So one night I woke up and I wasnt sure if I was being Lib-Lice Paranoid.... or if my head was really itching. I had a 2 am sit with Lice-Shampoo on my head for extra long shower and then swept through my hair with the Lice come. ANYTHING I found made me cry. My comp was asleep and drousily asked once"¿Are you Okay?" 

I replied "¡I THINK I HAVE liiiiiiiiiiiiicccccceeeee!!!!!!" between sobs.

But she really was asleep and couldn´t´ve seen well anyway so she was like "I´ll check you in the morning" 

I snapped this picture, raked the CRAP out of my hair and squished anything I found not knowing if I was literally going insane or not and then prayed and cried myself to sleep, HARD.

In the morning we found legit empty nit eggs on my head (like 12). None of which squished with the sound of a live creepy crawler inside. Hna Fardos asked "How long did you keep that shampoo in!?!"

"FOR LONG ENOUGH!"

I was proud of how well I handled the whole thing. I made a ton of jokes because I was so nervous the whole time and made Hna Fardos laugh a lot, so thats good.

Then I just sang the rest of the time (like I do for Harminee when she cuts my clean-non-fried- lice- free- brunette, not BLONDE hair back at home)

So.... Yeah. 

now I am so scared that they are still on all my clothes and sheets so I stripped my bed and put everything in sealed plastic bags. I have been sleeping on my plastic covered pillow sans sheets or covers. It´s the worst, but you know what´s REALLY the worst:

I GOT LICE AND THAT WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR.

(that... and pickle juice in your eyes)

My biggest fear has officially changed because although the whole ordeal was tramatic, it wasnt as scary as my new biggest fear. 

End of LICE STORY

I am not gross. 

Weak week, heavy weekend. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

Monday... idk... P-day stuff

Tuesday-Priesthood blessing from the Zone Leaders because we don´t have District Leaders right now. Elder Medina (our old DL got tranfered to Philedelfia because his comp hated the mission and went home after 4 days) so now we are District Orphans (annie) and have to travel to Remansito on Tuesdays for District meetings. ANYWAY... The blessing was just for comfort and strength. I have asked for them periodically throughout my mission because I really need all the Lords help I can get and during those calm peaceful moments set apart for listening to a called and worthy servant of the Lord speak the impressions of the Spirit in audible words to strengthen my soul  and for me to focus on the Saviors love for ME are moments I treaure and truly need sometimes to keep going. The work is Marvelous, but it isn´t easy. 

Wednesday-We visited Mariana and Nayeli. They are THE cutest. Their whole FAM is getting reactivated poco a poco and they will be prepared to make their first covenant with Our Redeemer on the 21st! YES! Also their Grandma was talking to us because Jessica (their sister) was getting married and we were talking about the wedding and she said "im not going to go" and Jessica asked why? and Hermana Mencia Replied: " Im not going to sit outside and kill misquitoes while I look at you" 

HAHAHAHA it made me laugh so hard. She also said "Plus I hate your music, it sounds like a boratcho with a stomach ache!" hahahahaha

Shes the greatest human! I LOVE her and her testimony is SO strong. Like she just speaks and every fiber of my BEAN fills with a warm spirit (maybe it doesnt seem like it from these two stories, hahah but she is so sweet)

Thursday- I need a rememberal because.... I really dont know ANYTHING to report

Friday- planning and we also recieved a HUGE bag of Guayavas from Nayeli. She said you have to drink a lot of water too when you eat them. When we asked why she just made a constipation face. hahahah Gross. Good thing Girls Don´t even Poop. We also said Farewell to Sara Samaniego who is leaving for her mission in Brazil. Her Dad looked at me and told me I should say something during the "dispedidas" and I just started bawling and talking about how the mission was the greatest decision I have ever made. Then we ate meat. But this time it was actually good. (I get pretty sick of slabs of mediocre meat) ASADOS

Saturday- We went to the temple for a special ward activity where the missionaries walked around with all the Menos Activos and Investigators (except it was only menos activos) and explained what happens in the temple. And we ate DANK Ice Cream. That night our Power went out for no reason. We live next to like... this Bachelor Pad/Man cave and didn´t want to go out and remind the drunk men outside that their were 2 blonde americans living alone in the little orange house that now were helpless and without power. I said a prayer in my heart for then and also in general for my life that God will help me feel when I am in Danger. We decided to just suck it up. So we took cool showers in our Pjs and tried to sleep while misquitoes ate us. 

