Training

This week was a very good week! We have 6 baptism dates for the month of may. And we will have one baptism next week her name is Andrea Viavicencio. She is very excited to be baptized and she has gone to church a number of times. I am excited for the baptisms that are coming!

I thought this week I was going to get changed to Guayaquil, because I have been here in cuenca for a while now. But that's not the case. Instead my companion Elder Chicaiza left to the area next door to mine, and I will be training a brand new missionary. I don't know yet who it is or where he is from gringo or Latino? But I will go pick him up from the airport tomorrow in Guayaquil. We will get to go to the temple together and have a meeting with the president of the mission. So I am excited for this new opportunity, and I pray that I will be able to teach this new missionary how to be successful.

This week we had our stake conference, but it was via satellite from salt lake city! It was awesome it was only for Ecuador, and wow it was so good. Elder Christoferson and Richard G Scott spoke also the 70 of our area Elder Nash spoke. They all speak Spanish too, which I didn't know. Elder Scott was a mission president in Argentina in the 60´s and Elder Christoferson was one of the missionaries in Argentina when Elder Scott was president. I thought that was interesting and cool. They talked about the importance of treating your wife good, and that they are our eternal partners. That's exactly what the people here needed also. They tend to have problems with that here, the wives here aren't treated the way they should be. They are more like servants than spouses. But a lot of men in the stake were taught and are now excited to change.
we had 4 investigators in church this Sunday, and I went to church in New Jersey this week. Her name is Cathy, but she is visiting family over there and she will be baptized the 19th of may! She is awesome!

This week I had a very touching experience! I was sitting in conference looking around and noticed that 3 families, that I baptized while I was in a different area before, were sitting in conference in there church clothes!!! Wow I have never been so happy. The joy that I felt was unbelievable. One family in particular was a family in where the dad and mom were going to get divorced because the dad was beating and cheating of his wife. they have 2 boys that also got baptize and they are now a happy family and are the first ones in church every week. There is also another family of a mom and daughter who were there, and they sat right in front of me, the wife before her baptism was also with a man who was cheating on her and she was very unhappy. Now she is a very happy person, and he daughter goes to seminary every morning at 530. I was very happy to see my converts active in the church preparing to enter into the temple and be sealed to their families for time and all eternity.

I am grateful to be a part of the lords work. I love it! and I know that this work is of God.

I love all of you and pray for you

Elder Warner

Hey Everybody

This week has been a week of very hard work for me and my comp. we get a long very well and are both excited to work all the time. We had 8 baptism dates for this month lined up and not one of them looks like its going to happen this month.

They will happen but in a little time. Daniel Vinasco who was supposed to have his baptism this week fell through, not because of him but because of his family. Daniel turns 18 years old in one month but he is living with his aunt and uncle who are pastors of the salvation army church.....The night before his baptism they came storming into the church upset. I guess Daniel never told them about his decision of getting baptized...But we tallied to Daniels mom on the phone that lives in Colombia and she said it was fine...Well We had a 2 hour talk with his aunt and uncle about everything and we had no choice but to delay the baptism. But Daniel has been working with a member and he will be going to church still, and be baptized in one month when he turns 18 years old.

it is raining so hard right now!!! wow! all the streets are flooded!

Anyways a lot of hardships this week but we are pressing forward in the work of the lord. I have learned to keep my head up high and trust in the lord with all my heart and i know it will all work out. The rest of our baptisms will happen in the first weeks of may because the last week of march we have a stake conference so we cant baptized that week. Well we can baptized but not confirmed.....And baptism doesn't mean anything with out the holy ghost.

so this week we explored a lot! Our area is huge!!! i mean huge! you could ride on a bus for hours and not find the end...but this week we decided to contact this new area and we had to rock climb a little to get there haha but it went really well besides all the dogs that almost ate us... But we found a lot of good people to teach!

i am thankful to be here in Ecuador serving the lord,. Ive never received a greater happiness for working. Ive learned in the mission that money cant buy you happiness... its the lord that gives it to you when you keep the commandments and put the kingdom of god first in your life.

i love you all and i pray for you daily

strive everyday to put the lord first in your lives.

elder

Jase Allen Warner

Conferencia

This week was one of the best weeks in my mission.

First of all we have been working soooo hard! And praying a lot!! But it all payed off. This week we found a ton of new people to teach. We put 7 new baptism dates this week with different families and we had 8 people go to conference with us this Sunday.

Saturday we were able to go to the morning session of conf. the other two that day we couldn't go. We were to busy running around our whole area teaching all the people we could to try to get as many people possible to commit to come Sunday morning. The power of the spirit when the Prophets speak is unreal. When people listen to the prophet for the first time their lives change.

Sunday morning was the craziest day of the mission for me. We were literally running places to get people to church. Here in Ecuador you have to wake people up and come back to wake them up again and then wait for them to get ready....then take them to church in a taxi or bus... They just don't go on their own ha ha...

But I would like to ask you guy, whoever gets the opportunity to read this letter to pray for some of my investigators by name.

