Elder Meller holding down the fort

Fransisca Vera being baptized in Yby Yau

(Ross voice) ....Hi.

 Still not quite getting the reins here. Stressed and worn, but trying my hardest everyday. 

This week was fine. We did have some REALLY REALLY awesome lessons. 

One with an investagator named Emilia. We taught her about the restauration of Christ´s Church and about the Book of Mormon. I will NEVER forget her expressions throughout the lesson. She is so cute! She just kept saying "I´m so embarrassed! I didn´t know [that Christ came to the Americas]!". I finally said "it´s Ok that you didn´t know! That´s why there are millions of jovenes with black name tags walking around the whole world...because God loves you and wanted you to know!" 

I like when people really listen to our message because it really is a marvelous one. 

God loves you. 

He loves us all. 

He always has. 

Doesn´t matter when you live(d) or where. 

He is Our Father and He loves you. 

Because of this love, He wants you home. He has set up a plan to help you get home and central to this plan is His Son, Our Brother, Jesus Christ. 

The Book Of Mormon testifies of this same Christ. You can read it, meditate on it´s message and pray to God in the name of Christ to know if it is true.

 If it IS true (and I, Libertee, testify that I know it is), that means that Joseph Smith, who translated it by the power of God, really was a prophet of Our Father in Heaven and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really is God´s kingdom on Earth. 

 Read the book and ask God if it is true & if you really want to know the answer God the Father will reply and by the power of His Holy Spirit, you may know the truth of all things.

 I know, I know, I sound like a broken record: READ THE BOOK OF MORMON, READ THE BOOK OF MORMON... But honestly, It just seems so simple to me. 

So perfect. 

I can´t understand why one WOULDN´T read it & ask to know if it was true, but I guess that´s just how people have been since forever. 

 I am reminded of the people in the dispensation of Moses who would NOT look upon the brass serpent. LOOK and LIVE! or, better, READ and KNOW! I testify once more and will continue to testify that it REALLY is that simple. I love the Book of Mormon. I love my Brother and Redeemer, Jesus the Christ. I know Him better because I have read BOTH of the testiments that record His mortal ministry. He lives. He came and completed the Father´s will. He saved us all. 

I share these truths in His name, Amen.

Last week: My companion thought the Internet Cafe closed at 8, but really it closed at 6... so... we ran around and looked for an alternative and as a result, No Letter last week, but... Basically I did missionary type things last week. As for THIS week... I also did missionary type things. hahaha I am slowly adjusting to the new Area. I survived my "trunkiest" mission day;The Fourth Of JULY. It came without Parades! It came without Rodeos! It came without Lagoon,Fireworks or COUSINS! The first time in 20 years I´ve missed it! I wore a red, white and blue blouse and that´s about as crazy as it got here. Fransisca Vera got baptised on the 5th. The first Baptism since November in Yby Yau. I wasn´t there because I am in Mariano, but I got to call and say congrats. I remember clapping at her door with Hermana Willis, pretty scared because we had been told she only spoke Guarani. Our first lesson with her we taught about Tithing... (whatever the Spirit dictates, right?) During the next visit with her we were running late for a funeral so we taught VERY breifly about the Book of Mormon and invited her to read and left. When we came back we found out that she had done as we said. She had opened the book and read! She had read about Korihor, The Anti-Christ, preaching that there was no God. I remember thinking "Oh boy, we´ve lost her!" But then she said: "I was so confused by what I had read because you had said this book testified of Christ. I figured obviously I had missed something. I turned to the start of the chapter and read from there. I read three more chapters and then I understood... Korihor was a bad man and Alma was like a priest who taught of Christ...right?" We got her reading the book and the rest is history! I am a terrible, terrible teacher. I try really hard but, I have no idea what I am doing. All we did was visit Fransisca often, always inviting her to read more. We invited her to Church and told her that if she prayed and asked God, He would answer and that´s the only way she could really know if this church was true. I am so happy that she listened and that she chose to act! I know God loves His children. He loves us! And if you ask Him in the name of Christ, with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things. I know God is mindful of each and every one of us. He has a plan for us all. He sees the "bigger picture". I am happy to be a little pawn in His loving, kind and marvelous hands! I am so very blessed to be able to see His miracles unfold. I am glad I have such a solid proof of His love to take door to door. I love the Book of Mormon. I don´t know what I would do if I had to "convince" people the Church was true. I am so glad that´s not my job. I invite people to come unto Christ. My fanciest invitation is a 2nd witness of His Glory and proof of the restauration of His Church and Priesthood power on Earth.It is a book that testifies of Him and records His ministry to God´s children in the Americas and ends with a promise that if the reader would like to know if said record is true, they need but ask God in fervent prayer and they will recieve an answer. I don´t convince people, I invite them and when they act upon my invitation (which only echoes invitations of others before me) The Spirit converts them. I think my "job" is really cool. So... That´s what I mean by doing "missionary type things"... just going around telling people that God is grand and trying to show them just HOW GRAND! And, Here I go, off to do it for another 7 days. Until Next Time XOXO, Hermana Valenzuela

