In the MTC

He's laughing so hard because I'm really funny.

I love to see the temple

Hermana Valenzuela y Hermana Willis

I'm getting eaten alive by bugs

This is hard, but worth it. I love my family.

WOOT WOOT FAMILIA!!!

I still love you writing everything because it makes me feel like I can live in two places at once. I don’t wanna miss a thing. Not one nap, Zumba class, Dagnee hair... NADA! I love it! 

I could use some of those Hydro beds here. I wake up with leg cramps and have to rub my legs until they relax.

 My best advice for anyone going on a mission is to get in shape, seriously. I thought I was doing alright, but this is still kicking my butt. 

Mom, thanks for bathing Dagnee. Kiss her squishy face for me.... or tell Dad to because that’s not something I really see you doing. 

Thanks for packing up my stuff. If you know where the box of candy I have from China is.... I really don’t know what to do with that stuff, go ahead and eat the chicken feet. I won’t be sad. 

In your last letter (or one of them) you said you wondered what I am doing. The answer is :sweating. I packed a lot of red clothes so all my Gs have red sweat stains. Sexy. When it’s not hot here, it’s POURING rain. Those boots we bought were the best investment. The first time it caught me off guard, but now I got  it down. I know how to keep me, my clothes, and my books dry as I swim on land. 

Its’ so cool when it rains and it’s not hot- so I really love it. Although, it does make it harder to contact anyone and people cancel appointments. Every rose has it’s thorns. EVERYONE will invite you in when it’s raining so.. plus plus! 

You said you missed me cause the microwave is dirty and I’m the best at cleaning it. Well, when I get home I’m going to be the best at cleaning everything. I’m going OCD cleaning CRAZY here. It’s a great distraction for homesick days and I’ll literally NEVER run out of things to clean. 

Sorry you guys have midnight mass, just be glad you have a ward. It’s weird having a whole ward on the backs of the testimony of 4 missionaries. Elder Muñoz is Branch President and Bishop and Elder Billings his assistant. Hermana  Willis and I are the Primary and YW and Relief Society Presidents. 

We’ve got  a whole mess to clean up. I can’t believe I didn’t know about it until  2 days ago! Anyway, he and his AWESOME family  are just scared it will happen again and they will have to pay the price. He said until we can promise security and heal his wounds he will NEVER come back. I was crying. I can’t imagine that happening. Someone coming to tell you this awesome news of the Gospel and then having it ripped away. I tried to explain the Church is true, people aren’t. 

That family (Familia Vergada) fed us that night..... WOW I spent the rest of the week trying to CHEW THE MEAT. It was tough! During the closing prayer I checked to see if everyones eyes were closed, grabbed a chunk of meat off my plate and threw it in my backpack. 

Hahahahahaha! Sister Willis said I had to eat it all but I COULD NOT! I had swallowed CHUNKS and chunks WHOLE! 

Later that night a dog attacked me for my meaty smell. It was funny.

Man, I’ve got so many funny stories! I can’t wait to come home and tell them all! 

We went to a house and the dad kept telling us he didn’t speak English and that we should really learn Spanish. WE WERE SPEAKING TO HIM IN SPANISH! Hahaha- he said it like 9 times. We taught him a whole lesson. He understood it all and said “wow you guys have a beautiful work etc”.... and then right before leaving he said, “ You guys need to learn Spanish. “ Hahahahah I kept saying-

“ I KNOW, THAT’S WHY WE’RE SPEAKING TO YOU INN SPANISH!”

It was great.

OH Mom! You said you don’t love Fringe and need a different show.... I know someone WHO has just what the DOCTOR ordered... ehhh? ehh?! 

(WATCH DOCTOR WHO!)

Pray for me to prefect my Spanish so I can start on my GUARANI. This is the area that speaks the most Guarani and I am really lost. I am learning some though  AND it hasn’t even been that long. Ill get it. I know it! 

The other day I was thinking about that ‘I AM YOUR GRANDMA’ video and I just started crying because even in my head it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. Please watch it for me. 

I printed out your letters last week and it was the best! I even highlighted and replied to things so I’d remember all the stuff I have to tell you guys, but there’s just not enough tiempo! 

Recap of my Week

SWEAT.

RAIN.

HARD MEAT.

CRAZY WARD DRAMA.

I SHOULD LEARN SPANISH.

