Monday, July 30, 2018

The letter that made the whole mission, sickness, trials, and roller coaster ride worth it! From Momma Stidham

Subject: Familia Avila... Machala... Ecuador
Familia Stidham reciban muchos saludos de parte de toda mi familia. Los felicitamos y estamos muy felices de que Elder Stidham esta a punto de culminar su misión.... Only 8 days... Realmente el es un chico muy valiente y hermana Jill usted como madre ha sido una parte muy importante para que el sea un gran Guerrero de Jesucristo. El realmente ha traído muchas bendiciones a nuestro pais, gracias a su trabajo estupendo en la obra misional ha podido salvar muchísimas almas, el se ha convertido en un ejemplo para la mision Guayaquil Sur. Muchos misioneros que lo conocen hablan del gran numero de bautizos que el ha realizado. Se ha convertido en una leyenda..ja ja ja. El ha sabido ministrar a cada uno de los nuevos conversos para que se fortalezcan en el evangelio verdadero. Hace 3 meses el Señor me llamo a servir como Primer Consejero del Obispo de mi barrio Agradezco a usted y a su Esposo por desprenderse de sus hijos tan amados para que puedan acudir al llamado del Señor y personas como mi familia y yo hayamos conocido del maravilloso Plan de Salvación. El señor le pidió prestado a su hijo Zack por 2 años y testifico mi querida familia Stidham que regresa un DIGNO POSEEDOR DEL SACERDOCIO. Tuvimos la oportunidad de conocerlos en videollamada en Navidad porque El estuvo en nuestra casa. Realmente sentimos como que si los hubieramos conocido personalmente y esperamos que pronto puedan programar sus vacaciones a nuestro pais que a pesar de ser muy chiquitito es muy muy hermoso... Les va
encantar... Los esperamos pronto Familia Stidham... Saludos y bendiciones a todos...
Wilson Andres Avila Romero
 

Translation:
Stidham family receive many greetings from my whole family. We congratulate you and we are very happy that Elder Stidham is about to complete his mission .... Only 8 days ... He really is a very brave boy and sister Jill you as a mother has been a very important part for him to be a great Warrior of Jesus Christ. He has really brought many blessings to our country, thanks to his great work in the missionary work he has been able to save many souls, he has become an example for the South Guayaquil mission. Many missionaries who know him speak of the large number of baptisms he has performed. It has become a legend ... ha ha ha. He has been able to minister to each of the new converts so that they may be strengthened in the true gospel. Three months ago the Lord called me to serve as First Counselor of the Bishop of my neighborhood. I thank you and your Husband for letting go of your beloved children so that they can come to the Lord's call and people like my family and I have known about the wonderful Plan of Salvation. The Lord borrowed his son Zack for 2 years and I testify to my beloved Stidham family that returns a WORTHY OWNER OF THE PRIESTHOOD. We had the opportunity to meet them in a video call at Christmas because He was in our house. We really feel like if we had met them personally and we hope that they can soon schedule their vacations to our country, which, despite being very small, is very beautiful ...
love ... We wait for you soon Family Stidham ... Greetings and blessings to all ...

Wilson Andres Avila Romero



Querida familia Avila,

Quiero agradecerles su carta sobre nuestro hijo, el élder Stidham. Fue la carta más sorprendente y me hizo llorar porque me hizo tan feliz. ¡Estoy tan agradecida de que mi hijo pueda servir en una misión y pueda ir a un lugar tan maravilloso como Ecuador! Él ama tu país y la gente que conoció allí. Estoy muy agradecido de que haya conocido especialmente a tu familia. Él tiene un gran amor por todos ustedes y lo hizo sentir especial. Gracias por todas las comidas y amabilidades que le ha dado. Estoy agradecido de que te deleites en el Evangelio. También nos encanta y nos ha hecho tan felices y realizados. Tratamos de ser buenos discípulos de Jesucristo en todo lo que hacemos. Estaba tan feliz cuando Zack {Elder Stidham} quería servir en una misión. Recé para que él encontrara personas maravillosas que estuvieran listas para el evangelio y lo hizo, ¡tú! Esperamos que encuentre una bendición maravillosa en sus vidas como la que tenemos. Espero conocerlos a todos algún día.

Atentamente, Jill Stidham

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Dear Family Avila,

I want to thank you for your letter to us about our son Elder Stidham.  It was the most amazing letter and made me cry because it made me so happy.  I am so thankful that my son could serve a mission and could go to such a wonderful place like Ecuador!  He loves your country and the people he met there.  I am so thankful that he met your family especially.  He has a great love for all of you and you made him feel special. Thank you for all the meals and kindnesses you have given him.  I am thankful that you are delighting in the Gospel.  We love it too and it has made us so happy and fulfilled.  We try to be good disciples of Jesus Christ in everything we do.  I was so happy when Zack {Elder Stidham} wanted to serve a mission.  I prayed that he would find some wonderful people that were ready for the gospel and he did, you!  We hope you find it a wonderful blessing in your lives like we have.  I look forward to meeting you all someday.

