The Gospel Is Beautiful

Soooo this week has been a good one! Very productive! :)

We are teaching some great people right now! And I really feel like they are sincerely interested in the gospel which is always beautiful!

This week I've really been trying to better myself as a missionary. I've been struggling between comparing myself as a person to my companion and really focusing on the missionary I want to be. My companion is great! I respect her for the person that she is... but she was VERY sheltered growing up and doesn't know much about the street life hahahah jk but really the life outside of Mormonism she doesn't really understand. Not that it's a bad thing at all! There have been many times where I have had to be very straight forward with her and ask her what in the world she's thinking or if she's thinking when she says "hooolaaaa" a little TOO loud at a boy walking by...at night.........in Ecuador. I have found myself very stressed out trying to teach her Spanish, how to act like a lady/missionary so we don't get kid napped, and be patient and loving at the same time. I'm losing my patience and I'm exhausted.  

I have also found myself comparing myself to her sometimes or feeling like I'm not a good person because I have a past… This has been really hard for me. Especially with the little comments sometimes she makes which I'm sure she doesn't mean to be mean but they sometimes hurt my feelings. But maybe I'm just over sensitive who knows. But I found myself ALMOST feeling bad... almost. Then I realized I am who I am today because of the way I was raised, the experiences I've been through, and the choices that I have made. And you know what? I'm pretty freaking awesome because of it all. I am PROUD to be  a YOUNCE and not just any Younce I am MORGANN MICHELLE YOUNCE and I am PROUD of it. Yes, I have committed some bigger sins than your average everydayers, but I have the STRONGEST testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and I am sooo close to my Savior because of it. No, I am not your average Mormon girl, but yes I do hold valid temple recommend just like the rest of you. No, I am not a perfect missionary, but yes I have been called by the same prophet of God that you are and I strive to be better every single day I wake up here in Ecuador. Maybe other people can't see it, and well quite frankly sucks to suck if they can't. But I am a daughter of our King. I know that He loves me and is so proud of me and my achievements not only in this life but on my mission too, I know this because he has testified this unto me.

 I love this gospel more than words can express. I love my companion for the person that she is. I have so much respect for her and the life that she has lived and for being here on a mission. I love my family SO much! I love my friends! I love my wards back home! I love my bishop, Bishop Bramwell! He's seriously amazing! I love my mission! I love my mission president! I love his family! I love my investigators! I love the branch members here! I love my Heavenly Father! I love my Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ! and I LOVE ME!

Kisses

Hermana YOUNCE

This was us last week with W------ and his mom after his baptism 

Us with W------ and his family

Me and Mamita C-----!

Affirmations and Jumping for Joy

Hey hey everyone! So this week has been a little emotional for me but definitely a great week! 

My new dress!!!!!  I couldn't wait to show you guys

 My parents sent me fabric and a lady in my ward made me this suuuuuper sick dress! I'm obsessed!

W------ was baptized on Saturday! He is 20 years old, we have been teaching him for a loooooooong time like more than 2 months and he finally is a member! He had some struggles with smoking Mary Jaaaneee and the people he was hanging out with but now he is sober and has friends in the church and is doing so amazing! At his baptism before he changed into his white close he walked out of the baptismal room crying so we followed of course being sentimental girls, and asked him what was up and he said he just couldn't believe he was finally this happy, that he had stopped and gotten rid of all the bad stuff in his life and he finally start a nice clean life. He said he knew it was still going to be hard but he knew that God was going to help him. I couldn't have been more excited for him. I've had the opportunity to become close to W------'s mom and sister, and W------ told me he had invited them to the baptism so when they didn't come I was a little sad for him. But I figured he didn't really invite them cause he was scared what they would say. His mom is VERY catholic but we are starting to teach his sister little by little. So after the baptism we told him to go home and we would come over in a little bit to talk to his family with him. So me and my compi went and bought a huge yummy cake and we went to his house and his mom goes, "Younce! It's your birthday?!?" and I replied "No, mama your son was born again today" and she just started crying and hugged him and was SO HAPPY! She knew this is what her son needed in his life! Such a beautiful moment! She told us that right now isn't her time to join but later on she thinks she might. So were trying to rope her in too… haha overall it was beautiful and so amazing!

