LAST WEEK - Awesome Families, Bore Testimony, Tired of Typing, One Person Owns a Car

Well this week was pretty dang good, we teaching tons of families, and they're all awesome.

This week was fast and testimony meeting and they asked me to bear my testimony, there was a member that we visited once who's  retired from the paraguayan army, and he cried when I told him I was ending my mission, so that was unexpected.

We've found a lot of cool people this week, the branch here is progressing really well.  Members are moving into the branch, and coming back, so that's been great.

Tonight (Monday) we work from 6-9, as normal, and then tomorrow there's district meeting at 10, and then we go and teach and talk to people some more. Then we take the trip to the terminal Wednesday, and then I got tired of typing so I attached the rest, you can google translate or something. (the entire document of his schedule for the last week there was in Spanish)

We have some great appointments set up, most people get to church by walking or taking short bus rides, right now in the ward there is only one person that owns a car.

I'm wearing a jacket right now.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday.

-Elder Bowles 

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Compose: LAST WEEK - Awesome Families, Bore Testimony, Tired of Typing, One Person Owns a Car

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Queridos Elderes y Hermanas,

En unos días van a salir de la misión y regresar a sus casas. Hemos planeado varias actividades con

ustedes durante el día miércoles. Vamos a almorzar juntos, participar en una sesión en el templo,

compartir testimonios en una reunión especial, y terminar las entrevistas con aquellos que no han sido

entrevistados. Al mismo tiempo vamos a recibir nuevos misioneros, entonces esta semana va a ser una

semana de mucha actividad. Para ayudarnos a todos a cumplir con nuestras responsabilidades y sentir el

Espíritu entre nosotros, le pido hacer lo siguiente:

1. Llegar a tiempo.

2. Seguir las instrucciones que recibieron en cuanto a sus viajes a casa (cantidad de maletas, peso

de maletas, documentos, etc).

3. Si tienen ropa en buena condición que quieren donar a la misión para el uso de futuros

misioneros, tráigannosla.

4. Mientras estén en la oficina, manténganla bien organizada y limpia.

5. Prepararse bien con corte de pelo, zapatos lustrados, camisa planchada, etcétera. ( Como

cuando entraron en el CCM)

6. Para el templo: Camisa blanca con manga larga, pantalones y medias blancas, corbata blanca, y

la ropa ceremonial si la tiene (Si no, el templo se la va a proveer). Tenemos que llegar al templo

a las 16:00 horas. La misión va a organizar el transporte.

7. En todo sean buenos ejemplos de misioneros maduros. Les pido que en todos sus tratos y

conversaciones con los otros misioneros, los obreros del templo, los empleados del restaurante

y del aeropuerto; que seamos verdaderos ejemplos de un discípulo de Cristo.

¡Nos vemos! Les quiero mucho,

Presidente Agazzani

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Ultima Semana - Mensaje a los fieles.docx

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Displaying Ultima Semana - Mensaje a los fieles.docx.

Week 107 - Really cold there, Another Baptism, 2nd to last letter

This week it got really cold here in Lambaré, and it´s rained a lot as well.

This last saturday was HN´s baptism, and I was so glad that I didn´t have to go into the baptismal font, because it looked really cold and the heater was broken. HN is 25, and he WAS evangelical. The next day it rained really hard in the morning, and everyone was really cold in the chapel on the metal chairs.

Besides the cold this week was great, everyone really likes us here in San Isidro and are really nice. I always am surprised at how cold it can get here because i always thought of south america of always being hot. luckily it´ll be warm in california.

Here the sacrament room has air conditioning, but the heater is broken, and that´s what we need.

 

In this area we have found more people through the members, San Isidro is awesome.

 

Here they say aptos cuando alguien es un experto, por ejemplo, el es muy apto con la computadora.

 

Right now we have a lot of people that we are teaching. this area could be my favorite area.

My fingers are coldk, and so that´s why I sepell d some things wron.g

 

-Elder Bowles

Week 106 - Way More People to Talk to, Wouldn't video tape self, Feel Gods Love

This week was pretty dang good, we've been talking to tons of people, and there are still way more people that we need to talk to. Everyone here loves the missionaryies it's great.

 

This last week we had a ward talent show and it was pretty fun, a lot of people went and it was great.

 

The winter isn't coming yet, so that's been kinda nice, now that I've gotten used to the hottish weather.

This week we have HN scheduled for this saturday, and he's super ready, he just doesn't know it. we are with members more than we are alone, it's great.

 

Here in Paraguay all the chapels have baptismal fonts. I didn't ask the branch president why yet.

 

They do have good candy here, but all the really good candy is more expensive.

I don't think I would video tape myself, I think I probably would have just written the answers. (I had recently been to a wedding shower where the prospective groom video taped himself and the prospective bride tried to guess his answers which we watched at the shower).

 

My favorite teaching technique is the spirit. I feel the spirit whenever the investigators pray.

