6/29/15 email

Okay so tomorrow is changes or well we find out what happens! Eep! I have no idea whats going to happen, holy cow! But what ever happens happens, que sera sera :)  

So nothing super exciting happened this week. Well so Saturday night I woke up and it was raining, not super hard but I started praying anyway that people would still go to church. In the morning it was just sprinkling it might have rained hard for a few minutes but not much. Well we went  to find everyone to bring to church but we had no luck. We got into the church and it was dead. It wasnt even raining and it was dead. there were maybe 5 men 1 primary leader and 1 little girl and 4 relief society sisters and no young men or women. It was the saddest thing I have ever seen in my life. Really it was horrible. Well time went on and a few more people came. Out of 8 recent converts we only had 2 rosemeri and pedro. Out asistencia (I dont know that word in english) was 52!! That stinks on ice!! Well we made a plan of action to save Molino, we'll see what happens. But yeah

Oh and then Isidro didnt come either!! And  Rosio said she doesn't want to talk to us or get married any more. sheesh!  that was rough, we have some work to do. But the Lord has his timing and we have work to do so its all good! 

And um.... I cant really think of anything else. Oh! Saturday for lunch we made a really good chicken salad. haha its not too cold not too hot pretty nice. The Pope (el Papa) is coming July 10 so that should be interesting. 

We had a cool noche de hogar Saturday night with the familia Cabello it was crazy because there are 10 kids and one on the way and the mom and the dad. and their kids are crazy crazy but it was fun. I made banana bread and brownies :) And si That was my week! 

 Love you all, 

Hermana Collins

19th email

This week like so many others was nuts (like all the Paraguayans this week) Tuesday was normal, we were still showering with cold water, well I was heating hot water and showering with buckets still and starting to get a cold. And it has been pretty chilly outside and especially at night. I sleep in my pájamas and a sweatshirt and socks and 3 blankets. We had nothing but the oven to heat our house! 

Then Wednesday we had a conference with a 70, Elder Gonzolez. That was really cool, it was with casi (almost) all the missionaries in the mission except the ones out in the middle of no where. We all went to Moroni, where the temple is. We had to be there at 12:30 so we left at 10 ish to take collectivos and to be able to eat something first. So then we were all in the chapel sitting waiting for the meeting to start and studying and talking to other missionaries. It didn't start until like 1:30 but before that we all got to go up and greet Elder Gonzolez and his wife. That was cool. And I found out there are mostly Americans as missionaries and then Peruanos. First President and sister McMullin spoke and then elder and sister Gonzolez spoke. it was really good! Hermana Gonzolez spoke about the book of Mormon and how cool it is that we can be here teaching the descendants of the book of Mormon the people of Nephi! Which really is cool. And they talked about contacting and teaching and listening to the spirit and baptizing. It was really good. Then we got to take a picture with him (as a mission ) I hope I'm in it because I was in the back haha and then it was about 6 and we had to wait for a collectivo. Then we took one that was PACKED I stood in the most uncomfortable position for about an hour and a half Then some hermanas wanted to sing so all of us missionaries sang hymns all the way home. that was interesting but passed time... Then we got back to our house around 8 and we went out and tried to find one of our investigators but she wasn't home so we went home and studied for half an hour. Very eventful :) and my back hurt worse from sitting than walking all day with my backpack. But it was really good. 

Then Thursday was normal, 

Friday yeah that was normal too But we got out water fixed yay now I can shower normal incase you were all wondering. But I got a stupid cold from it.

Saturday we visited Isidro our investigator and his girlfriend Rosio who is a member. Well they have a son and are not married and he wants to be baptized and she doesn't want to get married. But we fasted and prayed a lot for them. Aaaaannnd Saturday she said she would get married and go to church and before he told us that she wanted a book of Mormon and to go to church!!! Ohh we were so happy!!!! Woo! We're gonna have a wedding and a baptism!! Oh I'm so excited! I just hope I don't get transferred. We have changes next week and his date of for the 4th of July. But what ever happens it will happen so its all good! Its just so exciting! :) I cant believe it these 6 weeks just flew by!  

And then Sunday was el Dia del Padre and wow these people are nuts! There was a ton of drinking a partying and craziness and loud music and asado(bbq) I don't really like asados you get a chunk of meat ( I don't know what part it is) but you can't chew it its so tough you chew a little for the flavor and then have to spit it out haha but we ate other things. 

