Villa Elisa

So, I had changes- I am no longer in Ita and I`m a little (a lot) heart broken. I love Ita it is the most amazing area ever and I just saw so many miracles there and there are so many people there that I love so much that I am gonna miss!! but, asi es la mision. (that`s the mission).

So when we have changes, all the missionaries that are going to change go to the terminal (basically a big collectivo station- like train station but for buses). And that's always a really fun hour finding past companions and friends and such. Well these last changes I ran into Hermana Murguia (my companion for 2 cambios in La Floresta), and she told me that Lety se bautizo!!!!! (umm.. got baptized, sorry this English thing is really hard for me today). (Leticia is the investigator that worked in the ice cream shop and I left before she got baptized). I am super super excited about that!!!!!! Also, I heard that Hna. Mills (one of my comps from the MTC) is now in La Floresta! Which is in our zone so I`ll get to see her at some point- I`m going to tell her that she better take care of my convert! haha :)

Now, I am in Villa Elisa (super close to my second area- La Floresta, its the same zone) So that's fun. The ward here is super great. Really friendly and happy, just not super involved in missionary work yet, but we`re going to work with the sisters a lot to have them come do divisiones with us and accompany us in lessons and such. There is one sister here that is AMAZING. Her name is Jazmin, she`s 18 years old, and she`s preparing to go on a mission. She is going to be the most amazing missionary ever-- una capa`ite!! She leaves with us every weekend and studies Preach my gospel and basically knows everything about the mission already (rules, how we work, the lessons, she even has a missionary agenda that she uses when she`s with us)-- she`s adorable.

I also have a new companion named Hermana Valle. She`s from Bolivia.

So we have a couple of good investigators, one of which will hopefully get baptized August 9 (pray!!!)- his name is Cristian. He`s already come to church a couple times and we`re teaching him. The problem is that it`s hard to find a woman to accompany us during the week because everyone here works, goes to school, or has kids and the house and everything. But we`re figuring it out.

Well that`s about it for this week! Hope everything is going great!!

Love you all!! Good luck with the mission and internships and tests and Singapore and everything!!! Love you tons!!!

Hermana Urie

The Stonecutter

So my awesome story of the week..
First of all, background for this story. There`s a church video called `the stonecutter.` its about the guy that was called as the stonecutter for the salt lake temple. He had an accident and ended up amputating one leg. Later he made a wooden leg, practiced walking, and continued his calling as the stonecutter, walking 30 kilometers every week to salt lake and back with one leg because of his faith in the Lord and dedication to his calling (if you haven't seen it, look it up and watch it-- its really good).
Now, remember Victor, our investigator that was in an accident last week. So he`s doing okay and can limp pretty well now. But he lives about 10 blocks from the church. They don't have a car (because lots of people here don't) and their motorcycle was carried away after the crash, so that means they now have to walk everywhere (like us missionaries! haha). So we decided that we were going to ask one of the members that has a car to pass by and give him a ride to church on Sunday. But when we went by Victor`s house on Saturday, Victor told us that it wasn't necesary and that we shouldn't ask the member to take him. We tried to insist and assure him that it wasnt a problem or inconvenience. And he said... `If the stonecutter could walk 30 kilometers with only one leg, I can walk 10 blocks to church.` He wanted to show his faith to God, that no matter what, he would be firm and steadfast. That he was going to church because he wanted to show his faith to God, and not because someone passed by in a car to make it easy for him. And let me just say, when we saw him slowing limping up to the church, with his wife and daughters at his side, we were so excited. That is a moment that I will never forget.

Alright, so for the rest of my week.. I`ve got a lot of small random things to tell this week, so I`m just gonna make a list.

1. We are teaching a fireman, and we teach him in the firehouse/station thing. So that's pretty cool. He`s getting baptized this Saturday, and his brother (reciently returned missionary) is going to baptize him. The RM is also baptizing his mom and other little brother this Saturday (they live in the area of the elders). And the other elders in our branch have a family of 4 getting baptized this Saturday as well! ¡Bautismo Guazù! (guarani for huge baptism)

2. I helped someone make empanadas this week, so now I know how and will make them, when I come home.

3. Remember the crocodiles we have in the laguna... well we touched one. It was close to the fence so we just reached over and touched its tail. It was drier than I expected it to be, and not as hard as I thought either.

