This is My awkward, AWKWARD district before Hermana Bautista and Elder Chacon left. This basically sums up my whole change with them.

Here is our room where we have our Confession Sessions//aka Dr Phil office. hahaha

Hermana Linares goes home in 4 months and I am here to help her remain calm. hahaha (Also our whiteboard with some nice "Smashing Pumpkins" lyrics)

Here  is the best story I forgot to tell you guys: for those of you who know me know that my biggest fear is LICE

WELL

One time we went to a menos activos house and they have a daughter who is kind of autistic or something... idk... but she is special and like 16 years old

Well  we greeted her (cheek kisses) and then she asked us both if we had lice

"umm.... no" I replied as my heart halted and my insides shrunk

Then... without being able to stop myself I asked "¿do you?" dreading the answer like I have never dread anything before in my life. 

She smiled and nodded afirmatively! 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

so...

So now I wash my hair with this lice killing shampoo and cry every morning

Nightmares come true

This is a pic I snapped at one of our Lunches. 

It`s a pasta dish called Tajarin.

It´s just like... mediocre pasta with LOTS of Oil (Aciete is a Paraguayan Staple food), a basic tomatoe sauce and chicken.

It´s just. . . food. Neither here, nor there.

Served with mandioca and/or bread.

Accompanied by fresh, DELICIOUS juices!! I do love the fresh fruit juices! :)

This is what I eat everyday or some variation, but similar (instead of noodles its rice or instead of chicken its red meat) 

I haven´t seen a vegtable since Yby Yau (where I was in charge of my own lunches)

I feel like a blubberous whale and it`s REALLY hard to walk around after lunch because it`s not like a light sandwich or a salad or something to fill us up and keep us going.

It´s HEAVY. Always! and 

... I am dying.

The grass is NOT greener on the other side. I am eating my words (along with oily pasta) from when I said I was excited to have the members give us lunch.

The grass is not greener, in fact there are not greeneries whatsoever. 

MEAT and CARBS and JUICE.

It´s not that it is gross, it´s just I really want a Carrot.

I asked to use a Menos Activos bathroom and they have a TUB! I got so excited I took a picture. I love baths. Why am I always living in countries with no Tubs?! THIS ISNT NO MORE BATHS!

At night we drink matè dulce and I take pictures of the moon a lot

Hi! 7 more days have passed us by!

 I love being able to say that I used the hours in those days to try to tell my brothers and sisters about our Father in Heaven and what our Big Brother and Savior did to help us get back home. 

This week I am happy because my earthly brother, Justiz, will soon be doing the same thing with the hours in his day! (on Wednesday! GO ZMAN! I LOVE YOU! RETURN WITH HONOR!) 

I have good friends doing the same with the hours in their days.

 I am on a mission doing good works with the time that God blesses me with.

 I have the support of a wonderful family back home.

 I have the strength and help of the Creator of this universe by my side at all times. 

I have made covenants in the Lord`s house and have the promise of Eternal Life so long as I keep them. 

I know who I am. I know God`s Plan. I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I`ll honor His name. His truth I will proclaim. God had been so good to me. 

 Also, I am getting really good at making banana bread. 

 Please pray for Familia Garcia Sosa Familia Perez Viviani and Anibal Familia Rios Maria Jose and Alana Mirtha Espinosa And Everyone else here that we are teaching or supposed to teach and Everyone in Yby Yau that I miss teaching

 XOXO Hermana Lib

Where´d you go? I miss you so. Seems like it´s been forever since you´ve been gone..............

 "What happened to your update on Monday?" you may be asking. 

Well, the Cyber we we´re using decided to close early despite the fact that there were CURRENT CUSTOMERS. loco. so. We worked an extra hour that night and came back today to finish our P-day Internet time properly. 

 This week has been a total flipside change! I´ll start with changes which took place last Wednesday. Hermana Bautista and I parted. It was awkward but fine.

