You Never Know What To Expect

Today as we were walking to the office, this is what greeted us on our way. It is very hard to explain, but this street, "Amazonas", is the main street running North and South. It is a one way street. In December of last year we heard the direction of traffic would reverse and drive in the opposite direction. It happened in February of this year.

Then in April, the sidewalk on the opposte side of the street was torn up and red brick replaced part of the concrete to create a "bike" lane.

As we continued to walk about two or three blocks into the "construction zone" we see the next sign.

This sign says "a thousand pardons, we are working" what a revelation. All you have to do is look around, it is very obvious. There is no sidewalk left to walk on. But they don't put it at the beginning of the construction, it's in the middle.

It just amazing to us, there is so much money being spent on the walkway and street, it is very sad that they don't see the great need to spend the money on the "street children" who really need the money to better their lives. Each day just on Amazonas alone, there are about 25 to 30 young children with their shoe shine boxes, begging to let them shine your shoes. They are the one's who need the money spent on them, so they can go to school instead of work at such a young age.

This is "my little David." Each day that we see he and his Mother (she is in the background) he runs to me. I give him a stick of sugarless gum. He now gives me hugs and kisses. When we first got here, he did not talk at all, now he talks to us each day. He is adorable. His mother sells golves, scarves, sweaters, handbag, larger bags, many different items. There are many, many places like hers that sell these same items. They have become our good friends. His grandfather sells luggage directly across the street in a "kiosko"(kiosk) which they rent from the city. He is a very sweet man who asks God to bless us each time he sees and talks to us. We are very blessed to have some wonderful people in our lives here in Quito. They appreciate our time and efforts, sometimes more than the members. He is a good Catholic man and is very religous. He is grateful too, that we love his grandson.

This is our new Mission President's wife,
Hermana Sloan. They are from Utah and arrived about three weeks ago. I have written about them in past blogs so I won't go on to much.

She is a wonderful woman. She is a very positive, energetic, mom who is desirous of doing a good job serving with her husband in the time they will be here.

She is trying to keep her three children occupied during their summer. Their son Chad will be leaving for his mission to Madrid Spain toward the end of the year. He is very excited and goes almost every day with missionaries to "citas" or appointments with investigators. He will be seasoned by the time he enters the MTC in Provo. They are a great family and good friends.

We are so blessed to be here and having such success. The Lord has guided and promted us all along the way. We are also grateful to have such good volunteers to work with us. In our office it is definitly a team effort.

This is President Sloan with Elder W. We met him in 2001 when we served here in Employment Resources. He has worked for the Church for some time. He worked in the Employment and Perpetual Education Fund because they both belong to the welfare portion of the Church. President Sloan is concerned about his missionaries working hard finding those whose lives will be changed by the Gospel. He aleady loves the missionaries and will work with them to have an obedient mission in that way the missionaries will be able to have the companship of the Spirit and FIND those who are seeking the truth.

I found this scripture in an article in the Ensign. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you. (John 6: 26-27). It reminds me of what the missionaries do they share that "meat."

President Sloan with his connections, has already sent e-mails to his brethren in Salt Lake asking them to look hard to find a couple to replace us when we leave. We do not want to have the program fall apart, it would literally break my heart.

So things are good with us. We love and miss all our family and our friends.

Until I write again,

Hermana W.