It´s me, Lib, coming to you LIVE from Mariano Roque Alonso.

Well ya`ll... My life is weird again and I´m that awkward uncomfortable new girl again... I hate being her, but I can´t seem to lock her away. She comes out when Big scary changes happen and Lib can´t handle it... So Lib hides and boring wierd Drone Donna comes out. I first met Drone Donna when I was punched in the face by culture shock standing in the Super market of Hong Kong. Drone Donna has also made special guest appearances in my life whenever I am faced with that big ol´ "C" word, CHANGE.

She lived my first few days in the CCM. Elder Muñoz remembers Drone Donna my first month or so of Yby Yau (and does a super hilarious impression of Her awkward quietness and blank-face expressions)

And now she is making "friends" in the big city.

I hope I get comfortable soon because I´m so fetching awkward when I first meet people.

My new Area is still very very NEW.

It´s giant and I never know where we`re at and then we turn the corner and suddenly BOOM it´s the street of our house. Idk how it happens or how I`ll ever manage... but I`ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

It´s weird to have members and I am so awkward it physically pains me. 

Lunch appointments are cool though. I will try not to becoms a Fatty Fransis.

On Sunday I had to stand in front of 5 billion people (the MASSIVE ward) and tell them who I was. I tried to drowned out Drone Donna so that they could meet Lib... Idk how well I did.

I told them my name and that I was born in Michigan but moved various times in my life, included a couple times in Mexico which is where I learned my Spanish. I said my family lives now in Utah, but I don´t think I´m from there. I´m not from anywhere, but if you ask me who I want to win the Mundial it´s Mexico! 

I told them that my family is cool and that my brother will be going to the DR soon.

I said that I was "born" (mission-wise) in YbyYau and that I had been there the last 6 months, that now I feel like I am a greenie once more because it is so so so different here, a whole new mission... including the Language! 

Then I bore my Testimony in Guarani.

I didn`t cry. Not one tear!

Then I sat down.

It was probably the scariest 3 minutes of my life. Not really. but. there you go.

Wont say much more about my area. It´s just really different.

My companion, Hermana Bautista, is nice. I got another Guatemalteca... but she´s the opposite of Hermana Santos. 

Life is really mellow and I cry and miss the jungle, but I´ll adjust.

My last days there were the poster-child of the word "Bittersweet".

 I said goodbye to my dear friends. Anacleto, Dahiani, Romina, Fransisca, Leandro...I hope to return to my little town of Yby Yau with my folks at the end of this 18 month adventure (and maybe live there forever).

 Hermana Santos and Elder Benavente, with luck, I will see in the offices during changes at some later point in the mission. (Plus I call Hermana Santos sometimes and we continue our plans for a trip to Mexico together)

But all the same, my heart broke over and over with each goodbye, 

and finally shattered with my last solid "adios" handshake with Elder Muñoz.

He "dies" after this change.

Elder Muñoz is my hero forever. He goes back to Chile the day before Z leaves for the D.R. 

All I had to offer him was a pop-tart and a bag of Sprees from my B-day package (which was AWESOME. I got it on Wednesday. Thank you)

It`s not much... but I hope he knows how cool I think he is. 