W------ and J---- they've been friends for years! And J---- had the opportunity to baptize W------!

J---- W------ me and my compi at the baptism!

Me and W------ being excited about his baptism! haha

We got each other with whipped cream after the baptism at his house with his family haha

This week I have been struggling with dealing with my past and the sins I had committed in the past. I couldn't tell if I had been forgiven by my Heavenly Father or what was going on with me… one morning during study time I just broke down crying and my companion and I talked about everything and she said, "Hermana Younce, I think your problem isn't being forgiven by the Lord, your problem is you haven't forgiven yourself…" I cried and cried and cried and we talked and talked. I talked with President Dennis and he gave me soooo much amazing advice. And after Hermana C-------, my compi had me make two note cards that say: "I am imperfect, but I am a daughter of God and He loves me" and the other says: " I AM FORGIVEN" and every morning when I wake up she has me read them out loud. She is seriously amazing! She also has me on this eating plan and exercise plan. She just wants to see me happier person!!!!! I'm so blessed! 

My daughter and I :)

So just a shout out to my Dad and his FREAKING AWESOME BEARD. 

I miss everyone SO MUCH! But I am SO freaking blessed!!!!!!!!!!! 

I dyed my hair again today. I was over the ombre. Back to dark chocolate brown :) My companion told her parents I was trying to convince her to dye her blonde hair brown....hahahaha which is true but they wrote her like 5 email in all caps like DO NOT DYE YOUR HAIR PLEASE!!! JUST CAUSE YOU COMPANION DOES IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU NEED TO !!!!!" HAHAHAHA I'm dying laughing. I won't let her dye her hair. I'm pretty positive her parents already hate me. Lol WOOO!

I didn't cut my hair don't worry, it just blowed dried weird

               

hahaha my compi took this of me last night sleeping with my taser

LOVE YOU ALLL SO MUCH! gtg kisses! 

My scripture case!!!!! 

Poco Loco!

Okay well this week has been un poco loco! But I'm alive! 

Last pic with Hna P

So first things first, Hermana P------ and Hermana A-----r have been transferred to an area in Guayaquil. I'm relieved but at the same time I feel really weird. Hermana P------ was my mommy here, she trained me. And I didn't want her to leave when we were having problems. When they were told they had changes, they had 5 mins to say bye to whoever was there with us at that moment and get in the taxi and leave. I cried, Hna. P cried and Mamita C----n cried too. It was a really bittersweet moment. I hugged Hna P and we cried, like ugly cried in each others arms and she told me she loved me and I told her the same. I hope we keep in contact. And I hope we can just leave all this ugliness behind us. 

So I didn't mention this in my last letter but our house was broken into a week ago in the night time. We called the police and the whole 9 yards. President came and dedicated our house, and we continued to live there which is what we wanted. But this last Saturday after a long day of teaching around 9:15 me and my companion get home, all the lights are off. But Hermana P------ and Hermana A-----r told us they had left the kitchen light on so that it wasn't dark when we got home. I thought maybe they had come home already and were upstairs in their room. I went to put the key in the door and not only I, but my compi and a member who was with us all heard very loud running footsteps in the house and a bunch of noise. Scared the freakin crap out of me and I stepped back and called the other sisters to see if they were home. They told me they weren't home and hadn't been home after they had left the light on. We ran down the street to the A------s families home and all the men in their house came to our house and searched the house. Nothing had forced entry and everything was there. No one was in the house either. X----a and abuelita ended up sleeping with us that night. We put all four mattresses down stairs in the kitchen and all slept together. We were all on our knees on the mattresses praying and we finished the group prayer and we were saying personal prayers. I had just finished asking God to bless our home with HIS spirit and to take away the bad spirits that were clearly there and something banged extremely hard on the window as soon as I finished my sentence. We all flung our heads up and scooted for the door. We decided not to talk about it anymore and just try to sleep. Well 5 girls scared out of their mind and one abuelita that is watching over all of us....hahhaah the only one who slept that night was my compi because she couldn't understand anything we were saying. I think its better that way. She would've been super freaked out. But now we live in our old apartment which is so much safer! But  a little weird cause Hermana P------ isn't here… and we lived there together for almost 4 months. but I'm so excited for this new chapter in my mission!

