The Spirit: Riobamba 9.28.15

FAMILY!!

Ok this week was very spiritual and uplifting.... sometimes i just never want this beautiful time in my life to end!  I love being a missionary!! 

So first off we had a lesson with Patty and Nicole. Ahhh i wish i could just describe to you all how spiritual this lesson was!  They accepted a date for the 10th of October.  I felt especially inspired to share a scripture in a certain moment in the lesson, and my companion in the very moment felt the prompting to look at me.  It was perfect.  I am loving working with Hermana Costa because there is so much unity in our companionship and teaching.  She goes home in three weeks and i am so sad!  

We had a special zone conference this week.  The President showed us a video that was made by the first presidency and quorum of the 12 about the sabbath day.  We learned some very interesting things that just made me think about how PERFECT the gospel is!  The focused a lot on the Atonement, and how that should be our focus throughout the sacrament, the classes, and really all we do in the church!  

My companion and I had just been talking about The Spirit this week.  I have been realizing lately that The Spirit is something that i cannot feel all the time, it is something that i only feel in moments that i am testifying or teaching. However, it is something that i know i have because although i may not recognize it all day everyday, when it leaves i feel it leave.  And the only word that i can use to describe that feeling is.... feo. For those of you that dont know spanish... that means ugly.  It makes me always want to be worthy and obedient in thought, word, and action, so that He is always with me.

In my study this week i feel so grateful for a God that loves us so much.  In Ether 3:2 we read that even though we are so unworthy, the Lord COMMANDS us to pray SO THAT HE CAN BLESS US!! According to our desires.  

I have so many things that i wish to share with you all this week! But this will have to do.  I love you ALL!!! 

Hermana Neff 

ps i forgot to tell you all.  The other night we were walking home at night and i saw a dog.... eating A CAT!!! I almost barfed.  It was the worst thing i have ever seen.  

our trip to BAÑOS

i love my compi

 rio

ugly spider 

I cant believe its that time of the year again!! My favorite thing in the world.... Colada Morada

these are called humitas and they are my FAVORITE!!! They are like a corn type thing that i dont even know how to explain 

divisions with hermana tello de peru 

divisions again!

 hermana peralta de bolivia 

The Sacrament. Riobamba 9.14.15

HI!!! 

OK i dont have much time today.  But i wanted to say first off.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! I hope you had just the best day ever.  When i show people pictures of you here they cant believe you are my mom-they think you are my sister and always say how beautiful you are. "tan joven" is what they always say.... i sure love you!

So just a couple experiences from this week.  We had divisions in Guaranda with the Hermanas which was fun.  

 divisions with hermana sento! 

Ok so this Sunday we got to church on time, but there was a less-active that we had to wait for outside (there is a reason why) and we ended up getting in the meeting late. They had already shut the doors for the sacrament and in my other wards here in Ecuador they don't usually pass the sacrament outside.  So i was feeling very stressed.  This whole week i had been looking forward to the sacrament and i knew that i really needed it in that moment!  We waited in one of the classrooms and they did end up giving it to us.  As i sat in that room, i was pondering (and a little disappointed) because i knew that the spirit would not be as strong as in the actual sacrament room.  However, when the deacon entered the spirit FILLED the room.  It was a small miracle, but exactly what i needed to feel.  I just want you all to know how grateful i am for the sacrament.  It is an ordinance so sacred and special and dear to me.  

A lot of the miracles that we were seeing last week have been experiencing a lot of opposition.  I was feeling really upset on Saturday.... when a member that was visiting with us told us that her cousins are having difficulties in their marriage and need help.  In that moment i knew and felt that the opposition that often happens in the mission, is something that we cannot control, but that if The Lord is pleased with us... He will continue to bless us with miracles.  I am excited to help this new family!  

I have been learning this week that EVERY thing in missionary work is important.   I have been striving to be better in every aspect of missionary work (including the area book) and i feel happy and at peace knowing that i am doing all I can, and i have faith that The Lord will do the rest.  I have felt His peace and love and i am so grateful for Him.  

I LOVE YOU ALL!! Have a happy wonderful week.  

Hermana Neff 

FRUIT

 two angels of a less active in ambato that i found in riobamba! 

 another one of the 5 volcanos that you can see in riobamba

The Lord is merciful. Riobamba 9.7.15

HOLA!

Ok SO.  This week.

