Sister Dana Glanzer

I am home! I am home!

The trip has been long, but has ended well. One of the best trips I have taken in my life.

Pablo got baptized this past Saturday. A great service, a little stressful as always, but it went well. When it was time, he got down into the water. They opened the doors and he looked out to his sister and smiled a huge teeth-filled smile at her. It was one of the best things I have seen. He is a good kid and will be a good example to his brothers and sisters and mother. After the baptism, Alicia, the mom, was talking to Hna Denison. She said, “I want to get baptized too.” She told us before that she would get baptized, but would never really say yes to a date. But now, she is preparing for the 26th of March, my birthday!

The elders were there to support us in this. We sang a special musical number, felt the Spirit very strong. The people who had agreed to help us, like baptizing Pablo, giving talks, all ditched us. It was really frustrating but we found other members who were willing to stop what they were doing at that moment and help us out. One was the bishop and his family. I thank them very much.

The next day, Sunday, Pablo was confirmed. We went to his house to get him and no one answered the door for about 30 minutes. FINALLY, Mayra answered. We knew they were in there because you can hear them. She said that she couldn’t go to church and that Pablo was tired. Oh no, he is coming with us. We told her to go get him. So Nayeli comes out, the 4 year old sister, and says he will be ready in just a few minutes. Twenty minutes later he comes out and we head down to the church. We make it right after they start the sacrament.

Testimony meeting. Bishop invites me up front to share my testimony. I shared it, my thoughts and feelings. I told them all I loved them and that I know this is the work of the Lord. I couldn’t go on. The emotions start working up in these moments. Tears are coming out. I end with a simple testimony. I know the Church is true.
I say goodbye to all the members and the people I could.

We head back to the house to get all the luggage ready. Hna Arteaga takes us to the terminal and the elders are there waiting. I don’t want to leave them. Elder Gomez has been a great help to me, a great example, and the Lord has shown me His love through this elder.

We get to Guayaquil and sleep in the nurses’ house. There are 5 of us leaving so that means there ended up being 10 sleeping in this house. It was a party! It was good seeing all of these hermanas again. Aguilar, Velasquez, Borja, all of them. We hardly sleep these next two days.

Monday we had our interviews with the mission president. We hung out in the mission office for about 5 hours. Then Presidente Montalti took us out to dinner. There were 5 hermanas and 4 elders. He talked to us, asked us what we were thinking, how we felt, what our goals were. It was just a fun time with him. We return to the nurses’ home and get all ready to go.

Tuesday we get to the airport at 4 in the morning and hang around until it is our time. Two missionaries leave at 7 am, me at 9 am, and the rest at 3 pm. It was hard saying goodbye. One of the hardest things to do, but I know I will see them again.

I go through the visa check and I see a family. The mom smiles at me. Then the dad looks at my tag and says my name. He then goes on asks me what mission I am in, north or south. He is one of the counselors of the mission presidency from the north mission. So we chat for a while. They get on the same plane with me. It was fun talking with them, a nice family. I get to each flight on time, and everything goes well.

I get onto the last flight to Spokane. I am nervous — but I am fine. It was really cold though! The flight seemed really long but finally landed. I am walking off the plane, took a pit stop into the bathroom, and then came down the ramp. I saw my mom, dad, Katie, Allison, the Glanzers and the Goods. The feeling is hard to explain. I just walked up to mom and hugged her. Just to be hugged by family was something you don’t realize you miss until you get to do it again. I truly missed them. Seeing these people in the airport for me was a blessing.

This time that I have had has been wonderful. I still can’t believe that as I type this letter, I can reach out and touch them. My feelings are torn. I miss Ecuador but I want to be with my family. Can I just have a few months more?

I have a firm testimony and have had my own conversion. The Lord has blessed my life and has blessed the life of my family. I planted many seeds and reaped many blessings.

My favorite scriptures, Doctrine and Covenants 58: 2-4, reads, “For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.”

I believe this to be true. The Lord gives us trials and tribulation to prove us worthy. But if we continue faithful until the end, we will see the blessings. I know that after serving faithfully to the Lord, He will bless me. But I know with more certainty, He will bless the people that have found the gospel and have given up much to be able to unite themselves to the true church. When they have the mind set, “It’s true isn’t it? Then what else matters?” They are the ones that continue faithfully. They will see the blessings.

I have loved this work, and will keep helping build the Lord’s kingdom. I learned to love the people of Ecuador. I will miss them, but I know they are in good hands.

Until again:

Sé que la iglesia de Jesucristo es verdadera. Sé que Jose Smith fue un profeta y revelador. Sé Dios restauró Su evangelio por medio de él. El Libro de Mormon es la palabra de Dios y podemos estar mas cerca de Dios si leemos y seguimos que nos dice. Los porfetas sacrificaron mucho para que podamos tener este libro en nuestros manos hoy en día. Amo a mi Padre y Su Hijo. La Expiación me hace possible regresar a su presencia. Estoy muy agradecida por esta oportunidad que me ha dado servir. Aprendí tantas cosas que me ayudarán criar mi familia con testimonies fuertes. Dios y Jesus viven.

Comparto estas cosas en el nombre sagrado de Jesucrist, Amen.

Les amo,
Hermana Glanzer

The time is winding down. The time is coming to an end.  I have enjoyed it very much — the ups and downs. I have changed. I am a new person. I cannot even begin to list the things I have learned in this time.

One thing I have learned is that the Lord is in control. He is in control of everything. If we trust in Him, everything will work out for the good. The things that are supposed to happen will if we are ready or not. It is His timing and His alone. We just need to be ready and willing when the time comes.

I love this work. I have been one of Father’s privileged children — I truly have. He has given me this opportunity to share the gospel and bring happiness to other peoples´ lives. I have never felt such great happiness in my life. Neither sadness, anger, frustration, but above all, the love of my Savior.

One cannot explain the experiences that they have in the mission. They can share stories, but only a missionary really understands the reality of it all. I wish everyone would decide to serve a mission. Think of the power the world would have if there were more missionaries. More people would have the chance to hear this gospel. More parts of the world would open (eventually). Then the Savior will be coming!! It’s so exciting.

We need to do all the missionary work we can. I am afraid that I will be one of those missionaries that ends the mission and that is that. — they only can say that they SERVED a mission. I want to keep helping. I want to keep serving. I know it won’t be in the same way, leaving in the morning, walking around all day, talking to everyone and their mom in the street. I will have other things to do, but I will keep serving the Lord in any way that I can.

Maria Yunga got baptized!!! On Saturday we had a noche blanca (white night, lots of baptisms) with the other elders in the zone. It was a great service. Then on Sunday she got confirmed. She is so great. She was so prepared, she just accepted the gospel. She is so willing to do whatever she needs to do to receive the blessings for her house.

Her husband, Luis, knows what he needs to do and is willing to do whatever he needs to also to have the same feelings and happiness that she has received. He just needs to stop drinking completely and he just informed us on Sunday that he has officially stopped working on Sundays!! I was so excited for him. He accepted the baptismal date of March 20th. They are a great family and know that this is the truth.

We, Denison and me, sang a song at the baptism. We had been practicing all week and had it down pretty good. I sang alto and some tenor parts. It is “Come Thou Fount” in Spanish. A beautiful song. We practiced with the elder that played for us and it was good. We just practiced in the street.

So right before the baptism, we went through it again with the elder. We couldn’t do it. We just started laughing. We kept saying that we couldn’t do it during the real deal. Okay, serious. We tried again, nope. Laughing attack. So we just call it good and say we won’t laugh during the song. So our time comes and we are singing the closing song, us two.

