Hermana Chempen and I ready for bed on splits in Pedro Juan

Hermana Francois, Hermana Chempen and Hermana Willis and myself

I feel like we harvest Mandioca more than we teach the first vision

Mandioca is LIFE

(There is a saying here "more paraguayan than mandioca"... meaning very Paraguayan)

an "artistic" shot of the elders working ("the field is white")

Us!

Dahiani taking selfies

 Cake from the S.S activity 2 weeks ago

 Romina

 We clean the chapel every week soooooo I thought I'd take a pic for remembrance sake

GROSS GROSS GROSS

 I love my wall of letters!

This week started off pretty crazy and just kept getting crazier...

There was a big storm on Monday and none of the grocery stores were open for us to get our shopping done for the week. Because of the rain, it was harder to find people to teach. We pushed through and got as much done as we could, but it was still a shaky start. I was feeling overly dramatic and weepy. 

On Tuesday, we traveled to Pedro Juan and I stayed there with Hermana Chempene from Peru and Hermana Willis and Hermana Francios from Hati. It was an extremely enlightening division. It sure is different in Pedro Juan. I had the chance to see how other districts work and what it’s like to be a missionary to a well established ward. There was SO much support there. I saw more members in my one day of work than double what we have attending on a good Sunday. I’m not saying this to compare numbers or complain, but rather that I recognized that even within the same mission every area is REALLY different. Also, there are good and bad’s to Everything. It’s AWESOME the support they had there, but as a result of the lack of ward here in YBY YAU we have a very close district that works wonderfully as a team with a focused unanimous goal! 

Hemana Chempene was awesome and I loved having a Latina companion for a day. It forced me to speak Spanish all day, but I didn’t mind! I was so thrilled that people there understood Spanish! More often than not in Yby Yau they speak more Guarani and can only understand very simple terms and small talk in Spanish. It was so wonderful to teach a lesson and feel like they understood! On the other hand it was hard not to start speaking in the little Guarani I do know, out of habit. I was pleased with the reactions of the people there when I did speak in Guarani. They seemed extremely impressed by my Guarani and grateful that I was trying to learn a language that is so close to their hearts and such a part of their culture. The best part was when they disbelieved my "mission age" because I spoke Guarani and Spanish WAY too well to only have 3 months (ok ok enough bragging... :) but it did make me feel like a million bucks )

 I loved the whole exchanged and learned a lot of new things. My overall impression was that I still have plenty to experiences to have and even more to learn here in Paraguay, but I am certain I already knew that. The more I learn the more I recognize how little I know and how much I have left to learn. I´m starting to wonder if 18 (now 15) months is long ENOUGH!

I also gained alot of HOPE from the divisions. The hermanas apartment was really lovely so I hope for a change with less rats in my future and... get this--- HOT WATER! Someday I will get to have a hot shower once more! PRAISES!

I gained hope that I AM learning way more Guarani than most/is expected so thats nice because I was feeling like a Do-Do here in YBY YAU only being able to pray and small talk and share my testimony that ñanda ha`e Ñanejara ra`ykuera!

I gained hope that I actually dont suck as bad as I thought at Spanish AND that I will rapidly learn more as soon as I get a Latina Comp again.

I gained hope that there are towns that aren’t located in Satan’s Armpit (aka it wasn’t so blasted hot there)

I sat on a COUCH!! I had a LUNCH appointment!!!!!!!!!!!!! I RODE IN A CAR!!!!! It was the fanciest experience of my life and I felt like My Fair Lady. 

When back in Yby Yau, Hermana Willis and I got back to work. In fact I was welcomed back to the country by diving into the dirt and pricklies of Lorenza´s mandioca feild again! It felt good to get down and dirty again! I`m happy to say I felt at home! (well like...Paraguay home). I guess my little `Eat Dirt` town is growing on me.

 We, as you know, ARE the ward here and so this week we planned,prepared and executed a Relief Society activity somehow between our regular missionary resposibilities. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to not be the Ward Council, Primary President, Relief Society Committee and Activities Committee and "just" be a missionary. I understand , of course, that this IS part of being a missionary, especially in areas where that support and help is needed for the Ward. Sometimes I get discouraged though, feeling as though I have so much I wish I could give more to each of the categories, but I only have 24 hours in a day and we (Hermana Willis and I) are only 2 people! But I find comfort in knowing I really am giving all I possibly can to each aspect of my current callings and hoping and praying for the grace of God to fill in the rest. 

