Lemon Drops and Gum Drops

Lluvia de Esperanza

Lluvia al corazon

Moving Day!!!

Everything looks secure and I am not worried at all. These guys are professionals!

Due to missing windows in our old house we had a lot of birds living with us. These little chicks cracked out of their shells and tweeted us goodbyes on moving day last week! hahahah Show Grannee, She loves Birds!

I'm awkward and just laugh, but thats ok

This is our FORT in the last house. It would be cool if it wasnt 1000000000 degrees because it´s elevated. we mostly just used it to hang out clothes to cry, but its still our FORT and Deserves a photo. (Diva Dorms, Paraguay Style... I miss you Wyatt)

Heres my Linares on MOVING DAY

This is my Linares making me food because she loves me. That is why I married her.

Then the moving guys took really long to come and we got carried away with a french themed P-day photoshoot

like... really carried away

To celebrate our new house.... We had another photoshoot

¿What is UP my BROT-A´s?

How have I been? How long has it even been since I wrote a real blog thing? Not sure but I feel like it´s been a while.

Life´s been kickin´

I am learning all ABOUT faith and HOPE!

Like directly after my lesson on endurance (the one God taught me, telling me to KEEP GOING) came this new lesson I am learning about Faith and Hope, especially in His promises. 

So thats cool. (for lack of a better word)

I like that whatever happens... If you are doing what you are supposed to be doing, will turn out okay. 

If trials come, it means God loves you and is teaching you (remember that IS why we came to earth so we can´t really be too upset that it happens). The good news of the Gospel is that we can be happy anyway and when that is a little too hard in the moment, we can at least drink the better cup and trust in the promise of a better tomorrow if we endure it well. 

When life is good, it means God loves you and has blessed you because He is merciful and kind.

When you feel lost, remember God loves you and hold tightly to the rod through your times of misty vapors, trusting that the fruit of the tree IS as Delicious as the Scriptures promise and the Spirit confirms. 

Even in your pain, you are never alone.

You are more than the choices that you've made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create. You are a Child of God with ETERNAL potential and a Divine destiny. You are INFINITE. 

SO don´t worry, be happy. Live High, Live mighty, Live Righteously!

Because thats is the meaning of life and the good news of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ!

It is not about what you've done, but what's been done for you. 

It is not about where you've been, but where your brokenness brings you to 

It is not about what you feel, but what He felt to forgive you, 

And what He felt to make you loved/pure/ and worthy to experience Eternal and Infinite Joy. LIFE ETERNAL. Exaltation!

 This week we played in the rain because the streets turn to RIVERS here and so splashing in the rain was a necissary, Obviously. Afterwards I slopped around in my soggy socks and rain boots all day, making my toes all pruney and wrinkled up.Well... I have aquired a rancid habit of picking at my toesies whilst reading my sprictures. gross. I know. Moving on... well that night I did so... and my nail being very fragile from the all day Boot-Spa it went to... Broke off in a terrible manner. like.... I didn´t have a nail and the little moon crecent of a nail that was left cut deep into the sides of my piggy toe like an ingrown toenail from Hades!

I limped around the cobblestone streets for a whole day. pausing occationally to not die and sometimes I would just take off my shoe and walk around like " Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John" one shoe on and one shoe off!

That night I did a self-operation and amputated my toe. hahahah Jk... but I did do a little self operation to pull out the nail from my skin and put some cotton under it to help it grow OUT of my skin, prayed that it would heal and then went to bed.

I woke in the middle of the night from the pain. I performed a dozey self-operation by the dim light of the bathroom sitting on the seat of the toilet. 

Then I just cried for a second because I cant walk around (A missionary MUST) on a gimp toe!

I want to cumplir con mi Señor and mi llamamiento!

I knelt and prayed with ALL the faith I have been studying and studying about. I asked the Lord if it was His will, could he PLEASE help my poor little toe. I knew it was silly and small, but also would be a great miracle that would allow me to carry on in His work! 

I woke in the morning with my toenail back.

I know that most will see this as a really weird and possible gross toe story... but for me it was a miracle from my Lord and Savior, a very real being who has all power (even to heal silly sister missionary toes) He came to earth to die for me because he loves me. He healed my toe because He loves me and because He wanted me to be able to teach others about all the other things He is doing out of love. I know that God loves me. I know that he listens to my prayers.  

