Wedding Bells-Maracaibo Guayaquil Week Ninety

Things are still pretty "shaky" here in Ecuador. I hope you all like that joke. I was looking forward to using it all week. This week, after a rough 2 weeks after the earthquake, was one of the most rewarding weeks of my mission. 

New Companion

I cant tell you the good news without telling you first about my new companion. My new companion is Elder Prado. He is from Peru. I dont know why but there are like a million missionaries from Peru in this mission. LIke all my companions are from there. He is from Lima. He has like 10 months in the mission. They sent me him to help him grow and have desires to work. I had never met him or heard about him until he became my companion on Tuesday at 2 in the morning. That was a huge pain. But things are great and we have hit the pavement this week and we had a great week.

Elder Shanklin, Diana, Javier and Elder Prado

Baptisms

After fighting the torments from Satan, we finally overcame all the problems and were able to enjoy 3 incredible baptisms this weekend. Baptisms that made me proud to have found, taught and baptized them. What a blessing it was. Diana and Javier were baptized on Thursday. Just in this week we participated in 2 huge events in there life. Thursday in the Morning they got married. We went with them. And then Thursday in the afternoon they were baptized. It was an incredible experience to be able to have met them, watch them grow and obtain there testimonies and then be a part of their baptisms. They Lord truly blessed us with them. We are helping them stay on the path that leads to the temple. They have placed the goal to get sealed and we are helping them achieve that. The other person that got baptized was just as cool. He is Jordan. He has experienced and has had to deal with so many things in his life that the gospel had been his comforter in everything. He has grown to love it and has the desire to serve a mission and make visit to the temple often. It was such a blessing to have been able to teach him and help him overcome challenges and problems in his life. I had the privilege to baptize Diana and Jordan this week. This week Jordans sister is going to get baptize. The Lord has blessed us a lot recently. I have felt unworthy at times of the blessing that I have received. 

Wedding Day for Diana and Javier

Sealed with a kiss

Diana and Javier with their family

Elder Shanklin celebrating the wedding

Javier and Daniel with their family

Baptism Day

Diana, Javier, Elder Shanklin and Elder Prado

Elder Shanklin, Jordan, Elder Prado and friend

Jordan with his family

Jordan and his siblings

Elder Prado, Jordan and his sister and Elder Shanklin

Visit from A Seventy

This week Elder Montoya came to the visit to teach us and help us become better missionaries. What a powerful spirit and testimony he carries. I was humbled to be in his presence and to be able to listen to his words and talk with him a little bit. He was extremely bold but at the same time extremely humble and talk with such a powerful spirit. I learned so many new things and have grown to love the scriptures even more than before. What a great experience. Cooler news is that is June Elder Rasband is coming to the mish. I am pretty sure he was the one that went to Springfield too. (It was Elder Rendlund that came to Springfield).  Maybe he will remember my last name;)

Things are great here. This week we should have some more baptisms. Pray for Armando Oleas and Marjori Heredia. They are super excited for this Saturday. 

Thanks for all the love and support. 

Life is a Sport, Make it Count

Elder Shanklin