On Monday and Tuesday we were in Quito for the leaders conference.  A LOT of missionaries were finishing and gave their "final testimony."  It was sweet, but i am so not ready for that yet. Oh also i was sick and throwing up... i think we ate something bad in a restuarant.... but i am better now!

The other days in this week have been crazy.  We have been having troubles getting ahold of our miracle from last week Andres.  I am pretty bummed about it, but i know that The Lord has a plan for him and that everything will work out!

So we are seeing so many miracles.  I dont think i have seen so many miracles for my whole mission!  That being said... on Saturday i was feeling very frustrated.  I was honestly asking myself why on earth am i here, working so hard for OTHER people´s salvation... and they dont even care!?!?!?!  Ok (ya maybe thats harsh, but i am being honest.)

That night i felt that The Lord was not pleased with my attitude that day.  I felt that He understood me and my feelings.... but only because (and i honestly felt this)  HE has probably said the SAME THING about me, and my actions at times in my life!  It was really actually almost funny when i realized that I had absolutely NO PLACE to be frustrated with everyone else, when i am not yet perfect... and will not be in this life!  It was an eye opener for me.

That being said, I know that The Lord loves me.  He is so merciful with me.  I cant help but get teary in this internet cafe, in the middle of freezing cold Riobamba Ecuador, as i write these words, because of how i feel.  On Sunday He gave us a miracle.  We found a woman and her daughter, who have gone to church three times and recently experienced a tragic death in their family.... and they NEED the gospel.  And they WANT it.  We invited them to baptism for the 26th of september and they accepted.  While we walked home i just felt so grateful, because.... in spite of the fact that i am so WEAK, and human, and sometimes i let the natural man get the best of me... The Lord still trusts me!  And He still loves me.  He is so merciful with His children!  I just want to be more like Him.

Transfers were today.  I am staying with Hermana Costa in Riobamba!  She finishes her mission this transfer.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Something funny i told dad this week.. every time i tell someone that my name is Hermana Neff they always say "nice to meet you hermana INES"  It drives me crazy!

Have a very happy week!

Hermana Neff

P.S. This week there was another miracle!! We found this family whos dad is a less active from forever ago and his family is really having a hard time (the rest arent memebrs).  His daughter told us that she had been praying to find a religion to join because she feels that there can only me one true pathway that leads us back to God.... and that we showed up!  Just another testimony to me that this church is TRUE!!

Ama La Vida - Riobamba 8.31.15

HEY!!! 

This week was AMAZING!!! Like literally so many miracles i am just so grateful to be a missionary!

But before i start in Riobamba we celebrated the 50 year anniversary of the gospel in Ecuador!!

It is such a special time to be a missionary here in Ecuador right now.  We went to an event and all the missionaries sang.  There was a cute little slide show and a lot of typical dances of the country.  I was really just feeling some ECUADORIAN PRIDE!! 

Ok so i will start with Fernando.  He is a less actives husband.... he isnt a member.  We started teaching him at the start of this transfer. He is very catholic, and is afraid to pray and ask if the church is true.  We had a couple very spiritual lessons with him, but then a lot of things happened in their family and we couldnt go back until this week. We went to see his wife and she told us that Fernando had told her that she needed to call us because he feels something different when we are there teaching.  When we went we explained to him that what he feels when we are there really isnt because of us, it is the spirit. We had such an amazing lesson about Joseph Smith and the next day HE CAME TO CHURCH!!! We were so excited. 

Ok another miracle.  So we were contacting.  And we contacted this 18 year old boy named Andres.  He told us that we could come back the next day and that he was very interested in hearing our message.  Later that night we went to visit a recent convert.  We made a comment about the joven we had contacted and she told us that it was her nephew.  And that he was atheist!  She was SHOCKED that he would accept us.  So then  Hermana Costa and I were super stressed.... worried that he was just going to try to prove us wrong with science or something.  So we went the next day and he explained to us that he was atheist, but that as of late he felt a spiritual hunger and for that he let us in!  So we explained and invited him to pray.  And we invited him to baptism but he didnt accept,  but he did accpe to go to church.  At the end of the lesson he said his first prayer in 4 years and the spirit was SO STRONG!!!!  Hermana Costa and I left that appointment bouncing off the walls.  The next day, sure enough there he was in church.  We visited him later that day and we asked him if he had prayed after we left on Saturday and he said he had and felt that God was listening!  And he loved church.  So in that moment we invited him to baptism for the 19th of September and he accepted!  Such a miracle!  It really was a testimony to me that anyone that searches truth with true intent will find it.  