1-Daniel Vinasco 17 years old challenge for him........his lip ring

2-Karina Areas 29 years old

3- Andrea 10 years old

4- Jesenia- 12 years old

5- Ericka- 21 years old

6- Norma- 30 years old challenge - she needs to get married

7- Andrea 20 years old.....needs to get married to Gabriel

8- Gabriel- 19 years old.....needs to get married to Andrea

9-Fabiola- 39 years old.....Andreas mom.

If you could pray for these people by name, you will be helping a lot of people change their lives. A lot of these people have a lot of struggles that they are going through and they are all trying to change and receive a baptism for the 14 of April and the 21 of April.

I know that our Heavenly Father lives . He answers our prayers. He listens and love each and everyone his children. I have seen miracles through the power of prayer. I know that everyone in this life goes through hard times. It doesn't matter what your going through or if you feel like no one is there for you. Heavenly father and Jesus Christ are there. They are ready to help us through our trials. I know that we are given trials to strengthen us. I have learned that on the mission. everything we go through in this life is for our benefit. If life were easy we wouldn't have a reason to be here on the earth.

Oh I have a funny story......this Sunday we were walking in the night and my companion was dying of thirst....we couldn't buy anything and we were in the middle of no where......He said...." wow I am thirsty I just want a sip of something." in Spanish.... and two seconds later we turned the corner and there was a full 2 liter soda in the middle of the street. Ha ha funny and cool at the same time. That Sunday happened to be the day that we worked so hard. Got all of our investigators to conference in the front of the stake center in the comfy seats. Which is funny because we went to the bathroom to go pee before conference started and when we went back some old couple stole our seats and were sitting by our investigators....they moved our stuff and everything so we had to sit on the stage in the back of the overflow....and there was only one projector in the front of the chapel....

SACRIFICE brings blessings and makes you even more happy. I think of the little service I'm dong for only 2 years and compared to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice is is nothing. he suffered for all of us all of mankind. And I am sure that he is super happy right now on the right hand of heavenly father. Don't be scared to make some sacrifices at times. For others who need the gospel especially...your little time or love that you can give for another person can change a life for eternity.

I love you all and pray for you

Elder Jase Warner

Ants are Spicy

So this week has been very good. I'm with my new comp Elder Chicaiza
from Quito Ecuador.

This week we placed two baptism dates with a kid
from Colombia named Daniel who has 17 years and another girl named
Marcela who has 17 years.

They are both very good but Sunday Daniel had to go out of town and
couldn't go to church and Marcela had to work Sunday. So I was heart
broken that we didn't have anyone in church....praying sooooo hard! And
later I noticed a lady in our ward brought a friend to sacrament
meeting!!!!!!!!!!!! Named Norma.

So today we are going to have family
night with her and the family in our ward that brought her to church.
She will hopefully get baptized this 7 of April.

This week it rained so hard!!!!!!! And it hailed all day yesterday. We
were getting hit in the head for about an hour with ice.....but
finally we got in a house and taught a lesson. So much for the "day of
rest" ha ha. I have noticed that that day doesn't exist in this mission.
There is no rest in the work of the lord.

Today my comp had to buy new shoes, we went to this lady that makes
shoes down our street and she started crying when she saw us. She told
us that she has been wanting to talk to us for like a week but has
been scared to. We talked to her for the first time today and she is
having a lot of trouble in her life. She told us that she has been an
inactive member of thee Church for like 20 years. Has a lot of kids who
aren't members and wants us to teach them.

Yesterday we drank hot chocolate because we had frost bite.......and
we had ants in the chocolate powder...they are the most spicy food I
have ever tasted in my life....ha ha weird huh?...

I love the mission and I love the gospel. I am blessed in many ways
everyday. When you are doing whats right you are happy...I have
learned that on the mission. When we do what the lord asks of us we
get rewarded. like it says in 3 Nephi 13:33 "But seek ye first the
kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be
added unto you."

I am loving the mission and working really hard and I am happy. I love
you all and I hope you have an awesome week.

Love the lord with all your heart and keep his commandments and you will be blessed.

Elder Jase Warner

New Companion!

I finally today got a new comp!!!! Por fin!

His name is Elder Chicaiza, he is from Quito Ecuador. He has about 18 months in the mission now and he is very cool. He got here in cuenca about an hour ago. I am looking forward to having a
companion and having some more success!

One thing I have learned here on the mission is that success and bringing people into the true Church brings me happiness! More than I ever imagined it would bring
me.

The work of the lord is the most important work that we can do here in the earth. This last week I worked mostly in another sector. That sector hasn't had a baptism date or anyone in church for 9 weeks now.

But this last week I helped the other elders and we put 2 baptism dates for the 7th of April and had two people in church. It was a relief to have some success in that sector. But on the flip side we didn't have any one in my sector go to church. But this week we are going to put a lot of effort into finding new people to teach and get
them to church.