Sunday- was Yesterday. We woke up groggy... -Can you say wake up if you didn´t sleep?- at 6 so that we could do our usually church round up trying to get people to come and keep/renew their covenants and enjoy of the spirit that rejuvinates the soul for the week, Focusing on THE most important event in the history of the universe, the Atonement of Our Savior. WELL...

Back Story; We have a running joke that every Cat-Call/Whistle/here they hiss like we are dogs is One hair in the beard of our future husbands....

If that were true I am going to marry Sasquatch. hahahaha

Im not even saying like "Im so hot" because honestly I am a sweaty Chancha/Changa here, but the men here are gross and pigs (on a general rule) and shout terrible things in English and Spanish and Guarani! Suddenly, I am not SO grateful to be able to understand 3 languages, It´s maddening to be degraded in 3 languages!  I sound so femenist, but really. I hate it. GIRL POWER!!!

Well since flipping them off it not what Jesus would do and getting mad at them would just make them rowdy and riled up, we walk on ignoring them with our heads held high. 

Sometimes God turns us invisible. Which is cool.

Ok back to Sunday morning. We walked pass a group of 6 cronies and they started with their words... "Baby, you gonna just ignore me again...." "Hermosa" "Que LINDAS Etc...." (Cue*Silver Volvo* hahahah Twihard)

When 5 of the six doops had passed I got cornered by the last. I thought it was the awkward "Are you going left or am I?"dance that you do down a middleschool hallway. Then he grabbed my leather satchel and breathed his booze stricken breath into my face;

"TELEFONO" he said, his eyes droopy with the stooper of the grip Satan had over his concious due to his bad choices.

I got like... really ticked and confused that this was even happening, especially after a night of being a misquitoe buffet  and not sleeping. I grabbed my satchel " I DONT EVEN HAVE THE PHONE!" I snapped back (but in spanish, Duh, Im in Paraguay)

Meanwhile my comp PUNCHES the Guy and says "SUELTELO!(LET IT GO)" 

YEAH! hahaha SHE PUNCHED HIM! hahahahaha

Then all his "friends" started saying like "DUDE what are you thinking you cant rob them!!!" etc

We walked away, waving to the lazy security guard sitting on the bench who had just watched the whole thing go down and never even stood up!

We went to get Ana and Andrea.... they couldnt come. They live "with their aunt" but in their own little hut attatched to many other hut. They do their own cooking and cleaning and laundry. Their ages are 8 and 11. 

Their relatives live in all the little shacks around theirs.

As we left their house we herd some guy yelling after us.

IT WAS DOOPY DOOP #6! THEY GUY THAT HAD JUST TRIED TO ROB US! Waving us down with the hand not holding the lit cigarette he was smoking. He asked for forgiveness. We hadn´t even regognized him and he was like "I just tried to rob you" 

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

hahahaha

"Yeah Im really sorry about that. I ask for forgivness! I was under bad influences."

"You´re forgiven" I said smiling... with love, sure, but also because the whole thing was just so crazy!

He shook my hand and then just started holding it and looking me in the eyes... almost snake status so I pulled it away to Reajust my Cat-eye spectacles. 

He explained that he had only done it because his "friends" had told him thats what he had to do to be in their Gang and he "Demasiado Mucho" (a paraguayan phrase of terrible gramatics) wanted to be in that gang.