We get up there and start. Starts out good. We are singing and this old lady in the front row says something about our singing. My attention went to her and off of my concentration of not laughing. Then comes a part where I switch to tenor. I couldn’t find the note on the first measure so I just sing the melody with her until I can find the note. So I do but she starts to get a little laughing attack. But we make it through. We make it further, and little moments come when the laugh wants to come out but I tell it NO! Then we get to the very last part and I just can’t sing it. I start laughing. I sang the wrong note and it just killed the song.

I stop singing and then she stops singing. Then the elder is confused a little and then stops but then starts again. We don’t even finish the song!! We just laughed at the end. I was so embarrassed. The zone leaders were just grinning from ear to ear at us. I had to stay up front because I gave the closing prayer. How embarrassing it was!!!! We finally get down from there and everybody kept saying how good the song was. Were you even listening!? But it was good. I loved it.

We were walking to church on Sunday with Maria and she said she had something, so she pulls this envelop out of her shirt. It has some money in it. She asks what she needs to do with it, it is her fast offering. I wanted to hug her. She understands so well the principles and is willing to following the Lord and his commandments. We get to church and help her fill out the form. She gives it to the counselor with a smile on her face. She is a great woman.

We went on a visit with an hermana from the ward. She gave us a reference and she introduced us to her. We were teaching lesson one, the restoration, and we were teaching about prophets. I asked if she thought it was important to have a prophet on the earth. She kind of beat around the bush and was saying some weird stuff. I asked again and she did it again. I finally asked her, “Hermana do you think it is important we have a prophet?” She then answered yes. Finally.

We keep teaching, but we should have stopped there though. She wasn’t paying attention at all. This lady was a little strange. So we get to the restoration. Denison is explaining it and she asks Blanca what her thoughts are about the vision. The lady is so strange. She goes off on some tangent and talks about something else. Then Denison asks again. Blanca answers, “There were a lot of people that listened to him…… and he had a lot of friends.” WHAT!! She wasn’t even listening. We just look at each other and I wanted to just end there. I was sick — stuffy nose, head congestion, and wanted to lie down for a second. I wasn’t really in the mood, but I remember that I have to give this lady her chance. She can accept it or not.

We finally end that lesson. I am just dying because I can’t breath. She asks if I want some lemon water. No. But she keeps asking and I finally give in. It takes her like 20 minutes to make this water with a little bit of lemon in it. We drnk and she keeps talking. We get out of there and are walking down the hill. She comes up behind us and walks with us. We are talking about the family of the hermana that is with us. Blanca tells us we need to meet her husband. We tell her we have. Then she just starts busting up laughing uncontrollably. I mean, not normal laughing. I am just thinking in my mind that this lady is so strange. After her evil, creepy laugh, we part ways. I was so happy to get away from this woman. I know it wasn’t very Christ-like feelings, but sometimes you just aren’t in the mood.

Another experience. We contacted this house once. Just once. But we taught them lesson one. They were listening contently, but they just yelled out TESTIGO (JWs). Finally at the end, after their one million questions, they tell us they are testigos. Cool. They said they would read the Book of Mormon and we set a return appointment.

So this appointment came. We go and asked if they read the book. They said they read it but didn’t understand it and there is only one book for them and it is the bible. Okay, so we read the introduction with them. I don’t know how many times they said that they don’t believe it because nowhere does it mention the prophets from the Book of Mormon. I don’t know how many times we explained that they aren’t there because they were on a whole different continent.

They then said about 50 million times that nothing from the bible is in the Book of Mormon. We tried to show them scriptures where they supported one another, but they just would not accept it. They brought out these little books that talks about the bible stories and then has a scripture reference to back it up. Then he would look at us and say, “Yeah, do you see?” Uh, yeah. But what does that have to do with anything. So we just declared our testimonies and invited them to read the book and ask God. They said they probably wouldn’t read it. I said if they had curiosity I would leave them a chapter that I knew they would understand. We left them 2 Nephi 29. I pray that they will read it. We left there and I hope they open their hearts up a little bit.

We had a really fun actually with the zone and stake youth this Sunday. We had an activity called “un dia como misionero” “one day as a missionary”. We all split up and went to our sectors with a youth that is preparing for a mission. We taught lessons with them, contacted, and just talked to them about the mission.

My companion was a girl from Otavalo, Veronica Morales. She is fifteen and the only member in her family. She went against what her family wanted and followed the Savior. She now lives here in Cuenca with her mom. She will be a great missionary. It was fun. I was also with Hna Patricia from my ward because the girl was younger than 18 (the elders didn’t actually know).

It was a good experience. I am glad I can help her prepare for her mission and that she has this desire to serve. I can only talk good things about the mission. Sure we go through hard times, sometimes harder than normal, but all we can do is just do what we are here to do. The Lord puts us in these situations because He knows us. He knows we can handle it and it is for our good and for the good of the other people. I love Him and I know He knows me. He has spoken to me and I will never be led astray from His voice.

I have been lucky with this time that I have had to serve my Father and the Savior. I will keep these memories forever. I will keep these people in my heart forever.
One thing I love about the Church is in reality it is one big family. You can trust that wherever you are, there are people that are willing to help. The members are great here and have helped so much.

I know the Father loves every single one of His children. I know He is happy when one makes the wonderful, saving decision to be baptized and I know He is devastated when one of His children decides to stray from His path. I pray every night that the people I love will find that path again. That they will have the desire to stay strong on that path because I know that only through this can they return to His presence. He is a loving Father, but He also is a just Father. We all need to keep His commandments equally. It is my desire to live eternally with all of you.

I love you all very much and I will see you in just a few days.

LES AMO MUCHISIMO Y NOS VEMOS!!!!
Chau
Hermana Glanzer

Hey everyone,

I love you all.

This week has been a good week. We had to get back into the groove of things after two weeks of not working in the sector, it is a little stressful having to go back out and tie the loose ends together — from both of the sectors. But all is well.

We have a few people that are preparing to be baptized this weekend but they don’t have all of the teachings, so we have been going gung ho with them. One is Maria Yunga. She is great. She is from the other sector and lives with her husband and son and daughter but she is the only one getting baptized this week. Her husband will get baptized, but not until March maybe. He needs to stop working on Sundays to be able to go to church.

He told us the other day that he knows it is a commandment from God that he needs to keep the Sabbath holy so after he finishes the project he is on he is looking for another. He has a few other doubts, but he is willing. He wants the blessings and when we go over to their house, he is eager to learn. A little pushy he is, but he is trying. Maria is just so happy with every thing. She puts up with a lot and does it with grace.

Also, another investigator from the other sector is Pablo Chuñir. His brother and sister have been baptized and are really cool and just hanging out with them in their house is so fun. Pablo is excited and is ready to be baptized.

Juan Pablo is having some problems. Well, he isn’t, but the people around are. He wont be getting baptized right now. His family wants him to wait a little more time and bishop also. So, you can only do what they all ask. I know he will be blessed for the sacrifice, but if they say no, we can’t make them. He can’t read or write and it takes a while to understand things, but he has come a long way.

We visited Estela, the less active that is activating. She wants to be an eternal family and is yearning for her son Nicolas to be baptized. So on Sunday night we went and visited them. Her son is so fun! A good kid who is 12 years old. Estela also lives with her brother and his two daughters, Bianca y Mikaela. We taught them and the Spirit was there. When I bore my testimony to them the Spirit testified to me that these things are true. We invited them to be baptized and they all accepted. They accepted it for the 5th of March! We still don’t know if they will be able to on that day because Estella will be having a surgery and doesn’t know when. She said around the beginning of March though.

I had an experience on Sunday — nothing big, but something that made me know that the Lord is here with me. Estella always talked about Nicolas and how she wants to be sealed to him and her husband and her other children. Nicolas has never attended church yet and time is running out. I was taking a shower in the morning and offered up a little prayer. I asked Father for His help. I asked Him when Nicolas needs to be baptized and I asked Him if Nicolas comes to church on Sunday then he will be baptized on the 5th (he needs at least 2 church attendances to be baptized).

