THE POPE IS HERE

So big news for Ecuador this week, the Pope is currently in Guyaquil and he is coming up to Quito tomorrow. It is so crazy here, it is actually pretty cool. People are coming from everywhere from middle of nowhere Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia to see the Pope and he is going to talk in the old Quito airport which is about 30 minutes from where I live. It is sooo hectic in Quito. We went into the city to do some grocery shopping and the people are going crazy, there are a ton of riot police and soldiers holding back barricades of people, a ton of streets are blocked, it is all super cool. Even tho I don't personally believe in the Pope, I still think it is really cool that he is coming and that everyone is so excited to learn from him.

I had food poisoning this week, I threw up like 14 times on Tuesday, I ate some weird shrimp and ooooh, I was dying. I felt bad for my companion we didn't do like anything Tuesday or Wednesday I was just dying in my bed. I read like all of Jesus the Christ, holy cow that is such a good book, it has soo much doctrine, I am pretty sure Talmage had a personal interview with Jesus several times while he wrote that book. I also read Our Search for Happiness and Our Heritage. I guess it was the best use of sick time I could do. 

Elder Pinto is a boss. He is 20 years old, suuuppper funny, a really good teacher, and what I like most is that he likes to work hard. We worked our tails off this week. I was pretty scared because we couldn't find Daniel at all this week, but we found out he was taking a ton of tests in his high school and this week he will have more time, because his family went on a surprise trip this past Sunday. We are going to wait another Saturday to do his baptism. He is so ready, I am so excited for him.

This week I felt like I had more power testifying of the restoration and testifying that Joseph Smith was a prophet, I am not sure why. Maybe because my companion and I have been super diligent, but I remember a big part of my testimony was an experience I had visiting the sacred grove for myself when I was younger, and I decided to write a poem about it. 

I remember when I was younger I walked in a wood

Where a fourteen year old boy named Joseph once stood

Thinking I already knew the answer to my question

I knelt down and directed my voice to Heaven

I said ¨Father is this really true?¨

Then I was overcome from something I've never felt so powerful before, out of the blue

It felt as if God was talking to me as if he was standing right above

A new feeling pierced through my heart, a feeling of absolutely pure undefiled love

Although I didn't look up through a brilliant pillar to see the Father or Son

I knew with a surety of Heart of the things in this Sacred Grove they had done

I feel so blessed to have received a testimony on this sacred occasion

To firmly know Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet in this dispensation

I love testifying every day that God loves us enough to call prophets and he always has called prophets. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and I know today Thomas S. Monson continues to guide the world as a called Prophet of God. I hope you all have a good week.

With love from Ecuador your good friend,

 Elder Roberts