We said we all make dumb choices sometimes because we listen to the wrong influences. He asked for forgivness like 50 times and we forgave him 50 times. We went to church.

Think back to his "Friends" though. They DID NOT have his back during the robbery! Which... Im glad because Idk if we couldve taken 6 of them, but .... on the principle... they KNEW what they had told him to do was Stupid. They were not lifting him up. They were not good friends.

"Good friends lift you up when you feel like you´ve had enough. They keep you going through the thick and thin. Good friends gather round you! Leave you better than they found you! They are by your side until the very end! THATS a good friend" - Cheesy EFY song

I invite all my readers to reevaluate their "friends" and decide to listen only to the voices that fit the former cheesy discription. 

I add another cheesy yet TRUE lyric from the BEST MUSICAL EVER hahahah Saturdays Warrior "If they tak you away from your Family and home, they´ll leave you alone in the end." (Also.. listen to the song Voices from that musical)

Today is Monday. We still didnt have power last night. I sent of letters in the office this morning. 

We FINALLY got our Power issue fixed. Hopefully its my last sleepless night due to power problems. I feel like this always happens! 

I really love the mission. Im trying to not look at that trunky Calander Dad made me (that says ill be home in 20 weeks) because even though I think of you all ALL the time, I will have an ETERNITY with you all (if we play our cards right). but I only get one shot, I cant miss my chance to blow! The oppertunity comes once in a lifetime, yo.

Work hard during the day given to you.

Im moving to Arizona. hahahaha Thats how I have been finishing all my sentences all week with HNA Fardos. 

Well this email is Rare because I didn´t fall into my routine of testifying for the majority of the time, but I at least want to testify that I, Libertee, know God lives. The Gospel is True. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and opened the Last and Great dispensation. We have the Light so many seek. So shine bright my loved ones. FILL your lamps. SIEMBRA GOZO!!! Siembra gozo siempre al andar;. Paz y gran consuelo da a todo ser.

And ... If someone tries to rob you

               "Punch Him"- Direct Quote Phoebe Davenport.

ADIOS until next week

Hermana Libertee Valenzuela

This is old from when we went bowling with HNA linares.... but we also played air hockey with Samu and Bro Samaniego

One day when I was coloring a sign for the Christmas EL ES LA DADIVA contacting activity 

This is from when we did a contacting activity in the PLAZA

Lunch on Christmas

Dinner on Christmas

This is Maria Jose

Selfie that is "tied together with a smile"

We made these as like little medals for some of out Conversas that are babies (9 and 12) 

Ana y Andrea

All people sell here is beer and ice. there are handmade signs like this on EVERY fence... and its like... Why would I buy it from you if im selling the same thing from my house? 

Just walking around one day SELFIE

L & A! Aunistee and I would Write this on EVERYTHING and our band was names LA too. hahahhaa. She gets it.

MY Plaza

This is the fence we buy clothes off of and I am 100% serious

I love Correo! (Mail) Send me notes! 

Pillow case head

Pine cone head

I tried to look really gross eating this Empanada.... SUCCESS! (SMIZE)

We painted Johanas wall. I sweat A LOT here

We went to this meeting at the chapel next to the temple.... turns out... we were NOT allowed to go and the Area Seventy was the one who told us to leave... in English AND spanish!!! SICK BURN hahahaha such a funny story. then we just took pictures at the Temple with Analia and all the Guys at PFJ (efy) came over and talked to me and my comp because we are "american" so I was finally like " IM MEXICAN!" and then they hated me. hahaha

Here is a gross picture of me in bed.

My "dryer" machine :)

We got ready because we went to the womens conference with NEIL MARRIOT and LINDA BURTON!!!! thats right!!! I was Mormon-Star STRUCK and the fireside was so beautiful.

FIREWORKS because.... thats how south americans party

Christmas

I drew my family. we are STYLIN

In a nit and out a louse

Lice are lousy all the time

They suck your blood, drink your wine.