We moved into a new house (which is why there were communication difficulties). Our little orange house is SO beautiful. I cant wait to clean it and unpack all the way and be happy and enjoy my blessings and the rest of this sacred time serving the Lord 24/7. I love you guys and I miss you like I can´t explain, but I wouldn´t have it any other way. I love my mission. I love what the Lord has done and is doing for me. He sent me here for a lot of reasons, but the one I like the most is that He sent me here to help ME. to give ME a chance to know HIM. I love Him SO much for that. He sure has a lot of patience with me, but he hasn´t given up on me yet and He never will. I pray for the strength to never give up on Him. I am so grateful for my life and my mission and the chance that I have to see His hand in all the occurances of the world. I like spending time with in the vineyard of my wonderful Eternal Father. What a blessing to be His missionary. 

ALSO! in the CYBER RIGHT NOW THEY ARE PLAYING PARAMORE!!!!!!! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! COUNT YOUR BLESSING!!!!!!! "theres a time and place to die... but this aint it... IF THERES A FUTURE WE WANT IT NOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!" :3

until next time, stay classy and keep it tight like unto a dish my bretheren.

XOXO Hermana Libertee Valenzuela Cabeza de ciruela 

We were going to take a photo with all our investigators with this Eye but forgot... so Here is MaJo (maria jose) no mas. hahahaha

HALLOWEEN

I was Wednesday from Los Locos Adams (aka Adams Family) and we made Donuts (obviously... I am FIRM in my traditions)

We forgot to put "monster mash" on our Mission approved i-pods or CDs .hahah jk... anyway we didnt have Halloween Jams so we rocked out to Christmas music the whole Halloween Celebration. 

We went to a beautiful water lookout place in AREGUA today

I almost died to take this one that looks all tranquil and peaceful

Also Here is my LINARES. TOGETHER FOREVER!!!

I am a giant child and had to play in the fountain with my fellow street rats. plus is was super hot outside

"What are you eating Aunistee? "

*Opens mouth and shows*

This week we started P90X! RETURN WITH MUSCLES!!!!!! (this is me modeling my tanlines)

My shoes ( pictures of their party week BURNING to come next week)

p.s. cool tan lines... no my feet are not dirty

LINARES and VALENZUELA stay together another change

BAPTISM of Analia Franco!

She is SO awesome and is sharing the Gospel with EVERYONE now. She takes her Book of Mormon and Bible to school and teaches her friends. She invited her realatives to sit with us during meetings. She LOVES the 

Gospel and I LOVE her.

We flew kites that said Mormon.Org

I am the R in .Org

In Mexico these are called "Ears" 

and in Colombia "Hearts"

Um this week was pretty horrible, but SO horrible that it was great. 

Like... it's gotten to the point that things are so bad they just make me laugh. Not so bad like super negativo, but for example it is hot as Satan´s armpits here (the MINIMUM is 105 F) and we don´t have AC and for the first half of the week we didn´t even have fans because ours stopped working. SO on Wednesday my District Leader brought us a fan!!!! 

We were so agradecida(thankful) and that night the power went out....PUCHA! 

.... in order to be able to sleep at all , I shower IN my pajamas and 

acostarme(lay down to sleep) soaking wet. LIVING IN LUXURY.We have NOT been sleeping well... basically we haven't been sleeping at all. I think that's why things are so great. 

I'm so tired I'm delusional! 

Regardless of any "Rain" on my parade I like to keep it positive. I have been making up songs and dances nonstop to keep the mood. I just give the people what they want, ya know?

Also I made banana bread and pie this week. I am Betty Crocker.

The work is going on. On harder days, it´s getting easier to just press on. The "Never Give Up" bracelet was a great idea, it gives me a lot of animo for gray days

And on better days... I am happy too. (DUH!)

I am getting better at living where my feet are, though I can honestly say I miss you all with every fiber of my bean (being) still.

I like what I get to teach people about the Savior and I like what He teaches me about myself.

I don´t like the sun so much lately... and I still don´t love Pasta, but WE CANT STOP AND WE WONT STOP!

XOXO

Hermana Valenzuela CYRUS

Im painting the Bogota Temple on Hna Linares' pencil box (there´s nothing else to do... cant sleep!)

This is me at 3 AM after a soak run to the shower

I made pie

Kewties

Ohhhhhh we´re half-way there

oooooooooooooOOOhhhhhh LIVING on a prayer!

(Today I have 9 months in Paraguay!)

We DO NOT feel pretty, oh so pretty, We DO NOT feel pretty or witty or gay and we pitty and girl who looks like us This day

(when its hot we wear these sun hats and... style really just goes out the window) 

Its 56 Degrees C (thats 132 F).... and Humidity is like 90 percent.

a ton of people DIED last summer becase of the heat. Literally.