Speaking of the new chapter! Hermana C------d is great! She's so fun and loving! Her Spanish is even LESS than I knew when I first left the MTC. I feel so bad for her. They didn't teach her hardly ANYTHING in the CCM in Mexico. She said that half the time her teachers would show up hours late or just not come at all so they were pretty much on their own. So sad. But I'm doing my very best to help her learn quickly. She has a goal to be at my level by Christmas, so we are going to make it happen!! 

Hermana C------d is just a little blonde hair blue eyed innocent angel baby from Arizona! I thought the guys talked to me alot before with Hermana P------...........................the amount of guys who go out of their way to talk to us has increased by like 100% hahahaha but we just ignore them, and a lot of them are just plain entertaining with their pick up lines. 

She is so cute! And so innocent! I just love her! But I'm really honestly sooooo grateful that I'm very street smart, cause she's not. Bless her little heart. It's not a bad thing at all! But I'm glad I have street smarts cause without it we'd probably be in lots of trouble haha. we've already had the talk, cause when we teach the law of chastity she doesn't know what we are talking about. I literally feel like an actual mom! I love it! She's so cute!! Her fun outgoing personality reminds me soooooooooooooo much of Micah! (my cousin) it's such a tender mercy for me! I love it! 

Hna C------d & Hna Younce

She is teaching me piano! And I love it! I hope its like the gift on tongues but like the gift of fingers and I can learn really fast ahhaahhha and we both are teaching a piano class (she's teaching me and I'm translating for her into Spanish) and we are also teaching English!!!! It has been so much fun!

So funny story of the week: We were teaching this guy, he told me he had two purposes, 1. to know God. 2. to get me to fall in love with him. hahaha. Well I told him we could work on the first one. That didn't last long hahaha. He wears one earring and I alllllways tell him earrings are for girls, not boys. So we stopped teaching him and I hadn't seen him for a while. The other night we ran into him. And he was like oh my Hermana Younce you're more beautiful every time I see you bla bla bla... and while he's talking I see his earring!! So I put my hand next to his face, and I think he thinks I'm like trying to get fresh, well little did he know, I grabbed his earring out of his ear and CHUCKED it into the dirt. He was shocked! Hermana Younce my earring!!!! So I asked him who wears earrings? He replied... women do Hermana Younce.  So long story short, he left without his earring telling me he's going to become a man of God (doubt it) so that he can take me away on his motorcycle one day after my mission...haha No thank you.  And my companion was so stoked that I chucked his earring. I felt pretty BA not gonna lie. It was pretty awesome. 

Over all things are sooo much better! I laugh so much more and I can feel the spirit so much stronger! Me and Hna C------d already have sooooo many plans to get this ward up and going! I cant wait! Love you all! Thanks for all the support! Talk to y'all next week!

Besos

Hermana Younce

Sooooo there was about 3 feet deep mud that we clearly didn't notice till we were stuck in it... hahahahha W-----m, our investigator, came out side cause he heard us scream... helped us out of the mud then washed our shoes and our feet! So sweet! 

Me teaching English

And us with our English students!

Just teaching my compi the California lifestyle her parents will probably hate me by the end of our transfer together hahhahha

Us with the A----s family!

World War III

I honestly don't even know what to say about this week. This has been the worst week I've experienced in my whole mission. 

My companion that I was assigned that I knew I needed to help, wouldn't let me in for anything, shut me out and turned to Hermana P------ for comfort and help. It started to get ugly so president put them together and I adopted Hermana P------'s daughter. Hermana C------d. Well, its been like world war three: Latinas against Hermana Younce. I've cried more this week than I have in my whole mission. It's been awful. But I've been trying to just keep my cool, be patient, and be strong so that I can feel the spirit. Its been really hard. I dread going home at night because the second I walk through the door I just feel cold, and gross and I can't feel the spirit at all in my own house! I hated feeling like this, so I went to Hermana P------ and I said "Hermana P------ really I am so sorry for whatever I have done or said to hurt you. I don't want you to have pain in your heart and I want us to be able to have peace and love in our home. So please forgive me for whatever I have done. I truly am sorry." She didn't even look at me let alone say anything so I just walked out of the room and that was it. The catty things they say, the looks they give... I can't hold on any more. I couldn't hold on anymore like 5 days ago, but I know that right now the Lord is holding on for me. The president knows everything and he said changes will be made this week. So hopefully the changes are permanent and I can focus and move on. I really just need to be strong and trust in the Lord, in his timing, and is his plan. And I know that everything will be okay. I need to remember that I am a missionary for the Lord Jesus Christ and I am here preaching the Gospel of Love, and if I don't have love in my heart, I am a hypocrite. So I am just trying to love, keep my cool and be patient for the good to come. I thought I was done dealing with evil snotty girls when I graduated high school… they weren't kidding when they said that they're EVERYWHERE.