So we get ready, pass for investigators, didn’t find anyone, so we head to the church. We are sitting in the chapel and can see the parking lot from where we are sitting. I see Estella come in with Bianca, who usually always comes, she loves church. Then behind them comes Mikaela, her first time coming to church! I thought I saw Nicolas, but it was another hermano. So I sit back and hear when they come in. I look back to give them a smile. I look back and Nicolas is with them! He came. I thanked Father and let Him know I was here to be His servant. I will make sure this family is one step closer to becoming an eternal family. I love them very much.

The time in my mission is coming to end, but that isn’t phasing me. Don’t worry, I will not waste these last days. It is a super busy time and will fly by fast. I have loved this time I have had and will truly miss it, but I am ready to take the next step in my life. The Lord has plans for me and I need to carry them out.

I love you all and will see you soon. I love Andy and I am proud to take every moment I can and talk about him. I am proud of the work he is doing — a strong, dedicated missionary.

My thoughts right now are still in the work. Yes, they are at home too, getting things ready for when I return there, but I am still here. I am at a point where it is still I can’t believe I will be going home. It is sinking in, but I don’t think it really will until I am in Guayaquil. I have loved this time.

LES AMO MUCHISIMO
NOS VEMOS!
CHAU

Hermana Glanzer

Hey everyone,

This week has been an exhausting week. Long. And it is just POURING rain right now. I am so cold that my fingers hurt as I type this letter.

As I might have commented last week, Hna Haggard has been sick. She wasn’t getting better so they decided to take her to Guayaquil to be closer to President Montalti. On Sunday night, Pres. Montalti came and they checked her into the hospital. Monday afternoon we all went to Guayaquil to check her into the hospital. We left shortly after that. My companion is in Guayaquil and I am now with Hna Denison. Hna Borja was sick also and went too. So now Hermana Denison and I are together in both of the sectors, huge sectors I might add, working them both.

We have a few baptisms coming up and it is feeling a little stressful. All of them don’t have all the teachings needed yet and they lack a lot. I am praying for the strength I need.

I have learned something in these past days that, yes, the Lord is in control. There is no one else that can help like He can. He has been by my side these past two weeks, comforting me, lifting me up. He has sent another companion that is wonderful and put two very wonderful zone leaders here to help ease the burden.

The Lord put Hermana Haggard and me in a ward full of wonderful members who were there at our every call. Our neighbor, Hna Arteaga, was there whenever we needed her. We called in the night, the morning, afternoon and she was there without fail. I love her. She has been our 2nd mom here in the mission.

Juan Pablo is getting baptize this weekend… maybe. They have a community party thing that his brother needs to be at so it might be this week or the next, but it will happen. Juan Pablo is just moving along great. It takes a few to pick up on the things, but he says he feels ready. He is a good man and knows that he needs to make this covenant. Pray for him that he will strong and fight off Satan.

We had our district meeting today and the zone leaders shared some scriptures in Moses. Moses was with God talking and God left. Right then, Satan came. Moses didn’t have the spirit so he fell to the ground.

They then applied it to the investigators. When we are at their houses, we are helping bring the Spirit, but when we leave, often the Spirit leaves when not so wholesome activities are executed and Satan gets in.

It is the same with us. We do things to invite the Spirit, but He isn’t always with us. Satan comes in. Sometimes we hold on to the Spirit and fight back, but many a time we lose Him and we fall to the ground. We need to always keep our guards up. Never let Satan push us down. He has no power over us if we choose not to let him. Or he can all power over us. You choose. Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. If we know whom we are serving then it shouldn’t be hard to obey.

During this past week, I finished the Book of Mormon again. I was trying to read it fast and I did – in forty-nine days! I was able to remember more stories this time. When I was done, I closed the book and knelt beside my bed. I asked Heavenly Father if this book is true.  I know this book is the most correct book we have on the earth. I abide by its precepts and live the way the Lord has asked that I live.

I obey Him because I know who I am serving. He told me that He would bless me only I serve Him well and obey the commandments He has given me to obey. I will. I know this is the true church here on earth. Sometimes it frustrates me why people won’t even give it a chance. If they just open up a little bit, they will feel the joy and happiness that I have felt. It hurts to see and hear and feel people reject something that I hold so dear to my heart. But I never get discouraged, the people are waiting for me. My time is running short and I will not lose any more time.

LES AMO MUCHISIMO

I know you are all choosing the right, I know you have established who you are serving, but don’t let your guard down — Satan always tries to weasel in.

NOS VEMOS!!!!!!!
Hermana Glanzer

Hola,

Okay, I will answer all your questions first.

My favorite members - that is hard a question, there are too many.

In Cuenca: Hermana Afrania is someone who has helped a lot in this work. Whenever we need her, she is there. She is like a mom here. Also Familia Arteaga — Hna Arteaga is just something out of this world! I will get pictures of them so you can see the people that have helped me out in this time. Patricia, Veronica, and Santiago Coraisaca. Familia Lara, Esteban, Juan Carlos, President Lara and his wife and their little daughter and two other sons. Fabian, my ward mission leader (we have had ups and downs but he is a good guy). Familia Sinche — for all the times they came on visits with us. Just too many!

In Bolivar: Everyone in this ward! Familia Castillo was probably my family away from family. Familia Rodriguez also.

In Machala: Familia Izquierda helped me a lot during that change. A wonderful family.

In Garcia Moreno: Laura Rodriquez, Purita and her family, Familia Aveiga… I can go on for hours.

In Loja: All of them, Hna Maria Marquez, Paola Garcia, Familia Chisaguano, Familia Hernandez, Karla, Beatrice, Nefi, Diego, and all of the young adults.  

Really everyone. I know I didn’t mention a ton of people in these lists, but they all have had a special place in my heart.

My favorite food has to be sopa de queso (cheese soup) and menestra. A good old-fashioned typical meal on the coast. The most interesting thing I have eaten is probably guata (which translates to the stomach of the cow, nasty) and cuye (guinea pig). They are both gross in my opinion.

I will have to also get back to you on the most spiritual moment. There are  but, I will get back to you.

I can’t tell you a favorite companion because they have all helped me learn something new. I have had valuable time with all of them. Yes, there are some that I enjoyed being in their presence more. I loved them all. It is like asking you to pick which child is your favorite. Even though there is one… me… cough… you can’t just say it ϑ

As far as how many lessons we teach in the week, it just depends on where you are. On the coast you can get up to 20 to 25 lessons. In Loja, about 15 a week is super duper good. Here in Cuenca, 15 to 20 is pretty good. We average about 7 to 10 lessons a week. It might not seem like much, but that is pretty good.

My companions, well, something you don’t know about Hermana Haggard is that her neighbor is Donny Osmond. Hermana Denison is from Utah and her mom is the editor of some talk show on the Utah channels. She talked to President Monson right before her mission! She is quirky and I love her! She has a great spirit and a personality that is one of a kind. Hermana Borja is from Guatemala. She is rad and is so nice. She is funny and when she jokes around she is a crack-up. She goes home when I go home so we will be traveling to Guayaquil together. I really am lucky to live with these three girls. Lucky I am!

For lunch, we usually eat some soup with noodles, or potatoes, or chicken, it just depends. Usually potatoes and noodles. Then comes the “Segundo plato” of rice, some kind of meat (chicken or beef usually) and a salad (not lettuce). Accompanied by a juice of some sort. There is a lot of juice called tomate de arbol (tree tomato). My favorite is maracuya, which is a really delicious fruit here. We eat in the houses of our “mamitas.” They cook our lunches for us. They are super nice and have just a great love for the missionaries! The missionaries really do appreciate the food that is shared with them. Dinner… I eat so much! I eat potatoes (hash browns), maybe some cereal, crackers, and a sandwich, whatever I am feeling like. Fruit and bread, but not a ton of food.

