Twenty Hour Bus Ride for Temple Blessings-Loja Week Seventy One

So this week was full of excitement and passed a lot faster than any other week. I will explain why. 

Temple Trip

On Wednesday at like 10 in the morning the assistents called me and wished me a Merry Christmas and told me that as a Christmas present the zone would be traveling to the temple and get to do a session the following day. So 2 hours later the 10 from our zone and the 12 from the other zone left to head to Guayaquil on an 8 hour trip. We would show up to Guayaquil at 10 at night and then we would sleep in the hotel of the temple with AC and hot water. That is the best part about the temple. The next morning we were able to do a session as a zone and it was such a great experience. I always learn something new in the temple and can always apply it in my life. The Temple is a such a beautiful and sacred place that brings lots of peace and joy. I think I could just spend days there. After eating lunch we headed to back to Loja. It was like 20 hours of traveling but we made it in time to get a couple hours of sleep before working the next day. We took a lot of pictures. Enjoy them. 

Elder Shanklin at the Guayaquil Temple

Elder Shanklin and Elder Child

Love this picture

Awesome Missionaries

Guayaquil Temple
Love those palm trees

Elder Shanklin, Elder Childs & Loja Zone

Baptism

On Saturday we had our baptism. So because of the temple trip we were gone Wednesday and Thursday. With normally a week that are things that you forget to do and things that go wrong. Imagine. We had only one day to prepare the whole baptism and make sure that everything worked out. I dont know how we did it, but we did and the baptism was awesome. She shared her testimony after the baptism and it was super awesome. She gaves us, the Elders, a shoutout and that made everything worth it. She will be so great in the church. Her brother was going to baptize her but he got nervous and didnt want to do it, so my companion did it.

Elder Shanklin, Elder Child and their newest baptism

We have been immensly blessed here in Loja. We have great converts and the Branch is completed behind us. They support us 100% and have been blessed with our work. In the coming weeks we have more baptisms. So stayed tuned. A dad with his son, and the cousin of one of our converts. Should be great. 

Thanks for all the love and support. 

Life is a sport, Make it count

Elder Shanklin