(Hna Fardos had LICE! God loves me and I had NONE)

Me, sitting on the floor

My old Zone

I drew a picture of Hermana Fardos on the white board

Futbol on P-day, because I´m on a mission in South America

Hermana Fardos did my makeup for me 

(except I did my eyeliner, because I'm at least good at that)

Dear Blog...

 I didn't write cool things... but here are some pictures. 

I love you all. 

The gospel is True. 

XOXO Hermana LIB

Let me dump my thoughts on you. 

All the time Hermana Fardos HAS in the mission is how much I LACK. Which is weird. I`m not even trunky... but it just scares me because I have yet to have an Ammon-Alma-Sons of Mosiah Missionary impact here. Liiiikkkkee..... I am trying my hardest, loving even hearder and learning a TON. So it´s not so much like ``¿Was this good enough to be worth it?`` because, DUH, it´s the greatest choice I have yet made in my life on earth and the one that already I can see will have the grandest impact on my eternity. 

But at this moment I am feeling like. . . small... I guess.

I mean I guess I am pulling an "Alma" and wishing I was a grand angel that greatly inpacted this land of Lamanite descendentes fo the beter instead of just some sweaty young adult dirtbag willing to try to do Gods will, yet still learning the ropes on this whole discerning all the things the Spirit urges. Sometimes being a grain of sand on the beach you wonder if you´re adding to the scenery and I kind of feel like that. 

They say on your mission some reap and some sow and , if you are LUCKY, you do both. (Depende de lo que DIOS quiere y tiene preparado para SUS hijos,... No de TUS esfuerzos, no de TU fe, no de TU habilidad de enseñar claramente... Todo depende de Dios y el Albedrio de Sus Hijos) .

She understands, She doesn´t comprehend. 

 There is no fomula: If you do this or if you work THIS hard or if you pray THIS much or If you have THIS much faith.... You will see THIS result 

The only Fomula is Faith and Obedience. 

The only SURE thing, is if I stop, then it is SURE not to go forth. . .  and if I go forward, then SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY, SOMETIME.... I am contributing. 

I know this to be true.

At the Very VERY least I have continually been becoming more and more converted myself.  (Which to ME is no small thing at all)

I sure hope I have helped someone else too (and will yet help more).... but at the very least, I helped myself

and you but your bottom dollar that I am not a seed that easily dries up the first sign of sun. I am in the sun ALL DAY and I am still going strong! (this is literal and metaphoric)

The seed of my OWN testimony has grown past recognition to what it was 1 year and 1 month ago and that is Enough for me. I will keep offering this to anyone who will LOOK and LIVE....

and then my time will be up in This Feild.... (but I will ALWAYS be a missionary)

And I will forevermore have and meticulously care for my Own Seed- And thats the best part about seeds... You can count how many seeds are in a fruit, but you can not count how many fruits will come from one seed.

I had a hard week. We had a particularly hard experience. I will spare details, but basically we prayed for guidance and help in a trying situation that we did not want to have to face. We wanted to either not face it, or at the very least have an adult member there to help us... In the end, The impression came that we were going to have to do EXACTLY what we did not want to (confront a particularly stern Father and his wife and ask if he would give his consent to his son joining the Church of Jesus Christ) and that we were to do it alone. 

We didn´t know what we were going to say. We put on our shoes and obeyed.

The outcome was EXACTLY what we did not hope for (No, Marcos would not be able to get the consent of his Father at this time. No, the family was not intterested to know if our message and this eternal promises were true. We were invited to not return.)

And it was probably one of the coolest moment of my life. I was WELL aware of the gravity of the situation. We knew (from prior rude remarks said in Guarani, but HEY! I speak Guarani!) how they felt about us. I recognize the miracle that it was to have even been let in the door. My spirit was awake and hypersensitive so that I would know what to say and boy, I listened. Although the end results were the same as they would have been had we gone in ready to contend, convince or plead, because of the guidance of the Spirit, that is not what took place. We invited, we taught and we testified. 