At church, if they ask us, we participate. Usually it is the surprise talk in sacrament meeting, but every once and a while they ask us to teach a lesson if the teacher didn’t show up. Or like last week, they asked us to do some practices with the people.

I have taught a few times the combined adult class. It is very fun though. Sometimes in Relief Society I need to pipe up because sometimes I need to help them get back on track or sometimes they try to talk about things that are not really right and then they have to get back on line.

Then there is always that one lady that talks all the time and says some of the most random things that you wonder every time in your mind, “Where on earth did she think that up?” Mom, you know how it is — it is the same everywhere! They have at least one in every ward. Her name is Nora ϑ

We speak English pretty much all the time except for the times Andy mentioned like at church, lessons, contacts, meetings, when there are Latinos in the room. But usually we speak English all the time. I am working on my translating skills and switching from Spanish to English. ϑ

This week and every week, I have been getting slaps in the face by Heavenly Father. He has shown me time and time again that this is His work. I get worried that something won’t happen. Sometimes it doesn’t but He is always there with the backup plan. He loves me so much; I have learned this about Him. How can He keep helping someone so weak, so quick to get down? He truly does love me. He loves all of His children, but being a missionary, I have felt something different. Every Sunday as the day closes and we have to account to our leaders, I see the hand of the Lord in the work.

I am glad to hear that everyone is doing okay. No one told me how KT´s blind date went. I want to know.

I got a wonderful email from Camille. She told me about school and the “kids.” Brian is doing well. I need to make a trip over there to visit her. Will someone go with me, please?

This week, Hna Haggard has been sick again, and also Hna Borja, so Denison and I have had some good bonding time. She is great! We laughed so much of the time. On Sunday, the others couldn’t go to church and I have never been to church without my companion. Denison and I went together and I kind of felt like a visitor – it was a strange feeling. We only stayed for sacrament meeting, but let me tell you, when a missionary is not at church, the people flock to you like flies you know where. But the talks, I mean testimonies were good. I love when the kids get up there and bear theirs. It is a special moment. Simple, but to the point.

A lot of people called to check up on the two sicklings. The bishop and his wife stopped by because they wanted to see how they were and also Fabian, the ward mission leader stopped by. It was nice of them. The first time that has happened in the mission. This ward has something about it. I love it here.

We were working really good the whole week and having a lot of success. Roberto, an investigator we taught a few weeks ago, is progressing really well. He can’t read or write well and when we read he doesn’t really understand so in my mind it takes him a few to catch on. But he surprises me so well sometimes. We explain it and he understands perfectly.

The first visit he would not accept the baptismal date, he thought he was already baptized. So we visited again and taught the Plan of Salvation. We got just about done and so we went through a review to see what he learned. I was accepting that he would have trouble. Nope. He gave us a very detailed review. It was great. We asked if he would be baptized and he said yes. He said yes!! He knows he needs to and is ready. He has a date for Feb. 19th. Keep him in your prayers. He didn’t come to church though, so he will really need those prayers.

Friday rolled around and around 4pm, my missionary mode shut down. I don’t know what happened, but my mind, body, mouth, everything didn’t want to do anything. I am disappointed and embarrassed to admit that I gave in. We went to an appointment and she had just gotten home. We were talking and she got a phone call. We went with her to her cousin’s but then went back to her house.

About an hour and half has passed by now. So we take out after another appointment. I just want to go home, but Hermana Haggard being the great companion that she is, makes us go to Nelly´s, who is another investigator that talks and talks and talks. So I think, that is fine, she will just talk the whole time so I don’t have to say anything….

We go over there and we get in and we talk for a while with her and her husband. He gets up and goes somewhere. Then she invites us to a treat of canned peaches. She talks more – for about 2 hours. The thing is, I didn’t really care. She talked about her work, her family, her baby (she is pregnant). Everything. Sometimes someone just needs someone to listen and at that moment, I was willing to be the listener.

We are finally getting ready to go and we are at the door. She opens and then quickly slams it shut saying, “You can’t leave! It is pouring rain! I am calling you a taxi.” That it was. It was pouring so much. So she takes off and calls a taxi. The line is busy but she finally gets through. By the time the taxi gets there it is about half an hour later. I was so tired. We get home and I just go to bed. I hate days like that.

We went up to Baños, a part of our sector to do some contacting and we had an appointment up there.  This place is beautiful. Up in the mountains, green, trees all over. We are walking up the hill and I hear, “What do you bring?” I look up to see this man sitting on a bench. “We are missionaries.” We start to talk a little about what we share and ask to come up and share a message with him. We get up there and get to know him, Alfonso. He is testigo de Jehovah. Hmmm. We start sharing the restored gospel with him. He had a “por ejemplo” for every principle that we taught. I swear a principle that we can teach in 2 sentences that what he made into a 20-minute story. I tried to cut him off multiple times, but he just kept going in. Then he would say, “Okay, you were saying something.” We would start again and he would have another story. Long lesson. Chatterbox!

Life is going well though. I was thinking of Andy the other day. I am getting ready to go home and he will be too. The last few months go by the fastest. I miss him and I love him. I know he is a great missionary and is doing what the Lord sent him there to do. Those people in Argentina are lucky to have him there. I will be happy to see him again, but I know what he is doing is the Lord’s work. I am always proud to tell people that I have a brother in the mission. I was praying the other day for all the missionaries in the world, like always, but then I asked a special prayer for Andy that Heavenly Father would protect him. I know He is protecting Andy.

I love this work. I have learned so many lessons here that I would not have been able to learn in any other place. I have had experience that will stay with me for life. I have a deep appreciation for my older Brother, Jesus Christ, and His atonement. I can never thank Him enough, or repay Him. I will always fall short, but I try. I will never forget that sacrifice, that act of love.

I love you all and pray for you every night, but don’t worry, we will be seeing each other in a short time.

LES AMO MUCHISIMO!!
CHAU

Hermana Glanzer

PS   I haven’t gotten a package or anything yet. Maybe tomorrow! Did I say I love you yet?

Hello,

I AM STILL HERE IN CUENCA WITH HERMANA HAGGARD!!! I will end my mission with her. I am so happy.

This week has been a week of extreme ups and downs. It all started with our district meeting. It went good, but then afterward we did these practices with our zone leader. Afterwards, he asked us a simple question, “What have I learned from Cuenca?”

This question has so many answers, but he went on to say just the things I needed to hear. He hit the heart of both of us. I tried to fight the tears, but I felt as though he knew exactly what I needed to hear. I felt that Heavenly Father was talking to me through him. He gave some very great counsel to me. I had been having a hard time and needed someone to understand why. We both opened up and let him know what was going on. He then gave us both blessings afterward. Such a great spirit this elder has. I know that Father was speaking through him that day. When we were leaving, he tells me, “This is going to be a great week.” Little did he know, it turned out to be a great week.

We contacted a lady a few weeks ago and finally got together with her in the church to share with her. I don’t think I have taught a lesson where someone just accepted everything. Everything she said yes to and she knows this is true. We asked her if she would be baptized, she said, “Despues de luego,” which I found out to mean, “Of course!” Then we asked if she would be baptized in February, she answered she would if she could in 14 days. Of course you can! She wants to be baptized on her birthday, February 14. Yeah, then she says that she has a ton of families that she works with that would really like this message and that if we want, we can visit them and share with them. Of course we would love to! So we go on our merry way.

We have gone and visited Juan Pablo a few times this week. He lives way up in the mountains, like 30 minutes from Cuenca. It’s a beautiful drive. We went up with the patriarch one time. That man is so funny. He is great! We taught the lesson and it was wonderful. We started lesson 2, but the dad had a question and just changed things. Then Patriarch just took over. He taught every principle known to man in about 10 minutes. It was wonderful.