 

I have almost been bitten by a lot of dogs, but none have gotten me yet.

Being a missionary is great because I get to show people how much God loves them and what they can do to feel it even more in their lives

-Elder Bowles

Week 105 - Summary of Mother's Day Phone Call

This final phone call was different from the others in a few ways.  Usually Ivan calls from a cyber and has headphones and it is pretty private. This time he used the branch presidents computer (no headphones) in the chapel at church with several other missionaries photo bombing in the background.  Usually the picture and sound quality is pretty good, but this time we had problems hearing and Ivan was quite pixeled (or fuzzball according to Kami).  However, we could see the big smile on his face.

He was scheduled to call on Monday and when I got onto my computer for something else, I saw that he was online for his Skype.  I tried calling him (thinking we had mixed up dates).  He sent me a message back that his companion was using his account but that he could call after he was done.

He stated that Kami looks a lot different now.  He asked about her first date which she said was super fun.

He heard that everyone has an iPhone in the United States and asked if that was true.  We told him that was true but that we wouldn't be providing him one when he gets back.

They had a baptism today in the chapel. MA got baptized and she is 14 y/o and the granddaughter of a member. The last person they baptized was an 87 y/o.

Ivan asked a lot more questions about us this time.  Previously we would pelt him with questions.

The tie he was wearing cost him $3 in Paraguay and it is one of his favorite ties.

His suitcase is still usable. The handle is the only think broken.

When a sister missionary asked him how long he had been out, he told her that in 6 days he would have 2 years in the mission.  He said the sister he told that to will be confused when he doesn't go home because he still has 3 weeks left.

They live with 4 guys in their apartment and since one is from Mexico, they speak Spanish at home.  The other two are from the United States (Idaho and Utah). They live in an apartment with air conditioning and a stove.  They don't have a lawn.  They have a black cat that wanders in and out of their apartment.

There is a family who lives really far from the chapel who they visited yesterday and invited them to Stake Conference and they came.

He was talking about the investigators who are breaking the law of chastity he says smiling.  He said that marriage is cheaper ($80) than divorce (a lot more).  People view themselves as stuck together when they get married (again more smiling from Ivan).  Barely anyone gets married before they live together.  He also stated that once they have kids together then they are stuck together (he said laughing and smiling). When asked what the average Paraguayan earns a month he whips out a calculator and proceeds to to the math during our phone call.  Turns out that the average Paraguayan earns $440 per month.  I don't know what it is about people breaking the law of chastity that makes him smile so much.  I was imagining him talking to investigators about living together and the need to get married (probably lots of smiling for the subject).

Most people work in Asuncion.  When he was in another area, it took them 2 hours to get to work and 2 hours to get home.

He has been on the bus in Paraguay when it hit another car and another time when the bus hit a dog.  The collectivo tried to speed up to avoid the dog but it didn't work and then they felt a speed bump.  Ivan said that on some of the buses he can't stand up all the way. It is not uncommon to hang out of the bus while it drives.  He said he doesn't like it because you have to watch out for street signs.

He said that when he met Spud's cousin (Elder Chelson) he showed him a family calendar that had pictures of Spud.

This area is one of his favorites.  Everything is new, everyone is new (to him) and everyone wants to learn.  He also really liked Villarica (out in the country).

Dave invited Ivan to be his speaking companion for the next three months (June, July, and August).

His mission president is a jokester.  He says random things about transfers and then it doesn't happen.  He asks if you are ready to train or open new areas and then you don't get transferred.  Ivan writes his mission president every week (it is required).

The branch president made an appearance and he looked like an American missionary.  He is a blonde haired Paraguayan with white skin.

He is really happy and glad that he got the area that he is currently in.  His other area was really small

His favorite companion is either Elder B (current companion) or another companion (he can't decide). What was funny about that was that Elder B was sitting right next to him as he was stating this.

They have 50 members each week.  There are lots of less actives who are coming back to church.  When asked if it was because of the missionaries he stated that he would like to think so...

In the chapel they use the CD's with the hymns on them to sing during Sacrament meeting.  He has only been in one ward where someone knew how to play the piano.

Only 3.5 weeks until we see him in person!

Thanks for reading,

Laurie

Week 104 - Peace with the Missionaries, Rats on the Roof, No Accent

This week was awesome, the mom of a member here got baptized and is super happy!, she´s 87, everyone we´ve been talking to is super nice, we just don´t talk to the mean people, it´s really easy here since everyone is one of the two extremes. This next week one of the granddaughters of a member here is super excited to get baptized too, she´s had to wait for a while because she´s had to move around a lot.

 

Yesterday we were walking in the street and some guy called us over and showed us his house and told us that he always felt peace when the missionaries came to his house before and we explained why and now he´s preparing to receive the Holy Ghost, this week was great.

 

I really do like the big city, especially as a missionary, I honestly never thought that I would.

 

Here the drainage system is clogged with garbage, so it´s really bad when it rains.