Then I found my new companion (More in the Doctor Who sense, not Firefly). Hermana Linares is from Bogota, Colombia. She is tiny, adorable and the breath of fresh air I needed. Woot woot! Whilst in the offices, we passed by a table had a bunch of crap on it and a note reading "free stuff, take what you need". We "needed" a lot, hahaha and had fun finding the random forgottens of past missionaries. 

We have an electric kettle and a bombia now. We also found a bottle of mystery pills. I´ve been taking 3 daily. Livin´it up! (Jk they´re vitamins). I got mail, which is very important. I love letters. 

Congrats Thomas Turek on the getting married! I don´t have your Email, but... maybe you read my blog. I got your invite!Thank you. You both look fancy. However, I will not be RSVPing because I will be here HLJing (CTRing in spanish).

 Other letters include a random letter from a Sister in the south mission I met for 5 seconds in customs, A letter from Argentina, a super ugly picture of me from the Herman Lideres they had printed and written a note on the back and 2 letters from Granee. Then we waited in the offices... for what? To see the corpse of the DEAD Elder Muñoz finishing his interveiw with Presidente and on his way to see his folks whom were waiting for him at the Temple. So cool. 

And I also saw Elder Benevente! (and Hermana Willis but she took off fast and is not in the photos) it was like an Yby Yau family Reunion!... minus H.Santos because she is still in the jungle. I love her and still call her and sing her to sleep. hahaha really. 

Then we went home. The SECOND the door closed behind me I started crying and told Hermana Linares EVERYTHING I hadn´t been able to say for the last 6 WEEKS!! She laughed and promised we were about to be best friends. We told jokes, shared photos from home, told "boy" stories, mission struggles, how long til we ´Die´, etc...and all other get aquanted rituals necessary to be regular lady missionary compañions/friends. 

Sufficeth to say... she´s like a person. Not a Potato. 

And I am so happy.

 I asked her to help me remember how to be normal too and she said OK. So.. Thats what we´re doing. Some of our tactis in doing so are: actually talking to each other! 

We had a "confession session" where we shared some real ´dr phil´ moments and listened to some sweet jams she brought. We also have a "work hard, play hard" philosophy (And That´s MY new Philosophy-Sally Brown) meaning that doing "nothing" on P-day is not an option. This P-day we went to the botanical gardens in Asunción with a member from the ward, her daughter and her daughter´s friend. It was super fun. 

We went to this super mediocre museum and then walked around the grounds. We took a million pictures (because Hna Linares studied and enjoys photography) and climbed a lot of trees. Afterwards we got dropped off at a place to eat Pizza! and then took the bus home!

 (I haven´t had too many bus rides yet because I am scared to get lost, but Hna Linares says "Trust me" and I do) Basically, Life is good! And since I´m the one who "knows the area" and I Don´t, we´re just clapping at doors and finding a ton of new AWESOME people. 

 Opening our mouths and KILLIN´ it... Spiritually speaking. 

 "Remeber only God can judge us, Forget the Haters...cuz somebody loves ya.... 

AND WE CAN´T STOP... And we WON´T stop" 

In other more spiritual Lyrics: Onward, ever onward as we Glory in His name! 

Forward, pressing forward as triumph song we sing. God our strength will be; press forward ever, Called to serve our King. 

 XoXo Hermana Valenzuela

I will start this week´s update by saying that currently in the INTERNET CAFE I am at they are playing some Katy Perry Classics... 

And its distracting me (but I secretly love it)... soooo if this letter doesn´t make sense you can blame that Candy Covered "california girl", who does not want to be one of the boys! 

 So what happened this week... basically nothing. Oh WAIT! I had "my first baptism" (in quotation marks because I count Fransisca even though I wasn´t there) Johana Gabriella Godoy Cinturion was baptised by her Uncle. She is the 9 year old daughter in a less-active family. The Hermanas were teaching her before I came and we basically just made sure she knew what commitment she was making and told our Mission Leader to fill the font on Saturday. 