Then we went again with Juan Carlos Lara, who is a member. It was such a dynamic difference between them too. Okay, let’s get to know Juan Pablo. He can’t read or write. His mind didn’t develop fully so it takes a little more time to understand somethings.

First, Hermana Haggard asks a question but he doesn’t answer. Then I asked the question, still nothing. Then Juan Carlos Lara asks it. Juan says the same three things, “adorar (worship), Dios (God), or Jesus.” So he answered those again and Juan Carlos Lara turns to us and says in English, “He is drunk or something. Drugs.” I just lose it. It was so funny. But Juan Pab is a good guy, has a desire to be baptized and his brother really wants for all of his family to be baptized. He is a member and loves it with all his heart.

We were eating lunch with the bishop’s family on Sunday. They have this little boy that is just a wild kid. Way wild, you don’t even know. We are getting ready to eat and the prayer is being said. I open my eyes to look at him and he is picking this really huge booger, nasty. Then I close my eyes and I hear him come and stand by me. I was saying my own little prayer that he wouldn’t wipe it on me.

The prayer ends and he says, “The Hermana didn’t have her eyes closed during the prayer.” Caught again.  Hermana Borja says, “Well you didn’t either then!” Smartly he whips out, “Estoy vigilando.” I am watching.

It reminded me so much of dad. Mind us that this is a little boy of 4 years. It was so funny — I give him that one!

On Saturday, we had training with the ward missionaries and our ward mission leader. We go over to the church at 3:00 because it starts at 3:00 and we are teaching. We get there and there are just youth there. They are playing Carnaval — getting each other wet. We go inside and plan a prank.

They are celebrating a birthday of a girl in the ward. There are no adults there. So I get them all lined up and tell them to close their eyes. We come out with 4 buckets of water and just drench them. They really want to get us wet but we say no. We wanted a picture with them so Hermana Denison takes a picture and then they say it is my turn. I go out and stand by them and they had all planned it. They shut the door and locked me out and the youth just soaked me! I am so wet now and so it doesn’t matter. Eventually all four of us get wet and we are playing with them.

A couple of times a youth said that if the bishop comes then we need to make a run for it. I am thinking he is joking just the way he was saying it. But all of a sudden, they all start running. What? The bishop is there! I don’t run because I can’t and he comes around the corner and asks if I let them in the building. No, they were already in. But he is mad because the inside of the church, in the entryway is wet. It gets cleaned up.

All the members start coming and see us four missionaries just soaked. They are all laughing having a good time, even the stake president. He is the one that was joking with us — but the bishop wasn’t talking to us. So we go and come back to the activity. Everybody and their mom knew we were playing carnaval and were soaked. Even on Sunday everybody was saying things. It was so fun. The bishop forgave us. We said sorry. Good memories.

On Sunday we taught the combined Sunday School lesson. We found out last minute and they expected us to teach. We did well. He kept changing the lesson plan on us, so we ended up just teaching what we had planned and did a practice at the end. We showed how to go contact your visiting/home teaching person. Also, a lot of the names they have, which are about 400 less-actives, probably have changed. So we showed also that this is a great opportunity for a reference. The members really are excited to get out there and work. They just need the little extra push. We all know how it is.

This week has been a good one for me. I still have all the drive I need to keep working. I still want to be here and know that my time is coming to an end. But that isn’t affecting me any. I know I need to keep up the work and find the children of God that are ready for the gospel. I have loved this time so much that I have had.

The Lord still has work for me to do. In the blessing that I received, it was said that I am preparing now because there is much work for me to do when I go home. I know this work doesn’t end when they take off my badge. I know it just is beginning. I am so excited to do this work among my friends and family. I know that the Lord still has work for me to do. All my life. I am His servant, His hands.

You all are His hands also. I love you all and will see you soon!!!!

LES AMO MUCHISIMO!!
CHAU
Hermana Glanzer

PS. No, I still haven’t gotten the DVD or Heard from BYU-I.

I probably will tomorrow, maybe.

Did I say I love you? I do.

Hi Peeps,

Lidia didn’t get baptized. This is the story. We go by on Wednesday to teacher her but she is getting ready to go somewhere. Whoa, why? She says for us to follow her. We do and she takes us out the lunch, to this hamburger place that serves the hugest burgers you can imagine. They are ginormous! Like the size of my head! But we eat them all and I am so stuffed afterwards. Then we go back and teach her.

She is so great and is just accepting of everything. She of course, is a little

nervous, but who wouldn’t be? We have her interview scheduled for Thursday. We go by her house but she isn’t there and no one knows where she is at. Okay, so we go tell the elders that she isn’t coming. We pass by in the morning on Friday and she is out working.

We ask her if she will have her interview today and she says yeah at 6pm. So we go by to get her and we knock and wait. Out comes her sister and says, “She isn’t here.” Okay, no — what? She isn’t there? No one knows where she is at. So we go tell the elders again and I am getting a little down by now. We tell them the news and they are sad too. But they had contacted a lady while they waited for us and the lady is a member inactive — for a long time.

Every time she saw us walk by, she said that she would have this yearning to talk to us and would cry sometimes because she wants to be active in the church again. So we go and meet her and talk to her. She is way cool. She has nieces and nephews who aren’t members and she wants them to be baptized. Okay, just what we are here for. We visit them and share some things. She says she will come to church on Sunday.

So now it is Saturday and the elders go with us in the morning to visit Lidia. She is there selling her food and we go and talk to her. It was a great talk. Elder Velazco, my district leader, is great. He said some very uplifting things. He helped her a lot. This is when she told us she didn’t want to get baptized because she isn’t ready. She knows it is all true and will be baptized, but she isn’t ready.

She says that she won’t be able to keep the Sabbath holy. She will keep selling on Sunday. We share with her, that as long as she can come to church, she is good. She is showing the Lord that she is willing to keep His commandments and later down the road she will have the testimony and will stop selling that day. She is great, and one day will make this covenant with Father. We are still visiting her.

On Sunday, Estela, the less active lady we found, came to church. She came with her 8 year old niece and they both loved it. Juan Pablo also came. He has a baptism date for the 19 of Feb. His brother is a member and is helping him a lot.

The thing about visiting Juan Pablo is that he lives waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out there in a pueblito, or town, called Tarqui. It is about 15 minutes on highway and then about 15 minutes on dirt, windy back roads. A fun beautiful drive, but he can only do it at night. We love visiting them though. He is active at Church and will be making this covenant with Father soon. He is ready.

Nothing funny really happened this week. It was just a stressful one. We started out the week really good — a very motivating district/zone meeting got us working really hard in the beginning. But when the interviews fell through, I tried to stay strong. I got a little down and slacked in the work. I hate to say it, but it happened. I snapped out of it and got better.

We had a good Sunday. Carmen didn’t come to Church, and by the way, she isn’t pregnant. On Sunday we ate lunch with the Familia Pintado. They were telling us their story of how they met and got married and their life story up until they are now He was sharing with us something personal and how something happened in the ward and they assisted another. But one thing he said really struck me and it made me see him in a different way.

He was talking about how some people go away from the Church when things happen, but he said that he could never do it. He has such a strong testimony and lived the things he shared on his mission that he could never take himself away from the church. I like this because it showed me that he knows the gospel is perfect. He knows that things that happen are not the Lord’s fault or the Church’s so why make the Church punish.

He is strong in the church. I liked that because it is true. I could never become inactive. I know that this is the true Church and that only by being active in it can I receive the blessings that I need. I could not live without this Church. I love the Lord and my Father.

I love you all and I know we are in the true Church. We have a way of life that gives us greater happiness. I hope one day to enter into the rest of Father, give Him a hug, and then live eternally with all of you. I could ask for no other family. I am proud of you.