He does fill in the rest too. Hermana Willis and I, after planning and buying the supplies for the Activity with Hermana Romina, focused the whole week on inviting EVERY lady we saw to come share in an afternoon dedicated to supporting and uplifting Gods precious Daughters. We invited, seemingly if not THE, the entire female population of Yby Yau to the event. Besides the three of us that planned it, three others showed up. One Hermana had been assinged to give a small intro about the Releif Society during the meeting and the other two young women gave the closing and opening prayers. The spirit was very lovely and I really think they deserved to take part in a well executed event where we went ALL OUT and they got to just enjoy. During the activity nine neighborhood children, two of the Hermana`s sons and three little sisters of one of the young Women showed up to help us eat all the food we had prepared and the BEAUTIFUL cake Hermana Willis and I had decorated. I prayed and prayed and prayed people would come and they did! Maybe not the people I had thought/wanted, but the kids all came bathed and behaved as well as little kids can. I was glad for that. I joked with HNA W. that if we threw a Primary Activity unexpected Hermanas would show up. :)

At Church we had the son of a Menos Activo named Aierton (age 17) show up for the 2nd Sunday in a row! He came in a Suit! Also, Anacleto, whom the missionaries have been working with since before my first day here to help overcome some addictions, passed the Santa Cena this week. Those things made me happy to witness.

I hope were doing enough and the right stuff. I feel like we are. I find comfort in knowing that I am EXHAUSTING myself doing the work of God. 

I am dead... because tired, exhausted, worn out do not cover the fatigue I feel. 

I have a blister the size of a marble on my toe that is the Piggy that had `none` roast beef (the 2nd to pinky toe)

My back is broken

16 Assistencia....

0 confirmados

0bautizados

Those last few mumuring lines are for Mom because she said I make it seem like its ALL wonderful here

I quote the great Kimya Dawson to express my feelings 

"Life is a highway and Im gonna ride it and everyday is a winding road, 

yeah

My Roller Coaster`s got the biggest ups and downs but

 as long as it keeps goin`round it`s unbelieveable!"

I love this crazy mission I am on and during the downs of `my roller coaster`I am so grateful to have a Father in Heaven who loves me, a family at home who understand why I do the things I do. Knowing when people do them too makes me really happy. Thank you to all who have written me telling me they took me up on my invite (which was really just an echo of Moroni`s promise) and are reading the Book of Mormon. 

I carry around copies of that little blue book on my broken back and squish my swollen toes into mary-janes everyday. I walk under the hot sun up and down dusty dirt roads along side one missionary (and metaphorically thousands more) to try to do MY little tiny part in building up his kingdom.

I do this because I know that that little blue book and ALL that is riding on it´s validity (in so many words the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) is 100% true. 

I have invited you all and am Re-Reinviting you all... no this time I DARE you. I DOUBLE DOG.... I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU to read it and ask for yourself in humble prayer if it is not true. 

I testify that if you ask with a sincere heart, doubting not, that by the power of the Holy Spirit

Ye may know the truth of all things.

And if my silly little triple dog dare paired with my testimony is still not enough to compel you to action

I exhort you to look up Jeffery R Holland`s (an Apostle of the Lord) POWERFUL testimony of that same book. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints is the true church of God restored today on the Earth. I promise that you and your loved ones can find true and lasting happiness by living its principles and teachings. You find these teachings and the fullness of the Gospel in The Book Of Mormon. 

I testify of these truths in the name of our brother, Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ

Hermana Willis said Pictures holding mail are Missionary Propaganda to get more mail.... she may be right :) 

Heads from Ham (made me laugh for a good half hour)

 Grannee Mail!

Happy Tears after Mail!