 I don´t feel like "Oh me, oh my, I am so connected to her and her journey!"... but its always a blessing to help people to come unto Christ, even if my ´role´ in the whole affair was seeminly minimal. I did try to make her baptism special and rememberable by making brownies, writing her name all pretty-like on the chalkboard and gifting her a "I am a child of God" bookmark along with a HLJ ring. Felicidades Johana! I love you even if I barely know you! 

 Also, we found this way prepared lady and her family, so ... keep Graciela Perez, her sobrino, Joel, and her kids in your prayers. Besides that I´m just chugging along, Little Engine style. "I think I can I think I can" I asked for a priesthood blessing on Sunday. During the blessing Elder Plasencia blessed that I and my Family would be comforted in this time apart. I thought it was interesting. I am so connected to you all that even when I ask for a blessing for myself it reaches to you all. 

 "WE ARE ONE" (LGM from toystory) We got called with "changes" this morning. Hermana L.... something that starts with an L (I dont remember)... is my new partner in crime. 

We will be going to the offices on Wednesday to "make the switch". I´m excited. I met her briefly during the "Day at the Terminal" my 2nd month in the field. My first impressions were that she is super tight and a jokester so... I am stoked. 

Plus she is from Columbia so she is basically Dad... except not bald and before the Lazer Eye surgery because she wears glasses. In other (Yby Yau) news: Fransisca is the new PRIMARY PRESIDENT! Her sister in now an Investagator. Her Husband is getting baptised this month The new Elder that is Presidente de Rama is from Guatemala! and Elder Muñoz.... is dead! 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH He "died" today! CRAZY! My chilean Mission Hero is "in a better place". haha There is a possibility that on Wednesday in the Offices during transfers I may see him and meet his Folks! I guess thats all. Thank you for the prayers, letters, love.... and some more prayers. I think about you guys all the time and always miss you! 

Love, Hermana Valenzuela 

 Shout out to Granee because I have a letter(s) from her EVERY time I receive mail, but she doesn't have Email. 

HELLO GRANNEE, I can´t always write you back but I want you to know I get all your lovely notes and I appreicate them. I love you very much. Keep cycling and reading the book of Mormon and el libro de Mormon and making afgans. Watch good TMC and good luck with your knees. 

 And Shout Out to Wyatt, The best ´Smash´-er in the world (regardless of injust 3rd placings) Let your ivy soar, Ivysaur.

Tami (Moms name) and I making media lunas... or as she says "vuelta lunas" like 4 weeks ago

This is at a restraunt we went to like 3 weeks ago. 

Been sucking at sending photos but... whatever. Pizza is yummy and this restraunt is AWESOME because its ALMOST feels like a real restaunt (not a "copetin" from paraguay)

H.B and I like to pretend we´re in Guatemala or something while we´re there. . . but the food takes 1 and a half hours (not a hyperbole) to get to you. 

Last week we went to the EXPO.... and then we found out its forbidden. 

OOPS!

A can of Prin-Gooooools (made me laugh inside for 12 hours... I didn´t outwardly show joy due to weird depression issues, but still... I recognize humor when I see it)

My shadow ( SEW ARTZY) drinking Malta aka; the most delicious warm beverage to tickle the tummy in the morning

My new Area is like... Crazy different from my last and its still costing me a little (lot-a) bit. Like... Weve got a ton of members and it freaks me out. The people speak spanish and not Guarani and... Thats weird for me still. Were in week 6 of our change so... well see if more change is coming or what. 

My Comp is Hermana Bautista. Shes like if a weird potato came to life and went on a mission... and really I say that with love in my heart. 

