Sister Jenika Hull will be serving in the Ecuador, Quito North mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Follow her weekly updates here............

Monday, April 25, 2016

Sometimes this title thing is hard....

Mama,

Your week sounds yet again a great time with so many things that are going on. I feel it may only get worse as the school year is getting nearer to the end but I don't know. I am not there! Jasmine did send me some pictures of her engagement. They are SUPER cute!! I am happy that things are getting put together and that is just great!!  Sister Campbell is the best! She is so kind and charitable. Really she is an example to us all!!

As for my card I have not got it yet. We only get pouch or the mail like every two weeks and sometimes longer because we are quite a ways away from Quito. But there should be one this week and so that will be good. I will let you know if I get it this week!!

For the call on Mother´s day we haven't been told anything yet but when I know I will let you know!!! I really can't believe it has been like almost 5 months since we talked on Christmas....time is flying and i really don't like it to much...... :p

Well to tell you a bit about Hermana Israelsen.....She is just one of my very bestest friends in the mission. She is great. I met her back in Ofelia when she was born...started her mission.  It was my change I had just got to Carcelen that she started. She is great. We were together for 3 changes there and then she left to come to Ibarra and then I followed after. We are in the same branch and district. So that is super cool. She is kind of like I believe his name is Elder Jacobson that Jordan met on his mission. Just a super solid missionary. She is just really one of my best friends. Her mom writes me too, like every week since I got to Ibarra. They are just really amazing people. She is from Alpine and is 19 :D

This week was another normal one.....except that I had to go to Quito again. My companion had to have a medical appointment and well she can't go alone.....I just can't seem to get enough of that place. I hope we don't have anything like that come up this week well because we have lots of work to do this week getting the familia Bermudez all ready to have there interview for there baptism. There papers all came through and so they can now get married!! WOOOHOOO!!!#hugemiracle They are so great. Just keep Santiago in your prayers. He is the 14 year old and is having some struggles and really at this time, if he doesn't change his mind he won't be getting baptised with his family. I really understand where he is coming from though. Since they are refugees they can't study or really do much. He is stuck inside all day in this new country and his parents are trying to get a third country....which means they would have to move again but the benefits are huge. He got taken away from his friends and doesn't have many here at all and sometimes he just feels like everything the church is his parents are just making him do it. So please keep him specifically in your prayers. He needs them....not just to get baptised but to know that this is where he will find peace. I love this family so much and they are taking the steps to truly come unto our Savior. The Hermana gave up her coffee this week...HUGE MIRACLE and they are doing everything possible to have this covenant with the Lord.
I had to give an impromtu talk yesterday....I didn't shake like I have ever since I had to start giving talks when I was a little beehive....improvement :D

I am so thankful for missionary work. This is the work of the Lord and I am just so thankful for the time I have to be here. You asked me to share a bit. Well I can honestly say that this is the best thing I have ever chosen to do in my life. It is hard....harder than having knee surgery or getting cut from the soccer team. There is rejection all the time. Everyday at least one door is slammed in my face but usually many, many more. But all that together makes it the best thing ever because I have grown closer to my Savior. I can honestly say that I know him on a personal level now. Not perfectly but a lot better than I use to. I have become better by every companion that I have had. I have not had perfect companions and I am not the perfect companion either but I know that God puts us together for a reason because of what we need to learn from each other. I have been so blessed by each one of them. I have also been blessed to find why I was sent here to Ecuador. I know that some of the people that have touched me have changed me more than any other person. I have learned the power of humility and how I have to work at it everyday to become more like the Savior. Really, all in all, I just am super blessed to be here. I have seen so many miracles but I think the biggest one is that I truly feel more converted to this Gospel and my Savior. I have been changed through giving my life to him and that is all I want to do with the days he allows me to be here. I love him and I know he Lives. I know that He is all powerful and all knowing and has given all so that we can live with him again.

I love you all so much!! You are the Best!!!
LOVE
Hermana Hull

PS  I eat a lot of food......that is why i am eating in like 3 pics









Monday, April 18, 2016

Earthquake....what can i say!

Mama,

I am good. I am safe and doing well. It is crazy that I was in a earthquake but that was just the end to a crazy week. So here I will tell you a bit more.

Well Hermana Cortez is now the MTC. I was with Hermana Hermann for the rest of the week because she is in a trio. But she is not my comp. We had changes and now I am with Heremana Contreras. She is from my group and is from California but grew up in Mexico. She is 21 and will be going home in October because she spoke Spanish.

The familia Bermudez is doing good. They are going to get married within the next 2 week and then get baptized the 7th of May and so that is super exciting. A miracle happened. Hermano Omar doesn't have to work Sundays anymore. That was a huge concern but now Heavenly Father has truly let me see this miracle and they are continuing to have more every single day.

Well now to the part you have all been waiting for....Earthquake......

