Ecuador Blog

We got back from pioneer school this past Friday night about 10:30.  It went really well!  Going in Spanish was a bit of a struggle, but we survived.  :-)  I wanted to share a few points with you all:

Someone has to have brain surgery and they go to the doctor on Thursday to have the operation at 8:00 am.  They wait 30 minutes, an hour, two hours.  The doctor never shows up.  Friday morning the doctor comes to do the operation only to learn that the patient died Thursday night!  What’s our responsibility when we find an interested one?  Keep the interest alive!!!

When we find people who are depressed and dealing with life problems, we need to help them look at the positive things in their life.  For example:  ”Poor me.  I have no money to buy shoes.”  ”Well, at least you have feet!” 

One of the advantages to always “having plenty to do in the work of the Lord” is that time will go by faster and we’ll get to the end faster!

How do we view the elders?  Do we think they don’t do very much?  They’re like ducks: it may look like they’re just sitting there, but under the water they’re moving their feet like crazy!

You know how a compass always points North no matter what?  In storms, in wind, in good weather, it always points North.  Well, we should be like that with Jehovah.  Always point towards him.

We always have to progress spiritually.  If we’re not progressing, we’re going backwards.  Here are 5 ways to be a spiritual person: 1) Read the bible daily.  2) Have the mind of Christ.  3) Be humble.  4) Meditate.  5) Go to the meetings.

An interesting way to informal witness:  Two brothers witness on buses in Quito.  One brother gets on and sits down.  The other brother gets on after him and starts witnessing to him.  The first brother acts as if what the second brother is saying is crazy and begins to get other people on the bus involved.  Like, “This guy is saying there’s no hell fire!  I’ve always believed in hell, what do you think about it?”  They’ve had a lot of success doing this.

A baby is completely dependent on its mother through the umbilical cord while in the womb.  We should be completely dependent on Jehovah through prayer.

A C.O. was visiting with an elderly brother and the brother was telling him all about the good ole’ days when he was able to have such a large share in the service.  The brother was crying by the end of the conversation and the C.O. told him that he had a new assignment.  One that we all have.  To endure.

A pioneer brother who owns a mechanic shop was having a really bad day.  The car he was working on wouldn’t work, etc.  He was very upset and angry.  Him and a brother who worked with him went to his house for dinner.  As they walked down the front driveway, the pioneer stopped at a tree and hung something on it.  As soon as he walked through the front door of his house he transformed into a completely different person.  Was loving, easy-going, friendly, etc.  The next day the publisher asked the pioneer how he did that.  The pioneer explained, we are always going to have problems, but every night I just put them on the tree outside before I go in.  The next day I pick them back up on my way to work.  

Pride is like air in a balloon.  When a balloon has a little bit of air in it and you stick it with a needle, the balloon just gives in to the needle and nothing happens.  When the balloon is full of air as soon as the needle touches it, it explodes!  Well, we’re all born with a small amount of pride.  As long as we only keep that little bit when we receive counsel, we’ll give in to it.  If we’re full of pride, we’ll explode when we receive counsel.  

I hope you all enjoy these little tidbits as much as I did!

Love you tons and tons,

Jennifer

p.s.- We bought our tickets.  We will arrive in Little Rock the afternoon of Sept. 29th (if all goes according to plan).