 

We have rats on our roof, so that´s been interesting, we´ll see what happens.

SI o si my comp is half peruvian half american.

I will call next monday at 12.30 paraguay time. I´m going to try to use Skype

 

We are teaching a lot and the few members there are are great, this last week we had only 4 other lessons and alll the other lessons the members were there with us, so that´s awesoeme.

 

I had basically told president Agazzani I wanted to be a normal missionary and here I am as senior companion, so that´s awesome.

 

The branch has had 50 people both Sundays that I´ve been here. It the san isidro branch in the fernando de la mora sur stake. The area is full of apartments and houses that people are renting, so when someone finds a better place they just move.

 

We´re a bout to have branch council this wednesday, I´m sure it will be completely different than your ward council in just about everyway possible.

 

I don´t have an accent but someone asked me if I was from chile or from mexico because they couldn´t tell (it was dark, they couldn´t see I was white.)

 

what´s facetime?

 

This week some blind guy gave me some juice and told me to drink it so I did, and then he didn´t believe that I drank it. what else could i do, he´s blind.

 

-Elder Bowles

 

Week 103 - Transferred, Ivan is an Angel, Working with Members, Spicy Food

Well, we got transfers, and I´m now in San Isidro, a neighborhood in Lambaré, which is just barely south of Asunción, and this place is packed full of people. We've got big streets, small streets, and alley ways, and walkways just wide enough for one person to walk through.  I´m in the big city now, but in the residential area, it´s a blast, because everything is just fast, and great.

And everyone here is either super nice or not nice at all, there´s really no one that´s in between. 

My new companion is Elder Black, and he lived most of his life in Los Angeles, California, and he´s a great missionary, he´s been out for about 8 months, we´re having a blast already. My companion now is just the best, he´s humble, a great teacher, and yeah. I got here and we´re finding and teaching like crazy.  Elder Black and his last companion have been working hard, and we´re still finding tons of people, it´s great.  A lot of the people here call us angels, so that's a nice self esteem booster...

The members here are awesome too, they always find us in the street and tell us that they want us to meet their friends. And we do. the only hard thing is that people move a lot here, so members are always leaving and coming and investigators as well.

There´s a Mexican missionary who lives with us that always makes us spicy food, so that´s fun. 

The senior missionaries come and clean the ward list and take out all the inactive members that don´t live there any more, since the ward secretaries here have a hard time. They also visit some of the people they find. 

I guess she´s training 2 because that´s what God wanted, because there are plenty of sisters in the mission now. 

RN is probably so mature because his mom is single and he works and goes to school, he told us that his dad died 3 years ago. RN is sooooooooooo committed to baptism,  He is sooo excited to get baptized huh. 

Elder Bowles

Week 102 - People leave for Easter, 3 Nephi 11, Possible Stellar Companions, Getting Revelation

This week was great! RN is probably the most mature 16 year old who I've met, he went to church and had tons of questions.  This week we found a family that´s way nice, they give us food and everything. it´s only kinda different because the wife is 42, and the guy is 73, but they´re happy, so i guess that works. 

This week I ate chipa, sopa, chipa guazú, cow tongue, milanesa de pollo, pig, sausage, rice with paraguayan cheese, potato salad, a desert called crema.  

We found some more old people two days ago that said they wouldn't get baptized even if God told them to... fun stuff. Hey everyone needs the gospel just not all of them know or want to know that they need it. Recently the senior missionaries came to our area, and we showed them around, and AO came to church again, so that was awesome.

Being district leader is fine, it was more fun at first when everything is new, it´s just nice being a normal missionary sometimes. 

The weather is still cool, Easter made everyone leave our area to visit family, so it was a little harder. really the investigators just have to want to do it.  We can explain how, why  and everything but sometimes they just are afraid of getting an answer like SO. 

I really liked Uchtorfs talk about how not to sleep through the restauración.

This week was the semana santa, most the stores were closed from Thursday to Sunday, and everyone makes a lot of food, the Catholics don´t cook anything Friday, they just eat all the leftover chipa. 

Next Easter if I´m there we´re for sure going to hunt for eggs no matter what, even if we feel silly doing it. 

There´s a sister in the district that´s training 2 new missionaries at the same time, one's from Utah and the other is from some place in central america.

If I could experience any event in the scriptures it would be 3 nefi 11. Where Christ appears to the Nephites.

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/11?lang=eng

What about you?

If I could have anyone as my mission companion, I would probably pick either Ammon or Saint Paul (that´s his name now for me) because they are just bosses. 

To learn about revelation, watch the doctrine and covenant movies about revelation, and read the section in Doctrine & Covenants about Oliver Cowdery. There´s also a talk from Elder Oaks that says that we should not try to force revelation or else we might start getting revelation from sources other than God. Really, there are lots of choices that God just leaves up to us, and if we need more assurance we can just ask him to see if he approves of it. and if he doesn't tell us no or yes, it usually doesn't matter that much at all. 

-Elder Bowles