Then I was shuffled here and there with my suitcases. At some point we got in a van and I tried not to cry too much because I think I was making Hermana Bautista, my new district Leader and his comp very uncomfortable and somewhat depressed with the water works.

¿Why am I such a llorona?

My new house is Yellow, so that´s awesome. It´s 3 times the size of my little blue shack in the jungle. 

I unpacked and Hermana Bautista helped me. Awkward small talk was exchanged.

That night I read the goodbye notes Santos, Benavente and Muñoz had written me and cried and wrote words in my journal. 

The next day I pulled myself together and tried to keep my cool. I was Drone Donna... but at least I wasn´t Teary Tessa.

Then it was night time and as I unpacked my last bag I found a secret goodbye note from Leandro.

More tears.

I am so grateful God let me go to that stupid jungle town I hated so much upon arival and meet those incredible people and share those amazing moments. I know I could be mad that I had to leave, but instead I am happy that I even got to go.

I am honored to have been called to serve the Yby Yau-ian people and alongside Paraguay´s grandest and noblest missionaries. 

I have faith that my Father in Heaven knows what will make me happy better than even I do!

I wouldn´t have ever chosen to go to the Jungle out in Yby Yau, especially not for my first area and never for 6 months... but God knew. 

And he was right

And now I wouldn´t choose anything else. 

I can´t wait to see what wonderful blessings He has for me here.

I can´t wait to learn the lessons He has for me to learn here.

I can´t wait to meet the wonderful people he has prepared for me to love here. 

I think I need a bigger heart because right now, It´s all full!

until next week,

Hermana 

"Drone Donna"

Valenzuela

The last photo in my house in Yby Yau.... ;(

The Last photo with my Chilenos and HERMANA SANTOS 

This was my cute welcome form Hna Bautista

It's way colder here so the footie pajamas.... best idea ever. 

Also the pizza socks OBVIO (PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA!!!!!!) and the snickerdoodles.... omg. YES.

Side note> this was the first picture I asked Hermana B to take of me.

I make really good first impressions.

Hello!

There are changes coming in my life.

I am leaving my beloved jungle and headed for the big city. I am really scared. I have never felt more like Mogali from the jungle-book in my life. 

I don´t know how anything will be. I am sad to leave, so I don´t want to write about it because then it will seem negative about my new area... its not that I hate the new place/people... I don't even know them, Its just that I LOVE my people here. 

I love them. 

Mainly my Comp, the Elders and Romina,Leandro, Dahiani and Fransica.

I can´t write too much because A:I´ll cry and B: there are not words to describe my love for them, trust me, I´ve been trying all day. 

Who is Hermana Valenzuela if not the Queen Bee of her Jungle Town of Misfits in Yby Yau? I guess soon we will see. 

There was a parade on June 12th which was really long and kinda lame, but we had permission to go so we went and enjoyed ourselves because people watching is fun in every country. 

Also we took photos by the street named "12 de Junio" because when I came here in January I said "I`m going to take a picture by that sign on June 12th" (Never thinking I´d still be here)

Then we had our Ward trip to the Temple. Last week Presidente said we couldn't go unless we had Recent Converts who had done Family History and were taking their own names.... so this week we focused on Family History work. hahahaha

Leandro Romero did the work for his sister Pilar who passed away from a Moto accident. They were really close (15 months apart like Stee and I) and it was amazing to get to teach him that he could help her out even from this side of the veil! After baptisms we got to do a session with our wards one active couple! I love the temple. I want to go everyday.

We did a service project this week. My hands had a fight with the rake and lost.

 We didn't have cloth or anything so we wrapped them up in plastic bags. I joked that I was David Walker and Hermana Santos laughed and called me a square. It was really hard work for 8 men!!!! and we are just 2 chichas who insisted on helping this lady clear some jungle for her garden. Well... she wasnt there so her señor let us in ... (or more, pointed to the side of his house) and we made up what we were doing. We worked so hard and cried a little and sweat a lot until finally.... we couldn't go on.

So we knelt down in the piles of dirt and jungle debry and prayed for strength to finish.

Then we got back up and worked! More tears and sweat and a bit of blood and an hour later we were done! 