Sincerely, Jill Stidham

The Last One.....

Well its here.... its actually here.... My last week as a missionary has come.

Honestly I was writing a whole long and beautiful last message for you all last night. But as I sit here I just can’t put myself to write those words... that’s not me.

Words cannot begin to describe what I really feel.
I’m happy, really happy.
Grateful, so incredibly grateful for all that my Heavenly Father has put me though and helped me accomplish in these short 2 years.
I don’t know what else to say besides that I know God loves His children and because He loves us He restored the Gospel and church of Jesus Christ to the Earth.

I had an incredible week but it ended with some tears as I was woken up at 11:48pm by a member telling me that my bishop here passed away.
Please pray for the family Lastra. They need it!

God bless and ill see you all in 10 days!



I'm Hot and Humble!

Monday, July 23, 2018

A Pidgon Pooped on my Head and I'm Still Smiling

I’ve decided that I’m just too happy to be a missionary that nothing can bring me down. 

So literally all of our investigators were just railed on by satin this week and none of them wanted to continue progressing anymore... that was kind of depressing and made for a long long week of contacting and walking for hours each day looking for those elect.

Highlight of the week:
 So we show up to church "empty handed" meaning everyone who told us that they’d come walk to church with us decided to sleep in, have family fights going on, or pretend to not be home when we showed up Sunday morning as we were walking alone to church kind of upset a pidgin decides its just the perfect timing to lay one lose on my head... yes that really happened and I just started laughing and shouted "thanks satin" in a happy voice haha! 
So where’s the highlight part? That’s kind of it! I’m just way too dang happy to let things get me down!

Oh and then my wonderful ward decided to bring 8 investigators to church because, you know, the Gospel is true and blesses lives!!

Oh how I love being a missionary and the things I get to learn here!!

Monday, July 16, 2018

I'm a busy boy

It’s been one of the happiest weeks of my mission but it had a bittersweet ending.

Well I have no idea how to explain what’s been going on these last two weeks so I’ll just wait to do it in person in 3 weeks.

I’m happy and that’s what’s important.

The time is slipping out of my hands because we are just so dang busy... 
My companion told me this week "its been kinda weird serving with you, we just never have any down time, why are we always just too busy to buy my dang biri biris?!"

ha-ha that describes out time together perfectly!! Always happy and laughing and always busy serving these people I love so much!!

I love being a missionary more than anything else in the world and honestly cried last night thinking that I only have 3 more Sundays here in this incredible ward...

Ps. I’m going to go make the best "Success tacos" in the world right now so if you want some just hope on a plane and I’ll see ya tonight!! We are going to baptize this family though pool playing and taco eating!!

(I think the coolest thing I’ve ever heard in my life is that my family went down to France over the Fifa World Cup Final game and watched them win with 90,000 other people by the Eiffel tower)

Love you all so much and if you want to Write Elder Stidham you only have 2 more chances!!  SO WRITE ME!!!   ; P

2 Nephi 5:27
I can’t tell you enough how much I’ve learned form that scripture!!

1. I love this stuff!
2. And 3. My Ecuadorian homie knows what’s up!!! So pumped to have found someone here wearing a jazz jersey!!!
We geared up for today lol!!
We had a dope pool day for P-Day!!! 
I love this family!! We are going to make tacos with them now so I’ll send you guys picks the next week!!

Monday, July 2, 2018

What’s the best way to Pre-Celebrate the 4TH OF JULY??? BAUTIZANDO!

KARINA GOT DUNKED!! 

That’s right we took a spiritual punch to the face for our dear friend Karina who has been investigating the church for over 11 years! 
And let me tell ya, she has gone through a Huge change over my short 7 weeks working with her!!
She even told everyone in her testimony after she got baptized that she sometimes rejected us and was kind of rude when we first showed up. But in tears she thanked us and most of all her mother for working so patiently with her. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMONE CHANGE SO FAST AND BECOME SO HAPPY!!!
She also testified of how much keeping the Sabbath day holy these last few weeks has changed her life. (Before she always went to the stadium to watch the football games on Sundays, she is a HUGE SPORTS FAN HAHA!!!) So the fact that she had given that up due to her incredible faith has inspired me so much to be 100% obedient to the Sabbath day after the mish!!

The last big news of the week is that I once again found myself in an Ecuadorian Hospital... why does my stomach like to be infected....? I DONT KNOW!! But I was on the look out for some more nurses to teach and baptize jaja!!

AND FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN ASKING I WILL BE COIMNG HOME ON THE 8TH OF AUGUST....

I AM NOT TRUNKY AND DONT WANT TO BE SO PLEASE HELP A BROTHA OUT AND JUST KEEP ME MOTIVATED ;)

2 Nephi 25:26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. 


Sorry the picks aren’t great but there what I got]!
Geovanna my nurse, is in the first 3 picks.

Karina is in the next 3!