Sometimes teaching Primary gives me war flashbacks from China. That and missing my favorite people EVER (you guys) are my biggest challenges. Prayer is powerful. My own, and yours for me. Thank you. I have to pray daily to be able to do this one more day, but day by day he hears my prayers and in a couple days a whole month will have gone by. 

We can do this.

Then the circle of our love can extend beyond the reach of time beyond the span of days and years.... etc.... AKA we can all just hang out together forever. 

Miss me:) 

I miss you

I love you

XOXO Hermana SAAAHHH SAAWW (Libertee phonetically spelled,by me, in Guarani. I still can’t spell in Gurani)

Packages!

I would be so happy to receive any letters or packages from you fine folks.

When sending packages to me, these are the tips I've learned.

- Put photos of Jesus and Mary on the outside of the package, 

this will minimize the chances of them getting ripped open

by the mail carriers, etc.

- Never put "worth of package" to be over $100.

I will have to pay extra to receive it and it will

take much longer to get to me.

I love you all!

Lib

Hey hey hey family!!! This letter is coming to you from a town called Yby Yau. It's a Guarani name. I'm a 7 hour bus ride out from Asuncion.

I don't know what it is about me and the boonies of humid other countries, but it seems to be where God loves to send me. It's hot, sticky, and sweaty. When it rains, it POURS! Literally.

The second day I was here I was getting cooked by the sun when suddenly BOOM rainstorm! Apparently that's common here. VERY common. Other common things are mangoes and papayas... So Mom, come on down! Hahahaha. PILES and PILES of rotting mangoes on every street corner. Even the chickens here won't eat them because they're sick of them. I have running water so... that's nice. We just have to tie a cloth around the faucet top to catch the chunks of soot that come out. It's a huge blessing I came here in the summer because hopefully I'll be in a different area for winter. I don't want to take cold showers in the winter.

 God also thought, because of China, I could handle mice because one got in my suitcase and munched on some candy Mom sent me with. I didn't love that. I still have loads of candy, although, my companion said she thought I could study better during Personal Study (I always have a hard time staying awake) if I went on a sugar fast. So.... No sugar for a month.

Also, hair up, no makeup. Every day. That's sad because I wanted to look cute, but Sister Willis says it attracts unwanted attention. We have to wash our clothes by hand and some of my delicate fabrics can't handle that. I don't even have time to worry about it. I look gross and I'm sorry because you all did all you could to help me look cute and now... I don't. I'm a sweaty goob.

 Sorry if this isn't as organized or clever as my awesome China blog. I have A LOT less time to plan out puns. Working working working. The people are way nice and always listen. They just don't always hear what we're saying. I'm trying to learn Guarani to see if that helps them understand. This is one of the farthest missions. It has the most Guaranis. Ill learn fast.

The Elders and one other guy are the only Priesthood in the ward. We usually have 17 people attend church. The Elders are also branch President, Bishop, everything. They've got a lot on their plate. There are a lot of 'menos activos' (less actives) here so we're trying to focus on them so that the ward is strengthened enough to support new investigators. I am primary president. I have the kids for 2 hours before sacrament meeting. I'm scared because we all know what happened last time I worked with kids. Hahaha, but all went really well yesterday. China just prepared me. Oh! and we're in charge of ward night every Thursday. Ideas for that would be nice!

When you walk by people here (because EVERYONE just sits outside on their porch and drinks terrere in the shade ALL DAY) you say Adios instead of Hola... which is weird. Then for "goodbye" you say Ciao. Instead of knocking on doors, you clap at the gate. Their porch seems to be more important than their house. DON'T go to the door. Clap at the gate. The people are very kind and have an extremely simple way of life (seriously, just terrere, all day). My companion is really nice and asks how I'm doing every 5 minutes, but its nice and doesn't bug me. I think she thinks I'm nuts... and she's right. I keep cleaning and organizing everything and I think it's driving her She's helping to keep me obedient. I'm more worried about her going into shock because of who she's living with then me going into shock from a new country.

 It's as though the boonies of China and some of Mexico had a baby here, so I can handle it. Regular mission stresses of course, but I thank God every day for a new try to have the best day! I'm working hard hard hard. Sometimes I wake up and I'm like- WHERE AM I! but after I refocus, I have a good day. I can feel Gods support A LOT. Especially because I'm not crying as much as I thought I would. I'm really glad for that.