At the Cristo Brazilero in town (you cant tell but thats a Kuatinañe'ẽ Mormón ... A book of Mormon in Guarani)

Pizza from Elders (they are the greatest and made pizza for us because they knew it was my favorite:D)

Elder Munoz and Elder Benevante  (or Linguini and Gusto: our chefs)

 shoe tan lines (not a shadow or dirt)

Elder Muñoz at the chapel wringing out his clothes after a flash storm

Making Practice Cake for Relief Society Activity (but we usually look way less insane)

pulling the Mandioca tree 

Us next to a Mandioca field

Drinking PULP (so paraguayan) 

taking spikes out of my tennis while watching The District

Meat sticks for Aunistees Birthday

Writing in the Area Book by Candle when the power goes out due to frequent Flash storms

We lived another week here in Yby Yau. This week was trying because it seemed all the progress we had made flewn out the window, or more accurately, moved! We had our two"star pupils", or our investigators that were progressing the most, move suddenly. One to Asuncion to study and one to Ciudad de Este... That on top of other things and then it felt like suddenly we had no one! It was tough but after a reevaluation and plenty of prayer we went out and found new investigators to focus on. I am really looking forward to this next week. We have a new teaching pool and its full of wonderful brothers and sisters that we see so much potential in. We went out to the outskirts or our areas to make sure we weren’t neglecting any area and found that the "fields" there were white and ready! Our biggest struggle now is being able to get to them all in a timely manner. Villa de Maestros and Maria Axiliadora are both quite a ways out and we feel alot of valuable time is spent getting to the houses, time we want to use to actually teach. We think bikes would be useful and are asking for some this week. Our second biggest struggle and the goal we are going to work on as a companionship this week is clarity in lessons. These blessed sons and daughters of God often simply do not understand WHY we are there. Mostly this is due to a language barrier and frankly... lack of edumacation. We are trying to focus on using simpler words and being more animated so that the message gets across better. Teaching Primary will help me take those same teaching tools out into our lessons. Primary went alot better this week and I am feeling less stressed about things that use to drive me to tears. I am growing and learning more than I could’ve imagined. I love it! Sometimes I get too excited about what I learned in personal study and blab on and on to HNA Willis, but she is nice and listens always. I am also writing it all in my study journal so that you can all know the Doctrine according to Lib when I get back. Its profound, good good stuff!

 Now Im looking at my Planner because I cant even remember which week is which. 

Our district is getting along really well and I like that. Elder Munoz and Elder Benavente are both from Chile and have converted HNA Willis that Chile is the best South American country. We all learn from each other and support each other so thats nice, especially since there isnt really a Ward to lean on. Like the muppets said "life’s a happy song when there is someone by your side to sing along". 

We found a bunch of new potencials. It was awesome!

We did another service project for Lorenza. We harvested Mandioca (sometimes called Yuka/Uka). Mandioca to Paraguay is like Rice is to China. It is the staff of life and so harvesting it was probably the most Paraguayan thing we couldve done besides sit and drink Terrere. It was awesome. I got dirty and tired and ROASTED by the sun. I love hard work because it makes me feel like its just another early Saturday morning with my Family. 

Hermana Willis and I Fasted a day earlier than fast sunday because we usually start the fast mid-day Saturday and end it for lunch Monday, but I had PROMISED Aunistee I would eat a meat-stick in her honor so we rearranged it all and Celebrated a bit just for her. It was nice of HNA Willis to put up with that for me and she let me cry and tell her all about Aunistee. What a Party! haha- The meat was Yummy and you would have loved it, Stee. 

So there is a weird overview of my week. One more down, plenty more to go. 

Onward, Ever Onward.

I want to also end this be checking up on you, whoever you may be, and your reading of the Book of Mormon. I hope that you accept my invitation and act. That book is a wonderful treasure and all that it means and teaches brings me the fullest and sweetest joy. 

READ IT.

Okay cool.

I love you all.

I love this Gospel.

I know its true.

I am doing well and in the moments that I am down I am comforted by a living and loving Father in Heaven. 

I am so grateful to know He lives and to have the opportunity to grow that testimony in myself and share it with others. 

XOXO

Hermana Lib

Being creepy and cooling off with the fan.

 Reenacting a pic of my Dad on his mission to Colombia.

Took forever to write today because we went on a sweet hike to a place llamado (called) Cerro Mbmby! 

It was tiiiight. In Dad terms my “saw” is very sharp and hopefully I will leave enough time to send the pics today!