On the other hand Hermana C------d is awesome! And I hope that we stay together. If not I know that what happens is what the lord wants for me.

I'm so burnt out I don't really have the energy or the drive to write anymore or to write anyone back. So I am sorry if I don't reply to your email. But I love you all and I am so grateful for the love you have shown me. It's literally my saving grace right now.

kisses

Hermana Younce

I could just feel it...

Hey!

So I'm a mom!!! My new companion is Hermana A-----r! She is from Honduras!! She's so sweet and so funny! I knew from the second I saw her she was going to be my companion I could just feel it. Like I knew that I needed to love this girl. And what do ya know?! 2 hours later she's my compi!!

She has some physical illnesses that we have to get figured out… and some other personal stuff. We aren't sure if she is going to be able to work… BUT for the time that we do have together I know that we are meant to be together! I know that I need to love this girl with alllll that I have. And that's exactly what I'm going to do! 

Me and Hermana A-----r!!! Hahah I was teaching her to pose!

We are still in playas!! And they didn't change the sector!!! So we can proselyte wherever we want!!! Yayy!!!!!! But at the same time I've been having a little bit of a hard time because when we divided our investigators that we had, Hermana P------ pretty much took all the ones that were progressing. Ha, soooo we are starting from scratch! But that's okay! Because I know that we are a great match and we are going to have great success here! I cant wait!

I was expressing to my district leader who also happens to be the secretary of the mission, 
Elder G-------t, that I was nervous to be a mommy, and frustrated with the situation with H. P------, and he told me that I don't need to be. That other missionaries and president are all very impressed with me and the success that I've had, and how fast I've learned Spanish. He said that there are Latinas here who are trainers but they don't have the success that I have had and that he knows that I can do this. It was just such a tender mercy for me and very encouraging.

I want to go back to how I knew that my companion was mine before hand. Well I wasn't the only one who knew that. I was on the phone with president earlier this week and he told me how when he was putting the companionships together he knew days beforehand that she needed to be with me. He told me when he looked at her picture every time he just thought "Hermana Younce" and every time he tried to move it or change it he couldn't, he just knew she was mine. We talked about the issues she might be having and at the end I expressed how I will do my best to love and care for her. And he told me, "She is here, because you are here. If you were somewhere else, that's where she would be." I know that my mission president is called of God, to receive revelation to help us. I know that he knows us all, and all of our needs and he does everything in his power to help us and to make our experience here in the mission amazing. I know that Hermana A-----r is my daughter for a reason. And I am so grateful for the time that I have to spend with her. I love her so much already. And I can't wait to see the success we have and the friendship that we build together!

I got soooooooooooooo many emails this week! And I don't have anytime to write you guys back but I love you all! Thank you for the love!

kisses

Hermana Younce

Me and J----s- who was baptized this week! She is G-----s' sister!! The last woman in the family to be baptized!! Now we just need the dad!!! :)))

Oh aaaaaaaaaaaaaand I dyed my hair hehe :) $25 ombré...why not?

I'm gonna be a mom ~ September 23rd 2013

Hey! Not a whole lot to say this week!

But I'm gonna be a mom on Wednesday!!!!!!!!! And it's extremely likely that I'll be training a GRINGA!!! How exciting!!!!

Me and J---- on Sunday! He blessed the sacrament for the first time this Sunday!!!!!!!! :)))

Me and Hermana T------! She made this skirt I'm wearing for me along with three others! :)

I love you all!!! Talk to you in a weeek!

xoxo