So Saturday night at about 6pm I got to the church with Hermana Hermann to have our weekly meeting with the Lider Misional(Ward Mission Leader). Are whole district was there because we have correlation together every week. So we were going and then all the sudden the table started to move. For a moment we thought it was Elder Fillmore who was moving the table but then he stopped and it wasn't just the table moving but my chair and the ground. So we just left the room because our chapel is open and so we headed out. It was weird to walk. It almost felt like I was walking up and down little hills or like on a ride that they have the weird moving ground. We were a little bit freaked and so as missionaries we stood together and prayed. It was a bit unnerving to have something that is suppose to be stable under you move. It lasted for about 5 minutes and we were out in the open area. At the end that is when all the lights went out. Like all for probably 2 minutes and then part of them came back on. It was crazy but I felt the spirit cuz the little primary kids starting singing "I am a child of God. That was good. So over all it was just a bit nerve wracking but everything here in Ibarra is fine. No damage done here, which is a blessing. We were prepared and are just staying that way because they say that in these few weeks coming up there might be more.

What I have come to know though is that God does protect his missionaries. It is true. None of us were hurt even in the places where damage was done. The only major thing that happened is that some Elders in the coast couldn't get to there house that night because the stairs collapsed but they weren't even near there. I know it is because we are set apart. Not going to lie I was a bit shaken but then at night I laid down and just thought of all the prayers from everywhere especially my family and friends and how God listens to those prayers.
I love being a missionary and love life here. All is well where I am at, so don't worry.
LOVE YOU TONS
Hermana Hull



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Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Hello and Goodbye in the same breath

Hey Mama

Sorry i didnt write yesterday. We were in Quito at the house of president having a  bbq and we only have a half hour to write today and so here it is short and sweet.

This was a good week. We stayed over in Quito again last thursday for my comp to get her passport. And now she is flying out today. I will be with the hermana leaders and will enjoy being with them for these few days. They are cool.

I know that the Lord loves us and is wartching out for each one of us and cares about how we feel and how we are able to grow. I know the book of mormon is true and is the word of God. I know that i am suppose to be here in ecuador in this sector.  I am being so blessed and love the lord sooo super much that everyday i want to be a bit better to help him out in his work.

Love you all a ton
Love
Hermana Hull

I will add a few pics

I got my package this week :D








Monday, April 4, 2016

TEMPLE...........IN.............QUITO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mama,

WELL CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW BLESSED THIS LITTLE COUNTRY OF MINE IS BEING? WELL A LOT BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING ANOTHER TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T EVEN STAND IT AT ALL. I YELLED TOO, WITH ALL YOU AND THOUGHT HOW BLESSED MY BEAUTIFUL ECUADORIAN PEOPLE ARE AND HOW I WILL BE AT THAT DEDICATION IN JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay I will stop using capslock but I mean I had to get the excitement out and it was the only way to get it to you because I cant do it any other way. It is just such a huge blessing that we have been praying for....well many have been praying for for a very very long time. We are so blessed to have so many temples in this crazy world. Where we can go and enter into the real life and have the instruction of our Heavenly Father. I am just so blessed to be here at this time. I love the temple and love Ecuador and the 2 together just make it even better!!!

Well sounds like you have had a wonderful week. With lots of little different things to do. That is super great and makes me very happy.

Well another abnormal missionary week has happened yet again. I had to go to Quito (cough cough....where the temple will be built ;P) with my companion this time. She has to go to the US embassy and have her interview to get her visa. She got it!! She will be leaving the 11 of abril(April) and will go to the MTC in Provo and then to her mission in Rochester New York. That was another crazy trip to Quito. And makes our life a little bit more crazy. We have to have her all ready and set, like I am her mom, to go to her mission in another country. We have to make sure she has all her paper work done and have to go back to Quito again to receive her passport with her visa for her flight on the 11th. Craziness. I feel sometimes I get put into crazy situations like this to make me even more grateful for the time that I do have to work with these wonderful people. Not that I don't give thanks for it every single day but that it makes it even more special for me when I do.

The familia Bermudez had a few registros(record) issues to be married this past week. They haven't made it from Colombia yet but soon very soon. Please pray to help us find a way to get everything in order!!

Well as you all know General Conference was this passed weekend. And was better than Christmas. I loved it so much and am so grateful for the time that I have to be able to listen to the prophets, seers, and revelators of our time in this crazy world. Every single word was inspired to help us and allow us to feel the spirit to grow and change. One of my very favorites was by Elder Eyring. It was an answer to a question. How can I show my love for the Savior even more?? To become closer to him. To make the choice not only during the conference but during my whole life that I can become closer to him and choose to move in the direction towards him rather than away. The way to do that is to make the choice and then be confident in following the Holy Ghost and through him you will get closer to him. I also loved the talk from Elder Ballard. I have learned too that it is the best way to overcome problems through talking and counseling together. There is no other way and when we do that we are stronger together than we are apart. The last one I really loved....that I would like to mention because I loved every single one and learned a ton.....was from Elder Holland. The love that He was able to share was masterful. It wasn't just the love but the message that I get points for trying. I am not going to be perfect in this life and will make mistakes but my Heavenly Father loves me infinitely and will never change that. I have been struggling a bit with self doubt for a while here in the mission. That I am not good enough and struggling to grow and change but with that I know that I am able to to do all this through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know he lives and loves each of us. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week. Keep studying the Conference talks they are truly scripture.

LOVE YOU!!
Hermana Hullç

PS I haven't got any of the cards yet or packages but I hope this week because we will get pouch