And as we walked away, crushed.... My seed... my testimony... the Spirit... swelled inside me and looked up at the night sky. 

Yeah, I wasnt super happy... yeah it still is the PITS to get rejected... No I am not going to lie and say some sort of Peace hit me... It SUCKED. BUT.... I realized that it doesnt matter how bad it sucks because the Gospel is TRUE! 

And I said that out loud between sobs walking home on crooked empedrada streets... "It doesnt matter because it´s true." 

The hurt of rejection. The pain of watching someone choose doubt over faith or tradition over hope... That is a real hurt. That is a real pain, but it doesnt matter, because the Gospel is true. 

Thanks to the Gospel, I can drink the biter cup and look forward with HOPE! and LIGHT and FAITH! 

It`s not happy that they dont get to enjoy all the blessing of the gospel right now, but hope is never lost.  I know they are Gods children and that He hasnt given up on them. Thanks to the Gospel the pain is worth is because the JOY is reachable! 

Accepting agency of others hard, but its part of the plan. 

I know that when people CHOSE to live the Gospel, they will be blessed. I know that when people study the words of the Lord, His way will become clearer and Obideince ceases to be a chore and become a blessing of an unfailing guide to selfdominion and joy. Living a life based in the Gospel truths will bring the blessings and happiness and peace promised by God. I know it. I have had the HONOR to be the person who got to tell a few soulds this.... but its not my Gospel... It´s His. These are not promises I make to the people, they are promises HE has made to the WORLD!

At this moment All but 1 of my Converts are struggling (including my Bestfriend Fransisca de YbyYau)... I lost the priorly mentioned progresing investigator this wek and the one other con fecha, Mirtha, is still unsure if she wants to be baptized into the True Church and recieve a remission of sins and the companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost

 and it suffocates my heart with worry , frustration and saddness for them. I think "OH NO! maybe I didnt teach it clear enough or maybe ! could have or maybe i CAN do something more! I ned to do something to help them remember the way! I love these people and I want them to be happy and THIS is the way, the ONLY way, to lasting happiness! I should do something..." and I kind of get down on myself... 

A misunderstanding of truth or a fear of comitting to live a true principle is the only explination... 

I know this is God´s Church. It teaches Christ´s gospel and does so with His power and authority. Just because my dear friends are forrgetting their promises to God and more importantly His promises to them does not mean the Gospel stopped being true. It doesnt mean obedience to the Commandments stopped being the way to happiness.  Those things do not change. 

Gods promises do not change, but neither do our responsabilities.You cant stop praying and expect your faith to remain. You cant stop studying His word and expect your understanding to grow. You can´t stop partaking of the sacrament and expect to always have His Spirit to be with you. Just because you get sick of eating right and excersising doesnt mean you can stop and expect to stay healthy.

(D&C 130: 20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

 21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.)

You can´t stop living the commandments of God and expect that His light to remain in your life and His Spirit to continue to comfort you. 

You will lose His light and this comfort. These 2 things are the greatest gift I have. I love them. They make me happy, literally no matter what. I had the "worst week" and yet... Im like really happy because because of this "worst week" my testimony is stronger and... I am actually even happier. The more and more sure I become of the ressurectiong of Christ, the Restoration of His church and the Sureness of His eternal promises... the happier I am. Everything else in life is just really temporary and makes me stronger. I am Human (for now) and I breathe and bleed and cry and get down, but because I am fighting the good fight, all of these things will give me experience and be for my good. 

Chose Faith, It makes you happy, NO MATTER WHAT!

It so crazy and yeah its hard sometimes, but... its the BEST choice you can make. 

Chose to keep the commandments and LOVE them. They are so great! In them there really is safety and peace!

Chose the Right!

Chose to follow Jesus because He really is the Son of God.

