ONE YEAR DOWN

Mon., 10/9/2017 (Neuland/Paraiso)

It has been a good week, and a fast one too. We started out with Monday, and celebrated 1 year in the mission for Elder Brower, Elder Whipple and I, and 2 years for Elder Singer with Shish kabobs! This district we have had for the last 2 changes was awesome! We stilll aren't done yet, but changes are coming up next week! Tuesday Elder Castañeda and I got back to business. It has been HOT lately, and our water bottles last us about 10 minutes until we have to ask for water, but it's awesome. Friday night we got some rain in which was awesome, because it is really dusty here and the rain cakes it down. Saturday we had a big day. Nicacio and Fiorella, a couple we have been teaching, had their baptismal service planned. The assistants of the mission came to do the interviews. Nicacio ended up having to have an interview with Pte Evans, but Pte Evans also just happened to be there! Nicacio is a man that had a lot of stuff happen in his past, and was very joyful when we taught about Christ and repentance. He has had a lot of miracles happen, and has changed so much in the time we've known him. He and Fiorella wanted to get married to provide a better home for their daughters, and be closer as a family. He read Moroni 10:3-5 on his own, and did what it says. He asked God what the truth was and received an answer! We are honestly so happy for them-. Anyways, since it rained so much and we are in the middle of the Chaco, the judge was unable to come Saturday because the roads were impossible to travel for his moped. We did however have a barbecue with all the members, and postponed til the next day. Sunday we had their marriage, their baptisms, and then church. This week we have been very focused on trials. We will always have trials and problems, but it's more important to think about what we do with the trials that we have. Will we be like Nephi and Sam, or will we be like Laman and Lemuel? I personally want to be like Nephi. Life is hard, but we just have to dig in and put in work. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Pictures:

1 Shish kabobs again!

2 The whole Chaco district!

3 We burned a shirt for our year mark!

4 And let me tell you it has been a FAST year! Fun one too!

5 Nicacio and Fiorella got married! Also pictured is the judge that came from 55 km away to marry them!

6 They then got baptized!

7 It was a good day!

8 Nicacio and Elder Castañeda.

9 Fiorella and I.

10 Hermana Evans dropped us off a bag of oranges because they are super expensive in the Chaco.

11 The Elders from Loma Plata decided to bike to Filadelfia for P-day and district meeting, which is about 20 miles of dust dust dust and more dust. Their new bikes were recently taken out of Yby Yau (my old area)

CONFERENCE(S) WEEK

Mon., 10/2/2017 (Neuland/Paraiso)

It has been a really great week! Not so busy in Neuland but everywhere else, yes. We started off ending P-day with some really good chipa in Asuncion, then we went to stay with the office elders for the night. Tuesday we had zone conference about Justice and Mercy. It really went well with the general conference topics which will be mentioned later. We took a colectivo of 43 and 44 seats back to the Chaco. That's unfortunate because Elders Stark's and Whipple's tickets were for seats 45 and 46. The bathroom occupied that space, so they stood the whole way. That's a feat, as it left at 11 pm and got in around 6 or 7 am. We got back to Neuland Wednesday afternoon (we had to take a second colectivo) and we went to all our investigators really fast since we didn't have much time for the week. Friday we got the chapel ready for general conference, and got the computer ready, because we went to Abundancia to watch conference in English. That evening we got a ride from the building maintainence guy to Abundancia. We stayed there for general conference til Sunday, when we walked 4 or 5 km to get to the closest place where the colectivos stop. We are in Filadelfia for the day today, with cinnamon rolls for the year mark of my mission! And also Elder Brower and Elder Whipple who are in the district. That's the week!

General conference was great. The speakers were all direct, and it was awesome! Really so awesome. They talked a lot about how we are all not perfect, how we all make mistakes but we need to do all we can to try to be perfect. They talked a lot about faith and how we need to have it and strengthen it. We heard about how it is IMPOSSIBLE that the Book of Mormon isn't true. It's impossible. If you don't believe me watch conference again because it was in SO many talks, especially Tad R Callister's talk. I think it is quite clear that how the church is, it is and nobody is going to change it. The doctrine is simple and pure, and people trying to change it are wasting their time. The best part, personally for me, was when Elder Hallstrom asked us if we have the faith to be healed. He then asked us IF WE HAVE FAITH TO NOT be healed. Wow that is a good question. Do we? Do I? Do you? If that answer isn't a yes, make it one! Also, another interesting point is that President Monson was not there in person. I don't know about y'all, but I heard his name and voice in Every single talk. Our prophet has counseled us to read our scriptures. Let's do it! Robert D Hales also passed away. It's sad but not, at the same time, because he was a great man and taught us a lot. Russell M. Nelson, who skipped part of conference to be there with him, is also a good example, of leaving what's important to you to serve others. Service was also brought up a lot. We need to love others and serve. This was by far the best conference I have been to, and I didn't miss a single talk! We watched it all, and I agree with everything every speaker said. The book is blue, the church is true. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Have a great week!

Pictures:

1 Eating chipa in Asuncion.

2 A 6th consecutive Zone Conference with Elder Villacresses (Assistant to the Mission President now)

3 Elder Hermansen and I both have name tags in German; you have to be able to bear your testimony to qualify.

4 I saw a few elders from past Zones.

5 My old Zone Leader Elder Pace is going home this change.

6 My old Zone Leader Elder Grey.



7 It got a little warm in Neuland... That's 46 degrees... Celcius.

8 Elder Castañeda cutting trees down during a service project.

9 And there I am up in a tree cutting them down too.

10 We cut down a few trees right next to the Nivacle Catholic Chapel (the neighbors are members).

11 As we cut trees down, a small army marched past with flags made of bags and shouting (translated to English) Champions! Wee Oh Wee! Champions! Wee O Wee!

12 This tree wouldn't go down! And yes we cut them down with a machete.

13 There is the Nivacle Community Monument.

14 They "fixed" the chapel.

15 Conference in Abundancia in English with Elder Brower, Elder Starks, and Elder Whipple.

16 We had to cook out for Priesthood Session of General Conference.

17 We ate Peruvian lomitos.

18 The Abundancia chapel at night.

19 And by day.

20 It got cold for the other elders who all had blankets last night in Filadelfia, but there weren't enough blankets so Elder Brower and I suffered it out with wet towels hahaha.

21 We all made cinnamon rolls for p-day.

22 Elder Brower wanted to roll some connamon rolls too.

23 There's the cinnamon.

24 Word is on the street that Elder Brower and Elder Castañeda are just going to switch when we have changes... well that's not true but it's what we all want so we can all stay in the same District more time together.

25 Prepping for the oven.

26 Ready to raise.

27 I stir the icing, I eat it, right?

28 Elder Starks and Elder Whipple, sleeping.

29 Cool baptism photos from Abundancia.

30 same

31same

32 The Abundancia Elders house's doorknob...

Cookout, baptism, and Pday service projects!

Mon., 9/25/2017 (Neuland/Paraiso)

It has been a fast-paced week, and we are out of time so here's the week.
We cooked some shish kabobs for P-day. The rest of the week was spent teaching a lot of great people. We had Elder Whipple and his companion Elder Starks come in Friday for baptismal interviews. Saturday we had the baptism of Rosilda. She is 10 years old and is a cousin of our convert, Jose Julian. We thought her parents were members, but found out this Sunday that they aren't, so hopefully they will also be progressing. Rosilda was really excited, even though the water was COLD hahaha. Saturday before the baptism we took advantage of realllllly nice weather (clouds) and got in some yard work at the chapel. Sunday we taught Primary (first time we have had it) and got ready in the evening hours and traveled all night to Asuncion. The 8 elders from the Chaco were all together with the office elders and Assistants today, and they asked us if 2 elders could help with a service project. Service projects are fun, so we volunteered (Elder Castañeda and I). It ended up taking all of P-day and we still haven't eaten all day, but it was a lot of fun. We moved boxes, fans, mattresses, and a lot of other things for hours for a dental (nonprofit?), from a military hospital to another building. Sorry I'm out of time, but I hope you all have a good week, and don't forget to look for someone to serve this week!

Pictures:

1 We had a cookout for P-day (the Filadelfia Elders' landlord supplied the materials)!

2 Shish-kabobs!

3 Peach pie and ice cream included!

4 President Evans asked the mission to cover up all the graffiti in our houses so we got to it with the spray pain

5 Yard work

6 We trimmed a few trees

7 Baptism of Rosilda

8 That water was COLD.

9 VERY COLD but the spirit was strong.

10 Our colectivo yesterday had some weird party bus lighting going on.

11 Service project deep into the south mission, for "Operation Smile."

12 We got t-shirts! (with the Assistants)