So i thought that i would give you guys maybe a rundown of what life is like here in Riobamba.  Well just something short.  First off, i dont know if i have told you guys this, but here in Ecuador the amount of rice we eat is..... we eat too much.  But i have become addicted.  I LOVE RICE!! If i eat lunch one day and there isnt rice, i find myself questioning if the person who prepared lunch is really from Ecuador.  

Also here in riobamba it is FREEZING!!! I freeze all the time.  

Ok so i will try to think of coooler things next week.  LOVE YOU ALL!!

Be happy because life is so good. 

hermana Nefi

Could Ecuador be any more beautiful?

My favorite food:

my comp likes taking pictures, haha:

I am obsessed with fried fish:

Divisions with Hermana Noreña! 

1 AÑO (1 YEAR) 8.24.15

H-O-L-A!

i hit one year this coming week and i dont want to talk about it. 

 THANK YOU MOM FOR THE PACKAGE YOU ARE THE BEST!!! 

This week has been great! We had divisions with Hermana Morán from California which was great!  

I love being able to go to other sectors and meet new people and help them in whatever small way i can.... even though it is hard for me to work outside of my own sector!  

So this week i had a really special experience.  We are teaching this man named Fausto.  He lives alone because most of his family has passed away.  This week we were teaching him about the Book of Mormon.  I was zoning out a little during the lesson because we had a member present and they were sharing a pretty long testimony.  Anyways all of the sudden Fausto interrupts (this is so embarrassing but i cant rememeber how you spell that word i have forgetten english) the member and asks me "hermana Neff, what was it like for you?"  Referring to how i gained my testimony of the Book of Mormon.  It caught me off gaurd and i sat there for a moment just... thinking.  Then i told him (it was like the words just came out without me doing anything... that happens a lot in the mission) that when i read the Book of Mormon i feel a security.  I feel a peace and love and joy.  I feel enlightened and i KNOW that these feelings come from the spirit.  I felt so edified after that lesson!  My testimony of the Book of Mormon was just completely strengthened in the moment!  I FELT IT. I know that this church is true because i know the Book of Mormon is true.  It is the foundation of my testimony-and in it contains all the doctrines and priciples most dear to me.  

We had a specialized conference this week and a conference with the Hermanas. Hermana Costa and I had to give the capacitation.  I wish i could share all of the strong spiritual things that happen to me in my mission.  The miracles i see everyday come from my ability to feel and respond to The Holy Ghost and the things that he teaches me everyday... as long as I am willing to listen.  

Being a missionary is so great!  I am truly loving my time here!  

Much love, 

Hermana Neff 

we went to this plsce called Guano today.. stay tuned for more pictures.  Brace yourselves.

this is one of my favorite plates here in Ecuador... Delicious:

my mummy boyfriend.  He is over 500 years old... no joke. And was obviously a catholic preacher here in Ecuador.  (shocker) 

 mumified with a mouse.  

peace. we were crackin up over this painting.

divisions with Hermana Romero!

so this is what happens when i am in charge of pressing the self timer on ALL the cameras:

Riobamba 8.17.15

Hello!

This week was very special because we were able to have a member of the 70, Elder Waddel, come and talk to us.  We had the conference in Ambato and i was SO HAPPY to see Ambato!  I saw members of the ward and people that i really really love.  So that was fun!  

Anyways Elder Waddel talked about some really special things.  What i found the most inspiring was how he told us that when we make fun of people that are obedient (in the mission but it also applies to everyone) we are making fun of the Savior himself, because he was the MOST obedient of us all.  There are so many people in this world that will laugh at us for our obedience the the commandments of God.  Paige in her email talked to me about how there is a lot of evil in this world, but that there is also a lot of good.  And we have the power to be that good!  The Savior is our perfect example, and he overcame ALL evil. we are representatives of Him in HIS church.... and we must act as He would.  Elder Waddell also talked about how God reserved us to be missionaries in this time, and that before this life we defended His plan of salvation.  It was a very spiritual experience to be able to listen to one of the chosen servants of The Lord.  

This week we got in a small car accident.  My companion and i are fine, but we were in a taxi and i saw the car coming towards where i was sitting, i screamed and the taxi driver swerved and the truck that hit us destroyed the front of the car.  My companion told me that she swears she saw the car coming directly toward the door where i was sitting, but it hit further up and no one was hurt.  It was a miracle and i know that God was protecting us!  My companion and I paid the taxi driver and walked away from the site so it wasnt too grave!  