That is my advice and I would just like to clarify that my motivation in inviting you all to do these things is that I know from experience propia that they will make you happy and I REALLY love you all and want you to be happy too.

I am happy and I am going to be happy forever as long as I keep keeping God´s commandments. 

Thanks for listening to my thoughts.

My week was rough, but gave me experience and served for my good. hahaha

Please pray for my Converts to find strength to fight to good fight of faith!

Their names are:

Joana Godoy

Viviani Arevalos Alvarez and Anibal Alvarez (And their son Tobias)

Marcos Sanchez

Pascual Insaurraldte

Ana Arzamendia

Andrea Arzamendia

Analia Franco Valdez

Fransisca Vera (Also pray for her husband LORENZO and her son Joel)

 Please also Pray from Mirtha Espinola. She is AMAZING and just needs to trust herself I think... but God knows better what she needs so pray that she can recieve whatever that is.

Also, Please pray from my ward. They have good intentions, we just ned better organization and execution. We also need to help our fellow members who have fallen off the path. Pray that we as a ward can do it. 

Until Next week

-Hermana Valenzuela

p.s. There were changes but I just stay here (con Hermana Fardos). that means I will spend half my mission in MARIANO ROQUE ALONSO

How was my WEEEEEEEEEEKKK???

Well, its hot, but there was a change in how we RENDIR in south america. We dont rendir ANY numbers (not how many con fecha, how many lessons with member how many otras how many progressing,...etc) NOTHING except how many baptisms, how many Recent converts at church and how much as the Asistencia. 

We are like WAY focused on MINISTRY... not numbers except those which show REAL growth. The people who get baptised, who stay active or who come back to church. 

its new, its crazy, but it helps us focus on PEOPLE and I LOVE it

That´s what my Big Brother Jesus the Christ did and I really wanna be like that guy.

Today was Hermana Santos´s Last Pday

We celebrated like KINGS!

So Elder Plasencia Dies this week and... even though we dont know him that well and we arent that close... Hermana Fardos and I thought it would just be nice if someone did it for US if we were dying, to we did it for him. We made him this package that is! complete with colored pencils and a custom coloring page for him to color on the way home to Peru, Muddy Buddies (Chex Mix, that turned out SO well), a 4 day countdown page and a picture of an airplane. We gave it to him in a box decked out with wedding pictures. We also gave his Comp "our condolances" and a Plan of Salvation folleto with a card that says "Can our Companionship continue on after death" and of course, more Muddy Buddies.

What do you call 2 Elders that get caught in a Paraguayan rain storm?

MUDDY BUDDIES! hahahahaha

Happy One Year to me

PIZZA! YEAH! yes yes yes yes!! SI!

New years we were not permitted to be out later than normal, so the Gimenex family prepared their meal early so that we could still have a mini celebration. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOO goooooodddddddd and super Paraguayan! I dont want to say it was better than Chsitmas, because I am grateful for both acts of kindness, but if I had to chose which night to repeat I would chose new years. 

They also gifted us FIESTA KIDS Apple Cider of Violetta and Disney. We Partied so Hard. hahahaha

Thanks for the Trunky Calander Dad! I filled 2/3 of it now!

This is me this morning (Jan 5th) over the RIO PARAGUAYO bridge

It seperates Argentina and Paraguay

How "A Walk to Remember" of me.

I, Libertee, write an email in the style of Jarom (from the Book of Mormon).

This week we did things. I was sweaty. We celebrated New Years.

I forgot to write in my journal and I wrote a bad blog update to make up for it (this). I am no Nephi, Moroni or Wilford Woodruff when it comes to record keeping. I will regret this later. I must work on this trait with dillegence to be better at recording my life.

I know God is real and that the Gospel of Christ, His Begotten Son, is True. I know that this Gospel is found in whole and unconfused only in His restored church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know He loves us and yearns to bless us. 

I will now push this record keeping responsibility stuff off until next week. 

XoXo Hermana Valenzuela