Jessica Jo in Guayaquil : The Kingdom of God or Nothing

June 22, 2015

FAM BAM!!! This week we had SO much to do, without enough time to do it! BUT WE MADE IT! :D

Bartolomeo y Rebolledo

Due to the explosion of the work here in Buena Fe, President Riggins has assigned an additional pair of missionaries to our area and as of just 10 minutes ago, 2 new hermanas arrived to help us out. YAY! The two new hermanas have been assigned to the Buena Fe ward, so sadly we won’t be teaching the investigatores in that area, but now we can focus ALL our energy and time with those in Buenaventura – which was my original area when I came here.

So it’s been a while since I shared any food stories. The other day we were served soup for lunch. I absolutely LOVE finding surprises in my soup! ;)

Yup it is normal that your food has hairs on it!

We still don’t know exactly what it was that we ate. HAHA

Another fun surprise is a certain cross street in Buena Fe where everyday at the strike of 5:30ish this intersection becomes THE DANGER ZONE. Why you might ask? Because all the birds you can imagine come from near and far to claim their spots on the power lines…and I think during the day they have never gone to the bathroom. All you can hear is SPLAT, SPLAT, SPLAT and then the road ends up decorated with white spots EVERYWHERE. It’s really quite lovely. I took a video that I can’t wait to show you when I get home!

Do you see how many birds there are?!?!

Now for a quick update on our investigatores...

Jose Quinteros just got home today from working in the mountains and his back is doing better...SO we are hoping that he can take a little time off of work and that we can actually teach him. We are also hoping that he can come to church on Sunday.

Fernando is doing SO great. He has a baptism date for the 11 of July. Also, Fernando’s nephew Antony is listening to the lessons as well. Yesterday, they both came rolling into the church parking lot on their bike!

Sadly, Familia Bone were unable to come to church on Sunday. :( Well, the parents were not able to come, but the 4 little ones did. Also the kids came to a ward Primary Activity on Saturday where we reenacted the story of NOAH’S ARK! All of the kids either came dressed as animals or painted their faces. Familia Bones kids came dressed as MINNIE and MICKEY MOUSE. The Bible does say that Noah saved ALL the animals, so I am sure that he saved Minnie and Mickey as well, so they could exist today, right?! ;) HAHA My companion and I were the wicked people that ended up dying; we got some good laughs from the kids!

Manuel Santana, is the most prepared person I have ever taught here on my mission. He is so attentive in the lessons and always has a great story to tell. He always says as he throws his arms up in the air..."I know where I want to go...and I am going to get there!" He, like all of us, wants to be received into the kingdom of God one day. Dad shared with me something President Brigham Young once said about how he wanted the kingdom of God or nothing…

“The Kingdom of God is all that is of real worth. All else is not worth possessing, either here or hereafter. Without it, all else would be like a dry tree prepared for the burning—it is all consumed and the ashes are driven to the four winds.

To me it is the Kingdom of God or nothing upon the earth. Without it I would not give a farthing for the wealth, glory, prestige and power of all the world combined; for like the dew upon the grass, it passeth away and is forgotten, and like the flower of the grass it withereth, and is not. Death levels the most powerful monarch with the poorest starving beggar; and both must stand before the judgment seat of Christ to answer for the deeds done in the body.

With us, it is the Kingdom of God, or nothing; and we will maintain it, or die in trying—though we shall not die in trying. It is comforting to many to be assured that we shall not die in trying; but we shall live in trying. We will maintain the Kingdom of God, living; and if we do not maintain it, we shall be found dying not only a temporal, but also an eternal death. Then take a course to live.

If you give anything for the building up of the Kingdom of God, give the best you have. What is the best thing you have to devote to the Kingdom of God? It is the talents God has given you. How many? Every one of them. What beautiful talents! What a beautiful gift! … Let us devote every qualification we are in possession of to the building up of God’s Kingdom, and you will accomplish the whole of it.” –Brigham Young

Like Manuel and Brigham Young, I too want the kingdom of God and to have eternal life with God, Christ and my family. I absolutely LOVE helping building the kingdom of God here on earth today. To put it simply, I Feel ALIVE!

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful and HAPPY week!

Con amor,

Hermana Bartholomew

Pictures from last week: