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)

YOU CAN'T FIND PARAISO IN GOOGLE MAPS

9/18/2017 (Neuland/Paraiso)

This week has been a good one. Well it always is hahaha. Tuesday we were in Filadelfia until the 11:30 colectivo, so we helped the Elder Singer and Elder Hermansen with a service project moving a bunch of dirt and leveling a backyard. We took the colectivo home, and I wasn't feeling too good as we got there, and spent the next 2 days going back and forth from the bathroom. Something that I ate on Pday didn't settle well I guess. Wednesday evening I felt good enough to walk, so we went out to visit people. Thursday we went to Paraiso, the other area that's about 70 km from Neuland where we have a lot of members. We asked the mission Cartero (librarian) to make a map for us for Paraiso, but it turns out there is NOTHING on Google maps. The finance secretary, Elder Hill, tried looking on Google maps, but there is no satellite imaging for that region aka it is in the middle of nowhere. It's honestly a testimony to me that we as missionaries get to go there because it's so out in the middle of nowhere. The Lord knows every one of his children, and is there for all of us. We timed our journey pretty bad again, because everyone got on a truck to go visit Neuland as we got there. We did find a few people to teach. Friday night got so cold that Elder Castañeda had to borrow one of my blankets. We went home to Neuland for the weekend, and brought our mini fridge from Paraiso to use, since we haven't had a working fridge in a few weeks. Sunday I had a talk in church about the Plan of Salvation,and we had a good day as usual, with the slight exception of the fire alarm. We were weekly planning and it went off. We tried EVERYTHING to stop it, turn it off, even cover up the sound. Nothing worked and we had to rip it apart. WE think all the dust in the air caused it to go off. The shut off and emergency shut off, power off switches didn't do a thing hahaha. Today we are in Filadelfia to write y'all again, since there still isn't a roof on the chapel in Neuland! We have a good number of investigators that are progressing. We have been working on reactivating families,because just one person has a lot of strength but families are even stronger. We have seen the changes in the lives of the members as they come back, and we have seen the changes in the lives of many investigators when they take up the offer from Christ to"Come unto Me". When we have faith and repent, we are blessed. Thank you all for your prayers and emails! As a side note, I take picture of all my emails to read them after, so y'all can write me emails as long as you want! It's always nice getting all the emails. Have a great week everyone!

Pictures:

1 Service project in Filadelfia.

2 We got to the house in Paraiso and all our little friends mobbed us.

3 There is no place like Paraiso.

4 We got to go see the carboneria (carbon is what they use here instead of charcoal; basically burned wood) which is the business that the whole community works in.

5 Carboneria oven.

6 From what I understand, they pack wood inside the oven, then seal it with mud, then dump gasoline in and light a fire. It burns for a couple days then they pour water in to put the fire out. They then seal it up again til the water dries up, then take the burned wood and cut it up, put it in bags and sell it to everyone.

7 Sealed up oven. It has holes for the smoke and air.

8 On the left, Estaban Rodriguez. He's the landlord of the house/church in Paraiso. On the right is Francisco Paclusi,the group leader and translator for us missionaries.

9 Tapir tracks.

10 Pig skull. Everything here is dangerous, from the pigs that have big teeth to the lions, spiders and anacondas that are found in the region.

11 The Chaco is one of those place where you really don't want to get lost! It's awesome.

12 WE COULD NOT STOP THE ALARM and we have a lot of neighbors, so we had to... turn the sound off. The shut off button didn't do anything, nor did the emergency shut off switch on the back. We tried stuffing it under blankets, everything! Eventually we just had to let it go.

13 Eating at our kitchen table... oh never mind we're in Paraiso. Don't worry Mom, we make really good food (including soups)!

14 The trees here are pretty cool.

15 It is warming up a little!