Hello!
There are changes coming in my life.
I am leaving my beloved jungle and headed for the big city. I am really scared. I have never felt more like Mogali from the jungle-book in my life.
I don´t know how anything will be. I am sad to leave, so I don´t want to write about it because then it will seem negative about my new area... its not that I hate the new place/people... I don't even know them, Its just that I LOVE my people here.
I love them.
Mainly my Comp, the Elders and Romina,Leandro, Dahiani and Fransica.
I can´t write too much because A:I´ll cry and B: there are not words to describe my love for them, trust me, I´ve been trying all day.
Who is Hermana Valenzuela if not the Queen Bee of her Jungle Town of Misfits in Yby Yau? I guess soon we will see.
There was a parade on June 12th which was really long and kinda lame, but we had permission to go so we went and enjoyed ourselves because people watching is fun in every country.
Also we took photos by the street named "12 de Junio" because when I came here in January I said "I`m going to take a picture by that sign on June 12th" (Never thinking I´d still be here)
Then we had our Ward trip to the Temple. Last week Presidente said we couldn't go unless we had Recent Converts who had done Family History and were taking their own names.... so this week we focused on Family History work. hahahaha
Leandro Romero did the work for his sister Pilar who passed away from a Moto accident. They were really close (15 months apart like Stee and I) and it was amazing to get to teach him that he could help her out even from this side of the veil! After baptisms we got to do a session with our wards one active couple! I love the temple. I want to go everyday.
We did a service project this week. My hands had a fight with the rake and lost.
We didn't have cloth or anything so we wrapped them up in plastic bags. I joked that I was David Walker and Hermana Santos laughed and called me a square. It was really hard work for 8 men!!!! and we are just 2 chichas who insisted on helping this lady clear some jungle for her garden. Well... she wasnt there so her señor let us in ... (or more, pointed to the side of his house) and we made up what we were doing. We worked so hard and cried a little and sweat a lot until finally.... we couldn't go on.
So we knelt down in the piles of dirt and jungle debry and prayed for strength to finish.
Then we got back up and worked! More tears and sweat and a bit of blood and an hour later we were done!
Walking back I told Hna Santos we had to hold it in until we were back at home. She needed no explanation and we silently walked home. The very moment the door closed behind us we collapsed on the ground and moaned for a good 5 minutes (giggling in between...we´re always laughing).
It`s been 4 days and I am still sore.
We made burritos this week for the Elders because they had NEVER had a burrito. They were of course nothing compared to what we know from Mexico or Guatemala... but for the inventiveness and creativity it took to pull off I was thrilled with the results. . . so was my belly :)
We also surprised them with... Zapatillas? Zopapillas? we´re not sure what they are or how you say it but we wanted to make something special for them so we called the Herman Lider from Chile and asked for a Chilean recipe. We blindly followed intructions without even know what the end result or goal was. Someone please do some research and find a Chilean Scone like dessert made with pumpkin and see if what we made looks anything like them. hahaha
The Elders loved them and once again so did my belly.
Yesterday was the best Sunday Ever. EVER.
THIRTY SIX was our asistencia.
We had 3 investigators come and 5 menos activos and the Elders had a whole Menos activo family come from "their area" (We visit them too...we kinda share areas)! We´ve been visiting them for a WHILE....
There were SO many people! I gave a really sweet talk about gratitude and didn´t even cry until halfway through (A new record for me).
Elder Muñoz talked about love/charity.
We sang Himno 2.
It was the best day and I felt so happy. I was elated. ELATED. to see a little plum sized fruit of our labors.
It was the sweetest metaphoric plum I have ever eaten and I will never forget that happy day. Happy Paraguayan Fathers day!
I love my jungle town, even though the people here are really silly sometimes. I loved watching over them. I loved searching the scriptures and praying to know what in the world they needed to be able to come closer to Christ. I loved learning what Yby Yau had to teach me and I am nervous to leave.
More than anything, I love my train-wreck of a ward because despite the fact that we are falling apart, we ALWAYS stick together.
I`m going to reserve a cloud in Heaven and call it Yby Yau and wait (with Tererè) for the few, but no less incredible, souls I met here. I`m so glad they changed my life forever.
Over and Out.... and Out of the Jungle
leaving some of my heart here, but always sending home my Love,
Hermana Valenzuela
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