry! haha, no we were just praying really hard that Socorro would not be home. And she wasn´t! Satan is working hard in our area, but always we see the blessings!!

Real quick, one cool story! We live next door to a member in the Stake Presidency. He told us at lunch the other day that a few years ago, Elder nelson came to visit the area. As he got up to speak, his translator stood up as well. The room was silent, and he turned to his translator and said, Please, take your seat. He sat. And Elder Nelson began speeaking to the people in Spanish. WOW! The gift of tongues is real. It is still a difficult thing for me to speak spanish but I am understanding alot more. I am learning more how to testify from my heart, and by the spirit. I know that the Spirit can speak SPanish, even if I Can´t! 

Hope you all have a great week! Can´t wait to start seeing pictures of those babies. I keep seeing babies EVERYWHERE here. Its so unfair :) haha. Good luck with your Cows! When do you go to New York? Take lots of pictures! 

Les Quiero,

Hermana McKee

Semana #13: ¡Feliz Cumpleaños Aubrey!

It´s super weird to think that Aubrey is 17, because in my head I am still 17. haha. I have never really had to say "I am 19 years old" Becuase I always say it in Spanish, and in my head it doesnt really have sense. Time is super weird!! Anyways, Happy birthday AUB! I hope you all enjoy your fun day in Lagoon! Don´t have too much fun without me!

Bueno, a couple funny/cool/randoms here in Ecuador this week:

-Last week we went into Guayaquil to visit a lighthouse, but ended up going to wrong way, so we stopped for the Park of the Iguanas! Was Super cool! They were everywhere! They also had some tortises too.

-Here in Ecuador you will see lots of Dogs on the roofs. Honestly, I don´t know why, but to me it seems like people put the dogs up there when they get tired of having them chase after people in the streets. There are dogs EVERYWHERE here!!

-This week an hermana in the ward gave us SUCRE which is the old Ecuadorian money before they switched to the American system.

-They have the best bread here.. it is so sweet!! They eat alot of bananas here too which I love. But their banana bread is not as good as Moms :) I eat alot of potatoes too... Im learning to like those a little more. :)

This week Freddy and Xavier were baptized!!!! Freddy is the cousin to a menos activo we are teaching, Yazmin, and they have the cutest little family! Her son, Hull, has 4 years, and is my Ecuadorian nephew :). He is the cutust kid! He even got all dressed up in his suit for Freddy´s baptism and his mom and dad both came to the baptism!!

We found Xavier 2.5 weeks ago when we were looking for names that our bishop gave us. We asked his Abuelita for information, and saw him in the back. We asked, "What are you doing right now?" Nada. Can we share a message about Jesus Christ with you? Sure! And He was bapitized Saturday. 2 weeks later. And now we are teaching his mom, who attended his baptism. Xavier is the coolest!

The language is still coming poco a poco. My companionion helps me so much!! She is super great.

This week I studied alot about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ is perfect, and so his gospel is perfect. His church is the same, perfect, church that he established on the Earth many years ago. We can know if the church we attend is the same if it has Profets, apostles, and priesthood. The same things Christ established in his chuch. And I know we do. I know this is the true church. I know it is a perfect gospel.  And although we are not perfect, we have the ability to change, and we need to change, to be able to live worthy of the spirit and blessings that come. And this is only through the Atonement of JEsus Christ. Will you this week watch the movie on Youtube called The Atonement and Missionary Work ? I would love to read all of your testimonies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Thank you all for your emails, love, and prayers. Happy Summer to you all!!

Les Quiero,

Hermana McKee

Semana #12: 3 months!

¡Hola mi famila!

I´m glad you all had a great week! Happy Birthday Kirsten! We had a great week here in Los Helechos, there is always so much that happens, haha. My companion and I always find ourselves saying to each other "Our life is like a TV show!"

-MONICA and DOMENICA were baptized this week!!! Monica is the Mama of Brigit who was baptized about one month ago. Domenica has 8 years and is the sister to Linda and Maria Jose, who we are teaching but they are both waiting for marriage/divorvcio to be baptized. the Baptism was great! We had alot of ward members there to support them. MY companion and I sang "Hazme Andar en la luz," and afterwards they asked for both Monica and Domenica to share their testimonies. Domenica was so cute.. she stood at the front and said "my dear brothers and sisters.." and then began to cry, and felt a little embaressed. She reminded me of myself, when I was in Primary I remember Nate and Balyin would always go up and bear their testimonies, and I never would because I knew I would cry! The spirit was super strong. She is a great example for their family! 

-Last week our bishop gave us some names of people to find, and as we did we found XAVIER. Xavier is golden. He wants to learn so much, and has so man questions. He has 19 years old, and will be baptized the 31 of Mayo. 

School started this week for all the kids here which is super funny to me because you all are just ending. haha. The weather here is still hot and humid, but the mornings are a little.. less humid. haha. 

Im glad that you were able to go to the Anderson Mitton wedding, Dad! Thanks for representing me :) I didn´t know that was this week! Thats really weird that Kinz is married! Congrats. 

This week was a little frustrating with the language, but I am learning everyday. I am learning to only be thankful with the ability that I have now, and work and practice hard every day. Every day I am learning what my all truly is. This week, we taught a lot of lessons, and walked alot! My companion has sores on her feet from her old shoes, and this week I have a bad ingrown toenail! As we walked to our last lesson one night, she said.. I am so tired! i just want to sleep. I was too.... haha but i thought of my mom and dad saying: "create energy!!" haha. I told her to put her hands as high as she could, and then go a little more :) I told her my mom and dad always taught me we always have alittle more to give. 