4. Last Monday we had our District Activity. An elder from El Salvador made pupusas, and an elder from Mexico made tacos.
Also remember Hna. Thacker, one of my companions from the MTC. Well she is in my district now. And during the activity I needed the keys to the church, so she threw them to me. But her aim was a bit off... so they landed on the roof of the church. oops! so one of the elders climbed up and got them. I`ll send a picture if I have time at the end.

5. Also during this activity, we played soccer (like every district activity here in Paraguay). And it got a little intense. So one time when an elder kicked the ball in, it went straight for my head. Luckly I had time to turn my head so I didn't get my face, but it did hit the side of my head pretty hard. I don't think I`d ever actually experienced the whole `white noise and loud ringing in the ear` thing before. So that was a wonderful experience to have. Later my companion told me that I was super spacey right after for like 5 seconds and then when I was trying to say `estoy bien!` (translated `I am good`) I was actually saying `soy bien! soy bien!` hhaha oops.. but the good thing is it didn't hurt as bad as i thought it would, so my fear of balls hitting me in the head in sports is now gone!

Also, replying to what Kristi said about having lots of investigators in ice cream shops. In my current area, the owner of the ice cream place is a recent convert and we often share with all of her workers. what can I say, I really like ice cream! haha (and I have not yet heard from the missionaries from La Floresta so I don't know if Lety has gotten baptized yet, but I will let you know when I hear!!)

Love you all!! I`ll let you know next week if I get tranfered or anything (changes are this week... time is just going by so fast!)

Love you!
Hermana Urie

¡Feliz Dìa de Independencia!

I can`t believe that its already July!! Crazy!!

For the 4th of July we.... did nothing! because its not a holiday here!! how sad right. But at least that day was warm, so it felt kinda like the 4th of July and not the middle of winter. We did eat some Kraft mac and cheese and we were going to eat s`mores in the night when we got home to celebrate.(Hna. Kekoolani`s mom sent her smores stuff). But I got sick really suddenly and randomly on the way home, so I just went to bed instead. But we`re going to have smores today so its fine!
Also, we have an investigator named Gabriel that is totally gonna get baptized soon! not sure exactly when. He`s had all the lessons and he`s come to church a million times and everything, but he`s scared to tell his family that he wants to get baptized because he doesn't know how they will react (no one in his family is members). So he told us that if he gets baptized, he`ll have to do it secretly so they don't know. But since he`s only 15 he needs permission from his parents, so that's kind of impossible, and not really the best way to do it anyway. But we`re figuring it out.
Also, I don`t remember how much I`ve told you guys before about our investigator Victor, but he`s the one who I said is like a Book of Mormon story miracle, who changed SO much and has completely turned to Christ and basically the biggest conversion I`ve ever seen. Well, we`ve been teaching him a lot. His wife and kids are all members (his kids are currently inactive, but they are slowly coming back to the church as he is starting to come, and his wife is strong and active). Well for some things that have happened in the past, he has to go through kind of a long process to be able to get baptized. Turns out he has to be actively going to church and keeping the commandments and such for 1 year before he can get baptized (2 months down, 10 to go!). But he`s strong and super determined to stay active and get baptized in a year, so all good there. But we figured, that means he`s going to have a lot of trials of his faith and attacks from Satan in the next year. And the trials started this last week. Saturday night it was raining a lot and there were lots of people drinking and partying and stuff. And one of these drunk men decided to go for a ride on his motorcycle, and he crashed into Victor on his motorcycle. Everything turned out okay, he didn't get hurt too badly. But it is going to affect his ability to work for the next little while (which they can't really afford to happen financially), and now they are having some legal problems with the crash and documents and lawyers and such and it's gonna be a long process. So the trials have started. But all we can really do is pray and support them along the way.

So that's basically all that I can remember for this week. But sounds like you guys are all doing well! Love you tons! Talk to ya next week!!

Love,
Hermana Urie