Life in the Office

The life in the office fly’s by soooooo insanely fast now!!!!! Before I got here my companions almost never had time to be in the sector and teach or work like normal missionaries.... but I just have such a strong fire and desire to get out of the office and work like I love doing that we have been able to be in the sector at like 5 or 6 every day to work for at least a few hours!!!! We were working every night this week and they both told me that they haven’t had a single week with every night in the sector in their 9 months as Secretary and Financer... But we are trying our best to be obedient with exactness.... its really is easy for us not to be, because we literally can do whatever we want, whenever we want and no one would ever know. But I love working as hard as I can and really getting lost in the work!!

I’m not sick at all anymore!!!! No more symptoms...!!!!

Baptizing a Princess

So first off its been kind of hard being in the office all the time because I’m just always dying to get back to my sector and work.... its kinda one thing the last secretary told me, is that he almost never worked in his sector besides weekends... but me and my companions have decided that we are just going to be strictly obedient and see if that changes anything... 

Well let me tell you folks that obedience brings blessings and obedience with exactness brings miracles!!! (I’m sure I spelled something in there wrong... sorry I don’t English good anymore)

But anyway, we had soo many spiritual experiences and lessons this week!!!! One of them including a baptism of a little girl named Naima (she and her 2 sisters are the cutest/craziest little girls I have ever met!!) 

We also had lots of time to contact Menos Activos and Referencias this last week, which has been a lot of fun! One family seems just too good to be true and we were all crying in the first lesson!! I can only hope and pray that things continue to work out with them!!!

Sorry I forgot my camera this week so ill make sure to send the photos of the baptism next week!!!

Love you all and have a great week!!

Shout out to my homie Kyson Hancey for killing it on his farewell talk!! Go Canada ey!!! 

Zack Has Had a Miracle!

We have experienced a true miracle!  Elder Zack Stidham has been sick for 5 months with different ailments.   He was severely sick since March, which led to an emergency transfer for him to work in the mission home under the close supervision of his Mission President.  He was hospitalized many times and saw the doctor at least 3 times a week for months.  He was on bed rest for some of that time.  We greatly appreciate all the prayers and fasts that were made for our family and our Missionary!  We knew that Zack was getting worse and was going to be sent home.  He was devastated.  He pleaded, and begged not to be sent home.  On May 4th, his Mission President decided to take him and a group of missionaries to the temple.  While in the temple, Zack received a very clear revelation that it was time for him to stop fighting it and go home to get healthy.  He cried a lot and told the Lord that he would obey His will.  After the temple session he received a powerful blessing from his Mission President telling him he would be completely healed and be able to continue serving his mission.  He was so conflicted.  But starting the next day and the following few days, Zack’s health and strength returned.  He was healed, completely.  Without any symptoms.  He feels like as soon as he submitted his will to the Lord, he was healed.  We have all learned a powerful lesson about patience, and prayer, and the Lords timing verses our own.  Elder Stidham says: “After having an interview with my mission president he knew that I truly had no desire to return home and that I was close. Although I had received many priesthood blessings during this illness, he asked if it would be all right to give me another. I can honestly say that I have never witnessed anything like those moments. It was indescribably powerful and the Spirit filled the room. Ever since that blessing I have been 1,000 times better and I have little to no symptoms at all, that just 2 weeks ago had me in bed 24/7. I have learned so much about the Lords timing during this trial and want to thank each and every one of you for your support and Prayers!! Miracles exist and they take place every day, we just have to open our eyes and have Faith to see them!”

Día del Mamá!!!

Buenas tardes querida familia y amigos!!

Well another super fast week has come and gone once again!!

So obviously the highlight of the week was seeing my Beautiful Mother and Semi-beautiful brothers/father!!! Wow it seems like only a few weeks have passed since the last Christmas Skype.... well for me at least.

I don’t have a whole lot of time to write but this week has been a fun one for sure!

Me and 7 other missionaries had a member in my ward hand-make ties for us!! Yeah I can’t lie, these Ecuadorians spoil me sometimes!! 

les quiero bastante!! Espero que todas las madres disfrutaban su día!!

1. Just finishing calling our moms (I wasn't crying, the humidity was so bad it made my eyes rain)

2.Attempting to be a Secretary.... not going too well yet haha

(For the record I blame being so white halfly on the endless rain/clouds, and the other half on being stuck in an office all day)

--

Elder Stidham

Photos!

1. My failed attempt in taking my first mission selfie

2. Me and Hermana Daisi, she did more that I could ever write for me during my time in the hospitals

3. Kissing an Iguana!!

4. An Iguana bit my companion while trying to feed it haha

Being Healed

First off I would just like to say that I am not being Disobedient right now!! I have permission to write after 6:00 

 Hola querida familia y amigos

Sorry I haven’t written in a few weeks... but man there’s so much to tell!! As most of you know I have been fairly sick these last few months. Well it got so bad that I ended up having emergency transfers a few weeks back and have been seeing the doctors more than I got rejected in high school (ha-ha totally kidding bout that one, that number is uncountable ;) but anyways, I was sent to the Temple several times to talk to the Lord about maybe being sent home to get better. I was also told by many doctors that I would probably be sent home soon. Even a representative of the church (I don’t remember his title or anything) called me and told me that he will be coming down this month and will meet with me to decide if the church will HAVE to send me home...

Through this whole process I truly never wanted to go back home. I knew that I would be able to recover fully if I did and then that I could return to the mission field in another mission. But I just never wanted to leave this amazing country and the people who have become my family.

After having an interview with my mission president he knew that I truly had no desire to return and that I was close. Although I had received many priesthood blessings during this illness, he asked if it would be all right to give me another. I can honestly say that I have never witnessed anything like those moments. It was indescribably powerful and the Spirit filled room. Ever since that blessing I have been 1000 times better and I have little to no symptoms at all that just 2 weeks ago had me in bed 24/7. I have learned so much about the Lords timing during this trial and want to thank each and every one of you for your support and Prayers!! Miracles exist and they take place every day, we just have to open our eyes and have Faith to see them!

So other news of the week: I got made Secretary to the President, which has been kind of crazy!! I’ve been crazy busy trying to learn everything that I have to do and have never taken so many notes in my life haha! I never imagined how much my "Trainer" Elder Barba did until he began training me to do it all...

 

I’m super excited for mother’s day and hope that all you incredible Mothers out there can enjoy the time with your family! As a missionary I’ve learned to appreciate all that my momma bear has done for me over the last 19 years and I’m sorry I never showed how grateful I am as well as I should have, I promise that after the mission I will treat you like every day is mothers day!!

Your favorite Ecuadorian,

Elder Stidham