Were pushing through together at least and now we dont like argue or anything... but life is really weird.  She has depression issues and I think they might be contageous. Everyone in her Family keeps dying and so I dont judge or blame her... but I dont know how to help cause all I do it crack jokes and sometimes I try to lighten the mood and it DOES NOT work. Example: The other day we were walking and I asked "whats the dumbest thing you´ve ever done?" and she replied "Hate my Dad til the day he died".  Another example I shared a story about how one time Justiz and I accidentally dropped this Giant water balloon on the carpent in the living room at 3 in the morning!

 (In Saltillo, Remember Z?) 

She laughed and said one time the sink in her house broke and her mom (who is also now dead) blamed her and beat her. Then the plumber came and her Mom found out it was the pipe, not Hermana Bautista and felt bad. Also her grandma died our first week together.  so......Its a really tough crowd Im living with. ALL DAY!  I´ve been like super stressed ... then I get stressed about being stressed and its awful.  Our District and Zone leaders dont help much either.  It was inevitable that I would miss my Chilenos and my "Santa" Santos, but... I was not prepared for such a... stiff group. Im trying to losen them up, but its tough and they bajar la caña a lot and stress numeros ... which makes me feel dumb.  but whatever.  My mission President said it sounds like maybe I have some symptoms of perfectionism so now I have to talk to a pychologist once a week. Crazy? Basically life is NUTS and apparently so am I... but all I can do is keep the faith, keep on fighting and pray like crazy! 

 But a pesar que todo esta Loco ahora, I love my mission. Seriously. THE BEST. Like... I am learning a TON and getting super close with Father in Heaven and relying on the Savior COMPLETELY for strength. I know I am recieving help because I could NOT do this alone. No way.  Maybe only fellow missionaries (Or RMs) could understand that EVERYTHING can be falling apart, but as long as youre giving it all you got and leaving the rest to Him, Missions are awesome and life is good  ....HARD, but Good :) All in All: The mission rocks and the beat goes on.  Dont really know what else to say. but.... Thats my life and I miss you all and Im going crazy, but... I trust that Jesus can and wants to help so I just pray like... 24/7 and sing hymns and plead for help. The Savior said He would lift our burdens. I trust in that promise and now I must let Him. It´s easy to trust in the Lord when everything is going your way, but there are times when the challenges and difficulties of life can leave us physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Knowing where to turn is not enough; we must allow the Savior to rescue us. In Matthew 14 when Pedro walks on water he experiences what I am talking about.  HE,Peter, was walking on water! Awesome, But then again He, PETER, WAS WALKING ON WATER and it freaked him out! He saw the waves and the storm and began to lose faith that HE,Peter, could do this! I don´t think his "little faith" was that he doubted in Christ´s magificence, I think that he began to doubt in himself.  and so... begining to sink he cried out: "Lord, Save me" C.S. Lewis taught:  "Only a real risk tests the reality of a belief. You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you. It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong and sound as long as you are merely using it to cord a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice. Wouldn’t you then first discover how much you really trusted it?" I am stressed. I am tired. I am worn. My heart is heavy. I can not do this anymore, at least, not on my own.  It´s time for the handcart to start pushing me. I am now, more fully, practicing what I preach. I am trusting fully in Him. I am grateful for this new, unexpected but very real emotional crisis because as I trust more fully in Him I have more opportunities to witness miracles. As I lean on Him, I have a chance to feel His support. As I look to Him for comfort, I find His love really is endless.  I trust Him.  I trust in His promises (1Ne 3:7). I know I will soon be over this hill (and on to the next), with more experience which will allow me to testify with authenticity of His infinite love.  Well I am not sure if any of this made sense but I miss you all a TON and love you forever.  Thank you for your prayers on my behalf. They are heard. 

I know they are heard. I am (Metaphorically speaking) walking on water and so, obviously I am getting a lot, a lot, a lot of help because I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO WALK ON WATER!, but somehow, I´m doing this!  I´m on a mission! I am serving the Lord (best I can) day by day Hermana Valenzuela

Elder Meller holding down the fort

Fransisca Vera being baptized in Yby Yau