Also, maybe you have heard... cotopaxi exploded!  I saw the lava coming towards the city and we had to run to high ground.  Luckily our house wasnt covered....

jaja just kidding cotopaxi is on the other side of the mountains so i cant even see it, and apparently it is shooting off ash towards Quito, so we didnt even know it happened!  But its pretty exciting here because that hasnt happened in a long time!  

In my study this morning i was reading a scripture that really touched me.  

John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

I think that there have been so many times in my life when.  I know what is right, I want to do what is right, and i feel that i should do what is right.... but then i dont do it!   And I feel sad and repent. Sometimes we arent as obedient as we should be, or we dont work  like we know we need to (shout out to sestra nydegger and her email this week) and sometimes we just simply fall short!  We are human, and we are going to make mistakes.  But if we KNOW that something is right then we better do it!  Because it is what truly makes us happy.  And if we dont know that these things are right and true, then we better work toward gaining a firm testimony, because it is the ONLY way to true happiness in this life. Our actions should always reflect our desires.  

I love the Lord.  I love my mission.  I am recognizing everyday the beauty of feeling the spirit and following it. I have learned that lots of times the spirit isnt a voice, nor a feeling.... but an righteous thought and idea, that when acted upon is powerful.  And as we act on this righteous thoughts and ideas, the spirit testifies to us that they come from him.  

I love you all! 

Have a HAPPY HAPPY week!!

Hermana Neff 

Riobamba 8.10.15

HI FAMILY!!

So i am starting to get in the groove of Riobamba!  This week the members made me feel so welcome on my birthday.  I will attach some pictures!  One thing i am loving about Riobamba is that the members are giving us REFERENCES!! A lot and we are seeing so much success and blessings because of it!   I feel like every week there are so many little miracles and things i could tell you, but i forget.  Mostly just know that the spirit is the best teacher and that i am LOVING this time with Hermana Costa!

Ok so mom wanted me to maybe send a little but of my insights talking about testimony and i think i have a few things to say on the matter!

First, if you want to gain a stronger testimony, there are three things that should become the main focus of your life.  They are

church attendance (attending all three meetings every sunday)

DAILY, MEANINGFUL scripture study

Daily prayer, (family and personal)

These three important things are the KEY to developing a strong testimony, a testimony that should be founded on the Savior Jesus Christ.

When we attend church, the most important thing that we should do is focus on the Savior.  Family and friend relationships are important, and should be strengthened while attending church... but if your heart is not focused on the Savior and His sacrifice (particularmente while you take the sacrament) your church attendance really cant serve you in the long run.  As the Savior speaks in 3 nephi 18 when Christ institutes the sacrament.

 12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock.

 13 But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them.

The second is daily scripture study.  A while back in my mission, President Christensen asked me what I was doing to strengthen my personal testimony.  I told him that i really didnt know.  He told me that i had to find a way to strengthen my testimony and suggested that i apply the Book of Mormon to my own life, everyday-focusing on the atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ.  As i have done this i have seen the blessings and my love for this book has grown immensly.  It is the foundation of my the testimony that i have of this church.

Third, daily and sincere prayer.  I have always prayed daily, my whole life.  But there have been many instances in which my prayers have been less than sincere.  As i have made the goal to truly converse with my Father in Heaven, i have felt His life, and learned to trust in Him and His timing.

On my mission, the truths of the gospel have become rooted deep into my heart.  I love them. As i ponder them, my heart and mind are filled with light, love, and understanding.  I know my Savior lives.  I know that His church was restored through the prophet Jospeh Smith, and that the evidence of this marvelous restoration is found in the Book of Mormon, which is the truest book that has ever been written.  How blessed we are to know of these beautiful truths, that allow us eternal happiness-happiness that will be felt with our dearest loved ones forever and ever.

Los quiero con todo mi corazón.

Hermana Neff

I taught the district how to sing happy birthday in english

the tradition here in ecuador is to shove the persons face in the cake.... 

The district bought me tres leches. Delicious!

i told you it was tradition 

I have fallen in love with fried fish

CHIMBORAZO!

i did divisions with Hermana Sangredi and it went great! She is from Bolivia the same city as my trainer.  

they took us to get papi pollo which is an ADDICTION