To start, this week was New Years and so the work was super super slow. I feel like almost every door we knocked they were either super busy or just not home. Not to help that whenever there is a holiday, birthday party, or even soccer game they drink there lives away haha. But I got to see what New Years is like down here in Ecuador. It's the craziest New Years celebration I have probably ever see and ever will see. It was the normal fireworks and firecrackers but everyone takes out these paper mache figures and start to burn them. In Ecuador, it's tradition to build a paper-mache figure for New Year's, write your wishes on paper, place them inside, and thenburn it. The people have been making them since October to prepare for the new year and they make whatever comes to mind, Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Toad, Mario, and many others. When they burn them they also put these big firecrackers só when they are burning they explode too.
Other than that though it has probably been the slowest week of my mission just because of the work and the holidays plus being tired from all the music and fireworks going off until sunrise. This week we start a new transfer and I am ready for a new start and hopefully a new companion.
This past we had a devotional on New Years Day from President and Hermana Suarez that talked about consecration and how we can become more consecrated. They explained how Jesus Christ was the most consecrated missionary and that he was humble enough to do the Fathers will always. We have seen a lot of miracles as a mission this past year and we will see tons this next one too. For example, I think January 2024 we had maybe 30-40 baptisms and in December we ended up having 94!
I almost forgot too, but this past week I hit a year in the mission! It feels weird to think a year ago today I was doing home MTC just starting this journey of being a servant of the Lord but it has gone by quick. I have learned a ton but still have tons to learn.
Hope you guys had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