Walking back I told Hna Santos we had to hold it in until we were back at home. She needed no explanation and we silently walked home. The very moment the door closed behind us we collapsed on the ground and moaned for a good 5 minutes (giggling in between...we´re always laughing).

It`s been 4 days and I am still sore.

We made burritos this week for the Elders because they had NEVER had a burrito. They were of course nothing compared to what we know from Mexico or Guatemala... but for the inventiveness and creativity it took to pull off I was thrilled with the results. . . so was my belly :) 

We also surprised them with... Zapatillas? Zopapillas? we´re not sure what they are or how you say it but we wanted to make something special for them so we called the Herman Lider from Chile and asked for a Chilean recipe. We blindly followed intructions without even know what the end result or goal was. Someone please do some research and find a Chilean Scone like dessert made with pumpkin and see if what we made looks anything like them. hahaha

The Elders loved them and once again so did my belly.

Yesterday was the best Sunday Ever. EVER.

THIRTY SIX was our asistencia. 

We had 3 investigators come and 5 menos activos and the Elders had a whole Menos activo family come from "their area" (We visit them too...we kinda share areas)! We´ve been visiting them for a WHILE....

There were SO many people! I gave a really sweet talk about gratitude and didn´t even cry until halfway through (A new record for me).

Elder Muñoz talked about love/charity. 

We sang Himno 2. 

It was the best day and I felt so happy. I was elated. ELATED. to see a little plum sized fruit of our labors. 

It was the sweetest metaphoric plum I have ever eaten and I will never forget that happy day. Happy Paraguayan Fathers day!

I love my jungle town, even though the people here are really silly sometimes. I loved watching over them. I loved searching the scriptures and praying to know what in the world they needed to be able to come closer to Christ. I loved learning what Yby Yau had to teach me and I am nervous to leave. 

More than anything, I love my train-wreck of a ward because despite the fact that we are falling apart, we ALWAYS stick together.

I`m going to reserve a cloud in Heaven and call it Yby Yau and wait (with Tererè) for the few, but no less incredible, souls I met here. I`m so glad they changed my life forever. 

Over and Out.... and Out of the Jungle

leaving some of my heart here, but always sending home my Love,

Hermana Valenzuela

Well, a picture is worth a thousand words and I sent a thousand pictures this week so... I hope it will suffice. As for the words I will send,they will have to be a little less than usual. This week was sweet, Lots of rain and lots of partying. My birthday was more than I could´ve ever asked for. EVER.  After all the excellence I shed some tears to my own embarrassment and Hermana Santos and I held an emergency "Anti-Trunky" Dance party in our house. The truth is I wasn't crying because I was trunky. I later told my journal that the reason for the water-works was that I felt I don´t deserve all the muches of love that I received from my dear sweet family and friends, but I am more than uuber grateful for it. The wonderful people in my life are just... far too stellar to me, to the point that "my little heart is filled with joy" and that joy oozes out of my heart and up to my eyes, then falls in the form of the happiest most grateful tears. Thank you once more, all, for the packages, letters, birthday wishes and love. I feel SUPER supported... demasiado! and I hope I can do you all proud. I´m gonna try.  21 years down ? to go And although I don´t know what the future holds, I know of one solid way to ensure that the rest of my years are filled with joy, Rain or Shine. That sure was is Christ. He is the way, the truth and the light.  His gospel and saving priesthood power has been restored on this Earth in these Latter-Days and can be found in His true Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I testify that Our Father in Heaven loves each and everyone of us, His children. I have come to know this truth as fact. He wants us to all make it home, ever last one. As I close this thanks-giving latter home I would like to express my gratitude to two more personages: God, Our Father in Heaven, who loves us enough to give us His only begotten son to suffer and die for us so that we may live with Him again, forever And Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Redeemer, who came to earth and obeyed Our Eternal Father with exactness. Thanks to Them, I can make choices and earn my home in Heaven, where I hope to be surrounded by the same loving, amazing people who have made my Earthly home so wonderful. I love my Family, my friends, and this Gospel. I testify of the joy it has brought to my life and the joy I know it can bring to all those who believe, live and love it in the sacred name of our Brother and Savior, even Jesus the Christ Amen.