Monday, one-day

Hola mi querida familia!!!

From all of the letters that I've read, it sounds like you guys have had an AMAZING and FUN week! Sounds like you ate lots of good food (thanks for eating Reba potatoes and pie for me ;) ) and it all sounds like lots of fun. I'm excited that I'll be there next time around ;) haha

So, this week we were teaching a lady that we recently met and we asked her if she had read the chapter in the Book of Mormon that we had left to read. She told us "I'm not gonna lie to you. I really don't like to lie....except to my husband...I only lie to my husband" and the proceeded to tell us that she hadn't read the Book of Mormon. It was a slightly uncomfortable moment...especially because the husband was close by..but it seemed like he didn't hear her...that's probably a good thing lol. People are interesting. The lady said that she will be baptized on Christmas if she receives an answer from God, so that was good :) But she should probably stop lying to her husband and start reading the Book of Mormon before she gets baptized lol.

This week, we started visiting a couple of less active families to help out with Home Teaching in the Ward. They helped me realized the importance of having a firm testimony of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. Everybody in both of the families have never prayed to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet or if the Book of Mormon is true. I am so thankful for the testimony that I have of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. And I am SO thankful that I can strengthen that testimony every time I pray and read the Scriptures. We should ask God often about those things...and every time we ask, He will answer us and our testimony will grow stronger and stronger. It made me think about the lesson that Dad taught a while back (I don't remember if it was in a FHE or on a YM campout) about that wind-up flashlight we have and our testimonies. We can't just gain a testimony and then do nothing and hope to keep that testimony. Like the constant winding on the flashlight to keep it shining bright, we have to keep doing the small and simple things to keep our testimony shining bright! So, read the Book of Mormon and say your prayers EVERY DAY!!! :D

Yesterday was the census here in Ecuador. It was super exciting...not lol. All of the teenagers from 10th, 11th, and 12th grade did the census..they just asked a few questions and then it was over. And then I slept for a while :) And then we made big hamburgers and a ton of french fries. And then I slept a bit more. And then it was 5pm so we got to leave the house and teach a few lessons. We visited some of Stefania's family...they are a family of 5 that has a baptism goal for the 18th! So, we are praying and working hard with them so that they can reach that goal :)

Well, that's the news for this week! I hope all of you have an awesome week this week..but it sounds like it would be hard to have a better week than last week! haha We just found out that next week we are going to the TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SUPER excited!!! I love every one of you SOOO much! Thanks for being awesome!

Love ya!!

Love, Elder Beck