Les amo muchisimo!

CHAU

Hermana Glanzer

Hi,

I decided that you can tell everyone that I am coming home, but I just don’t want to give a talk so don’t ask me. I will give one the next Sunday. I just want a little time from being the center of attention. :-)  But seriously, you can tell, but no talk just yet. Also, can you tell the Proctors, I want them to be there too?

We had a good week. We figured out a new system that really works and helps us have a successful week. We got to know a lot more of the members. I feel really bad. I don’t judge them, but I don’t give them a chance until I really get to know them and then they turn out really cool.  I feel really sorry about that. I will never do it again.

We have a new investigator, Roberto. He is a friend of a member. He is really cool and accepts everything. Except baptism and he will not accept a baptismal date. But he will in time. Usually his friend brings him to church, but he was attending another ward this Sunday. I won’t lie, I didn’t really have any hopes that he would come to church. He lives really far away and has health problems. We were walking to church and low and behold, he is walking into the church parking lot!! It was so cool to see him. He came all by himself. He liked church and we will ask him again on our next visit if he will be baptized.

Lidia has her baptism this week. We hadn’t been able to find her for a few days. She was never there or couldn’t accept us. So we hadn’t taught her for a while. I was thinking she was losing faith. She is so great; she always reads the scriptures and even marks them all up. So we passed by on Sunday to get her. She was getting ready to go out and set up her little food booth. She said she couldn’t come with us because no one would sell for her. Her niece wouldn’t do it. If she didn’t assist her, Lidia couldn’t be baptized this week.

So she is just standing there thinking, worried, and not knowing what to do. We ask her if she can just leave it for an hour and then come back. She can’t. She goes back in to wake up her niece and comes out happy. Her niece couldn’t sell for her, but she said her sister was going to do it for her. She was so excited that she could come with us. I love her sister, Rosa. 

So we head to the church with Lidia. There were some good talks, one about the family and another about the blessings of the gospel in many different aspects. She really liked it. I pray that she will keep these same feelings for the rest of her life. She will be prepared for her baptism, but since we couldn’t teach her this past week, we are way behind on her teachings, but all will work out. She is great. Pray for her!!

Carmen is still going strong. We found out some news about her and I just don’t know how to take it. She is the one that is living with the returned missionary. They are active in the church but he needs to divorce his wife so they can get married. We just received the low down and it will probably take about 6 months for all of it to get done. So I will be hearing about her baptism and be crying while I read over her news. She is pregnant. They are so special and I have found a deep love for them. I hope very soon they can be living the commandments so they can enjoy all the blessings Heavenly Father has for them so they can one day enter the temple.

We were talking to them one day and he was saying how he was looking forward to being sealed with his first wife but then it didn’t happen. Then he says, “Maybe we will see if I will be sealed with my 2nd wife.” Carmen chimes in, “Maybe, no, we are going to be.” It was so awesome. She is so awesome. She knows this gospel is true and is waiting patiently with him while this all gets figured out.

So there is a family here that I have talked about before. Whenever we are in the same room, we just have all of these awkward moments. The other day, we stopped by their house to remind the older son that he was going to go with us on an appointment. We go to the house and ring the doorbell. Like 5 minutes later we see someone look out the window. Okay. Five minutes later someone gets on the speakerphone. It is the person we are looking for, Juan Carlos’ hijo. He is the oldest son that just finished the mission when I arrived in Cuenca.

So we think he is coming to open the door but we wait for about a whole other 10 minutes and he still hasn’t come out. His family rolls up in their car and we talk for a few. They invite us in and ask why we are there. We sit in the living room while Hna Lara goes and gets Juan Carlos. The son, Estevan (the awkward handshake boy from a week ago) sits on the couch and then President Lara (stake pres) sits down too. We make  small talk, then comes Juan Carlos down the stairs. Right as he gets in the room, the dad and Estevan just stand up like they timed it and planned it and left to go into the kitchen.

Juan Carlos sits down and we just remind him about the appointment he is going with us to. Then I ask if he is studying. No, he is waiting for his BYU application. Cool. His dad comes in and gives us a piece of candy. So we say that is all we are there for. He says, “That’s all?” Uh, no, how is your dating life? Of course that is all. We get up to go and then Estevan comes in with a plate of cookies. I am just trying hard not to laugh. We go outside and wait for Juan Carlos to open the door for us. While he is getting the keys, Hna Haggard shows me her cookie and it is just pitch black on the bottom. I lose it. I bust out laughing. We finally get out of there. Another awkward moment with the Laras! Good times.

Church was good. Hna Lara gave a talk. I really liked one thing she said. She told the people to have their children work with them in the house. I liked it. Mom and dad, you guys did that and I think it is one of the best things you have made me do. At the time it might not have been that fun, actually many of the times it wasn’t that fun, but I appreciate it. It made me grow up doing those things.  I have learned many things from you and the work ethic you have taught me. I see people that don’t have that motivation in their house and are given everything. They grow up to be very different.

The other night, I was praying. That’s weird — When do missionaries ever pray?!  :-)   But really I was praying. I was really thinking about the prophet that day so I prayed for Heavenly Father to bless him and let him know I love him. I ended my prayer and then went to sleep. I woke up the next day like a normal missionary, did all my things and got ready. I started my study time with a few chapters in the book of Mormon. I wanted a little something new so I pulled out my Liahona, the conference addition. I was reading the closing remarks by Pres. Monson. As I was reading, Heavenly Father answered my prayer. Monson said, “Thank you for your prayers in my behalf and in the behalf of all the General Authorities of the Church. The Lord hears your prayers and blesses us and directs us in the affairs of His kingdom here upon the earth. For this we are deeply grateful.” I couldn’t help it but get teary eyed. With just this little statement that I had heard months ago, helped me have an even stronger testimony that Father hears my prayers, that He answers them, and that Thomas S. Monson is the living profeta on the earth today. It was a very special experience for me that day. I felt something different that whole day. I love the Lord and I know He is watching out for me. I am here on His errand.

I love you all and hope you are having a good rest of the time without me. I won’t tell you how many more days. Yes, I know how many, but it doesn’t mean I am trunky or going to work any less. It helps me. It helps me see how much more time I have to do this work and that I need to do all I can because I will never be able to do it again. Missionary work, yes. But as a missionary, no. I will truly miss it. I will miss Ecuador — seeing it in the eyes of a missionary. The eyes of a missionary are different. You notice different things and experience things you would never had experienced in any other circumstance. I love the people here.

Thank you for everything in these past 17 months. I have felt your love and your prayers. I won’t lie, I will miss all of the help. Your prayers have helped so much and I know when I am released, I won’t have all of your prayers, all of the ward member’s prayers, all of the members of the Church’s prayers. I will feel the difference. It will be harder, but I have learned things here that I can never forget.

LES AMO MUCHISIMO!
CHAU
Hna Glanzer

Dear Familia,

I love you.

Chau.
Hermana Glanzer

PS
I love the new apartment. I haven’t had my interview with the mission president yet. And yes, it is cold here. It is cold all the time. During the day sometimes the sun shines and you don’t need a coat, but usually in the nighttime you need a coat. I love it.

Title of this week’s letter:  AWKWARD AND EMBARRASSING

Starts out with a good Monday. We have a NDH (FHE) with a family. We are waiting for her to bring in the refreshments. We are sitting there just not really saying anything. The husband just randomly pipes in, “No pierden esperanza con las personas, siempre insisten.” Interpreted it means: “Never lose hope with the people, always insist.”

The Lord spoke to me that day. I was having a hard time because we always find these really cool people and then they flake out. I was losing hope in them. He went on to tell us about his conversion. He was a hard person. Didn’t accept it. But one day, he was all alone in his house and he picked up the book, read it, and then turned off all the lights and prayed. He received his answer. Now they are a loving family and are very active in the church. The Lord works in His own way. He prepares the people and sends them their answer, they then chose to accept it.