Asuncion was ranked THE Hottest city in the world and they did like a Global Warming Awareness experiment where they fired and egg in real time just on the streets.

 Seriously.... ALL I said when I put in my papers was "I just don´t want to go where it´s really hot)

P.s. Why am I wearing such a long skirt then? All my clothes are dirty

So apparently (I didnt know) I act really weird about my suitcase and never open them all the way and move them from room to room..This made HNA Linares always wondered why... WHAT treasures could be in there?!. Well the other day I opened them and she just bursted out laughing because it was just a pack on gum and Tajin chili powder. 

The mysteries of Hermana Valenzuela Revealed.

Where were we?

Oh yes, Puzzles:

Once you´ve found the "easier pieces" of the puzzle, the farm house & the flowers and bushes, you are left with the harder part. The Sky! Every pieve is the same: Baby blue and they all have 2 ´arms´ and one hole and so there is no way in telling which is where! This is where Patience is a virture.........

The Picture is Clearer than is ever has been and closest to being complete!

Never give up! because the other option is Quit. Quitting does not mean leaving your puzzle (testimony) where it is.... if you´re not working to go UP hill... pretty soon you start rolling down.

Because you became impatient with the sky you start to take apart your puzzle and put it away! first you take apart sky pieces... then the outline edges and then pretty soon the "easiest" and simplest parts of your testimony, the flowers and bushes.... scripture study and church attendance... until you reach THE most OBVIOUS sure parts of your testimony... the BIG RED BARN in the middle. When you fit those together there was NO doubt. You KNEW it was right: "God is my loving Heavenly Father and He hears and answers my prayers".

You take that apart.

You put your puzzle away....

You start thinking "puzzles are for Losers"

My puzzle is Extra hard and it´s been forever since I even tried and the box is dusty now... lets just act like I never did or had a Puzzle.

And maybe every once in a while you pull out the box and go directly back to the sky pieces but since you still can´t quite figure them out you get discoraged or even angry again and put your puzzle aside once more.

You see what I meant about the bomb that self-destructs. Satan didnñt just slowly destroy your Testomony, but he´s knocked you down and is KEEPING you down with this trick.

PLEASE please, DO NOT fall of it!

but,

If by chance you already have, here is my suggestion and the beauty of the repentace process the atonement makes possible:

Dust off your Puzzle Box and, as always, (re)start with the outline

¿What is God´s Plan for me? ¿What are the promised blessings? Happy (not perfect, but happy) FAMILIES and Eternal ones at that! That is what I call JOY!

Meditate on WHY would you try your puzzle again. Realize it´s possible and worth it.

Once you have your outline once more, you know what the Church is centered around: Christ and how His atonement is essential and blesses families. Think about your family.

Do you love them?

Is it worth it to keep going on your puzzle if finishing it meant having them FOREVER?

Now that you have your outline and motivation, DON´T go straint back for the sky pieces. They will discorage you to stop before you´ve started again! Put the basics back it place and make the "sky mystery" easier on yourself with the help of a firm foundation. If not all your pieces will get mixed up and it´ll be a hot mess I assure you. 

May I suggest a starting point. It is an OBVIOUS big RED FARM HOUSE right in the Center of your whole puzzle.

God is your loving Heavenly Father. He hears and answers your prayers. He loves you.

Start there.

Start praying. Re-connect what you once knew.

After you confirm the above listed facts, then go with the flowers and bushes (scripture study and church attendance)... then move on the other things... piket fences... cows... etc.

It is hard, for everyone, it is hard. It´s really hard for me. I see the picture on my box ALL the time and i get so frusterated that my puzzle isn´t complete yet!

But this won´t make me quit.

My Puzzle.... my Testimony, is the most important Task in my life, The picture it presents changes how I see Everything, but it´s still hard. 

Satan does not want me to feel God´s love. Satan does not want me to have a testimony. So He attacks testimonies, to keep them from being planted or to kill what is growing.

But I know His tools and will not give up. The Grand Gardener is on my side and wants me to make it back to Him. 

He sent me His son to show me what to do to keep assembling my puzzle. He sends me prophets and leaders to keep my SPIRIT up (spiritual puzzle Cheerleaders?).

And best of all he sent me my Family. 

"God gave us families, to help us to be what he wants us to be, This is how he shows his love, For the Family is of God"

So be brave my fellow Puzzlers

Puzzle On! (Or Puzzle once more for Restarters)

Never give up, Never surrender.

Everything will be alright!

As for my week, same old.... it´s hot and we talk to people about Jesus and His Gospel. I´ve been in Paraguay 9 months today and... it only going to get hotter.

XOXO

Hermana Valenzuela