This week was Swagalishish. . . but in a spiritual way. 

We had alot of animo... which I don’t know how to say in English. I’m losing mi Ingles! We had tons of spirit and we worked hard! To save time and still get the info out I will paste my weekly email to my Mission Presidente.

 Hola Presidente!

Well, we had a very good week in Yby Yau. We had lots of animo and worked HARD! I loved it! We are trying to really focus on finding the people ready for our message and also the leaders we are looking for for our ward. Hermana Willis told me a story of a town that wanted a chapel so they looked in the phone book for a carpenter and started there (teaching and eventually baptizing him and so forth). We are doing the same thing. If we want this strong ward, we’ve gotta look for the leaders we need. We organized a list of our ward and much like a fantasy football league we put investigators and members into callings. We know that that isn’t going to be exactly how it turns out or anything, but it is helpful to have a goal of a dream of who these people could become. We also, of course, had some spaces blank and there we wrote attributes we would want in these people and recognize (such as a loving disposition, a want to follow christ, humble etc...) and now we are finding and fighting like lions to find these leaders we need. 

This week Daniel Vera (an investigator) came to church and it was AWESOME! Nothing quite like those people who are looking for the truth and then do their part-  searching to find it! Compromisos (promises) are So SO vital in conversion for that exact reason. God sends us blessings when we keep his commandments. We (as missionaries) explain these commandments or compromisos and invite them to keep them. In turn we invite them to partake of the sweet blessings God promises all who keep the commandments 

 (Mosiah 2¨41). 

The reason we get so stoked when people keep their compromisos is because we know that God will bless them and then they’re gonna want more and more of that same happiness! It is easier to explain the promised blessings and peace of the spirit once they have had a taste. 

I am learning so much from God, The Elders, the investigators (and All the people here) and SO SO SO much from Hermana Willis. I thank God every day for this opportunity to truly get to know Him, get to serve and help my brothers and sisters and get to strengthen my own testimony and knowledge of this gospel. Win! Win! Win! situation. Its not always easy, but as long as I look up rather than down on hard days, I always remember and see that is it worth it. 

Let me know if there is anything more I can be doing to serve you, your family, the mission, my ward, the people--- Anything!

Thank you for all that you and your Wife do. 

Love Hermana Valenzuela 

That is a pretty accurate recap of the week and it went by in a flash, a happy flash. 

I can now pray in Guarani... except only the steps of praying. For example: I can say “Father in Heaven”, “I am thankful for”, and “te pido por”, and then “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen” , .... but then the actual things I still have to say in Spanish, because I don’t have the vocab I need yet “but I´m learning” (Mr. Beans guy in Rat Race)  

I can also say things like “May we sing for you?”, “May we pray?” , and

 “It is hot”(used daily)

Pray for my Guarani, because I super want to learn! Also pray for Romina and Lorenza who are being kind enough to teach us for about 30minutes a week. We had 54 contacts this week and I said WOOHOO! and HNA Willis said “Oh yeah, your Dads number!” -proving that I talk about you guys (maybe too much) but it’s only because I super duper (like the skate team) love you all! 

This whole mission thing is going along swimmingly and I thank all for their help-(Prayers, financials, emails, letters, packages, happy thoughts, EVERYTHING!) 

I couldn’t do it without you!

I called the office this week and they said there is MAIL for me!!!!!!!!!!! YAY! It usually takes about a month for it to actually GET to me because we are in our little corner of the jungle, but even just knowing it’s there is comforting.

Same thing with home. Sometimes I get a little teary (or a lot) thinking of home but even just knowing home is there is comforting. You are all there and eso me da consuelo. It makes me think of our other home, Cloud 9, los cielos, Heaven.... I know it’s there and I know He is there. I know that my Redeemer lives... What comfort this sweet sentence gives.... 

That is my message after a happy week (not an easy week... but happy) of hard work. .... On to another I go! 

I continue to invite those who want to know the Lord more to seek and they WILL find, knock and it Shall be opened unto. . . but first you gotta keep your compromisos! (To see these same thoughts put more beautifully read a talk David A Bednar gave feb 3 2006 llamado (called) Seek Learning by Faith) 

Love to all from the sweaty jungle of Paraguay,

Hermana Valenzuela