Week 37

Hey Everybody-

Ecua-fact: Legally a woman has to have permission from her spouse before she can do anything. ANYTHING.

Well, Hermana Ovalle (O-vay-yea) and I are doing really well here in Ambato. We have 4 investigators who are really progressing and have baptismal dates!

Johana Pineda came back from Colombia this week and without drinking. So she will be getting baptized September 5th. Her husband Kenny is a member and returned missionary so we have to get him active. Unfortunately he won´t be able to baptize her, but he is a big help to us. Johana is a doctor, they don´t have any children... although they have 2 dogs, Mencha and Luna, who might as well be.

Javier Jojoa (Ho-ho-a) is also set for the 5th of September, he lives with Johana and Kenny and is also a doctor. He is still doubting the blessings of tithing and fasting, but I´m confident he´ll come around. He´s in Colombia this week so we are a little worried about his resolve with alcohol...hopefully he will stay strong and refrain.

Marisela and Domenica, my reference from the Borja family, also has a baptismal date for the 12 of September. They didn´t come to church last week so we had to move it back a week. They are doing really well. After we taught the Law of Chastity, Marisela broke off her relationship with her long-time boyfriend. She didn´t even tell us about him, she just ended it the same night! I have to admit that it was pretty cool. She is still struggling with smoking, but doing really well. I think Octavio is going to come up with his family so he can baptize her.

Marina isn´t doing too well. After she asked her husband permission to be baptized, and he said no, he pretty much won´t let her out of his sight. So she hasn´t been able to come to church. She also can´t close her Tienda on Sundays. It´s pretty sad, but I´m sure Heavenly Father understands that she can´t be baptized right now...It´s so hard when people can´t do what is right because of other people.

Veronica Santana also has a baptismal date for the 12th of September but she has to get married first...harder than it sounds. Her boyfriend doesn´t want to and he´s a member! Inactive, but still. Sergio is 50 years old and Veronica is only 20, but they have a little girl and everything. We are working really hard with him! Any ideas?

My new companion is doing well, although I think she really struggles. The mission is really hard on her. She cries a whole lot, in her sleep, everywhere. I´m liking her though.

On the weird side of things...President Sloan told me I can´t smile as much. I´ve been getting a lot of unwanted attention mostly from the drunk population. I thought it was pretty strange.

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