And si. Yesterday and today were warmer it will probably be warm until we get another storm. I like the cold. There's lost of chipa and everyone is bundled up and drinking mate. And its not hot. Now it is in the 20's in Celsius 25 ish I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit.

And that's pretty much it! Live is good with hot water of course, even with out it it was fine. And the work goes on. :) You're all amazing I love you so much! Have the best week ever! 

Love Hermana Sarah

 

18th Email

So. This week like every other was kind of crazy. Tuesday we had interviews with the Presidente and  a training. We had to be at our stake center at 1 so we got there and were studying and filling out a paper for our interview until like 3ish and then we started the capacitacion ( training) with the APs and Hermana Lideres and that was good then we got to do interviews. First we went in as a companionship and he just asked aobut our goals and numbers then he interviewed Hermana Aguilar and then me. The first thing he said was that my spanish was really good! I said the opening prayer for our interview as a companionship. He was really imipressed. And really I have been so blessed, I can communicate really well not perfect and sometimes I still struggle but to look at where I was and where I am it is really good. The gift of tounges is so real and Heavnly Father has blessed me so much I can understand and speak and express myself even! Its so cool! Then we just talked about the kind of missionary I want to be and how I am doing. It was all really positive and happy! That's good. And then he gave me carrot cake! thats good too :) So then we finished the training and by then it was like 7:30! Some other leaders were there for 12 hours! holy cow! so we got to visit one person before we had to walk home. 

Then Wedneday was wednesday and Thursday we had divisiones (exchanges) With the Hermana Lideres I went with Herman Morales (from Uruguay) to her area and the other came here to Molino. It was really good, It was really rainy but really fun. She is so sweet and loves to talk and laugh. Their area is really small and they have a kind of out in the middle of no where part that is dangerous at night so we contacted on the main road and ate Lomitos (there's a picture of me and her and our lomitos) Then the next morning we changed back and it was a chilly morning and we were waiting for them to meet us, and we had chipa for breakfast. But it was cool, I gained a greater appreiciation for my companion and our area and really you can never compare everything is so different. 

Thursday ya paso...Friday tambien

Saturday okay so we were contacting a street and clapped at a house and an older lady came to the gate and said she was with her mom and she was catholic and her mom she said was some other weird religion (she said it like that) and in my head I was wondering what religion it could be. But she said we could come in and share a lesson. So we went in and there was her mom in a chair drinking mate and she looked 80 something and we were talking and then we sang a hymn  and then she asked what chrurch we were with again and she said oh los mormones! yes. She said the elders had come a few times but freaked out when she prayed ( and again I am wondering what religion she is because she said they said no no you cant pray like that, or something like that ) well we ask if we can pray and we do then we talk some more about religion and she says she is pentocostal. And in my head I was trying to think of the things I knew about that religion but I couldn't remember. Well I found out. I guess when the feel the spirit they like to scream and shout. It scared me so bad the first time. and they she was talking about some really wierd stuff. And she would scream every now then then and I was looking to my comp like, we need to go this is going no where but she kept giving the lesson... yeah. This lady was talking and talking and would not stop. but finally we ended and asked if we could pray. She said she could pray and then her daughter was like well I only have a few minutes I'll just go. Apparently they pray for a looooooooong time and its really weird and thats why the elders were freaking out. But luckily I just prayed and she shouted during the prayer ooo it was odd.  So yeah that was that experience haha. And all the catholics here are a little really catholic right now because in a few days the Pope is coming and they all have to prepare and be really catholic so thats fun. 

Then it rained and not very many people came to church and its been pretty chilly lately and so we wake up and our house if freezing AND we have no hot water to shower with! Our heater thing broke or something so the first day I showered in cold water ooooo wow yeah it was cold then today I boiled a ton of water on the stove and put it in buckets haha much better. And today we went on an adventure to Capiata because yesterday was the birthday of Hna Lundberg! So we went to her area for a party with a few other sisters. It took a while but we did it and made it back in time! Woo, all those visitng areas of my other compaions payed off! We went to the same house we went to with hna Betancourth! So lucky. And yeah I think thats all for now. I love you all so much! 

Until next week! 

Love hermana Sarah