Hna Haggard has been sick so we have been in the house a few days. I took advantage of the time and read like 50 pages in the Book of Mormon.  I felt really good after doing it. I still don’t have the hang of the Isaiah chapters yet — one day I will.

Fun fact:  Hna Haggard got attacked by a dog the other day. We were walking down some hidden road and we see this woman up on her balcony. So we start talking to her. This is the conversation:

Haggs: Do you live with your family?
Selena (the woman): Yes.
Haggs: With your kids?
Selena: No.
Haggs: With your husband?
Selena: No.
Haggs: Then who do you live with?
SILENCE…..
Haggs: Hmmm, Casper.

I try to hold in my laughter but it just has a mind of its own and comes out. I leave her there talking to this lady because I have to go laugh. So we head down this hidden road a little bit more and we come around a corner and Hna Haggard is in front of me. All of a sudden these three little dogs come running around the corner chasing Haggard, biting at her legs. She screams and runs. I just bust up laughing even more. It was great.

The next couple of days pass with not much. We are just eating lunch at members house and this little daughter comes in the house wearing this really random bunny outfit that I would probably only see at a certain kind of party — if you know what I’m saying.  Then the proud mother is so happy for her and goes and takes a thousand pictures of the girl posing by the Christmas tree. It was rather funny.

Hna Haggard gets sick after this day. Not a lovely time for her. She rests up while I get ahead in the Book of Mormon.

Saturday we have a training we are going to give to the missionaries of the ward. But of course, we have our rules:  We can’t be in the same room with only the opposite sex. Of course, it is two young boys and our mission leader. We couldn’t find a hermana and so we told him we would have to move it. So he basically tells us, well he did tell us, that we need to sometimes follow the Spirit and break the rules and just do it.

I wanted to say…. in the first place, the Spirit isn’t telling me to break the rules, and 2nd, I am not going to break the rules. They are given to me to protect me. He then gets the nerve to tell me I need to change. He asks if I am going to change. I say, no, because I don’t know what I have to change. We finally leave after talking for a few minutes. He said a few other things that I won’t mention here.

Sunday rolls around. The MOST awkward day of my mission. We go in the morning to go get Lidia for church. She is coming out getting her negocio (her work) set up. She tells us to go by and get her niece that will fill in for her for an hour at her work. We go by and the girl doesn’t want to get up. She won’t wake up to just help Lidia for an hour. Come on!  So we go ask Lidia if she can put her work away for just an hour. She knows the Lord will bless her if she obeys him. But she is still in between and isn’t relying on Him fully. She is great and feels really bad that she couldn’t go. So we leave her there and go to church.

It was a great meeting. An hermano spoke and he said, “Si el Señor nos manda, es porque podemos.” I like it. Translated: “We can obey Him (the Lord) all the time. He will never ask us to do something that we can’t do.”  Think about that. Everything is possible that is within your limits. There shouldn’t be any excuse that we don’t keep the commandments. No saying  “He knows my situation.” The Lord  doesn’t say that, He says, “Try me.” He will bless you.

Just have a little bit of faith and do what he asks of us.  Just obey Him. It shouldn’t be that hard. Remember that when we aren’t obeying Him, we are following Satan. What kind of disciple will be like that? I won’t. Just do it.

After church we had our missionary correlation meeting. Another “getting after the hermanas” fest. I swear, they don’t think we are doing our work. I swear they also think we can do it all. They basically told us that we NEED to visit all of the 500 less active members. We need to visit them, find out if they still live there, and make the appointments for their home/visiting teachers to go visit them.

I would love to do all of this if it were physically possible. But it just isn’t. How about we just start with a few families and get them here. Then again with why don’t we just break the rules? One of the members present said, “ I always thought there were a few dumb rules.” Of course I chimed in with, “Well, I actually like that rule. It protects me as a missionary and who ever else.” They just kind of got quiet and kept the meeting going. These meetings are the most stressful time of my week. Really, they are. I just feel it is a rip on the hermanas party and I don’t want to cause any contention and argue back. So I take it how I should and try to do what everyone is asking me to do.

Just remember, the missionaries are superman, but they do have a limit just like you all do. Ask them to do things, but not everything. They will appreciate it. They are hard workers and always want work to do.

Then we were walking outside and we see a youth that is usually in all of the meetings, he is a ward missionary. So I stop to shake his hand and ask where he was. We shake hands and he tells me he was in a temple interview. But the next thing I notice, we aren’t talking, he is still holding my hand. I look down at our hands, and just bust up laughing.

He looks down then and lets go and just walks away. Haggard sees and just starts laughing too. It was so embarrassing. There were people around, including his mother. I am sure people saw and I couldn’t help it.

During church, I hear something about a fireside. Great! Let’s invite Lidia to go with us. We go with a few members to her house to teach and then go there. She has to leave because something happened in the family. Okay, so let us go. We head over to the stake center and we are with one of my favorite families. Patricia (she just finished her mission about 4 months ago), Veronica (the sister that might be preparing for a mission and is just way awesome), and their brother Santiago. So we are hanging out waiting for it to start. We are having a good time cracking up then I start to notice that there aren’t very many older people here. I just see young adults. So I turn to Patricia and ask her what kind of fireside it is and she tells me that it is a young single adult fireside. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I get so uncomfortable with all thsse couples. It was so awkward.

The talk starts and it was great. The lights come back on and I am just so not looking forward to going out of that room. They are all hanging around the door talking, having a good time. We finally have to leave. We go out and we see the stake president’s wife, Hna Lara (they are in our ward) and we go stand with her. They say they will take us home since we live right by them.

We are there and then we see the guy we want to hook Veronica up with. So we go over and try to introduce them but he is only interested in talking to us. So we go back over to Hna Lara, the only place we feel comfy. We finally leave this place. It was so weird.

The week ends and we are alive. Hna Haggard is better in her health, but I have come down with the cold — yet again.  Life goes on and there isn’t anything you can do about the little things. The Lord knows what He is doing. Just put your life in His hands and He will guide you. We always need to do our part, but He is more than willing to help when we fall short. I have seen His hand so much during the course of my mission. I rely on Him everyday and His divine grace and help.

I love you all and hope the best for you all. Don’t get too excited just yet. I still have time here!

PSS
We went to a museum here in Cuenca. It talks about all of the different races or types of tribes/people here in Ecuador. It was very interesting. There were real shrunken heads. It is from a type of people named “Shuar.” Very interesting. Google it.

LES AMO MUCHISIMO!!!
CHAU
HERMANA GLANZER

Well, hello there new neighbor!

This week was jam-packed. I don’t think there has been a more packed week in my whole life!!!

It is pretty up here.

We have been looking to change houses for a while now and I will share why after my mission. So, we found one but the process is not being moved along very quickly. The problem still keeps going on and we are just tired of it all. SO… we get it moving and we say when are we moving. We have been back and forth from the new house to our old house so many times this week. We were losing precious working time — a lot. We weren’t having very much success in the sector and I was stressing out.

We get back from our district meeting and I am feeling so low. I feel like I wasn’t completing my role as a missionary. I didn’t know what to do because we needed to get out of our house, but I needed to remember why I am here.

Hna Haggard tells me that all week she has just been praying for a normal day. None of our days were a normal missionary day. All had some unexpected thing go on – a lot to do with the new house.

We visited Lidia, an investigator that is amazing. We went and visited her and we asked her if she read. She pulled out her book and opened it and it was all marked up. She marked so much and told us what she liked. She is great. We then taught her about the plan of salvation and she understands it very well. She wants to live with Heavenly Father and is willing to do what it takes.

