Great Week, Great Mission, Discouraging...but with a Baptism!

It was a great week--that is pretty much all I have to say. 

So the mission has gotten amazing. And what I mean is the Ecuador Quito mission has developed into an excellent mission. It just feels like great things are happening here every day. We are having so much success right now as a mission and all the missionaries are great missionaries. That really makes my life easier. I am a Zone Leader and I have to do almost nothing because the missionaries in my Zone are so great. Everyone here wants to work and be obedient and all I have to do is raise their vision and cheer them on. It is awesome.

So right after writing last Monday we caught a bus and went to Quito for Mission Leadership Council. We stayed the night in the secretary's house and it was fun talking with the other Zone Leaders. One missionary who is pretty crazy, Elder Wilson, was telling us all about the new diet he was on and what foods are bad for you. At first I laughed at him because I thought a good dinner was a roll of oreos and some milk. But later on it got me thinking and to be a better missionary I need to take care of my body better so I am trying to eat healthier. I still have never bought a vegetable in my entire mission and do not plan on changing that, but I am buying way more fruit. And it is actually cheaper buying water rather than Coca-Cola.

It was such a humbling experience being in the Mission Leadership Council because I was one of the youngest missionaries there. It was also so edifying because I learned so much and with the mission doing so well, President and Sister Barlow were really happy for us. 

Yesterday was a little difficult for me and Elder Brown. When no one comes to church it feels like all your labors of the week were in vain. Also we have experienced a ton of opposition here. Not really that much but a lot of people seem like they are doing good and are preparing for baptism and boom, they disappear on us. It seems that a lot of people run into Anti-Mormon material and suddenly do not want us to pass by. It is frustrating because I love these people but it is a part of the mission. 

And I cannot complain because we had another baptism this weekend. Her name is Elizabeth and her husband is a member. She is pregnant with her first child and they want an eternal family. It was so great seeing her take this covenant upon her. I love the mission.

So why is the mission doing so well? President Barlow is the greatest. He has slowly changed the mission culture and raised our vision. He has made this mission more loving and humble by his example and his teachings. Now my goal is to baptize every week of my mission. It is not easy and with more success means more failure but it is awesome. I am trying to become a machine. I dream about the work, I talk about the work, I think about the work. It is so fulfilling to give everything to a great cause. I feel the Lord is changing me into something great.

So Elder Brown and I came to a conclusion this week. It is this: the Bible videos are way better in Spanish. Like so much better in Spanish. I never really liked the Bible videos before the mission and I think it is because the British accents they use. But man, hearing Jesus saying Vosotros sounds really cool. So Mom and Gavin y'all should watch the Bible videos in Spanish.

So Elder Brown is a straight baller. He has a huge drive to work hard and help our zone so we have so much fun every day. He also is really smart so we have great conversations. When you get along with your companion, the mission is amazing. When we have sad moments we lift each other up and we build off of each other`s ideas.

Ambato is super rich and clean. I have seen three Porsches here in three weeks. That is more than I have seen my first year of the mission. If it weren't for the super strong sun here I could totally see myself living here. 

Loving life, trying to be the best missionary I can be. Trying to bring more souls unto repentance. 

Elder Tucker