In Preach my Gospel this week I learned about Repentance. The central purpose of our live is to Repent, this life is the only time we have to progress and become the persons we want to be. For this, I hope that we don´t waste time on the things that don´t help us to progress to our goal. I know that repentance is only possible because of our Savior. He is the reason we can progress, and I am eternally greatful. 

Les Amo mucho!

Hermana McKee

Perdon, Yo tengo muchas fotos por que no pude enviarlos en las semanas pasados.                                                                             

Semana #11: ¡Feliz dia de las madres!

Famila,

It was super fun to get to Skype you all yesterday! I'm glad things are going well for you. Sorry the connection was bad... Maybe we will have to try a conference call or something for Christmas? 

This week was a super weird week!! I feel like nothing went as planned, haha. But there were also some great miracles too. I shared a few with you yesterday, but I will write them again, because I know the connection was bad. 

- Miguel and Celene, we are teaching them, and all of their children are baptized. They are super strong in the gospel and have so much faith! The two themselves cannot be baptized unless they are married or live in different houses. They are waiting for a divorce to go through first, so they can get married. We´ve heard that a divorce can take a year, but they want to be baptized, and Miguel understands the importance of having the priesthood to bless their family. This week they have been looking for a house for Miguel to sleep in in the nights so they can be baptized the 24th of Mayo. They are great examples of acting in faith! I know that God will help the divorce to come faster by their actions. 

We have 2 baptism this weekend! One is the mom of brigit, who was baptized a few weeks ago, and the other is the sister of Linda, Domenica, who we are teaching also, but Linda needs to also get married. 

We had a Noche de Hogar with a Less active family, and one of our investigators, Freddy! It was his birthday too.. haha so we had a little celebration! 

My companion killed a mouse in our house this week.. haha. It was a baby, and so our first thought was.. uh no! They are multiplying!! I have such a brave companion :) 

In my studies this morning I was learning about the Spirit. Their is a scritpure in JAcob 4:13that says the Spirit does not lie. Everything that we learn or feel from the Spirit is from God. And God only teaches his true doctrine that we need to return and live with him. This is why we need to listen to the spirit always, and trust in it. When it tells us something, we can know it is truth and it is from God. Thanks for taking the time to Skype with me! It was so fun to see Michelle!! You look so good!! And my nephews.. nephew to come.. and my sisters!!! .. and brother.  :) haha. I hope you all did something nice for Mom for mothers day :) We have the best mom in the world. Have a great week you all! 

Love,

Hermana McKee 

Semana #10: DyC 24:12

¡Hola famila!

I read this scripture in my study this morning. I love the promise that goes along with it, and I know it is not only for missionaries!! We have been learning this week that the best way to do this work is through the members.. and them opening their mouths tambien! My family is a great example of that. I try to always remember this scripture and the promise because not being able to speak the langauge, right before  go to speak Satan trys to have me feel like I can´t and I shouldn´t, and that I am less then a representative of my Savior. In a talk I read this week, I learned, no matter what the excuse is, no amount of time, no magic pill, can give you more courage to share the gospel. You just have to DO IT! This week we had way cool experiences...

1. We had a Noche de Hogar (FHE) with a less active couple, their neighbor who is not a member, and also another relative who is preparing to be baptized. We had a lesson about Temples, and Eternal marriage, and the spirit was super strong. THey were more focused then they had ever been! They all (4) commited to come to church, but only the wife, JAzmine, and Freddy, who has a date, came. We played Headbanz with them!! haha. It was super fun, and was really difficult in SPanish! haha. 

2. This week we had a multiward activity, a movie night! We watched the movie 17 Milagros (Miracles). When it started, I was thinking, wow! I am understanding so much! ... then I realized it was in English. hahahaha. THey had the subtitles in Spanish. I love that movie, because the Saints endured so much. They knew that they might not suceed, but kept going because they knew that we would. It also made me think back to TREK last summer. That was a really great experience for me. When its hard, and its hot, and your hungry, and noone is home, what do you do? You help the handcarts behind you make it over the mountain in front of you -- you find someone to serve!!

3. During the middle of a lesson this week, my companion look passed me as if she just saw a ghost! I had a little fear because I had no idea what she was looking at. I asked what happened, and in english she answered, " You dont want to know... I just watched a rat climb that curtain." ha! She was right. I didnt want to know. The funny thing was the next night during our  nightly planificacion, we had 3 mice in our house!! 

Usually our days are planned full of teaching appointments, and this week we had to leave a lot of people that were not progressing, or not increasing in their faith and testimony so we could find those who will, and who are ready. We say many blessings as we tried to contact, and find old investigators, and we ended up making many connections with current meimbros or investigators. God´s hand is defintaly in it all! 

 Thank you all for you emails!! I love hearing of your experiences and how your familes are doing.

Yo tengo una testimonio de la ilgesia de Jesucristo. Yo se que Dios y Jesucristo viven. Se que la expiacion de Jesucristo es para nosotros, y que nesecitamos usarlo todas las dias. Estoy muy agradicida por el conocimiento Yo tengo sobre las familias eternas. Estoy muy agradecidas por ustedes. Les amo mucho! 

Hermana McKee