Ligia Highlight

May 21, 2018

Hi Everyone, Today’s email is a little different. It contains two parts. One about Samanes, and one about this area.

This week not much really happened, we are working hard to find our investigators to teach them. Some people are on vacation. But one point I learned from a less active member is that we need to get unfocused on the imperfections leaders of the church. We should be just a little bit more selfish in the aspect of our salvation. I am constantly thinking about my salvation, I will want to come unto Christ and help others too. Let´s not get snagged on the cracks and shards of other people´s imperfections. Let´s focus on what we need to do to overcome our challenges. I leave this with you for now.

Last week I got an email reading.

Hello Elder Wilhelm! My name is Lauren Downs. I am putting together a book of missionaries’ experiences and I was wondering if you would help me out. If no, then no problem.

I want to put together current missionaries’ stories so that people can better understand missionary life because I wished that I had some kind of reference before I served a mission.

I felt prompted to contribute. Here is the letter I wrote.

Hey thanks for shooting me the email. I, Elder Wilhelm, have a story for you. Under the category of first week in the field (but then it gets connect to a couple weeks ago). 

When I first got here to Ecuador, Mission Guayaquil Norte, I got sent to an area called Samanes.

Before I got there, there was a woman named Ligia. She had been smoking and drinking, but her boyfriend who was and is a member, in the middle of the argument about the Book of Mormon, pulled over to the side of the street and stopped the missionaries in their tracks saying “Hey do you guys have a Book of Mormon?” Elder Anderson in Samanes, the missionary before I got there, gave the book to her, Ligia, saying “This book will change your mind, this book with change your life” And they drove off.

She read the book. She followed the promptings she felt. And it changed her life.

When I got there, she was going full steam ahead, she knew some English, but talked super fast. Here are some snippets of some emails I sent home about her conversion.

Oct 9, 2017

“We had a Baptism this week, her name is Ligia! The previous missionary led her to Christ way before I arrived but, wow, she has really changed her life! She quit smoking and drinking so she could be ready for baptism. She has turned her life around 180 degrees. She is from Venezuela and she has just been a leader in her own conversion. She has a fire for this Gospel more than any other. At her baptism, she asked me to speak. She said it was okay if I spoke in English. I said okay, but ended up translating into Spanish anyway. I was nervous, but I gave it anyway! It was super spiritual! She was baptized and we went out for Pizza after and she asked for my talk that I translated! I had two copies one in English and one badly translated in Spanish. She also wanted an umbrella and I gave here the extra one I had and I gave her one of my many red scripture markers so she could study better in the scriptures! She is such a good spirit and is so curious about everything in this gospel.

“Yesterday we were able to confirm Ligia in Church, wow that was amazing. She kept on saying. I am a Latter Day Saint! I am your Brother! (I told her that it is not quite the same in English) But ya she is hilarious.”

Apr 23, 2017

“One of our recent converts, Ligia, has decided to return to Venezuela. For those that don´t know what condition is in, I can say that there are many, many people leaving and only missionaries that are from and living in Venezuela can serve a mission in Venezuela. So she will probably be serving a mission there. There are not many that spend months, countless nights tossing and turning to find out which of two of God´s commandments they should follow. But I believe Ligia is one of those people. She has received and answer from God. To serve a mission. Her conversion to Christ has affected so many people. Over in Venezuela, Her mother and the boyfriend of her mother, were trying to get baptized after they heard the conversion of Ligia. And they had success! They were baptized not long after she got baptized. I don´t know much of what has happened over there in Venezuela but I know that Ligia has been an influence in many lives of many close ones.”

I am writing this May 21st She is in Venezuela, preparing for her mission, sharing her experiences with her family, she still lacks many months to complete 1 year of conversion before she goes to serve a mission. But really she started the mission when she was baptized. And I don´t ever think she will stop serving.

It was a wonderful experience getting to help Ligia come to Christ through her baptism and progression in the gospel. I would never give it up for anything because that is what the mission is about.

Atentamente,

Elder Wilhelm