"We had explained everything we could and then just left it in the Lord's hands, and He worked things out. He always does, right?" (Hilary)

Um ... no thanks

Well, GOOD NEWS!

This last transfer was shorter than usual, because of some timing with the MTCs and all the new missionaries and I don't know. So, yesterday were transfers and ... although Hermana D had already had three transfers in Ibarra (and she had literally already packed everything but her sheets and her clothes for the following day and she had said goodbye to everyone and everything), I WAS TRANSFERED TO QUITO TO BE COMPANIONS WITH HERMANA ELLIS. Yes, you read right!  I had had such a hard time for a couple weeks. I have been working so hard to be a good, humble, loving companion. I have been working on being the person that lets things go and keeps moving forward with a good attitude. I felt like I had done my part and fallen to pieces a few times just praying for the strength to move on. Of course, Heavenly Father always blessed me with what I needed. I had to keep reminding myself that He wouldn't give me these tests if I couldn't make it through them. It was a great learning experience and I feel like I am becoming a different person.

2 of the 3 amigas ... together again!

Well, now I am in C. Quito. Hermana Ellis says that the members are so great. As we started arriving to the area in the bus, I just became overwhelmed with a feeling that there are people here who need this. Looking at all the houses I just thought "we are going to have a good change". So. I am going to keep striving to do everything I need to do to be the missionary this area needs and the companion that Hermana Ellis deserves! She is the greatest and I feel like I am dreaming a little bit. I am having a hard time comprehending that we get to just be companions and have so much fun doing this awesome work! It was funny - when my zone leaders told me who I would be companions with, they were like, "The assistants told us to tell you 'No pajama parties.'" I just laughed. Tras muchas aflicciones vienen muchas bendiciones.

Well, thank you all so much for everything you wrote. Tell Sister Jaccard thank you so much for the email. I really appreciated what she shared. And it is true. The mission wouldn't be the mission without the hard times! I love you all and I pray for you daily as well. And I want you all to know, I have felt your prayers this week more than ever.

I didn't hear about the new missions, but they did tell us that our mission is being split. How weird! I might finish in a different mission than some of my companions or President and Sister Ghent. They're so great! We will have to see what happens!

Well, not yesterday, but the other Sunday was elections day in Ecuador, so we weren't allowed to leave. We could only attend church and then we had to stay in the house. I spent a lot of time reading my notes from talks and my study journal from the MTC. It was really cool and gave me a new desire to work. I was so excited. I love this work.

The other Thursday we had a training from President Ghent, Sister Ghent, and the assistants. It was really good. Super powerful. It wasn't a super èxitoso week in the mission numbers-wise, but I felt like numbers can't show all the we were able to learn and do. It was really cool.

I have been really worried about F. lately. When I left he wasn't attending church because he was working to pay off his mom's debts. A few times I have seen the sisters there in Imbabura in trainings and interviews and things and they can't find him. The newer sisters there don't know him, so I think they don't feel the drive to search for him as much as I would. I dream a lot about the people I have gotten to know here in the mission and just wake up worried about them! I want the best for them. Please pray for the people here in Ecuador.

The other day we went to the market to do our grocery shopping and there was a kid standing on the corner with a group of goats, selling goat milk. Hermana D was so excited. She ran over and he pulled out a plastic cup and just milked the goat right there in the middle of the street and she just drank it straight up. It was bizarre.

I wanted to include a little miracle that we were able to see the other week. Like I said a couple weeks ago, A2 had a really tough experience and was convinced she would not return to the church for a while. Right after her baptism. It was so sad. I just felt like a huge failure. I knew there were things I probably could have done better and I just felt horrible. Well, we spent the week just praying and praying for her and that Heavenly Father would change her heart. And He did. She was so convinced that she wouldn't return for a while, but a few days later she told us that she realized she needed to return. It was really cool. We had explained to her everything we could and then just left it in the Lord's hands, and He worked things out. He always does, right? And something I love that Elder Eyring taught in his October conference talk was that, even when the Lord's timing isn't the same as ours, it should be enough for us, because we know that He has our best interest in mind.

Well, that is all for now. I love you all!

Hermana Norton