Postcards From Paraguay: 2014-04-06

Well another week has passed in Yby Yau. We are doing alright.

The stress of everything gets to me until I think it’s all gonna fall over and smoosh me to death, BUT, silver lining... it doesn’t.

I thank God for that. I pray that my faith may always be stronger than my doubts. Even when I don’t believe in myself, He doesn’t give up on me. I really love Him for that. I try to keep hope and stay positive. I pray to be able to have charity for and faith in the people here, who are really difficult to see progress in, but I try.

Its hot here. I am trying. I know: do or do not there is no try... so I am trying to DO and not just try.

Sometime I get really frustrated because I’m not perfect and I question lots of things. I know "you’re supposed to forgive yourself and be patient with yourself".... but I also don’t want to justify my faults. It’s tough to find that fine line and I am so very far from getting there. Luckily, God knew I was not perfect so he sent Jesus Christ to help fill my gaps after all I can do.I have been studying the Atonement and trying to strengthen my testimony in Christ to help me become more like him. I believe in him and have faith that he will help me.

I am trying to hold on during these trials of my faith because I believe that that is what will one day turn my faith into knowledge.I hope my faith will be enough to pull me through to where I become stronger and therefore more useful in Gods hands. I do not feel like an amazing missionary or even a very good one, but I at least recognize that and am trying my hardest to become one, so that’s something right? He qualifies the called. This is my Qualific-ying period.

Besides that slightly depressing complaining rant segment- This week was fun. We had a surprise birthday party for Benevante on Tuesday night. We made him a decoy cake for district meeting AND Elder Muñoz made Key lime pie! So ... the decoy party that was supposed to be lame to contrast the cool party, turned out accidentally really GOOD... hahaha then the REAL surprise party just turned out even better!

We began by hiding in the office in the dark, popping a giant balloon filled with rice (Paraguayos call these Piñatas) on E.Benevante and scaring him half to death! Of course we also yelled "SUPPLIES!"

We made our version of "completos" aka the best Chilean food.... which from what we gathered are just big super good hot dogs with guacamole, tomatoes, mayo, ketchup and mustard. The Chileans appreciated it. It was an all but sacred moment when they beheld the mini-dogs... like... point of tears! So... Success! then we opened gifts (random supplies we gathers from our houses razors, super glue, floss, one box of Sweet Tarts and a Book of Mormon) The Book of Mormon was my idea and it was funny, when he opened it I just started bearing my testimony about how that book changed my life. Jajaja

Then more cake (you’ll be happy to know they do "Mordida" in South America too) and we topped off the party by sweeping up the rice. It was really fun and we all hope it made him forget about his Dear John the P'day prior

(Bad timing ex'girlfriend from Chile! You should be ashamed!)

I had my first lunch appointment... which fell through, but we were still at his house so his mom who only speaks Guarani gave up a plate of beans and rice to share. We felt kinda bad and offered to bring HER American lunch tomorrow! She said yes and we showed up with all the makings for Chicken Alfredo... we made it all in her kitchen but there must’ve been a language mix up because after a while she came in with a Puchero (stew)! We had lots of food and I don’ t think she liked ours.

Then the Menos Activo who lives there came home and was shocked to find us in HIS kitchen. We welcomed him in, made him a plate of food. Then cleared and did the dishes. I think he thought we were nuts and probably said "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE" to himself in Gurani. hahaha it was pleasantly awkward.

Conference was a very spiritual headache.

We cleaned the chapel, made a screen, planned the food, bought the food, set up the projector, planned for the keeping quiet of the children, made the food, served the food, cleaned the food, entertained the kids, and tried to listen in Spanish while taking notes in English and not getting a migraine lather...rinse...repeat for 5 sessions.

I did hear good stuff that I know will hit me even harder when I read it in my own tongue in a peaceful setting without the ward plus the endless neighborhood hooligans on my shoulders.

But I made it our of this week alive!

And I did hear Uchtdorf´s talk about being grateful and am trying to be grateful for my situations here and all they are helping me to prepare for in the future.

I hope to come out of my Spiritually Gray Area, Pure and white and stronger! like Gandalf

I am sure he was grateful for the Balrog fight because afterwards he got to be all white and Shiny.

Even though right now if feels like I am falling and I am fighting with all my might, I will try to be grateful for it in the moment, looking forward to the scene where I am Libertee the White.

Then I too will be all white and everything will be "Shiny Cap´n"

Until then

RUN YOU FOOLS

juuuust kidding

but

keep it posi!

I know that tough times are also sent from God to help us grow! Im grateful for mine andeven more so for all the prayers I have to support me during them.

James 1:22-25 May we all be Doers of all the new words we heard this week during conference and one day level up like Gandalf.

xoxo

Hermana Libertee Valenzuela (the gray)

Ps Today was Pday and we went to the river. We aren’t allowed to swim so guess what I did... SANDCASTLES!

we gave Elder Benavente a Book of Mormon for his Birthday. As soon as he opened it I began testifying how it was a book that had changed my life. ja ja ja