I am so excited for general conference this month! What a blessing it will be to listen to our prophet and apostles. I hope you will all take the time to pay attention to the words of the lords servants. It will bless your lives.!

I miss you all and look forward to hearing from you next Monday, I am
sorry that this letter is so short ha ha.

Love

Elder Jase Warner

Bautismo!

Hey everyone!!

This week has flown by here in Cuenca!

This week I have been without a companion again....I won't have one till next Monday, I am kinda getting tired of being in a different sector half the day and then in mine for like 1 hour a day at the most. Going to church a lone just with my ward mission leader.

It is okay though, because I had the best baptism of my mission this week! It was weird filling out the baptism paper work and only putting my name in the top right corner and not another missionaries too.... But Ana Belen Merchan was baptized this Saturday by her dad who has been waiting a long time for that moment. It was a very spiritual experience for the whole ward and me. She has never wanted to join the church before listening to many different missionaries over the years. Well when she finally accepted the baptism date she cried and cried cause she was so happy and told us she didn't know what was different but she just knew she needed to do it and new it was true all of a sudden. But we usually have like 10 people in baptisms but this one had 80 people! I counted like 3 times in amazement! A lot of the people there were other non member family members, I know they all felt the spirit.

Ana Belen bore her testimony after and told everyone that she will serve a mission in 1 year from her baptism day!!!!!! I was so shocked because 4 days before she didn't believe in the church at all. I was so happy also! she is 21 years old so in one year she can go through the temple and serve a mission. There were a lot of returned missionaries that were a little disappointed that she is going on a mission because they all want to marry her.
All in all it was a very good day for a lot of people her in Cuenca.

I know that she received her answer through the power of the Book of Mormon and through the power of the holy ghost. I am excited to go to the temple in 1 year and watch her get sealed to her family and leave on the mission. Hopefully in the time in between more of her family members will come unto christ through the waters of baptism.

This week we started a new program in my ward. Every week I get up in sacrament and assign a book of Mormon to a family, they have to give it to a non member with their testimony in it and invite them to church. This week on Thursday a lady came running into the chapel because her dog ran away and went into the church. The bishop found her and he gave his book of Mormon to her. We happened to walk in right then and meet her and taught her about baptism and invited her to church. It was a miracle in my eyes that her dog decided to run into the church! She really liked the church and our lesson. We tried placing a baptism date and she said she wants to learn more, but the next lesson she will commit to being baptized.

I have been living with two other missionaries for a while now on the floor...... but its a comfy floor. And we get a long pretty well.

All the missionaries this last week had a conference with the mission president, he came to talk to us. It was cool we learned a lot, The meeting was 6 hours with a lunch break. It was very long but very spiritually uplifting. He didn't know that I was without a companion at the time and asked me where my companion was and I said " I don't know president, I was hoping that you could get me one soon" and everyone laughed. He said next week I will have one. It is hard for him to keep track of 250 missionaries I guess.

Well I love you all and I hope that your week goes very well. Find someone to share the gospel with, you never know whose life you will change by just being a good example and inviting someone to learn more, or to church.

I love you

Elder Jase Warner

Solo All Alone

This is Sean, I wanted to show you the raw email I usually get with the actual spelling and grammar from Elder Warner!

well this week has been another crazy and challenging week. I have been living with other elders out of my area for this past week and still dont have a new companion. this week i had to wear the same clothes for 4 days staight because i couldnt go back to my house for a while....it rained so much those days that every night i had to pour water out of my shoes. i went and worked in my area like two night with my bishop as my companion and i put 2 new baptism dates. I will also be having a baptism this saturday, and it looks like it will be by myself.....No one to share the joy with. I have learned the importance of companions this week thats for sure.
But this girl is getting baptised named anabelen merchan is very awesome. she is 21 years old and she heard the missionaries for the first time 2 years ago and is finally getting baptised. But before we came to teach her she pretty much refused to listen to the missionaries. we have worked with her the past 2 weeks and she now has a testimony of the restored gospel. She didnt have one until two days ago. She told us she would get baptised on the 10th of march if she got an answer she prayed everynight for the answer and read in the book of mormon she got that answer on saturday. And she is so excited to be baptised this week! Her dad and mom are very excited too. They are so thankfull for the missionaries are experiencing their children one by one come unto the gospel. They have waited a long time for this day. Lots of praying and patcience.
I am practicing my patcience aso right now with waiting for my companion to come.....it is hard without a companion!! But suprisingly i had some of the best numbers in our zone this week and the zone leaders were very suprised....I only was in my area for two nights for a couple hours each night ( working with my bishop) and a little bit with our ward mission leader that doesnt do anything..... But i worked very hard prayed super hard and got blessings. Hopefuly my companion comes soon.

I hope you guys like my pictures! there was a lot of rain this last week everyday pretty much!! i finally used the boots i have for the first time.

i pray that you are all choosing the right and praying to our heavenly father daily. One thing i have learned out here is the power of prayer! it really does work, heavenly father does answer us. What ever you are going through he knows and he is ready to help you.

i love you all

elder warner