Elder Roberts in Ecuador: JOIKI

Yeah, so we realized that my amiga Eileens, Grandpa is always home and he is one of the most spiritual men in Ecuador. He was one of the first members and like the third bishop in the whole country and he is poderosisimo.

So we went with him like every day on visits and it was super cool. In Kichuwa the word for Brother is Joiki, so we just call him Joiki and it is super cool. I love that man, I love his family. I love my little amiga, I am going to cry hardcore when I leave this sector.

This week we saw this little old indigenous lady carrying a huge bag of weeds up the mountain and we didn't have anything to do so we helped her out, holy cow I gained so much respect for these old ladies that carry these huge sacks up the mountain. It was actually super hard, I wanted to give up, but then I was like if this 70 year old four foot tall lady can carry these weeds up the mountain than I can too. haha.

We were out with the Joiki and we have a new family of menos activos to teach, but they don't speak Spanish they only speak kichuwa, so the joiki translated everything for us because he speaks kichuwa as his primary language. It was cool, I am always going to remember that lesson.

Daniel...he is so ready to get baptized, so ready, the most ready I have seen on my mission, and this kid has all the potential in the world and he wants to get baptized more than I want to drink Dr. Pepper....that is saying something. All was going well with his parents until yesterday when we gave them the papers that they had to sign and then they started to change their mind. We had a really long conversation with them and last night they talked with Daniel and we are going to pass by today to see what they decided. I am hoping and praying and praying and praying and praying that he will get baptized this Saturday. He already passed his interview and he asked that I baptized him! I really hope it works out, please keep him in your prayers.

This week we gave a tour of the church to Daniel and his brother, Fernando and ended the tour in the chapel. My companion and I ended the tour singing the hymn about the shady woodland where Joseph saw God (don't know what it is called in English). It was a really cool experience. I love singing for our investigators. There is power that music has that ordinary words don't have.

I know this church is true and I know that God loves us sooooo much. I love you all, thanks for the emails and especially the prayers. I hope you are all enjoying your summer.

With love from Ecuador,

Elder Roberts