The Reach of Divine Love

Heeellllooooooooo!!!!

Wow has this week flown by! I think I had my P-day last Monday, and then completely missed Tuesday-Thursday, kinda experienced Saturday, and now it's Monday again. Craziness.

Okay, business first. Madre, please close down my facebook account. President Ghent has recently counselled all of the mission to close down their facebook accounts, and I'm trying my best to be willfully obedient. All of those who are wondering how on earth they'll ever know when I get back or things like that, just keep following my blog. I'll make another account when I get back and I'll make sure to search you all out and "friend" you. But if you want to make sure that I don't forget you...hmm...I guess you can send an email to andrew.schomburg@gmail.com and I'll receive it when I check it in 7 months. Or you can figure out something else to do so that I remember to add you. Oh, also, Madre, President Ghent reminded us that the Church has advised us to not put any photos of converts or members on the Internet for privacy reasons, so if there are any photos of that sort it might be good to take them down. Me with my companions or other Elders is okay, but with members and converts it's not so okay. Thanks!

Okay, now that that's done, other points. Yes, I am still a zone leader. This zone is basically completely new (as in almost none of the missionaries have much time in the zone), so Elder Valdiviezo and I have to set a really good example and fix the culture of the zone. If we want an obedient zone, we have to be obedient. If we want a lot of baptisms, we have to baptize a lot. I'm incredibly excited to be here in the zone. Also, Elder Valdiviezo is a champ. He loves to work, he doesn't complain, he's way focused, and he's happy. He's a great companion so far, and this is going to be a wonderful change.

We were able to baptize Hermana Samantha this Saturday during an open house that we had in the Church. It was a very good baptism, and there were a lot of members there to support her and investigators who felt the Spirit very strongly. It was an amazing time. After the baptism the bishop of the Tarqui Ward came and asked me if I could be part of an interview that his sister and brother-in-law were doing for school. As an assignment they had to talk in English with a native English-speaker, and it turns out that I'm gringo! It was fun to be able to help them practice their English, and it was really weird to hear and see me on the video. I learned that my voice is a lot deeper than I ever imagined it to be and that I'm a huge nerd (both as in "really nerdy" and physically big). :D

I'm so very glad that there has been rain and cooler temperatures and that the fire is almost completely contained. I've definitely been praying every day for your safety. That too bad that fireworks weren't allowed, but I'd rather be able to come home to an intact house than not. Oh, culture fact: Ecuadorians like fireworks a lot and will set them off at any time of the day without need for a reason. And now you know.

Well, that's about all for today. I hope you like the photos (well, for those who only read my blog, I don't think you'll be able to see the baptism photos, but you'll see my "artsy" shot!)!

Artsy Shot

Have a wonderful day and week, and remember to keep on keeping on! Heavenly Father has not and will never forget any of you, even when it seems that everyone else has. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said in the April General Conference;

"I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable, but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.

"Whether you are not yet of our faith or were with us once and have not remained, there is nothing in either case that you have done that cannot be undone. There is no problem which you cannot overcome. There is no dream that in the unfolding of time and eternity cannot yet be realized. Even if you feel you are the lost and last laborer of the eleventh hour, the Lord of the vineyard still stands beckoning. “Come boldly [to] the throne of grace,” and fall at the feet of the Holy One of Israel. Come and feast “without money and without price” at the table of the Lord."

I love you all very much!! Keep writing too! I'm convinced that if there's a great quantity of letters, they'll eventually overcome the Ecuadorian mail black-hole. I have faith! You can too! I love you!


Love,

Elder Schomburg