 OH! and here's the wrap up of the MTC robberies. So a gal in my room said she was missing some rings and I thought hmmm I'll check the satchel that Mom told me to wear at all times... and my money was missing! 300 Argentina pesos (50= bucks) The only time I took it off was to go to the temple! I didn't know there were going to be construction workers changing the windows in the room where we left our belongings. I thought maybe they took it, or maybe I lost it. A ton of people reported stuff missing and the President said that they were claiming things were missing because I had ! I was like NO!!!! But he was way rude and treating me like some dumb white girl accusing the brown men of stealing the first chance she got, which was SO not the case! They were saying in was OUR fault because we didn't lock our lockers! Sorry we were at the MTC didn't know renovations were happening in our ROOMS! Then he said that they lock the lockers in the temple and just making me feel terrible. I was the one who had been robbed! In the end, the guys who did it (they had stolen over 1500 US dollars, rings watches ,etc) got caught and the company returned the money. I was thinking 'HAHA! told you so!!!' but actually I just said "I'm glad everything turned out well in the end". The President said it didn't turn out well because those men lost their jobs. He said we could have removed the temptation by locking our cubbies. .... HELLO! like that's my fault ?! Yeah, right. Those men chose to steal and couldn't choose the consequences! It's not like I clipped my money up on a clothes line blowing in the wind. This isn't a hot pie in the window and a hungry hobo nearby catches the sent like a cartoon. They rifled through, to the back of my closet, and found my cash. Whatever. I'm out of time. I hope that story got across because it made me mad. I was glad to leave the CCM.

Now I'm here!

Doing fine!

I'm writing in my journal more so that I don't forget anything. The Internet is slow, but I'm going to try to load pics on to my sky drive after I finish this letter. I love everyone! I hope all is well. I miss you ALL THE TIME and I'm hoping that this gets easier. At any moment I could turn around and run and swim all the way home! So... that's why I keep moving forward. Day by day. I'm DOING THIS! It's a miracle. Everyone was like ...YOU CAN DO THIS! Maybe that was just a trick to get me out here because now I'm too stubborn to leave and I'm going to distract myself with work until it's time to come home and hug you all for 2103529 hours! Love you guys. This is a cool adventure and I thank God that so far I've been able to handle it. XoXo Lib

President and Sister McMullin

Official Post From Paraguay

I bet you're sick of this, but I don.t have time. They just told me to tell you that I've arrived. So.... I've arrived :D Been here long enough to eat real fast (ALAMBRE! but it's not real Mexican food and it's not common here)

 I had my interview and now I'm writing you! I'm headed out to the border of Brazil and Paraguay. I don't remember the name of the town, but I remember that translated it means 'eat dirt'

 My new trainer said it's pretty so that's cool. I'll see after a 7 hour bus ride.

 She kinda told me what's up in my area and the peeps there.

She tried to verbally explain how to hand wash clothes... I can't wait.

 Trying to stay humble and obey.

Also, trying to keep it all together. PLEASE pray for me.

The days keep passing. Love to you all.

My first official Post from Paraguay! :D

 ps. once again I swear I'll write better next week.

I even got robbed! It'll be an exciting email. (I'm fine)

 Glad to be out of the MTC

Ready to work Still pray

 XOXO Hermana Lib

Hello MTC, Goodbye MTC

Once again I'm pressed for time. I leave for Paraguay tomorrow morning. I'll be on my way to Paraguay by 7AM, but leaving the MTC at 4:30AM!!! Early, Early. I got some little card that made me an official missionary and also has an end date. I don't know a lot about it, but the end date says Julio 2nd 2015. So I should be home for the 4th of July. Not sure if that's my release date or the time I'll be home or what. Ill try to finagle to return, with honor.... but asap. Hahaha! I miss you all BADDDDDDDDDDDDDDD. Mom and Dad, you better come pick me up summer 2015. I'm sick of this anxious traveling alone feeling. I don't want do that flight alone.  It's super crazy and I just want a regular P-day where I can actually breathe and write and do things that I need to do. Next monday.  I have been writing at least three pages a day in my journal so I'll tell you all whatsssup play by play. I miss everyone and I have been thinking especially of my sisters. I love them and tell them ok? I love you guys. They're making me get off.

Love

Next week better letter

Going to Parguay tomorrow

Don't stop praying

 Xoxo

 Lib