She is the only one in her house listening to us, but she is being a very big example for them all.  They all want what we have to share and how their lives can change, but they are afraid. Lidia said she would do whatever she could to be able to come to church on Sunday. They sell food so she is trying to see what she can do.

Later, I was on my way to go call you all… my family, and we went into this café to buy some snacks. We were looking around and we hear, “Hey, girls.” We look and it is these two older men, one American and one Ecuadorian. We start talking to them and they are super cool. We talk to them for about an hour.

They had never seen hermanas before, just elders. They asked a lot of questions and a lot of really good questions. They respected us and asked us what our role as missionaries was. The Latin didn’t really want us to share with him, but we struck up a deal with the American. He has been trying to learn Spanish but with no luck. SO, we told him if he came to church with us we would help him with his Spanish. He said that would be great. By the way, he did not come to church…..

SO, we leave there and it is a little late to call you so I drop a call to let you know I will be calling the next day. IT WAS SO FUN TALKING TO YOU. I was worried I wouldn’t have anything to say. Really. Did I do good talking? It was great hearing you all again. You all sound so old      actually, just Allison did.

We had a visit with another investigator, Carmen. She is “married” to an former missionary, Baron, who has been inactive for a few years. He is great and is active in the church now. He hasn’t missed a Sunday. She wants to be baptized. They are both just great. We are working with one of the hardest things here, divorces and marriages. I swear, it is the hardest thing to get done here. They are great and we had the chance to fast with them. It was wonderful and will keep visiting and doing our part putting our faith in the Lord that He will let His will be done. I want to help them so much. I have only known them for a short time but my love is so big for them. The miracles that the mission brings!

We got a call. A call that haunts every missionary. Emergency changes. I am sleeping in bed then I hear “Hna Glanzer, Hna Glanzer.” Haggard is calling my name. She tells me that Hermana Castillo got the call and has changes. Just like that they can take you out of your sector — out of the lives of your investigators. So she has to be gone in the morning, but is only going to another sector here in Cuenca so we will see her again. Hna Borja is coming here to be with Hna Denison.

We get another call and we have to go to the new house again. Surprise surprise. But we need to go and get all the documents and send them to the mission office. We go and then come back.

Hnas Dension and Borja get to the house to drop all her things off. We had to shower and eat so they left a little before we did — with the keys. And this is after we got the door to our apartment fixed. You can’t just bust it open any more.

We get ready to go, and head out the door. I lock the door from our apartment and I hear Hna Haggard ahead of me say, “They closed the door (to the outside).” So, now with our apartment locked and the door to get our of the building locked, we are stuck in the stairwell. We knock on all the doors to see if someone is home. NOPE. No one. We are locked in and out! This was at 3 pm.

SO we sit on the stairs, waiting for someone to come. We do some reading, play some games, makes some videos, and take some pics. Three hours later, no one. I am cold and tired and we have an appointment at 6 pm with the elders and Lidia. I am done. I go up to the door to see if I can bust it open again. I see that the lock on top is undone. But below it is still locked. I can fit my fingers under the door and feel the lock but I can’t budge it. Hna Haggard tries, but nothing. I try again and with some magical power, the lock goes up and the door flies open.

It is now 6 pm and we are into our house!!!! We had made an extra key but it was on Hna Haggard’s desk. I go to the bathroom, eat a cookie, and we are out the door. We get down the road, running, onto the bus, down the road, to the church in just 7 minutes. That is record time! It was so fast. We meet up with the elders and head to Lidia’s. She isn’t there.

We tell the elders sorry and we go to work in a different part. We have a dinner appointment with our mission leader, but we have 45 minutes before dinner so we go to a contact that we made and they let us in. They tell us at the end of the lesson that they don’t want anything to do with us. They aren’t going to read the book, they wont pray to find out if it is true, they wont even try. I just wanted to leave — it wasn’t my best day.

At 8 pm, the hermana asks us if we want some tea (don’t worry, it is legal tea). No, but we say…“Yes hna, thanks.” We get out of the house at 8:10 pm and we had the dinner appointment at 7:30. We head over there and they are nowhere in sight.

We were walking away and found the two other hnas, Denison and Borja and they said they ate and are going home. I am still depressed from the day we just had. I am hungry and we see how much money we have. We have $1.70. We can eat or get a taxi and go home –  we don’t even have enough for a taxi. So, we go walking up the road to find something to eat. We did not pick the best road. It was full of college students drinking and burning things.

We decide to take a taxi. We stop a few but they wont take us for less than $2. Finally, Hna Haggard works her magic. One pulled over and she says we only have $1.70. He says no, but she says, “Yes you can. Please, please, it’s Christmas.” Then he says something and she comes up and says, “I knew you could.” And we get in. She got him down and we head home. I got to sleep, say my prayer first, and then do what I got to do.

Then the 31 of December and 1 of January we have to be in the house all day. ALL DAY. The new rules they like to do around here. But I can’t complain, it is for my safety. We play games, study, eat, do some stuff. Good times. We go up to the roof at 12 midnight to watch the fireworks go on. Let me tell you, they are way better in Guayaquil. I think Tonasket is better than it is here. It was lame and wasn’t the best new years to end in another country.

We are in 2011. Crazy.

We have a normal time now, everything is back to normal, but then we get another call telling us we need to go to the other apartment and do some more things. We got it all done and we get the go ahead for the move. So we pack up and get ready. But then the hnas come back and tell us that the landlord says not until Friday. What!? Why the heck not? So we get the zone leaders to call him. They get him back to Monday. So we are back on track.

Sunday comes and it is, of course, another great testimony meeting.

In the morning we pass by for one investigator but she was up all night drinking and dancing so she was in no condition to come to church. We dropped her. Then we went by for Lidia. She is just waiting for us. She is so great. We go to church, she likes it and liked the testimonies. She had to leave early, but the Lord was there with me.

I was worried the whole week because we didn’t have much time to work in the sector. But the Lord is always helping the people that work for themselves. An old investigator was there, Juan Pablo — Juan Pab.    We stayed for the classes and afterward we caught up with him and asked him how he was and if we could share with them. He was confused. So we asked again and he said, “I want to be baptized. This month.” Yeah, buddy, okay. That is awesome. Every time before when we mentioned baptism he would disappear. It was a game, Where is Juan Pab? So he is ready now.

Another Hermano brought his girlfriend to church. They are talking about a temple marriage already. Whoa, hold up there buddy. She needs to be baptized first. They are great too.

The Lord helped us. He made-up where we couldn’t. He helped me. I feel the Savior’s love every day in my life. He fills my days with His guidance. I get frustrated, stressed, sad, but I know He is there. I just get woke up every Sunday when He helps us complete our goals. Sometimes, I don’t even know how it happens. We just do our numbers and it all comes out good.

I love being with Hna Haggard. She is helping me learn so much. I really hope I can end my mission with her. She helps me stay strong. I know I would anyways, but I do find myself slipping sometimes. But I know why I am here and I will stay strong for the Lord.

A year has come and gone, but we just have another start at things. But I won’t be starting anything new, I will just be continuing the things I have been doing, striving to keep strong. I have felt things I have never felt before and experienced things I know I will never experience again. I am so grateful for this opportunity I have had to serve the lord.

I would tell anyone in a heartbeat to serve a mission. It was the best choice I have made yet in my young life.

I love you all and wish the best of luck to you in the beginning of this new year. Make goals and keep them. The Lord is by your side.

LES AMO MUCHISIMO!!!!!
Chau,

Hna Glanzer

PS.

We got out of the old house and are in the new one. FINALLY!!!

It is so much better. No cockroaches, no carbon monoxide, no humid smell and feel, no mean landlords. How could life get any better here in Alamos 1? (Baptisms of Juan Pab, Lidia, and Carmen….)