Encarnacion 5

7 December 2015
Semana 35

And today they're playing avril lavigne...and i like avril lavinge...:( but i`ll turn on the approved tunes now...

okay. this week was long. and good. and difficult, but good.

and here`s the brief play by play...

Martes: we had a cita with an antiguo investigador, Alejandro. The missionaries passed him a Book of Mormon about a month back, but when they met him he seemed really closed off in his religion (Evangelico) so they didn't think too much about it when they weren't able to meet with him again. BUT last Friday we ran into him and he invited us to return to teach. MOST SPIRITUAL LESSON OF THE MISSION! Seriosuly, this kid is incredible! 21, ex con, completely turned his life around, and devotes just about every moment to the Lord. Really the only thing he`s missing is the preisthood. He believe Joseph Smith really was a prophet (GOLDEN) and is going to keep praying and reading the Book of Mormon to know if its true...more on him later.

Miercoles:

I GOT A PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the one that was meant for Halloween lol. I`m definitely not going to complain, because when that Reeces peanut butter cup melted in my mouth...it was a spiritual experience...also I got a SHOE!!!! yeah, only one, for precautionary reasons of course, but one is definitely better thank none. Sure, they`re a little hideous, but .....SO COMFORTABLE!!!!!

HAPPY FEET = HAPPY MISSIONARY


But actually, I have no shoes...so I may or may not have been fasting for another package to come.

Jueves:

In the morning we did some exploring in part of our area called San Miguel. I knew it was the promised land as soon as I got off of the colectivo. Right in front of the stop was a used clothing store. The shoes I had been wearing were literally falling apart at the seams, so when I noticed a pair of oxfords, for 20 mil (4 dollars), I was very very happy.
It looks like missionaries haven't made the trek out their for a long time, so we don't have any information about it. Like the usually, they didn't have any street signs or numbers or anything, so we really we`re on our own. Which can be frustrating, because in Oberà I learned to love looking at a map, but who doesnt love a good adventure right?

This really is the challenge with the area, and Paraguay all together, is that it`s all uncharted. Google maps hardly help, and no one knows street names or the number of their own house. Its really helping me to strengthen my memory and knack for describing locations with colors and old ladies sitting under watermellon stands, but...these types of directions are never usable when new missionaries come in to the area.

But...it was awesome and we got a few new investigators!

Viernes:

We had another lesson with Alejandro, and after roll-playing (which I hate, but I swear by it and it works!!!!) the lesson went EXACTLY as planned. I had the opportunity to share both the first vision and invite him to baptism. incredible. the spirit was amazing and so powerful. He agreed the what he was feeling was the holy ghost too, which was such a powerful response. He committed to praying about whether he needed to be baptized again, to come to church, and to keep reading the book of Mormon!!!!

Sabado:

ADVENTURES IN SAN BLAS!!!!

San Blas has a bad reputation because 30years ago the missionaries got kidnapped for a few days. But this was 30 years ago, they were two Americans, and...it was 30 years ago, my companion and I don`t look American, and its part of our area for a reason so we felt we should go.

AND IT WAS AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL!!!

nothing but wide open space, and plantations for miles. Walking for miles under the hot sun, with grass taller than my head...THIS is what I pictured the mission to be haha. Also, generally the further you get from the city the nicer the people are, which I found to be true.

The unfortunate happpening was that those 4 dollar shoes that I bought on Thursday completely fell apart; so bad that we walked the last half mile to the bus stop, barefoot. I say we, because Hermana Aquino is fiel and joined me in my misery.  We waited 2 hours for the bus to come. There was no bathroom to be found in all the land.

Domingo:

the good: I GOT ANOTHER PACKAGE WITH ANOTHER SHOE!!!!!
but...it was a DIFFERENT shoe. AHhhhhh !!!  so now my two shoes are waiting for their friends to also cross the border. haha but still grateful still very grateful.
the bad: No Alejandro at church :( This meant no baptism before the Navidad, which I was honestly really devastated about. I feel like I`ve been giving it my all. Exercising my faith. Repenting, praying for strength, diligence, the self control to be exactly obedient, and yet we aren`t going to make this goal...But...this past transfer and the challenge from President to have a baptism before Christmas has change my mentality entirely about the mission. Before I was content to only be a seed planter, but now I WANT A BAPTISM. And I will do whatever it takes to find that person that needs me. In his time, I know I will find them.

This week I`ll be ponderizing Mosiah 2:17 "serve others, serve your king!"

The biggest thing I`m learning from my time here in Rama 3, is being willing to give my time to other people. The passports have us running so many errands for missionaries and the mission that it takes a lot of time away from doing the work that I was called to, which is so frustrating. But I`m coming to fully understand and except that this is my calling. That through my paperwork and passport duties, I am serving Him, in a different, but entirely necessary way.

I am happy. So very undeniably happy. But...I will be happy once I receive my OTHER shoes haha :) .....pray for me that I receive my other packages lol I`m currently proselyting in

Converse.  Love it ! 

love you alllll!

chau chau

hermana cannon